Energy Wind Ball Turbine for Home Power

Swedish company Home Energy recently revealed an innovative wind turbine that spins in a spherical formation. Eschewing traditional rotors for a sleek orb structure, this beautiful rethinking of conventional wind turbine design utilizes the Venturi principle, which funnels wind within the turbine’s blades. The resulting spherical wind turbine features increased efficiency and lower noise levels - making it ideal for small scale energy needs such as personal home use. Best of all it’s called the Energy Ball: the fun name is an added bonus.

Most modern wind turbines utilize a flat three-blade design, wherein the head of the windmill is directed into drafts by a computer. The tips of these windmills can reach up to six times the speed of the wind. By contrast, the Energy Ball is designed to take advantage of the the Venturi effect, which was originally a measurement of pressure created by channeling an incompressible liquid through a restricted section of pipe. This spherical Energy Ball takes those principles and uses them to channel air through its six blades and around its generator.
This results in highly efficient turbine that can take advantage of very low wind speeds. Home Energy primarily designs small-scale energy solutions for homes, communities, businesses and public facilities.

Amy winehouse "Back to Black"

Amy Winehouse "Do Me Good"

Amy Winehouse Video "Tears Dry on Their Own"

So you want a windmill in your backyard?

LOWVILLE, New York (AP) -- John Yancey leans against his truck in a field outside his home, his face contorted in anger and pain.
"Listen," he says.
The rhythmic whoosh, whoosh, whoosh of wind turbines echoes through the air. Sleek and white, their long propeller blades rotate in formation, like some otherworldly dance of spindly-armed aliens swaying across the land.
Yancey knows the towers are pumping clean electricity into the grid, knows they have been largely embraced by his community
But Yancey hates them.
He hates the sight and he hates the sound. He can't stand the gigantic flickering shadows the blades cast at certain points in the day.
But what this brawny 48-year-old farmer's son hates most about the windmills is that his father signed a deal with the wind company to allow seven turbines on Yancey land.

Rest the rest here:  Windmills make area prosper but fuel residents' anger - CNN.com

Amazing Sand Sculptures!

Sand sculptures of a lion and a 'Sand Rover' car, are seen at a sand sculpture festival in Western-super-Mare, Somerset, England, Wednesday July 9, 2008. Dedicated sand-artists are at Weston-super-Mare in Somerset this week recreating the world's best known-landmarks and faces on the famous beach. (AP Photo/Barry Batchelor, PA)

yahoo news ... see more

Angry Man Shoots Lawn Mower for Not Starting

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man was accused of shooting his lawn mower because it wouldn't start. Keith Walendowski, 56, was charged with felony possession of a short-barreled shotgun or rifle and misdemeanor disorderly conduct while armed.

According to the criminal complaint, Walendowski said he was angry because his Lawn Boy wouldn't start Wednesday morning. He told police quote, "I can do that, it's my lawn mower and my yard so I can shoot it if I want."
A woman who lives at Walendowski's house reported the incident. She said he was intoxicated.
Walendowski could face up to an $11,000 fine and six years and three months in prison if convicted.
A call to Walendowski's home went unanswered Friday morning.

Al Gore Lays Down Green Challenge to America

"There He Goes Again"
with "That Vision Thing".

Leadership America Craves ... Right Now!

Former Vice President Al Gore, seeking to shake up an energy debate that is focused mostly on drilling, challenged the United States to shift its entire electricity sector to carbon-free wind, solar and geothermal power within 10 years, and use that power to fuel a new fleet of electric vehicles.

The goal is the most ambitious energy plan by a major U.S. political figure - and one many energy experts say is unrealistic. Gore insists the only real obstacle is the reluctance of America's leaders to seek bold solutions to high energy prices and global warming. He likened his challenge to President John F. Kennedy's 1961 call to put a man on the moon.

"This goal is achievable, affordable and transformative," Gore told more than 1,000 cheering supporters at the Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall in Washington. "It represents a challenge to all Americans in every walk of life: to our political leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, engineers and to every citizen."

"It's a strategy that will create millions of new jobs that pay well and cannot be outsourced, and one that will leave our children a world that is cleaner and safer," Obama said.

McCain said that while he and Gore might disagree on some aspects of climate change, he supports the goals Gore outlined for developing wind and solar. "If the vice president says it's doable, I believe it's doable," McCain said.

sfgate ... read on

Another Art-Less, Bold Faced Lie by Sean Hannity Claiming That There's No Oil in the Areas Already Available to the Oil Companies for Drilling

His hero also disliked those pesky facts.

"Facts are stupid things."

Ronald Reagan

Sean Hannity falsely suggested that federal areas legally available for leasing by oil companies contain no oil. In fact, federal agencies have estimated that more oil exists on the tens of millions of acres of federal areas currently legally available for drilling than there is in the areas currently off limits to drilling.

As The Boston Globe noted in a June 20 article, "About 86 billion barrels of additional oil may lie offshore, according to the US government's Energy Information Administration," and then continued: "Of that amount, about 18 billion barrels are subject to the moratorium."

Furthermore, Hannity's assertion that if the moratorium were lifted, "we'd have that oil within two years," is contradicted by the Energy Information Administration, which considered the likely effects of allowing the congressional and executive moratoriums on certain offshore drilling to expire in 2012 and stated: "The projections in the OCS [outer continental shelf] access case indicate that access to the Pacific, Atlantic, and eastern Gulf regions would not have a significant impact on domestic crude oil and natural gas production or prices before 2030. Leasing would begin no sooner than 2012, and production would not be expected to start before 2017."

mediamatters ... read on

What's This I Hear About Superdelagates Moving Towards Hillary's Camp?

*Breaking* Obama SuperDs Switching to Hillary! : NO QUARTER

Tempest Storm is fuming. Her fingers tremble with frustration. They are aged, knotted by arthritis and speckled with purple spots under paper skin.

But the manicure of orange polish is flawless and new, and matches her signature tousled mane.

She brushes orange curls out of her face as she explains how she's been slighted.

She is the headliner, you know. She is a star. She is classy.

"I don't just get up there and rip my clothes off," she says.

Indeed, the 80-year-old burlesque queen takes her clothes off very slowly.

More than 50 years ago she was dubbed the "Girl with the Fabulous Front" and told by famous men she had the "Best Two Props in Hollywood."

Since then, Storm saw the art that made her famous on the brink of extinction. Her contemporaries -- Blaze Starr, Bettie Page, Lili St. Cyr -- have died or hung up the pasties.

But not Storm. She kept performing. Las Vegas, Reno, Palm Springs, Miami, Carnegie Hall.

Read the Rest of it Here: Stripper-CNN.com

Concertgoers Blinded by Light Show

A laser show at a music festival injured more than 30 people, Russian news reports said.

Some concertgoers lost up to 80 percent of their vision after attending the Aquamarine Music Festival on July 5, the newspaper Kommersant reported.

Twenty people are undergoing treatment in Moscow hospitals, said Elena Grishina, the head doctor at the Moscow Ophthalmological Hospital, the RIA-Novosti news agency reported Monday.

"It is just a deterioration in the sharpness of the eyesight, not a burn," she was quoted as saying, and said she could not confirm the injuries came from lasers.

"The treatment is not very pleasant. It involves a lot of needles," Grishina said. "But all the patients are in optimistic spirits, and we are hoping for a good result."

According to the reports, concertgoers said the festival's dance floor was covered by a canopy because it was raining. The lasers were pointed horizontally under the tent instead of into the sky, which led to the injuries, the reports said.

"After five or ten minutes on the dance field, I couldn't see anything," a young man in sunglasses identified as a concertgoer said on NTV television. "I could see out of my left eye, but my right eye is all fog."

The broadcast showed video from the festival recorded by cellular phones, one of which appeared to burn out when a laser shone on it.

The festival was held in the Vladimir region east of Moscow. During the summer, techno music enthusiasts often organize open-air raves on empty fields outside Moscow.

The injured concertgoers plan to take legal action against the festival's organizers, NTV reported.

A representative of the Vladimir regional government said the festival was organized illegally without proper permits. Police in the town of Kirzhach, where the festival was held, refused to comment.

Most of the injured concertgoers sought treatment at two Moscow hospitals, Kommersant reported. No one answered the telephone at either hospital Monday.

Grishina was quoted as saying there were no immediate plans to release the patients.

Read the Rest Here: Laser-CNN.com

Bush Economy - Key US Mortgage Lender Goes Bust

One of the largest US mortgage lenders, the California-based IndyMac Bank, has collapsed amid a growing credit crisis.

Federal regulators seized the bank's assets, fearing it might not be able to meet withdrawals by depositors.

It is the second-largest financial institution to fail in US history, regulators say.

The failure came on a day when shares in the two biggest US home loan institutions - Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae - fell at one stage by almost 50%.

bbc news ... more

Russian Ice Camp in Rapid Shrink

Twenty Russian scientists are to be evacuated from their camp on a drifting ice-floe in the Arctic after it started disintegrating sooner than expected.

The Russians had set up research station "North Pole 35" on the floe last September when it measured a safe five kilometres long and three kilometres wide, and their original plan was to stay on it until this September.

But after enduring the permanent night of the Arctic winter and surviving the threat of polar bears, the scientists now find that their temporary home has shrunk to just 600m by 300m and faces complete break-up as it drifts towards a current known to contain relatively warm waters.

This evacuation comes as Canadian researchers report that the melting of the Arctic ice this year started at least four weeks ahead of the long-term average.

Separate teams of scientists in Canada and the US have forecast that this year's seasonal melt of Arctic sea-ice may well reach or exceed last year's record thaw in which the ice retreated to an extent not predicted for several decade.

bbc news ... read more

Eat Watermelon...Get up and Go

Not only does watermelon act as a diuretic but also has Viagra like effects!

A slice of cool, fresh watermelon is a juicy way to top off a Fourth of July cookout and one that researchers say has effects similar to Viagra -- but don't necessarily expect it to keep the fireworks all night long.

Watermelons contain an ingredient called citrulline that can trigger production of a compound that helps relax the body's blood vessels, similar to what happens when a man takes Viagra, said scientists in Texas, one of the nation's top producers of the seedless variety.

Found in the flesh and rind of watermelons, citrulline reacts with the body's enzymes when consumed in large quantities and is changed into arginine, an amino acid that benefits the heart and the circulatory and immune systems.

"Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it," said Bhimu Patil, a researcher and director of Texas A&M's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center. "Watermelon may not be as organ-specific as Viagra, but it's a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side effects."

Read the rest of it here:
Watermelon Works Like Viagra : Discovery News

John McCain Doesn't Know How to Use a Computer

This video appears to be from at least six weeks ago, but no one has really commented on it. Do we want a commander-in-chief who can't use a computer without assistance?

Washington is full of these guys, and it's so depressing. Larry Craig once said "I've never used the internet" (though we know he was lying). Ted Stevens thinks the internet is a series of tubes. Bush uses "the Google." I can't wait until we have a computer-literate generation of leaders in our Capitol.

John McCain and "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth"

Let's get this straight.

Here is an example of showing gross disrespect for someone's military service.

Look at this goof ball. click for her story here

Remember at the 2004 Republican National Convention hundreds of people sported purpled band-aids mocking John Kerry's war wounds that earned him three Purple Hearts. The corporate media thought it was funny.

Here is an example of showing respect for someone's military service but questioning what it qualifies him to do.

Retired General Wes Clark, who left Vietnam on a stretcher after being shot four times in a battle with the Viet Cong while he was a company commander, made these comments about John McCain's military service:

"I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war," Clark said. "He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in the armed forces as a prisoner of war."
but ... "I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president".

Fair enough, his opinion ..... the corporate media was outraged.

Now McCain joins forces with the purple band aid creators to try to give us 4 more years of bush league rule ...

More than any other act of rank hypocrisy that we have grown accustomed to expect from John McCain his recent embrace of the Swiftboaters to help his presidential campaign is beyond astonishing, especially for someone who is running in large part on his Vietnam record. McCain's new love affair with the Swiftboaters should expose to the mainstream press once and for all that their man -- their father figure and "hero" -- their "maverick" -- is nothing more than a Karl Rove-George Bush clone, a human-political/animal hybrid who jettisoned his ethics and integrity the minute he realized he was poised to become the heir to the glorious Bush legacy.

huffingtonpost ... read more ... and more

Dollar Has Dropped 41% Under Bush

When Bush Took Office US Dollar Was on Record-Setting Streak

Now Has Dropped 41% Against the Euro

Bush's Dollar Drop Maps Loss of U.S. Clout at Final G-8 Summit

Bush represents the worst-performing economy in the G-8 after Italy, with growth of 0.5 percent this year set to lag behind 1.6 percent in the U.K., 1.4 percent in the euro area, 1.4 percent in Japan and 1.3 percent in Canada, according to International Monetary Fund forecasts.

bloomberg.com ... click here to read article

Look Who's Sponsoring the Marriage Protection Amendment

That Men's Room Foot-Tapping Republican Hypocrite Wacko Larry Craig.

and "Mr. Diapers" himself, David 'Family Values' Vitter

Republican Senator

McBush

Beware of Sunscreens!

by Amy Burkholder-CNN

Slathering on sunscreen has become as much a part of the summer ritual as the vacation itself, but a consumer advocacy group has a warning for parents who think they're protecting their family with sunscreen -- you may be getting burned.
The Environmental Working Group, a Washington-based nonprofit, has released an investigation of nearly 1,000 brand-name sunscreens that says four out of five don't adequately protect consumers and may contain harmful chemicals.
The group says some of the products of the nation's leading brands -- including Coppertone, Neutrogena and Banana Boat -- are the poorest performers.
Coppertone was named by the Environmental Working Group as having 41 products that failed to meet the group's criteria for issues ranging from failing to protect adequately to containing potentially harmful ingredients to making unsubstantiated claims.
The makers of Banana Boat, which also failed to meet the Environmental Working Group's standards for various reasons, did not respond to CNN's requests for comment.
Neutrogena says its sunscreen products have been "embraced by dermatologists and consumers for their efficacy," and says its new Helioplex technology provides broad-spectrum UV defense against sun damage.
The science of sunscreens is simple: Active ingredients are compounds that absorb, reflect or block ultraviolet light. Sunscreens are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration not as cosmetics, but over-the-counter drugs. Sunscreens are rated based on their SPF, or "Sun Protection Factor." The higher the SPF, the better the protection against sunburn.
Sunlight is composed of two types of ultraviolet light -- UVB rays, which cause sunburns, and UVA rays, which tan. While both may increase the risk of skin cancer, sun damage and wrinkles, the FDA doesn't require sunscreens to protect against both, just UVB.
The FDA acknowledges new rules mandating UVA testing and labeling requirements are being evaluated, but the Environmental Working Group wants tougher standards now.
"The fact most sunscreens still don't don't offer UVA protection and the fact the FDA has been working for years to finalize its rules is really what provoked us to look at this issue," Lunder says.
Another issue -- is a key sunscreen ingredient safe?

Oxybenzone is a a popular UV filter in many sunscreens, one evaluated by the FDA as safe. The Environmental Working Group says its analysis of hundreds of studies of more than a dozen sunscreen chemicals finds oxybenzone can penetrate the skin and pose health concerns -- anything from hormone disruption to cancer.
The industry group representing sunscreen makers denies oxybenzone causes harm -- and deems such claims irresponsible.
"Questions about the safety of oxybenzone unnecessarily alarm consumers," says John Bailey, the chief scientist for the Personal Care Products Council, which offers its scientific information about the safety of sunscreen ingredients.

"Safe sun" has always been a priority for the American Academy of Dermatology, which sees sun overexposure as the single most preventable risk factor in the more than 1 million new cases of skin cancer expected to be diagnosed in the United States this year.
While dermatologists agree broad spectrum sun protection is important, some experts see an even bigger sun danger if people perceive their sunscreen isn't safe.

Common sense can also protect from the sun. Experts agree babies under 6 months old should be kept out of direct sun. Children need sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.

If you are sensitive to sunscreen, never go without. Instead, try sunscreens that provide a physical barrier, such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. New micronizing technology makes both appear more transparent on the skin, so you don't have to look like a lifeguard with a white nose.

Remembering George

Mercedes Wants to Eliminate Petroleum from its Lineup by 2015

MERCEDES aiming to end the need for filling your fuel tank with petrol or diesel within just SEVEN YEARS.

The German firm are determined to make their model range run on alternative fuels - to improve costs, become more eco-friendly and because the oil supply will eventually run out.
the sun ... click here ... read more ... great pictures

Auto Dealers Make Adjustments as Oil Heads to $300.00 Per Barrel

click on picture to enlarge

Kucinich: 'We went to war for the oil companies'

"In March of 2001, when the Bush Administration began to have secret meetings with oil company executives from Exxon, Shell and BP, spreading maps of Iraq oil fields before them, the price of oil was $23.96 per barrel.

"Today the price of oil is $135.59 per barrel, the US Army is occupying Iraq and the first Iraq oil contracts will go, without competitive bidding to, surprise, (among a very few others) Exxon, Shell and BP."

The New York Times reported last week that those companies, Chevron, Total and some smaller companies were set to receive no-bid contracts from Iraq's Oil Ministry. According to the paper, such deals "are unusual for the industry," and the companies prevailed over more than 40 others, including some from Russia, China and India.

raw story ... read more

San Francisco May Name Sewage Treatment Plant After Bush

by Jesse Mckinley
Reagan has his highways. Lincoln has his memorial. Washington has the capital, and a state, too. But President George W. Bush may soon be the sole president to have a memorial named after him that you can contribute to from the bathroom.

From the Department of Damned-With-Faint-Praise, a group going by the regal-sounding name of the Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco is planning to ask voters here to change the name of a prize-winning water-treatment plant on the shoreline to the George W. Bush Sewage Plant.

The plan - hatched, naturally, in a bar - would place a vote on the November ballot to provide "an appropriate honor for a truly unique president."

The Rest Of It: Bush-Sewage-International Herald Tribune

Th!nk Ox: An Electric Car with Style and Smarts

Norwegian company Th!nk is hoping to kick start the market for electric cars with its upcoming five-seater, the Ox.

It can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 8.5 seconds, travel between 125 and 155 miles on a single charge, and its lithium-ion batteries can be charged to 80% capacity in less than an hour.

click here to read whole article

Having Fun with the Barely Reported Vulgar Blasting McCain Gave his Wife a Few Years Back

Imagine if there was a report out there that Bill Clinton had flipped his wig in public and in an angry rage lashed out at Hillary calling her the C*** word. Do you think that the Main Stream Media would have considered it a story worthy of coverage? Uh ... maybe it's all we would have heard for days and days. Over and over ... worse than the Howard Dean scream.

Well, of course, there is a well documented story about John McCain doing just that, losing it and blasting Cindy in a vulgar tirade (here's the link). Where was the Main Stream Media on that one?

Lawmaker Takes 9/11 Doubts Global

By JOHN SPIRI
Special to The Japan Times

In a September 2003 article for The Guardian newspaper, Michael Meacher, who served as Tony Blair's environment minister from May 1997 to June 2003, shocked the establishment by calling the global war on terrorism "bogus." Even more controversially, he implied that the U.S. government either allowed 9/11 to happen, or played some role in the destruction wrought that day. Besides Meacher, few politicians have publicly questioned America's official 9/11 narrative — until Diet member Yukihisa Fujita.

In January 2008 Fujita, a member of the Democratic Party of Japan, asked the Japanese Parliament and Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda to explain gaping holes in the official 9/11 story that various groups — including those who call themselves the "911 Truth Movement" — claim to have exposed.

Fujita, along with a growing number of individuals — including European and American politicians — are leading a charge to conduct a thorough, independent investigation of what happened on Sept. 11, 2001.

click here to read complete article

Cancer Patient Makes Full Recovery After Injection of Billions of Own Cloned Immune Cells

By: Roger Highfield, Science Editor Telegraph.co.uk

Doctors took cells from the man's own defence system that were found to attack the cancer cells best, cloned them and injected back into his body, in a process known as "immunotherapy". Experts said that the case could mark a landmark in the treatment of cancer.

Genetically altered white blood cells have been used before to treat cancer patients but this is the first study to show that simply growing vast numbers of the few immune cells in the body to attack a cancer can be safe and effective.

click here to read article

Does Washing Fruits and Vegetables Make Them Safe?

Washing fruits and vegetables is smart. But can it keep you safe from bacteria outbreaks like the recent tomato scare?
While rinsing a tomato under cold water rids the produce of a lot of potentially harmful bacteria, some of these tiny critters are resistant to the shower. Basically, they hang on tight, experts say.

The result can be outbreaks of Salmonella or E. coli in humans, even if we're careful.
Tomatoes can pick up such a pathogen from contaminated soil, irrigation water, manure, wildlife, or farm workers.
"If you've got bacteria on the surface of fruits and vegetables, and you give them a wash with cold water, it removes some of what's on the surface," Niemira told LiveScience. "Unfortunately, it [cold water rinsing] doesn't remove all of them, and that's a problem. If things are well attached or living in a tight-knit community called a biofilm, that's going to be hard to get rid of."

Rough surfaces, like those on cantaloupes and spinach, provide lots of nooks and crannies in which bacteria can hide out, Niemira said. Tomatoes are much smoother, though their surfaces do contain tiny pores that make homes for bacteria.
You would want to wash rougher-surfaced fruit more carefully. Niemira cautions, however, too rough of a cleaning can bruise or tear the protective layer covering tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables.

Damage to the produce can lead to spoilage, and the associated "spoilage bacteria." While these bacteria aren't harmful to humans, the organisms make produce mushy and provide more hangouts for human pathogens, such as Salmonella, Niemira explained.

The Right-Wing Offshore Drilling Scam

Don’t be fooled, amigos. All this talk about offshore oil drilling and the price of gas and the pump is a bunch of BS. In fact, the Republican Party is colluding with the oil and gas industry to drive up the price of energy.
This is criminal.
The oil and gas industry, buoyed by their Right-Wing minions are on a coordinated and well-thought out mission to end the twenty-six year old moratorium on off-shore oil and gas drilling. The goal? To at once embarrass Barack Obama, take down the Congressional Democrats, increase corporate profit and further drive up the price of energy.

First of all, there is no "ban".
"Ban" is just more GOPer-speak. In reality, there is a moratorium on drilling in certain coastal areas. Other areas are not only open to drilling but leases and drilling permits have already been issued.
And they are not being drilled.
In fact, only 17% of the leased areas is in production. So, with about 33 million acres of offshore areas already available to drill and not being drilled, why does the oil and gas industry need to have access to still more? The fact is that nearly 25 BILLION barrels of oil off the coast of the United States is currently available for drilling...and industry is not drilling it.
Not to mention natural gas. Most of the natural gas occurring offshore (over 328 TRILLION cubic feet – an eleven year supply at current consumption rates) is currently available for leasing and development.
And they’re not going after it.

click here to read more

It seems as though every continent on earth has its own version of Bigfoot. Now we learn India has one as well.

In the US it's known as bigfoot, in Canada as sasquatch, in Brazil as mapinguary, in Australia as a yowie, in Indonesia as sajarang gigi and, most famously of all, in Nepal as a yeti.
The little known Indian version of this legendary ape-like creature is called mande barung - or forest man - and is reputed to live in the remote West Garo hills of the north-eastern state of Meghalaya.
There have been repeated reports of sightings over many years by different witnesses in the West, South and East Garo hills.
Mr Marak estimates the creature weighs about 300kg (660lb) and is herbivorous, surviving on fruit, roots and tree bark.

More: BBC NEWS-Yeti

AP Sets up a Toll Booth for Bloggers Citing its Stories

Uh oh...

The AP's disharmony with bloggers may have only just begun, as the alternative it's now offering to being served with takedown notices involves paying an up-front sum for excerpting online articles -- as few as five words.

On the heels of a blogosphere revolt last week because of its harsh actions against social news site The Drudge Retort, the AP regrouped over the weekend to take a less litigative -- but more bureaucratic -- approach to dealing with those who wish to quote its material.

Where the group had previously invoked the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and sent cease-and-desist orders to at least one blogger, seeking the removal of excerpted content (in some cases as few as 17 words in length), now the press service has attached an "Excerpt for Web Use" charge for passages as short as five words in length.

The pricing scale for excerpting AP content begins at $12.50 for 5-25 words and goes as high as $100 for 251 words and up. Nonprofit organizations and educational institutions enjoy a discounted rate.
More: BetaNews-AP

How to Tell When a Watermelon is Ripe

It's watermelon time! Here are a few ways to help you pick a sweet juicy one.

1. Thump it. If the watermelon sounds hollow, it's ripe. The sound should not be too high or too low.

2. Look at the color on the top. The watermelon is ripe when there is little contrast between the stripes.

3. Look at the color on the bottom. A green watermelon will have a white bottom; a ripe melon will have a cream- or yellow-colored bottom.

4. Press on it. If the watermelon sounds like it gives a little, it's ripe. Be careful not to bruise the flesh.

'Oldest' Computer Music Unveiled

BBC
A scratchy recording of Baa Baa Black Sheep and a truncated version of In the Mood are thought to be the oldest known recordings of computer generated music.

The songs were captured by the BBC in the Autumn of 1951 during a visit to the University of Manchester.

Click Here to Listen: Oldest computer music unveiled

Egyptian Women at the Forefront for Change

Crossing Continents travels to Egypt meeting remarkable women fighting for their rights in a male dominated society.
Two years on from Condoleezza Rice's visit to Egypt in 2005 when she challenged the Egyptians to "lead and define a democratic future", reporter Bill Law finds out what, if anything, has changed?

He hears stories from Egyptian women who are fighting against female circumcision, the suppression and imprisonment of internet bloggers, poor pay and for workers rights.

Subsequently, the only other presidential candidate Ayman Noor, was thrown in jail and remains there today in ill health with no indication as to when he will be released. It has been left to his wife, the former television presenter, Gameela Ismail to carry on the struggle for democracy and her husband's freedom.

In the face of constant state intimidation and the loss of her livelihood, Gameela Ismail continues to speak out.

"It is very hard, for women to take a stand in this police state. Every day is like a small war."

More: Egyptian Women at Forefront

Firefox 3 Aims for Download Record

Version 3 of the popular Firefox web browser is going on popular release June 17.

With the release, Firefox developer Mozilla is attempting to set a record for the most downloads over 24 hours. "It's a global effort to make history," said Paul Kim, head of marketing at Mozilla.

"There is actually no record for the greatest amount of software downloaded in one day, so for 24 hours from the moment we push the bits live, that's when the countdown starts," he said.

New features in Version 3 include automatic warnings when users stray onto webpages booby-trapped with malicious code.
Also in Version 3 will be "Smart Location Bar" that lets people return to places they have visited even if they have not bookmarked them or cannot remember the full web address.
Firefox 3 will work with Windows 2000, XP and Vista and some non-Windows operating systems including Linux.

Mr Vahed said Firefox was generally popular with more "tech-savvy" web users and they turned to it because using it meant more webpages appeared as their designers intended.
"It's still very much the case that Firefox is way ahead of IE when it comes to standard compliance," he said.
IE's lack of compliance with web standards can make some webpages look very odd, he said.
But, he added, IE7 was better at respecting standards and IE8 is expected to go further.

BBC Firefox aims for download record

Latest Cheney Tape May Contain Evidence of His Whereabouts

WASHINGTON—Reports surfaced Tuesday that the New York–based Fox News Channel has obtained a tape which purportedly features another cryptic video message from U.S. vice president and known extremist Dick Cheney, widely regarded as the most feared man in America."

"We have analyzed the tape, and the voice on it matches up with earlier recordings of the vice president," said CIA spokesman George Little, who claimed the tape may contain valuable clues regarding the location of the elusive Cheney, who was last sighted in late 2005 along the border of Maryland and Virginia.
"Though more specific details on his whereabouts have yet to emerge, we do know two things," Little added. "Dick Cheney is still alive, and he is out there somewhere."
The tape, which is 18 minutes in length, contains grainy footage of what appears to be the vice president standing in front of a featureless brown background. Despite a history of heart problems, Cheney seems to be in good health, though he does appear agitated. Analysts said his hair is grayer than in previous tapes, and his hairline has receded by a half inch. He appears to be wearing the exact same suit he wore in his most recent video in 2004.

Though Cheney makes no specific threats in the tape, he does issue vague warnings that the United States will soon face a large-scale attack.
"The possibility of a nuclear attack is very real," Cheney says in his speech, which he addresses to the "people of America." "It could happen tomorrow, it could happen a week from now, it could happen next year. It is not a matter of if, but when."
Cheney warns that, no matter what security measures the United States takes, the terrorists will remain determined to bring death and destruction to American soil. He goes on to insist that he will never give in, claiming that the country should be prepared for "decades of war."
"Praise be to God," adds Cheney, concluding his message.
Cheney reportedly makes reference to President Bush and the Iraq War, alludes to the 9/11 attacks 27 times, and warns eerily about Americans "making the wrong choice" in November. He also mentions current presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama by name, indicating that the tape was made recently and dispelling the rumor that Cheney died of a heart attack four years ago.
"We are closer than ever to finding the U.S. No. 2," FBI spokesman David Hart said. "Taking into account his last known whereabouts and the fact that his health condition makes it difficult for him to travel, we can say with a high degree of certainty that the vice president is still somewhere within our borders."
"God help us all," he added.
A number of experts suggest that Cheney has taken refuge in a D.C. war room, while some claim he is hiding out in an underground bunker beneath NORAD headquarters. Others speculate that Cheney crossed into Virginia two years ago and has been roaming the remote foothills of the Appalachian backwoods.
In a press conference yesterday, President Bush told reporters that he is prepared to do anything in his power to hunt down the vice president.
"This is our top priority," Bush said. "Before I make any further decisions regarding the situation in Iraq, the economy, or anything else, it is absolutely imperative that I find Dick Cheney."
Some conspiracy theorists, however, have begun to question the tape's authenticity.
"That video's a fake," said Bethesda, MD citizen Blake Bresler. "This Cheney looks fatter, and his lip snarl is on the wrong side. Also, if you look closely, those aren't Cheney's real glasses."
Whether or not the tape is legitimate, a growing number of citizens say the fact that Cheney is still on the loose can be traced back to failures by the Clinton White House.
"The only reason that this madman is still out there is because the previous administration messed up," said Richmond, VA resident Curt Meredith. "Bill Clinton should have killed him when he had the chance."

the onion

617 Pages Missing from Mcain's Navy File

John Kerry Made his Entire Navy File Public so Should McCain

Some of the unreleased pages in McCain's Navy file may not reflect well upon his qualifications for the presidency. From day one in the Navy, McCain screwed-up again and again, only to be forgiven because his father and grandfather were four-star admirals.
McCain's sense of entitlement to privileged treatment bears an eerie resemblance to George W. Bush's.
Despite graduating in the bottom 1 percent of his Annapolis class, McCain was offered the most sought-after Navy assignment -- to become an aircraft carrier pilot. According to military historian John Karaagac, "'the Airdales,' the air wing of the Navy, acted and still do, as if unrivaled atop the naval pyramid. They acted as if they owned, not only the Navy, but the entire swath of blue water on the earth's surface." The most accomplished midshipmen compete furiously for the few carrier pilot openings. After four abysmal academic years at Annapolis distinguished only by his misdeeds and malfeasance, no one with a record resembling McCain's would have been offered such a prized career path. The justification for this and subsequent plum assignments should be documented in McCain's naval file.

click here to read whole story, judge for yourself ... huffington post

Among Scientific Treasures, a Gem

Science History for Sale

Christie's to Hold Auction of Amazing Collection

Its cover is dented and stained. The pages are warped. You could easily imagine that this book had sat out half a dozen revolutions hidden in various dank basements in Europe.
In fact this book, published in 1543, was the revolution. It was here that the Polish astronomer Copernicus laid out his theory that the Earth and other planets go around the Sun, contravening a millennium of church dogma that the Earth was the center of the universe and launching a frenzy of free thought and scientific inquiry.

The party, known as the Enlightenment, is still going strong. It was a thrill to hold Copernicus in my hands on a recent visit to the back rooms of Christie’s and flip through its hallowed pages as if it were my personal invitation to the Enlightenment. No serious library should be without one. Just in case you are missing your own copy, you can pick up this one for about the price of a Manhattan apartment next Tuesday, according to the Christie’s catalog, which estimates its value at $900,000 to $1.2 million.

or how about Einstein's first notes on the Theory of Relativity.

(I see the E. But where's the MC2?)

or this staggeringly beautiful star atlas, Harmonia Macrocosmica, by the 17th-century Dutch-German cartographer Andreas Cellarius, with double-truck hand-colored plates.

click here for more pictures/article ... New York Times

Bush Dollar Makes it Easy for Arabs and Other Foreigners to Buy up US Landmarks

Treasured New York Skyscrapers may be Sold to Foreign Funds

The iconic Chrysler and Flatiron skycrapers may soon join New York's GM Building as landmarks sold in part to Arab or European investors as the weak dollar spurs property grabs in the Big Apple, reports said Friday.
The 50-story General Motors Building, constructed in 1968 and which includes the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue, has already been sold -- for a record-breaking 2.8 billion dollars -- to US real estate firm Boston Properties, backed by investors from Dubai, Kuwait and Qatar.
The deal, concluded on Tuesday, makes the GM Building the most expensive skyscraper in the United States, according to several reports.

click her to read story

"Unicorn" Born in Italy

by Marta Falconi
A deer with a single horn in the center of its head -- much like the fabled, mythical unicorn -- has been spotted in a nature preserve in Italy, park officials said Wednesday.

"This is fantasy becoming reality," Gilberto Tozzi, director of the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato, said. "The unicorn has always been a mythological animal."

The one-year-old Roe Deer -- nicknamed "Unicorn" -- was born in captivity in the research center's park in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence, Tozzi said.

He is believed to have been born with a genetic flaw; his twin has two horns.

Calling it the first time he has seen such a case, Tozzi said such anomalies among deer may have inspired the myth of the unicorn.

The unicorn, a horse-like creature with magical healing powers, has appeared in legends and stories throughout history, from ancient and medieval texts to the adventures of Harry Potter.

"This shows that even in past times, there could have been animals with this anomaly," he said by telephone. "It's not like they dreamed it up."

Single-horned deer are rare but not unheard of -- but even more unusual is the central positioning of the horn, experts said.

"Generally, the horn is on one side (of the head) rather than being at the center. This looks like a complex case," said Fulvio Fraticelli, scientific director of Rome's zoo. He said the position of the horn could also be the result of a trauma early in the animal's life.

Other mammals are believed to contribute to the myth of the unicorn, including the narwhal, a whale with a long, spiraling tusk.

Ron Paul Plans his Own Convention

Maverick GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul has booked an arena in Minneapolis for a "mini-convention" that could steal some of John McCain's thunder just days before he accepts the Republican nomination.
A Paul campaign aide said the Texas congressman hopes to pack about 11,000 supporters into the Williams Arena at the University of Minnesota on Sept. 2, which coincides with the second day of the Republican National Convention at the Xcel Energy Center in neighboring St. Paul.
Paul, 72, will announce details for the rally Thursday at the start of the Texas Republican Convention in Houston.
The campaign hopes the daylong event will "send a message to the Republican Party," Paul campaign spokesman Jesse Benton tells the Tribune-Review.

Pittsburgh Tribune ... read more

REPUBLICANS PROTECT BIG OIL AGAIN

36 Billion Dollars Profits in the First 3 Months of this Year

“Americans are furious about what’s going on,” declared Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D. He said they want Congress to do something about oil company profits and the “orgy of speculation” on oil markets.

But Republican leaders kept the legislation from being brought up for debate and amendments.

After Tuesday’s defeat, Democrats did not rule out pushing the issue again.
“This was politics at its worst,” complained Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. “This was a refusal to debate the biggest problem confronting the American people. ... That takes nerve.”

click here ... read more

NASA: Earthquakes - Electrical Disturbances on the Edge of the Atmosphere

Researchers say they have found a close link between electrical disturbances on the edge of our atmosphere and impending quakes on the ground below.

Just such a signal was spotted in the days leading up to the recent devastating event in China.
On a significant number of occasions, satellites have picked up disturbances in this part of the atmosphere 100-600km above areas that have later been hit by earthquakes.
One of the most important of these is a fluctuation in the density of electrons and other electrically-charged particles in the ionosphere.

Rock 'batteries'

Minoru and his father Friedemann Freund, also from Nasa Ames Research Center, developed the scientific theory behind these earthquake precursors. It boils down to the idea that when rocks are compressed - as when tectonic plates shift - they act like batteries, producing electric currents.
"We now pretty much understand the solid-state physics of these rocks," Minoru added.
According to their theory, the charge carriers consist of a specific type of electron, called a phole, which can travel large distances in laboratory experiments.
When they travel to the surface of the Earth, the surface becomes positively charged. And this charge can be strong enough to affect the ionosphere, causing the disturbances documented by satellites.
When these pholes "recombine" at the surface of the Earth, they enter an excited state. They subsequently "de-excite" and emit mid-infrared light particles, or photons. This may explain the IR observations.
More: Atmosphere & Impending quakes"

Student Creates 866 mpg Vehicle Mixing Hydrogen with Gasoline

Minnesota High School senior Jon Soli has invented a duel fuel system that may one day be powering vehicles all across America.

It's taken him two years of work, but it's finally here. His invention could lower your fuel bills by 30%.

He built a battery-powered device that can actually turn water into energy and lower the amount of gas you need by about 23%.

"It'll lower emissions, clean up the environment, and it will save you money." (soli)

You may have heard of hydrogen cars. Soli's invention attaches to your motor and uses both hydrogen and oxygen for energy.

He and four friends re-designed the engine and design of a car so it gets 866 miles to the gallon. Their completed vehicle helped them take first place in the design proposal portion of the 20th annual Supermileage Challenge presented by the Minnesota Technology Education Association.

The car isn't safe for the road, but the combination of that engine, Soli's invention, and a safer frame could revolutionize the way we drive.

"I'm feeling great. I didn't know it would get this far. The project just seemed to get bigger and bigger," says Soli.

Within the last month, he won two international awards and $2,500 for his work. He says this is only the beginning.

Anti-Depressants Found in Public Water Supply

AP
Drinking water in Arlington tested positive for trace concentrations of the anti-anxiety medication meprobamate, city officials revealed Monday in response to a series of public records requests.
Monday's identification of meprobamate came after the Texas attorney general said those concerns were not well founded.
The AP reported in March that trace concentrations of pharmaceuticals have been detected in drinking water systems for 24 major U.S. metropolitan areas, affecting 41 million Americans.
After the AP's story was distributed, Arlington officials provided a few more details: trace concentrations of five pharmaceuticals - one antibiotic, two anti-seizure medications, one pain reliever and one minor tranquilizer - had been detected in the city's untreated source water.
The city also named the five: sulfamethoxazole, dilantin, carbamazepine, naproxen and meprobamate. But it declined at that time to identify which one also had been detected in treated drinking water.
More: Arlington Water

Hell Hath No Fury...Harriet Christian Bashes the DNC

And the Lord Said

I found this posted on a AOL Straw Poll thread and thought it was pretty funny...
by Marty

A reading from the Obama Scriptures for June 6, 2008.

From the Book of St. Marx

Chapter 6
Verse 66


In the beginning there was video tape.
and the Tape captured the Word.
and the Word was HATE.
and the Word sprung from the mouth of a Man.
and the Man was Wright.

And try as they might to keep
the Tape from the people
they could not.
After the lands of many caucuses had voted
the Tape was seen.

And the Lord Obama appeared distraught
because the people cried out Why Lord?
Why did you keep this man of hate in your midst?

And the Lord appeared to them and spoke:
This man is not a man of hate.
You do not understand what goes on in his pulpit.
Hate is Love
Mocking is Forgivenes
Insults are Ecstasy
Everything you believe about reality is wrong.
I am the Light and the Way.

Afterward the Olbermann tribe was first to sing out:
YES! YES LORD!
Lies are truth!
Hate is Love!
Division is Unity!

Soon the CNN Tribe, and the Huffington Tribe sang out
in praise of the Lord.

And those who knew
in their American guts
something was still wrong
tried to speak
but they were called racists
and scoundrels
and lepers.

And so the Arugulas worshipped their Lord in the public square
and worshiped St. Marx in secret.

And it came to pass that the Word of Hate was made normal.
And the march of the Lord went on as before.
The people pulled the wool back over their eyes.
And all was well.

And the Lord took a break to sneak a smoketh.

Antibacterial Wipes Can Spread Superbugs

By Michael Kahn
Disinfectant wipes routinely used in hospitals may actually spread drug-resistant bacteria rather than kill the dangerous infections, British researchers said on Tuesday.
While the wipes killed some bacteria, a study of two hospitals showed they did not get them all and could transfer the so-called superbugs to other surfaces, Gareth Williams, a microbiologist at Cardiff University, said.
MRSA infections can range from boils to more severe infections of the bloodstream, lungs and surgical sites. Most cases are associated with hospitals, nursing homes or other health care facilities.
The superbug can cause life-threatening and disfiguring infections and can often only be treated with expensive, intravenous antibiotics.
Experts have been saying for years that poor hospital practices spread dangerous bacteria, and yet many studies have shown that health care workers, including doctors and nurses, often fail to even wash their hands as directed.
The findings from a study of intensive care units at two Welsh hospitals suggest that even cleaning with antimicrobial wipes may not be enough depending on how staff use them.
The researchers found that many health care workers cleaned multiple surfaces near patients, such as bed rails, monitors and tables with a single wipe and risked sweeping the infections around rather than cleaning them up.
"We found that the most effective way to prevent the risk of MRSA spread in hospital wards is to ensure the wipe is used only once on one surface," Williams said.

Study Says Sunscreen Lotions Threaten Coral Reefs

Sun screen lotions used by beach-going tourists worldwide are a major cause of coral bleaching, according to a new study commissioned by the European Commission.
In experiments, the cream-based ultra-violet (UV) filters -- used to protect skin from the harmful effects of sun exposure -- caused bleaching of coral reefs even in small quantities, the study found.
Coral reefs are among the most biologically productive and diverse of ecosystems, and directly sustain half a billion people. But some 60 percent of these reef systems are threatened by a deadly combination of climate change, industrial pollution and excess UV radiation.
The new study, published in US journal Environmental Health Perspectives, has now added sun screens to the list of damaging agents, and estimates that up to 10 per cent of the world's reefs are at risk of sunscreen-induced coral bleaching.
Chemical compounds in sunscreen and other personal skin care products have been detected near both sea and freshwater tourist areas. Previous research has shown that these chemicals can accumulate in aquatic animals, and biodegrade into toxic by-products.
Researchers led by Roberto Danovaro at the University of Pisa in Italy added controlled amounts of three brands of sunscreen to seawater surrounding coral reefs in Mexico, Indonesia, Thailand and Egypt.
Even small doses provoked large discharges of coral mucous -- a clear sign of environmental stress -- within 18 to 48 hours. Within 96 hours complete bleaching of corals had occurred.
Virus levels in seawater surrounding coral branches increased to 15 times the level found in control samples, suggesting that sunscreens might stimulate latent viral infections, the study found.
Pesticides, hydrocarbons and other contaminants have also been found to induce algae or coral to release viruses, hastening the bleaching process.
According to the World Trade Organisation, around 10 per cent of tourism takes place in tropical areas, with 78 million tourists visiting coral reefs each year.
An estimated 4,000 to 6,000 tonnes of sunscreen are released annually in reef areas, with 25 per cent of the sunscreen ingredients on skin released into water over the course of a 20 minute submersion.
Sunscreens are made of around 20 compounds acting as UV filters and preservatives. Seven were tested for the study, including parabens, cinnamates, benzophenones and camphor derivatives.

Fake Bus Stop Keeps Alzheimer's Patients From Wandering Off

German nursing homes are using a novel strategy to stop Alzheimer's patients from wandering off: phantom bus stops.

The idea was first tried at Benrath Senior Centre in Düsseldorf, which pitched an exact replica of a standard stop outside, with one small difference: buses do not use it.
The centre had been forced to rely on police to retrieve patients who wanted to return to their often non-existent homes and families.
Then Benrath teamed up with a local care association called the "Old Lions". They went to the Rheinbahn transport network which supplied the bus stop.

It sounds funny but it helps," said Franz-Josef Goebel, the chairman of the "Old Lions" association.
"Our members are 84 years old on average. Their short-term memory hardly works, but the long-term memory is still active.
"They know the green and yellow bus sign and remember that waiting there means they will go home."
The result is that errant patients now wait for their trip home at the bus stop, before quickly forgetting why they were there in the first place.
"We will approach them and say that the bus is coming later and invite them in for a coffee," said Richard Neureither, Benrath's director. "Five minutes later they have completely forgotten they wanted to leave."
The idea has proved so successful that it has now been adopted by several other homes across Germany.

Telegraph.co.uk

Equity in Americans’ Homes Falls to Historic Low

Drops to 46.2 percent in first quarter — level not seen since end of WWII

The equity Americans have in their most important asset — their homes — has dropped to its lowest level since the end of World War II.

At the end of March, nearly 8.5 million homeowners had negative or no equity in their homes, representing more than 16 percent of all homeowners with a mortgage, according to Moody’s Economy.com Chief Economist Mark Zandi. By June 2009, he estimates that will increase to 12.2 million, or almost one out of every four homeowners with a mortgage.

click here to read story

Nature Has a Message for Us