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ARCHIVE OF ALITTLETHOUGHTS****** Please click on "Welcome to our magazine" just to the right.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 Enjoy this list of the top 50 "elite baby names" - so you can start your child on the road to snobbery extra early. :) The Mommy Files: Elite Baby Names Monday, March 22, 2010 As Japan's population declines, what's left behind is a diminishing landscape, and lots of neglect. One blogger is documenting the decrepitude with beautiful photos and eloquent language. Spike Japan Sunday, 21 March, 2010 Obituary: Disney’s Daniel Boone - Fess Parker If you are a Boomer you can’t forget him. Let me check the garage and see if my coonskin cap is still there. Click on: And the man made fine wine too
Saturday, 20 March, 2010 Google Gone? The web icon is threatening to operate in China without complying with long-standing censorship requirements. Their adversary, the Chinese government, promises “….consequences” if they do. Click on: Bye Bye Google
Friday, March 19, 2010 Apparently, Maryland is feeling more Yankee than Rebel these days, as they've made a series of moves to align themselves with their northern neighbors, as opposed to their southern friends. Md. lawmakers not feeling so Southern anymore Thursday, March 18, 2010 In a sickening story that shows the state of our society - especially when it comes to health care - one insurance company was intentionally searching their databases for people with life-threatening illnesses, then looking for a reason (even an illegitimate one) to rescind coverage. Real nice. Insurance Company Intentionally Targeted, Dropped HIV Patients Wednesday, March 17, 2010 Happy St. Patrick's Day readers! Here's an interesting fact: Guinness sells 10 million glasses of beer a day and lots more on St. Patty's Day. But it may surprise you to learn that in days gone by, bars in Ireland actually CLOSED on St. Patrick's Day! St. Patrick's Day 2010: It was about church, not Guinness Tuesday, March 16, 2010 The ever-popular Ugg boot is apparently not only a fashion mistake, it's a health mistake as well. Ugg-style boots 'damage feet due to lack of support' Monday, March 15, 2010 Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is now calling for internet controls, saying "The Internet cannot be something open where anything is said and done." Actually, that's exactly what it is. Good luck Hugo. Venezuela's Chavez calls for internet controls Sunday, 14 March, 2010 Vanilla soured by a harsh reality Youngsters of single-digit age toil in northern Madagascar to harvest vanilla beans. “Here, in the remote Sava region of Madagascar, tens of thousands of children are being forced into the trade in black vanilla pods that sell for up to £4 each in British supermarkets…..” Companies who are well known buy the fruits of their labor for sale throughout the world. Click on: Ben & Jerry's too
Saturday, 13 March, 2010 Moonmen decrie Obama’s cancellation Apollo astronauts that went to the moon do not agree with President Obama’a decision to cancel the effort to return. The last man on the moon, Eugene Cernan, said: "I think America has a responsibility to maintain its leadership in technology and its moral leadership... to seek knowledge. Curiosity's the essence of human existence." Click on: To go or not to go
Friday, March 11, 2010 Happy Friday all! Here's a little dose of entertainment for your Friday morning - check out the world's largest house of cards. WOW. Architect spends 44 days creating world's biggest house of cards Friday, 12 March, 2010 Don’t bite the hand that feeds you Be careful what you write on Twitter, MySpace. Your employer is probably reading your posts too. Click on: Two-Hour Lunches
Tuesday, March 9, 2010 Researchers say a tax on soda and pizza would cut obesity... Really? So pizza and soda are the culprits, not overeating and lack of exercise? Tax soda, pizza to cut obesity, researchers say Monday, March 8, 2010 In Beijing, kindergarten costs SIX TIMES MORE annually than the nation's top college. What does that mean, exactly? Top quality juice and longer naptimes? Where Kindergarten Costs More Than College Sunday, 7 March, 2010 ATM walk-away You need a pile of money? Pick up the ATM and take it home. That’s easy to do if you’re a sumo wrestler. Click on: Muscovite Muscle
Saturday, 6 March, 2010 Huh? Reader’s Digest? Legitimate offers in the U.K. might keep that across-the-pond sister alive. “The magazine – a staple of doctors' and dentists' waiting rooms – was placed in administration after its US parent, Reader's Digest Association (RDA), filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.” Click on:Abridged in Britain
Thursday, March 4, 2010 Television is no substitute for real-life training. Just ask Richard Code, a fan of the show Survivorman, who died after venturing into the wilderness to attempt to live off the land, like the show's star, Les Stroud. Survivorman fan found dead in Muskoka wilderness Wednesday, March 3, 2010 You know those infamous "FreeCreditReport.com" commercials with the crooning fellow? Well, after a long battle, the government is making them pay up. FreeCreditReport.com forced to face the music Tuesday, March 2, 2010 Check out this amazing artwork, all made from stuff you find around the office. Very cool. AWESOME WORKS OF ART MADE FROM STUFF ON YOUR DESK Monday, March 1, 2010 Thanks to the antibacterial bandwagon, there are now bacteria so strong that the only antibiotics strong enough to kill them will shut down your kidneys. Scary. Rising Threat of Infections Unfazed by Antibiotics Sunday, 28 February, 2010 Yachting Solar You can’t really call it sailing in luxury; it is rather utilitarian. But captain and sole mate will be doing it without burning fuel. “Really, PlanetSolar's jumbo size is simply to accommodate the 5,300 square feet of sun-soaking panels that run along its topside. The solar array pulls in 103 kW……” Click on: Leviathan to sail globe
Saturday, February 27, 2010 The computers used by the Secret Service run on a 1980s mainframe, and work at a shocking 60% capacity. Scary. Secret Service Computers Only Work at 60 Percent Capacity; Agency Uses 1980s Mainframe Friday, February 26, 2010 Street vendors in Manhattan are protesting for the right to bathroom breaks. Apparently, if they leave their carts unattended, it's considered a "health risk." Vendors Protest City's Crackdown on Bathroom Breaks Friday, 26 February, 2010 French men to get electronic tags Well, we are talking about certain French messieurs. And the proposed legislation “…..enjoys support from women’s groups”. Click on: Not a fashion statement
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 In a sad commentary on our times, a new study finds that half of Britain's six-year-old girls would "like to be skinnier." Most believe that being thinner would make them more popular...thanks, fashion & entertainment industry, for giving small children self-esteem problems. Half of Britain's Six-Year-Old Girls 'Want to Be Thinner' Monday, February 22, 2010 Hard to believe the Russian ice dancing team actually toned DOWN their costumes for the Olympics, considering they're still so offensive. Aboriginal leaders: Russian ice dancers' routine still offensive Sunday, 21 February, 2010 Pilot Crashes Into IRS Building No one should advocate or resort to violence, but read this Christian Science Monitor piece on tax protest history and the pilot that flew a plane into the IRS office in Austin. Also, read Joe Stack's original “manifesto.” Click on: Tax Protest History Click On: Stack's Letter
Saturday, 20 February, 2010 Abbey Road on the block Do you want to buy the London studio that the Beatles made famous? “Many risk life and limb replicating the band's Abbey Road album cover on the zebra crossing outside, enraging countless cabbies, bus drivers and other motorists in the process.” Check your bank account. Click on: Beatles' icon
In an odd animal story, dolphins apparently swam 12 miles up a New Jersey river, and were spotted in Hackensack. Perhaps they were Jersey Shore fans? Dolphins Spotted 12 Miles Up N.J. River Thursday, February 18, 2010 So Bill Clinton is now saying his heart condition is due to stress from losing sleep over the Haiti disaster. So unhealthy diet and/or lifestyle has nothing to do with it? Clinton: Haiti stress accelerated heart problem Wednesday, February 17, 2010 An Indonesian teenager was convicted for posting an insult on the Facebook page of a romantic rival. Talk about severe... Indonesian Teenager Convicted for Facebook Insult Tuesday, February 16, 2010 Thanks to the "snowpocalypse", many Americans are undoubtedly extremely sick of the cold white stuff. This gallery of abnormal snow situations should make you feel better, no matter how long it took you to plow your driveway.
Lots of Snow Monday, February 15, 2010 Are you watching this year's winter Olympics? Well, in case you missed the opening ceremony, check out this cool 360 degree panoramic view of said event. The Opening Ceremony Sunday, 14 February, 2010 Happy Valentine’s Day In keeping with the holiday here’s a piece of advice about eating chocolate. It’s good for the heart. A study “…..found that 44,489 people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22 per cent less likely to have a stroke than people who ate no chocolate…..” Click on: Flavanoid fix
Saturday, 13 February, 2010 Is College Worth It? It depends upon how you view the numbers. The dollar value of a high school versus college education used to be a no-brainer in college’s favor. But recent analysis reminds us that: “One problem he sees with the estimates: They don't take into account deductions from income taxes or breaks in employment. Nor do they factor in debt, particularly student debt loads, which have ballooned for both public and private colleges in recent years. In addition, the income data…….” Click on: It's all about the money
Friday, February 12, 2010 Experts have found areas of the brain that, when damaged, lead to greater spirituality. Links to Spirituality Found in the Brain Thursday, February 11, 2010 Norway is ranked as the best place in the world to live ... but don't get any ideas. The wait list to immigrate to this paradise is three years long. Thousands Stuck in Immigration Backlog Wednesday, February 10, 2010 On the news of a declining economy and high unemployment in the United States, illegal immigration dropped by 7 percent last year. US: 7 percent fewer illegal immigrants last year Tuesday, February 9, 2010 Most people believe that with money, comes happiness. But one Austrian millionaire disagrees. He's giving away his entire fortune, stating that money has brought him nothing but unhappiness. Millionaire Giving Away Fortune Sunday, February 7, 2010 Apparently, the classic New York accent is fading into oblivion ... say it isn't so, Noo Yawkas! Why the classic Noo Yawk accent is fading away Saturday, 6 February, 2010 Obama: a mere mortal after all Some of the best, incisive writing you can find comes from Fouad Ajami, a Professor at Johns Hopkins and senior fellow at Stanford. In his most recent piece in the Wall Street Journal he gives us an update on the travails of our president, which includes Ajami’s view that: “Mr. Obama was smitten with his own specialness.” Click on: The Thrill is Gone
Friday, February 5, 2010 In honor of the Superbowl, comedian Dave Barry writes a column advising tourists what to do while in Miami ... not surprisingly, a lot of the city apparently can't take the joke. Dave Barry: If you're a Super Bowl tourist, Do NOT go outside So, a day later, Barry printed a hilarious "retraction" to his original column. Dave Barry | I take it all back: I love you, Miami Wednesday, February 3, 2010 Proof the legal system is broken. A retired L.A. County judge was disciplined after ordering a lawyer be paid in gift certificates to a woman's clothing store ... the same settlement terms his clients received. And what's wrong with that? Retired L.A. County judge disciplined after ordering gift card payment to lawyer Tuesday, February 2, 2010 As the most romantic holiday of the year approaches, what about all those singles or the newly dumped out there? Well, a Goodwill in Pennsylvania is hoping to take advantage of broken relationships with their "Dump and Drive" program. Dump your ex's leftover stuff, help the needy AND feel better - 3 birds with one stone! Colonial Park Goodwill hopes to do good with remnants of bad relationships Monday, February 1, 2010 In his first newspaper interview since 1989, Bill Watterson, creator of iconic cartoon "Calvin and Hobbes," says he looks back on his career and decisions with no regrets. Amen to that. Interview with Bill Watterson Sunday, 31 January, 2010 Chicago cools to hometown Obama Even his friends in the neighborhood are tiring at the lack of jobs and economic doom. There is even a chance that the “Obama seat” may be up for grabs. Click on: The Scott Brown recipe comes to Illinois
Saturday, 30 January, 2010 Leonardo’s mysterious death An Italian group is asking French officials to disinter the famous painter to find out why he died. They also want to test a theory that the Mona Lisa is a Leonardo self-portrait. Click on: da Vinci disinterred
Friday, January 29, 2010 The transportation of Haiti's injured to Florida has temporarily been halted. Why, you ask? Well, one of the cited reasons is next week's SuperBowl ... Likely not the best judgment call. Super Bowl among reasons cited for halting transport of Haiti's injured to Florida Thursday, January 28, 2010 For many imaginative kids, a popular fantasy is to find a hidden room or trapdoor in their house that would lead to another world. Well, for one Atlanta couple this dream came true ... kinda. Trapdoor, Secret Room Found in Atlanta House Wednesday, January 27, 2010 Maybe this worldwide obsession with social networking isn't all bad. A daughter and her dad were reunited after 50 years, thanks to the wonder of Facebook. Daughter and Dad Reunited After 50 Years on Facebook Tuesday, January 26, 2010 Whole Foods has a controversial policy in place, in which they offer steeper discounts on products to employees who are not overweight. Workers with a healthy BMI, as well as non-nicotine use, low cholesterol and blood pressure, are offered a 30% discount, while others receive 20%. What do you think about this policy, fair, or discriminatory? Weigh Less, Pay Less: Whole Foods Offers Discount Based On BMI Monday, January 25, 2010 In an amazing story of survival, a Haitian man survived for 11 days, buried beneath the rubble. He managed to stay alive by "drinking cola, beer and eating cookies." Quake Rescue Defies Survival Odds Sunday, 24 January, 2010 Obama: More of the same Despite recent slams at the polls, most notably the Massachusetts senate seat loss, our president is intent on attacking insurance companies and banks. Click on: What happened to job creation?
Saturday, January 23, 2009 While advanced technology is helping many blind Americans more easily read and write, it's also creating an unexpected problem - a decline in braille literacy. Braille Literacy on Decline Friday, January 22, 2010 Beer and fast food - could the two be coming together? Burger King is planning a Whopper Bar in South Beach, Miami, where the popular libation will be available alongside the usual fare. This could really catch on... Burger King Plans Beer-Selling Whopper Bar Thursday, January 21, 2010 In an interesting news story, even the White House lost value in 2009. The estimated value of this famous abode dropped 5.1 percent -- from $308 million to $292.5 million. Survey: White House, like a lot of U.S. real estate, lost value in '09 Wednesday, January 20, 2009 The popular weight loss company, Weight Watchers, is suing rival Jenny Craig. Weight Watchers says ads by Jenny Craig reference a study comparing the two meal plans, but no such study has been conducted. I wonder how Valerie Bertinelli and Marie Osmond feel about this ... Weight Watchers Sues Jenny Craig Over Ads Tuesday, January 19, 2010 Incredible art comes in all forms and mediums. Check out these incredible sculptures, made from nothing more than one individual sheet of paper and glue. A4 Paper Cut Monday, January 18, 2010 Even in the midst of tragedy, there are heartwarming stories that help restore faith in mankind. In Haiti, an Australian TV cameraman put down his camera to help efforts to dig a little girl out from the rubble. In doing so, he missed the money shot of her being pulled out - but he helped to save a life. In the news business, this may be unforgivable, but in the human being business, it was the right thing to do, without a doubt. Cameraman to the Rescue Sunday, 17 January, 2010 Murdoch and Saudi align The Wall Street Journal reports that the owner of Fox News is negotiating to form an “alliance” with a Saudi Arabian media counterpart. Mr. Murdoch is reportedly ready to be a 10% investor in Rotana Media Services. Click on: Murdoch spans the globe
Saturday, January 16, 2010 Despite the constant use of iPods by most of Americans, as well as earbuds for every electronic device imaginable, the rates of hearing loss among adults have actually dropped. Hearing Loss Rates Have Dropped Among Adults Friday, January 15, 2009 In tough economic times, looks like people are convinced a $50,000 per year, Ivy League education will ensure their future success. Harvard applications set a new record this year. Good Luck - You'll Need It Thursday, January 14, 2010 Concerned about the thousands of victims of Tuesday's tragic earthquake in Haiti? There are lots of ways you can contribute to relief efforts. Help for Haiti Wednesday, January 13, 2009 Still in the midst of a recession, many Americans are thanking their lucky stars they're employed. But, research still shows that people are happier on the weekends - when they don't have to work. There's a Reason You're Happiest on Weekends Tuesday, January 12, 2009 Across the US, people and animals are being affected by the unusually cold temperatures. This includes sea turtles, who have been washing ashore due to frigid water conditions. Cold Temps Bring Turtles to Shore Monday, January 11, 2009 In a move that should surprise almost no one, FOX News has picked up none other than Sarah Palin as a commentator ... just what they need ... Palin to Join FOX News as Contributor Sunday, 10 January, 2010 Underpants bomber stops talking “The chance to secure crucial information about al-Qaeda operations in Yemen was lost because the Obama administration decided to charge and prosecute Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab as an ordinary criminal, critics say." Read an article from the U.K.’s Telegraph detailing the latest intelligence blunder from the Obama administration. Click on: Detroit bomber clams up
Saturday, 9 January, 2010 Europe’s beauty in a frigid winter See a photo gallery of pictures taken by people from all over the continent. Click on: Winter Wonderland
Friday, January 8, 2009 Happy 75th birthday to the man who made Rock and Roll what it is today. Elvis, you'll be forever missed. Fans Salute Elvis on His 75th Birthday Thursday, January 7, 2009 As an unusual cold spell hits South Florida, some long-term residents are going into hibernation. Iguanas, not used to the cold, go into a sleep state of sorts when the temperatures drop, often falling from trees where they're sitting. Cold Iguanas Free-Fall From Trees Wednesday, January 6, 2009 Facing increasing obstacles on land, oil companies are taking to the sea to find additional resources. But what does this mean for us? And can our precious seas handle it? Cramped on Land, Big Oil Bets at Sea Tuesday, January 5, 2010 How bout this weather, folks? On Thursday and Friday of this week, Houston, TX (home of heat & humidity) temperatures are expected to drop into the teens and twenties, the lowest temps the city has seen in more than a decade. Hard Freeze Expected in Houston Monday, January 4, 2010 According to researchers, women's feet are getting bigger, with the average size up from a size 5 to a size 6 in the past 5 years. Women's Feet Getting Bigger Sunday, January 3, 2010 Here's to hobbies. Check out the story of a Maryland landscaper who owns 867 pinball machines, and dreams of opening a museum for "pinheads."Md. Man With Hundreds of Pinball Machines Seeks to Open Museum Saturday, January 2, 2009 In an interesting lawsuit in the state of Florida, a man is suing a city after receiving a ticket from an automatic red light camera. The state code requires that traffic violations be witnessed by a police officer, but many cities have installed the automatic cameras, nonetheless. More Lawsuits Seek to End Red Light Cameras Friday, January 1, 2010 Well, hello 2010! Here's hoping this new decade brings peace, prosperity and joy across the globe. From New York to Australia, people rang in the New Year last night with legendary celebrations, under a blue moon. New Year's revelers have a blast Thursday, December 31, 2009 To end the New Year on a positive note, read this story about a supermarket that accidentally left its doors open on Christmas. What happened? People shopped, left money on the counter, and there was no looting or vandalism involved. Maybe the world isn't a hopeless place, after all. Store Accidentally Leaves Doors Unlocked on Christmas Wednesday, December 30, 2009 Dick Clark will be hosting Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, yet again, at the ripe old age of 80! Even after a stroke, he's still "having a ball." It seems nothing can keep this man down! Dick Clark is Still Having a Ball on New Year's Wednesday, 30 December, 2009 Perhaps you missed this one? Al Gore refused to answer questions a few weeks ago about his namesake topic: Gorebal Warming. ”Not only did the former Vice President completely refuse to answer questions about his blatant misrepresentations………… a U.N. security official actually disconnected McAleer's microphone to make sure any answers would be unrecorded." Click on: Scaredeecat
Tuesday, December 29, 2009 A paper airplane virtuoso out of Japan just set the world's record for the longest flight by a hand-launched airplane, made only out of paper. Cool. Paper airplane virtuoso tests record aloft Tuesday, 29 December, 2009 Remember thalidomide? It was taken off the market in 1961 after causing birth defects. Ironically it was targeted to pregnant women. Tragically, it was found to cause birth defects. In the U.K. the children of those who took the drug are getting compensation to help them with their continuing medical expenses. "2009 is the 50th year of the first thalidomide babies being born in Britain and the thalidomide disaster is the biggest peace time disaster to happen in this country so it is surprising it's taken so long." Click on: 50 years later
Monday, December 28, 2009 In one commentator's opinion, health care reform really won't help the majority of Americans, because the bad habits of most of our citizens aren't likely to go away. Unhealthy Habits Are What's Killing Us Monday, 28 December, 2009 Why did the Obama government ever let this man on a plane? Though we are in the Christmas holiday season life goes on; some of it continues to be disturbing. You did hear about the well-heeled man from Nigeria - Abdulmutallab - who was reported to have attempted to have done the wannabe shoe bomber one better? Thankfully, they both failed. The Christian Science Monitor asks a simple question. Click on: Burned for his troubles
Sunday, 27 December, 2009 Give ‘em a boot If you didn’t get them for Christmas there is still time. How about a $1,295 New Year’s present? A mom from California was quoted as follows: “Mary Blair, a 45-year-old mother of three from Santa Barbara, recently got her boots after being on a wait list for two months. Upon seeing the Otway style in a magazine, ‘I just thought, Oh my god I have to have those. They kept creeping their way into my brain,’ she says.” Click on: Is the Otway your way?
Saturday, 26 December, 2009 The reason for the season A father-daughter team performs an original song fit for the Christmas holiday; professionally done, whatever your religious preference, it will make you think about the secular nature of modern life. Click on: Christmas 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009 A Merry Christmas to all, from Dennis and Hannah! Remember the old days, when you could watch a Yule Log burning in a fireplace on NY's channel 11? Well, now you can watch the same classic log aflame, right on the internet. To Make Your Christmas Warmer Thursday, 24 December, 2009 Myrrh and the Nativity “It is best known as one of the gifts of the Three Wise Men offered to the infant Jesus, along with gold and frankincense. At the time, myrrh was……” But modern medicine has just found that the ancient gift may have a current benefit to health. Click on: It's not just for Christmas anymore
Wednesday, 23 December, 2009 Manatees are not only found in Florida A behavior of Amazonian cousins of our Florida manatees has been explained: Why they migrate to deeper water. It is probably not what you think. Click on: Manatee migration
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 In an interesting study, the popular wisdom that women with long legs are more attractive is refuted. Turns out, most people find middle leg ranges the most appealing. Long legs get short shrift in study that's really out on a limb Monday, December 21, 2009 In a move that many say encourages binge drinking, many British supermarkets are selling alcohol more cheaply than bottled water. Alcohol Now Costs Less Than Water Sunday, 20 December, 2009 3-D is coming to your living room But will you buy it? Television companies are ramping up to offer this technological upgrade by next year: “But the potential gain from 3-D TVs hangs on whether consumers will immediately flock to the technology, and whether there's enough appealing 3-D content to draw them. A delay…….” Click on: Hold onto those 3-D glasses
Saturday, 19 December, 2009 Snail caviar sweeps across France Well, not literally; and nothing that creeps could sweep anyway. But an enterprising former builder has come up with a new food craze. He has been working on it since he bought a snail farm in 2004. ”Christine Michelle, a shopkeeper, paused for thought as she bit into the 4mm-wide eggs. ‘It tastes of wet earth and dead leaves,’ she said in what was intended as a compliment.” Click on: Faux From Escargot
Friday, December 18, 2009 In a characteristically stupid move by none other than our beloved government, a highway that took almost two decades to build and cost $2.56 billion in construction costs is now going to have toll prices so high, no one will be able to afford to use it. Brilliant. Tolls approved for ICC are most expensive in Washington area Thursday, December 17, 2009 Ever wonder what you're saying at the office, that might be driving everyone else nuts? Check out this list of the 10 worst phrases to use at the office: 10 Worst Phrases to Use at the Office Wednesday, 16 December, 2009 Depp wins praise Kudo’s to an actor that doesn’t take himself too seriously: Johnny Depp. He just won an award from the Bahamas where he has an island home. “[the actor]……… said he is ‘a little stupefied by the notion’ of winning awards. ‘The first thing I say is 'why?' I just go to work like anyone else,…..” Click on: Go Johnny Go
TWO DAYS OF LITTLETHOUGHTS PLEASE SCROLL DOWN Tuesday, 15 December, 2009 Yes it is! No it isn’t! Seinfeld looks to Australia for new reality show. Its premise is to referee disputes between married couples; no matter how novel the arguments might be. In fact, that is the reason for the show: Writers couldn’t dream up this stuff. Click on: Judging Battles *********AND*********** Monday, 14 December, 2009 SuBo sells album’s in record numbers Singer Susan Boyle - called SuBo in Australia - continues her amazing international acclaim by selling a record number of cd’s Downunder. Click on: One surprising life
Sunday, 13 December, 2009 Man versus beast in Australia Wild camels roaming Australia have had to be killed. “Explorers brought camels to Australia to help them travel in the desert, and now an estimated 1 million roam wild across the country. They compete with sheep and cattle for food, trample vegetation and invade remote settlements in search of water, scaring residents as they tear apart bathrooms and rip up water pipes.” Click on: Water is life
Saturday, 12 December, 2009 Avatar Nation With the appearance of the world’s most expensive movie - Avatar - comes its own language; much like Star Trek brought Klingon to life. “The director [James Camero] had already come up with about thirty words, for the characters' names and body parts. But he was looking to the professor…..” Click on: Is Na’vi spoken here?
Friday, 11 December, 2009 You rich, you pay Ah, the so-called developing countries are licking their lips over the Gorebal warming scam. They haven’t had such an opportunity for richness without working for it, since the heydays of foreign aid. See how they frame their argument against the developed countries in this Editorial: “Yes, their economies will suffer, but the wealth they enjoy today comes as a result of years of growth at the expense of the environment. It is not charity for the polluter…..” Click on: Polluters r us
Thursday, 10, December, 2009 Banned in the U.S.A. A group that wants to come to America to show off its musical talent is denied a visa. It turns out that: “…. immigration law gives an anonymous group of government bureaucrats a lot of cultural clout: They can decide which foreign ballerinas, musicians and artists qualify as ‘outstanding,’ or special enough to deserve a visa to enter the U.S.” Click on: There's no accounting for government taste
Wednesday, 9 December, 2009 Fly me to the moon Haven’t you always wanted to? Hop into a spaceship and take a trip to the moon. Well, Sir Richard Branson is about to make that dream a reality. Click on: Not just for astronauts anymore
Tuesday, 8 December, 2009 Watch out Lucky, here come North Korean Jeans A store in Sweden was going to sell them until they got cold feet. Well, maybe cold legs. In case they wind up in a pile at THE DUMP near you, consider this: “The jeans are only available in black, because North Koreans associate blue denim with the US.” Click on: Kim Jong Jeans
Sunday, 6 December, 2009 Do you Vanuatu? Has winter relentlessly grabbed your soul and you’ve hunkered down to get through to spring ’10? Why not break out of your ice box and take a trip to somewhere really different: “James Cook sighted Yasur from the sea in 1774, and compared its constant light show to that of Stromboli, a little island off Sicily's north coast that is known as ‘the lighthouse of the Mediterranean’ because it has been in a state of constant, low-level eruption since ancient times.” This South Pacific volcano will spark you out of any winter doldrums. Click on: Volcano on time
Saturday, 5 December, 2009 Gorebal Warming Scandal: Leaked emails and cooking the books Hackers have exposed at least 1000 emails from alleged respected scientists showing manipulation and fraud to justify their climate-warming theories. Even the Obama administration has been pushed to the defensive: “President Obama’s science adviser, John Holdren, told lawmakers that the science behind global warming, although ‘incomplete,’ is sound. But he added that if data has been manipulated ‘in ways not scientifically legitimate, I regard that as a problem and I would denounce it.’” Click on: Warm up to this
Friday, December 4, 2009 For those web-savvy among us, check out this list of the top ten web trends to watch for 2010! You may be surprised ... 10 Web Trends to Watch in 2010 Thursday, December 3, 2009 Beware the Christmas presents you buy for your children this year, as you could end up with an evil zombie doll ... like this poor family. ;) The 'Evil Zombie Doll' We All Adore Wednesday, December 2, 2009 Apparently, Charles Dickens left us with only one copy of his immortal classic, "A Christmas Carol," and it's so marked with revisions it's nearly impossible to read. But fun to try! This is history, at its best. Looking Over the Shoulder of Dickens Tuesday, December 1, 2009 For those who have kids, the holiday season is a time to stock up on all the latest and greatest of toys and playthings. But beware! Check out this list of the top 10 dangerous toys and steer clear! Top 10 Dangerous Toys Monday, November 30, 2009 In an interesting new brain scan study, it's been found that men and women respond differently to danger. And who said men and women are the same? Men and women 'respond differently to danger' Sunday, 29 November, 2009 Manjet soars A Swiss pilot who was his own jet and crossed the English Channel in September 2008 just tried to do the same from Africa to Europe. Find out what happened this time around. Click on: Try try again
Saturday, 28 November, 2009 Are you a Cyber Monday? Black Friday has been the traditional kick-off day for the Christmas and holiday shopping season. But the internet keeps trying to establish its own day of economic reckoning: “To be sure, retailers have expanded the weekend selling rush through so-called Cyber Monday, just as they have dialed back Black Friday store hours a bit further each year, now encroaching onto Thanksgiving night. The National Retail Federation, a trade organization representing 1.6 million retailers, says Monday is the……” Click On: Web Deals
Friday, November 27, 2009 Happy Black Friday! The day after Thanksgiving is a time to collect as many bargains as we can squeeze into our SUVs ... it's the American way! So check out this list of Black Friday specials. Black Friday Previews Thursday, November 26, 2009 Happy Thanksgiving all! In an amusing story on this lovely holiday, have you heard about the couple that crashed Obama's State Dinner last night? Somehow, they got past White House security, and no one noticed they didn't belong. Amazing. Couple Slips Through Security to Crash State Dinner Wednesday, November 25, 2009 We all need a story that makes us smile once in awhile. Read about Cody, the only canine employee of the BP gas station/convenience story. Drive through to pick up some cigarettes or a carton of milk, and he might just be the one waiting on you! Dog in a BP Shirt Greets Customers at Clearwater Store Tuesday, November 24, 2009 Thanksgiving is almost upon us, so what are the vegetarians among us supposed to do on Turkey Day? Luckily, being vegetarian offers more options than ever before, so get those creative juices flowing and come up with something awesome! In Lieu of Turkey, Thanksgiving Speaks Vegetable-Inspired Creativity Monday, November 23, 2009 The power of the PC is incredible. Check out this collection of amazingly realistic, computer generated pictures. Realistic CG Portraits Sunday, 22 November, 2009 Get a Peek Pronto A device that gives you email and texts but no telephoning has arrived. And it doesn’t cost a king’s ransom: ”Peek offers its customers unlimited email and text messaging from its devices for as low as $15 a month, or $20 with no contract.” Click on: Handheld heaven?
Saturday, 21 November, 2009 Turn your world upside down Literally. In Europe there are people who are using themselves as street art. “Choreographed by Austrian artist Willi Dorner, it is an outdoor moving event featuring a group of 24 performers.” Click on: Wall hangings
Friday, November 20, 2009 With the environment and our energy supply facing a near-crisis situation, most people are concerned with "going green" and helping to reduce their carbon footprint. But in an interesting story, turns out energy-saving lightbulbs, which have replaced regular bulbs for many people, actually get dimmer over time. Bummer. Energy-Saving Bulbs Get Dimmer Thursday, November 19, 2009 A new study suggests that drinking alcohol every day can cut the risk of heart disease in men by more than a third. Frat boys around the world are cheering. Alcohol 'Protects' Mens' Hearts Wednesday, November 18, 2009 Who could use a nice, uplifting story this Wednesday? In an amazing feat, a dog survived a 130 plunge from a cliff as he chased a jackrabbit over the edge. Landing on a narrow ledge, coast guard staff spent hours working to rescue him, and eventually did. The pup was completely unharmed. Dog Survives 130 Ft. Cliff Plunge Tuesday, November 17, 2009 A new study finds that about half or regular internet users in the U.S. say they would be willing to pay for online news, a lower percentage than in most other Western countries. About Half in U.S. Would Pay for Online News Monday, November 16, 2009 Everyone knows family life ain't easy, but according to a British study, the average family spends a whopping 4 days a year arguing. In addition, parents and children have at least 3 disagreements a day. Wow, that's a lot of time spent being angry. Families Spend 4 Days a Year Arguing Sunday, 15 November, 2009 Time will come today And tomorrow and tomorrow, but not the same as today; long a trivia question Russia is contemplating reducing its 11 time zones; President Medvedev has a problem with them: ”The president did not mention how many time zones might be cut, but Vladivostock Economics University rector Gennady Lazarev told the RIA Novosti news agency that it could be reduced to…..” Click on : Tick Tock
Saturday, 14 November, 2009 Brrrrrr! This is a surf alert. Are you tired of your old haunts? How about the Arctic Circle? An Australian has joined the crowd. ”Resembling a ninja in his hi-tech heated full-body wetsuit, Matt Whitehead, from Byron Bay, took on the Norwegian waves in near-freezing….” Click on: Surf the ice
Friday, November 13, 2009 What goes around comes around, especially when it comes to fashion. On the runway this year? Men's garments circa the 1890s. If you can get ahold of your great-grandfather's wardrobe, you're in luck! Late 19th Century Fashion Coming Back Thursday, November 12, 2009 In a story that should inspire all of us, a 100-year-old British man has refused to retire, having just signed a contract to continue mowing lawns for another 5 years. Hooray for growing old with style. 100-Year-Old Man Continues to Mow Lawns Wednesday, November 11, 2009 The tradition of leaving items at the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in Washington, DC, began even before the landmark was complete. In 1986, an official collection was begun, and to date, more than 100,000 items are held in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Collection. Mementos at the Memorial Tuesday, November 10, 2009 Looking for a new gig? Denali, Alaska is looking for a dog musher. It pays between $33,477 to $66,542 -- plus a healthy 25 percent cost of living adjustment. Not a bad deal! Help Wanted: Denali Needs a Dog Musher Monday, November 9, 2009 A Northwestern University professor and his journalism students have helped free 11 innocent men from prison since 1996 - and now the prosecutor's office (no doubt peeved that students brought to light these false convictions) has subpoenaed the school for the students' grades, private emails and class syllabus. So much for prosecutors seeking justice ... more likely they're simply seeking convictions. Prosecutors seek Northwestern journalism students’ grades Sunday, 8 November, 2009 Too cool for comfort How uninspiring, how dispassionate is our president? So much so that you long for President Bush? See what one wag in the U.K. thinks about this. Click on: Mr. Cool dithers
Saturday, 7 November, 2009 You’ve come a long way baby At the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) ceremony the girls were in control. ”This year, the event returned to Berlin - the scene of MTV's first ever European Music Awards in 1994 - to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. “ Click on: Going Gaga
Friday, November 6, 2009 The technological revolution continues, and signs of this fact are everywhere. Now, more schools than ever are abandoning paper report cards in favor of posting grades online (in secure accounts). More Report Cards Go Online Thursday, November 5, 2009 In honor of the 40th anniversary of the iconic kid's show, Sesame Street, Google is featuring some of the beloved characters on their home page this week. Today - it's the eternally hungry Cookie Monster! Google Celebrates Sesame Street's 40th Anniversary Wednesday, 4 November, 2009 Here it comes: Obamacare legislation Maybe we will be saved by last night’s election returns in New Jersey and Virginia. But if not, B.H.O is likely to try and force an unwanted bill onto the American public. The Wall Street Journal reports: Critics will say we are exaggerating, but we believe it is no stretch to say that Mrs. Pelosi's handiwork ranks with the Smoot-Hawley tariff and FDR's National Industrial Recovery Act as among the worst bills Congress has ever seriously contemplated. Bring yourself up to date on the one issue that affects us all: our health and caring for it. Click on: No No A Hundred Times No
Monday, November 2, 2009 A New Hampshire restaurant sets the record for the world's largest meatball! The monster mound of meat weighs in at 222.5 pounds. Woah. NH Restaurant Sets Meatball Record Sunday, November 1, 2009 The Stanley Hotel, famous for its connection to Stephen King's novel, "The Shining", just celebrated its 100th anniversary. The spooky hotel keeps a psychic and a ghost hunter on the payroll. A good day to get spooked at the Stanley Museum Saturday, October 31, 2009 Still Campaigning President Obama is doing his best to get Democrats elected governors next week in New Jersey and Virginia. “Event organisers wandered the hall wearing shirts proclaiming "Yes We Can 2.0", as if they were selling the latest Windows update, and a giant banner stage-right gave top billing… See New Zealander’s news of our B.H.O. Click on: A man of pure motives
Friday, October 30, 2009 Happy Day Before Halloween! With our favorite spooky holiday just around the corner, it's time to have some good old fashioned frightful fun! Check out Ben & Jerry's Halloween page, and have a little fun this Friday. Ben and Jerry's Halloween Fun Thursday, October 29, 2009 Check out this list of the 15 most overworked and underpaid professions - and say a word of thanks for your job. Stressful Jobs That Pay Badly Wednesday, October 28, 2009 Ever wonder what it would be like to have America's most "Lincolnish" political TV show host interview you? (In case you were wondering, I'm referring to Stephen Colbert)Now you can find out, with the Colbert Nation Interview Simulator. Colbert Nation Interview Simulator Tuesday, October 27, 2009 In a study that shouldn't surprise anyone in a largely sedentary, indoors society, 1 in 5 American children are not getting enough Vitamin D. 1 in 5 Children Not Getting Enough Vitamin D Monday, October 26, 2009 Warner Brothers threatens a woman after she plans a non-profit Harry Potter Halloween party. Geez, talk about touchy!Warner Says Harry Potter Dinner Infringes Copyright Sunday, 25 October, 2009 Van Gogh Express Visitors Gogh to the town in France where he painted a lot of his most famous works: “Vincent spent the last 70 days of his life in the little town. It was already an artist's colony…." Click On: Train to Gogh
Saturday, 24 October, 2009 Cell phone goo goo gah gah When should a child get a cell phone? Read an opinion from Down Under: “Since her brother got his phone at 15, the world had changed, she argued. Twelve was the new 15……. Click on: Communication 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009 To all you budding foodies out there, check out this list of the top ten worst dining trends of the last decade. Deconstructed food, anyone? Top Ten Worst Dining Trends of the Last Decade Thursday, October 22,2009 Finally, a positive news story for once! The Wall Street Journal is reporting that highway fatalities are actually down! Shocking, especially considering how many people text and talk these days. Experts are trying to figure out why. Why Fatalities Are Declining on US Roads Wednesday, October 21, 2009 Pumpkin carving is an art, and every year some amazing creations emerge to make the rest of us feel badly about our goofy jack o'lanterns. Check out this gallery of pumpkins carved around video games. Very cool. A Patch of Gaming Pumpkins Tuesday, October 20, 2009 In order to "encourage" people to stop driving and to start using public transportation, Washington, DC, and nearby areas are hiking up the cost of parking. Thanks government - because undoubtedly everyone wants to lug their groceries home on the Metro... DC Area Hiking Up Parking Costs to Force Drivers Onto Public Transportation Monday, 19 October, 2009 Ozzie girl to sail globe Jessica Watson, a 16-year-old Australian, is about to begin a trip of a lifetime. She departed Sydney harbour yesterday: ”…..beginning an attempt to become the youngest person to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe unassisted, despite concerns over her age and expertise.” Click on: Girl Power
Sunday, 18 October, 2009 Uncle Sam’s Maternity ward A Navy change of policy on pregnant sailors fathered a baby boomlet, with unintended consequences: “If pregnancy trends remain constant, the new pregnancy distribution policy could have over 2,500 sailors counting against shore duty commands in ratings where they are not able to conduct mission-essential work….. Click on: Military Times
Saturday, 17 October, 2009 Fleetwood Mac is back. And so is Stevie Nicks See how forty years have treated her.
”Nicks was the ultimate flower-child/rock-fairy. She wafted like some Gothic ‘witch-ling’, wreathed in wisps of black chiffon; all handkerchief hems ,‘angel wings’, Victoriana,……”
Click on: Never say die
Friday, October 16, 2009 Boys don't cry ... right? Wrong. According to a new study, men cry on average about 6 times a year. Thursday, October 15, 2009 Designer Ralph Lauren reportedly fired one of his top models for being "too fat." At 5'10", the gorgeous girl weighs in at 120 pounds ... on what planet is that not considered skinny?? Size 4 Model Fired for Being Too Fat Tuesday, October 13, 2009 It's amazing what the human body is capable of. One women, born with only half a brain, is living a full and relatively normal life. Woman Born With Half a Brain Living Full Life Monday, October 12, 2009 In a scary story about the condition of the US military, a standard issue gun for soldiers is failing at times during combat. Weapon Failed US Troops During Afghan Firefight Sunday, October 11, 2009 New York lawmakers are moving towards a ban of the popular pedicure procedure in which small carp chew the dead skin from a participant's feet. They're claiming it's not sanitary. But is this really a decision that needs to be made by legislators? I guess they need something to do... A Fishy Piece of Legislation Saturday, 10 October, 2009 Dissing the Dalai Lama, real man of peace Before he won his Nobel Peace Prize, a little over a week ago our president had no interest in meeting with the world’s preeminent man of peace, one who has spent a life time practicing and promoting it. Why? Click on: Buddhism's selfless leader
Friday, October 9, 2009 And as social networking and the internet become ever more omnipresent, a woman was arrested for "poking" someone electronically through her Facebook page. What's next? Facebook 'poke' leads to woman's arrest Thursday, October 8, 2009 At the age of 95, fitness guru Jack LaLanne is still leading the charge to convince Americans to adopt healthier eating habits and exercise regularly. The proof is in the pudding ... so to speak. Jack LaLanne at 96 - He Exercised His Demons Wednesday, October 7, 2009 As Obama pushes for longer school days for children, some Teacher's Unions are pushing for even shorter weeks. As though having three months off a year isn't enough? Teachers' Union Pushes for Shorter School Weeks Tuesday, October 6, 2009 David Letterman finally apologized publicly for the past behavior he recently admitted to on-air. I'd say it's the least he could do ... Jokes, Apologies from David Letterman Monday, October 5, 2009 In an attempt to further regulate the caloric intake of children, the NYC school district has banned all bake sales. So, no more selling homemade cookies to raise money. Guess it'll have to be homegrown carrots, instead. Bake Sales Banned in NYC Schools Sunday, 4 October, 2009 Robo Fish Use nature to create technology to avoid automobile crashes. That’s what one car company is up to. ”The tiny robots, called Eporo, can move in a fleet without bumping into their travelling companions.” Click on: A fish tale
Saturday, 3 October, 2009 Spiders and horse chestnuts What? If you have a fear of spiders here is a way to keep them out of your home. ”Many want to know whether there is any truth in the old wives' tale that spiders have a morbid fear of horse chestnuts and that leaving…..” Well, it’s not a guarantee, but it’s worth a try. Click on: Gives me the creeps
Friday, October 2, 2009 In the "you can't make this up" story of the week, apparently the University of Florida has a plan in place in case zombies attack the campus. Well, let's hope the US government is just as prepared. :) If Zombies Attack, U of Florida Has Plan Ready Wednesday, September 30, 2009 A New York farmer finds a monster sized egg inside his hen house. Next step, giant omelette?
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 Starbuck's will begin selling instant coffee nationwide - just in case you couldn't make it to one of their 12 locations in your neighborhood ... Starbucks begins selling instant coffee nationally Monday, September 28, 2009 Scientists have discovered that a skull found in the bunker where Hitler is thought to have died did not belong to him, but to a woman. The discovery may cast some doubt on previously assumed stories about his death. DNA test shows Hitler skull is that of a woman Monday, 28 September, 2009 What do you mean no berries? When bear food dries up, why not go where the best of human food is: Homes of the wealthy?
”Yes, Aspen is under attack from bears. Very hungry bears, who need to munch their way through 20,000 calories………..”
Click on: Cheese, yoghurt, honey
Saturday, 26 September, 2009
Happy Birthday U.S. Air Force
Peace comes at a price. U.S. military personnel pay that for us. One of our services - the Air Force – just celebrated its birthday.
“The skies belong to the U.S., because the Air Force ensures it. It is hard to fathom the dramatic changes that have occurred since Orville Wright muscled his heavier than air vehicle aloft for 3.5 seconds in 1903, just……”/em>
Click on: See the MQ-9 Reaper
Friday, September 25, 2009 For years, people have debated the effectiveness of spanking as a form of punishment for children. Now, a recent study suggests that children who are spanked grow up to be less intelligent adults. Can this be true? Thursday, September 24, 2009 In a lesson that is ages old, New York is learning that if you overtax the rich, they'll quickly relocate to someplace that doesn't. Wednesday, September 23, 2009 After an auction put a dinner with Sarah Palin on the block, a defense contractor won with a whopping $63,000 bid! Wow, talk about valuable time. Going to Extremes for a Dinner With Palin Tuesday, September 22, 209 In a world that moves ten miles a minute, we could all use some instruction on how to enjoy doing nothing. 10 Ways to Enjoy Doing Nothing Monday, September 21, 2009 Obama is saying he will consider newspaper bailout bills. The question is, why? Technology is ruling the day and only newspapers that are able to keep up will stay in business. Capitalism 101. Obama Open to Newspaper Bailout Bill Sunday, 20 September, 2009 Better to sell sausages A man in Frankfurt was summarily laid off by an American financial firm. What seemed like a life’s crisis gave him food for thought: Why not sell Bratwurst and chips? He soon realized: "These are real things, not abstract things. You can touch them. I deliver something and I get something in return. It's more satisfying." Click on: Franks in Frankfurt
Saturday, 19 September, 2009 Economic gloom to end? A seasoned and respected economist has done an about face on economic prospects for the U.S. : Not famously a glass half-full kind of fellow, I am about to propose that the recovery will be a bit of a barn burner. Not that I can really know, either, the future…….. Click on: James Grant Speaks
Friday, September 18, 2009 A scientist has developed liquid filled glasses that can be self-adjusted, with no need for an optometrist. The invention may offer a solution for thousands of the world's poor with vision problems. Liquid Specs a Bold Vision for World's Poor Thursday, September 17, 2009 In a story that exemplifies stupid, a burglar left his Facebook page up on his victim's computer ... Burglar Leaves Facebook Page on Victim's Computer Wednesday, September 16, 2009 Universal's new Harry Potter Park will include a ride through Hogwarts, a flight of the Hippogriff roller coaster as well as lots of other never-before-seen creations. It will be "absolutely mind-blowing", including to the project's art director. Harry Potter fans, start thinking about booking a flight to Orlando ... Universal's Harry Potter Park to Include Hogwarts Tuesday, September 15, 2009 '80s heartthrob and talented actor Patrick Swayze lost his battle with pancreatic cancer yesterday. A generation of girls is heartbroken today. RIP to the man who gave us the time of our lives. Patrick Swayze: A Heartthrob Remembered Monday, September 14, 2009 Some people have no class. In what's quickly becoming the most talked about event of this past weekend, Kanye West charged the stage at the VMAs last night and grabbed the microphone from teen award winner Taylor Swift. He proceeded to rant in support of Beyonce before being told to leave the stage. Not cool, Kanye. Kanye West Crashes VMA Stage During Taylor Swift's Speech Sunday, 13 September, 2009 Up in smoke Wouldn’t it be great if you could eliminate all your pain and suffering by adding it to one big bonfire? In Santa Fe they do just that. But in keeping with the creative bent of the city it is artfully done. Click On: ZOZOBRA
Saturday, 12, September, 2009 U.K. Illusionist predicts lottery and….. ”An audience of more than 2.7 million tuned in to Channel 4 on Wednesday to see if Brown could guess the correct balls before they were drawn. Amazingly……..” Click on: The power of 24
Friday, September 11, 2009 Eight years has passed since that terrible day, when we lost 2,751 people in a series of horrific terrorist attacks on American soil. Almost a decade later, we must continue to remember what happened that fateful day, and all the lives that were lost. Here's to never forgetting 9/11/01. Ceremonies to Honor Sept. 11 Victims Thursday, September 10, 2009 Last year, one lone UPS driver racked up a total of 196 parking tickets in Denver. Quite an accomplishment... UPS Truck is Denver's Champion Parking Violator Wednesday, September 9, 2009 A man is on a mission to have the term "retarded" redefined as hate speech. Honorable, or over the top? You decide. Rethinking 'Retarded": Should It Leave the Lexicon? Tuesday, September 8, 2009 A man and his chihuahua sidekick have opened a roadside prayer stand in Arizona. The stand has become so popular, some neighbors have called 911 because traffic is being backed up for miles. Motorists Pull Up to Man's Prayer Stand Monday, September 6, 2009 A roofer in Colorado has put his free time to good use, and is creating incredible mosaics using - you'll never guess! Produce stickers! Colorado Roofer Also Labels Himself An Artist Sunday, 6 September, 2009 50 things the internet is killing See what you think about this list compiled in the U.K. Click on:Internet changing life
Saturday, 5 September, 2009 Japan and dolphin slaughter You’ve seen pictures of baby seals being clubbed to death, haven’t you? Well, this story about dolphin’s in Japan ratchets that carnage up exponentially. There is a hunting season for Flipper’s in the land of the rising sun. And people are protesting it. 'Every year, the fishermen try to provoke us so that the government has an excuse to deport us,' he says. 'They will often torture animals in front of us. A few years ago, one fisherman held up a baby dolphin in front of my face and…….' Read more: Dolphin Slaughter
Friday, September 4, 2009 In a production that personifies the "Keep Austin Weird" movement, the town's local garbage trucks will be the stars of an alternative dance production.Trash Dance Celebrates Everyday Labor as Art Thursday, September 3, 2009 In an ironic and sad twist of fate, turns out that the Feds had plans to burn away highly flammable brush in the Los Angeles are earlier this year, but didn't make it very far. A controlled burn may have prevented the disastrous LA wildfire. The US Forest Service defended itself, saying "weather, wind and environmental rules" stopped them from following through with as much of the burn as they would have liked. Feds Didn't Clear Brush in Wildfire Area Wednesday, September 2, 2009 Our own Hannah Sentenac is a finalist in the Trazzler NYCGO writing contest. Visit Trazzler.com and wishlist her trip to help her make it to the final round! Tying One On at the Caribbean Club Tuesday, September 1, 2009 In an interesting story about alternative art, a man is living in a van and collecting stories about the recession - hoping to win a $250,000 art prize! 'Man in a Van' Collecting Stories About the Recession Monday, August 31, 2009 The NYC Department of Health has launched a stomach-churning new ad campaign designed to stop people from consuming high-calorie beverages. Yuck. Don't Drink Yourself Fat Sunday, 30 August, 2009 Big Brother says no she can’t A teen girl in Holland won’t be allowed to sail around world solo. Her parent’s rights have been pushed aside by a court: “The Dutch Child Protection Agency had requested Miss Dekker be made a ward of court because, it said, it was 'irresponsible for such a young girl to make a two-year solo trip around the world'". Click on: Government Mom and Dad
Friday, August 28, 2009 The iconic children's show Reading Rainbow is going off the air after 26 years due to lack of funding. This classic show taught kids about the joys of reading, and will surely be missed by future generations. Reading Rainbow Reaches Its Final ChapterThursday, August 27, 2009 In a modern age where mystery has practically disappeared, the art of burlesque is making a comeback. Cool. Burlesque is Back Wednesday, August 27, 2009 The Cash for Clunkers program is now officially over, and the results are in. 41% of the 690,114 news cars sold through the program were made by Japanese automakers. Not a surprise, but most likely a disappointment to American manufacturers. With Clunker Program Over, Some Fear Sales Drought Wednesday, August 26, 2009 In the city of New Haven, CT, "tax spies" are going to crack down on illegal and unregistered vehicles by walking the streets at night with an infrared camera. Scary. Tax Spies Ready to Prowl in New Haven Tuesday, August 25, 2009 In an odd piece of scientific news, scientists are saying that apple-shaped women have a higher risk of asthma. Apple-Shaped Women Have Higher Risk of Asthma Monday, August 24, 2009 NASA has just announced it will air a message from Stephen Colbert tonight, the eve of their shuttle launch. Wonder what he'll have to say?? NASA to Air Stephen Colbert Message Sunday, 23 August, 2009 Bring home the bacon, but not in New Zealand School officials in the land of the Kiwi are advising parents against giving their children pork or pork products, such as ham or bacon. A study purportedly has linked it to cancer later in life. Read all about it at: No more hamming it up
Saturday, 22 August, 2009 Whole Foods In case you missed it Whole Foods CEO John Mackey has had the temerity to write an article in the Wall Street Journal offering an alternative to ObamaCare. His reward: a left-wing boycott of his stores. Try supporting him and free speech instead by giving him your business. Click On: The Whole Foods Plan
Thursday, August 20, 2009 Company creates giant Candy Land game board in the streets of San Francisco. How adorable. Candy Land sugarcoats Lombard Street for 60th Wednesday, August 19, 2009 Are you terrible at karaoke? Can't sing a note to save your life? Here's the science behind being tone-deaf. Tone Deaf? There is a Reason Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Anyone who's a pet owner knows that animals are generally a lot smarter than most people give them credit for. A new study suggests that dogs know when people are lying ... Study: Dogs Can Dig Through Human Deception Monday, August 17, 2009 In an uplifting story to start your Monday morning, a dog has been reunited with his owners over nine years after he went missing. It is unknown where he spent his time ... traveling the world, I presume! Missing Dog Found 9 Years Later Sunday, 16 August, 2009 Trabant Eco-Friendly To Return? Do you remember East German communism’s signature product? It was a laughingstock in the automotive world. But it might be back better than ever. (Although it wouldn’t be hard to beat that standard.) "’The original Trabant was a small, stinky car," he told the BBC. "Now we have an e-Trabant which is ecological and economical.’" Click on: Green Trabant: Would you buy one?
Saturday, 15 August, 2009 Whole Foods takes on ObamaCare Who would have thought? The CEO of the organic food store chain has written a commentary on B.H.O’s healthcare, but from a different perspective. And he starts with a quotation from Margaret Thatcher: "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." Click On: You Are What You Eat
Friday, August 14, 2009 Some residents in San Dimas, California (of Bill & Ted fame) find a bear splashing around in their swimming pool. Hey, everyone needs to cool off sometimes. Pool Day for Bear in San Dimas Thursday, August 13, 2009 A retired Detroit police officer has restored a 1963 Plymouth police cruiser. He also has a vintage uniform, and all together, can play the part of a 60s era Detroit copy very well. Cool. Retired Cop Loves His Replica Cruiser Wednesday, August 12, 2009 An Oklahoma mayoral candidate wants the Tulsa Zoo to have a creationism exhibit that depicts Genesis as the origin of animals. The scary part is, she might win ... Oklahoma Mayoral Candidate Wants Creationism Exhibit at Zoo Tuesday, August 11, 2009 Looks like Hillary isn't thrilled with all the attention her husband has been getting lately. Apparently the former First Lady and current Secretary of State bristled when an African student questioned her about Bill's opinion on a financial issue. Hillary Clinton: I'm Secretary of State, Not Bill Monday, August 10, 2009 A giant inflatable clown that went missing was found ... with a list of demands for better working conditions. Some people have a lot of time on their hands... Text that links to Site Address: Sunday, 9 August, 2009 ObamaCare under siege An article from the U.K. gives a different perspective on B.H.O.’s healthcare offensive. And Sarah Palin is joining the fray to help push ObamaCare to the dust bin of history. Click On:Government decides who lives who dies
Saturday, August 8, 2009 In a case that demonstrates the ludicrousness of the legal system, a man who was accused of stealing a single banana was found not guilty ... after a court case that cost British taxpayers $20,000 Euros. Unbelievable. Man Accused of Stealing Banana Found Not Guilty ... After Expensive Court Case Thursday, August 6, 2009 Just when you thought you'd heard everything ... one man is fighting his DUI by claiming he's too fat to be given field sobriety tests. Driver Fights DUI Charge With Obesity Defense Wednesday, August 5, 2009 A new British survey suggests that women prefer "real men", with hairy chests and beer to "metrosexuals" with tight clothes and tans. Hmm... Poll: Brits Prefer 'Real Men' to 'Metros' Tuesday, August 4, 2009 One woman's performance on the show "Bridezillas" was so over the top it violated her parole, and she'll be spending her honeymoon in jail. Bridezilla Violates Parole Monday, August 3, 2009 In a story that reflects on our sedentary times, millions of kids are apparently lacking in Vitamin D. Obviously, not going outdoors often enough is one of the causes. Studies: Millions of U.S. kids lacking Vitamin D Monday, 3 August, 2009 Iranian justice: mass trials The people who attempted to change their theocratic regime are on trial. “…..[one] in which the accused are charged with crimes from treason to terrorism. Only state-owned media were allowed to cover the proceedings.” See what a little dose of attempts at democratic reform get you in Iran. Click On: Torture and Broken Men
Sunday, 2 August, 2009 Up, up and away Entrepreneurship is alive and well in the U.K. Britain’s Sir of success, Richard Branson, has another venture ready to launch, literally: space satellites. "This is a hidden industry in the UK but a very important one. In terms of net exports it is bigger than the car industry. Click On: Virgin Galactic
Saturday, 1 August, 2009 U.K. View: In America just say you are sorry “I was sitting at a Washington bar the other night when a former US senator — who shall remain anonymous — walked in and sat down next to me……Everyone was deferential to him. Everyone called him “Senator” — even the barmen. In fact the senator in question was forced to resign from the chamber some time ago for the alleged sexual abuse and harassment of women……” Click On: I am sorry, I really, really am.
Friday, 31 July, 2009 Diversity Italian Style Italy’s head of state wants to increase the number of women in the European Parliament. What could possibly be wrong with that? The enterprising lady who was offered a position by the prime minister: “…….said she had decided to record her conversations with Mr Berlusconi independently because since enduring a "negative experience" with a former….” Click On: She said, he didn't.
Thursday, July 30, 2009 Due to their unique skills and ability to handle rejection, Mormon missionaries are now being recruited as door-to-door home security system salesmen. Door to Door as Missionaries, Then Salesmen Wednesday, July 28, 2009 A doctor who helped raise the drinking age to 21 says he regrets the decision. The substance abuse expert says it did more harm than good. Interesting. Substance Abuse Expert Regrets Raising Drinking Age Tuesday, July 28, 2009 Check out these photos of incredible sand painting, created by California artist Andres Amador. These amazing works of art last only a few hours, just to wash away with the next tide. Artist Creates Sand Masterpieces Monday, July 27, 2009 Looks like evolution has the effect of woman becoming more beautiful, while men remain just the same. Interesting. Evolution Causes Women to Become More Beautiful Sunday, 26 July, 2009 Warmed Greenland Gets Greener All that’s green can be gold; so they are saying in Greenland. Instead of whining about melting glaciers people in Greenland are looking to the plus side: "……but we see opportunities as well as challenges. I want a Greenland that is open to those opportunities." Click on:
Saturday, 25 July, 2009 Weird World of Sports Lonely Planet travel books have a book coming out which will chronicle the world of weird sports. Nude Olympics anyone? “The book, which will be released on August 5, will help plan a year's sporting calendar. It covers all bases from….. CLICK ON SLIDE SHOW: Sports in your future
Friday, July 24, 2009 At an amusing look at our flight situation, here are 7 true stories that prove airlines hate you. 9 True Stories That Prove Airlines Hate You Thursday, July 23, 2009 Looks like no one is safe from the recession. The most prestigious college in the world, Harvard University, is facing a major financial crisis. Hard Times at Harvard Wednesday, July 22, 2009 An interesting op-ed piece by Tom Wolfe about the space program, and why Neil Armstrong's first step meant the beginning of a downward slope for NASA. One Giant Leap to Nowhere Tuesday, July 21, 2009 A Las Vegas man is suing the police for the right to perform his tribute act for the King of Rock and Roll. Now that's a cause. Elvis Presley tribute act sues police for right to impersonate 'the King' Monday, July 20, 2009 In a story that proves true unselfishness, an Ohio boy is selling his toys to help his unemployed father make ends meet. Ohio Boy Sells Toys to Help Family Sunday, 19 July, 2009 Hot Wheels Car buffs will soon be making their way to Los Angeles for a once-in-a-lifetime auction of amazing custom and restored classic cars. “Approximately 80 vehicles will be offered without reserve at the Icons of Speed & Style auction for those looking to pick up something a little different.” CLICK ON SLIDE SHOW: See you in LA on 26 September
Saturday, 18 July, 2009 Rules of marriage as described by kids And #9 on the list is ......... HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK? Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck . -- Ricky , age 10
Friday, July 17, 2009 It's Friday, and time for a few smiles. Check out these pictures of a dog nursing red panda cubs at a Chinese zoo. Dog Nurses Panda Cubs in Chinese Zoo Thursday, July 16, 2009 Hunters in Alaska recently discovered a mystery blob of goo moving through the Chuckchi Sea in their home state. This odd substance is being tested, but so far, no one can recall having seen anything similar before. Mystery Goo Moving Through Sea in Alaska Wednesday, July 15, 2009 In an unexpected twist, it looks like the LAPD is investigating the death of Michael Jackson as a homicide. LAPD Investigating Jackson Death as Homicide Tuesday, July 14, 2009 A proposed spending bill would give a whopping $173 million budget boost to airlines in order to subsidize flights into rural towns. In other words, paying the airlines to fly unprofitable routes, often with mostly empty planes. Rural Air Travel Subsides May Gain Big Boost Monday, July 13, 2009 Well, with such a huge and famous family, it was likely Michael Jackson's death wouldn't come without some odd commentary from his relatives. Now Latoya Jackson is claiming MJ was murdered. Report: Latoya Jackson Says Michael Was Murdered Sunday, 12 July, 2009 Serbia Rocks Yes, SERBIA, rocks. Begun in 2000 this music festival has evolved into: “Almost 200,000 fans (that) are descending on this sleepy Serbian town, cheering wildly at the main stage for Lily Allen and the Arctic Monkeys, or bopping away to the beats of local bands in the quaintly-named HappyNoviSad or ….” Click on: You've come a long way Serbia
Saturday, July 11, 2009 The Best and the Brightest Well, if you think so. See who the Obama administration is appointing as ambassadors. Here’s a hint: Think Hey big spender….spend a little time with me. Click On: Money Talks
Friday, July 10, 2009 For a little Friday fun, enjoy this woman's laugh. It sounds exactly like a car horn. Woman's Laugh Sounds Like a Car Horn Thursday, July 9, 2009 Check out this story of a famed NY pizza establishment that has been slowly taken over by tourists and lookyloos. Good for business, but sad nonetheless. Sharing a Pizza? Heartbreaking. Wednesday, July 8, 2009 Whenever life gets tough, put things in perspective. After all, it's a big, big universe out there. Earth is but a speck. Three Galaxies in Draco Tuesday, July 7, 2009 Everyone loves a good amusement park ride. It's a major thrill combined with the general assumption that you're safe, even while hurtling through the air. But some rides aren't safe ... some simply push the limits. Check out this list of theme park rides that pushed the limits of common sense. Theme Park Rides That Pushed the Limits of Common Sense Monday, July 6, 2009 When it comes to restaurant menus, there's not a whole lot of creativity or uniqueness these days ... then tend to be similar anywhere you go. This author has described nine phrases that should be banned from restaurant menus, in favor of something new and different. 9 Phrases to Ban From Restaurant Menus Sunday, July 5, 2009 Well, it's the morning after the Fourth. Which means it's time to recap all the fantastic fireworks displays that lit up US skies last night. Check it out: Fireworks Around the US Saturday, July 4, 2009 Happy Fourth of July all! Today, the Statue of Liberty's crown is finally being re-opened, after eight long years of post 9/11 darkness. God bless America! Lady Liberty's Reopening is a Triumph of the American Ideal Friday, July 3, 2009 A recent study shows that boys with unpopular, strange or feminine names are more likely to end up behind bars. Can this be true? Do Odd Names Make Boys Go Bad? Thursday, July 2, 2009 Someone in the Chicago area has stolen 5,000 pounds of commercial grade fireworks. Well, their location will be hard to miss on the Fourth of July ... Police Looking for Fireworks Thieves Wednesday, July 1, 2009 An editorial in the Washington Times today encourages drivers to throw away their red-light tickets, calling the whole program a scam. Bravo to the writer. Editorial: Toss Your Red Light Ticket Tuesday, June 30, 2009 19 years after launching his trashy talk show, Jerry Springer now admits, "My show is awful." Way to take pride in your work,Jerry. Click On: Springer pans his own show Monday, June 29, 2009 Incredible that in this day and age a university would have a ban on massively popular sites like YouTube, but apparently Brigham Young did ... up until now. BYU Lifts Ban on YouTube After Three and a Half Years Sunday, 28 June, 2009 ObamaCare: Your life but they decide Have you been following the so-called “Health care debate”? Well, you must. While we can suffer the failings of our elected representatives - loyalty to party and not country, greed, corruption - with comments of derision, jokes - our medical care is a life-and-death matter. A physician in the U.S. but born in Canada reports on Canadian health care in a Wall Street Journal article. Click On: It can happen here
Saturday, June 27, 2009 Let us not forget our canine friends who serve their country and protect us, much like their human counterparts. In an incredible story, one such dog swallowed a Taliban bomb ... and SURVIVED. Army Sniffer Dog Who Swallowed Taliban Bomb Friday, June 26, 2009 The world mourns Jacko today. RIP, perhaps he'll be a less troubled man where he currently resides.
Thursday, June 25, 2009 In what's probably one of the most logical decisions ever reached, the Supreme Court rules that a strip-search of a 13-year-old honor student based on her alleged possession of ibuprofen is unconstitutional. Obviously. However, the fact that Justice Thomas dissented is rather appalling. Supreme Court Rules Strip Search of Middle Schooler Unconstitutional Wednesday, June 24, 2009 In a story that will probably shock no one, CNN exposes an obvious truth: the rich and famous get better health care than the rest of us. Did Steve Jobs' Money Buy Him a Liver Transplant? Tuesday, June 23, 2009 In a story that proves some television is worth watching, a Utah boy says his survival of a night alone in the woods was thanks in part to watching "Man vs. Wild". TV Show Helps Utah Boy Survive the Wilderness Monday, June 22, 2009 In a Denver apartment community, a woman was evicted for leaving an Easter decoration on her door a couple weeks past the holiday. Boy, if that's cause for eviction, I know a lot of people who are in trouble. Woman Evicted Over Easter Bunnies Sunday, 21 June, 2009 HAPPY FATHER’S DAY The Founding Fathers had it tough, managing a revolution and helping bring up their children at the same time. "Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the three Founders who spent the most time abroad, missed milestone events. Franklin was a no-show at his daughter's wedding and his wife's funeral. Adams was in Philadelphia when his wife, Abigail….” But they tried hard to impart values to them nevertheless. Click on: Teach your children well
Saturday, 20 June, 2009 Iran doesn’t like Britain either The mistrust goes back many a year. “According to an old Persian proverb, if you trip over a pebble, you can be sure it was put there by an Englishman.” Click on: Watch where you step
Friday, 19 June, 2009 Out of sight out of mind Remember the case of Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard? He was convicted and jailed almost 24 years ago for spying on the U.S. Well, now there are those who want to grant him parole. U.S. intelligence is balking: Additional classified information, previously submitted to the SSCI [Senate Select Committee on Intelligence] during the years of this matter, remains valid as to the grave national damage caused by this individual. Click on: Show him no mercy
Thursday, June 18, 2009 In the age of super-speed, one artist has written a story that will take 1,000 years to read. How? Story Takes 1,000 Years to Read Wednesday, June 17, 2009 In an incredible story of survival and luck, a window washer fell six stories from the roof of a bank, only to bounce off the building's entryway roof and walk away virtually unharmed. Amazing. Wisconsin Window Washer Survives 6-Story Fall Tuesday, June 16, 2009 Scientists are always coming up with new and innovative ideas on how to improve the world. The latest one? Sterilizing male mosquitos to combat malaria. Birth Control to Combat Malaria Monday, June 15, 2009 In an interesting commentary on today's economy, more and more people are starting to sign up with companies like Avon, Mary Kay and Tupperware as a second income option. Avon, Mary Kay Ranks Boom as Second Income Option Sunday, 14 June, 2009 Spector faces the music Phil is now in the slammer. He received 19 years for murder. The public can see his unadorned mug online. It’s not what you’d expect. Click on: The spectre of Spector
Saturday, 13 June, 2009 Deadly serious business We allow politicians to play with our lives in so many ways, and at our expense. But no subject is as grave as their determining who amongst us lives or dies. See a Wall Street Journal article about the national health system of our neighbor to the north and think long and hard about bringing that here. Click on: Oh Canada!
Friday, June 12, 2009 In what might be called the disappointment of the day, the Colorado mistakenly sent out close to 4,000 emails telling people they had won $100 when in fact, they had not won a thing. Lottery Apologizes for $100 Email Faux Pas Thursday, June 11, 2009 In an odd twist that demonstrates the power of the internet, a Missouri family's Christmas card photo ended up in a life-sized store display in Prague. Careful what you post online ... you never know where it might end up! Missouri Family's Christmas Photo Winds up in Czech Store Display Wednesday, June 10, 2009 The House has passed a bill that will allow consumers to cash in their old gaz guzzlers in exchange for $4,500 towards the purchase of a new car. Sweet deal! House Passes Clunkers Plan to Boost Car Sales Tuesday, June 9, 2009 It's the digital age, and most of us spend a good deal of our time planted firmly in front of a computer. But, beware! A new study shows that computers are causing injuries in the home. Then again, so does mostly everything else. Computers Causing Injuries in the Home Monday, June 8, 2009 On a sad note, North Korea sentenced American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee to 12 years of hard labor for crossing into its "territory." The Obama administration has promised to work for their release ... let's pray they can make it happen. North Korea Sentences Journalists to Hard Labor Sunday, 6 June, 2009 Missing French airliner yields more data The investigation continues into the disappearance of the Air France plane. “…the director of France's air accident investigation agency, Paul-Louis Arslanian, said a total of 24 error messages were received in the final moments of Air France 447, as its systems……. Click on: Deep water search Saturday, June 6, 2009 It's Saturday, so try this fun little quiz generator and enjoy yourself! Maze Generator Thursday, June 4, 2009 Apparently the economy isn't effecting everyone, as some people still have money to burn. Someone just paid $500 on Ebay for a yearbook featuring photos of accused killer Casey Anthony. Yearbooks With Photos of Casey Anthony Sells for $500 Wednesday, June 3, 2009 In a move that proves one person can make a difference, a graduating senior faxed a letter to the White House asking Michelle Obama to deliver her commencement address. It worked. Student's Letter Convinces First Lady to Give Commencement Address Tuesday, June 2, 2009 It's getting harder and harder to retire these days. Benefits continue to shrink, and it's starting to look like people might have to work until they're on their deathbeds before they can collect any benefits. Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits Monday, June 1, 2009 An Australian study concludes that young people might be influenced to smoke thanks to certain characters on "The Simpsons" who have a nicotine habit. Really? Seems doubtful that Patty and Selma would be a role model for anyone. Simpsons 'May Prompt' Smoking Sunday, 31 May, 2009 Piano savant’s amazing talent “Derek Paravicini was born premature - brain damaged and blind. He can barely count, can't read Braille and yet has an extraordinary musical talent. He hears a piece of music only once and then can play it. Click and once in middle of page see “Musical savant”: Musical savant
Saturday, 30 May, 2009 No more yellow fingers and black lungs A smoker from the U.K. is taking extreme measures to kick the habit: He is moving to a remote island.
“Retired banker Mr Spice will spend a month on isle in the Sound of Harris in the Outer Hebrideas with only sheep for company.” Click On: Smokeless
Friday, May 29, 2009 This is not a good week for the Church of Scientology. First, a French court puts them on trial, now, they're banned from Wikipedia. Maybe it's time to have a little consultation with Xenu ... Wikipedia Bans Scientology Thursday, May 29, 2009 In an effort to make their kids' meals healthier, Burger King has introduced a heart-healthy new snack ... FRIED apple slices. Way to go fast food giant! Burger King Offers New Meal Choices Wednesday, May 27, 2009 A French court is trying the Church of Scientology on charges of organized fraud and illegal pharmaceutical activity. Ahh, justice is served. French Court Tries Church of Scientology Tuesday, May 26, 2009 In order to combat driver's license fraud, four states are adopting a "no smiles" policy for driver photos. Talk about a downer. Four States Adopt 'No Smiles' Policy Monday, 25 May, 2009 Susan Boyle Returns The Scottish singer is back in the hunt, competing for a prize of 100,000 euros. This time, however, she is up against some tough competition: “The three farmers described their act as ‘everything you shouldn't do with a wheelbarrow’". Click on: Boyle belts out another one
Sunday, 24 May, 2009 The Mafia takes lessons from the U.S. Treasury What to do when you need money? Well, you simply print it. What could be more commonsensical? It is reported that the ancient crime family in Italy did just that. “More money, in $100 bills, and weapons were discovered inside a wall at the home of Manno's aunt on the island. The notes were said to be of "excellent quality" and had been produced locally. Click on: A pressing printing predicament
Saturday, 23 May, 2009 All that glitters is not gold Ah, it must be financial turmoil if the precious yellow metal is constantly in the news. Commercial radio is running ads incessantly telling of returns that dwarf any other investment for the last five years. Well, read an article in the Financial Times that will take you back to 1900, and at least make an informed decision should you a buyer be. Click on: Pot of gold
Friday, 22 May, 2009 Journalists: What are they worth? The current round of newspaper closings in the U.S. will help answer that question. But here’s a man in the U.K. that bluntly writes: “Actually, journalists deserve low pay. Wages are compensation for value creation. And journalists simply aren't creating much value these days. Click On: A Brit on the press
Thursday, 21 May, 2009 Britain’s need Tea Parties too The public in the U.K. rages over politician's expense account abuse. “…..there are bound to be a few colourful suggestions made about what precisely he can do with the 28 tons of manure included in his expense claims.” Click On: duck islands, patio heaters and tins of dog food
Wednesday, 20 May, 2009 Take that! A New Zealand father was convicted of physically abusing his 4 year-old son. The father thought he had good reason to discipline the child. The jury after deliberating into the night thought otherwise. Click on: Backhand banned
Tuesday, 19 May, 2009 Netanyahu Meets Obama The time for dealing with Iran is rapidly closing. The Israeli Prime Minister has undoubtedly come to Washington to address that issue with the U.S. President. “Obama speaks much more than his predecessor, George W. Bush. He smiles less. When Benjamin Netanyahu spoke, Obama watched him closely. They both prepared note cards before the meeting. Obama's contained long, typed lines; Netanyahu's had short lines in felt-tip pen.” Read about this meeting as refreshingly reported from the Israeli side. Click on: Haaretz analysis
Monday, May 18, 2009 If you already think there's a lack of privacy in this country, hold on to your hat. The TSA has implemented "virtual strip search" machines in several airports, with more to come. Airport security bares all Sunday, 17 May, 2009 Not fit to see the light of day But it is a critical issue to send to voter referendum four times: Daylight savings time. In one Australian state they have again nixed the adoption of seasonal clock setting. “The controversial issue has polarised the state of Western Australia for years, with business groups running an aggressive campaign for the Yes vote and farmers hitting back with a strong No case. “ Click on: Brouhaha Down Under
Saturday, 16 May, 2009 Berlin Thanks Airlifters Soviet leader Josef Stalin tried to starve West Berlin into submission just after WWII. He didn’t succeed because an amazing airlift kept the city provisioned. This went on for 11 months. “At times the planes were landing every two minutes.” Click on: 60th Anniversary of Berlin Airlift
Friday, May 15, 2009 The tough economic times are affecting almost everyone, and a new survey shows moms are undergoing some heavy pressure. Many moms say they're being driven to drink, gamble and indulge in other addictive behaviors as a coping mechanism. Recession Drives Moms to Drink, Gamble Thursday, May 14, 2009 Ahh, Mad Magazine, the classic humorous rag featuring that crazy character, Alfred E. Neuman. One LA man is such a die-hard fan, he created a massive portrait of Neuman using CDs and DVDs. Now that's something you don't see every day. Mad About Mad Wednesday, May 13, 2009 In tough times like these, it's hard to justify spending over $700k a year on soda for prison inmates. Oregon Group Says No More Soda for Inmates Tuesday, May 12, 2009 In a cute story out of London, a 109-year-old woman wrote to the Queen to complain about the birthday cards she was receiving, and received a face-to-face apology from Prince William. Prince Apologizes to 109-Year-Old Monday, May 11, 2009 You know something's off with the economy when bologna and lobster have the same going rate. Bologna, Lobster Going for Same Price Per Pound Sunday, 10 May, 2009 We all need a laugh! From a list of ten items that came to me, unattributed, via the internet: Rules of marriage as described by kids And the #1 Favorite is ......... 9. HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK? Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck . -- Ricky , age 10 This young man has a future……….in construction.
Saturday, 9 May, 2009 In case you missed it Texas Governor Rick Perry had interesting commentary to Tea Party crowds in his home state this past April 15. He made apoplectic the likes of Chris Mathews and others when the topic of secession and states’ rights surfaced. Read Perry in his own words. Click on: “But Texas is a very unique place, and we're a pretty independent lot to boot."
Friday, May 8, 2009 Finally, eight years after the tragedy of September 11, the Statue of Liberty's crown will reopen for public visitation. Opening day? July 4th. Statue of Liberty's Crown to Reopen Thursday, May 7, 2009 Ahh, the American dream. Work hard, use your brain, and perhaps one day you'll save a little nest egg and own your own home. Or, you could be a complete moron, do absolutely nothing and collect $23 million paychecks. Paris Hilton: American Treasure Wednesday, May 6,2009 Twice retired quarterback Brett Farve is reportedly going to meet with the Vikings about joining their team. Not only has he fooled the world with his faux retirement once already, but now he's considering joining the Packer's number one rivals? Come on already Brett, time to hang it up! From Idol to Enemy? Tuesday, May 5, 2009 In an interesting tactic, the London Evening Standard has taken to posting apologies to its readers on the sides of buses. The paper says its sorry for losing touch, being too negative and taking its readers for granted, among other sins. London Evening Standard Says Sorry to Its Readers Sunday, 3 May, 2009 Egyptian pig farmers clash with government Swine flu fears have led to the Egyptian government to institute a massive pig slaughter campaign. Pig farmers are fighting back. Click On: Culling all pigs
Saturday, 2 May, 2009 Handshake heard round the world A few weeks ago our President Obama put on his big, patented smile and gave an enthusiastic handshake to dictator Hugo Chavez. "If you were sitting in a cell in Cuba, Iran or Syria and saw this photo of a smiling American president shaking hands with a smiling Hugo Chávez, what would you think?" Click on: What's the purpose of nice?
Friday, May 1, 2009 Illegal street racing has been an ongoing problem in many parts of the country for decades. Now, police are seeing a reduction in the activity thanks to a new program where officers race drivers for $25. Officers Battle Drivers in Legal Street Races Thursday, April 30, 2009 Just like pennies, the small things can really add up. One jewelry store employee spent five years stealing tiny bits of gold from her employer. In the end, she collected over 513 pounds of gold, worth over $800,000. Woman accused of stealing 500 lbs. of gold Wednesday, April 29, 2009 The swine flu hysteria is up, down and all around. Can't escape it! Now, two airline passengers thought to be infected with the illness were, in fact, intoxicated. Passengers Drunk, Not Infected With Swine Flu Tuesday, April 28, 2009 Tennessee plans to start charging state employees who smoke $600 extra for health insurance. No denying it's a health hazard! It'll Cost State Employees to Smoke Monday, April 27, 2009 The oddities of nature are many. For example, check out this horse with a curly blonde mustache. It's a picture you won't soon forget! Horse With Mustache Evades Barbers Sunday, 26 April, 2009 Glowing in the dark The aurora borealis - northern lights - have always been a marvel of nature. Different cultures have attributed them to unique causes. However, modern technology - satellites - have been used to create a new theory: “When these space tornadoes reach the upper atmosphere their enormous energy heats the air so strongly it starts glowing. That is what generates the aurorae,” said Professor Karl-Heinz Glassmeier, director……” Click on: northern lights
Saturday, 25 April, 2009 Welcome sign: Vultures come on back! Europeans realize that ‘nature’s cleaners’ deserve to live too. “....[because] many vultures have been starving to death since European rules aimed at tackling mad cow disease forced all dead livestock to be cleared away." Click on: Ugly is beautiful
Friday, April 24, 2009 A hilarious list of the top 10 fashion fads that need to make a comeback. Top 10 Fads That Need to Come Back Thursday, April 23, 2009 Lawmakers in Colorado are seeking to toughen the penalties for not wearing your seatbelt. For safety reasons? Not so much. More like for an extra $20 million in revenue. Colorado Lawmakers Seek to Toughen Seatbelt Laws Wednesday, April 22, 2009 One of the world's most popular preachers has rented one of the world's most expensive stadiums for "A Night of Hope". Televangelist to Rent Yankee Stadium Tuesday, April 21, 2009 The pride libation of Scotland, scotch, now has a new hometown: Japan. Japanese Whiskey Leaves Traditionalists on the Rocks Monday, April 20, 2009 Drinking water is apparently tainted with drugs such as lithium, nitroglycerin and copper. Scary. Tons of Drugs Taint US Water Saturday, 18 April, 2009 and Sunday, 19 April, 2009 [This story is so good we think it deserves to remain for both weekend days.] “My name is Susan Boyle, I’m 47, nearly 48, currently unemployed…..” So said a woman from a village in the U.K. She was about to perform on a British television talent show. When asked why she hadn’t yet been able to become a professional singer she offered: “I’ve never been given the chance before.” Click on these two links for an amazing, emotional story that unfolds before your eyes. We bet you’ll watch them more than once! Click On:
Saturday, 18 April, 2009 and Sunday, 19 April, 2009 [This story is so good we think it deserves to remain for both weekend days.] “My name is Susan Boyle, I’m 47, nearly 48, currently unemployed…..” So said a woman from a village in the U.K. She was about to perform on a British television talent show. When asked why she hadn’t yet been able to become a professional singer she offered: “I’ve never been given the chance before.” Click on these two links for an amazing, emotional story that unfolds before your eyes. We bet you’ll watch it more than once! Click On:
Friday, April 17, 2009 It's Friday, time for cocktail hour! And here's a little tidbit: a bartender from Minnesota shattered the world's record for most drinks made in an hour: 662. That's a lot of libations.Bartender Breaks World Record Thursday, April16, 2009 For those who think downing a hearty libation is too much trouble, there's now a bar in London that provides an atmosphere of vapourized alcohol. So, no drinking is even necessary to get that tipsy feeling. The Bar Which Gets You Tipsy on Its Air Wednesday, April 15, 2009 The summer season is almost upon us, which means the dreaded hiking of gasoline prices across the country. But, in good news, some are predicting that gas prices may stay low this year. Gasoline Expected to Remain Cheap This Summer Tuesday, April 14, 2009 Perhaps in protest of meat-eating holidays, a wild turkey crashed through the window of a Canadian family as they enjoyed Easter dinner. "Take that, carnivores!" he shouted. Turkey Crashes Easter Dinner Monday, April 13, 2009 If you've ever wondered where those lost socks or favorite shirt disappeared to, maybe you should interrogate your pet. Vet Finds Family's Clothes in Dog's Stomach Sunday, 12 April, 2009 American hostage vessel update The Maersk Alabama has now made it safely into its original port of destination - Mombasa, Kenya - with unexpected new passengers: Navy Seals. The captain who selflessly made himself a pirate’s hostage in exchange for the freedom of his crew and ship remains with his captors, but surrounded by the U.S. Navy. Click on: Round and round they go
Saturday, 11 April, 2009 Charles Darwin: Make my eggs sunny side up Well, one egg appears to have escaped the palate of the great man. "To have rediscovered [an HMS] Beagle specimen in the 200th year of Darwin's birth is special enough, but to have evidence that Darwin himself broke it is a wonderful twist." Click On: On second thought make it fried
Friday, April 10, 2009 Check out this interesting list of the top ten things you didn't know about Easter. Top Ten Things You Didn't Know About Easter Thursday, April 9, 2009 In another sad commentary on double standards in our society, a study shows that overweight women rarely get promoted, but overweight men are almost MORE likely to rise the corporate latter if they're fat. Fat Chance of Promotion Wednesday, April 8, 2009 Everyone needs a little cuteness every once in awhile. Start your morning with an "Awwww" and check out this pig that adopted a tiger cub. The Pig That Woke Up to Find a Tiger in His Cage Tuesday, April 7, 2009 Surprise, surprise. A women's only office environment leads to major-league catfights. Can't we all just get along? Catfights over handbags and tears in the toilets. Monday, April 6, 2009 It's Monday, and time for a story to make you smile. Read about this doggie who fell overboard from his family's boat ... and was found healthy and alive on a nearby island 4 months later! Dog overboard found four months later We would like to correct yesterday's A Little Thought. The statistic is inaccurate, and in fact most people are able to read that text. However, we would like to add that it's still pretty cool that the human mind is so adaptable. :) Sunday, 5 April, 2009 Only great minds can read this Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can. fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! If you can raed tihs forwrad it. FORWARD ONLY IF YOU CAN READ IT And put “YES” in the subject line. [Thanks to Hannah for forwarding this! Yes, btoh fhaetr and dgethuar at aoeictnmslomneslte can.]
Saturday, 4 April, 2009 Where shall we work ? “Imagine any of this generation's Democratic establishment taking a job at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati as a middle-manager responsible for a division of employees and its annual profit and loss. It is wholly inconceivable. Or helping an owner of an auto-parts company manage through a real crisis. They wouldn't have a clue.” Click on: Bite the hand that feeds you
Friday, April 3, 2009 Being a celebrity doesn't always mean the rules don't apply. A judge has rejected Madonna's request to adopt another African child. Guess billions can't guy you everything. Judge Denies Madonna's Adoption Request Thursday, April 2, 2009 THe recession is hitting everyone hard, including once-snooty golf and country clubs that are being forced to relax their rules. Golf Clubs Urged to Relax Old Dress Codes Wednesday, April 1, 2009 The cultural icon known as "The Simpsons" is set to hit another milestone, in addition to their record-breaking 20 years of programming: their very own postage stamp! Woohoo! Postal Service Launching "Simpons" Stamps Tuesday, March 31, 2009 Well, April Fool's Day is almost here, which means a nasty computer worm may be coming your way. Beware the Conficker.c! Let's hope it's only equal in magnitude to the so-called Millenium Bug. Experts Warn of April Fool's Computer Virus Monday, March 30, 2009 Auburn University apparently spent nearly half a million dollars flying its trustees on its TWO corporate jets last year. Corporate jets? Since when do universities have such luxuries? Auburn Trustees Add to Flight Bill Sunday, 29 March, 2009 Old Airplanes never die they just…… It’s one of only two recycling centers for aircraft in the world located at Châteauroux-Déols airport south of Paris. But at this airfield the planes awaiting their demise might get a reprieve, depending on the price of oil. Click On: Grounded
Saturday, March 28, 2009 Got an extra $150 million lying around? For that measly chunk of change, you can own 90210 producer Aaron Spelling's former home. What a steal. Aaron Spelling's Home for Sale for $150 Million Friday, March 27, 2009 A vicious computer worm has forced France to ground fighter jets. Since when does France have a military? Malicious Computer Worm Attacks France Thursday, March 26, 2009 While many struggling artists are having trouble making ends meet, a tiny Pekingese pup is fetching a nice price for his abstract paintings! Tiny Dog Creates Works of Art Wednesday, March 25, 2009 In a sad commentary on the state of our culture (and our education system), Canadian hospitals have found their young doctors are picking up bad techniques from television dramas ... aka "ER". Young doctors learn bad habits from TV medical dramas Tuesday, March 24, 2009 In a sickening twist of fate, Nobel Prize-winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel's charity was swindled out of millions by none other than Bernie Madoff. Wiesel's comment? "Psychopath is too nice a word for him." Elie Wiesel: Put "Psychopath" Madoff in Solitary Monday, March 23, 2009 Anyone from the Northeast is well aware of the White Castle phenomenon. You know, the one-of-a-kind, addictive taste of those delicious mini-burgers ... Well, one couple was so in love with said burgers, they had a White Castle wedding. White Castle Wedding Sunday, 22 March, 2009 Stalking is not just a modern phenomenon Charles Dickens had one. A stalker, that is. One woman in particular became obsessed with him. But there were many other, shall we say unruly fans as well: ”According to newspaper reports at the time, Dickens had to place security guards outside his door to fend off fans who ripped clumps of fur from his overcoat and took impressions of his boot prints.” Click On: When Dickens toured America
Saturday, 21 March, 2009 Obama speaks to Iran B.H.O. has spoken directly to Iranians on the occasion of their new year. See the video for yourself. Click On: He Speaks
Friday, March 20, 2009 The term "whole foods" has a whole new meaning after the world's deadliest spider was found in a Tulsa grocery store. World's Deadliest Spider Found in Tulsa Grocery Store Thursday, March 19, 2009 If there's one thing that'll get you on the fast track to eternal damnation, it's scamming nuns out of $800,000. Chicago Couple Charged With Scamming Nuns Wednesday, March 18, 2009 Proving that ingenuity can truly work wonders, four teen students managed to send a home-made weather balloon above the earth, capturing amazing photos of space. Teens capture images of space with camera and balloon Tuesday, March 17, 2009 On St. Patrick's Day, it's time to indulge in a little whimsy. Check out this story of a grave-digging leprechaun. Tis' a Solemn, Satisfying Job for This Leprechaun Monday, March 16, 2009 As modern technology continues to become more advanced, we begin to see the positives and negatives far more clearly. Thiefs are now using Google Earth to identify potential targets. Thief Used Google Earth to Identify Targets Sunday, 15 March, 2009 The World’s Best Looking Satellite Or so the European Space Agency thinks so. Most all satellites have the appearance of being a collection of back yard junk stuck together with super glue. This “Supermodel" of satellites is scheduled for blastoff tomorrow. Click on: Beauty and the beast
Saturday, 14 March, 2009 Gorebal Warming’s Namesake Chickens Out Czech President Vaclav Klaus was looking forward to debating the father of the global warming movement, noted scientist and intellectual Al Gore. But alas, the former vice president made a last minute schedule change, disappointing President Klaus and other skeptics. One could believe that Mr. Gore’s heart was not in it: “……during the 2000 presidential race when he took on George W. Bush, not exactly a stellar orator. Mr. Gore managed to demonstrate enough arrogance and pomposity that he ……..” Click On: Gorebal Warming not for debate
Friday, March 13, 2009 Those Coloradoans are a tough bunch. It's well-known that it's easier to get drunk at higher altitudes. And knowing this, they STILL drink more than people in other states. Wow. Coloradoans Drink More Than People in Other States Thursday, March 12, 2009 One of the nation's most conservative states when it comes to drinking has dropped its "members-only" bar policy, making it a little easier for the average Joe to get sauced. Utah Drops Members-Only Bar Policy Wednesday, March 11, 2009 Apparently, buying the larger size eggs is cruel to the hen who lay them. Who knew? I suppose it's like a woman birthing a 12 pound baby ... Buying Large Eggs Cruel to Hens Tuesday, March 10, 2009 In an amazing medical story, one little girl is doing well after doctors had to remove SIX organs from her body due to cancer. Amazing. Girl 'Fantastic' After 6 Organs Removed Monday, March 9, 2009 In an interesting sign of the times, the percentage of Americans who call themselves Christian has dropped more than 11% in one generation. Most Religious Groups in U.S. Have Lost Ground Sunday, 8 March, 2009 Look who’s coming to dinner? Rats, that’s who! Even rodents have a right to eat, but at poolside? Click on: You dirty rat you
Saturday, 7 March, 2009 To all you B.H.O voters and supporters out there: Please give one cogent reason why the president of the United States of America would badmouth and rundown the economy of his own country.
Friday, March 6, 2009 It's Friday, time to relax and enjoy some cute animal pictures! Houston Zoo to Unveil Rare Red Panda Thursday, March 5, 2009 Ahhh, the brilliance of small town life. You never know what people might do. Woman Calls 911 Three Times When She Can't Get McNuggets Wednesday, March 4, 2009 Protests come in all forms, as evidenced by a Mexican worker who recently sewed his lips shut to draw attention to his fight for a promotion. Mexican worker sews his lips to demand promotion Tuesday, March 3, 2009 Just when you think you've heard it all ... a new craze known as "yarn bombing" has hit the streets of Vancouver!! From doorknob cosies to knitted tree wraps, yarn graffiti is showing up all over the city. 'Yarn Bombers' Take on Vancouver Streets Monday, March 2, 2009 Ever seen an animal that's so ugly it's cute? This kitty might just fall into that category. Check out the uber-ugly cat that's become a star at a New Hampshire vet clinic. Ugly Cat Becomes Star in NH Sunday, 1 March, 2009 Opposition to Obama’s Stimulus Plan takes to the streets The Christian Science Monitor reports: “But the largely grassroots show of force hints at a sharpening thorn for Democrats and a potential powder keg that could threaten to blow ahead of the 2010 congressional elections.” Click On: New Tea Parties
Saturday, 28 February, 2009 A belly button full Finally, an answer to the mystery of belly button lint! “Chemical analysis revealed the pieces of fluff were not made up of only cotton from clothing. Wrapped up in the lint were also flecks of……” Click on: Contemplating your navel
Friday, February 27, 2009 When will people learn ... the world wide web is a public domain. When you post something online, it's fair game. So if you want to keep your job, be careful what you share. Nazi Costume Councillor Suspended Thursday, February 26, 2009 Americans love their fried foods. One visit to the Texas State Fair and you'll know what I mean ... fried Snickers, fried Twinkies, fried cheesecake are all commonplace... but deep fried pizza?? There's a New Slice in Town: Deep Fried Pizza Wednesday, February 25, 2009 Even the happiest place on earth is feeling the pinch during this economic slump. Orlando Not Spared by Economic Slump Tuesday, February 24, 2009 Who knew that in the world of high-tech medical tools and expensive treatments, good old leeches would still be working miracles?! Leeches Help Shark Victim Keep Hand Monday, February 23, 2009 Having failed our driver's test once, twice, or possibly three times, most people would probably be discouraged enough to give up. Not one South Korean woman, who has taken the test 775 times ... so far. Talk about persistent. Woman Fails Driver's Test 775 Times Sunday, 22 February, 2009 Back to the future 1909 Have you missed the worldwide celebration of art’s Futurist Manifesto? “…..it was the first art manifesto of the 20th Century, paving the way for Vorticists, Surrealists, Dada-ists, and Situationists, as well as more recent cultural agitators like the Stuckists. “ It was started by a man - Filippo Tommaso Marinetti - who sounds much like a shock promoter of today. Click On: What would your art manifesto say ?
Saturday, 21 February, 2009 Free Speech Don’t like what you hear? Soon you might only hear what they like. Our new Obama government is readying an attack on conservative AM talk radio, the last bastion of political opposition left amongst the major media.
Click on: Big Brother at the microphone
Friday, February 20, 2009 An interesting question to ponder: If you could make a single book, film, or album required material to graduate from high school, what would it be? I'd say, "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle. We all need a little enlightenment. What are your two cents? Thursday, February 19, 2009 The jury in this case is a prime example of why the United States justice system leaves much to be desired. Drunk Man Run Over by Train Awarded Over 2 Million Wednesday, February 18, 2009 While the days of the freak show have since passed, there are still people out there who perform odd and amazing feats for the public's enjoyment. Check out this man who can eat lightbulbs, sawdust, nails and more. The Man Who Eats Everything Tuesday, February 17, 2009 Desperate for a new job? Try "careereoki"! They're Desperate Enough to Sing for a Job Monday, February 16, 2009 Some truisms are eternal. For example, sex sells. Sex always sells, and apparently one Florida church agrees. Church Strips Away Taboos Sunday, 15 February, 2009 How boaring! A serious problem found also in Texas afflicts Israel, of all places. “Wild boars still thrive in many of the country's rural areas. In fact, they are becoming so prolific that they are causing substantial damage to both crops and private gardens. The omnivorous hogs will eat just about anything, including carrion.” Click on: Hogs gone wild
Saturday, 14 February, 2009 Murano glass works One of the best reasons to visit Venice, Italy, is to make a side trip to the island of Murano, where for centuries they have been making beautiful hand-made glass. One family man has been working very hard to keep this tradition alive and thriving. “At the furnace, on a narrow street near the Murano lighthouse, ruddy-faced maestri, as expert glassblowers are known, twirl glowing blobs of molten sand into fragile shapes, just as their predecessors have for hundreds of years. Click on: Glass as art
Friday, February 13, 2009 A massive tragedy occurred last night near Buffalo, NY. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who lost loved ones. Plane Crash Near Buffalo Leaves 50 Dead Thursday, February 12, 2009 Well, the world must be coming to an end ... the illustrious Pamela Anderson is living in a trailer. Pamela Anderson Living in a Trailer Wednesday, February 11, 2009 In a nation of fast food and huge portions, even our troops can't escape the burden of weight gain. And high stress situations don't help matters. Pentagon reports U.S. troop obesity doubles since 2003 Tuesday, February 10, 2009 There's someone for everyone out there, and farmers need love too! Check out this farmers-only dating site. Farmers-Only Dating Site Monday, February 9, 2008 It's amazing what makes the difference when it comes to changing people's behavior. Researchers in Massachusetts found that fixing broken windows, cleaning up trash and fixing street lights in dangerous areas actually lowered the crime rate. Breakthrough on 'Broken Windows' Sunday, 8 February, 2009 All about greed Wall Street’s bonuses, however, have a positive side. “Lost in the denunciations were the powerful benefits of the bonus system, which helped make the U.S. the global leader in financial services for decades.” A history lesson accompanies this very thoughtful contrary piece from the Wall Street Journal. Click on: Risk plays a role
Saturday, 7 February, 2009 A million years! That’s how long it will be before you can see this comment again. “Comet Lulin, named after the observatory in Taiwan where the discovery-photo was taken, is now approaching Earth. ‘It is a green beauty that could become visible to the naked eye any day now,’” says Ye. Click on: Comet struts its stuff [EdNote: Click on NASA url's within the linked article. The story is inspiring.] Friday, February 6, 2009 There's a great American tradition I've always enjoyed ... the identification of food that looks like other things. Whether it's a potato chip that looks like Jesus or a potato that looks like a manatee, it's always newsworthy. Man Finds Potato Shaped Like Manatee Thursday, February 5, 2009 You know your society has come a long way when television is ruled an essential right. Judge rules TV essential, awards damages Wednesday, February 4, 2009 As children in cold climates, it's hard to resist eating newly fallen snow ... it's like a free snow cone! Over the years, many of us were discouraged from this behavior by our parents. But lo and behold, eating snow may be good for your health! Snow, the Unlikliest Superfood Tuesday, February 3, 2009 In this day and age, Big Brother is always watching. And sometimes, Big Brother is crooked. In Italy, red light cameras were rigged to falsely accuse drivers of traffic violations so they would pay hefty fines. Fines Fraud Hits Italian Drivers Monday, February 2, 2009 It's Groundhog Day all over again! So what's Punxatawney Phil's prediction this year?? Looks like he spotted his shadow. Phil Sees His Shadow, Winter to Continue Sunday, 1 February, 2009 Laos Revisited If you have been to see Clint Eastwood’s movie Gran Torino you will remember the major role the Hmong people from Laos played in it. A contemporary journey provides an update to their Northern Laos home. “Somehow, six million inhabitants living in a country slightly smaller than the UK speak a bewildering 60 dialects. Even two hours from the ancient royal city of Luang Prabang, our driver was in a foreign land. ‘I just don't know what they're saying …’” Click on: Lost in Laos
Saturday, 31 January, 2009 Cheaper by the dozen Moral, legal, ethical questions abound. And so does the accuracy of old-line media. A woman in Whittier, California, now has fourteen - that’s 14 - children. Eight just came by way of octuplets. The BBC says: “The woman's husband is expected to return to Iraq where he works as a contractor, the LA Times reported.” The U.K’s Daily Mail writes: “Questions were also being asked over how the single mother, identified in U.S. reports yesterday as Nadya Suleman, was able to get fertility treatment when she already has six children, including twins aged two.” Click On:
Friday, January 30, 2009 We've all complained about parking fines at one time or another. But imagine racking up $27,000 in tickets???? It happened to one poor soul. Fiat Nets $27K Ticket Thursday, January 29, 2009 Is it just me, or are politicians constantly waging a war on something or other? Drugs, terrorism ... now salt? Bloomberg Declares War on Salt Wednesday, January 28, 2009 Sometimes the cute factor is enough to make a story newsworthy. Check out the tale of an otter who toured Scotland in a mailbag. Otter Tours Scotland in Mailbag Tuesday, January 27, 2009 Airplane passengers tend to have a wide variety of complaints, and rightly so! Service in the air is less than stellar these days. Check out these 5 hilarious complaint letters sent to Virgin's Sir Richard Branson. Top 5 Complaint Letters Monday, January 26, 2009 While engaged in the classic game of Monopoly, hasn't every player wished at some point that the currency were the real deal? I know I have. Well, apparently one woman succeeded in making that dream come true. Woman exchanges Monopoly money for Danish kroner Sunday, 25 January, 2009
The French warm up to
What is this world coming to?
After defending their mother tongue since forever the new world order has finally come to France where their higher education minister, Valerie Pecresse, will not speak French at an upcoming European meeting.
Click on: Quel horreur
Saturday, 24 January, 2009
From fiction to reality in 52 years
Ayn Rand is back from the dead. Her novel, Atlas Shrugged, is a script for current events.
”For the uninitiated, the moral of the story is simply this: Politicians invariably respond to crises -- that in most cases they themselves created -- by spawning new government programs, laws and regulations. These, in turn, generate more havoc and poverty,…..”
This amazingly cogent article is a must read, as is the book.
Click on: Atlas Shrugged
Friday, January 23, 2009 Happy Friday! Time for a fun story. Check out the chicken who lays grapefruit sized eggs. Ouch. Thursday, January 22, 2008 Ever wonder how the former Presidents (independently wealthy or not) continue to maintain their standard of living, even while unemployed? Well, thanks to the taxpayers, they get along just fine. Cost of Supporting Former Presidents Wednesday, January 21, 2009 Yesterday was a historic day in America, with a new president taking the reins. But what will become of our former president? Bush's last day: Calls, candy and a flight to Midland Sunday, 18 January, 2009 Decisions Decisions You can make a good case that there appears to be a ban on reporting anything negative about the upcoming Barack Obama Inauguration. So we’ll leave it up to you if an article that appears in the Jerusalem Post is important enough to be exempt from that policy. Click on: Good Girl Bad Girl ?
Saturday, 17 January, 2009 ”There’s probably no God, now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” So says an “advert” on the side of certain buses in the U.K. Well, one driver, a believer, thought the slogans neither funny nor appropriate and asked to be given dispensation from driving them. Click on: So help him God
Friday, January 16, 2008 How utterly amazing is the story of the passenger jet that crashed into the Hudson River yesterday? Miracles do happen, and heroes do exist. Hudson River Hero is ex-Air Force Fighter Wednesday, January 14, 2009 Sometimes, movie plots do play out in real life. For example, the recent story of a man who apparently faked his own death and attempted to flee an economic crisis and failing marriage. Bizarre! "Pilot Mutters 'Die' As Run From Law Ends" Tuesday, January 13, 2008 Common sense should tell you that falling asleep while smoking a cigarette might not be the best idea in the world. It's an even worse idea if you work at a world famous art museum ... Drunk, Sleepy Electrician Starts Museum Fire Monday, January 11, 2008 Sometimes we all just need a good old fashioned belly laugh. Check out this video to spark more than a few of those. Bodyguard Auditions Sunday, 11 January, 2009 Too young to die The youngest man ever to climb Mount Everest has been killed in a mountain climbing accident in France. In an age of computer games, action heroes and virtual reality, Briton Rob Gauntlett was a real live adventurer of old. Click on: A youth to celebrate
Saturday, 10 January, 2009 One man’s trash is another man’s treasure A New Zealand man has taken junk and garbage to new heights, or should we say new lows? You’d be amazed at what people throw away. "The income Mr Tang receives from selling restored rubbish and rent from one of his properties is enough for him to support his family of four." Click on: Beyond Freeganism
Friday, January 9, 2009 Sometimes, the consumer actually does win. In this case, a disgruntled man billed his phone company for his wasted time ... and they agreed to pay it. Man Bills Company for Wasted Time Thursday, January 8, 2009 The King of Rock and Roll would have been 74 today. And he sure hasn't been forgotten. Check out all the events happening at Graceland today, in honor of Elvis himself. Elvis' Birthday at Graceland Wednesday, January 7, 2008 It's not every day that an American icon turns the big 5-0. Barbie's birthday is right around the corner, and she's showing no signs of slowing down. Barbie About to Turn 50 Tuesday, January 6, 2008 Occasionally you hear a story that makes you believe-true love does exist. Check out this tale of an elderly couple who has renewed their marriage vows a total of 60 times. The Couple Who Has Said 'I Do' 60 Times Monday, January 5, 2009 The Scientology crazies are at it again. Now, Tom Cruise is claiming the Church of Scientology helped him overcome dyslexia. Too bad it couldn't cure him of his complete creepiness. Cruise Says Church Helped Him Overcome Dyslexia Sunday, 4 January, 2009 Nature’s underground baths Thermal baths have always been a part of Budapest’s life, but it is only recently that their extensive nature has been discovered. Seven large caves and three dozen smaller ones combine to make a 40 kilometer long underground lake. Click to see BBC Video: Refreshing body and soul in Budapest
Saturday, 3 January, 2009 Treat others as you want others to treat you Here is a great way to start off the New Year: Be more polite. A prescription for what’s good for the U.K. can certainly apply to its American cousins as well. “……as we decide on our New Year's resolutions for 2009, being more polite would make an excellent choice.” Click on: Please, and thank you
Friday, January 2, 2008 Nature never ceases to surprise. One mixed race British couple has give birth to a set of twin girls, one Black, one White, for the second time in seven years. British Couple Gives Birth to Different Colored Twins Thursday, 1 January, 2009 HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Let’s start the New Year with photos taken of celebrations from around the world as various countries rang in 2009. Credit the BBC. Click on:
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008 Time to say farewell to 2008! A new year tends to mean resolution time for most people. But sadly, many of our well-intentioned attempts at change fail. So how do we make those resolutions stick?? How to Make New Year's Resolutions Stick Tuesday, December 30, 2008 It's hard to predict what products manage to capture the public's imagination each year. This year, the Nintendo Wii won the hearts of young and old alike. Sadly, other game systems didn't fare quite as well. Nintendo Sails in 2008 Monday, 29 December, 2008 Seers for 2009 Wouldn’t you like to know what the New Year will bring? Well, prominent personalities in the U.K. have already done it for you. Click on: Predictions for 2009
Sunday, 28 December, 2008 First Lady French style The other half of France’s governing dynamic duo - wife Carla Bruni - is making an interesting career move. “…… a taboo-breaking film in which Bruni – now Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the French first lady – opens the doors of the presidential Elysée Palace as well as of her Paris and Riviera homes for a documentary…….” Click On: Beautiful music together
Saturday, 27 December, 2008 Day after Christmas madness Many human behaviors are universal. Shoppers in New Zealand went wild on what they (and the Brits) call Boxing Day. “A table and chairs that normally had a recommended retail price of $2395 was selling for $695. A queen-sized bed with a normal price of $1299 was selling for $598.” Click On: Shop till you drop Kiwi style
Friday, 26 December, 2008 Eartha Kitt dead at 81 How cold obituaries can be. But Eartha Kitt was anything but. One of the most outspoken talents of her generation she was, until the end, stubbornly accepted - or not - for whom she was. See, hear and read about this fascinating woman. [Wait for the movie about her life starring Halle Berry. Betcha.] Click On:
Thursday, 25 December, 2008 CHRISTMAS DAY ”Across the world, believers are attending Christmas church services and, in some countries, families gather for a traditional festive dinner at midnight on Christmas Eve. Read about the festivities from Bethlehem as reported by the BBC. Click On: Where it all began
Wednesday, 24 December, 2008 Careful with Christmas oysters. If you’ve been to France in winter [those “r” months, remember?] you see corner stands seemingly everywhere where they sell iced-over oysters. Well, as with most good things, there is a down side. Click On: Huitre's revenge
Tuesday, 23 December, 2008 Italian police get their own Christmas presents The police in Italy are making life tougher for the Mafia. Confiscating luxury automobiles and then driving them in the neighborhoods from where the cars came is in-your-face law enforcement Italian style. Click on: Squad Car Ferrari
Monday, 22 December, 2008 The Most Santa’s for a Guinness World Record You’ll never guess where the world’s record number of Santa’s amassed to give out gifts at the same time. No, it wasn’t in New York. Click On: Three thousand nine-hundred and thirty-nine red and white people all over
Sunday, 21 December, 2008 Better to look good than to feel good Perhaps the ailing economy has finally impacted the you’re-so-vain? Plastic surgeons report that their bookings are sagging. And negotiate fees! Click On: Saturday, 20 December, 2008 The World’s Toughest Yachting Event? Americans usually think of the America’s Cup when big-time yacht-racing is brought to mind. But Australia’s Sydney-to-Hobart race puts it to shame. “Larry Ellison, the American billionaire who took line honors in that 1998 race in his maxi Sayonara, gleaned enough amid the 80-knot winds and 60-foot, or 18-meter, waves and reminders of his mortality to conclude that he never wanted to race the 628 nautical miles from Sydney to Hobart again. He has been true to his word…..” Click On:
Friday, December 19, 2008 With the oil prices skyrocketing (at least temporarily) and the economic downturn we've seen in the last year, you'd think hybrids and small cars would be flying out of showrooms. Surprisingly, the year's most popular car was neither of the two. Year's Best and Worst-Selling Cars Thursday, December 18, 2008 In this big, big world, it's hard to espose ourselves to as many cultures as we might like. So, here's a quick way to do it: some of the weirdest words and phrases from around the world. The World's Weird Words and Phrases Wednesday, December 17, 2008 As the end of the year approaches, it's time to look back at 2008 and analyze its historical impact. One measurement of the year's significance is Time magazine's announcement of "Person of the Year." So who was this year's choice? Person of the Year Tuesday, December 16, 2008 Christmas is fast approaching, which means it's time for a little fun and games. Check out this addictive penguin baseball game (no penguins were harmed in the making of this game). Penguin Baseball Monday, December 15, 2008 Mothers, they always want the best for their children. Or at least what they think is the best ... this year, all one Florida mother wants for Christmas is a wife for her son. All She Wants for Christmas is a Wife for Her Son Sunday, December 14, 2008 Technology is an interesting and unpredictable phenomenon. Last week's hottest development can be next week's has-been. This year, the Nintendo Wii has surprised everyone by outselling the popular XBox 360. Wii Outsells XBox Saturday, December 13, 2008 Somehow, many things seem to get lost in translation when dealing with foreign countries. A good example: recently, a Hooters restaurant opened in China under the name "The American Owl". Because Hooters has everything to do with owls ... Hooters Restaurant Opens in China Friday, December 12, 2008 Some areas are feeling the economic pinch more than others. In the coming months, it will be interesting to note how the top five most affluent neighborhoods in the U.S. respond to the economic downturn. America's Most Affluent Neighborhoods Thursday, December 11, 2008 Weird weather seems to be the norm across the U.S. this week. Snow fell in New Orleans this morning, an extremely rare occurance. Does this mean snow days for all? Rare Snow Blankets Louisiana Wednesday, December 10, 2008 After the famous "wardrobe malfunction" of a few years back, I'm surprised the FCC didn't go a little crazier over this incident. FOX Apologizes for Showing Naked Player on TV Tuesday, December 9, 2008 New York City is reportedly taking a new approach to security for New Year's Eve this year ... and it involves arming rookie cops with machine guns. Gee, nothing could go wrong with this scenario. City Cops Prep for Mumbai Monday, December 8, 2008 Turns out the old assumption that the male sex is better at putting things together might not be true anymore. A new study suggests that ladies are better at assembling Ikea furniture. Interesting. Women Better at Furniture Assembly Sunday, 7 December, 2008 On this day in 1941, also a Sunday, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The next day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave his famous speech, by radio, to the country: ”Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan……..” Click here to read and hear the entire, brief speech: Click here to hear a contemporaneous recording reporting the attack:
Friday, December 5, 2008 If you thought Obama had celebrity status before, it's increased tenfold since he became president-elect. Washington, DC, is expecting 5 million people to attend his inauguration. That's quite a number to pack into the National Mall ... 5 Million to Attend Obama Inauguration Thursday, December 4, 2008 For those who haven't solidified their holiday plans, check out this list of the ten best places to spend your Christmas. Spectacular Christmas Destinations Wednesday, December 3, 2008 Ever agonize over what to purchase your loved ones for Christmas? Now there's a website that allows them to create wish lists, so you can be sure you're getting them something they want. The Things I Want Tuesday, December 2, 2008 Most of us who work in the business world have seen those famous motivational posters tacked up on the walls of so many co-workers. The sad irony? The company that makes those posters is laying off employees for the first time ever. Excellence in Motivation Laying Off Employees Monday, December 1, 2008 Hmm ... now what does it say about our society when liquor sells for less than water? Supermarkets Selling Alcohol Cheaper Than Water Sunday, 30 November, 2008 Excuses, excuses A writer in New Zealand tells of the turmoil of working to make a book deadline: “When I'm not dramatically holding my head in my hands in a dark corner, I'm performing elaborate arm stretches all over the house to ease my supposed writer's cramp…” Click On:
Saturday, 29 November, 2008 Free speech and lip service in Singapore The Wall Street Journal Asia has had a run-in with the autocracy in Singapore over free speech and the rule of law. The Journal acknowledges that: “…….we know of no foreign publication that has ever won in a Singapore court of law.“ The WSJ has nevertheless defended itself vigorously in a recent suit initiated against it by that government. See what can happen to a country if the press allows itself to be cowed or actively becomes a shill for the government. CLICK ON:
Thursday, November 27, 2008 Happy Thanksgiving to all! And with Thanksgiving comes the day after, also known as "Black Friday." For bargain hunters, check out this article on how to find the top deals on the biggest shopping day of the year. Finding the Best Black Friday Deals Wednesday, November 26, 2008 Wine is always exalted for its health benefits, but what about the boons of beer? Turns out, there are some. The Boons of Beer Tuesday, November 25, 2008 It's almost Turkey Day, which means the famous Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade will hit the streets of NY. Check out the 10 greatest ballons that have been a part of the legendary parade. The 10 Greatest Macy's Thanksgivingn Day Parade Floats Monday, November 24, 2008 Newspapers are an ill medium. Some say they're doomed, but other argue that it would simply take a change in strategy for the printed word to stay alive. Check out this interesting blog about why The New York Times is failing miserably. Watching the Times Struggle Sunday, 23 November, 2008 Woolworths not worth it anymore The once ubiquitous-in-America five and ten cents store is now on its death throes in the U.K. ”Frank Woolworth opened his first store, in Utica, New York State, in 1879 with the gimmick that everything was priced at five cents…… Click On: Not worth a wooden nickel
Saturday, 22 November, 2008 GNH: Gross National Happiness Bhutan tries democracy, and so far they like it. The first elected prime minister - U.S. educated - says: “Happiness is not hedonistic, ‘it is not the kind of fleeting pleasures that we seek.’ It has to do with ‘being able to balance material needs of the body and the spiritual needs of the mind.’” CLICK ON: Inspired by the U.S. Constitution
Friday, November 21, 2008 Only in the country. Fire chiefs in Rhode Island are warning people of the danger involved in deep frying turkeys for Thanksgiving ... Fire chiefs warn of dangers of deep frying turkeys Thursday, November 20, 2008 The miracles of modern medicine are neverending. Recently, a teenage girl was kept alive for 4 months without a heart. Teen Lives Without Heart Wednesday, November 19, 2008 Internet communication is simply amazing. It's gotten to the point where messaging happens instantaneously from all corners of the world. Check out Twitter, where people everywhere answer the burning question, What are you doing? As an example, here's the Starbucks Twitter page: Starbucks on Twitter Tuesday, November 18, 2008 The Presidency is a thankless job, and apparently our newly elected leader is already learning there are downsides to being the most powerful man in the free world. Presidency Can Feel Isolated, Lonely Monday, November 17, 2008 Even billionaires don't always get a break. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is being accused of insider trading. Check out the charges against him: Cuban Accused of Insider Trading Sunday, 16 November, 2008 Chilly winds blow in France Modern windmills are being offered in many places on the globe as a green solution to the generation of electricity. But certain forces in France are now calling the increasing number of windmills the equivalent of urban blight. Click On:
Saturday, 15 November, 2008 Electric car at what cost? Many of us would consider buying an electric vehicle. General Motors has one. But consider this recent Wall Street Journal report: ”Even as GM teeters toward bankruptcy and wheedles for billions in public aid, its forthcoming plug-in hybrid continues to absorb a big chunk of the company's product development budget. This is a car that, by GM's own admission, won't make money……..It's a car that will be unsalable without multiple handouts from government.” Click On:
Thursday, November 13, 2008 In the fight to cure AIDS, little hope has been seen in the decades since the disease emerged. But now scientists are saying a man who received a bone marrow transplant may have been cured of the disease. Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured AIDS Wednesday, November 12, 2008 For those of us who are calorie-conscious (or just looking for healthy alternatives to processed sugar), here's a comprehensive list of natural sweeteners. Who needs chemicals when nature takes care of all our needs! Natural Sweeteners That Can Replace Sugar Tuesday, November 11, 2008 It's Veteran's Day, which means it's time to honor those who have fought for our nation throughout the decades. Check out more information about the history of this holiday and what you can do to celebrate our vets.Veteran's Day 411 Monday, November 9, 2008 The best kind of advertising gets your attention and makes you remember the product. Check out this clever NYC ad campaign for "The Sopranos." Another reason to watch "The Sopranos" Sunday, 9 November, 2008 UK women have uplifted their spirits ”Since alcohol-related deaths for British women aged 35 to 54 have doubled between 1991 and 2006, this worry is becoming increasingly justified. Where women used to be the informal social controllers of drinking……” Read about how the ladies in Britain are running up their bar tabs. Click On: A pint here a chardonnay there
Saturday, November 8, 2008 Sometimes, miracles do happen. A pilot manning a solo flight out of Scotland was suddenly struck blind mid-flight due to a stroke. Luckily, the story has a happy ending. Pilot Blinded by Stroke is Guided Safely to Ground Friday, November 7, 2008 Ever get an old-school, television theme song stuck in your head? Or ever wonder what the old jingles sound like? Check out this site, it plays most of your old TV favorites. TV Theme Medley Thursday, November 6, 2008 An interesting side effect of Obama's historic victory: a staggering spike in newspaper sales! Perhaps the days of black and white newsprint haven't completely passed.Extra Extra! Election Sends Newspaper Sales Soaring Wednesday, November 5, 2008 Well, history has been made. The United States has elected its first African-American president. Obama will face many challenges in the next four years, let's wish him luck. Barack Obama Elected President Tuesday, November 4, 2008 After years of pre-election hysteria and backbiting, the big day is finally upon us. The U.S. will soon know who's going to lead our nation for the next four years. Check out up-to-the-minute election results here: Election Results on MSNBC Monday, November 3, 2008 Hindsight is 20-20, and with age always comes a new perspective. So, when advising young people, it's important to think about the things you didn't know when you were that age. Here's a list of 8 things this author wishes he knew when he was 22. Almost FearlessMonday, November 3, 2008 Hindsight is 20-20, and with age always comes a new perspective. So, when advising young people, it's important to think about the things you didn't know when you were that age. Here's a list of 8 things this author wishes he knew when he was 22. Almost FearlessMonday, November 3, 2008 Hindsight is 20-20, and with age always comes a new perspective. So, when advising young people, it's important to think about the things you didn't know when you were that age. Here's a list of 8 things this author wishes he knew when he was 22. Almost FearlessSunday, 2 November, 2008 At a Palin rally “The governor is one of those politicians with the gift of connecting with her audience, a trait that surely has helped with her quick political rise. ‘I'm so glad you're here!’ she said as I walked in to the holding room, with such warmth I wondered if she might actually mean it. As in her staged events, she comes across in person as confident.” Click On: The Wall Street Journal's Kimberley Strassel reports
Saturday, 1 November, 2008 The roar of the crowd With just three days to go before our presidential election, here is one of the best, most cogent pieces about the state of our great American experiment: “A younger man, 'cool' and collected, carrying within his own biography the strands of the world beyond America's shores, was put forth as a herald of the change upon us. The crowd would risk the experiment. There was grudge and a desire for retribution in the crowd to begin with. Akin to the passions…..” Click On:
Friday, October 31, 2008 Want to have a little Halloween fun today? If you have a few spare minutes on your computer, check out this site for all things spooky. Halloween Online Thursday, October 30, 2008 It's a sad day when one of Hollywood's most talented actors decides to hang up his hat. Joaquin Phoenix Shocks With Retirement Announcement Wednesday, October 29, 2008 There are so many incredible places to visit throughout the world, check out some of the planet's most unusual hotels. Unusual Hotels of the World Tuesday, October 28, 2008 There may be hope for the economy yet. Global stocks have rebounded today, with Hong Kong leading the way. Global Stocks Make Comeback Monday, October 27, 2008 We all know fruits and veggies are good for you, but now scientists are saying a newly developed purple tomato may have additional healing properties. Purple Tomato Extended Lives of Cancer-Prone Mice Sunday 26 October, 2008 Last two WWI veterans speak Have you visited France and noticed that even the smallest of small towns have monuments to the fallen of what was then called the Great War? It was a world war of unimaginable carnage. The last two British survivors of that conflict speak about their experiences. “I fell in a trench. There was a fella there. He must have been about our age. He was ripped shoulder to waist with shrapnel. He only said one word: 'Mother'. I didn't see her, but she was there. No doubt about it. He passed from this life into the next, and it felt as if I was in God's presence. I've never got over it. You never forget it. Never." Click on:
Saturday, 25 October, 2008 Obama Japanese Style If you didn’t know better you could imagine the name Obama as being Japanese. Could he be? For nearly nine months, more than 1,300 residents of Obama, a town located south-west of Fukui prefecture, have joined forces to create a comprehensive ‘Obama for Obama’ campaign.” Click On:
Friday, October 24, 2008 One of the most amazing people of our time, scientist Stephen Hawking, is set to retire from his post at Cambridge University next year. But the man who has overcome all odds says he will still continue to explore the vast universe. Hawking to Retire from Prestigious Post Wednesday, October 22, 2008 Not everyone is a fan of facial hair on guys, but sometimes, a hefty beard can make the man. Check out these ten reasons why every gent should grow a giant beard. Bigger Better Beards Tuesday, October 21, 2008 As any waiter will tell you, people who don't know how to tip properly are an incredibly frustrating phenomenon. Finally, someone has explained the rules-hallelujiah! Set Me Straight on Tipping Monday, October 20, 2008 After a spoof of VP candidate Sarah Palin was a huge hit on SNL, the Alaska governor decided she'd give the show a try herself. How did she do? Sarah Palin on SNL Sunday, 19 October, 2008 Will this Guy stay rich? We all need some frivolity in life. Catch up on Madonna’s man’s travails. “Did he seriously expect her to throw away her microphone and cone-shaped bras and slump in front of the telly with a microwaved lasagne on her lap every night?” Click On:
Saturday, 18 October, 2008 The Four Tops suffer a loss A voice you’ll never forget has gone silent forever. “Former Motown labelmate Smokey Robinson said: ‘Levi Stubbs was one of the great voices of all times. He was very near and dear to my heart.’” Click On:
Friday, October 17, 2008 When it comes to the Titanic, most of us think of the blockbuster movie starring Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, but the reality is that the ship did sunk, and hundreds died. Now, the last survivor of the tragedy is being forced to sell her mementos to pay the bills. Titanic Survivor Forced to Sell Mementos Thursday, October 16, 2008 Everybody needs a dose of cute, every now and then. Check out these pictures of upside down doggies for a few smiles. Upside Down Dogs Wednesday, October 15, 2008 It's been a rough week for America's team, the Dallas Cowboys. With an injured quarterback and a suspended cornerback, prospects were looking dim. But, hope is on the horizon with a brand-new trade. Cowboys Add Another Williams Tuesday, October 14, 2008 Who ever said Dr. Suess was just for kids? The famous author's words of wisdom apply to kids and adults alike. Oh the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Suess Monday, October 13, 2008 The world is a big place, and there's so much we don't know about it. Here are some interesting facts that might surprise you. Things You Probably Already Knew, But Had Forgotten Sunday, 12 October, 2008 What about the long term prospects for the U.S.? As the tumult of financial collapse continues to roil the American psyche and pocketbook, what could be happening to the U.S. long-term? Here is a very thoughtful piece with historical perspective. Click on:
Saturday, 11 October, 2008 McCain and Obama should too A politician in Norway: “….admits calling pay-per-minute fortune-tellers 793 times in one nine-month period, for a total of 133 hours…..” Click On:
Friday, October 10, 2008 The people of the United States will never forget Sept. 11, 2001. It's a day that will reign forever in people's memories, and the incredible photographs taken that day have become part of our nation's collective consciousness. Sept. 11th in 56 Photos Thursday, October 8, 2008 Halloween is almost here, which means it's pumpkin carving time! Check out these outrageous pumpkins carved by the masters. Pumpkin Way Wednesday, October 8, 2008 With all of the millions of types of music and different artists in the world, it's simply impossible to discover all the tunes you might enjoy. Well, now one internet radio station customizes your music choices, offering songs it chooses based on your preferences. Pandora Radio Tuesday, October 7, 2008 Did you ever wish you could communicate with your future self? Create a time capsule, of sorts, and give yourself some advice? Well, one innovative web site allows you to do just that. Dear Future Monday, 6 October, 2008 Hockey Moms and Asians Investing A different view on America’s financial disaster comes from the Asia Times: “How, my European friends ask, was it possible for such an an ignorant bumpkin to become a candidate for America's second-highest office? They don't understand America.” This thoughtful and perceptive article is not full of economic jargon, but instead it tells us - Americans - much about ourselves, our character as a people that we rarely think about. Click On:
Sunday, 5 October, 2008 In their own words Some portion of the financial bailout plan includes the disastrous consequences of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s home mortgages collapse. That, in turn, can be laid in large part to people we elected to Congress. Those politicians have real names, and include the likes of Congressman Barney Frank, Senator’s Christopher Dodd, Chuck Schumer, and Robert Bennett. They preferred pushing home ownership for low income individuals, who were not qualified in the first place, to practicing fiscal responsibility. Click On: Judge for yourself what they said
Saturday, 4 October, 2008 A diary from space A diary kept by Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon killed in the Challenger crash goes on display in an Israeli museum. Incredibly the personal account survived the 37 mile fall from space. CLICK ON:
Friday, October 3, 2008 We all tend to forget one of the simplest means of human communication: body language. So what does your body tell people? Body Language: Do You Speak It? Thursday, October 3, 2008 Understanding and controlling our own mind is one of the most important things we can do as human beings. Now, research suggests that abstract reasoning can help improve self-control. How to Improve Your Self-Control Wednesday, October 1, 2008 Ahh, the Scientologists, always providing plenty of crazy fodder for us normal folk to discuss. Most recently, several anti-Scientology You-Tube videos were removed from the site due to threats of legal action from the powerful cultists. Scientology Protest Material Removed Tuesday, September 30, 3008 We can learn a lot from the wisdom of those in generations past. One such person, legendary writer Rudyard Kipling, wrote a poem filled with words to live by ... IF by Rudyard Kipling Monday, September 29, 2008 Among many over-hyped actors and actresses in Hollywood, there are but a few who deserve their fame, and even fewer who use it to make a positive difference in the world. One of these individuals was the late Paul Newman. Those in his hometown remember him as "just a regular guy." Newman Remembered as "Regular Guy" Sunday, 28 September, 2008 Just wing it Haven’t you ever dreamed about spreading out your arms and flying? A Swiss pilot has done just that. He turned himself into a human jet and flown across the English Channel. Click On:
Saturday, 27 September, 2008 How to organize a community The Wall Street Journal offers an article that gives potential voters an in-depth view into work Barack Obama left off his resume. “[He] has never written about his most important executive experience. From 1995 to 1999, he led an education foundation……… The group poured more than $100 million into the hands of community organizers and radical education activists.” Click On:
Friday, September 26, 2008 Imagine being one of the world's great explorers, mapping uncharted territory and braving the wild. Now you can trace the routes of famous wanderers from Lewis and Clark to Columbus. History's Greatest Journeys Thursday, September 25, 2008 Over the years, different breeds of dogs have gone in and out of favor with the American public. This year, the American Kennel Club's list of the top ten breeds offers some interesting choices. 10 Most Popular Dog Breeds of 2008 Wednesday, September 23, 2008 The various states throughout the U.S. are known for particular traits ... stereotypes or not, we tend to see New Yorkers as tense and uptight, Californians as laid-back, etc. But a new study reveals the truth about the different states, and some results might surprise you. The United States of Mind Tuesday, September 23, 2008 Test your IQ and your left vs. right brain by looking at this picture of a woman spinning. Which way you see her turn tells you how you use your brain. Which Way Is She Turning? Monday, September 22, 2008 Showing kindness to other human beings is one of the most important things we can do in this life. We never know when a kind word, gesture or helping hand could make all the difference. Here's the story of one cab driver who brought a ray of light into the life of a woman facing the end. The Cab Ride I'll Never Forget Sunday, 21 September 2008 Oprah storms Saudi Arabia America’s premier talk-show diva has made it big in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “When 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' was first broadcast in Saudi Arabia in November 2004 on a Dubai-based satellite channel, it became an immediate sensation among young Saudi women.” Although they are loving her, the affection so far is unrequited. But, hey, maybe with Obama as president she will get an ambassadorship? Click On:
Saturday, September 20, 2008 When co-workers are forced to share a common area, such as a refrigerator, theft is bound to happen. Occasionally, you may return to find your lunch gone, eaten by some inconsiderate fellow employee. But have no fear, these anti-theft lunch bags will protect your edible goods. Anti-Theft Lunch Bags Friday, September 19, 2008 The English language is a tough one to learn, and sometimes small language details get lost in translation. Check out these signs that somehow missed the mark. English Gone Wrong Thursday, September 18, 2008 A two-headed turtle was born recently in China. Nature never ceases to amaze! Baby Turtle Born With 2 Heads Wednesday, September 17, 2008 It's like something straight out of "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou ..." a red flourescent fish that glows in the dark. Move over leopard shark. Flourescent Red-Glowing Fish Found Tuesday, September 15, 2008 The power of good advertising is amazing ... it can plant a product in the human mind and drive purchasing power. Check out these innovative advertisements that make the average consumer take a second look. 70 Creative Advertisements Tuesday, September 15, 2008 The power of good advertising is amazing ... it can plant a product in the human mind and drive purchasing power. Check out these innovative advertisements that make the average consumer take a second look. http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/70-creative-advertisements-that-makes-you-look-twice/ Monday, September 14, 2008 We've all dealt with the horrors of jammed intersections, the annoyance of yellow lights and the inconvenience of slow drivers. But would removing all the traffic lights and signs decrease, or increase accident rates? One German town tried the experiment, and got surprising results. Are Towns Really Safer Without Traffic Lights? Sunday, September 14, 2008 Not all of us enjoy the extreme physical exertion that comes with running. Some might even call it an uncomfortable experience. But, there is some interesting research that suggests human beings were born to run.Study Claims Humans Evolved to Run Long Distances Saturday, September 13, 2008 A 33-year-old Wisconsin mom allegedly stole her 15-year-old daughter's ID so she could enroll in high school and join the cheerleading team. The funny part? The school bought it. Botox must work wonders ... Mom Allegedly Uses Daughter's ID to Be Cheerleader Friday, September 12, 2008 According to a new poll, the most beautiful people in the U.S. tend to converge upon one city: Miami. But what about the most intelligent, the friendliest and the most diverse? Here are all the answers. Poll: Miami residents are most attractive in U.S. Thursday, September 11, 2008 In some professions, such as medicine, law enforcement and firefighting, saving lives is part of the daily routine. And apparently, that doesn't just include human lives ... Mouth to Meow-th Wednesday, September 10, 2008 Well, the housing market may have plummeted in recent months, but it still hasn't fallen far in enough in some areas of the country. Check out this list of the ten most expensive housing markets in the U.S., and take a wild guess in which state eight of them are located ... Study: California home to priciest housing markets Tuesday, September 9, 2008 Ask any kid who's lost his pet goldfish, and he'll tell you a fish floating upside down is never a good sign. But for one British fish, belly-up is just a way of life. Horatio the goldfish spends five years swimming upside down Monday, September 8, 2008 Germs are an unavoidable part of human existence. So much so, in fact, that ninety percent of the human body is composed of germ cells. Pretty scary. Luckily, only one to two percent are harmful. So, which germs are bad, and where do they come from? 10 Germy Surfaces You Touch Every Day Sunday, 7 September, 2008 Print Dictionaries to Disappear U.K. entrepreneurs are readying a paperless dictionary to be available - where else - on the internet. Will we really give up our favorite great volume of words? Click on:
Saturday, 6 September, 2008 America the beautiful Where else but in our country can a Sarah Palin appear and make such a momentous impact on the future of our country? “She seemed wholly different from, and in fact seemed a refutation to, all the men of Washington at their great desks who make rules others have to live by but they don't have to live by themselves….” Click on:
Friday, September 5, 2008 Whoever said alcohol was harmless? An unlucky teenager in Europe has vowed never to have another drink after one single cocktail caused her head to swell to the size of a balloon. Cocktail Puts Woman in Hospital Thursday, September 3, 2008 Fame and fortune apparently can't buy maturity. One disgraced NFL player decided to exact a pretty silly form of revenge on the man who was hired as his replacement. Tatum Bell is Not Taking His Release Well Wednesday, September 3, 2008 Science has brought mankind countless invaluable discoveries and inventions, but could it also bring the end of the world? That's what some people are saying is going to happen in 7 days, thanks to a "Doomsday test" about to be carried out by some European scientists. End of the World Due in 7 Days Tuesday, September 2, 2008 Honesty is not a quality you often find among those in Hollywood. Platitudes and false praise are far more common ... but one director has spoken out against a major movie studio, arguing that they ruined his film. He's got guts. Director Badmouths His Own Film Monday, September 1, 2008 Dog is without a doubt, man's best friend. Loyal, brave and true, canines are a shining example that more humans could stand to emulate. One such pooch stayed by the side of his dead master for 11 weeks, shunning food and shelter in order to keep watch. He is now being honored with a statue. Dog who stayed by dead master's side to be honored with statue Sunday, 31 August, 2008 P Diddy grounded The skyrocketing price of jet fuel has forced the rapper and budding actor to stow his private jet for the time being. He has put out a call for help: “The singer, famed for his conspicuous consumption, added a ‘shout out to all my Saudi Arabian brothers and sisters and all my brothers and sisters from all the countries that have oil: if you could all please send me some oil for my jet, I would truly appreciate it.’” Click On: Take the bus and leave the driving to us
Saturday, 30 August, 2008 Is Obama a U.S. Citizen? This is not a frivolous question. It turns out that a lawsuit was filed in Philadelphia on August 21 alleging that Barack Obama is not an American citizen. Before you dismiss this as being crazy, give the writer of the story a few minutes of your time and make up your own mind. If this gets legs the way it should, the mainstream media will be forced to present it to America. Click on:
Friday, August 29, 2008 Regardless of what popular wisdom might state, the customer is not always right. In fact, the customer is often very, very wrong. Check out this hilarious example of one bank employee who just couldn't take the stupidity anymore. Creative Ways to Use Google Earth Thursday, August 28, 2008 As a human being living on planet Earth, it's hard to imagine the immensity of the universe as a whole. For example, exactly how long/far is a light year? Well, the people at Popular Science have tackled that very question to help us all better understand outer space. How Long Would It Take to Walk a Light-Year? Wednesday, August 27, 2008 It's not just in the movies anymore. Scientists have now designed a Robocop-style metal creation that has allowed a paralyzed man to walk again for the first time in 20 years. Paralyzed man walks again thanks to metal exoskeleton Tuesday, August 26, 2008 Sometimes, being really, really good at something can be a challenge, especially as a child. Ask any virtuoso, and they'll probably tell you the path was rough. It's true for music, academia, and sports. 9-year-old Boy Told He's Too Good to Pitch Monday, August 25, 2008 Popular wisdom, and the vast majority of history books, have long since taught that the South lost the Civil War due to the greater resources and population of the North. But in his new book, historian David Williams suggests that the Southerners were really to blame for their own loss. Historian suggests Southerners defeated Confederacy Sunday, 24 August, 2008 Gossamer-winged sun-powered plane flies non-stop for more than 82 hours. “Its structure uses ultra-lightweight carbon-fibre material; and the plane flies on solar power generated by amorphous silicon solar arrays no thicker than sheets of paper. These are glued over the aircraft's wings.” Click On and See Video Too:
Saturday, 23 August, 2008 The mother of all wraps An Australian researcher has won an award for devising a plan to divert an asteroid from smacking into earth. It revolves around [yes, pun intended] using the likes of Saran wrap. Click on:
Friday, August 22, 2008 The Olympics is supposed to be about the world's top athletes competing against one another for the highest honor attainable. But, when cheating factors into the equation, the competition loses some of its luster. The International Olympic Committee is investigating claims that some of the female gymnasts from China may not be of age. If such claims are true, shame on them. IOC investigating whether gymnasts old enough to compete Thursday, August 21, 2008 Outer space is more vast and incredible than the human mind could ever comprehend. Our solar system alone holds countless mysteries and amazing phenomenon. Check out this list of the top ten mysteries of the solar system. Mysteries of the Solar System Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Who ever said looks didn't count might have been wrong ... scientifically speaking. A new study suggests that men with wider faces may be more aggressive than their thin-faced counterparts. Wide-Faced Men More Aggressive Tuesday, August 19, 2008 We have super-sized fast food meals, so why not mini-sized? It would certainly be better for the collective American waistline. Check out the world's smallest burger, fries and soda meal. World's Smallest Burger MealMonday, August 18, 2008 Fast food is a guilty pleasure for many of us ... the fried goodness is so hard to resist! And the advertising industry bombards us with billboards, commercials and coupons as constant reminders of our burger cravings. But how does the actual food measure up to those mouthwatering ads? Check it out. Fast Food: Ads Vs. RealitySunday, 17 August, 2008 Explain yourself, sir Mr. Obama is now being advised by his brethren in the Democrat Party to explain himself: What exactly does he mean by “change”? Some say a closer than anticipated election is pushing the move away from slogans. "Instead of giving big speeches at big stadiums, he needs to give straight-up 10-word answers to people at Wal-Mart about how he would improve their lives." Click On:
Saturday, 16 August, 2008 France’s Deux Chevaux Turns 60! The uniquely French car that so many people love to ridicule is about to have a birthday in October. Click On: Oh no not another hill up ahead
Friday, August 15, 2008 While tattoos are an art form worth respecting, there are times when permanent ink applied to your body is simply a mistake. Here are some examples: Regrettable Tattoos Thursday, 14 August, 2008 The world’s only officially titled matador from England returns to action at age 65. Why should a quadruple heart bypass keep him down? "’I'm in the last 25 per cent of my life so I am going to do what I love to do. I have tried retirement and it didn't suit me,’ he said.” Click on: A man's got to do what a man's got to do
Wednesday, 13 August, 2008 Go ahead you name her Traditional names for babies in the U.K. are having a tough go of it. “Many babies are named after celebrities or given made-up names now, rather than being given relatives' ones, as often happened in the past…..” Click On:
Tuesday, 12 August, 2008 Better to look good than to sing good The cute little Chinese girl featured singing a traditional communist revolutionary song at the Olympics opening ceremony was not the one singing after all. She was lip-synching for another girl whose teeth were determined to be not ready for prime time. Click On:
Monday, 11 August, 2008 Doggie See Doggie Do A recent experiment shows that your pooch can empathsize with you. Is it real empathy or have you stressed him out? Click On:
Sunday, 10 August, 2008 Guess who leads the world in internet use? Our friends in New Zealand do! They just can’t live without it. Then again, not many of us can. Get a glimpse of internet life from Kiwi land. Click On:
Saturday, 9 August, 2008 UK awash in UFO’s And you thought only Americans were treated to extra terrestrial visits. It turns out that our friends in the UK have had a bumper crop of sightings: 150 this year, so far, alone. Get an international flavor of what we can call Roswell East. Click on:
Friday, August 8, 2008 Check out these funny metaphors students used in their high school essays. Funny Metaphors Thursday, August 7, 2008 Ever wanna bake a cake for a deadly enemy, and seriously creep them out? Check out these super monstrous cakes, perfect for Halloween, or any other holiday in which you choose to terrorize someone. Super Creepy Cakes Wednesday, August 6, 2008 As Americans, we have a tendency to overeat ... hence the vast number of obese people in this country and the unbelievable amounts of food that are consumed. But one man decided to try an experiment, and see if he could live on $30 worth of food for one whole month. Check out his blog of the experience. Hungry for a Month Tuesday, August 5, 2008 The animal kingdom is full of miracles and heart-warming stories. Check out the tale of a loving canine who took in some needy cubs. Golden Retriever Nurses Abandoned Tiger Cubs Monday, August 4, 2008 Yes, ghost towns still exist. Check out this roster of the ten most amazing ones around the world. 10 Most Amazing Ghost Towns Sunday, 3 August, 2008 Monk’s singing tops charts “They have sold more than 400,000 copies and are on track to reach platinum status.” Move over Amy Winehouse here come the monks. These Austrian brothers singing Gregorian chants have made them international stars but without damaging their Godly devotion. Click On:
Saturday, 2 August, 2008 It’s not just for Christmas anymore An ancient herb may have modern uses to relieve arthritis pain: “In as little as seven days, patients taking the frankincense drug reported improvements in their pain and stiffness levels….” Click On:
Saturday, 2 August, 2008 It’s not just for Christmas anymore An ancient herb may have modern uses to relieve arthritis pain: “In as little as seven days, patients taking the frankincense drug reported improvements in their pain and stiffness levels….” Click On:
Friday, August 1, 2008 Apparently it's no coincidence that so many brilliant people throughout history have suffered from psychological problems. Science has shown that the biological basis for creativity may be linked to mental illness. Biological Basis for Creativity Linked to Mental Illness Thursday, July 21, 2008 Ever in the midst of writing a poem and feel like you were desperately in need of a rhyming word? Have no fear, there's a tool to help you out. Write Rhymes Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Football fans, rejoice. Well, some of you, anyway. Brett Favre is back in action after just a few short months of retirement. He has officially filed for reinstatement. Favre Files for Reinstatement Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Veterans returning from war have an incredibly difficult task to face, some might argue more difficult than war itself: readjusting to society after an incredibly traumatic experience. And those with disabling injuries have it ten times harder than anyone. Well, one organization is working to match disabled veterans with specially trained dogs to help them. Check it out. The Dog Tags Program Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Veterans returning from war have an incredibly difficult task to face, some might argue more difficult than war itself: readjusting to society after an incredibly traumatic experience. And those with disabling injuries have it ten times harder than anyone. Well, one organization is working to match disabled veterans with specially trained dogs to help them. Check it out. The Dog Tags Program Monday, 28 July, 2008 Juiced at altitude You’ve read about bad behavior of soccer fans from the U.K.? Well, it appears that a couple of their sisters have adopted equally abusive actions, but exhibit it inside an airplane at 32,000 feet. Click on:
Sunday, 27 July, 2008 Beauty’s Only Skin Deep Yeah Yeah Yeah They’re prepping for the big day so why not give it their best shot? Botox, that is. “It is no longer sufficient to hire a hairstylist and makeup artist to be on hand the day of. Instead, bridal parties are indulging in dermal fillers and tooth-whitening months before the Big Day.” Click On:
Saturday, July 26, 2008 Honesty is not always the best policy, especially when it comes to political matters inside our high schools. Check out one student's honest take on the Iraq war ... and the teacher's response. One Student's Take on the Iraq War Friday, July 24, 2008 Sometimes, strange things happen in life. Unbelievable things. Check out this story of the strangest suicide in history. Strangest Suicide in History Thursday, July 24, 2008 Iceland is a fascinating country, full of interesting people and environmentally conscious citizens. Check out these cool facts about the small country: Info on Iceland Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Who doesn't love Jim Henson's colorful creations, the Muppets? But did you ever consider that there are several celebrities who strongly resemble such puppets? Check them out! Celebrities That Look Like Muppets Tuesday, July 22, 2008 The end of an era is soon to come. NBC has announced the date of Jay Leno's last night hosting "The Tonight Show." Conan O'Brien is poised and ready to take over. Jay Leno's Last Night Announced Monday, July 21, 2008 Looks like the buzz paid off. "The Dark Knight," featuring the late Heath Ledger, broke box office records this weekend. "Batman" Breaks Records Sunday, 20 July, 2008 A Man Of God Speaks To Us All Regardless of your religious persuasion - or even lack of it - the Pope advocates profound changes in our societies; this man of intellect gives us much to think about, including the rising of: ''A new age in which hope liberates us from the shallowness, apathy and self absorption which deadens our souls and poisons our relationships. Click on: The Pope speaks from Australia
Saturday, 19 July, 2008 We’re number 1! We’re Number 1! That dubious but well-deserved distinction belongs to California. Could the Golden State be a prelude to America’s post-presidential election future? Consider that people there are already voting with their feet. Click on: Go anywhere but west young man
Friday, July 18, 2008 The much-anticipated new Batman movie, "The Dark Knight," opens in theaters today. Besides being hailed as the best movie ever made in the franchise, it was also Heath Ledger's last major film and arguably an Oscar-worthy performance. But what are the critics saying? Review: Dark Knight a Stunner Thursday, July 17, 2008 Our bodies are wondrous inventions, and they can do amazing things. Check out these interesting tricks of the body. Interesting Tricks of the Body Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Sometimes, speed isn't the answer when it comes to life. Check out the reasons why sometimes, you can get more done by doing less. In Praise of Slowness Tuesday, July 15, 2008 Superheroes, while usually reserved for the pages of comic books, actually do exist in the real world! Check out these seven people with actual mutant powers. People With Real Superpowers [Ed Note: Delay in publishing today is due to Time Warner Cable problems.] Monday, 14 July, 2008 New Zealander to try and break land speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats Alan Thorsen, 53, will crank up his motorbike - as the Kiwis call them - and attempt to break a motorcycle record. His Kawasaki Black Thunder leaves for Utah on July 29; he follows two weeks later to partake in Speed Week. Click On:
Sunday, 13 July, 2008 A Great Man Dies They come along rarely, men who define a century and impact our lives and future generations forever. Cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey’s passing at 99 leads to a celebration of his life. The following quote from an excellent article in the Houston Chronicle will put a smile on your face and get you to follow the link below for the entire obituary: “ John Ochsner recalled how, if an operation was going slowly, DeBakey might ask, ‘Am I the only one here doing anything?’ Or a clumsy resident might prompt DeBakey to say, ‘Do you have two left hands?’” Click On:
Saturday, 12 July, 2008 Race does matter Did you read the one about the college student brought up on charges for reading a book that he got from his own university’s library? “Ludicrous harassment cases are not rare at our institutions of higher learning. But there was undeniably something special – something pure, and glorious – in the clarity of this picture. A university had brought a case against a student on grounds of a book he had been reading.” Click On:
Friday, July 11, 2008 Professor Stephen Hawking is one of the most brilliant minds of our generation, and he has a new theory about how the Big Bang led to the creation of our universe. Stephen Hawking's Explosive New Theory Thursday, July 10, 2008 We could all use a little more random information floating around our brains. So here are some interesting facts you may not have been aware of: Did You Know? Wednesday, July 9, 2008 Most of us dream of traveling the world, seeing new sights, experiencing new things ... but few have the financial resources to just pick up and leave. Check out these free travel opportunities around the world. Opportunities for Free Travel Around the World Tuesday, July 8, 2008 As our population increasingly moves towards urbanization and away from rural living, what will happen to farms? How will food be grown in urban environments? Check out these innovative designs for city farms, soon to come. 3D City Farm Proposals Monday, July 7, 2008 There's something to be said for honesty, even when the truth isn't so pretty. Just ask this former criminal, eager for a second chance! Former Marijuana Smuggler Seeks Employment Sunday, 6 July, 2008 The year the 60's came to France In May, 1968, the tumult of anti-war protests in the U.S. spilled over into France, where they concocted their own reasons for violence in the streets. “’The French right calls May ’68 ‘the events,’ while the left calls it ‘the movement.’” Click On:
Saturday, 5 July, 2008 Urban Renewal French Style Have you ever wondered why those ratty, vacant city lots haven’t been put to good use? Well, the French have found one: They turn them into gardens. CLICK ON:
Friday, July 4, 2008 Happy Fourth of July! Learn everything you could ever want to know about Independence Day here: Fourth of July is Independence Day Thursday, July 3, 2008 Try reading this short story out loud three times fast ... every single word begins with W. Quite a feat. Winnie and WalterWednesday, July 2, 2008 Can it be? The most successful coffee company in the history of the world is actually closing stores, as opposed to opening them? Starbucks to Close 600 Stores Tuesday, July 1, 2008 Check out this cartoon of the most dangerous animals in the world (and yes, some of these are fictional ... but still scary. :) Most Dangerous Critters Monday, June 30, 2008 Well, maybe people aren't so eager to trade their lives in for someone else's. One man who became famous for auctioning off his entire life online ended up disappointed with the final result. Man Disappointed After Life Auction Sunday, 29 June, 2008 The world hates us Or so much of America’s media and press would have you believe. A Johns Hopkins’ University professor who should know asks you to consider otherwise: “I grew up in the Arab world in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and anti-Americanism was the standard political language – even for those pining for American visas and green cards. Precious few took this seriously. The attraction to the glamorous, distant society was too strong in the Beirut of my boyhood.” Click On:
Saturday, 28 June, 2008 A life to some great purpose Most of his patients were children born deformed. “Dr. Tessier's techniques allow all facial bones to be moved and modified at once. Sunken cheeks can be moved forward, chins reduced and the whole thing can be done without scarring by peeling the facial skin down from the hairline.” Click On: A very special man passes from the scene Friday, June 27, 2008 Just when you think you've seen it all, now God is being accused of selling drugs near a church in Tampa. God Accused of Selling Drugs Thursday, June 26, 2008 Positivity is a trait very often lacking in our modern world. So, worth checking out is a blog devoted to inspiring just that. Check out Ernest Hemingway's Top 9 Words of Wisdom on the subject. Words of Wisdom Wednesday, June 25, 2008 While standing in a grocery store produce aisle, have you ever wondered how to choose the perfect fruit? Not too ripe, or too bitter, or too old, but just perfect. Here's a guide to every kind of fruit, and how to make the right choice. How to Choose Fruit Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Depending on where you go in the world, signage can direct you to different places, tell you how to behave or even give you free advice. Check out some of the coolest public signs around the globe. Cool Signs Monday, June 23, 2008 Anyone stuck on an elevator stopping at unnecessary floors knows how annoying that trip can be. But there is a solution, and anyone can turn an elevator into an express ride. How to Make an Elevator an Express Elevator Sunday, 22 June, 2008 The World’s Ugliest Dog But don’t think he merits abuse. He is one tough pooch. The prize money will be used for his medical treatments. Click On:
Saturday, June 21, 2008 Ever wonder what your brain is doing while you're catching some Z'sss? Check out these interesting facts about dreams. Facts About Dreams Friday, June 20, 2008 True artists can create works of art anywhere, with anything. Check out these dirty car windows that became masterpieces under the right hands. Dirty Car Window Art Thursday, June 19, 2008 Be careful what you use as a bookmark. That's the warning sign from a Web site with some amazing examples of things people have accidentally abandoned in the pages of their paperbacks. Abe Books: Found in Books Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Sorry Koby, the Lakers just couldn't hack it this year. The Boston Celtics have officially taken home their 17th championship banner, defeating their long-time rival. Celtics Smash Lakers Tuesday, 17 June, 2008 Pluto Come Back! We have been vindicated! We said in these alittlecommonsense pages in 2006 that Pluto was treated very badly being demoted from a planet by a shady, very suspect group of so-called astronomers called the IAU. Well, now we have been proven right! “………..[Other astonomers] accuse the IAU of being secretive, out of touch and of failing to consider basic physical characteristics that researchers use to define planets.” Click on: [EdNote: Also see our great Pluto slide-show from 2006:
Monday, June 16, 2008 The brain is the most important part of the human body. But how much do we really know about the amazing piece of machinery perched atop our bodies? Check out this site that lets you challenge and explore your gray matter. Your Amazing Brain Sunday, 15 June, 2008 In an age of obsessing over computer and electronic games a young American from California is returning to the days of real adventure: “……. Zac is far from typical. He cannot yet drive legally, yet he plans to sail this 36-foot (11m) boat around the world. Alone.” ClickOn: Saturday, 14 June, 2008 What to do? A woman who always had men hitting on her belatedly realizes she has aged. “Don't think a conversation is going badly just because a man's eyes don't drift to your cleavage. As men become less immediately interested in you, you may have to be a bit more interested in them.” Click On: Advice to the lovelorn UK style
Friday, May 13, 2008 So what's the deal with Friday the 13th, anyway? Besides being a cheesy horror flick, what's the significance of the day? See what snopes.com has to say.Friday the 13th-the Real Story Thursday, June 12, 2008 Most of us out there are dog-lovers, after all, who couldn't love an animal that loves you more than it loves itself?? Here are 25 factoids you never knew about man's best friend. 25 Factoids About Dogs Wednesday, June 11, 2008 A bouquet of flowers is one of the most romantic and popular gifts for a loved one. But the color of the blossoms can mean more than you think. Here's a guide: Color Meanings of Flowers Tuesday, June 10, 2008 Professional sports are going steroid crazy. Even seemingly innocent players are being targeted, for something as simple as missing an appointment. Owens to Be Tested in Reasonable Cause Program Monday, 9 June, 2008 Can we change? Complaints about a lack of new refineries and insufficient existing capacity are frequently in the news. Yet as we pay $4 a gallon for gasoline the environmentalists lawsuit-on. Here is one project that can serve as a case study for our lack of a national will to energy independence. Click-On: What’s good for them not the country
Sunday, 8 June, 2008 Brits and Germans Don’t Mix At least not while vacationing. A man from the U.K. didn’t like his un-chosen holiday buddies and sued to recover damages. He won. A German magazine fires back and: “……ridicules British cuisine, binge-drinking, fashion and sport, says that ‘athletically they are not up to much, they can't even take penalties.’" Click On:
Saturday, 7 June, 2008 Blood brothers And sisters too. The relationship between American and Israeli Jews is a complex one. It is unusual to see a candid, stimulating article about it. But here is one from the Israeli side. Click On:
Friday, May 6, 2008 We all have little neuroses, but some of us are more afflicted by craziness than others. Check out this blog page where you can post your personal neurosis for the world to see.I Am Neurotic Thursday, June 5, 2008 Too many Americans suffer from sleep deprivation as a result of busy lifestyles and work-aholism. But some of the consequences may be worse than you imagined. Lack of Sleep a Lot Like Mental Illness Wednesday, June 4, 2008 Trucks are the life's blood of our shipping system in America, so it's only natural that the occasional spill would happen. Check out these strange wrecks involving our oh-so-important big rigs. Truck Spills Tuesday, June 3, 2008 It's officially June, which means wedding season is upon us. Check out some unusual nuptual photos that will make these weddings memorable! Wedding Photos to Remember Monday, June 1, 2008 In the world of baseball, money and media hype can't always buy success, just ask the Yankees. In a surprise move, the Cubs have entered the month of June with the top spot in the MLB, for the first time in 100 years. Cubs Wrap Up Perfect 7-Game Homestand Sunday, 1 June, 2008 Stonehenge Unearthed Centuries have passed with much conjecture about that pile of large stones in England. Have recent digs finally brought an explanation for the place? “What appeared to be the head of a stone mace, a symbol of authority, was found in one grave, the archaeologists said, indicating that this was probably a cemetery for the ruling dynasty responsible for erecting Stonehenge.” Click On:
Saturday, 31 May, 2008 Naples Has De-scented Into…… Thinking of vacationing in Italy this summer? You might want to bypass Naples. Only in governmentally challenged Italy can this be happening. Napoli has become the garbage capital of the world: “Wherever you go outside the city centre there are enormous piles of rubbish rotting in the sun. The smell gets so bad it is often just burned.” Click On:
Friday, May 30, 2008 Friday is a good day to cultivate those warm, fuzzy feelings. Check out this video of an adorable dog who adopted orphaned baby bunnies. A Dog and Bunny Show Thursday, May 29, 2008 We can learn a lot of lessons in life from our friends in the animal kingdom, especially our dogs. Here's one blogger's take on the top lessons he's learned from his canine companion. The Tao of RooWednesday, May 28, 2008 We all know how humans can easily fall prey to the power of suggestion. Now, it turns out that our sense of smell may even be affected by pretty packaging and nice-sounding names. Perceptions: Another Name Smells Sweeter Tuesday, May 26, 2008 Ever worry that if you were to die suddenly, there would be things left unsaid between you and your loved ones? Fear no more, there's a Web site that can handle that problem for you. Just in Case I Die MEMORIAL DAY Monday, 26 May, 2008 Free Speech But Not For You The Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff has given a strong and timely reminder to those in the military: "'The U.S. military must remain apolitical at all times,' wrote Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 'It is and must always be a neutral instrument of the state, no matter which party holds sway.’" Click On:
Sunday, 25 May, 2008 769 MPH Man How about you being your own personal aircraft breaking the sound barrier? A former French paratrooper is about to make a leap to find out what it’s like. Click On:
Saturday, 24 May, 2008 When women were women Three tough ladies in world politics are brought back to life to make a point for today: “It is sissy. It is blame-gaming, whining, a way of not taking responsibility, of not seeing your flaws and addressing them. You want to say ‘Girl, butch up, you are playing in the leagues, they get bruised….’” Guess which contemporary politician this excellent piece of writing is directed at? Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal tells you. Click On:
Friday, May 23, 2008 Remember being amazed by the colors and shapes in a kaleidoscope? They're a favorite children's toy that sparks creativity and joy, and now there's a cool online version for adults too. Make Your Own Kaleidoscope Friday, May 23, 2008 Remember being amazed by the colors and shapes in a kaleidoscope? They're a favorite children's toy that sparks creativity and joy, and now there's a cool online version for adults too. Thursday, May 22, 2008 "American Idol" is the show that never seems to die. Seven seasons, and counting. Last night, a surprise winner was crowned. Let's hope his career doesn't die like so many of the past champs. :) A Surprise as Fans Pick a 7th Idol Wednesday, May 21, 2008 There are some works of literature that are important for every person to read. These are the books that have had a dramatic impact on society, and our civilization as a whole. "The Art of Manliness" has compiled a great list of must-read books that applies to men and women alike. 100 Must-Read Books Tuesday, May 20, 2008 Eating is a huge element of our lives as humans. After all, we have to chow down multiple times daily, just to stay alive! Check out some interesting facts about edible goodies at the Food Museum.The Food Museum Monday, May 19, 2008 Ever wish you could fly? Well, that might not be possible for humans yet, but you can eat dinner while suspended in midair. Check out these amazing photos: Dinner in the Sky Sunday, 18 May, 2008 The Dog Wins Every Time Here is a novel way to relax: Outrun a trained attack dog. British soldiers in Afghanistan have devised this new sport as a way to unwind. And it's all for charity. See the video by clicking on:
Saturday, 17 May, 2008 Where has our spirit gone? It’s more than a funk. It has gotten into our character as a people, and we need to get rid of it. Search your soul and ask yourself, why? “Something else is going on – namely a cultural rut of pessimism that is draining our collective energy, blinding us to possibilities, and eroding our position in the world.” CLICK ON:
Friday, May 16, 2008 Anyone who has traveled via commercial airplane in the past few decades is well aware of the discomfort level present in most economy class seats. But, one airline is apparently heeding the customer's call (finally!) and providing some new and improved seating for the budget-minded traveler! Delta Airlines to Install Non-Painful Economy Seating Thursday, May 15, 2008 Have you ever heard a song on a TV commercial and driven yourself crazy attempting to figure out what it is? Now there's a Web site that will cure your song-stumped ills. Songs in Television Commercials Wednesday, May 14, 2008 One fantastic thing about our modern world is that we have the technology available to capture all the amazing occurances of nature on film and camera. Check out these fabulous photos of a lightning storm that happened simultaneously as a volcano was erupting in Chile. Lightning Storm Happens During EruptionTuesday, May 13, 2008 We all know Bill O'Reilly for his famous air of moral superiority and insistence that everyone is wrong, except for him. Recently, an old video of Bill showing his true colors during a taping of "Inside Edition" has been unearthed. The man's behavior is beyond atrocious. FOX News has tried to censor the footage ... but to no avail. (Please be warned that the video clip contains bad language) Bill O'Reilly Goes Absolutely Crazy Monday, May 12, 2008 Don't ever let anyone tell you you can't accomplish something. This week, an elderly blind bowler managed to score a perfect game in Iowa. That's a feat most visually acute bowlers can't even match. Blind Bowler Scores Perfect Game Sunday, 11 May, 2008 [Happy Mother's Day!] Vive Le Difference! Italy and Spain have taken two different roads to gender-politics. The Italian Prime Minister - Sergio Berlusconi - apparently has opted to concentrate on looks first: “The glamorous new Minister for Equal Opportunities, 32-year-old Mara Carfagna, is a former showgirl from one of Mr Berlusconi's television networks. “ Then again, why discriminate against the woman just because she happens to be beautiful? The Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, for his part…………. CLICK ON:
Saturday, 10 May, 2008 How many calories in a glass of ethanol? The poor of the world may have to contemplate that as an alternative energy drink if we and the rest of the so-called developed world continue the insanity of subsidized biofuels. Here are but two quotes from a recent fact-filled Wall Street Journal article: “…..Corn ethanol can now join the scare over silicone breast implants and the pesticide Alar as among the greatest scams of the age. ……." "....The results include distorted investment decisions, higher carbon emissions, higher food prices for Americans, and an emerging humanitarian crisis in the developing world..." Click On: And you dear taxpayer are footing the bill
Friday, May 9, 2008 Could the Church of Scientology have finally met its match? A newly formed group calling themselves "Anonymous" is staging nationwide protests against the well-known celebrity "religion." They've been getting a lot of attention, and the Scientologists aren't happy. Scientology vs. Anonymous Thursday, May 8, 2008 Do the words of our greatest leaders bear any similarities? See for yourself in the top 100 American speeches of all time. American Rhetoric Wednesday, May 7, 2008 How much do you know about your own body? Most of us probably know little more than a few facts retained from high school biology. Well, check out these 100 cool tidbits about the most amazing machine in existence. 100 Weird Facts About the Human Body Tuesday, May 6, 2008 Millions of Americans work in offices, spending long hours sitting at desks and working on computers. But while somewhat confining, such circumstances can allow for many, many comic situations, as evidenced in the hilarious film, "Office Space," and the even more hilarious TV show, "The Office." So, if you ever feel down about your work situation, check out some episodes of the show. You'll gain a whole new perspective on your cubicle. Watch The Office online Monday, May 5, 2008 Happy Cinco de Mayo! Turns out the fifth of May is more than just another party day. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia against the French army in the 1800's. Learn more about the holiday we all enjoy celebrating here! History of Cinco de Mayo Sunday, 4 May, 2008 New Yorker elected mayor of London Once a New Yorker always a New Yorker even when you are no longer a U.S. citizen. Londoner’s have elected a mayor that is a genuine “one-off” character that should make natives of the Big Apple proud. Brought up in country-manner style, he confounds critics by acting like anything but. Here is one example of his self-deprecating humour: "I think if I made a huge effort always to have a snappy, inspiring soundbite on my lips, I think the sheer mental strain of that would be such that I would explode" Click On:
Saturday, 3 May, 2008 It used to be British Honduras Looking for a funky little island to retire to? We’ve got one for you: Belize. And they are proud of the fact that rampant development hasn’t taken place, nor will it. Find out why. Click On: Not even cruise ships can dock here
Friday, May 2, 2008 Who knew that a random drug test could be life-saving? And not because the recipient was an addict. One college hoops star was saved after his tumor was detected through a random drug test. Thursday, May 1, 2008 Sometimes, people get their just desserts. Check out this video of a deer who just wouldn't accept being hunted for sport. Deer Gets Revenge Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Have you ever seen a sadder looking pup? If only we could cheer him up. Sad Pug Tuesday, April 29, 2008 Remember the Table of the Elements from high school chemistry? Well, now there's a handy Table of the Condiments, fully equipped with all your favorites from jam to bacon bits ... and how long before they go bad in your household fridge. The internet is a treasure trove of information, isn't it? Table of the Condiments Monday, April 29, 2008 We all know the media puts an extreme spin on the news. You can't trust anything you hear these days. Well, here's a clever guide to understanding media spin, so you won't fall prey to the BS. Understanding Media Spin Sunday, 27 April, 2008 Last (?) of the Sixties drugs icon to be banned? Can it be that magic mushrooms might become illegal in Holland? What’s an old Hippy tourist to do? After Alice B. Toklas brownies (Alice B. Toklas ), enjoying a special magic mushroom omelet was on every ‘60s protestor’s and wanabe Hippies' gourmet food menu. And actually going to Bali to have it was like fulfilling the requirement for a religious pilgrimage. Click On:
Saturday, 26 April, 2008 Man in the street photos from Iraq Women, children and U.S. soldiers too. Since one of the two embedded photographers is a woman, she has a different perspective and some advantages. Enjoy and read the captioned photos. Click On:
Friday, April 25, 2008 TGIF. Check out these powerful pearls of wisdom as a thoughtful end to your week. Pearls of Wisdom Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Ever wish you were somewhere else? Well, at least you can pretend. Check out Webcams in some amazing places across the globe, including the Eiffel Tower, Mount Kilimanjaro, Egypt and more. World Webcams Tuesday, April 22, 2008 While we may seem like complex, intricate beings, humans can really be boiled down to a few different personality types. This Far Side cartoon sums up the simple side of human nature. Far Side Cartoon on Humans Monday, April 21, 2008 Albert Einstein was possibly the greatest scientist of our time. To further understand the extent of his intellectual prowess, watch this video explaining his incredible theories, including the possibility of time travel. Einstein's Big Theory Sunday, 20 April, 2008 Privacy as a thing of the past Computers do have downsides, and one of them is potentially exposing our lives to anyone who has one. About one of our favorite government agencies it is said: “Then there's the Internal Revenue Service. A week before tax day, its inspector general warned that the computer systems that contain the private tax returns of every taxpayer in America are vulnerable to disgruntled employees and hackers.” Get an update on privacy and the real world.
Saturday, 19 April, 2008 My vitamins are killing me Here is a counterintuitive finding: Your vitamins are not only useless, but they might be harmful to your health. "The findings show that, if anything, people in trial groups given beta-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E showed increased rates of mortality…….” Click On:
Friday, April 18, 2008 Ever watch waves crashing on the shore? They're beautiful, amazing creations of nature. And they're even cooler when they're frozen. No pun intended. Frozen Wave Phenomenon in Michigan Thursday, April 17, 2008 Art comes in all shapes, sizes and forms. This is one of the coolest works of art I've ever seen. Art Project Wednesday, April 16, 2008 Flights are growing ever more expensive, what with the greed of the airline industry and the skyrocketing price of fuel. All the more reason to aim for the best possible deals. Check out this site that offers multiple resources for finding a great price on a trip outta town. 50 Resources for Finding a Cheap Flight Tuesday, April 15, 2008 Want to know more about your personality? Take this 41 question test, and get some basic details, including some possible career choices. Very interesting. 41 Questions, 1 Personality Monday, April 14, 2008 Have you ever struggled with a Rubik's Cube, only to give up, frustrated that you couldn't solve it? Well, you're in luck. The solution exists, on paper, for anyone who wishes to read the 13-page explanation. Now you know. How to Solve a Rubik's Cube Sunday, 13 April, 2008 A Surfin’ Safari Haven’t you always wanted to just chuck it all and go off on a real adventure? Three young South Africans have done just that. And it’s so much fun they haven’t yet come back. Click On: Africa's not all what you think
Saturday, 12 April, 2008 Warriors from Tanzania go to London to run in the marathon Can you imagine never having been on an airplane before? And then flying from Africa to the U.K to run your heart out so that you can raise money for a well for your village? Click On:
Friday, April 11, 2008 A good writer can say a lot with just a few words. Check out this archive of one sentence phrases with a whole lot of meaning. One Sentence StoriesThursday, April 10, 2008 Need an idea for a short story, or the next great American novel? Check out the "Random Concept Generator ..." it'll help get those creative juices flowing. Random Concept Generator Wednesday, 9 April, 2008 Right Looking Women How to get the female vote? Pander to them, as least to the good-looking ones. Italy, that one-time bastion of glamour and sexy movie stars, has an opposition leader that has adopted a unique campaign platform: “Mr Berlusconi, the centre-right's candidate in elections this weekend, was quoted as telling local media that the left had ‘no taste’ in women.” Click On:
Tuesday, April 8, 2008 The history of the human race spans thousands of years. Just think of how many trillions of people lived before us, in countless places across the globe. Many cities, home to these lost civilizations, have been discovered by archeologists and continue to yield amazing answers about the history of their people. Photos of Lost Cities Monday, April 7, 2008 The world is abuzz about a recent episode of Oprah, in which the talk show queen talked to a couple about their unusual pregnancy. Pregnant Man Makes Headlines Sunday, April 6, 2008 America’s New Generation Returns To Iraq A former U.S. soldier returns to Iraq to help kids and winds up running for office back home in Buffalo. Alittlecommonsense has made this point before: Veterans, regardless of age, returning from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq - a New Generation - are going to transform America, pushing aside the moral decay from the Sixties, getting us back to values we as American’s can be proud of. CLICK ON: Army Capt. Jon Powers' Unlikely Journey
Saturday, 5 April, 2008 Tranquillo caballeros ! During a recent brush-up between Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, two women presidents - that of Chile and Argentina - were involved in calming their male counterparts. One of the ladies, Chile’s female president, said of herself and her Argentinean soul-sister: “ ‘It was very funny,” she said. ‘We were the ones who called on everybody to be cool. It is a paradox that women are pretty rational.’ ” Click on:
Friday, April 4, 2008 The internet is a treasure trove of interesting and unique finds. Now, there's a Web site that allows you to track any commercial or private flight, anywhere in the U.S. Pretty cool.Free Flight Tracker Thursday, April 3, 2008 Beer-the great equalizer. It can be found all around the world, and is widely enjoyed by millions. So, practically speaking, it might be helpful to know how to order a brewskie in multiple languages ... 50 to be exact. How to Order a Beer in 50 Languages test Wednesday, 2 April, 2008 Who piled those boulders so neatly? Stonehenge: A mystery down through the ages. "We believe that this dig has a chance of genuinely unlocking part of the mystery of Stonehenge." Click On: The ancient world comes to life
Tuesday, April Fool's Day, 2008 Persian Gulf Pilot How else could he have gotten there? A feathered friend was found in a most unexpected location: The wheel well of an F/A-18 Hornet. One of the Technicians on the U.S. Aircraft Carrier: “….called over his shipmate, Aviation Structural Mechanic (Equipment) 3rd Class Jeremy Smith, to take a look. They reached inside the $45 million jet and pulled out a foreign object not usually found in a modern warplane — a screech owl.” Click On:
Monday, 31 March, 2008 A man’s home is his castle Maybe I’ve found where that expression originated? While rummaging through what started out as the dry subject of English Common Law, I came upon the following quotation: “In England, William Pitt summarized the concept of private property under Common Law, as follows: The poorest man may, in his cottage, bid defiance to all the forces of the Crown. It may be frail; its roof may shake; the wind may blow through it; the storms may enter; the rain may enter; but the King of England cannot enter; all his forces dare not cross the threshold of the ruined tenement.” Powerful stuff that Common Law. CLICK TO: We are very fortunate to have it
Sunday, 30 March, 2008 The Beatles it ain’t but….. It could be that recorded human sound began in France. A scrawl on a piece of paper schmeared with ash in 1860 produces a woman singing a folk song. Don't you remember this tune from your first piano lessons? CLICK ON:
Saturday, 29 March, 2008 Free speak and you die A foundation of western culture is the right to free speech. As repugnant as a group may be, “ ….free societies also hold freedom of speech to be a fundamental human right. We don’t silence, jail or kill people with whom we disagree……” The Dutch - of all people - find themselves upholding this precious right. Click On an especially eloquent Wall Street Journal article:
Friday, 28 March, 2008 Heffner as an export industry Guess what’s going to be showing up on newsstands in the Philippines?
America’s eternal man-in-the-bathrobe’s publication - Playboy M/em> - will become a local edition.
Click on:
Thursday, 27 Mar, 2008 Just a roof over their heads
The world’s richest man, Warren Buffett, lives very modestly in Omaha, Nebraska. You can’t say that about the world’s other monied people.
Click on:
Wednesday, 26 March, 2008
Their fate is sealed
You have seen the picture of the baby seal about to be clubbed to death haven’t you?
Well, this year a quota of 275,000 seals to be culled has just been established.
“……the Canadian government insists that the trade is vital for the economic survival of Atlantic coast communities “
Decide for yourself about the policy and watch the video.
Click On:
Tuesday, March 24, 2008 Throughout history, people have dealt with the end of romantic relationships in different ways. Some go on vacation, some jump right into another relationship, and others .... well, they sell their lives on eBay. That's what one Australian man decided to do after his wife left him. Monday, 24 March, 2008 Hold that double cheese pizza The prized Italian mozzarella di bufala has been found to contain dioxins. How this happened has a link to the Mafia. That shouldn’t be surprising since we are talking about Italy. Click On:
Sunday, 23 March, 2008 Easter Day 2008 Whatever your religion or spiritual beliefs, each of us can use this day to think about a world without the need for war, without evil, a better place for all. Click on:
Saturday, 22 March, 2008 Wine, Women and Breast Cancer A recent study done in the U.K is leading to a national ad campaign: “Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said: 'Women who regularly drink too much are 50% more likely to develop breast cancer. And many drink too much simply because they have no idea how many alcohol units they are consuming.' " Click On:
Friday, 21 March, 2008 You dirty rat, you! Not anymore. Find out how New Zealanders are cozying up to sniffer rats - Giant Gambians from Tanzania - which have been trained to detect tuberculosis. Click on: TB today, can halitosis be far behind?
Thursday, 20 March, 2008 Guess What Turns 50? A now ubiquitous symbol that started out in Trafalgar Square, London, as a no-nukes emblem. Click On:
Wednesday, 19 March, 2008 The Italian Doggiera We thought that the French were the most canine friendly people on the planet. But it turns out that Tuscany is trumping their Gallic neighbor: Pooches are now allowed everywhere. Click on: Forget the doggie bag he's eating with me
Tuesday, March 18, 2008 Well, another St. Patrick's day has come and gone, but the lore of the Irish never ends. In Mobile, Ala., a leprechaun has apparently taken up residence. Check out what some of the local residents have done in preparation for the little fellow ... Leprechaun Sighting in Mobile Sunday, 16 March, 2008 Spitzer schmitzer its all about…….. Intrigue and hypocrisy. But don’t let your eyes glaze over because this linked article speaks to economics. It is a very well written piece that includes what others in the world think about our American moral values. Click on:
Saturday, 15 March, 2008 Our free speech their religion their lawsuit The Western world could be seeing legal action over the likes of the cartoons from Denmark depicting the Prophet Muhammad. A Muslim organization is contemplating doing just that. "I don't think freedom of expression should mean freedom from blasphemy," said Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade, the chairman of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference on Friday. "There can be no freedom without limits." Click on:
Friday, March 14, 2008 It's almost St. Patty's day, and you know what that means (besides green beer, of course): all things Irish!! Play the Patty Whacker game and steal the leprechaun's gold. Whack the leprechaun Thursday, March 13, 2008 Ever wonder how a majority of people would respond to random questions, such as, "Ever been tempted to stare directly at the sun?" Well, BuzzDash has all the answers you need. Survey Answers Wednesday, March 12, 2008 "Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn't work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos." ~Charles M. Schulz Tuesday, March 11, 2008 An often overlooked gem, "Joe Versus the Volcano," starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, has a fantastic message about work, fear and living life to the fullest. Joe Quits Monday, March 10, 2008 If one thing should give you added faith in humanity, it's the fact that so many people love their animals. No matter how gnarly or "ugly," a dog can always find love. World's Ugliest Dog Contest Sunday, 9 March, 2008 Filipino nurses in the U.S. - A raw deal? Nurses from the Philippines who came to work in New York are alleging they didn’t get what they bargained for, and filed suit to redress their grievances. Their erstwhile employer then charged them with breach of contract. In this politically charged case of highly educated migrant workers: “One of the nurses is the topnotcher in the Philippine medical board exam. Each of the 27 is the hero or heroine of a drama that has made their siblings, parents and children weep and suffer with them.” Click on:
Saturday, 8 March, 2008 Hillobam You would think that the Democrat’s would simply get in a room, look at each other and make a ticket of Hillary and Obama. That would make sense. But no, they embrace a death spiral instead. Regardless of your political bent read an excellent piece of writing by Peggy Noonan, columnist at the Wall Street Journal. Here is but one quote from her article: “The very qualities that impress us are the qualities that will make her [Hillary Clinton] a painful president. She does not care what you think, she will have what she wants, she will not do the feints, pivots and backoffs that presidents must. She is neither nimble nor agile, and she knows best. She will wear a great nation down.” Click On: Do we really want eight more years of this?
Friday, March 7, 2008 It's best to end the week with a bit of wisdom, and Oscar Wilde was one of the wisest of them all. To Live Thursday, March 6, 2008 In the field of journalism, it's rare to make it into a big market without an ego to match. And this New York anchor offers an amusing example of how conceit reigns supreme in the news biz. Anchor vs. Reporter Wednesday, March 5, 2008 Who knew Texans could have such bad judgment. Four more years of Clinton rein is not a welcome thought... Tuesday, 4 March, 2008 Revenge of the little guy And Roger Clemens thought that it would keep him a big man. New research suggests that a smaller amount of growth hormone will give you longevity. Use it today at the expense of tomorrow? Mother Nature is full of surprises. Click on:
Monday, March 3, 2008 There are creative solutions that exist for every problem. So will a European region like Holland be the first to float? Holland to Become World's First Floating Region Sunday, 2 March, 2008 When Plus Is Much More How many times have you scratched your head seeing models as veritable sticks walking the runway? We know the clothes drape so much better on a wire frame. Well, one gorgeous young American woman decided to re-define herself as a “plus-size” and is nothing but happy at having made the conversion. Click On:
Saturday, 1 March, 2008 Can you keep a secret? Apparently, you don’t have to worry about this in Italy. It’s reported that the Italians are the most spied upon people in Europe. “Although the Italian constitution guarantees privacy of information, and a national data protection authority was set up in 2003 with a communications ombudsman at its head, wiretapping and electronic eavesdropping are widely used………” Click On:
Friday, Feb. 29, 2008 Happy Leap Year Day! If you're one of those special babies, you get to celebrate that once-every four years birthday, so congratulations! Here are some cool facts and fun info about the leap year phenomenon. Leap Year Trivia and Fun Facts Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008 In yet another example of the perils of celebrity, former soap star and Jenny Craig spokeswoman Valerie Bertinelli talks about her struggles with addiction, depression and food. Fame and fortune can't buy you happiness, and she's more proof that being a woman often means being unhappy and insecure ... at least until you face yourself, head on. Valerie Bertinelli Comes Clean Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008 Personalizing things with their name is one of the things people in America are suckers for. Nowadays, you can get everything from clothing to cars to debit cards customized with personal pictures and name tags. Check out this cool online sign generator that will personalize everything from Absolut bottles to alphabet soup. Sign GeneratorTuesday, Feb. 26, 2008 A thesaurus is an incredibly useful tool, especially for those of us who do a lot of writing. But, it's even more handy to have a quick reference list of the most commonly overused words and helpful alternatives. So here you go: Commonly Overused Words Monday, Feb. 25, 2008 The internet is full of interesting tidbits, and one of the best ways to find those is through Google, one of the greatest inventions known to man. With Google, you can type in any search term and find, well, pretty much anything. But what happens when you type in, "Who is a failure?" ... The result is interesting, to say the least. Who is a failure?Sunday, 24 February, 2008 Thanks but no thanks With the upcoming Olympics in China the U.S. delegation is taking no chances. They have said no thank you to the host’s food. Find out why. Click on: Saturday, 23 February, 2008 Will President Obama say we’re sorry too? Our friends in Australia have made a formal government apology to their Aboriginal people for past wrongs. With the American Democratic Party candidate for president looking more and more to be Barack Hussein Obama, the question of apologies and reparations for blacks is bound to be resurrected. What’s his position? Here is how the Australians handled their version of this issue. Click on: Aussies having to say they're sorry
Friday, Feb. 22, 2008 Ever wonder who invented the potato chip, or whether the founding fathers ate ice cream? Check out this amazing timeline of food that will answer all your culinary history questions. Food Timeline Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008 Everyone faces serious funks in their lives. Those times when nothing is going right, and everything's a mess. Well, here are some tips to help you regain that spark. Tips to Help You Get Your Swagger Back Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008 Judge your personality traits using a Jung psychology index. It evens offers career and relationship suggestions based on your answers. Pretty coo.Human Metrics Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008 Ever wonder what your choice of drink says about you? Now you can find out for sure. Your Cocktail Says Something About You Sunday, 17 February, 2008 He sang for Hitler Still going strong after 104 years a Dutch singer continues his career amidst controversy over his WWII era past. “Although Heesters insists he never espoused Nazi politics, he performed for Adolf Hitler and visited the Dachau concentration camp. “ Click On: Saturday, 16 February, 2008 And now for something completely different How about taking your 16 year-old to Istanbul, Turkey? Expose him to things foreign, including the Grand Bazaar where: “The salesmen may badger you, but they do it with a sure sense of humour, even irony, unknown in the more restrained and anaemic world of our own Arndale centres. ‘You are nice family, very nice…’ said one of them, as we passed. ‘Thank you,’ I said, with a smile.” Keep smiling as you sample the sights and smells. CLICK ON:
Friday, Feb. 15, 2008 It's amazing what people will do, given the circumstances and environment in which they find themselves. One classic example of this is the Stanford Prison Experiment, where regular college-aged boys took on the roles of prisoners and guards, and demonstrated the amazing ability of humans to adapt to new situations and take on new roles. Stanford Prison Experiment Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008 On a day that's all about love, let's celebrate an unconventional love story. Affection isn't limited to the same species, after all. 100-Year-Old Tortoise Acts as Mom to Baby HippoWednesday, Feb. 13, 2008 Who wouldn't want to live in a treehouse ... and what about one fully equipped with a microwave, table and loft bed?Globe Tree HouseTuesday, Feb. 12, 2008 Well, it's that time of the year again, when cheesy poetry, generic bouquets and lots of chocolates come out to play ... Valentine's Day. If you're one of the many who is not a fan of this Hallmark holiday, the Times has given you 20 reasons why it's ok to fan the flames of hatred. 20 Reasons It's OK to Hate V-DayWE ARE BACK! OUR GLITCH HAS BEEN RESOLVED! Monday, 11 February, 2008 Bill Clinton and Dubai What could Bill possibly have in common with Dubai? Twenty million dollars, that’s all. It turns out that one of the world’s premier consultants - Bill - is trying to unwind a position that could give him $20 million before his wife gets the Democrat Party nomination. Read this excellent piece by veteran Wall Street Journal writer John Emshwiller. [He covered the Enron trial, by the way.] CLICK ON: They don't call him Slick Willie for nothing
testing Tuesday, 5 February, 2008 China Freezes Despite Gorebal Warming Amazing what a country can do when it puts its mind to it. China must have decided, for some inscrutable reason, to put itself into a deep freeze. How else can one explain: “The current cold snap started nearly four weeks ago. Freezing temperatures have brought snow, ice, sleet and fog to many areas of southern China - some of which are used to just four or five days of freezing temperatures a year.” Click On: Cold enough to freeze a Peking Duck
Saturday, 2 February, 2008 Love your country ? Better to know how to flip burgers than to learn why you should be patriotic. Our cousins in the U.K are having a debate - of sorts - over what kids should be learning in schools. In a year in which we elect a president, this subject is a great one for us too. Here is what one local progressive wag said about patriotism: "Since all national histories are at best morally ambiguous, its an open question whether citizens should love their countries." CLICK ON: Friday, Feb. 1, 2008 I love animals as much as, or more than, the next person. But 136 cats in a tiny apartment seems like a bit much, even to me ... Crazy Cat LadyThursday, Jan. 31, 2008 Pictures are one of the greatest joys of human existence. They allow us to capture memories, and look back forever on particular moments in time. Here are the best pictures of 2007, capturing the most memorable and dramatic moments of the year. Best Photos of 2007 Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008 Google Earth is one of the coolest inventions in the past several years. It allows people to see things all over the globe that they would never have the chance, or perspective, to see. Check out the strangest sights Google Earth has to offer ... Strangest Sights in Google Earth Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2008 Make the most of all those unused household items! Check out these 101 new uses for everyday items! 101 Uses for Everyday ThingsMonday, Jan. 28. 2008 Art comes in all shapes and sizes, as anyone who has ever strolled the sidewalks at Venice Beach could tell you. From paintings, to sculpture to creations made from toothpicks, it doesn't have to be in a museum to be beautiful. Check out one artist's amazing collection of street paintings ... Street Art Sunday, 27 January, 2008 And you thought it was their diet Have you been to China or simply noticed the remarkable ability of their men as they age to retain jet black hair? It’s as if gray has been formally banned or is not part of the gene pool. Well, it turns out to not have anything to do with a government decree, and maybe only slightly more to do with family history. Discover the varied Chinese recipes for youthful looking hair. Click on:
Saturday, 26 January, 2008 All alone am I Haven’t there been times when you just wanted to get away from it all and seal yourself off from the world? Well, it might not be as salutary to your mental health as you imagined. “Now, a new televised experiment [in the U.K.] reveals how badly the brain is affected if isolation is complete and there is no sensory stimulation.” Read about the fascinating BBC program that shows people that became literally buggy: Three experienced auditory and visual hallucinations – snakes, piles of oyster shells, tiny cars, zebras. Click on:
Friday, Jan. 25, 2008 Sometimes, we forget to be thankful for the things we have. Things as simple as health, mental or otherwise ... check out this scary video that replicates the sights and sounds experiences by someone with schizophrenia. The Sights and Sounds of SchizophreniaThursday, Jan. 24, 2008 Sometimes schooling fails to teach us everything we should know for a successful and intelligent life. Here is a list of important words to know-that you may not have learned in school. 100 Words Every High School Grad Should Know Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008 Sadly, another life marked by fame and fortune ends tragically. Actor Heath Ledger was found dead in his NYC apartment Tuesday afternoon. Additional proof that stardom does not equal happiness or stability. Heath Ledger Found Dead at 28Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2008 Millions around the world honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. yesterday, and Bill Clinton was one of them. He attended a tribute speech to the late civil rights leader ... but apparently it wasn't quite interesting enough to keep him awake. Check out this video of the former president snoozing during the rousing speech ... Clinton Falls Asleep During MLK Tribute SpeechMonday, Jan. 21. 2008 Very often, there's a generation gap that exists between potential voters and political candidates. And rarely, there's someone running who bridges that gap ... and a whole lot of candidates who don't. Check out this cartoon comparing the gap between Hillary, and Obama. Filibuster Cartoons Sunday, 20 January, 2008 Race and gender politics For decades the Democrats have proudly played to both to get elected. So what happens when they have two presidential candidates whose primary attributes are exactly that: Race and gender? Just step back and continue to watch the show: Oprah’s that is. The queen of television had been shilling for Obama. It turns out, however, that a lot of women are none too happy with it or her. CLICK on:
Saturday, 19 January, 2008 The Chairman only smiled Different customs and cultures make the world go round. But most surprising can be those in China. A French car-maker – Citroen - took a famous image of Chairman Mao and doctored it, putting a frown on his mouth. Chat-room culture police claimed foul and demanded that the print-ad be withdrawn, which of course Citroen did, with profuse apologies. CLICK on:
Friday, Jan. 18, 2008 We see them every day, on street corners and highway overpasses, begging for change. They're homeless...and most of them carrying signs reading, "Hungry," or "Need Money to Get Home" ... or something along those lines. But what about the others? Some feel that honesty is the best policy, and some are just trying to get a laugh. 12 Funniest Homeless Signs Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008 You heard it here first ... Scientology is a crazy cult. I've always stood by that statement, and this newly discovered video of Tom Cruise touting the wonders of the creepy religion just proves the point ... Tom Cruise Scientology Indoctrination VideoWednesday, Jan. 16, 2008 On the internet, there seems to be an abundance of people with too much time on their hands. One particular blogger, who calls himself an "Evil Mad Scientist," has come up with an interesting way to create edible googly eyes ... Check out the crazy creations. Edible Googly EyesTuesday, January 15, 2008 We all have weird days at work, but for some, "weird" doesn't even begin to describe it. Check out this list of the strangest work-related stories of 2007.Weirdest Work Stories of the Year January 14, 2008 Who says alcohol can't be a positive influence? Many of the world's greatest artists used libations to spark the creative inspiration within. Check out this list of the top ten drunk American writers. Top Ten Drunk American WritersSunday, 13 January, 2008 What’s a Hungarian-blooded, worldly guy to do? Just because he is single - and the President of France - does he have to become a monk? Well, maybe. It is reported that the French people are getting annoyed at their Nicky Sarkozy and his former-model girlfriend Carla Bruni getting so much media face-time; and the thought that they might actually be getting married? Ne pas possible! Click on:
Saturday, 12 January, 2008 Blame it on the Caveman When is enough? Why are we always chasing more and more of everything? One guy says it’s because our primitive brain prevents us from thinking, let alone saying, “Just say no.” Instead, we just gotta have it. Click On:
Friday, Jan. 11, 2008 You learn something new every day ... and hopefully, you learn a lot of new things every year. Check out this list of facts we didn't know until 2007. 50 Things We Now Know Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008 Life is short, and there's lots to see in this wide, wild world of ours. Check out this list of Places to See Before You Die. It would inspire anyone. Places to See Before You DieWednesday, Jan. 9, 2007 Are you more creative, or logically based? it all depends on whether you use more of the right or left sides of your brain. Check out this optical illusion that lets you know which way you lean ... Left or Right? Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008 You know what they say, you're either a dog person or a cat person. But what is the fundamental difference between the two animals? Check out these excerpts from a dog's and a cat's journals. Comparison of Dog's and Cat's JournalsMonday, Jan. 7, 2007 No matter how many people try to ignore, hide, or push the truth out of sight ... the reality is, men and women are fundamentally different creatures. Certainly they're equal, but very, very different. Here's a great illustration of that fact, in dialogue. Can't We Talk? Sunday, 6 January, 2008 Viking sailors 2007 Were the Vikings great sailors? Maybe not. A group set out to sail an exact replica of a Viking ship from Denmark to Dublin, and their modern adventure taught them many things. Read a reporter-as-passenger’s account of “……the most unusual and the wettest journey of my life. “ CLICK ON:
Saturday, 5 January, 2008 Happy Birthday To You! He is a class act. A man who played a pivotal role in bringing democracy to Spain has just turned 70. Recently King Juan Carlos did himself and his country proud when he told Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, “Why don’t you shut up?” But can he pass his relevancy and popularity to his son? Click On:
Friday, Jan. 4, 2007 A "Did You Know?" tidbit for Friday ... did you know that you can actually detect whether a person is smiling by listening to their voice? Humans are amazing. Smiling? You Can Hear It in the Voice Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008 So apparently, true fairy tales don't always have happy endings. Check out the often gruesome original endings of some of our favorite childhood tales.8 Fairy Tales and Their Not-So-Happy EndingsWednesday, 2 January, 2008 D.B. Cooper you still out there? After high jacking a plane the guy parachutes with a bag full of cash and is never found or heard from again. Now the FBI re-opens the case after 36 years. CLICK ON: Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2007 D.H. Lawrence Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you've got to say, and say it hot. - D.H. Lawrence [ 1885-1930 ] Monday, Dec. 31, 2007 The government-always there when you need them ... ha. Anyway, they've provided a list of the most popular New Years resolutions for Americans ... and tips on how to make them happen. Not surprisingly, losing weight is number one! Sunday, 30 December, 2007 Famous people who died this year As the year ends and we prepare for a new one, use the link below to find a list of talented people who left us in 2007. Did you know that Marcel Marceau and Norman Mailer were but two of them? CLICK ON:
Saturday, 29 December, 2007 The end of western civilization as we know it The French have now banned smoking in cafes: Sacre bleu! No more gauloises burning like creosoted rope. But you do have a few days left to savor the experience: the ban doesn’t take affect until January 1, 2008. CLICK ON:
Friday, Dec. 29, 2007 It's Friday, which means wearing jeans and having fun. Check out this amusing gallery of weird mugshots obtained by police. Stange Mugshot Hall of Fame Thursday, Dec. 28, 2007 Bad news on the international scene. Ex-Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto Has DiedWednesday, Dec. 26, 2007 Superheroes may be a comic book creation, but there are plenty of real-life humans with incredible abilities. Check out these real-life superheroes with some unbelievable talents.Real-Life SuperheroesTuesday, 25 December, 2007 MERRY CHRISTMAS! “Encouraged by renewed peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, Christian pilgrims from around the world converged on the town of Jesus' birth on Monday to celebrate Christmas, a palpable contrast to the sparse crowds of recent years.” There are considerably more visitors to Bethlehem this year than last. Click on:
Monday, 24 December, 2007 Queen for more than a day Cast your eyes on the mostly pathetic candidates for president and doesn’t it make you want to consider employing someone full-time who really cares about our country? Why not hire a Queen? She could help us maintain that stiff upper lift in the face of adversity, and cheer us on when times are good; always making us proud of who we are, like many Mom’s do. Who would you nominate for the position? Read an excellent piece in the Financial Times about the Queen of England. CLICK ON:
Sunday, 23 December, 2007 Godiva goes Turkish We bet you didn’t know that Campbell Soup, the current owner of Godiva, had put the chocolate maker on the block? Read about the Turkish biscuit maker who bought the company. Click on:
Saturday, 22 December, 2007 God made us, but we admire ourselves That’s an old Spanish proverb. But in these times of video mania and cosmetic surgery its sentiments are as universal as black is to night, or maybe we should say black hair is to night? A recent WSJ article gives us a fascinating look into the chemistry of coifs, and culture in China. Click on:
Friday, Dec. 21, 2007 Life is tough, and a little help is always welcome, especially in the kitchen. Check out these useful tips to help you with the more difficult moments ... like when your ice cream is dripping from the bottom of your cone. Kitchen Tips Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007 The human mind is an interesting thing. It can be fooled, it can even see things that aren't there ... Check out these optical illusions using words. 15 Cool Word Illusions Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007 Animals take the best pictures ... take it from a proud dog-mommy. Check out some of these cute and/or crazy pictures of our furry friends. Cute, Crazy Pictures of AnimalsTuesday, Dec. 18, 2007 Have trouble waking up? Don't want to get out of bed in the morning? Check out these unique alarm clocks that will get your early-morning motor running! The Carpet Alarm and Other Innovations Monday, Dec. 17, 2007 The best way to preserve memories is through photographs. They chronicle our lives, our friends, and watch us as we age. Last night on the Simpsons, the show paid homage to a unique man who took a self-portrait every day for six years. We saw Homer Simpson every day throughout his life, in one quick reel. Cool. Check it out. Homer Simpson every day for 39 years Sunday, 16 December, 2007 Go fly a kite In Afghanistan during the Taliban kite flying was banned, but it has now returned: “……………..kite flying is once again the main recreational escape for Afghan boys and some men. (It still remains largely off-limits to girls and women.) And with the American release Friday of the film……” Read and see how kite flying in Afghanistan is very different from that in Western Countries. CLICK ON:
Saturday, 15 December, 2007 Graffiti shouldn’t be a dirty word Why aren’t graffiti artists allowed more defined public space? Our endless drab, grey concrete highway intersections could come alive. Well, one man in Israel says that graffiti can be art, and he sells the supplies to encourage it. The owner of Capzoola says: “….I want people who come here to recognize the artists beyond the signature they see in the street. Maybe this way they will understand how passionate we are about drawing, filling up empty and gray spaces, giving fame to walls. We don't want people to walk by and say, 'It's just a scribble.'" Read how creativity and the law collide. CLICK ON:
Friday, Dec. 14, 2007 Who doesn't love to look at puppies, especially in this season of good cheer? Take a gander at these adorable photos, and smile. It's Friday. Top Rated Puppies Thursday, Dec. 13, 2007 It's that time of year again ... Christmastime! And that means Barney, the Bush family dog, is ready to lead Americans on a tour of the White House holiday decorations. Check out Barney Cam 2007! Barney Cam 2007 Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2007 I've always considered MySpace to be a danger to society, and now it seems there are others who agree with me. Antichrist, thy name is MySpace Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007 If you were an animal, which one would you be? Take this unique animal traits quiz and find out. Animal in You Monday, 10 Dec., 2007 Mother Nature is an amazing woman. She has created an awesome system of beings that are capable of almost anything. Check out this experiment where a group of bees created a hive ... inside a jar. Bees Make Hive in a Jar Sunday, 9 December, 2007 Costa del Sol(d), but not anymore Many retirees have moved to the Spanish Mediterranean to disfrutar its friendly people, sun and surf. But if you were planning on it, you may want to have an extra glass of rioja and reconsider. The Spaniards have changed their mind and have exchanged a welcome mat for a bulldozer. The Greens, it seems, want to reclaim and protect their shoreline. Referring to those despoiling waterfront edifices and their owner’s a local is quoted as saying: "For years, people have thought they can build wherever they want along the coasts. We need to change that mentality" Well, excuse me for following the law! Get the entire story at CLICK ON:
Saturday, 8 December, 2007 Hooters opens…..where? This almost belongs in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. The chain of restaurants (?) Hooters has just opened a branch in Israel, prompting a local wag to comment: "Of all the beautiful things in the States, this is what they bring," Rachel Morrowitz, who grew up in New York, complained. "This restaurant comes from the bottom of the American cultural barrel, and it should stay there." Get the whole story by Clicking On:
Friday, Dec. 7, 2007 Without a doubt, dogs is man's best friend. And entrepreneurs all over the world are banking on that fact, turning dog products into a multi-billion dollar industry. Check out these doghouses that really take the cake when it comes to pooch luxury ...Doghouses I'd Actually Live In Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007 If only teachers gave points for creativity. Check out some of the hilarious test answers offered by students ... Funny Exam Questions Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007 Ever wonder what's in the mind of a madman? The Allied Forces created a profile of Adolf Hitler in the early 1940s, hoping to better understand his twisted motivation. Interesting reading. Analysis of the Personality of Adolf Hitler Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007 The most amazing sites on this planet are the entirely natural ones. And now, with Google Earth at our fingertips, we can catch glimpses of things we might never normally see. Check it out. Strangest Sights in Google Earth Monday, Dec. 3, 2007 There are over six billion people in the world, and every one of them is a unique individual. Some, however, are more "unique" than others. Check out this list of the 10 most bizarre people on earth ... and some of the even more bizarre things they've done. The 10 Most Bizarre People in the World Sunday, 2 December, 2007 Sydney is calling Tired of the repetitively depressing news? Do you need a break from your daily grind? Why not turn off your television and blackberry and visit Sydney, Australia, where it is summertime? CLICK ON:
Saturday, 1 December, 2007 They don’t make ‘em like this anymore Daredevil. The word doesn’t do justice to Evel Knievel. He was a real character in every sense of the word. We loved to watch him try to do the impossible and succeed. Perhaps he was the quintessential American. Upon his death a friend is quoted saying: "You know he wasn't Mother Theresa, he made things happen and you know pushed to make whatever his dreams were.” CLICK ON and WATCH HIS STUNTS at:
Friday, Nov. 30, 2007 Writers are an odd sort, often the outcasts of regular society. Many have led strange, eventful lives ... and some have come to strange, eventful deaths. Top Ten Bizarre Literary Deaths Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007 Some strange things have been done in the name of science ... very strange things. While some of these odd experiments have led to great discoveries, others have gone down in history as just plain bizarre. Top Ten Freakiest Experiments of All Time Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007 Tomorrow's the big day, when the Dallas Cowboys face off against the Green Bay Packers. Wisconsin native and Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will face his childhood idol, Brett Farve. So how are the two city's mayors approaching the game? Dallas, Green Bay Mayors Bet on Big Game Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2007 Another day, another chance to play. Adults need more opportunities to let their inner child out of its playpen ... Check out this cool invention that lets us do just that. Play Umbrella Monday, Nov. 26, 2007 Cell phones are good for more than just phone calls. Did you know you can play music with your keypad? Telephone Songs Sunday, Nov. 25, 2007 The job of an entrepreneur is to come up with innovative, never-before-seen concepts that will attract an audience. For two particular guys, that concept was to create a product that would make everything taste like bacon ... check it out. Bacon Salt Saturday, 24 November, 2007 And you thought chocolate only tastes good Two British men are going to use “…….cocoa butter, which has been extracted from…..waste chocolate” to power a Ford lorry (truck) clear across the Sahara Desert to Timbuktu. Turn green with bio-diesel envy as you read of this unique road trip. CLICK ON:
Friday, Nov. 23, 2007 When it comes to the environmental woes our planet is facing, creativity is key to finding solutions. One extremely innovative man built his own island paradise ... using 250,000 recycled bottles. Take a look at his incredible creation. Man Builds Mexican Island Paradise Thursday, Nov. 22, 2007 Thanksgiving. Every year, we gather with friends and family, give thanks for our blessings ... and pig out. But how many people know the true story of the first Thanksgiving? The event that brought together Pilgrims and Indians is steeped in legend .. and myth. But what are the facts, and what is the fiction? Wednesday, 21 November, 2007 “Why don’t you shut up!” Did you hear the one about the King of Spain at a conference in South America leaning over and telling Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez to just shut up? Well, it turns out that the dressing down has become very popular in Spain as a ring tone. CLICK ON: Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2007 It's almost that time again .. the anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Besides our special slideshow, if you're a history buff, check out these exclusive videos chronicling the man, the myth, the legend. JFK VideoMonday, Nov. 19, 2007 Ever wonder how fast the population is growing, how much the earth's temperature is rising, or how many people are getting divorced? The real time world clock keeps track of all of the above. Scary. Real Time World Clock Sunday, 18 November, 2007 Robo Roach You may have thought that cockroaches would outsmart us forever. After all, they have been our neighbors for eons, and survive and thrive despite massive amounts of chemical sprays and powders. Well, now they have been duped by an electronic roach. It may allow scientists to dispense with the poisons and instead will get them to collectively march off a cliff. Click On:
Saturday, 17 November, 2007 A Pianist’s Courage What is the worst thing that could happen to a pianist? He would lose the use of his hands. Well, Japan’s Izumi Tateno had a stroke that paralyzed the right-side of his body: His right hand wouldn’t work. Not accepting that his career was over he came upon a solution: Play the piano with his left-hand. Read an inspiring story about a determined man and his music. CLICK ON:
Friday, Nov. 16, 2007 Who says animals aren't smart (sometimes, even smarter than humans, it seems)? Check out this amazingly clever pup. Smart Dog Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007 Sometimes, your biggest enemy can be right inside your own head. Some interesting research shows how, in some situations, your brain can work against you. Your Brain Is Not Your Friend Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2007 Ever wonder what the most popular fruit in the world is? Or what the Pilgrims really ate at the first Thanksgiving? Well, the Cambridge World History of food has all the answers you could ever need. Cambridge World History of Food You never know what you might find in your own backyard. Especially if you live in Texas. Just be careful where you walk ... Woman Finds Live Grenades in Backyard Sunday, 11 November, 2007 Denmark makes a right turn This Scandinavian country is taking a stance on immigration that mirrors one of most Americans. New supporters of Denmark’s once left-leaning minister of social affairs “……..say that she read sooner than most Scandinavia's discomfort with immigration laws that overburdened educational institutions, social networks and even law and order. But her opponents cast her as an opportunist. “ CLICK ON: The Danes now want respect for their country and culture too
Saturday, 10 November, 2007 Finally a bruising sport And you thought Ultimate Fighting was tough! How about Chess Boxing? See these goliaths go a round or two. “The two challengers put on headphones, sit down at a table and start playing chess: in the middle of the boxing ring. That is because this is Chess Boxing.” CLICK ON:
Friday, Nov. 9, 2007 We've all had periods in our lives when we were broke. Broker than broke. So broke, buying gas felt like a luxury. Well, have no fear ... should you face such times again, one intrepid man has all the info you need to feed yourself for $15 a week.How to Feed Yourself for $15 a Week Thursday, Nov. 8, 2007 Even when school ends, learning never should. Here are a few useful tidbits you didn't know ... Stuff You Didn't Know Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007 I've always said dogs are extremely smart animals(even smarter than some humans I know ... ). Now, a study says that dogs may even have some ability to read people's minds ... Research indicates dogs have some ability to read minds Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007 Ever wonder if you can tell the difference between someone giving you a genuine smile or flashing you a fake grin? Now there's a quiz to test your skills. See how you fare. Spot the Fake Smile P.S. Hannah scored a 17 out of 20, so don't go trying to fool her! Monday, Nov. 5, 2007 We all have different opinions when it comes to rating the best books and authors. But, there tends to be a general consensus of the "classic" works of art: Great Expectations, Les Miserables, etc. Here's a list of the top 100 greatest novels of all time ... see if you agree with the masses. 100 Greatest Novels Sunday, 4 November, 2007 Gorebal Warming And Scientific Reality Al, say it ain’t so. How do you explain that your “closest scientific ally, James Hansen…. now concedes that the hottest year of the 20th century was not 1998 but 1934, and that four of the 10 warmest years in the past 100 were in the 1930s.” A Telegraph [U.K.] article continues: “If global warming does turn out to have been a scare like all the others, it will certainly represent as great a collective flight from reality as history has ever recorded. The evidence of the next 10 years will be very interesting."
CLICK ON THE ENTIRE ARTICLE: "The deceit behind global warming"
Saturday, 3 November, 2007 Remember thalidomide? It’s hard to believe but thalidomide is back in the news after fifty years. What was one of the first worldwide drug scandals in the late Fifties to early Sixties has resurfaced in Germany as the subject of a television movie about the once-thought-harmless sleeping pill and its victims: Pregnant mothers that produced horribly disfigured children. Now as surviving adults they find the settlement money inadequate. CLICK ON : Be careful of the drugs you take
Friday, Nov. 2, 2007 Ever wonder how copyright laws work on the internet, and whether you're breaking any rules when you borrow others' material? Well, here's a rundown of all the myths explained. So now you know. Copyright Myths Explained Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007 Well, Halloween is officially over, and all the creepy crawlies have retreated into hiding until next year. But, we can still enjoy some Halloween fun and peruse some of the cool, crazy and just plain weird costume ideas people have come up with. Rate My Halloween Costume Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007 The big day has finally come ... Happy Halloween! It's the ultimate day for creepy crawlies, gory ghosties and other things that go bump in the night. So, sit down, relax, and read some good old fashioned scary stories to get your heart pumping. BOO! Scary Halloween Stories Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007 The countdown is on ... one more day until Halloween. So, let's pay tribute to one man and his obsession with Jack O'Lanterns. Check out his amazing photos of some of the coolest pumpkins ever carved. Extreme Pumpkins Monday, Oct. 29, 2007 Halloween is two days away, and that means it's time to buckle down and get into the spirit of the season. Check out Ben & Jerry's Web site and carve yourself a virtual pumpkin, or give some ghouls the smackdown. Happy Hallllooooweeeeeennnn!!! Halloween Games Monday, 29 October, 2007 If it wasn’t for politicians…………. Here is a quotation from a gentleman who left the U.S. a year ago to return to work in his native India. You can decide for yourself whether you agree with the conclusions he draws: “My feelings about most politicians: (1) They are not in the politics primarily to do public good. They are in the politics to do good to themselves. (2) They will amass wealth unethically, if they perceive that there will not be a serious consequence. (3) Majority of the politicians in South Asia and other less developed countries are morally corrupt, shameless and least concerned with public service. I have become more cynical about politicians here [in India] after spending over a year in this part of the world. But for the rampant corruption perpetuated by the politicians and others in power, there would be much more economic progress & less poverty. Hope you and your family are doing well and staying healthy.“ Raj [Not his real name.] His comments were spurred by the article linked below. CLICK ON:
Sunday, 28 October, 2007 Why is global warming always gloom and doom? Here is a positive story about the warming of our planet. “A Greenlandic supermarket is stocking locally grown cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage this year for the first time. Eight sheep farmers are growing potatoes commercially. Five more are experimenting with vegetables. And Kenneth Hoeg, the region's chief agriculture adviser, says he does not see why southern Greenland cannot eventually be full of vegetable farms and viable forests. “ CLICK ON: Coming soon to a supermarket near you
Saturday, 27 October, 2007 One remarkable young woman fights for her country “Today they take away from me a character, today they take away from me a role in a play, today I am unemployed, but they give me the most important role in my life, the role of a Venezuelan woman, an artist, student, committed, free and worthy of her country. This land demands that its children fight for its constitution.” These are yesterday’s words of Venezuelan actress Fabiola Colmenares, fired from her television job for joining students demonstrating against the Chavez instigated changes to their constitution, which many believe will bring Cuban-style communism to her country. Read the full story - in Spanish - from Venezuelan cable company Globovision, the little network that can. CLICK ON THIS LINK: www.globovision.com/news.php?nid=68912 Friday, Oct. 26, 2007 Are you a prospective writer, like so many people out there? They say everyone has at least one novel in them, so, if you're looking to get that masterpiece onto paper, check out this site for free resources and lots of help. Purdue Online Writing LabThursday, Oct. 25, 2007 Ever feel unappreciated? Are you aching for a nice pat on the back? Check out this site ... it'll put a smile on your face. Hey, at least someone appreciates how wonderful you are ... ;) Automatic Flatterer Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007 John Adams once spoke of his inability to control the wanderings of his own mind. Don't we all fight an eternal battle with the rampant thoughts constantly running through our brains? Well according to some psychologists, gaining control over your own mind may be within reach. Mastering Your Own Mind Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2007 Remember when you were a little kid, and you fantasized about digging a hole straight through the earth and coming out on the other side? Where did your fantasies leave you? Australia? China? Well, now you can officially find out where that super-deep hole would have taken you, had you buckled down and dug it ... If You Dig Straight Down, Where Will You End Up? Monday, Oct. 22, 2007 The news media is inherently negative. Of course, they're not the only ones to blame for that sad state of affairs. Unfortunately, ratings and circulation go through the roof when there's a major disaster. So, let's all do our bit to counteract that trend, and pay attention to the positive. Read about this Alabama couple celebrating their 80th anniversary and SMILE. Happy News Sunday, 21 October, 2007 Comcast Hammered! If any of you have had the great misfortune to be saddled with Comcast as your internet or cable provider, you may appreciate the following article. It took a 75-year-old woman from Virginia to make a point. Not that any of us should encourage or aspire to violence. But every once in a while it is very satisfying to hammer home a point. CLICK ON: “What a bunch of sub-moronic imbeciles.\" Saturday, 20 October, 2007 How to Run a Car Company American automobile manufacturers have had over thirty years to get the quality of their products to equal those of the Japanese. How long is enough? What ever happened to the American Can Do attitude? I guess those American’s that can were hired by the Japanese to do and right here in America. In a letter to the WSJ on October, 19, 2007, an American American Honda executive in California wrote the following: “Regarding union representation, Honda has always left this issue for our associates (employees) to decide. We have a unique approach of working together with our associates as a team. It is worth noting that in 25 years of auto production in the U.S., no Honda manufacturing operation has ever experienced a single layoff.” Grossly Mismanaged [General Motors] can’t say that, can they?
Friday, October 19, 2007 It's Friday, and time for a smile. Check out this doggie and his not-so-hot playing dead act. Bad Playing Dead Act Thursday, October 18, 2007 When you see something every day, it's easy to overlook its beauty. Even something as simple as a bridge can be an amazing feat of architecture. This site has photos of 32 of the world's most incredible bridges. None of them are in my backyard, but what about you? Amazing Bridges From Around the World Wednesday, October 17, 2007 Sometimes, s*** happens. For one man, a whole lot of s*** happened ... was he the luckiest man in the world, or the unluckiest? Read his story, and you be the judge. The World’s (Un)Luckiest Man Tuesday, October 16, 2007 Censorship has been around as long as humans have been able to communicate. Some things never change. What's most fascinating is to take a look at all the books that have been previously banned by "the man" that we now consider classics. Here is a list of the top ten: Top Ten Banned Books Monday, 15 October, 2007 I was walking the neighborhood early Sunday morning. As I hurried my pace a man came into view on the left. He was a wiry guy, about 5’ 8”, in his mid-forties. As I closed in I could see he had headphones on. I heard what sounded like karaoke coming from, could it be him? It was, and I heard him sing “I want to be free” to no one in particular. Passing the guy I smiled and half-jokingly said that he was pretty good and that since it was Sunday I hoped he was going to put that voice to use at church, perhaps at Joel Osteen’s service? He grinned, put the earpiece back in and continued singing about wanting to be free. Then I started to think, What does this guy want to be free from, a wife, a girlfriend, a lousy job? Janice Joplin came to mind: “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.” Friday, October 12, 2007 Whether you have an affinity for tattoos or not, you have to admit that there are some very cool and creative ink designs out there. Check out these pictures of people who've chosen to wear their insides on the outside ... Street Anatomy Thursday, 11 October 2007 Want to help hungry people in other countries? Play the Free Rice game and do your part to help humanity ... Free Rice! Wednesday, 10 October 2007 It's that time of year again! Ghosts and ghoulies are coming out to play, doing their best to scare the bejesus out of us. Check out this list of the top 5 haunted places in the U.S. These are the places to see if you're looking for a real live scare this Halloween. Top 5 Haunted Places Monday, 8 September 2007 For a Monday morning smile, check out this video of a very determined turtle, and a very surprised cat. Friday, 5 October 2007
“I always give 100% at work:
Wednesday, 3 September 2007 I'm always wishing I had more time to pursue creative hobbies like painting, arts and crafts, etc. A couple ladies in Kentucky apparently have plenty of it, as they find the time to build horses out of discarded driftwood. Check out how amazingly realistic the recreations are: Driftwood Horses Tuesday, 2 October 2007 The internet is the ultimate place for random (and some would say useless) information. Check out this site full of odd and interesting tidbits ... (Hey, you never know. It could help you on a game show someday) Strange and Unusual Facts Monday, 1 October 2007 One of my favorite stories from childhood was Antione de Saint-Exupery's "The Little Prince." While technically a children's tale, the story offers more wisdom about life than most "adult" texts ever could. "The Little Prince" by Antione de Saint-Exupery Friday, 28 September 2007 For those who always wished they were a little more hip, have no fear ... the Hipster Handbook is here. The oh-so-cool publication outlines exactly what it means to be a "hipster," and how to know if you've already hit the mark. Thursday, 27 September 2007 Sometimes, we all just need a good laugh, and the experts at BlendTec Blenders sure know how to deliver. Watch as they test countless items by asking the important question, "Will It Blend?" (Hint: The Chuck Norris video clip is priceless...) Will It Blend? Wednesday, 25 September 2007 “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” -Marianne Williamson (This quote is often mistakenly attributed to Nelson Mandela, but it's originally from Marianne Williamson's wonderful book, "A Return to Love") Tuesday, 25 September 2007 For those news-hounds among us, check out the Newseum. Dubbed "the interactive museum of news," the Newseum Web site displays the front page of pretty much every newspaper out there, every day. And you don't even have to spend the 50 cents. Pretty cool. Today's Front Pages From the Newseum Monday, 24 September 2007 The internet is the ultimate place for the weird, the wacky and the wicked. Here's a cool site that offers pictures of some very strange objects/phenomenon. Odd Pics of All Kinds Sunday, 23 September 2007 "The road of life is that important journey we tend to put off. Time spent worrying over things we can't control. If only for a moment we could be still, life's road would be more clear. It's easy to worry, it's easy to take no effort in this road of life. Know that you have a choice. But also in that knowing, know that there is a higher power where we can go. Give that power the ultimate control by making the decisions that are not always the easiest." -BK Florea Friday, 21 September 2007 This beautiful world of ours has far more than seven wonders. Ever wonder what those wonders are? One website will introduce you to 100 spectacular sites all over the world. Hillman Wonders of the World Thursday, 20 September 2007 Remember when your mama used to read you Grimm's Fairy Tales as a child? One website has collected the lot of them, so you can take a trip down memory lane anytime you're feeling nostalgic for your 5-year-old self. Wednesday, 19 September, 2007 Slings Mud On Both Their Houses Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan has been interviewed a lot lately in anticipation of the arrival of his new book. Here are two quotes from a WSJ interview: • “I’m saddened by the whole political process, and it’s not an accident that Republicans deserved to lose in 2006—it wasn’t that the Democrats deserved to win,” he said. “When it came time to rule, all of a sudden their ratings collapsed, and the reason they collapsed is they’re just as negative as the Republicans.” • “I was brought up in the Republican Party of [Barry] Goldwater. He was for fiscal restraint and for deregulation, for open markets, for trade,” Mr. Greenspan said in the interview. “Social issues were not a critical factor. The Republican Party, which ruled the House, the Senate and the presidency, I no longer recognize. It’s fundamentally been focusing on how to maintain political power, and my question is, for what purpose?” CLICK ON:
Tuesday, 18 September 2007 Ever get frustrated with the seeming impossibility of getting a human on the phone when you call your bank (insurance company, cell phone carrier, etc)? Have no fear, one man has compiled a list of numbers to save you the endless aggravation. Dial-a-Human Shortcuts Monday, 17 September 2007 Some say children have a stronger connection to God, since they've spent less time on earth, away from him. Here is a collection of kid's letters to their maker. You gotta hand it to them ... children don't hold anything back.Children's 'Dear God' Letters Friday, 14 September 2007 Vodka: not just for drinking anymore! This random site offers helpful hints on other ways to use the libation (in addition to making the perfect martini, of course)... Useful Vodka Tips Thursday, 13 September, 2007 Putting all the rhetoric aside, ever wonder where the presidential candidates ACTUALLY stand on the issues? Here's an easy way to find out ... 2008 Presidential Election Candidates on the Issues Wednesday, 11 Sept. 2007 The wisdom of mom and grandma might not be quite as reliable as you thought ... did you ever wonder what precious cooking facts they passed down to you were true and what were just "kitchen myths?" You might be surprised at what you learn ... Kitchen Myths RevealedTuesday, 11 Sept. 2007 On the anniversary of the worst tragedy in American history, this is a day to remind your loved ones how much they mean to you, and to honor those who were lost. One Web site gathered the thoughts and memories of people all over the world. Visit the site, and take the time out to remember where you were when the great towers fell.Where Were You?Monday, 10 September 2007 The things you can find online ... ever wonder how it's possible to hide an airplane factory? The Army Corps of Engineers apparently managed to do it during World War II. How To Hide An Airplane Factory Saturday, 8 September 2007 Who doesn't love puppies and kittens and other cuddly critters? If you just can't get enough cuteness, this site is for you. Cute Overload! Friday, 7 September 2007 Talk about realism ... this is some fantastically freaky artwork. The creator, Ron Mueck, is quite an innovator. (Interesting side note, he did animation for the classic film "Labyrinth." This dude knows what he's doing.) Amazing Work by Photo-Realist Artist Thursday, 6 September 2007 Wednesday, 5 September, 2007
Whoever said not to play with your food? These innovative artists are using veggies to create their works of art. They've made everything from mushroom men to eggplant penguins. Very cool. Veggie Art: Eat Your Green StuffTuesday, 4 September, 2007 It Sure Can Be A Material World See how the moonlight generation in China sounds and acts very much like credit-card spenders all over the world. CLICK ON: They are starting young in China
Monday, 3 September, 2007 Labor Day: Pro and Con “Nature recompenses men for their sufferings; it renders them laborious, because to the greatest toils it attaches the greatest rewards. But if arbitrary power take away the rewards of nature, man resumes his disgust for labor, and inactivity appears to be the only good.” - C.L.DE MONTESQUIEU: The Spirit of the Laws, XIII, 1748 “Labor is the curse of the world, and nobody can meddle with it without becoming proportionately brutified.” - NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE: American Note-Books, Aug 12, 1841.
Sunday, 2 September, 2007 Can Six Be Enough? All they wanted was one more after the first set of triplets. But they got another set instead. Add the double triplets to the three grown children from previous marriages and whew, what a houseful! CLICK ON:
Saturday, 1 September, 2007 Equal Opportunity Scandal As the Republicans grapple with Sen. Larry Craig and his confused gender preferences, the Democrats now have Hillary Clinton up-front in the scandal department. It turns out that one of her prime fund-raisers has an unsavory past. “….Norman Hsu, who has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for her, was wanted in California after failing to appear for sentencing on a grand theft conviction in 1991.” CLICK ON: The Times of London reports on a HILLARY STAR FUNDRAISER
Friday, 31 August, 2007 Ah to be back in college A beer guzzling pastime has emerged from the hallowed halls of academe. That’s not new, though, is it? What is novel is that a chug is caused by a ping pong ball that plops into a partially full beer cup that sits on a ping-pong table. It has even sparked a cottage industry of related paraphernalia. CLICK ON:
Thursday, 30 August, 2007 Mars is globally warmed too How is it possible that Mars is falling victim to Global Warming? Can the solitary My Favorite Martian living there be the cause of his planet’s environmental degradation? A contrarian researcher’s opinion is worthy of consideration. CLICK ON:
Wednesday, 29 August, 2007 What if we win in Iraq - II? It’s difficult to get a reliable, first-hand civilian report from a Westerner in Iraq, but this gentleman has filed one. As he says, the people in Iraq are getting fed-up with the “insurgency,” and are increasingly cooperating to defeat it; it’s a sea-change, a reality that we have to acknowledge “unless you are deliberately looking the other way. “ CLICK ON: One Contractor Reports From The Red Zone
Tuesday, 28 August, 2007 Freedom "The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it." -J.S Mill: On Liberty , I, 1859 Monday, 27 August, 2007 Screw the Caps That’s the way they work. If you are any kind of wine drinker at all you have experienced the soft-drink-like caps on many wines. Oh, of course they are not the same as the ones on your favorite cola. But no matter, they are just plain better say the experts, and of course cheaper, so much so that the cork industry may be moribund. But lo and behold there are down-sides to the twisters, including that the cork forests could go the way of other agricultural land and will fall to the dreaded developers. CLICK ON:
Sunday, 26 August, 2007 Location, Location, Location What will they think of next? Here is your opportunity to buy a chunk of The Holy Land. This is not a board game, or virtual reality dirt, it is the real thing. All you have to do is plunk down a few dollars. A sales agent for the project in northern Israel is quoted as saying it is like," buying sand or water in a bottle from the Holy Land, but instead people can buy an actual plot that they own, step on, and pass on for generations." CLICK ON:
Saturday, 25 August, 2007 China has a problem: Too many boys. The country’s national policy of one-child per family encourages aborting female fetuses: They have a culture of males being the family provider. Now they have a serious gender imbalance. CLICK ON:
Friday, 24 August, 2007 What’s a little buzz in a buggy? Bill Murray went for a ride in a golf cart but for some reason wound up driving it downtown in Stockholm, Sweden. Hey, when a man’s hungry he does what he has to do! CLICK ON: BILL BLITZED BUT NOT BELLIGERENT
Thursday, 23 August, 2007 Are you sick of Vick? Michael Vick, that is. Well, we hope you can take one more but well-thought out article about the NFL star slash dog-torturer extraordinaire. CLICK ON: August 22, 2007 After 87 years of living, how would you like your legacy to be as the "Queen of Mean?" Such was the life of famous hotelier Leona Helmsley.Click here to read the Post Chronicle's article, Leona Helmsley Has Died.Tuesday, 21 August, 2007 Look at those Swedes As we Americans toil to get 2 or 3 weeks a year – and probably not even take it – the Swedes get 33 paid vacation days and enjoy it all. Can Europe’s most vacationed country continue receiving this largesse? CLICK ON:
Monday, 20 August, 2007 You can fool some of the people all of the time Here is a man that writes that new-age is pure bunk; better said nonsense. And that we are in danger of returning to a modern-day equivalent of The Dark Ages: “It matters when reputable accountants delude themselves into thinking that Enron-style accounting is acceptable. It matters when people are deluded into thinking that they will be rewarded in paradise for killing themselves and others. It matters when bishops attribute floods to a deity whose evident vengefulness and malevolence leave one reeling. And it matters when science teachers start to believe that the Earth was created 6,000 years ago.” CLICK ON: Enlightenment Twenty-First Century Style
Sunday, 19 August, 2007 It all starts with your mind “To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him. Human beings tend to move in the direction of their thoughts. If they harbor greedy thoughts, they become more greedy; if they think angry thoughts, they become more angry; if they hold foolish thoughts, their feet move in that direction. -The Teaching of Buddha, The Way of Purification, partial paragraphs six and seven, page 238.
Saturday, 18 August, 2007 Hugo from the homefront “Chavez stresses that he has governed for the poor. But the only miserably poor that have benefited in these last nine years are him, his family and his high officials. People such as his parents, brothers and closest relatives, now owners of truly large estates in the state of Barinas, where, they have also posed for the press. Such as his Vice-president, utterly corrupt, that passes shamelessly through Caracas, driving a car valued at $120 thousand dollars……… And the same Hugo Chavez, with his already famous collection of watches at the rate of fifteen to twenty thousand dollars each……” -Former President of Venezuela Carlos Andres Perez quoted in an article in Spanish that appeared at CLICK HERE:
Friday, 17 August, 2007 France that is not French Is it possible? A place in France where there are no road signs to Paris? “Over the past 20 years, Brittany, once derided as the unruly stepchild of France, and still considered one of its more obstinate family members, has declared its singularity proudly. An explosion of new bands has rediscovered Breton music, much of it similar to sea shanties of the British and Canadian coasts. ……….At the Sea Shanty Festival earlier this month….” CLICK ON: A PART OF FRANCE LESS TRAVELED
Thursday, 16 August, 2007 “Uh, Officer I was only going to buy my girlfriend a new watch.” Have you heard the one about Hugo Chavez’s friends and a suitcase stuffed with $800,000 carried into Argentina? It must pay to have Hugo as a friend. CLICK ON: Wednesday, 15 August, 2007 All buffed and no where to go. Nothing to do but show off. If you have tired of the same old entertainment, here is something different: Sport and Fitness Super Show. Maybe one is coming to your town soon? By the picture it sure looks like the guys would have a good time. CLICK ON:
Tuesday, 14 August, 2007 Eight million year old trees Ancient, preserved cypress trees have been unearthed in an open-pit coal mine in Hungary. And you thought the story of George Washington and his cherry tree was an old one. CLICK ON:
Monday, 13 August, 2007 Kurdistan Calm in Northern Iraq Not all of Iraq is on fire, nor has it been. The Kurds in the northern part of the country are continuing their successful economic and social development. How do they do it? "The people themselves are our security, and I don't mean just the security forces, but the whole Kurdish people. We all act as scouts, informers, inspectors and watchmen, because we realize that our lives depend on it." CLICK ON:
Sunday, 12 August, 2007 The Ultimate Sacrifice Soldiers in Iraq – twins from the U.K. - were to celebrate their 24th birthday together. They did, but not under conditions they had hoped for. CLICK ON:
Saturday, 11 August, 2007 CONTINUING STORY As Goes London So Goes The U.K. The worldwide credit crunch continues its devastation roiling the market in the United Kingdom and in London particularly. “Prof Spencer said the crisis was in many senses comparable to the Wall Street Crash. He said: ‘When historians look back, I would imagine they will compare this credit market slump with the events in 1929.’ “ CLICK ON:
Friday, 10 August, 2007 BREAKING NEWS: CHINA THREATENS U.S. DOLLAR CRASH For those Republicans who have been ignoring deficits, saying they don’t matter, here is - literally – a news flash: China is threatening to dump dollars. China may use its hoard of greenbacks to intimidate the U.S. into backing off on trade sanctions. They can do a great deal of damage to the U.S. economy with the more than $1 TRILLION Dollars they have accumulated. “He Fan, an official at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, went even further today, letting it be known that Beijing had the power to set off a dollar collapse if it choose to do so. “ CLICK ON:
Thursday, 9 August, 2007 Rotten Rejections* Here are actual quotes from prospective publishers of: THE FOUNTAINHEAD by Ayn Rand 1943 **** “It is badly written and the hero is unsympathetic.” **** “This is a work of almost-genius – ‘genius’ in the power of its expression – ‘almost’ in the sense of its enormous bitterness. I wish there were an audience for a book of this kind. But there isn’t. It won’t sell." **** “It is too intellectual for a novel.” [*From the book of the same name, Edited by Andre Bernhard, published by Pushcart Press, 1990.]
Wednesday, 8 August, 2007 One of the most eloquent pieces of cogent, worldly writing you will ever read. It comes from the highest-ranking intelligence official ever to have defected from the Soviet bloc: “But as someone who escaped from communist Romania -- with two death sentences on his head -- in order to become a citizen of this great country, I have a hard time understanding why some of our top political leaders can dare in a time of war to call our commander in chief a ‘liar,’ a ‘deceiver’ and a ‘fraud.’ " CLICK ON: A Plea To Keep America United And Honorable
Tuesday, 7 August, 2007 I Love Lucy? No. Not the television series. But you may anyway. We are talking about Lucy the oldest humanoid skeleton found in Ethiopia. She is coming to your city if you live in one of the scheduled three in America. CLICK ON:
Monday, 6 August, 2007 U.S. , Saudi Arabia and Israel Connection Have you ever scratched your head over this one? We sell arms to The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and then do the same to Israel, only on a larger scale and with a different product mix. Here is a related Opinion piece from Israel that we don’t fully agree with, but that has a touch of alittlecommonsense. CLICK ON: WE GOT GUNS YOU GET A GUN HE GETS A GUN
Sunday, 5 August, 2007 Israel’s West Bank As Miami From the Palestinian Diaspora many in the U.S. return home to vacation, creating a de-facto Miami. “Whereas many modern Palestinian homes are built from cinderblocks, here there are opulent four-storey residences, many of them clad in marble. “ CLICK ON:
Saturday, 4 August, 2007 And you thought you have troubles Warren Buffett, the second-richest man in America, has enabled his sister to make charitable contributions the old fashioned way: One person at a time. This wise lady in Maine with her circle of friends and small number of employees help individuals who lives have taken a really tough turn. CLICK ON:
Friday, 3 August, 2007 Ah, summertime in Colditz Talk about makeovers. Would you want to relax and spend your hard-earned vacation in a former World War II POW camp? Well, they’ve spruced the place up just for you. The next time you are in the former East Germany, check yourself in. CLICK ON:
Thursday, 2 August, 2007 The Great War Revisited - Almost Forgotten Have you driven around France and stopped in many of the small villages? Have you noticed the now-faded monuments to their soldiers who died in W.W.I ? Of all the senseless wars, The Great War, as it was called at the time, ranks at the top of the list. The slaughter was not confined to the French. The last living survivor of the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium - which claimed 250,000 British casualties – revisits the place. At 109 years of age this former British soldier has an important story for us all. Imagine”………………… five miles they advanced over 99 days which claimed 3,000 British casualties every day.” CLICK ON AND SEE VIDEO:
Wednesday, 1 August, 2007 Perish the thought: What if the surge works? There are a large number of people in the United States that are heavily invested in an American defeat in Iraq: Think mostly Democrat’s. But what if the surge works? Then what do they do? For the political animals they are they certainly haven’t hedged their bets. Here is what may be a glimmer of hope today, but one that could blossom into a successful scenario by September. CLICK ON:
Tuesday, 31 July, 2007 Summertime in Winter: Australia’s Hobart, Tasmania “It's Friday afternoon in the Tasmanian capital, Hobart, and the crowd at Retro, a harborside café adorned with free-form mosaic art, is decidedly offbeat. A fleece-clad couple sip lattes and a spiky-haired musician carrying a guitar case greets a friend. A cyclist in spandex pedals by so slowly that his wheels barely move. “ Maybe you haven’t yet made vacation plans for this summer? CLICK ON:
Monday, 30 July, 2007 A Houston Original - Marvin Zindler - Dies America isn’t producing or fostering many true characters these days, so when the genuine article dies, it is up to all of us to smile and say, “Thanks for being who you were, and for being with us.” “Zindler, always bedecked on air and off in a powder-white toupee, colorful suits and colored glasses also was a proud veteran of more cosmetic surgeries than he could count. To that end, he frequently arranged for badly needed operations for disfigured or deformed children. “ CLICK ON: GOODBYE MARVIN ZINDLER EYEWITNESS NEWS
Sunday, 29 July, 2007 Sexual Equality Ancient Egyptian Style A prosthetic big toe has been found on an ancient Egyptian mummy. And it happens to be connected to the foot of a middle-aged woman. They have named it “the Cairo toe.” What her name was no one yet knows. CLICK ON:
Saturday, 28 July, 2007 A Woman A Muslim A Cabbie And where would this wife and mother-of-five be found? In Israel of course. “As Jerusalem's only female Muslim taxi driver, Mrs Bahr, wearing a white headscarf, cuts a distinctive figure in the city's taxi-driving community. “ CLICK ON:
Friday, 27 July, 2007 If you don’t exhort and constantly reinforce in your children that in America “They can be anything” then how do you prevent them from becoming nothing? How do you imbue the hard work and discipline it takes to excel? www.alittlecommonsense.com
Thursday, 26 July, 2007 OOPS! And you thought American politicians were worthy of derision! The man who could be the next Prime Minister of Belgium was asked to sing his national anthem. Well, he sang alright, but it was La Marseillaise which just happens to be the French national anthem! CLICK ON: WELL, AT LEAST HE HAS A GOOD VOICE Wednesday, 25 July, 2007 Bengal Tigers To Disappear? Sometimes money can be the root of all evil. Combine that with good old politics and bureaucracy and you have a witch’s brew that may bring down the Bengal Tiger in India. CLICK ON:
Tuesday, 24 July, 2007 Why do The Greens only attack America? Did you know that “On some days, almost a third of the air over Los Angeles and San Francisco can be traced directly to Asia.” And that China and other parts of Asia contribute “…..up to three-quarters of the black carbon particulate pollution that reaches the West Coast…” of America? CLICK ON:
Monday, 23 July, 2007 Getting Up Each Morning “The return from our work must be the satisfaction which that work brings you and the world’s need of that work. With this, life is heaven, or as near heaven as you can get. Without this – with work which you despise, which bores you, and which the world does not need – this life is hell. “ -William Edward Burghardt Du Bois – To his newborn Great-Grandson; address on his ninetieth birthday [1958]
Sunday, 22 July, 2007 Funeral Homes By William Matthews “So this is what’s become of the idea of purgatory, these long drawers like card catalogues, as if the after- life were a neglected scholarship. Here every clue is false. Funerals don’t happen ‘at home,’ though death does, since the body is home. And the houses, solid as banks but adamantly residential, imply that we can take it with us, the shimmer of matter we inhabit for a while, or at least can leave it for safe- keeping with substantial folks who don’t go out much, drink on their amply porch, or burn lights late, though nobody sleeps in such houses, unless the night watchman cheats. Better he read the classics all night and think what a dead language means.” [EdNote: This is from a book of poems called Flood, by William Matthews, Little Brown and Company, 1982.] Saturday, 21 July, 2007 Together Forever A couple is married for 50 years and then one of them dies. The other simply cannot go on. Their daughter is quoted as saying: “They died on the same day, which was also my father’s birthday. He simply could not live without her.” CLICK ON:
Friday, 20 July, 2007 Vietnamese Women Became Equal Through War “In 1968, 16-year-old Nguyen Thi Mai Thanh fled American forces in her native Saigon to work as a volunteer medic treating North Vietnamese troops led by her father… Today, life has improved markedly for the 54-year-old Ms. Mai Thanh. As chairwoman and chief executive of Ree Corp.…… Earlier this year, a business magazine here ranked her the ninth-richest person in Vietnam, with a net worth of ……” CLICK ON:
Thursday, 19 July, 2007 Report From Texas’s Southern Border For those Americans who don’t live in a U.S. southern-border state it is difficult to comprehend the frustration that many Texans have in seeing their country and state do little to stop illegal immigration. But is measurable progress with Operation Streamline actually being made now? Texas’s 7th Congressional District Congressman John Culberson says yes as he reports on his visit of two-week’s ago: "The effect has been dramatic. They are arresting, prosecuting, and locking up every illegal alien for six months and then deporting them. Before Operation Streamline began, they had about 7000 aliens illegally crossing the border every month from countries other than Mexico. Last month they had about twenty. “ To read more and to hear a Houston radio station interview CLICK ON:
Wednesday, 18 July, 2007 Young Iranian women fly in the face of………….. “’ This is the new generation,’ says Houri, a middle-aged Iranian woman. ‘They're not scared at all. If I was stopped and told to fix my scarf, I'd be so terrified I'd pull it over my nose. But today's girls are not afraid, they will take the scarf off their head and throw it in the face of the police, even the bassij [Islamic militia].’” Attending rock concerts; piling on make-up; cruising for one-night stands. It sure doesn’t sound like the old U.S. media describing Iran. But it may be closer to the truth than what we are fed in America. CLICK ON: Tuesday, 17 July, 2007 Christopher Hitchens has written an atheist’s book about God: god is not Great. As we are just getting into it one of the first points he makes is: “We may differ on many things, but what we respect is free inquiry, openmindedness, and the pursuit of ideas for their own sake.” You don’t have to deny the existence of God to agree with that. But another sample goes in a contentious direction: “We believe with certainty that an ethical life can be lived without religion. And we know for a fact that the corollary holds true – that religion has caused innumerable people not just to conduct themselves no better than others, but to award themselves permission to behave in ways that would make a brothel-keeper or an ethnic cleanser raise an eyebrow.” Now there’s a bit of conTROversy as the Brits would say!
Monday, 16 July, 2006 Two-Wheeling Paris How’s this for Green Power? No longer will the energetic tourist have to use the Paris subway or even the taxis. Just get your legs pumping and pay a few Francs - er Euros. “ The idea is simple: You can pick up a bike from any docking station in Paris - they are installed at 300-meter, about 1,000-foot, intervals and clustered at popular sights and transport hubs - and park it at any other station. “ CLICK ON: CYCLING PARIS
Sunday, 15 July, 2007 The World’s Oldest Profession " ' I'm better off wearing the buibui so I look respectable. I can avoid arrest. I am just trying to get some money to live on,' one says. " "Twilight Ladies” in Mombasa, Kenya, are trying to increase their marketability by adopting local dress, to the consternation of the Muslim populace. CLICK ON:
Saturday, 14 July, 2007 Will this make you yawn? We have a new word to add to our cultural lexicon: Yawn But it’s not what you think. This “yawn” is a “young and wealthy but normal” character that chooses to live modestly, despite having made millions at a young age. Instead of conspicuous consumption they use their largesse for philanthropic purposes. CLICK ON: DULLARDS HAVE DOLLARS
Friday, 13 July, 2007 You’ve heard the petroleum expression Texas Tea? Well, soon you will be able to buy another type of oil from Texas, but it will work your taste buds not your car: Olive oil. A Spanish company is to begin bottling, in Freeport, Texas, olive oil from Spain. And within just two months a Texan will start selling it made from 40,000 trees growing in Carrizo Springs, Texas. CLICK ON:
Thursday, 12 July, 2007 No Good Deed Goes Unpunished A gentleman living in China and publishing an electronic newsletter has been shut down by authorities, despite his overt support for the government. Nicholas Young, the 52-year-old founding editor of respected China Development Brief, details the pro-China bent of his eleven-year old publication, and then writes: “In short, I consider myself to be a very good friend of China, and I personally believe that the government of China should be seeking to support my work, not close it down.” Trying to understand that country is not a new endeavor. Winston Churchill onced described China as an "enigma wrapped in a mystery." We here at alittlecommonsense are fervent supporters of a free press, regardless of the political or social leanings of any particular publication. CLICK ON: Wednesday, 11 July, 2007 “Long Cabinet meeting on policy planning. We really found out why we came here. We saw and heard the impossible management structure of government. It is by any standard a cumbersome, costly incompetent monster." - Ronald Reagan, The Reagan Diaries, entry for August 5, 1982. [EdNote: Italics added.]
Tuesday, 10 July, 2007 Global Warming? Hey Al, How ‘Bout This? It has snowed in Buenos Aires for the first time since 1918. But remember, even though it is winter now down there, it is still a freak occurrence. Or is that expression better used to describe Al Gore? CLICK ON: Snowballs Way Down South
Monday, 9 July, 2007 Mr. Rogers Revisited “Fred Rogers, the late TV icon, told several generations of children that they were ‘special’ just for being whoever they were. He meant well, and he was a sterling role model in many ways. But what often got lost in his self-esteem-building patter was the idea that being special comes from working hard and having high expectations for yourself. Now Mr. Rogers, like Dr. Spock before him, has been targeted for re-evaluation." CLICK ON: It's All About Me Sunday, 8 July, 2007 Seen on a bumper sticker “100 years from now it won’t matter what car you drove or what house you lived in but it will matter how you brought up your kids.”
Saturday, 7 July, 2007 JIMMY BUFFET DOES PARIS! “In Paris last month for his first-ever concert here, Buffett - who is also one of only a handful of writers to reach No. 1 on The New York Times best-seller list in both fiction and nonfiction - offered some insight into how he turned Margaritaville……” CLICK ON: PARROTHEADS IN PARIS
Friday, 6 July, 2007 Selflessness "Sometimes when I reflect back on all the wine I drink I feel shame. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the vineyards and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this wine, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, ‘It is better that I drink this wine and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver.’ " ~ Jack Handy
Thursday, July 5, 2007 U.K. Islamofascist terror plots unfold “Two suspected al-Qaeda terrorists who crashed a Jeep into Glasgow airport wrote a suicide note explaining their motives for the attack. Police did not say where the apparent suicide note was found but the language in it indicated that the men intended to blow up the vehicle while they were inside, according to reports. " -The Times of London CLICK ON: Doctors of Death
Wednesday, FOURTH OF JULY, 2007 Aren’t Artists Wonderful? So started out the email from an artist friend. The link she sent and shown below is a very different kind of story, one that turns patriotism and duty and families losses into an amazing story of what is best in America. On this Fourth Of July Click on: [EdNote: Have patience with the technology. When it first opens at the link hit STOP. Then click on "Launch in external player." This worked for us to keep the voice and picture in sync. Stick with it. It is well worth it.] Tuesday, 3 July, 2007 “At one time the tail and the head of a snake quarreled as to which should be the front. The tail said to the head:-'You are always taking the lead; it is not fair, you ought to let me lead sometimes.' The head answered; - 'It is the law of nature that I should be the head; I can not change places with you.' But the quarrel went on and one day the tail fastened itself to a tree and thus prevented the head from proceeding. When the head became tired with the struggle the tail had its own way, with the result that the snake fell into a pit of fire and perished. In the world of nature there always exists an appropriate order and everything has its own function. If this order is disturbed, the functioning is interrupted and the whole order will go to ruin.” - The Teaching of Buddha, The Way of Purification, page 276.
Monday, 2 July, 2007 “It is the greatest office in the history of the world. Not one of the great oriental potentates, Roman Emperors, French Kings, Napoleon, Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, Jenghis Khan, Tamerlane, the Mogul Emperors, the great Caliph of Baghdad had half the power and influence that the President of the United States now has. It is a terrifying responsibility. But the responsibility has to be met and the decisions made – right or wrong. I make them as they come, always prayerfully and hopefully. “ President Harry S. Truman - Diary entry, June 15, 1952
Sunday, July 1, 2007 What Is Success? To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty; To find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived; This is to have succeeded. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Saturday, June 30, 2007 Got a hot date with a hot PC? “You've heard of working vacations. Now comes ‘the working date.’ Many single people are so busy with careers that they don't have time for a social life. So they're increasingly blending work and romance……………..” CLICK ON: Work Till You Drop
Friday, 29 June, 2007 Senate defeats amnesty bill by a vote of 46 to 53.
“Helping to stop this dangerous and destructive amnesty bill will rank as one of the most important things I will ever do in Congress……..I admire and trust the Heritage Foundation, and they estimate the costs of the bill at $2.6 TRILLION because the amnesty would legalize all illegal aliens and their immediate families and make them eligible for our overburdened social programs……………… Worst of all, amnesty combined with the totalization agreement that the Social Security Administration signed with Mexico, would allow every illegal alien from Mexico and their immediate family anywhere in the world to receive Social Security, and they would vest after only SIX quarters! Law abiding American citizens do not vest until after 40 quarters. (I expect to enact a law that will block the Mexican totalization agreement from going into effect).” -Congressman John Culberson, 7th District of Texas CLICK ON: HERITAGE FOUNDATION FACTS AND FIGURES
Thursday, 28 June, 2007 Contracting for Love It was reported that someone in the U.S. business world has created a “Love Contract.” Two people who work in the same company and are in a personal relationship must go to their Human Resources Department and admit, in writing, to their romantic involvement. They then sign a “Love Contract” absolving their employer from any claims for sexual harassment that either of the two individuals may file. What a country! Heard on BBC radio via XM Satellite Radio channel 131 at 7:00 a.m. CST, June 27, 2007.
Wednesday, 27 June, 2007 BREAKING STORY: Riots in Iran over gasoline rationing “Angry Iranian youths torched petrol stations in Tehran and long queues formed at fuel pumps after the government announced the start of fuel rationing, triggering nationwide protests on Wednesday. “ CLICK ON: Ahmadinejad's Paradise
Tuesday, 26 June, 2007 “It is essential for American culture that it recognize a serious, organized attack on liberty in the world as a threat to its own existence and to the global development of durable peace and prosperity. This is the essence and destiny of the United States, and in this it differs gloriously from every other nation in human history. If America now denies its very nature and refuses to make any further sacrifices, it will be signaling the imminent demise of Western civilization. “ A quote from a Commentary by Dutch columnist Leon de Winter. He writes about our country and Islamofascism with an outsider’s perspective that both shames and inspires us. CLICK ON: Sacrifice
Monday, 25 June, 2007 AWIMOWEH Listen! Can’t you hear it: A…..Wi…..Mo……Weh ……… A…..Wi…..Mo……Weh ……… A…..Wi…..Mo……Weh ……… throbbing through the air? One of the singers for the Tokens, and song producer from Brooklyn, has died. Read the obituary of Hank Medress and the story about the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight.
CLICK ON: A Lion Sleeps Tonight
Sunday, June 24, 2007 I’m so mad I could just………move! Poor George. Mr. Clooney’s Italian villa is under siege. The real world is reaching even the exalted heights of The Hollywood Heart-throb. Where’s a hunk supposed to hide nowadays anyway? CLICK ON: Visit To A Small Planet Saturday, June 23, 2007
God Is Dead? One of the many pseudo-intellectual movements from the Sixties was the notion that God is dead. Well, here we are in 2007 and the premise apparently returns in the name of Christopher Hitchens and his new book God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. We write “apparently,” because we have yet to read the book, but we will. See the article and review, but remember that Thomas Paine’s two-part Age of Reason remains the classic benchmark for exploring organized religion and God. It is still such a powerful work that to this day Paine is reviled in the grave by fervent Believers. [And Paine did believe in God, by the way.]
CLICK ON REVIEW: Is God Dead?
The Insanity Of It All
The City of Houston has decided to stop funding an illegal-immigrant day-labor hall. Houston last year spent $100,000 of its taxpayers money on this program. How can we be a country of laws – a United States of America - when the fourth largest city in the U.S.A. is encouraging and subsidizing illegal immigration?
CLICK ON: A Country Must Have Borders To Be A Country
Thursday, June 21, 2007
“The Starbucks in the city's central business district must be the global coffee chain's sole outlet in which the staff sometimes sits at outdoor tables and waits for customers. “
It might be difficult to think of Beirut, Lebanon, as a tourist destination, but the world is not only what you see on television or the internet.
LINK HERE:There Is Life In Beirut, Lebanon
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Freedom:
“The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it.”
J.S. Mill: On Liberty, I, 1859
Tuesday, 19 June, 2007
A few gems from writer Gay Talese in his book, A Writer’s Life:
“….writers often do not know what they are writing until after they have written it.”
“Writing is often like driving a truck at night without headlights, losing your way along the road, and spending a decade in a ditch.”
“Often I involve myself with two or three unrelated subjects at the same time, and I shift from one to another when I become bogged down and believe it wiser to put aside what I am doing and reappraise it at some point in the future.”
Monday, 18 June, 2007
Whatever happened to India-born writer Salmon Rushdie? The Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini ordered a hit on him in 1989. Well, Rushdie has just been made a Knight by Queen Elizabeth. And it happens to be his birthday tomorrow - the 19th - as well.
Click on: Happy Birthday Salman! Father’s Day, Sunday, 17 June, 2007
“Courage in adversity is half the battle, but it does not always win the battle. Sometimes things don’t turn out quite the way we hoped. In those times we must trust that the struggle itself was worth it, remembering that we are measured by how we conducted ourselves along the way……”
William J. Bennett, Virtues of Courage in Adversity
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Joe Cocker Then ……
“Cocker described the tour, which featured nearly two dozen musicians, assorted hangers-on and even the odd animal, as ‘a pretty spacey kind of dream’. “
Joe Cocker Now:
“Last month, Cocker's 25th album, Hymn For The Soul, entered the UK chart at number nine - proving the singer's soulful……..”
CLICK ON: JOE COCKER
Friday, 15 June, 2007
If I stay in a Hilton Hotel, will I be subject to prosecution for contributing to the delinquency of a child? [Some portion of the money I pay for the room goes to the Hilton family. Think Paris Hilton.]
www.alittlecommonsense.com
Thursday, June 14, 2007:
“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” Wednesday, June 13, 2007: "To change one's life: Start immediately. Do it flamboyantly. No exceptions." -William James Tuesday, June 12, 2007: "I think life should be more like TV. I think all of life's problems ought to be solved in 30 minutes with simple homilies, don't you? I think weight and oral hygiene ought to be our biggest concerns. I think we should all have powerful, high-paying jobs, and everyone should drive fancy sports cars. All our desires should be instantly gratified. Women should always wear tight clothes, and men should carry powerful handguns. Life overall should be more glamorous, thrill-packed, and filled with applause, don't you think?" -the ever-brilliant 6-year-old Calvin, of Calvin and Hobbes (by Bill Watterson)Monday, 11 June, 2007
"Working hard to get my fill, In honor of Tony Soprano, whose fate we'll never really know. Sunday, 10 June, 2007 A prescription for life: “Let your boat of life be light, packed with only what you need - a homely home and simple pleasures, one or two friends, worth the name, someone to love and someone to love you, a cat a dog, and a pipe or two, enough to eat and enough to wear, and a little more than enough to drink; for thirst is a dangerous thing.” Jerome Klapka Jerome, Three Men in a Boat [1889]. Ch. 3 [EdNote: It’s ok to forget about the cat. And, the man's name is not a type-o.]
Saturday, 9 June, 2007 Schools Out For The Summer “There has to be zero tolerance of bad driving. For a start, the police need to stop worrying who offenders are. Rich kids have to know that they are not above the law. Justice has to be seen to be carried out, regardless of whether it is the son of a wealthy businessman……………… And there has to be a greater willingness to use jail sentences for crimes like road rage.” [EdNote: Have patience, their link is slow.]
Friday, 8 June, 2008 Paradise Found! “Adrift in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Cocos Keeling Islands lie halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka.” Meet, “An ordinary bloke, with an extraordinary past, in one of the most beautiful and unspoilt places in the world.“ Read: Dream On
Thursday, 7 June, 2007 Bite, no, kill the hand that feeds you. Houston’s big Texas heart went out to its neighbors from New Orleans in 2005 when Katrina blew through their city. Now, over two years later, only Philadelphia has a higher murder rate amongst the country’s 10 largest cities. Why? “Houston has seen an uptick in homicides since more than 100,000 Louisiana residents fled to the city after Hurricane Katrina in 2005,” reports the Houston Chronicle. A big thank you goes out to N’Awlins Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineau; you’ve really distinguished yourselves as honest and competent public servants. Read the entire article:
Wednesday, 6 June, 2007 “Life isn’t measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that leave us breathless.” Found on a language translation web site: Tuesday, 5 June, 2007: “An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; a pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.” Author unidentified.
Monday, 4 June, 2007 From the frivolous side of life, Paris Hilton as she is quoted by the BBC checking into jail for violating probation on a D.U.I. charge: "Even though this is a really hard time, I have my family, my friends and my fans to support me, and that's really helpful," Hilton told reporters. "I'm going to do the time and I am going to do it the right way. "I'm using it in a positive way and when I come out, I can't wait to start my new life and be even stronger than I am now." Buy your daughter the book or make sure she watches the mini-series.
Sunday, 3 June, 2007 From Lebanon, a unique perspective on the Middle East: Both sets of actors currently shaping the region are self-righteous sorts who dismiss anyone who criticizes them with labels like "infidel," "freedom hater," "cross worshipper," "surrender monkey," and a host of other absurdities. They will not stop - and the region will continue to suffer the consequences - unless and until thoughtful people like Erekat and ElBaradei step forward to reclaim and redefine the Middle East. Read the full, brief, thought-provoking editorial: The English-language TheDaily Star Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved |
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