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Thursday stuff: caffein keeps Alzheimer’s at bay, the biggest span bridge in the world, and US adopts new war doctrine

Good Morning Humboldt County!

It’s time to grab a cup of Joe and see what’s happening in the world around us. The good news this morning is that your cup of Joe is really good for you!

Coffee buzz protects brain from Alzheimer's

For years we’ve been told that caffeinated coffee was bad for us. It’s unhealthy and addictive, doctors warned. But as vindication for all who stuck by their energizing elixir, a new study shows that guzzling caffeinated coffee may actually be good for our brains. In fact, it may help keep Alzheimer’s at bay.

The study, which was published early online in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, was in mice whose DNA had been tweaked to contain a human Alzheimer’s gene. Just like humans with familial Alzheimer’s, these mice become increasingly forgetful as they age.

 

A marathon span: China opens world's longest bridge over water

China opened the world's longest bridge over water on Thursday.

The Jiaozhou Bay bridge is 26.4 miles long, according to Guinness World Records. It links China's eastern port city of Qingdao to Huangdao island.

State-run CCTV said the 110-foot-wide bridge cost more than 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion). However, the Xinhua news agency put the cost at $2.3 billion and Britain's Telegraph newspaper reported its price tag totaled more than $8.8 billion.

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New plan to defeat al-Qaida: 'Surgical' strikes rather than expensive wars

The day has finally come…the U.S. has wised up about sending troops to other countries!

The United States will push ahead with more targeted drone strikes and special operations raids and fewer costly land battles like Iraq and Afghanistan in the continuing war against al-Qaida, according to a new national counterterrorism strategy unveiled Wednesday.

Two years in the making, the doctrine comes in the wake of the successful special operations raid that killed al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden in May, and a week after President Barack Obama's announcement that U.S. troops will begin leaving Afghanistan this summer.

Photo- White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan predicted that strikes targeting al-Qaida would eventually leave the network unable to "replenish their ranks with the skilled leaders that they need to sustain their operations."

‘Alone’……..a poem

From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were — I have not seen
As others saw — I could not bring
My passions from a common spring —
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow — I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone —
And all I lov'd — I lov'd alone —
Then — in my childhood — in the dawn
Of a most stormy life — was drawn
From ev'ry depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still —
From the torrent, or the fountain —
From the red cliff of the mountain —
From the sun that 'round me roll'd
In its autumn tint of gold —
From the lightning in the sky
As it pass'd me flying by —
From the thunder, and the storm —
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view —
Edgar Allan Poe

Report highlights poor water quality at nation's beaches

Before you wade into the water this summer, you may want to consult the beach water report released Wednesday by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The report found that the number of closing and health advisory days at America’s ocean, bay and Great Lakes beaches spiked to the second-highest level measured by the NRDC in the past two decades.

Ten beaches with persistently poor water quality are included in the NRDC’s “repeat offender” list. Water samples at these beaches exceeded public health standards more than 25 percent of the time each year between 2006 and 2010:

• California: Avalon Beach in Los Angeles County (3 of 5 monitored sections)
  Avalon Beach – Near Busy B Café
  Avalon Beach – North of GP Pier
  Avalon Beach – South of GP Pier
• California: Cabrillo Beach Station in Los Angeles County
• California: Doheny State Beach in Orange County (2 of 6 monitored sections)
  Doheny State Beach – North of San Juan Creek
  Doheny State Beach – Surf Zone at Outfall
• Florida: Keaton Beach in Taylor County
• bottom photo source

Interactive map: See how 200 popular beaches fared

Swimmers can check the water quality report at their beach on the EPA website. Not all beaches are monitored, and the EPA suggests beachgoers avoid unmonitored spots where the water quality is unknown. The NRDC also has a guide to finding clean beaches on its website.

“Those traveling to beaches from greater distances with beach visitation as their primary purpose may or may not do their research, but those who do will welcome the NRDC and EPA websites," said Michael Blazey, professor of recreation and leisure studies at California State University, Long Beach.

Story source By Harriet Baskas, msnbc.com contributor

Wacky Wednesday: napping at work, painkiller recall, and Russians meeting with aliens in 2031

I was just meditating on your fascinating memo, really

First off, boss, if you are reading this, we NEVER do this.

Secondly, if you are among the more than one-third of the adult U.S. population that gets less than seven hours of sleep a night, you might want to read up.

Lifehacker offers up some tips on how to catch some shuteye at work (and a very pertinent video of George Costanza sleeping under his desk). Among the points covered:

• Use your private office.
• Make use of blinds.
• Wear sunglasses.
• Use your car.
• Use the bathroom.
• What to do if you get caught.
• Ask for permission.                                         image source
• --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More Tylenol Extra Strength pills recalled

Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday announced another Tylenol recall due to a musty moldy odor linked to a trace chemical. The company's McNeil Consumer Healthcare unit is recalling one product lot of Tylenol Extra Strength Caplets made in February 2009 and distributed in the U.S. The recall totals 60,912 bottles, each of which has 225 caplets.

The product lot number for the recalled Tylenol Extra Strength product can be found on the side of the bottle label — it is ABA619 300450444271.

Customers should stop using the product from the lot immediately and contact McNeil at www.tylenol.com or by calling 1-888-222-6036 for instructions on receiving a refund or product coupon.

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Russian scientists expect to meet aliens by 2031

Russian scientists expect humanity to encounter alien civilizations within the next two decades, a top Russian astronomer predicted on Monday.

Speaking at an international forum dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial life, Finkelstein said 10 percent of the known planets circling suns in the galaxy resemble Earth.

If water can be found there, then so can life, he said, adding that aliens would most likely resemble humans with two arms, two legs and a head.

See ya soon. It’s time for me to head on down the road…

Just in time for the 4th of July! Scientists Growing Test-Tube Burger

Where's the beef?

The answer to that classic question may soon be, "It's growing in a test tube."

Dutch scientists estimate that they are about one year away from developing the world's first "test-tube hamburger" made with ground beef grown from stem cells — and they're looking for someone to try it.

"We are trying prove to the world we can make a product out of this, and we need a courageous person who is willing to be the first to taste it," Mark Post, professor of physiology at Maastricht University, who is spearheading the project, told the Daily Mail. "If no one comes forward then it might be me."

To grow the bionic burger, scientists will extract approximately 10,000 stem cells from the tissue of a healthy cow. These cells will then grow in the lab, multiplying by more than a billion times, eventually producing muscle tissue similar to the sample taken from the original cow. The tissue will then be ground and pressed into hamburger patties.

One of the challenges is to create meat that resembles what today's consumers are accustomed to eating. Post's previous attempts at growing pork yielded a texture that he compared to a squishy scallop, the result of its having less protein content than naturally raised meat.

But if they can accurately reproduce the taste and texture of conventional cuts of meat, Post and his team believe they can get the public on board.

"When we are eating a hamburger we don't think, 'I’m eating a dead cow,'" one of Post's colleagues told the Daily Mail. "And when people are already far from what they eat, it's not too hard to see them accepting cultured meat."

So what do you think? Would you be willing to grill up a test tube burger next July 4th?

story source  by Katie Robbins   image source

Sign of the times:Police turn away summer school registration crowd

Budget cuts in California’s school system have become so severe most schools can’t afford to have summer school. This is only the tip of the iceberg. California politicians could care less about our schools, they’re too busy playing political games.

The turnout to sign up for a free summer session of school caught officials off guard. They should have been prepared for this. Just look at the programs already slashed in the state’s education sector to see where political priorities lie. When we have a generation that can’t read or write it’ll be too late to save our future.

Here’s a sign of the times:

“HAWTHORNE, Calif. (AP) - Police have been forced to turn away a huge, unruly crowd that showed up to register Southern California high school students for 400 free summer school slots.

People began arriving at dawn Monday at Hawthorne's Opportunities for Learning Public Charter Schools.

Police Capt. Keith Kauffman says nearly 100 officers from nine law enforcement agencies were called in Monday morning because the number of students and parents swelled to more than 1,000.

They were peacefully dispersed by about 10:30 a.m.

Many budget-strapped school districts have canceled summer school.

Opportunities for Learning Public Charter area supervisor Jesus Franco tells the Torrance Daily Breeze that he was surprised by the huge turnout. Only about 40 people showed up on last year's opening day of registration.”

photo source

Tuesday ramblings: Mickey and Minnie mouse cartoon controversy and other stuff…

Good Morning Humboldt County!

Have you got you coffee or tea? Let’s enjoy warm beverages this morning while taking a look at the madness in the world around us:

Cartoon of bearded Mickey Mouse with Minnie in a veil causes stir in Egypt

Ultraconservative Muslims don’t have a sense of humor.

An Egyptian Christian telecom mogul has angered Islamic hard-liners by posting an online cartoon of Mickey Mouse with a beard and Minnie in a face veil. The ultraconservative Islamists, known as Salafis, called the cartoon posted by Naguib Sawiris on Twitter a mockery of Islam.

 'Anonymous' hackers declare war on Orlando

The hacker group Anonymous on Monday declared war against the city of Orlando, Florida, over the arrest of people handing out food to homeless people, according to a report in The Washington Post.

Anonymous said it would start "a massive campaign" against Orlando and "city web assets."

It said it would send emails to millions of people in 50 countries asking them to boycott the city.

Man completes 300-mile trip on paddleboard

Bart de Zwart expected to be in more pain after paddling 300 miles from the Big Island to Kauai.

"I'm not even sore," he said Monday morning from his Kauai hotel room, where he slept in a bed after arriving to Kalapaki Beach the night before onboard a stand-up paddleboard.

The 41-year-old Maui man spent five days alone at sea attempting what he believes to be the first-ever solo crossing from the Big Island to Kauai on a standup paddleboard. He was headed to a Kauai clinic Monday to have swollen, infected blisters on his feet checked out. Aside from the blisters and losing about six pounds, he said he felt fine.

Thanks for stopping by. Time for me to head on down the road…

Parting shots: Doobie or not doobie? That is the question, Bard...

The end of another day. Here’s a question to take with you: How many famous writers were stoned while composing their masterpieces? Has anyone kept track?

Some think the Bard of Avon was a loadie. A good argument I suppose for blazing a bowl before composing your great American novel. 

“A South African anthropologist has asked permission to open the graves of William Shakespeare and his family to determine, among other things, what killed the Bard and whether his poems and plays may have been composed under the influence of marijuana.”  Story

Ex-Gov. Blagojevich found guilty of corruption charges

I’ve been wondering why Blago’s trial hasn’t been getting the media’s attention like the Casey Anthony trial has. I guess it’s just not sensational enough for a ravening public.

Once upon a time, a story like this – A state governor trying to sell the President’s old Senate seat - would have been considered sensational. But, we’re all so use to corrupt politicians nowadays that this trial barely got a second-glance from anyone.

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said he is disappointed and "stunned" after a jury found him guilty on 17 corruption-related charges, including trying to sell or trade President Barack Obama's old Senate seat.

Blagojevich, who had spent two and a half years professing his innocence on reality TV shows and later on the witness stand, faces an undetermined amount of time in prison.