Dog, missing 9 years, returned to family in Ky.
Dog, missing 9 years, returned to family in Ky.: "Associated Press - February 27, 2009 8:53 AM ET
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) - A German shepherd named Astro who has been missing from his family for more than 9 years is finally home.
The Geary family was shocked when they recently received a call from an animal control officer who said that Astro had been found.
The dog went missing from the Geary family's Port St. Lucie, Fla. home shortly after the family adopted him. Since then, they have moved three times and ended up in Louisville, Ky.
On Jan. 29, 2009, an animal control officer in Tennessee picked up Astro after receiving a report about a dog running loose. Officers tracked down the family through a microchip implanted in the canine.
Dennis Geary says he wasn't sure if Astro would remember him. But when they were reunited, the dog sat down and began licking him.
Information from: The Stuart News, http://www.tcpalm.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed."
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) - A German shepherd named Astro who has been missing from his family for more than 9 years is finally home.
The Geary family was shocked when they recently received a call from an animal control officer who said that Astro had been found.
The dog went missing from the Geary family's Port St. Lucie, Fla. home shortly after the family adopted him. Since then, they have moved three times and ended up in Louisville, Ky.
On Jan. 29, 2009, an animal control officer in Tennessee picked up Astro after receiving a report about a dog running loose. Officers tracked down the family through a microchip implanted in the canine.
Dennis Geary says he wasn't sure if Astro would remember him. But when they were reunited, the dog sat down and began licking him.
Information from: The Stuart News, http://www.tcpalm.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed."
Porn in the USA: Conservatives are biggest consumers
Porn in the USA: Conservatives are biggest consumers: "A new nationwide study (pdf) of anonymised credit-card receipts from a major online adult entertainment provider finds little variation in consumption between states.
'When it comes to adult entertainment, it seems people are more the same than different,' says Benjamin Edelman at Harvard Business School.
However, there are some trends to be seen in the data. Those states that do consume the most porn tend to be more conservative and religious than states with lower levels of consumption, the study finds."
Friday, February 27, 2009
City Tickets Car 7 Times, No One Spots Dead Guy in Back Seat
Body in car identified as Gainesville engineer: "The identity of man found dead inside a car in College Park on Monday afternoon has been confirmed as that of a Gainesville engineer missing since Feb. 11.
Now city employees are answering questions about why the man's car was ticketed seven times by city employees, beginning the day after he was last seen alive.
Gainesville police said that a preliminary autopsy on the body found in the backseat of the 2001 silver BMW 330i confirmed that it was John Waldo, 42, an engineer at AvMed, who was last seen alive Feb. 11 at Calico Jack's Oyster Bar, 3502 SW 2nd Ave., in Gainesville."
12 Food Phrases Explained
12 Food Phrases Explained - Neatorama: "I’d better make a quick disclaimer on this one: sometimes there are many theories as to how a phrase came about. These 12 explanations are just some of the possible origins. We’ve been using some of these phrases for so long that we’ve lost the original meanings, so our explanation of them is based on the the best guesses of linguists and historians. Take the explanations with a grain of salt (haha)."
The Teenager Audio Test - Can you hear this sound?
The Teenager Audio Test - Can you hear this sound?: "Clicking the play button below will produce a tone that is generally only heard by people under the age of 25. It has been used as a deterrent device to keep teenagers from loitering in malls and shops, and sounds similar to a buzzing mosquito. Typically the longer you listen to it, the more annoying it gets."
The 15 Worst Basketball Jerseys Of All Time
Ugliest Basketball Jerseys Ever : "The NBA All Star jerseys this year actually weren't too bad. They were a bit Star Wars-ish, but they were plain enough that the powers-that-be couldn't manage to ruin them. At least, they weren't anywhere near as bad as last year's version:"
Doodling Improves Memory, Reduces Daydreaming
Doodling Improves Memory, Reduces Daydreaming: "We usually think of doodling as a sign that someone isn't paying attention, but, according to a new study, doodling actually improves memory recall. It's good news for celebrity doodlers and bored office workers alike.For the study, published today in Applied Cognitive Psychology 40 volunteers were asked to listen to a boring two and a half minute phone message that gave the names of several people and places, reports EurekAlert. Half of the participants were asked to shade in shapes without paying attention to neatness while they were listening, and the other half were not. After the test, they were asked to write down the names and places that were mentioned in the message."
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Beauty: it's in the sex of the beholder
Beauty: it's in the sex of the beholder: "“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” and how it’s perceived may significantly depend on the sex of the beholder. Men and women use their brains differently in a variety of tasks, such as generating words and memorizing events, so the discovery that men and women rated the beauty of art differently in behavioral experiments might’ve seemed to be predictable on the surface. However, upon deeper inspection, interesting questions emerge."
The slow death of handwriting
The slow death of handwriting: "Christmas cards, shopping lists and what else? The occasions in which we write by hand are fewer and fewer, says Neil Hallows. So is the ancient art form of handwriting dying out?A century from now, our handwriting may only be legible to experts.
For some, that is already the case. But writer Kitty Burns Florey says the art of handwriting is declining so fast that ordinary, joined-up script may become as hard to read as a medieval manuscript."
Is Aging an Accident of Evolution?
Is Aging an Accident of Evolution?: "'Everyone has assumed we age by rust. But how do you explain animals that don't age? Some tortoises lay eggs at the age of 100, there are whales that live to be 200 and clams that make it past 400 years.'"
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Website value calculator and web information
Website value calculator and web information: "Websiteoutlook is the perfect place to evaluate any website. When choosing to buy or sell a website having the proper information about your investment can be crucial to your success. Websiteoutlook is dedicated to finding all pertinent information that may pertain to your personal interest. And it's FREE! We hope that you find Websiteoutlook helpful and that you will return when you need us again. The information offered by Websiteoutlook is not guaranteed to be 100% Accurate and is offered as reference only. Further research and conformation of claims are advised before any substantial investment."
See A Fish With A Transparent Head
See A Fish With A Transparent Head: "Today there's a new addition to the 'real life is stranger than fiction' category. Check out the fish Macropinna microstoma. It has tubular eyes and a see-through head."
The Strange Deaths of 20 Interesting People
The Strange Deaths of 20 Interesting People: "Despite our best efforts, Death, in all its myriad and weird forms, is constantly lurking around the corner. But who knew a toothpick could be so dangerous? Or that one’s trademark scarf, draped so dramatically around your neck, could be conspiring to kill you?
Here, adding to the list of things one should worry about — cellphones causing cancer, the probability of a car accident, the potential for being struck by lightning whilst enjoying a game of pick-up soccer on an unfortunately situated field — is a long list of the strange deaths of interesting people. Take heed and keep an eye on those toothpicks."
Komodo Dragon Attacks
Komodo Dragon Attacks Indonesia Park Ranger:
A park ranger in Indonesia needed more than 30 stitches after he was attacked by a komodo dragon.
"The giant reptile managed to climb into a hut where 46-year-old Main was sitting at his desk.
The attack happened on Rinca, one of three islands where the world's largest lizard can be found in the wild.
Main, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, wrestled with the komodo dragon until it let go.
He fled out a window as colleagues rushed to his aid, using wooden sticks to drive the lizard out of the hut."
Andy Richter, Conan O'Brien reunite for 'Tonight'
Andy Richter, Conan O'Brien reunite for 'Tonight': "Andy Richter and Conan O'Brien—together again.
Richter, who was O’Brien’s sidekick for seven years on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” will be the announcer when his buddy takes over as host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien” on June 1, the network has announced.
It’s been almost nine years since they worked together on a daily basis. They should have never stopped working together, which was obvious during O'Brien's final 'Late Night' on Friday, when Richter helped O’Brien say goodbye by showing clips of some of their favorite old skits.
Thankfully Richter also will participate in comedy bits on 'The Tonight Show.'
“Andy is one of the funniest people I know and we've maintained a close friendship since he left 'Late Night,' O'Brien said in a press statement. “We have a proven chemistry that will be an incredible asset to ‘The Tonight Show.’ I'm looking forward to working with Andy on a daily basis again, particularly since he owes me $300.”"
Effects shop fulfills amputee's mermaid dream
Effects shop fulfills amputee's mermaid dream | Crave - CNET: "Good: double amputee gets prosthetic legs so she can walk. Better: double amputee gets realistic-looking mermaid tail so she can swim. Awesome: it's developed and built by Weta, the special-effects company that did all the work for the 'Lord of the Rings' movies, as well as 'King Kong' and 'The Chronicles of Narnia' series.
Nadya Vessey's legs were amputated below the knee when she was a child due to illness. At one point, reports Stuff, a child asked her what happened to her legs and she told him she was a mermaid. The idea stuck with her, so she wrote to Weta Workshop in Wellington, New Zealand, two years ago asking for a mermaid tail. To her surprise, they said they'd do it.
Now she has a fully functional mermaid tail with an attached suit, making her look practically just like a real mermaid (if, you know, mermaids were real).
She can swim well and says the prosthesis feels quite comfortable. We're not sure if anything like this could go into mass production for amputees, but we wouldn't be surprised if 10 years from now there are mermaids swimming about in your local pool."
Jurassic Web
The unrecognizable Internet of 1996. - By Farhad Manjoo - Slate Magazine:
"The Internet of 1996 is almost unrecognizable compared with what we have today.
By Farhad ManjooPosted Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009, at 5:33 PM ET
It's 1996, and you're bored. What do you do? If you're one of the lucky people with an AOL account, you probably do the same thing you'd do in 2009: Go online. Crank up your modem, wait 20 seconds as you log in, and there you are—'Welcome.' You check your mail, then spend a few minutes chatting with your AOL buddies about which of you has the funniest screen name (you win, pimpodayear94)."
Then you load up Internet Explorer, AOL's default Web browser. Now what? There's no YouTube, Digg, Huffington Post, or Gawker. There's no Google, Twitter, Facebook, or Wikipedia. A few newspapers and magazines have begun to put their articles online—you can visit the New York Times or Time—and there are a handful of new Web-only publications, including Feed, HotWired, Salon, Suck, Urban Desires, Word, and, launched in June, Slate. But these sites aren't very big, and they don't hold your interest for long. People still refer to the new medium by its full name—the World Wide Web—and although you sometimes find interesting stuff here, you're constantly struck by how little there is to do. You rarely linger on the Web; your computer takes about 30 seconds to load each page, and, hey, you're paying for the Internet by the hour. Plus, you're tying up the phone line. Ten minutes after you log in, you shut down your modem. You've got other things to do—after all, a new episode of Seinfeld is on.
"The Internet of 1996 is almost unrecognizable compared with what we have today.
By Farhad ManjooPosted Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009, at 5:33 PM ET
It's 1996, and you're bored. What do you do? If you're one of the lucky people with an AOL account, you probably do the same thing you'd do in 2009: Go online. Crank up your modem, wait 20 seconds as you log in, and there you are—'Welcome.' You check your mail, then spend a few minutes chatting with your AOL buddies about which of you has the funniest screen name (you win, pimpodayear94)."
Then you load up Internet Explorer, AOL's default Web browser. Now what? There's no YouTube, Digg, Huffington Post, or Gawker. There's no Google, Twitter, Facebook, or Wikipedia. A few newspapers and magazines have begun to put their articles online—you can visit the New York Times or Time—and there are a handful of new Web-only publications, including Feed, HotWired, Salon, Suck, Urban Desires, Word, and, launched in June, Slate. But these sites aren't very big, and they don't hold your interest for long. People still refer to the new medium by its full name—the World Wide Web—and although you sometimes find interesting stuff here, you're constantly struck by how little there is to do. You rarely linger on the Web; your computer takes about 30 seconds to load each page, and, hey, you're paying for the Internet by the hour. Plus, you're tying up the phone line. Ten minutes after you log in, you shut down your modem. You've got other things to do—after all, a new episode of Seinfeld is on.
Bamboo: The Miracle Plant
Bamboo: The Miracle Plant: "There is a plant that is used for almost every thing. It is used in construction, used for making yarn and fabric, jewelry, tools and other implements, pulp for paper, medicine, used as food and even use to make musical instruments. Not only this, it is the fastest growing woody plant on Earth. Yes, it is true. There is rather a kind of grass called Bamboo.
It has been clocked surging skyward as fast as 121 cm (47.6 inches) in a 24-hour period and can also reach maximal growth rate exceeding one meter (39 inches) per hour for short periods of time. Many prehistoric bamboos exceeded heights of 250 feet.
Bamboos play an important role in local economies throughout the world and are of
major national and international commercial importance in the Asia-Pacific region. It is estimated that 2.5 billion people depend on or use bamboo materials valued at US$ 7 billion per annum."
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Behold the Tesla Model S
Behold the Tesla Model S: "Tesla has been teasing us with pulled-up sheets and shadow shots of the four-door model S for weeks, and we're sick of it. We really don't feel like waiting for the March 26 unveiling — or the 2011 on-sale date — so we just decided to pull the sheet back completely and show you what the electric sedan actually looks like. Well, what we think it looks like, anyway."
Bodybuilding Implants
Bodybuilding Implants - BodyBuildingImplants.com: "Cosmetic surgery, specifically the use of bodybuilding implants, is an option which bodybuilders are using to add size and shape to their physique when the traditional methods of weightlifting and exercise do not or cannot produce the desired results. While the use of anabolic steroids will temporarily increase muscle mass, there are frequent, severe complications from its use. Bodybuilders are turning to the use of specially designed implants to achieve bulk and definition when genetics or other conditions prevent them from attaining the physical appearance they desire. The information provided here will supply you with the knowledge and resources available in the areas of Subpectoral Implants, Calf Implants, Bicep Implants, and Gluteal Implants - information you should know before making your decision regarding these procedures, alternatives to using implants, help in locating a physician, and other resources you may need."
Scientists discover gene that produces teeth
Scientists discover gene that produces teeth : "A breakthrough by scientists could see dentures bite the dust.
Researchers have pinpointed the gene that governs the production of tooth enamel, raising the tantalising possibility of people one day growing extra teeth when needed.
At the very least, it could cut the need for painful fillings."
The World's Smallest Manned Helicopter
The World's Smallest Manned Helicopter: "The GEN H-4, designed by (you guessed it) the Japanese, is apparently the world's smallest manned helicopter. It weighs in at a waifish 155 pounds and can be yours for one easy payment of $35,000. In the video below, he lifts off after about 30 seconds, and if you want to see more videos, click here."
Mini microphone
Mini microphone spruces up voice recording possibilities on - Engadget: "Not that this is the very first microphone designed to function with Apple's iPhone or anything, but it's certainly amongst the cheapest and most universal that we've seen. The Mini Microphone reportedly plays nice with the iPhone 3G, iPod touch and iPod nano, giving 'em all that extra special voice recording oomph that's so badly needed. The best part(s)? It's only $14.99, and it's barely bigger than a valve stem cover to boot."
Superbrain stuns Britain with genius quiz show run
Superbrain stuns Britain with genius quiz show run: "She's being hailed as Britain's cleverest student, a shy, bespectacled and amazingly quick-minded Latin scholar who has romped away to win Britain's hardest quiz show almost single-handedly.
Gail Trimble, 26, is playing down the excitement surrounding her team's victory in the annual University Challenge on Monday, but the nation is abuzz at her polymath performance on the quiz, a favorite on British TV for nearly 40 years."
Gail Trimble, 26, is playing down the excitement surrounding her team's victory in the annual University Challenge on Monday, but the nation is abuzz at her polymath performance on the quiz, a favorite on British TV for nearly 40 years."
Txt: Txting Is Gud 4 UR Reading Comprehension, Apparently
Txt: Txting Is Gud 4 UR Reading Comprehension, Apparently
Proving that evolution can, indeed, take unexpected forms, a new study reports that texting abbreviation is actually helping the literacy of today's kids. Someone, somewhere, is ROFL at that news, I'm sure.
Monday, February 23, 2009
5 Ways People Are Trying to Save the World (That Don't Work)
5 Ways People Are Trying to Save the World (That Don't Work): "Between the hybrids, the reusable canvas shopping bags and cloth diapers, everybody's doing their little bit to save the world. Entire industries have sprang up to cater to us socially-responsible types who want to leave behind a better world for the robots to inherit once they take over.
But, most of the time, making you feel better is about all it does. For instance..."
Social websites harm children's brains
Social websites harm children's brains: Chilling warning to parents from top neuroscientist: "Social networking websites are causing alarming changes in the brains of young users, an eminent scientist has warned.
Sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Bebo are said to shorten attention spans, encourage instant gratification and make young people more self-centred.
The claims from neuroscientist Susan Greenfield will make disturbing reading for the millions whose social lives depend on logging on to their favourite websites each day."
Man lives normal life with tiny (egg-sized) brain
Man lives normal life with extraordinarily tiny (egg-sized) brain: "French doctors are puzzling over the case of 44-year-old civil servant who has led a quite normal life - but with an extraordinarily tiny brain .
In a case history published in Saturday's Lancet, doctors led by Lionel Feuillet of the Hopital de la Timone in Marseille say the father-of-two was admitted to hospital after suffering mild weakness in his left leg.
Scans by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed that the man's cerebral cavities, called ventricles, had massively expanded.
'The brain itself, meaning the grey matter and white matter, was completely crushed against the sides of the skull,' Feuillet told AFP."
"The images were most unusual... the brain was virtually absent," he said.
The patient's medical history showed that at the age of six months, he suffered hydrocephalus, also called water on the brain, and needed an operation to drain this dangerous buildup of spinal fluid.
Neuropsychological testing revealed the man had an IQ of 75, with a verbal IQ of 84 and performance IQ of 70. The bulk of people in society have a minimum IQ of 85, although the benchmark and the way it is measured are sometimes contested.
Despite this, "the man has been able to lead a life that can be considered normal," said Feuillet. "Even if he has a slight intellectual handicap, this has not hampered his development or building social networks."
Pravda.ru
34,000 apply for 'the best job in the world'
34,000 apply for 'the best job in the world': "Tens of thousands of people from more than 200 countries have applied for 'the best job in the world' -- being paid to loll about on an Australian island -- according to officials.
A late rush of more than 7,500 applications over the weekend brought the number people hoping to become 'caretaker' of tropical Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef to 34,684, the Queensland state government said.
The deadline for applications was midnight GMT Sunday."
MyFonts’ What The Font for iPhone
MyFonts’ What The Font for iPhone: "Recently released, MyFonts’ What The Font for iPhone is a terrific little app. The biggest barrier is not MyFonts’ image recognition technology (which has proven itself online), but the dreadfully inadequate iPhone camera. However, despite that it does a pretty good job. Just ensure that the lighting is good."
Why Used Cars Are Outselling New Vehicles
Why Used Cars Are Outselling New Vehicles : "Kathy Roberts, a paralegal from Plymouth, Mich., was skeptical of a recent postcard she received from her local car dealer. It offered to put her in a new vehicle for $26,000, the same price she paid for her one-year-old Dodge Journey that she'd already driven 14,000 miles. Despite her doubts, Roberts's husband called the dealer and was told that they would offer her a brand new version of the same model, in the same color, with only 29 miles—all for the same monthly payment. With incentives and rebates, she actually came out $700 ahead. 'I was thrilled. A new car without any more money!'
Customers like Roberts are finding that their high-quality used cars are a coveted and rare commodity these days. While GM and Chrysler hit the federal government up for bailout money and new car sales have been notoriously slow in the last few months, the demand for used vehicles is up. According to Auto Data Corp., sales of certified pre-owned cars in January 2009 were up 10 percent from the same time last year. The average consumer trades in a vehicle after two or three years, providing steady supply of low-mileage used cars. But as household budgets and credit remain tight, drivers are hanging onto their cars longer and returning them to dealers when they're essentially junk."
7 ways to make your laptop battery last longer
7 ways to make your laptop battery last longer: "With the latest portable PCs, working on the move has never been easier, but laptops are still slaves to the National Grid.
You can do practically anything on a modern laptop, but their advanced features drain battery life to the extent that you can only get a couple of hours out of your laptop before it turns up its toes.
While battery life is a chief cause of mobile moans, it's possible to get significant improvements by simple good practice and a few software tweaks. To help you get the most from your laptop battery, here are seven easy ways to make it last longer."
The Housing Chart That's Worth 1000 Words
The Housing Chart That's Worth 1000 Words: "Here's the big problem with almost all the current rhetoric about the housing crisis: It presumes that the goal should be to get house prices rising again. The problem with that idea is that, even after a 25% decline, house prices are still way too high.
Even if there is a government mechanism that could stop house prices from plummeting and artificially pump them up again, therefore, it would just postpone the inevitable.
Below is the Robert Shiller chart that makes this crystal clear (produced by the New York Times and taken from this excellent article by James Quinn). And below the chart is what James Quinn thinks about it."
Even if there is a government mechanism that could stop house prices from plummeting and artificially pump them up again, therefore, it would just postpone the inevitable.
Below is the Robert Shiller chart that makes this crystal clear (produced by the New York Times and taken from this excellent article by James Quinn). And below the chart is what James Quinn thinks about it."
Amazing transformation of body
Amazing transformation of body in 5 years (89 pics): "In 2003 this man decided to loose his beer-belly and went to the gym.
Five years later, after all the training, it’s difficult to recognize him. John Stone became a real bodybuilder. Every month, during the past 5 years, he took pictures of him and put them on his blog. See what miracle, desire and hard work as well as strong will, can do."
Conan O'Brien says goodbye ... for now
Conan O'Brien says goodbye ... for now : "Conan O'Brien celebrated his final 'Late Night' episode with best-of clips and a touching sendoff that praised future rival David Letterman and thanked his ongoing lead-in Jay Leno.
'He's probably one of the most brilliant broadcasters certainly of the last century, and this century, and for all time,' O'Brien said of Letterman, whom he'll face in the fall when O'Brien takes over as 'Tonight Show' host. 'I have a terrific amount of respect for him and what he did -- he set the bar absurdly high for everybody in my generation who does this.'
O'Brien appeared to get choked up as he thanked his crew and writers, as well as NBC executives (clips below).
'Lorne Michaels single-handedly made my career in television,' O'Brien said. 'I don't know what I did. I must have saved his life at some point. He certainly saved mine.'"
Ironworkers at Dana-Farber resume a beloved ritual
Ironworkers at Dana-Farber resume a beloved ritual, providing moments of joy for young cancer patients: "Eighteen-month-old Kristen Hoenshell has a rare and aggressive form of cancer. What began as a tumor behind her eye has led to surgery and 38 weeks of weekly visits to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where she receives powerful doses of chemotherapy that leave her weak and occasionally sick.
Yesterday, when she showed up for another round of treatment, she was greeted by something special. As her cousin Megan Souza pointed out the window of a third-floor walkway, ironworkers perched on the sixth floor of a partially constructed building nearby hoisted a massive I-beam into place. It was emblazoned, in bright pink spray paint, with Kristen's name."
Yesterday, when she showed up for another round of treatment, she was greeted by something special. As her cousin Megan Souza pointed out the window of a third-floor walkway, ironworkers perched on the sixth floor of a partially constructed building nearby hoisted a massive I-beam into place. It was emblazoned, in bright pink spray paint, with Kristen's name."
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