WELLINGTON, New Zealand - It seemed like an almost literal answer to their prayers. When two New Zealand pilots ran out of fuel in a microlight airplane they offered prayers and were able to make an emergency landing in a field — coming to rest right next to a sign reading, "Jesus is Lord."
Grant Stubbs and Owen Wilson, both from the town of Blenheim on the country's South Island, were flying up the sloping valley of Pelorus Sound when the engine spluttered, coughed and died.
"My friend and I are both Christians so our immediate reaction in a life-threatening situation was to ask for God's help," Stubbs told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
He said he prayed during the ill-fated flight Sunday that the tiny craft would get over the top of a ridge and that they would find a landing site that was not too steep — or in the nearby sea.
Wilson said that the pair would have been in deep trouble if the fuel had run out five minutes earlier.
"If it had to run out, that was the place to be," he said. "There was an instantaneous answer to prayer as we crossed the ridge and there was an airfield — I didn't know it existed till then."
After Wilson glided the powerless craft to a landing on the grassy strip, the pair noticed they were beside a 20-foot-tall sign that read, "Jesus is Lord — The Bible."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/odd_flight_prayer
Girl Sells 17,328 Boxes of Girl Scout Cookies
15-year-old Jennifer Sharpe from Dearborn, Michigan might have set a National record for the amount of Girl Scout cookies sold in one season. Jennifer sold 17,328 boxes in just one season.
Jennifer set up shop in a church parking lot from 3pm to 7pm. Monday through Saturday. Sundays, she moved her operation to an auto parts store from 11am to 7pm.
She said, "I know how to get people to buy more. If they buy two boxes and they hand me a 10, I'd be like, 'For 50 cents more, you can get three,' because three boxes are $10.50."
http://www.dlisted.com/node/25942
Cuban Man Attempts to Make the World's Longest Cigar
Jose Castelar, the champion cigar-roller in Cuba, rolled a 98-foot-long stogie the other day in a bid to break the world record.
The 64-year-old was joined by five assistants as he used almost 93 pounds of high-quality tobacco to assemble the massive cigar that stretched across 14 long tables. Castelar rolled record cigars in both 2001 and 2003, and then broke the record again in 2005 with a 67-foot-long smoke.
Competition is evidently stiff for long-cigar rolling. Unfortunately for Castelar, Guinness says the world record actually belongs to Puerto Rican Patricio Pena, who last year made a 135-foot-long cigar.
http://www.asylum.com/
Dan Rather resubmits suit against CBS
Dan Rather fired off a new lawsuit against his former network Tuesday, charging that CBS News labeled the anchor "too hot to handle" and prevented him from being hired by other networks after his acrimonious departure.
Rather was rebuffed in an earlier suit, when many of his claims were knocked down by a New York state judge. But the judge also allowed Rather to resubmit his claims.
In the latest filing, Rather claims that CNN, ABC, NBC and other networks met to talk about possible employment but that all eventually declined for reasons that included, according to the lawsuit, Rather's having had "too much baggage." The claim says he lost other business opportunities as well. He later signed with HDNet.
"Mr. Rather's exposure is dramatically limited and, accordingly, his reputation and standing in his trade and profession have not recovered from the damage caused by the defendants' conduct," the lawsuit says.
In a statement, CBS said: "Mr. Rather is trying to put forth fraud complaints that the court has already determined to be legally unfounded. We believe he will fail a second time. We will find an appropriate motion to dismiss."
CBS was served with the amended complaint Tuesday; it was to be filed in a New York court Wednesday.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on Monday (May 5) before the filing, Rather said the reason he is going through the legal proceedings is to find out what happened in the wake of the 2004 "60 Minutes II" report on President Bush's military service during the Vietnam War.
"The story was true. What we said in the report was true, despite what others have tried to have you believe about the documents, which were one, and only one, part of the story," Rather said.
Rather claims in the lawsuit that CBS forced him to keep silent when he wanted to defend the report and himself after bloggers and others questioned the documents. An independent report didn't rule on whether the documents were faked.
CBS News has hit back hard against its former anchor, something that hasn't been lost on Rather.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080507/tv_nm/rather_dc_1
Creative Ways to Reuse "Disposable" Items
CDs/DVDs and their cases
Along with organizing cables and toting bagels, both borked and discarded CD- and DVD-Rs and the spindles they came in can find second lives:
-"The (spindle) covers can be turned upside-down and used as small tabletop bins as well (especially the 50 and 100-packs)."
-"An outer plastic container from a 50-spindle of CDs or DVDs makes a great desk pen or craft tool holder if you tuck toilet-paper tubes into it."
Dryer sheets
We've long been fans of the pan-cleaning, shoe de-stink-ifying, anti-static dusting squares, and our readers have even more novel uses for them:
-"Used dryer sheets will clean your iron - just run the iron over it on medium heat."
-"Stick used dryer sheets into drawers to keep clothing smelling nice."
Plastic containers
-"Plastic yogurt containers make great starter pots for seedlings."
-"... The Stonyfield quart-sized yogurt containers are marked as dishwasher safe. We make our own chicken stock, and freeze it in those yogurt containers."—skyesong.
"The plastic bags that newspapers are delivered in make for a great umbrella bag.
-"Plastic Chinese food containers: store miscellaneous parts in my garage."
-"I sell and trade a lot of used books, so I cut up the heavy plastic wrap from the cases of bottled water and use it as a waterproof liner for shipping. I use brown paper cut from grocery bags for the outer wrapper."
Odds and ends
-"2 wine corks can make a quick and easy laptop stand."
-"I save those pop-up tissue boxes for the car. They make great trash receptacles and it is easy to tell when they are full."
-"I have saved every twist-tie I've come into contact with, and I end up re-using every one. Keep your pens together in your bag. Ear bud cables organized at the gym. Chip clips. Shower curtain rings. Any tech cable that's snaking around the room. Half of that single-serve bag of coffee."
Along with organizing cables and toting bagels, both borked and discarded CD- and DVD-Rs and the spindles they came in can find second lives:
-"The (spindle) covers can be turned upside-down and used as small tabletop bins as well (especially the 50 and 100-packs)."
-"An outer plastic container from a 50-spindle of CDs or DVDs makes a great desk pen or craft tool holder if you tuck toilet-paper tubes into it."
Dryer sheets
We've long been fans of the pan-cleaning, shoe de-stink-ifying, anti-static dusting squares, and our readers have even more novel uses for them:
-"Used dryer sheets will clean your iron - just run the iron over it on medium heat."
-"Stick used dryer sheets into drawers to keep clothing smelling nice."
Plastic containers
-"Plastic yogurt containers make great starter pots for seedlings."
-"... The Stonyfield quart-sized yogurt containers are marked as dishwasher safe. We make our own chicken stock, and freeze it in those yogurt containers."—skyesong.
"The plastic bags that newspapers are delivered in make for a great umbrella bag.
-"Plastic Chinese food containers: store miscellaneous parts in my garage."
-"I sell and trade a lot of used books, so I cut up the heavy plastic wrap from the cases of bottled water and use it as a waterproof liner for shipping. I use brown paper cut from grocery bags for the outer wrapper."
Odds and ends
-"2 wine corks can make a quick and easy laptop stand."
-"I save those pop-up tissue boxes for the car. They make great trash receptacles and it is easy to tell when they are full."
-"I have saved every twist-tie I've come into contact with, and I end up re-using every one. Keep your pens together in your bag. Ear bud cables organized at the gym. Chip clips. Shower curtain rings. Any tech cable that's snaking around the room. Half of that single-serve bag of coffee."
Teacher Gets Fired For Being Too Hot
Teacher Gets Fired For Being Too Hot - Watch more free videos
Many news agencies are reporting that Florida Biology teacher, Tiffany Shepherd, was fired for wearing a bikini while on a charter boat over the weekend.
Liberty Mutual to buy Safeco for $6.2 billion
Diversified insurer Liberty Mutual Group said on Wednesday it would buy Safeco Corp for $6.2 billion in a deal that would make Liberty Mutual the fifth-largest U.S. property and casualty insurer.
Each share of Safeco will be exchanged for $68.25 cash, nearly a 51 percent premium to Safeco's closing stock price of $45.23 on Tuesday. Safeco shares jumped 45.7 percent, or $20.69, to $65.92 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Liberty Mutual sells a range of insurance products, including automobile, homeowners, general liability, surety, workers compensation, assumed reinsurance and fire.
Safeco, which provides insurance for individuals and for small- and mid-sized businesses, would become part of Liberty Mutual's agency markets business unit. Combined, the organization would have about 15,000 independent agencies.
"Safeco's operations and product mix complement our existing agency markets operations," said Liberty Mutual Chairman Edmund Kelly.
"They are very strong West of the Mississippi and we are very strong east of the Mississippi and have an international presence, as well," Kelly said.
Liberty Mutual is the sixth-largest property and casualty insurer in the United States, based on its 2007 direct written premium of $20.2 billion. Safeco had 2007 direct written premium of $5.9 billion.
The deal follows Liberty Mutual's acquisition of Ohio Casualty last year. Liberty Mutual said it would continue to look at other acquisition opportunities.
Liberty Mutual and Safeco started weighing a deal about six months ago, after Liberty Mutual initiated discussions, Kelly said.
"We have a publicly espoused position of being acquisitive. We want to be a consolidator," Kelly said. "We will make sure this integration goes smoothly and well, but over time, we will be looking at other acquisitions."
HIGH PREMIUM
Safeco had been seen as a potential acquisition target for several years, but "deteriorating underwriting in its core auto insurance book caused some investors to question just how much an acquirer would pay," said Sandler O'Neill analyst Paul Newsome.
"We are surprised at how much Liberty Mutual was willing to pay," Newsome said.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/feedarticle?id=7481352
Each share of Safeco will be exchanged for $68.25 cash, nearly a 51 percent premium to Safeco's closing stock price of $45.23 on Tuesday. Safeco shares jumped 45.7 percent, or $20.69, to $65.92 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Liberty Mutual sells a range of insurance products, including automobile, homeowners, general liability, surety, workers compensation, assumed reinsurance and fire.
Safeco, which provides insurance for individuals and for small- and mid-sized businesses, would become part of Liberty Mutual's agency markets business unit. Combined, the organization would have about 15,000 independent agencies.
"Safeco's operations and product mix complement our existing agency markets operations," said Liberty Mutual Chairman Edmund Kelly.
"They are very strong West of the Mississippi and we are very strong east of the Mississippi and have an international presence, as well," Kelly said.
Liberty Mutual is the sixth-largest property and casualty insurer in the United States, based on its 2007 direct written premium of $20.2 billion. Safeco had 2007 direct written premium of $5.9 billion.
The deal follows Liberty Mutual's acquisition of Ohio Casualty last year. Liberty Mutual said it would continue to look at other acquisition opportunities.
Liberty Mutual and Safeco started weighing a deal about six months ago, after Liberty Mutual initiated discussions, Kelly said.
"We have a publicly espoused position of being acquisitive. We want to be a consolidator," Kelly said. "We will make sure this integration goes smoothly and well, but over time, we will be looking at other acquisitions."
HIGH PREMIUM
Safeco had been seen as a potential acquisition target for several years, but "deteriorating underwriting in its core auto insurance book caused some investors to question just how much an acquirer would pay," said Sandler O'Neill analyst Paul Newsome.
"We are surprised at how much Liberty Mutual was willing to pay," Newsome said.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/feedarticle?id=7481352
Star Jones files for divorce
Star Jones, whose elaborate, corporate-sponsored wedding won her the nickname "Bridezilla," has filed for a divorce from her husband of about three years, Al Reynolds, according to media reports.
Celebrity television show "Entertainment Tonight" said Jones issued a statement saying she had filed the papers a month ago.
"The dissolution of a marriage is a difficult time in anyone's life that requires privacy with one's thoughts," Jones said in the statement. "I have committed myself to handling this situation with dignity and grace and look forward to emerging from this period as a stronger and wiser woman."
Jones, 46, and Reynolds, 39, a banker, were married in 2004 in a lavish wedding in which supplies and services were donated by corporate "sponsors" in return for publicity. Tabloid newspapers referred to her as "Bridezilla."
Jones was a co-host the popular daytime talk show "The View," on which a group of women discuss current affairs, for nearly 10 years before being dropped in 2006. In an interview on NBC's "Today" show after the firing she apologized for getting "caught in the euphoria" of her plans.
"I think I used and some would say abused, my celebrity in planning the wedding," she said on "Today." In Wednesday's statement to "Entertainment Tonight," Jones said she "made an error in judgment by inviting the media into the most intimate area of my life."
The divorce papers were filed in New York Supreme Court in Manhattan. A spokesman for Jones had no further comment.
(Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Bill Trott)
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2344138220080423
Bruce Springsteen Band Member Danny Federici Dies
Danny Federici, the long-time member of Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band, has died in New York at the age of 58. He had been battling skin cancer according to reports.
Federici, who had battled melanoma for three years, died at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. News of his death was posted late Thursday on Springsteen’s official Web site.
According to published reports, Federici last performed with Springsteen and the band last month, appearing during portions of a March 20 show in Indianapolis.
Bruce would often refer to Danny on stage as ‘Phantom’. All Springsteen concerts have been canceled for the next week of dates.
Source: http://bumpshack.com/2008/04/17/bruce-springsteen-band-member-danny-federici-dies/
Illinois earthquake rattles southern Ontario
KITCHENER, Ont. -- An earthquake that started out in eastern Illinois was felt by residents in southern Ontario early this morning.
"For us it's a fairly large event," said Sylvia Hayek, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada in Ottawa.
She said the earthquake, measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale, occurred along the border of the New Madrid Seismic zone, which covers several states and which "has certainly seen larger events in the past."
"But, in terms of the last 20 years, there wouldn't have been that many events of this size," she said. "In fact, it might be one of the largest."
In southern Ontario, particularly in the Kitchener area, residents felt shaking for several seconds, which she said is significant considering the quake originated in an area just northeast of Belmont, Ill. which is several hundred kilometres from southern Ontario.
She said there no damage or injuries have been reported.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=455436
"For us it's a fairly large event," said Sylvia Hayek, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada in Ottawa.
She said the earthquake, measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale, occurred along the border of the New Madrid Seismic zone, which covers several states and which "has certainly seen larger events in the past."
"But, in terms of the last 20 years, there wouldn't have been that many events of this size," she said. "In fact, it might be one of the largest."
In southern Ontario, particularly in the Kitchener area, residents felt shaking for several seconds, which she said is significant considering the quake originated in an area just northeast of Belmont, Ill. which is several hundred kilometres from southern Ontario.
She said there no damage or injuries have been reported.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=455436
ARTIE LANGE WALKS OFF STERN SHOW
Howard Stern Show fixture Artie Lange walked out of the studio after an argument and subsequent outburst at his personal assistant on the air.
Lange, who became a part of the show's daily routine in October of 2001, was spotted disputing with his assistant in the hallways off the air. When it was brought up to Stern, he asked the assistant Teddy to come into the studio and discuss the situation on the air.
Lange began to express his disdain for his assistant of nearly two years because of recent money issues. Teddy retorted by implying there's more to the job than meets the eye.
Howard Stern
The two are slated to travel to Amsterdam this evening and the squabble began over setting up Lange's travel accommodations. However, the in-studio dispute quickly escalated into a discussion about how much Lange finances Teddy, who is affectionately called "Teddy Microphone" around the studio.
As the argument continued, Lange became enraged and physically lashed out at Teddy, but the physical confrontation was apparently defused by other members in the studio.
When Lange returned, he said Teddy would be "dead" had he reached him and he would be in jail.
Stern then expressed his feelings on the situation, saying he cannot condone Lange's actions. The comedian, who has had a similar outburst on the air in the past, said he cannot guarantee he can refrain from acting out in the future. Upon hearing that, Stern said he cannot have Lange around with the potential of such actions looming.
Artie then offered his resignation; Stern accepted, but told Lange to leave and cool off. Just before Lange left he told Stern: "I'm not a good person ... I gotta leave ... I love you"
Teddy returned to the studio several minutes later and said there was overreacting from everyone, but did not downplay the seriousness of the situation.
Show producer Gary Dell'Abate came in to analyze the situation, but he and Stern admitted they "did not know what to make of it all."
Stern does not host a live show on Fridays and the crew is on vacation next week.
Here is the clip, since the show will not be replayed:
Source: ohnotheydidnt
Lollapalooza 2008 Lineup Announced
The complete and final lineup for this year’s Lollapalooza was finally announced today. As expected, the predicted headliners are going to be there, along with plenty of other ace artists.
Microsoft will extend life of Windows XP--again
MIAMI--As I predicted last week, Microsoft has decided to extend the life of Windows XP, although only for a limited class of machines.
Microsoft said on Thursday that it will continue to allow Windows XP Home edition to be sold for a class of computers it calls "ultra-low-cost PCs." It's a category that covers machines with slower processors, smaller screens, and in many cases flash memory for storage, rather than a traditional hard drive.
Microsoft will give PC makers the option of using Windows XP or Vista on ULCPC devices, said Michael Dix, general manager of Windows client marketing.
Still, the minimal hardware used in ULCPC systems might make Vista ill-suited to such a task. The decision to discontinue Windows XP might have driven even more device makers into the hands of Linux, hence the extension.
Overall, big-name computer makers are still scheduled to have to stop selling Windows XP for all other uses by the end of June. Mainstream technical support will continue to be available for Windows XP through April 2009, and more limited support will continue through April 2014.
Dix said that Microsoft is confident that it can discontinue Windows XP at the end of June for mainstream PCs. "We have received affirming feedback from partners that they are ready to make the transition," he said.
Computer makers will be able to sell XP Home on new ULCPC machines through June 30, 2010, or one year after the launch of Windows 7, the next major release of Windows, whichever is later, Microsoft said.
A Microsoft representative on Thursday reaffirmed that the company expects to ship the successor to Vista roughly three years from Vista's January 2007 debut.
Microsoft is also publishing a set of guidelines Thursday designed to make it easier for makers of flash-based computers to use Windows. Many of these initial devices have launched running Linux, though some, such as the Eee PC from Asus, are also being offered in Windows versions.
Microsoft has already extended the Windows XP sales deadline once. In September, it said that computer makers would be able to sell Windows XP until June, rather than the original January 2008 deadline.
At the time, Microsoft also announced that computer makers in emerging markets could sell Windows XP Starter edition until June 2010.
For Microsoft, Wednesday's announcement is an acknowledgment of two things. First, that Starter Edition alone does not fulfill all of the emerging market demand, and second, that developed markets are also showing interest in low-power, low-cost laptops.
Source: http://www.news.com/8301-13860_3-9910253-56.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5
Microsoft said on Thursday that it will continue to allow Windows XP Home edition to be sold for a class of computers it calls "ultra-low-cost PCs." It's a category that covers machines with slower processors, smaller screens, and in many cases flash memory for storage, rather than a traditional hard drive.
Microsoft will give PC makers the option of using Windows XP or Vista on ULCPC devices, said Michael Dix, general manager of Windows client marketing.
Still, the minimal hardware used in ULCPC systems might make Vista ill-suited to such a task. The decision to discontinue Windows XP might have driven even more device makers into the hands of Linux, hence the extension.
Overall, big-name computer makers are still scheduled to have to stop selling Windows XP for all other uses by the end of June. Mainstream technical support will continue to be available for Windows XP through April 2009, and more limited support will continue through April 2014.
Dix said that Microsoft is confident that it can discontinue Windows XP at the end of June for mainstream PCs. "We have received affirming feedback from partners that they are ready to make the transition," he said.
Computer makers will be able to sell XP Home on new ULCPC machines through June 30, 2010, or one year after the launch of Windows 7, the next major release of Windows, whichever is later, Microsoft said.
A Microsoft representative on Thursday reaffirmed that the company expects to ship the successor to Vista roughly three years from Vista's January 2007 debut.
Microsoft is also publishing a set of guidelines Thursday designed to make it easier for makers of flash-based computers to use Windows. Many of these initial devices have launched running Linux, though some, such as the Eee PC from Asus, are also being offered in Windows versions.
Microsoft has already extended the Windows XP sales deadline once. In September, it said that computer makers would be able to sell Windows XP until June, rather than the original January 2008 deadline.
At the time, Microsoft also announced that computer makers in emerging markets could sell Windows XP Starter edition until June 2010.
For Microsoft, Wednesday's announcement is an acknowledgment of two things. First, that Starter Edition alone does not fulfill all of the emerging market demand, and second, that developed markets are also showing interest in low-power, low-cost laptops.
Source: http://www.news.com/8301-13860_3-9910253-56.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5
Missing Money Free Search For Unclaimed Property
Missingmoney.com enables owners to perform comprehensive searches for lost assets required by law to be turned over to the states.
However, I found this article on adammclane.com and found it very interesting...
This morning on the Today Show they had a topic called, “Finding Lost Money.” During the segment they talked about a website where you can find out if you have unclaimed money. Being that I am an internet dork and I am poor, I grabbed my laptop and went to missingmoney.com.
Of course, the site was basically shut down by the Today Show mention. The servers were probably ready to handle 10-100 queries per minute with no problem. But when the segment told millions of viewers they could find free money by simply putting their name and state into a database you can imagine this poor little server going… “OK, everyone form a line!” The only problem is that on the internet there is no line. As thousands of people hit “submit” to the database at the same time… it freaked out and shut down.
Two lessons here.
While this is an internet age, mass media is still quite powerful. While the internet is a fantastic way to spread a message about a product, service, church, or whatever… mass media is still mass media.
Be careful what you wish for. Sometimes when you are small you think… “If I can just hit a homerun and get my name out there to the masses, it’ll be great.” Of course the real question for that scenario is… “Are you ready for the masses or will the masses shut you down?” Are you prepared to handle a massive response to your product, services, church, or whatever it is you are trying to get out to the masses?
Overall, excellent article.
Source: adammclane.com
However, I found this article on adammclane.com and found it very interesting...
This morning on the Today Show they had a topic called, “Finding Lost Money.” During the segment they talked about a website where you can find out if you have unclaimed money. Being that I am an internet dork and I am poor, I grabbed my laptop and went to missingmoney.com.
Of course, the site was basically shut down by the Today Show mention. The servers were probably ready to handle 10-100 queries per minute with no problem. But when the segment told millions of viewers they could find free money by simply putting their name and state into a database you can imagine this poor little server going… “OK, everyone form a line!” The only problem is that on the internet there is no line. As thousands of people hit “submit” to the database at the same time… it freaked out and shut down.
Two lessons here.
While this is an internet age, mass media is still quite powerful. While the internet is a fantastic way to spread a message about a product, service, church, or whatever… mass media is still mass media.
Be careful what you wish for. Sometimes when you are small you think… “If I can just hit a homerun and get my name out there to the masses, it’ll be great.” Of course the real question for that scenario is… “Are you ready for the masses or will the masses shut you down?” Are you prepared to handle a massive response to your product, services, church, or whatever it is you are trying to get out to the masses?
Overall, excellent article.
Source: adammclane.com
Oregon Pregnant Man's Action Ethically Wrong
Today's issue of eMaxHealth has an interesting story that an Oregon man has become pregnant and is already 22 weeks ahead in Pregnancy. The man's name is Thomas Beatie who lives with his wife Nancy in Oregon. While the issue of male pregnancy is very intriguing it's also very controversial since a man becoming pregnant is very unique event in the history of human existence.
eMaxHealth story reads that "Mr Beatie is legally male and lives with his wife, Nancy, in Bend, Oregon. Thomas Beatie, of course, is actually a girl. She took some steps toward a sex change operation but did not complete the reproductive goodies."
His wife Mrs Beatie was unable to conceive, having suffered severe endometriosis and undergone a hysterectomy, her husband Thomas writes.
"Therefore, they decided that Thomas Beatie should try to carry a baby. Thomas stopped the hormone injections and his periods returned, he writes. This is how we the story of a man becoming pregnant," continues eMaxHealth.
What is the ethics involved in this story? I feel that this is just an egocentric experience on the couple's side. Thomas Beatie's wife could not conceive and they tried to take an advantage of his previous sex and go back to being a girl or who knows what. Let's say it's even cool. Huge media attention, perhaps some celebrity attributes and a chance to become the "hero" of a very unique experiment.
However, have the pregnant man and his wife ever thought about the future of the child and about the infant's health? How come we learn about this issue when he is already 22 weeks ahead in pregnancy, but not from the outset?
In any case we consider this morally wrong a a game with your own sex and an experiment with your future child.
A huge desire to have children could result in adopting a poor child and making one child from an orphanage happier with a loving family, but not in a way of a woman becoming legally man and then becoming back woman and then being called a pregnant man.
Source: http://www.huliq.com/54928/oregon-pregnant-man039s-action-ethically-wrong
eMaxHealth story reads that "Mr Beatie is legally male and lives with his wife, Nancy, in Bend, Oregon. Thomas Beatie, of course, is actually a girl. She took some steps toward a sex change operation but did not complete the reproductive goodies."
His wife Mrs Beatie was unable to conceive, having suffered severe endometriosis and undergone a hysterectomy, her husband Thomas writes.
"Therefore, they decided that Thomas Beatie should try to carry a baby. Thomas stopped the hormone injections and his periods returned, he writes. This is how we the story of a man becoming pregnant," continues eMaxHealth.
What is the ethics involved in this story? I feel that this is just an egocentric experience on the couple's side. Thomas Beatie's wife could not conceive and they tried to take an advantage of his previous sex and go back to being a girl or who knows what. Let's say it's even cool. Huge media attention, perhaps some celebrity attributes and a chance to become the "hero" of a very unique experiment.
However, have the pregnant man and his wife ever thought about the future of the child and about the infant's health? How come we learn about this issue when he is already 22 weeks ahead in pregnancy, but not from the outset?
In any case we consider this morally wrong a a game with your own sex and an experiment with your future child.
A huge desire to have children could result in adopting a poor child and making one child from an orphanage happier with a loving family, but not in a way of a woman becoming legally man and then becoming back woman and then being called a pregnant man.
Source: http://www.huliq.com/54928/oregon-pregnant-man039s-action-ethically-wrong
Obama Tax Returns
Here is the Obama’s Tax Returns (in short form) for the last seven years from TaxProf via Instapundit. These are the numbers from the joint filing of Michelle and Barack Obama. Tax Prof noted that the Obama’s didn’t give nearly 10% of their income to Trinity United Methodist Church, or at least they didn’t list it. It is also worth noting that Michelle Obama had a big increase in her salary after her husband Barack was elected to the Senate, and that Barack had a substantial income from his books over the last two years. Barack Obama is now urging Senator Hillary Clinton to show her tax returns.
Barack and Michelle Obama earned close to $1 million in 2006, paid more than $318,000 in taxes and got a $40,000 refund, according to the couple’s tax return released by the Democratic presidential candidate’s campaign on Tuesday.
The Obamas owed the government $277,000 after itemized deductions, which included $60,449 in mortgage interest and $60,307 in charitable contributions.
The Obamas are on vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands, returning to the mainland on Wednesday. In issuing the returns from 2000-2006, the campaign on Tuesday laid down the gauntlet for Clinton, who said Tuesday she will likely release her records within the next week. The Pennsylvania primary is on April 22.
“I am pleased that Senator Obama has released his tax returns. I think that’s a good first step. Now he should release his records from being in the state senate and any other information that the public and the press need to know from his prior experience, because I think that, you know, we should continue to make available the information that we have,” she said in a press conference.
Obama’s campaign called any effort to demand more from the Illinois senator audacious.
“Senator Clinton can’t claim to be vetted until she allows the public the opportunity to see her finances—particularly with respect to any investment in tax shelters,” Obama Communications Director Robert Gibbs said in a statement.
http://politicalkudzu.com/2008/03/25/obama-tax-returns/
Built-in threat meter coming in future patch
As time moves forward, so does WoW's built-in interface. Last patch we got some big additions in voice chat and guild banks (alright, that's not quite interface, but it's not quite gameplay either), as well as cursors and tracking for various types of objects and NPCs. There's not much in terms of interface news in patch 2.4, but Nethaera has just confirmed that a future patch will bring a big new feature: threat meters. (We first heard about this back at Blizzcon.)
Required by many raid groups, two big threat meter add-ons have been available for a while: KLHThreatMeter (a.k.a. KTM) and Omen Threat Meter. They both work very well (and Omen's new version is going to have some shiny new features), but they share a flaw: they don't have direct access to the game's threat info, relying instead on databases of clever deductions and discoveries painstakingly built up over months. This means whenever a new patch comes out, the developers have to figure out what, if anything, has changed in terms of threat numbers, and how much. Presumably, Blizzard's threat meter will have direct access to the numbers. And hopefully when the threat meter is added to the game there will me methods added to the API for accessing the numbers, so KTM and Omen can become even better alongside the new official meter.
Source: http://www.wowinsider.com/2008/02/27/built-in-threat-meter-coming-in-future-patch/
Falling asleep on the job can improve your memory, study shows
Hamburg, Germany - Falling asleep on the job for a few minutes can improve your memory and mental performance, according to a team of German researchers. Dr. Olaf Lahl at the University of Dusseldorf, Germany, has shown that simply falling asleep does more than refresh the brain - it can improve recall and mental efficiency.
In fact, a six-minute nap can have the same effect as nighttime sleep on memory.
Dr. Lahl's team asked students to memorize a list of vocabulary and tested their ability to recall the list after an hour of playing solitaire.
Volunteers were asked to remember a list of 30 words. They were then given an hour's break before the memory test. During the break, some volunteers were allowed to nap for six minutes, while others had to stay awake.
The researchers found that those who had been allowed to nap displayed "superior recall" in the memory test compared to those who stayed awake.
The researchers said this was the first time that a very brief sleep has been shown to improve memory.
"To our knowledge, this demonstrates for the first time that an ultra-brief sleep episode provides an effective memory enhancement," Lahl he writes in the Journal of Sleep Research.
His researchers found that it was possible that falling asleep triggered a process in the brain that continued regardless of how long the person stayed asleep.
"It seems much more is happening during the initialization of sleep than we once thought," Dr. Lahl says.
"Maybe much of sleep's functional aspects are accomplished at its very beginning," writes in the article.
Source: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/194132,falling-asleep-on-the-job-can-improve-your-memory-study-shows.html
In fact, a six-minute nap can have the same effect as nighttime sleep on memory.
Dr. Lahl's team asked students to memorize a list of vocabulary and tested their ability to recall the list after an hour of playing solitaire.
Volunteers were asked to remember a list of 30 words. They were then given an hour's break before the memory test. During the break, some volunteers were allowed to nap for six minutes, while others had to stay awake.
The researchers found that those who had been allowed to nap displayed "superior recall" in the memory test compared to those who stayed awake.
The researchers said this was the first time that a very brief sleep has been shown to improve memory.
"To our knowledge, this demonstrates for the first time that an ultra-brief sleep episode provides an effective memory enhancement," Lahl he writes in the Journal of Sleep Research.
His researchers found that it was possible that falling asleep triggered a process in the brain that continued regardless of how long the person stayed asleep.
"It seems much more is happening during the initialization of sleep than we once thought," Dr. Lahl says.
"Maybe much of sleep's functional aspects are accomplished at its very beginning," writes in the article.
Source: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/194132,falling-asleep-on-the-job-can-improve-your-memory-study-shows.html
Chase Tatum Former Wrestler Found Dead From Suspected Drug Overdose
Chase Tatum, 34, a former wrestler was found dead Sunday in his home in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood. Tatum died from suffering an apparent accidental drug overdose. Chase Tatum used to wrestle for the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling organization. More recently, he appeared in the comedy “Who’s Your Caddy?” alongside rapper Big Boi of Outkast.
Source: http://anythinghollywood.com/2008/03/chase-tatum-former-wrestler-found-dead-from-suspected-drug-overdose/
PS3 System Update 2.20 Is Up
Sony Playstation 3 UPDATE 2.20 INCLUDES
Here are some of the other new features/enhancements that will be included in Firmware v2.20:
The ability to copy PS3 Music and Photo playlists to a PSP system. We introduced the ability to create Music and Photo playlists on the PS3 in firmware update v2.0. Now you can easily export your playlists to your PSP.
You can now play DivX and WMV format files that are over 2 GB. In addition, you can now display subtitles when viewing DivX files.
Resume Play - begin playing a DVD or BD disc from the point where you previously stopped it, even if you eject the disc and insert a different movie or game.
Use your PSP as a remote control to play back your music files on your PS3 without turning on your TV
The Internet browser now displays some web pages faster. In addition [Save Target] has been added as an option under file. This option lets you save a file that is linked to a web page to your PS3 hard drive or storage media
There are a few other tweaks and upgrades included in v2.20 - we’ll provide more specifics as the update is about to go live.
Source: http://sonyplaystationthree.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/ps3-system-update-220-is-up/
Mayor Kilpatrick, Christine Beatty Charged
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has just announced that Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his former Chief of Staff Christine Beatty will be charged with 15 counts of perjury and must turn themselves in by 7am on Tuesday. Worthy has said if the Mayor and Ms. Beatty do not turn themselves in by this time, arrest warrants will be issued for them.
In a startling decision, totally unexpected by some, Kym Worthy has proven that her office is serious about the text message scandal that the City Council feels has tarnished the city's image.
"This case was about as far from being a private matter as one can get. Honesty and integrity in the justice system is everything. That is what this case is about," Worthy said at a news conference.
"Just when did honesty and integrity, truth and honor become traits to be mocked, downplayed, ignored, laughed at or excuses made for them? When did telling the truth become a supporting player to everything else?"
A perjury conviction could bring up to 15 years' imprisonment and force Kilpatrick to relinquish the mayor's office.
Source: http://www.huliq.com/54665/mayor-kilpatrick-christine-beatty-charged
In a startling decision, totally unexpected by some, Kym Worthy has proven that her office is serious about the text message scandal that the City Council feels has tarnished the city's image.
"This case was about as far from being a private matter as one can get. Honesty and integrity in the justice system is everything. That is what this case is about," Worthy said at a news conference.
"Just when did honesty and integrity, truth and honor become traits to be mocked, downplayed, ignored, laughed at or excuses made for them? When did telling the truth become a supporting player to everything else?"
A perjury conviction could bring up to 15 years' imprisonment and force Kilpatrick to relinquish the mayor's office.
Source: http://www.huliq.com/54665/mayor-kilpatrick-christine-beatty-charged
Man Sells Life on Ebay
After 5 years of marriage Ian Usher just wants to start all over. He's gonna sell his house, car, clothes and even his friends. His ex-wife thinks he's nuts! He hopes that everything is worth $500,000. The auction will start on the 22nd of June.
Taken from his website:
"...Hi there, my name is Ian Usher, and I have had enough of my life! I don't want it any more! You can have it if you like!
No, I'm not contemplating suicide, I am going to sell my life!! I have my reasons, for further details click the "Why" tab below. However, I am still not sure whether this is inspired madness, complete foolishness, or just some sort of mid-life crisis.
Whatever it is, it's all going up for sale in one big auction. Everything I have and everything I am.
On the day it is all sold and settled I intend to walk out of my front door with my wallet in one pocket and my passport in the other, nothing else at all, and get on the train, with no idea where I am going or what the future holds for me..."
Check it Out: http://www.alife4sale.com/
Taken from his website:
"...Hi there, my name is Ian Usher, and I have had enough of my life! I don't want it any more! You can have it if you like!
No, I'm not contemplating suicide, I am going to sell my life!! I have my reasons, for further details click the "Why" tab below. However, I am still not sure whether this is inspired madness, complete foolishness, or just some sort of mid-life crisis.
Whatever it is, it's all going up for sale in one big auction. Everything I have and everything I am.
On the day it is all sold and settled I intend to walk out of my front door with my wallet in one pocket and my passport in the other, nothing else at all, and get on the train, with no idea where I am going or what the future holds for me..."
Check it Out: http://www.alife4sale.com/
Girl Whose Disembowelment Led To Pool Legislation Dies
A 6-year-old girl who underwent a rare transplant surgery after her intestines were sucked out in a swimming pool has died in an Omaha hospital.
Abigail Taylor's family said she died Thursday evening. Bob Bennett is an attorney for the Taylor family. He said Abigail's parents were with her when she died at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
NMC's Paul Baltes confirmed to KETV NewsWatch 7 that Abigail died at the hospital, where she has been under care since the operation. Baltes was not sure whether an autopsy or exact cause of death would be released to the public.
Abigail was injured when she sat on a pool drain, and its powerful suction ripped out part of her intestinal tract on June 29. She underwent transplant surgery in December at the Nebraska hospital to receive a new small bowel, liver and pancreas.
Abigail Taylor's family said she died Thursday evening. Bob Bennett is an attorney for the Taylor family. He said Abigail's parents were with her when she died at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
NMC's Paul Baltes confirmed to KETV NewsWatch 7 that Abigail died at the hospital, where she has been under care since the operation. Baltes was not sure whether an autopsy or exact cause of death would be released to the public.
Abigail was injured when she sat on a pool drain, and its powerful suction ripped out part of her intestinal tract on June 29. She underwent transplant surgery in December at the Nebraska hospital to receive a new small bowel, liver and pancreas.
Lindsey Paulat, Steeler Girlfriend, and Her 12-Hour Standoff
Showing that they mean business about player conduct, the Steelers have released wide out Cedric Wilson, just a few hours after he was arrested after going after an ex-girlfriend and getting arrested for assault against her. The team sent out a simple, two paragraph statement, not putting down the reason for the release, but of course anyone can put two and two together and figure it out.
The 29-year-old Wilson went after ex-girlfriend Lindsey Paulat last night about 8pm at the Patron Mexican Grille in Pine Township. He saw her at the bar, and then according to Paulat pushed her and then punched her in the left side of her face before taking off from the eatery. Police said that Paulat’s face had redness and swelling.
Wilson was arraigned around 4 a.m. Thursday on charges of simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct and freed on $10,000 bail. The ball catcher was with the Steelers for three seasons, catching 81 passes for 1162 yards and two scores. Last year he had 18 grabs for 207 yards. Paulat and Wilson have had previous go-arounds, and she is the mother of the couple’s 1-year-old daughter.
Source: http://www.steelersgab.com/2008/03/20/so-long-cedrick-wilson-released-following-arrest/
Eagle ray turns killer: woman killed in boat by its barb just like Steve Irwin
A woman was killed by an eagle ray that jumped into her boat; the woman was stabbed with its barb just like Steve Irwin. The freak accident happened just off the coast of Florida Keys.
The Eagle Ray just jumped out of the water and its barb penetrated the woman on some part of her body, this then caused her to fall back where she hit her head. It is not known which of the two caused her death. However some media at the scene said that the Eagles Rays barb had stabbed her through the neck.
The rays often swim near the water's surface and can leap out, especially when pursued, but are generally shy of humans.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN3K32064420080320
Spring Starts with Vernal Equinox 2008
Today is the first day of spring in the North Hemisphere. And it comes with a vernal equinox. It occurred at 1:48 EST marking the beginning of spring 2008. This season will last until June 21, summer solstice.
What is a Vernal Equinox?
According to Wolfram.com
The date (near March 21 in the northern hemisphere) when night and day are nearly the same length and Sun crosses the celestial equator (i.e., declination 0) moving northward. In the southern hemisphere, the vernal equinox corresponds to the center of the Sun crossing the celestial equator moving southward and occurs on the date of the northern autumnal equinox. The vernal equinox marks the first day of the season of spring. The right ascension at the vernal equinox originally was in the constellation Aries and the point of crossing was known as the first point in Aries (now actually in Pisces because of precession).
So, you see, it’s an astronomical event that serves us determine our seasons. In the Southern Hemisphere we can observe the autumnal equinox which marks the beginning of fall.
Source: http://toppayingideas.com/blog/2008/03/20/spring-starts-with-vernal-equinox-2008/
Watch NCAA March Madness on Demand
NCAA March Madness on Demand begins its annual NCAA Tournament coverage today, Thursday. The first game of the tournament will be at 12:20pm as No. 3 Xavier takes on No. 14 Georgia in Washington, DC.
NCAA March Madness on Demand (MMOD) is the online video player that allows users to view all 63 games of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.
MMOD airs every game from the first round of the tournament through the Men’s Final Four in San Antonio, including the Championship game on April 7.
NCAA March Madness on Demand is produced in partnership with CBS Sports, CBS College Sports Network and the NCAA.
Enough bla bla, go to the NCAA March Madness on Demand
Source: http://news.mylocoworld.com/2008/03/20/ncaa-march-madness-demand/
NCAA March Madness on Demand (MMOD) is the online video player that allows users to view all 63 games of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.
MMOD airs every game from the first round of the tournament through the Men’s Final Four in San Antonio, including the Championship game on April 7.
NCAA March Madness on Demand is produced in partnership with CBS Sports, CBS College Sports Network and the NCAA.
Enough bla bla, go to the NCAA March Madness on Demand
Source: http://news.mylocoworld.com/2008/03/20/ncaa-march-madness-demand/
Wise Kenny Say . . .
Never eat food that's been left out, or has been on the floor for more than 5 seconds.