Links to April Fools pranks around the news today...

By Saeed Ahmed/CNN

"If you happen to browse upon a news story that's too odd to be true Wednesday, hold your outrage and check the calendar.

It's April Fools' Day -- when media outlets around the world take a break from the serious business of delivering news and play fast and furious with the facts.

No one quite knows when the practice began, but any journalist will point to what is undoubtedly the biggest hoax that any reputable news establishment ever pulled: A 1957 BBC report that said, thanks to a mild winter and the elimination of the spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop.

The segment was accompanied by pictures of farmers pulling strands of spaghetti from trees -- and prompted hundreds of viewers to call in, wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti trees.

Read the rest here.

While not as elaborate, the pranks that media outlets harvested this year have been quite rich:

The Guardian in London ran a story Wednesday announcing that, after 188 years as a print publication, it will become the first newspaper to deliver news exclusively via Twitter.

Twitter, a micro-blogging site, allows users to post updates that are 140 characters long. In keeping with the limitation, the newspaper said it had undertaken a mammoth project to retool the newspaper's entire archive.

A Lebanese newspaper ran a caricature last year (shown above) of two opposition leaders hugging in light of April Fools' Day. Image via Getty Images

 

New X-Ray Vision at airports sees right through your clothing!

Do you remember those ads in comic books back in the 60s when they advertised X-Ray vision glasses? I wonder how many little boys like me believed them and were disappointed when they didn't reveal what was underneath girls clothing! Well, the latest techno advance has solved the problem of strip searches without people taking their clothes off.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) passed out this undated handout image showing a composite of 4 separate scans, a female in the left two and a male in the right two, from a whole body scan machine, or millimeter wave machine being used at a security check point at the Salt Lake International Airport in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The new machine developed by New York based L3 Communications has been in use for over two weeks by passengers and takes a whole body scan penetrating clothing. This was a pilot program by the TSA to test the machines in a live setting for the first time at Salt Lake International Airport.

Reuters Photo

Marijuana's uphill battle hindered by Feds who ignored Eric Holder's protection of dispensaries - and Harvard study shows pot fighting Cancer tumors!

From the Independent Institute's Beacon Blog...

HOW CALIFORNIA SHOULD RESPOND TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA RAID

   "Activists are outraged over Obama’s raid of Emmalyn’s California Cannabis Clinic in San Francisco, but they should not be surprised.

    Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder had promised to end federal medical marijuana raids, as conducted by both Clinton and Bush’s administrations, leaving alone dispensaries operating legally under state law.

Obama broke the spirit of the promise, but not the letter.

The excuse for this last raid was state law violations – supposedly, sales taxes were being evaded. Now the feds will probably prosecute under federal law.

Read the whole story here. "

Image via www.dbtechno.com/images/medical_marijuana_tra.

From CURRENT.COM....

MARIJUANA CUTS LUNG CANCER TUMOR

GROWTH IN HALF,HARVARD STUDY SHOWS

The active ingredient in marijuana cuts tumor growth in common lung cancer in half and significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread, say researchers at Harvard University who tested the chemical in both lab and mouse studies.
They say this is the first set of experiments to show that the compound, Delta-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), inhibits EGF-induced growth and migration in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expressing non-small cell lung cancer cell lines. Lung cancers that over-express EGFR are usually highly aggressive and resistant to chemotherapy.
THC that targets cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 is similar in function to endocannabinoids, which are cannabinoids that are naturally produced in the body and activate these receptors. The researchers suggest that THC or other designer agents that activate these receptors might be used in a targeted fashion to treat lung cancer.

 

This isn't the 'Woody" that the Beach Boy's sang about, but it's still pretty cool and does 100 mph

The Tryane II purports to be an improvement over the Citroen 2CV whose underpinnings lie hidden beneath its sensuously curved polished wood body. The builder, Friend Wood, was seemingly inspired by old Morgan three-wheelers and vintage Chris Craft cruisers. The Tryane II weighs in at a mere 900 pounds, which allows the 2CV's tiny opposed twin-cylinder engine to move it along at speeds up to 100mph (more info) (image credit: 1)

Streamy Awards: Winners for Best in Web Television Announced

The first annual Streamy Award winners were announced recently by The International Academy of Web Television, an independent organization of digital entertainment leaders created to recognize excellence in original episodic Web television programming.

The Streamy Awards is the first live awards show dedicated to honoring the actors, directors, writers, cinematographers, editors, music and production talent behind some of the best original content on the Web.

Awards in craft categories were presented at a special ceremony on Thursday, March 26th, excerpts from which were integrated into the live show. Members of the International Academy of Web Television reviewed episodic Web television shows that were submitted by the public from December 18, 2008 though January 23, 2009 and voted on the final nominees for each category.

Over 100,000 public submissions were received

The feeling in the air last Saturday night at the Wadsworth Theater in Los Angeles was summed up by Felecia Day’s acceptance speech.

The now Streamy Award-winning writer-producer-actor who maintains creative control over her Microsoft-funded hit series, The Guild, thanked her first-season fans who supported the series with donations of usually less than ten dollars. She also mentioned a dying distribution paradigm whose round hole could never quite fit her square peg.

The Official Winners of the 1st Annual Streamy Awards - March 28, 2009

Overall Series

Best Comedy Web Series
The Guild

Best Dramatic Web Series
Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy

Best Hosted Web Series
EPIC FU

Best Reality or Documentary Web Series
The Shatner Project

Best News or Politics Web Series
Alive in Baghdad

Audience Choice Award for Best Web Series
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog

Directing

Best Directing for a Comedy Web Series
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
(Joss Whedon)

Best Directing for a Dramatic Web Series
Pink
(Blake Calhoun)

Writing

Best Writing for a Comedy Web Series
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
(Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon, Joss Whedon, Zack Whedon

Best Writing for a Dramatic Web Series
Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy
(Jane Espenson, Seamus Kevin Fahey, Ronald D. Moore)

ACTING

Best Male Actor in a Comedy Web Series
Neil Patrick Harris — (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog)

Best Female Actor in a Comedy Web Series
Felicia Day — (The Guild)

Best Male Actor in a Dramatic Web Series

Alessandro Juliani — (Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy)

Best Female Actor in a Dramatic Web Series
Rosario Dawson — (Gemini Division)

Best Ensemble Cast in a Web Series
The Guild

Best Guest Star in a Web Series
Paul Rudd — (Wainy Days)

Best Web Series Host
Alex Albrecht — (Project Lore)

Craft Awards

Best Editing
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog— (Lisa Lassek)

Best Cinematography
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog — (Ryan Green)

Best Art Direction
Tiki Bar TV — (Kim Bailey)

Best Visual Effects
Backyard FX — (Erik Beck)

Best Animation in a Web Series
The Meth Minute 39 — (Dan Meth)

Best Original Music (*)
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog — (Jed Whedon)

Best Ad Integration in a Web Series
Back on Topps — (Skype)

Best Artistic Concept in a Web Series (*)
You Suck at Photo

All photos by the Bui Brothers.

An Age of Accountability: Are Americans paying for past permissive practices?

By Dave Stancliff

Here's what I think happened: 20th century Americans decided to ignore what their parents taught them and listened to Dr. Spock instead.

Spock, a popular pediatrician since the 1940s, laid out a parental roadmap that offered answers (and wrong turns) for a child's every move.

If you read his famous book “Baby and Child Care,” circa 1946, you'll see his advice hasn't been all that beneficial.

As a matter of fact, one of the tips he gave parents is responsible for as many as 50,000 infant deaths in the USA, Australia and Europe, according to numerous empirical studies released in the 1980s and 1990s.

Read the rest of this column in today's Times-Standard.

image via www.thingamababy.com

New Orleans Art: Things are changing since Hurricane Katrina came

"Parade Watchers" by Myrtle von Damitz, III and Mardi Gras costume by Jackie Mang

New Orleans has been an introverted bohemian draw for centuries, but recent international attention to all aspects of the city's cultural phenomenon's has delivered new energy and intensity to its visual arts community. The art scene in New Orleans is at a turning point. The world's established contemporary art market is at a turning point as well, with more focus on source and originality of work, beyond the pure numbers of the market.

Many dynamic new visual arts alliances have formed since Hurricane Katrina - not just out of the intellectual petri dish of Barrister's Gallery but as a response to a wider desire of local artists to communicate with their friends and neighbors and to broadcast their sensibilities to the rest of the world. One such group aligned with Barrister's Gallery and the Antiabecedarians is the New Orleans Airlift (www.neworleansairlift.org).

Prostitute bites ShamWow Guy's tongue! He slugs her in the chops!

   How many times have you seen an infomercial with this guy's mug? His real name is Vince Shlomi and he's a successful pitchman for absorbent towels and food choppers.

   After hiring a prostitute for a night of straight sex she started right off biting his tongue and not letting go! He slugged her in the chops and was later arrested for felony assault.

   When the cops found out about what she did, they arrested her and charged her with felony assault. As luck would have it, prosecutors decided to drop all formal charges and the two were released.

   But wait! There's more to this story. Go to thesmokinggun to get all of the juicy details and get a free thrill! Hurry...the first 200 visitors will get an autographed photo of the ShamWow guy's booking photo!

Don't delay...

Photo via www.thesmokinggun.com

Step right up folks and see the fabulous fleas flying through the air!

These clearly bizarre posters are lovingly created by David Manuel

Like People Say: 'It's not who you are, but who are you related too?'

• Nepotism; favoritism shown to relatives, especially in appointment to desirable positions

  FROM THE LA TIMES
• California jobs go to those with connections

Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times / File

Excerpt from article:

"Lawmakers can hire anyone they choose. Sometimes that means friends and family.

"It looks like nepotism," said Tracy Westen, chief executive of the Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles. "It's the kind of thing the public doesn't like: people using their power and influence to provide cushy jobs to friends and family."

Read the whole article here.

Cartoon (By Leo Cullum) via www.cartoonbank.com via The New Yorker

Senators steal taxpayer money under guise of PACs: Bailed-out banks give thanks by donating money to lawmakers

Mike Huckabee, a recent candidate for president and governor of Arkansas, is known to be a PAC porker, but even Huckabee wouldn't take PAC money from government bailed-out companies, unlike the senators mentioned in the following article from The Raw Story. The same senators who have spoke out with feigned indignity over the AIG controversy are busy collecting PAC money. House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer, and House GOP Whip, Eric Cantor, lead the list of shame, but are followed by other senators who don't mind stealing tax payer money!  

DONATING FOR DOLLARS? MANY BAILED-OUT BANKS STILL CONTRIBUTE TO CAMPAIGN FUNDS

By Jeremy Gantz

The federal bank bailouts may be giving new meaning to the term "kickback."
Many of the banks rescued last year with taxpayer money have contributed to the campaign coffers of some politicians who approved the bailouts, according to recent filings with the Federal Election Commission.

Read the whole article here.

If you want to read more about this subject NewsWeek has a good article titled "Follow the bailout cash."