Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Find an odd place and lie face down... Is this the most pointless internet craze yet?
"They lie rigidly face-down on rooftops, postboxes, luggage racks and even in the engine of a jumbo jet.
It's the latest and perhaps the most bizarre internet phenomenon yet to sweep the globe.
Several Facebook groups set up in honour of 'the Lying Down Game' display thousands of photographs of people lying face-down in progressively odder locations." http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1198572/Find-odd-place-lie-face--Is-pointless-internet-craze-yet.html#ixzz0LEaTcRQu&C http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1198572/Find-odd-place-lie-face--Is-pointless-internet-craze-yet.html
It's the latest and perhaps the most bizarre internet phenomenon yet to sweep the globe.
Several Facebook groups set up in honour of 'the Lying Down Game' display thousands of photographs of people lying face-down in progressively odder locations." http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1198572/Find-odd-place-lie-face--Is-pointless-internet-craze-yet.html#ixzz0LEaTcRQu&C http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1198572/Find-odd-place-lie-face--Is-pointless-internet-craze-yet.html
Monday, July 13, 2009
Where the wild things are; Intrepid reporter spends day at the zoo
"Star Phoenix reporter Jeremy Warren gets close and personal with Dobey the lion in the Saskatoon Forestry Farm's Lion's cage in Saskatoon, SK, on July 9th, 2009. Warren followed zoo keeper Sherry McIntosh for a day." http://www.thestarphoenix.com/travel/Where+wild+things/1781651/story.html
Zoom in on this ant
" This ant is from Madagascar, and is named Eutetramorium mocquerysi. The species is notable for having wingless queens that are indistinguishable from workers. This image is composed of 400 pictures, and it's magnified 400x using a scanning electron microscope. The ant was given to us to image by Brian Fisher (http://www.calacademy.org/science/heroes/bfisher/) an entomologist at the California Academy of Sciences. This Gigapan is part of the NanoGigaPan project. Which is working to take high resolution images of very small things. Read more on the project blog at http://nanogigapan.blogspot.com/ and see more of our work on the gigapan site at http://gigapan.org/profiles/mollygFor some optical images of this particular ant species, please visit ant web. http://www.antweb.org/description.do?rank=species&name=mocquerysi&genus=eutetramorium&project=madants " http://www.gigapan.org/viewGigapan.php?id=27105&window_height=806&window_width=1254
Benny the giant British bunny vies to become world's biggest rabbit
"A 2.8ft rabbit who munches his way through £60 worth of food every week is bouncing his way into the record books."Watching Whales Watching Us
"On the afternoon of Sept. 25, 2002, a group of marine biologists vacationing on Isla San José, in Baja California Sur, Mexico, came upon a couple of whales stranded along the beach. A quick assessment indicated that they had died quite recently. The scientists radioed a passing vessel and sent a message to a colleague at a nearby marine-mammal laboratory, who came to the beach to do an examination..." http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/magazine/12whales-t.html?_r=1&hp
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Romancing the Road
"This is an unusual love story involving an 89-year-old woman and her beloved Chariot. The two have been together for decades and traveled more than 540,000 miles across this nation's highways and side streets."
http://growingbolder.com/media/technology/vehicles/romancing-the-road-259598.html
http://growingbolder.com/media/technology/vehicles/romancing-the-road-259598.html
Drunk badger a pain
Reuters July 9, 2009 A badger in Germany got so drunk on over-ripe cherries it staggered into the middle of a road and refused to budge, police said on Wednesday. A motorist called police near the central town of Goslar to report a dead badger on a road -- only for officers to turn up and discover the animal alive and well, but drunk.
Police discovered the nocturnal beast had eaten cherries from a nearby tree which had turned to alcohol and given the badger diarrhea.
Having failed to scare the animal away, officers eventually chased it from the road with a broom.
© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix http://www.canada.com/news/Drunk+badger+pain/1773282/story.html
Police discovered the nocturnal beast had eaten cherries from a nearby tree which had turned to alcohol and given the badger diarrhea.
Having failed to scare the animal away, officers eventually chased it from the road with a broom.
© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix http://www.canada.com/news/Drunk+badger+pain/1773282/story.html
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Daring rodent shows puzzled leopard exactly who's boss by stealing its lunch
The mouse refuses to move despite the leopard's efforts.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1190772/What-squeak-Daring-mouse-whos-boss-scares-leopard-steals-lunch.html
How to do just about everything.
"What would you like to do? How to Write an eHow Article? How to Lower Blood Pressure? How to Earn Money on eHow? eHow is the world's most popular place to find step-by-step instructions on how to do just about everything." http://www.ehow.com/
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Two Canada hog workers hit by new non-pandemic flu
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, July 7 (Reuters) - Two farm workers in Western Canada have become infected with a new flu virus, health officials said on Tuesday, stressing the strain was not related to the H1N1 pandemic.
The two workers, both employees at a hog barn operation in the province of Saskatchewan, have fully recovered. A third case is under investigation.
The new virus contains genes from a seasonal human H1N1 flu strain and a flu virus common in the swine population called triple reassortant H3N2, said Dr. Greg Douglas, Saskatchewan's chief veterinary officer.
The virus is not connected to the H1N1 strain, sometimes referred to as swine flu, that has killed more than 400 people worldwide. That strain is believed to have begun in Mexico and has been labeled a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
There are no signs of increased illness in the hog herd, Douglas added.
"This is a human health issue," he said. "Saskatchewan pork continues to be safe ... This is not a food safety issue at all."
Concern about the issue of pigs becoming infected with the H1N1 flu has been heightened in Canada since a herd in Alberta became infected in April. A human worker who had visited Mexico was initially suspected as the source but was later ruled out.
The Saskatchewan farm is not under quarantine, but the owner has agreed not to move the pigs, said Dr. Frank Plummer, chief science adviser for the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The virus would likely not have been detected at all if not for heightened influenza testing as a result of the pandemic, Plummer said.
"Any time there's a new influenza A strain, we have to be concerned about it, but these events occur and are almost always dead ends," he said.
All workers on the hog farm are being vaccinated. Douglas said he expects the hogs will eventually go to slaughter as they normally would.
The workers have been in Saskatchewan for about one year and had not recently traveled, said Dr. Moira McKinnon, Saskatchewan's chief medical officer.
Plummer said the new virus was likely transmitted from the pigs to the workers, but said the source of transmission of the pandemic H1N1 virus on the Alberta hog farm, which was quarantined in April, was probably human.
More than a dozen countries have banned Canadian hogs or pork since the quarantine.
Bob Harding, executive director of the Canadian Swine Health Board, said there is concern that markets could misinterpret the new virus's connection to swine.
"This is a poorly understood science. It's changing as we speak, but it's not a pig thing," Harding said. (Reporting by Rod Nickel; editing by Rob Wilson) http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N08342126.htm
The two workers, both employees at a hog barn operation in the province of Saskatchewan, have fully recovered. A third case is under investigation.
The new virus contains genes from a seasonal human H1N1 flu strain and a flu virus common in the swine population called triple reassortant H3N2, said Dr. Greg Douglas, Saskatchewan's chief veterinary officer.
The virus is not connected to the H1N1 strain, sometimes referred to as swine flu, that has killed more than 400 people worldwide. That strain is believed to have begun in Mexico and has been labeled a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
There are no signs of increased illness in the hog herd, Douglas added.
"This is a human health issue," he said. "Saskatchewan pork continues to be safe ... This is not a food safety issue at all."
Concern about the issue of pigs becoming infected with the H1N1 flu has been heightened in Canada since a herd in Alberta became infected in April. A human worker who had visited Mexico was initially suspected as the source but was later ruled out.
The Saskatchewan farm is not under quarantine, but the owner has agreed not to move the pigs, said Dr. Frank Plummer, chief science adviser for the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The virus would likely not have been detected at all if not for heightened influenza testing as a result of the pandemic, Plummer said.
"Any time there's a new influenza A strain, we have to be concerned about it, but these events occur and are almost always dead ends," he said.
All workers on the hog farm are being vaccinated. Douglas said he expects the hogs will eventually go to slaughter as they normally would.
The workers have been in Saskatchewan for about one year and had not recently traveled, said Dr. Moira McKinnon, Saskatchewan's chief medical officer.
Plummer said the new virus was likely transmitted from the pigs to the workers, but said the source of transmission of the pandemic H1N1 virus on the Alberta hog farm, which was quarantined in April, was probably human.
More than a dozen countries have banned Canadian hogs or pork since the quarantine.
Bob Harding, executive director of the Canadian Swine Health Board, said there is concern that markets could misinterpret the new virus's connection to swine.
"This is a poorly understood science. It's changing as we speak, but it's not a pig thing," Harding said. (Reporting by Rod Nickel; editing by Rob Wilson) http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N08342126.htm
Think your browser history is private? Think again.
"While it might not be news to some of our readers, more casual computer users might want to take ..." http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/07/02/think-your-browser-history-is-private-think-again/
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
GI who fought in pink boxers home for 4th
"In a May 11 photo, U.S. soldiers take defensive positions at an outpost after receiving fire from Taliban positions in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan's Kunar Province. Spc. Zachary Boyd of Fort Worth, Texas, far left was wearing "I love NY" boxer shorts after rushing from his sleeping quarters. From far right is Spc. Cecil Montgomery of Many, La., and Jordan Custer of Spokane, Wash." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31740955
Amazing Animal Facts
1. Penguins can jump 6 feet in the air.
2. A group of Kangaroos is called a mob.
3. A young Kangaroo is called a Joey.
4. Emus and kangaroos cannot walk backwards.
5. Beavers can hold their breathe for 45 minutes under water.
6. The smallest bird in the world is the Humming Bird. It weighs less than 1 oz (or 28g).
7. A bear can run at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h).
8. Elephants are the only animal that can’t jump.
9. Polar bears are left handed.
10. A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
11. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
12. Tigers have striped skin not just striped fur.
13. Reindeer eat moss because it contains a chemical that stops their body from freezing.
14.The coyote’s scientific name (Canis Latrans) means ‘barking dog’.
15. Snakes can see through their eyelids.
16. A Woodpecker can peck 20 times per second.
17. Woodpeckers don’t get headaches from all that pecking. Their skulls have air pockets to cushion the brain.
18. The praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head 360 degrees.
19. Butterflies tast sensors are in their feet. They taste their food by standing on it.
20. Katydids have ears in their front legs.
21. The strongest animal in the world is the rhinoceros beetle. It can lift 850 times its own weight.
22. Flamingos are pink because shrimp is one of their main sources of food.
23. The flying frog uses flaps of skin between its toes to glide.
24. The slowest mammal on earth is the tree sloth. It only moves at a speed of 6 feet (1.83 meters) per minute.
25. The Chameleon’s tongue is as long as its body.
26. The Chameleon can focus its eyes seperately to watch two objects at once.
27. The Kangaroo’s ancestors lived in trees. Today there are eight different kinds of tree kangaroos.
28. Flamingos eat with their heads upside down to strain the water out of their food.
29. Many snakes never stop growing. That’s one reason they must shed their skin.
30. The Artic Tern flies from the North Pole to the South Pole and then back again to spend summer in each place.
31. The black bulldog ant from Australia is the most dangerous ant in the world. It stings and bites at the same time and has killed humans.
32. A hippopotamus can stay under water for up to 30 minutes.
33. The Basenji is the only dog which does not bark.
34. Armadillos, opossums and sloths spend up to 80 percent of their lives sleeping. http://www.fun.chanun.com/amazing/amazing-animal-facts
2. A group of Kangaroos is called a mob.
3. A young Kangaroo is called a Joey.
4. Emus and kangaroos cannot walk backwards.
5. Beavers can hold their breathe for 45 minutes under water.
6. The smallest bird in the world is the Humming Bird. It weighs less than 1 oz (or 28g).
7. A bear can run at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h).
8. Elephants are the only animal that can’t jump.
9. Polar bears are left handed.
10. A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
11. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
12. Tigers have striped skin not just striped fur.
13. Reindeer eat moss because it contains a chemical that stops their body from freezing.
14.The coyote’s scientific name (Canis Latrans) means ‘barking dog’.
15. Snakes can see through their eyelids.
16. A Woodpecker can peck 20 times per second.
17. Woodpeckers don’t get headaches from all that pecking. Their skulls have air pockets to cushion the brain.
18. The praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head 360 degrees.
19. Butterflies tast sensors are in their feet. They taste their food by standing on it.
20. Katydids have ears in their front legs.
21. The strongest animal in the world is the rhinoceros beetle. It can lift 850 times its own weight.
22. Flamingos are pink because shrimp is one of their main sources of food.
23. The flying frog uses flaps of skin between its toes to glide.
24. The slowest mammal on earth is the tree sloth. It only moves at a speed of 6 feet (1.83 meters) per minute.
25. The Chameleon’s tongue is as long as its body.
26. The Chameleon can focus its eyes seperately to watch two objects at once.
27. The Kangaroo’s ancestors lived in trees. Today there are eight different kinds of tree kangaroos.
28. Flamingos eat with their heads upside down to strain the water out of their food.
29. Many snakes never stop growing. That’s one reason they must shed their skin.
30. The Artic Tern flies from the North Pole to the South Pole and then back again to spend summer in each place.
31. The black bulldog ant from Australia is the most dangerous ant in the world. It stings and bites at the same time and has killed humans.
32. A hippopotamus can stay under water for up to 30 minutes.
33. The Basenji is the only dog which does not bark.
34. Armadillos, opossums and sloths spend up to 80 percent of their lives sleeping. http://www.fun.chanun.com/amazing/amazing-animal-facts
NASA
"NASA's mission is to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.
To do that, thousands of people have been working around the world -- and off of it -- for 50 years, trying to answer some basic questions. What's out there in space? How do we get there? What will we find? What can we learn there, or learn just by trying to get there, that will make life better here on Earth?" http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html
Monday, July 6, 2009
Dog & Duck Make Unlikely Pet Pals
IOWA -- A pair of animals in Iowa are proving that everyone needs a companion, no matter how unusual the pairing.
Believe it or not, the one-year-old duck and 7-year-old lab are best friends.
Owner Tiffany Smith, 17, introduced the unlikely pet pals.
Smith originally had two ducks on her farm. When one of them died, she introduced "Sterling" the duck to "Cleo" the family dog. Apparently, the two became instant friends.
Smith says the animals are now inseparable and, despite the occasional growl from Cleo, they eat the same food and even sleep together. http://www.wcpo.com/content/news/saywhat/story/Dog-Duck-Make-Unlikely-Pet-Pals/wYaF3f58o02PetYpz70SSw.cspx
Believe it or not, the one-year-old duck and 7-year-old lab are best friends.
Owner Tiffany Smith, 17, introduced the unlikely pet pals.
Smith originally had two ducks on her farm. When one of them died, she introduced "Sterling" the duck to "Cleo" the family dog. Apparently, the two became instant friends.
Smith says the animals are now inseparable and, despite the occasional growl from Cleo, they eat the same food and even sleep together. http://www.wcpo.com/content/news/saywhat/story/Dog-Duck-Make-Unlikely-Pet-Pals/wYaF3f58o02PetYpz70SSw.cspx
Tornado touches down in central Alberta
RED DEER, Alta. — Many residents of Red Deer watched with awe and some apprehension as a funnel cloud dropped down into a tornado just north of the central Alberta city Saturday evening.
"It looked like it touched down," Environment Canada meteorologist Steve Knott said. "Definitely not just a regular funnel cloud, but a tornado that was on the ground."
Red Deer resident Josh Radtke said he and his wife got a call from his mother-in-law telling them there was a funnel cloud above their house. He looked out the back door and saw the cloud forming. A few minutes later he spotted it dropping down.
"We were a little nervous," said Radtke, who lives in north of the city. "We've got a six month old daughter so we got some formula and water and got a spot ready in the basement just in case it built."
Red Deer resident Kelvin Arendt said it began with a light patch and V shape in the cloud.
He said the bottom of the V stretched out and then suck back in, before suddenly "it just dropped down into that snake."
"You see it and you just hope it's not going to come this way," Arendt said. "It's the first time I've actually seen one that close."
Knott said there are roughly 15 tornadoes reported in Alberta each year. In this case, a group of storms developed to northwest of Red Deer.
"They essentially moved southeastwards towards Red Deer," Knot said of the storms. "They had an instability line associated with it and one of them happened to spin up that tornado that we observed."
No injuries or property damage have been reported.
Red Deer is 145 kilometres north of Calgary. http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Tornado+touches+down+central+Alberta/1760921/story.html
"It looked like it touched down," Environment Canada meteorologist Steve Knott said. "Definitely not just a regular funnel cloud, but a tornado that was on the ground."
Red Deer resident Josh Radtke said he and his wife got a call from his mother-in-law telling them there was a funnel cloud above their house. He looked out the back door and saw the cloud forming. A few minutes later he spotted it dropping down.
"We were a little nervous," said Radtke, who lives in north of the city. "We've got a six month old daughter so we got some formula and water and got a spot ready in the basement just in case it built."
Red Deer resident Kelvin Arendt said it began with a light patch and V shape in the cloud.
He said the bottom of the V stretched out and then suck back in, before suddenly "it just dropped down into that snake."
"You see it and you just hope it's not going to come this way," Arendt said. "It's the first time I've actually seen one that close."
Knott said there are roughly 15 tornadoes reported in Alberta each year. In this case, a group of storms developed to northwest of Red Deer.
"They essentially moved southeastwards towards Red Deer," Knot said of the storms. "They had an instability line associated with it and one of them happened to spin up that tornado that we observed."
No injuries or property damage have been reported.
Red Deer is 145 kilometres north of Calgary. http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Tornado+touches+down+central+Alberta/1760921/story.html
Great speeches in history
Think left and think right
and think low and think high
Oh! the Thinks you can think up
if only you try!
Dr. Seuss http://www.thespeeches.com/index.html
and think low and think high
Oh! the Thinks you can think up
if only you try!
Dr. Seuss http://www.thespeeches.com/index.html
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
"NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has transmitted its first images since reaching the moon on June 23." http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/lroc_20090702_a.html
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Injured Marine Runs for Charity
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," July 1, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Now, each fiscal quarter, the FOX Nation will donate a portion of its merchandise proceeds to a different charity. Now, this quarter, the FOX Nation will be contributing to the Special Operations Warrior Fund.
Now, the charity was chosen after hearing the story of Keith Zeier, a U.S. Marine who was severely wounded in Iraq by an IED explosion in July of 2006.
Now, Keith's left leg was shattered so badly in that attack that he was told by doctors that he would not be able to walk again without the help of a cane, but Keith, well, he had other plans. And just a few months ago, he completed a 100-mile ultra-marathon in Florida, raising $50,000 for the Special Operations Warrior Fund.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529863,00.html
The Secluded Secrets of Northern Peru
"They seem a million miles away from the crowds that mill and madden around Machu Picchu that you might imagine that they are indeed secret. Yet the sites of Northern Peru are there for all to visit..."http://trifter.com/caribbean-latin-america/peru/the-secluded-secrets-of-northern-peru/
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Don't look down: Terrifying view from glass box balcony jutting out from skyscraper's 103rd floor
"If you're scared of heights, it may be time to look away now.
Not content with having the tallest building in America, the owners of Sears Tower in Chicago have installed four glass box viewing platforms which stick out of the building 103 floors up.
The balconies are suspended 1,353 feet in the air and jut out four feet from the building's Skydeck." http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1196967/Dont-look-Terrifying-view-glass-box-balcony-jutting-skyscrapers-103rd-floor.html
Not content with having the tallest building in America, the owners of Sears Tower in Chicago have installed four glass box viewing platforms which stick out of the building 103 floors up.
The balconies are suspended 1,353 feet in the air and jut out four feet from the building's Skydeck." http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1196967/Dont-look-Terrifying-view-glass-box-balcony-jutting-skyscrapers-103rd-floor.html
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Things that Make a Mother Twinge
"There's this feeling - I don't know how to describe it. It's sort of a twinge in the stomach...a sick little feeling that in a better world, this wouldn't be necessary. One of those things, for me, has always been dog tags (and WHERE did they get the name "dog tags" from?). When Elie first showed me his tags and told me where they are kept, I felt sick."http://israelisoldiersmother.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Getting Old Is Better Than Expected
When do we get old? People age 18 to 29 say "old age" starts at about 60. But those in middle-age figure it starts at 70. And those 65 and older put the threshold at 74.
So it goes with other perceptions about aging in a new survey from the Pew Research Center. The disparities between what younger people expect will happen as they age, and what really happens, are stark.
Good memory, good health, good sex. It's enough to make the grandkids cringe!
Adults age 18 to 64 were asked what they expect will happen when they get old. Those 65 and older were asked what actually has happened to them. The results (18-64 / 65 and older):
Suffer memory loss (57 percent think they'll suffer it / 25 percent do)
Not be able to drive: 45 percent / 14 percent
Suffer a serious illness: 42 percent / 21 percent
Not be sexually active: 34 percent / 21 percent
That means 79 percent of seniors are having sex, contrary to what they probably expected would be the case when they were younger. A separate study in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007 found that more than half of 75- to 85-year-olds reported having sex at least twice a month.
And the vast majority of them can drive home afterward, if necessary.
If you think all this has got to make older people happy, you're probably right.
The survey fits with other studies that have shown Americans grow happier as they age. Being male or Republican doesn't hurt, other research finds.
Previous research has shown that happiness in old age depends not just on health and reality, but on attitude. One study found that people age 60 to 98 who had dealt with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental health conditions or a range of other problems were surprisingly happy.
Things indeed get worse for those who live beyond age 80, the new Pew Center survey found. About 41 percent of respondents age 85 and older say they've experiences some memory loss and 30 percent are often sad or depressed.
Still, even really old age doesn't sound as bad, on average, as younger folks expect. A mere 1 percent of those 85 and older said their lives have turned out worse than they expected.
The survey, released today and available here, involved 2,969 U.S. adults. http://www.livescience.com/health/090629-old-age.html
So it goes with other perceptions about aging in a new survey from the Pew Research Center. The disparities between what younger people expect will happen as they age, and what really happens, are stark.
Good memory, good health, good sex. It's enough to make the grandkids cringe!
Adults age 18 to 64 were asked what they expect will happen when they get old. Those 65 and older were asked what actually has happened to them. The results (18-64 / 65 and older):
Suffer memory loss (57 percent think they'll suffer it / 25 percent do)
Not be able to drive: 45 percent / 14 percent
Suffer a serious illness: 42 percent / 21 percent
Not be sexually active: 34 percent / 21 percent
That means 79 percent of seniors are having sex, contrary to what they probably expected would be the case when they were younger. A separate study in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007 found that more than half of 75- to 85-year-olds reported having sex at least twice a month.
And the vast majority of them can drive home afterward, if necessary.
If you think all this has got to make older people happy, you're probably right.
The survey fits with other studies that have shown Americans grow happier as they age. Being male or Republican doesn't hurt, other research finds.
Previous research has shown that happiness in old age depends not just on health and reality, but on attitude. One study found that people age 60 to 98 who had dealt with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental health conditions or a range of other problems were surprisingly happy.
Things indeed get worse for those who live beyond age 80, the new Pew Center survey found. About 41 percent of respondents age 85 and older say they've experiences some memory loss and 30 percent are often sad or depressed.
Still, even really old age doesn't sound as bad, on average, as younger folks expect. A mere 1 percent of those 85 and older said their lives have turned out worse than they expected.
The survey, released today and available here, involved 2,969 U.S. adults. http://www.livescience.com/health/090629-old-age.html
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Are you a passionate hobby photographer?
"You are ready to be inspired, to share your passion and knowledge with more than 953,309 members? Great! Then fotocommunity is the perfect place for you and your creative works. ' http://www.fotocommunity.com/
The Dog Flu Virus: Are You or Your Pet at Risk?
In today’s Science Times, health reporter Donald McNeil writes about a new flu virus circulating in dogs. Mr. McNeil writes:
While fears of a flu pandemic among humans have shifted from the lethal H5N1 avian flu to the relatively mild H1N1 swine flu, the H3N8 canine flu has been a quiet undercurrent in the United States, rarely discussed except among veterinarians and dog owners in the few areas where it has struck hard: Florida, New York City’s northern suburbs, Philadelphia and Denver.
Dr. Cynda Crawford, co-discoverer of the dog flu virus.This week, Dr. Cynda Crawford, one of the discoverers of the virus and a veterinarian at the University of Florida veterinary school, joins the Consults blog to answers readers’ questions about the dog flu and the first vaccine approved for it.
Read Mr. McNeil’s full story, “New Flu Vaccine Approved — for Dogs.”
http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com/
While fears of a flu pandemic among humans have shifted from the lethal H5N1 avian flu to the relatively mild H1N1 swine flu, the H3N8 canine flu has been a quiet undercurrent in the United States, rarely discussed except among veterinarians and dog owners in the few areas where it has struck hard: Florida, New York City’s northern suburbs, Philadelphia and Denver.
Dr. Cynda Crawford, co-discoverer of the dog flu virus.This week, Dr. Cynda Crawford, one of the discoverers of the virus and a veterinarian at the University of Florida veterinary school, joins the Consults blog to answers readers’ questions about the dog flu and the first vaccine approved for it.
Read Mr. McNeil’s full story, “New Flu Vaccine Approved — for Dogs.”
http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com/
Sask. sees second H1N1-related death
"Saskatchewan's Ministry of Health is reporting a second H1N1 influenza-associated death and the province's chief medical health officer warns there will be more."http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/saskatchewan/index.html
25 Awesome Virtual Learning Experiences Online
1.http://aceonlineschools.com/25-awesome-virtual-learning-experiences-online/ .This is an interesting place to surf, you can tour the solar system. 2.http://library.thinkquest.org/28327/main/cockpit.html#bottom
Monday, June 29, 2009
Finally a simple and effective method to make money online by attracting traffic to your website using standard easy-to-use software!
I have not checked out this site yet . There is work to do on this blog. There are a few sites on this blog that I want to come back and examine, but I just don't find the time, and when I do I can't find them. I have to put these sites into categories, ie. humor, news,computor,etc. I will have to get my nephew over one of these days to give me a hand to do some work and help me with his computer skills. Monday. I have a lot of cleaning and running around to do today. Today I will be happy, I will not let anyone get me down, especially me. By the left, quick march! I hope whoever stops by has a pleasant and productive week. Thomas. http://www.refererx.com/ 
Friday, June 26, 2009
Michael Jackson Dead at 50
1.http://www.tmz.com/ 2.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1195626/Did-painkiller-addiction-pressure-building-sullied-reputation-kill-Michael-Jackson.html 3.http://www.salon.com/Michael Jackson-Billie Jean-30th Anniversary Special - The best video clips are right here
Remembering Michael Jackson:http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/06/25/jackson.career.life/
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Photos from Slate
"Magnum takes a peek at what’s lurking just around the corner."http://todayspictures.slate.com/20090618/
Weed, Booze, Cocaine and Other Old School "Medicine" Ads
"Here are some vintage advertisements touting items that we might balk at taking today..." http://www.pharmacytechs.net/blog/old-school-medicine-ads
15 Skilled & Sublime Nature Photographers [50 Pics]
"With all the beauty that exists on this earth, we’re lucky that there are so many amazingly talented photographers out there capturing it for all to see. Underwater scenes, moonlit landscapes, terrifyingly extreme weather, majestic wildlife and aurora borealis coloring the sky are just a handful of the subjects these 15 nature and environmental photographers have tackled." http://webecoist.com/2008/12/22/nature-environmental-photographers-photos/
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
How Nuclear Bombs Work
Pink Floyd - Mother Mother, do you think they'll drop the bomb?
Mother, do you think they'll like this song?
Mother, do you think they'll try to break my balls?
Ooh ah,
Mother, should I build the wall?
Mother, should I run for presidence?
Mother, should I trust the government?
Mama, will they put me in the firing line?
Ooh ah,
Is it just a waste of time
Hush now baby, baby, don't you cry.
Mamma's gonna make all of your nightmares come true,
Mamma's gonna put all of her fears into you,
Mamma's gonna keep you right here, under her wing.
She won't let you fly, but she might let you sing,
Mamma's gonna keep baby cosy and warm.
Oooh babe, Oooh babe, Oooh babe,
Of course Mamma's gonna help build the wall.
Mama, do you think she's good enough, for me?
Mama, do you think she's dangerous, to me?
Mama, will she tear your little boy apart?
Ooh ah,
Mother, will she break my heart?
Hush now baby, baby, don't you cry.
Mamma's going to check out all your girlfriends for you,
Mamma won't let anyone dirty get through,
Mamma's gonna wait up until you get in.
Mamma will always find out where you've been,
Mamma's gonna keep baby healthy and clean.
Oooh babe, Oooh babe, Oooh babe,
You'll always be baby to me.
Mother, did it need to be so high?
Bingo! Eating out, games keep seniors moving
Researchers from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago found that the decline in people's ability to get around tended to happen more slowly to people who were more socially active.Photograph by: Peter Macdiarmid, Getty Images NEW YORK - Eating out with friends and playing bingo can help people keep moving as they age, according to a U.S. study.
Researchers from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago found that the decline in people's ability to get around tended to happen more slowly to people who were more socially active.
"Being more active in a wider array of activities looks like it might be good for you," reseacher Dr. Aron Buchman told Reuters Health.
Buchman said the loss of motor function is a major public health problem as the nation's aging population is growing and this research could help tackle this problem.
"If it turns out to be true, it's something that we can intervene with on a large scale without costing society a lot of money," he said.
Several studies have shown that being physically active helps stave off motor decline in older people, Buchman and his team noted in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
But there's growing evidence that social activities and other pursuits keep people's minds sharp and extend their lives.
To date, however, no one has looked at whether social activity might have physical benefits.
To investigate, Buchman and his colleagues looked at 906 people participating in a long-term study of aging.
At the study's outset, all were quizzed on how frequently they engaged in six different types of social activity, from going out to restaurants to playing bingo and visiting friends. They also underwent a battery of tests of motor function.
People with higher levels of social activity had better physical function, the researchers found.
A one-point lower score on the scale the researchers used to gauge social activity was equivalent to a person having the motor function of a person five years older.
Over five years of follow-up, people with lower social activity scores had a faster physical decline. People with lower levels of physical activity were also more likely to become disabled and more likely to die sooner.
While it's possible that people who were more physically able were more likely to engage in social activity, Buchman and his team analyzed the results in a number of different ways to test whether the social activity-motor function link was causal.
They controlled for a host of factors including disability, joint pain and depressive symptoms, and found the relationship remained. The link also persisted when they removed disabled people or people with Parkinson's disease from their analysis.
Research on mirror neurons, which are cells in the brain that activate when a person performs a certain movement - and also when someone watches another person do the same movement - suggests that a possible mechanism by which the social and the physical could be linked, the researcher noted.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Free Gilad
"From the time our children are born, we accept that our identity has changed. We were so many things, and continue to be. But in the moments after we give birth, and in the years that follow, we become something so much more. I have been a mother for more than 20 years, seeing my children through their baby years, their school years, into their teenage years. And now, as I see my oldest son enter the army of Israel, I become a soldier's mother." Twitter and Gilad
Memory Loss
"Doc!" the elderly man yelled. "I've lost my memory!"
"Calm down, sir. When did this happen?"
The man looked at him, puzzled. "When did what happen?" http://www.mycleanhumor.com/clean-jokes/aging-jokes/memory-loss.asp
"Calm down, sir. When did this happen?"
The man looked at him, puzzled. "When did what happen?" http://www.mycleanhumor.com/clean-jokes/aging-jokes/memory-loss.asp
Welcome to PBase
"Host and share your photos on the Internet." Awesome collection of photos: http://www.pbase.com/mcax9/gallery01
Monday, June 22, 2009
Don't discount danger of West Nile: official
The cool spring weather meant a slow start for the mosquitoes that can carry the West Nile virus, but the hot weather-loving insect can thrive in the weeks ahead, provincial officials cautioned Friday.
The Ministry of Health held a news conference in Regina to remind people to be alert to the risks.
"We don't want people to stay indoors, so Saskatchewan should enjoy the summer. But they should certainly take precautions," said Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer, Dr. Moira McKinnon, who recommended wearing long sleeves, using insect repellent containing DEET and avoiding going to mosquito-laden areas, particularly at dawn and dusk.
The province had a record year in 2007 with more than 1,400 human cases of the virus, including 113 cases of the severe West Nile neurological syndrome. The virus also contributed to the deaths of six people with underlying medical conditions.
Just 17 human cases were recorded last year, including one severe case.
It's difficult to predict what this year will bring, said provincial entomologist Phil Curry, who noted the risk season usually goes from late June through to early September.
He urged people not to get complacent about the virus, which has been seen in Saskatchewan for the past seven summers. The "nuisance" mosquitoes out right now will soon die off, which may leave people with the false impression they don't need to wear repellent, he said. However, the "sneaky" Culex tarsalis mosquito will be busy biting.
"It tends to come out around the evening and dusk period. It's the mosquito that comes out just as you're wrapping up your soccer game and you notice a few mosquitoes out or you're sitting on your deck and you notice a few mosquitoes that are biting at your ankles," Curry said.
"Unfortunately, come July, the majority of the mosquitoes that are there are Culex tarsalis and some of them will be infected."
© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/discount+danger+West+Nile+official/1716318/story.html
The Ministry of Health held a news conference in Regina to remind people to be alert to the risks.
"We don't want people to stay indoors, so Saskatchewan should enjoy the summer. But they should certainly take precautions," said Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer, Dr. Moira McKinnon, who recommended wearing long sleeves, using insect repellent containing DEET and avoiding going to mosquito-laden areas, particularly at dawn and dusk.
The province had a record year in 2007 with more than 1,400 human cases of the virus, including 113 cases of the severe West Nile neurological syndrome. The virus also contributed to the deaths of six people with underlying medical conditions.
Just 17 human cases were recorded last year, including one severe case.
It's difficult to predict what this year will bring, said provincial entomologist Phil Curry, who noted the risk season usually goes from late June through to early September.
He urged people not to get complacent about the virus, which has been seen in Saskatchewan for the past seven summers. The "nuisance" mosquitoes out right now will soon die off, which may leave people with the false impression they don't need to wear repellent, he said. However, the "sneaky" Culex tarsalis mosquito will be busy biting.
"It tends to come out around the evening and dusk period. It's the mosquito that comes out just as you're wrapping up your soccer game and you notice a few mosquitoes out or you're sitting on your deck and you notice a few mosquitoes that are biting at your ankles," Curry said.
"Unfortunately, come July, the majority of the mosquitoes that are there are Culex tarsalis and some of them will be infected."
© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/discount+danger+West+Nile+official/1716318/story.html
Listerine VS Mosquitoes:http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/medical/a/listerine.htm
PC Tools Firewall Plus™ 5 for Windows®
"Easy-to-use, free software firewall for PC users to protect your computer from intruders and malicious network traffic."http://www.pctools.com/firewall/
Is there a place for God’s Holy Mountain in Jerusalem?
Posted by: Ari Rabinovitch
Tags: AxisMundi, FaithWorld, Front Row Washington, christian, dome, interfaith, islam, jerusalem, jewish, mohammad, muslim, temple
Asher Frohlich’s painting of “God’s Holy Mountain” (at right) depicts a scene from an imagined future Jerusalem where Islam’s Dome of the Rock stands beside a rebuilt Jewish temple and worshipers of different faiths mingle in the courtyard.
Is this scene too good to come true?
The problem today, in the simplest of terms, stems from the fact that one spot in the heart of the old city of Jerusalem, is sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. Jews know it as the Temple Mount and Muslims call it al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary). For more about the religious history of the complex, click here.
Today, a gilded dome stands above a rock where Muslims believe Mohammad rose to heaven. It is the same spot where a sanctuary known as the ‘holy of holies’ of two ancient Jewish temples is believed to have been located. Many Jews still pray for the temple to be rebuilt, a step some believe would then herald the return of the Messiah and a time of world peace.
A project launched this week hopes to pave the way, through theological research and debate, to a new outlook that would allow all religions to share the complex. Part of this ”vision” is explained in depth in an entry on the Washington Post Web site.
The group says the initiative is “based on five years of research into the requirements for the precise location of a rebuilt Temple”. Its web site quotes a passage from Jewish law, called Halacha, to argue that a new, nearby location could be chosen to build a third temple, not in the spot traditionally regarded as the correct site but has been occupied by the Dome of the Rock since the 7th century:
“Halachically, it is possible to extend the area of the Temple Mount as noted in the Mishnah (Sanhedrin 1:5, Shevu’ot 2:2),” the passage said. “A possible way of expanding the Temple Mount could be to build an earthen extension in a way that it becomes an integral part of the original mountain (Mount Moriah) and to sanctify that area per the methods described in Maimonides.”
Even if all three monotheistic religions re-examine their theological connections to the site, is it enough to lead to a remapping of the holy complex? Or, as even the project’s director Yoav Frankel acknowledges, would it take “a holy revelation given to an authentic prophet” to realize this vision? http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2009/06/19/is-there-a-place-for-gods-holy-mountain-in-jerusalem/
Tags: AxisMundi, FaithWorld, Front Row Washington, christian, dome, interfaith, islam, jerusalem, jewish, mohammad, muslim, temple
Asher Frohlich’s painting of “God’s Holy Mountain” (at right) depicts a scene from an imagined future Jerusalem where Islam’s Dome of the Rock stands beside a rebuilt Jewish temple and worshipers of different faiths mingle in the courtyard.
Is this scene too good to come true?
The problem today, in the simplest of terms, stems from the fact that one spot in the heart of the old city of Jerusalem, is sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. Jews know it as the Temple Mount and Muslims call it al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary). For more about the religious history of the complex, click here.
Today, a gilded dome stands above a rock where Muslims believe Mohammad rose to heaven. It is the same spot where a sanctuary known as the ‘holy of holies’ of two ancient Jewish temples is believed to have been located. Many Jews still pray for the temple to be rebuilt, a step some believe would then herald the return of the Messiah and a time of world peace.
A project launched this week hopes to pave the way, through theological research and debate, to a new outlook that would allow all religions to share the complex. Part of this ”vision” is explained in depth in an entry on the Washington Post Web site.
The group says the initiative is “based on five years of research into the requirements for the precise location of a rebuilt Temple”. Its web site quotes a passage from Jewish law, called Halacha, to argue that a new, nearby location could be chosen to build a third temple, not in the spot traditionally regarded as the correct site but has been occupied by the Dome of the Rock since the 7th century:
“Halachically, it is possible to extend the area of the Temple Mount as noted in the Mishnah (Sanhedrin 1:5, Shevu’ot 2:2),” the passage said. “A possible way of expanding the Temple Mount could be to build an earthen extension in a way that it becomes an integral part of the original mountain (Mount Moriah) and to sanctify that area per the methods described in Maimonides.”
Even if all three monotheistic religions re-examine their theological connections to the site, is it enough to lead to a remapping of the holy complex? Or, as even the project’s director Yoav Frankel acknowledges, would it take “a holy revelation given to an authentic prophet” to realize this vision? http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2009/06/19/is-there-a-place-for-gods-holy-mountain-in-jerusalem/
Friday, June 19, 2009
Proposed Internet crackdown gives cops new cyber weapons
"Government legislation introduced in Parliament on Thursday will help authorities catch up to the 'bad guys' who've had the run of cyberspace for too long", said Justice Minister Rob Nicholson. http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Technology/Proposed+Internet+crackdown+gives+cops+cyber+weapons/1710210/story.html
The Earth under the microscope
“View the Milky Way at 10 million light years from the Earth. Then move through space towards the Earth in successive orders of magnitude until you reach a tall oak tree… After that, begin to move from the actual size of a leaf into a microscopic world that reveals leaf cell walls, the cell nucleus, chromatin, DNA and finally, into the subatomic universe of electrons and protons”.
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