RIP: Actress Farrah Fawcett dead at 62

From The Canberra Times...

Actress Farrah Fawcett, best known for her role in television series Charlie's Angels, has died, her long-time companion Ryan O'Neal says. She was 62.

Fawcett died in hospital surrounded by friends and family shortly before 9.30am on Thursday (0230 AEST Friday), reports said.

"After a long and brave battle with cancer, our beloved Farrah has passed away," O'Neal said in a statement released by Fawcett's publicist Arnold Robinson. "Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world."

O'Neal told People magazine's online edition he had talked to Fawcett through the night.

"She's now with her mother and sister and her God. I loved her with all my heart. I will miss her so very, very much. She was in and out of consciousness. I talked to her all through the night.

"I told her how very much I loved her. She's in a better place now."

Speculation that Fawcett's death was close at hand had mounted after veteran ABC television interviewer Barbara Walters said the actress had been given her last rites earlier on Thursday.

Reports said O'Neal and Alana Stewart were at Fawcett's bedside when she passed away at St John's Hospital in Santa Monica.

Earlier this week, O'Neal revealed he planned to marry Fawcett, who has been battling cancer for three years. "I've asked her to marry me, again, and she's agreed," O'Neal said.

photo via Canberra Times

O'Neal, 68, and Fawcett had been romantically involved off-and-on since 1982. The couple had a son together, Redmond, but never married.

Redmond O'Neal is in jail in California for drug offences and was not at his mother's bedside when she died but spoke to her on the phone before her death, his father told People.

Pop Icon Michael Jackson dies of heart attack

 From the LA Times and TMZ...

Pop icon Michael Jackson died on Thursday after suffering a cardiac arrest, multiple US media outlets reported, sending shockwaves through the entertainment world.

The Los Angeles Times and TMZ.com celebrity news website reported Jackson, 50, died after suffering an arrest just after 12pm local time (0500 AEST) and paramedics were unable to revive him.

The Times cited multiple city and law enforcement officials as confirming the pop icon's death.

Jackson's manager Tohme E. Tohme was not available for comment. Officials at UCLA Medical Centre where Jackson was treated also could not be reached for comment.

National and local television networks showed hundreds of media gathered at UCLA Medical Centre for what appeared to be a briefing.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Devin Gales did not confirm Jackson's identity but said paramedics went to an address corresponding to the star's home at 12:21pm (0521 GMT) and the person was taken to UCLA Medical Centre.

An unidentified family member earlier told TMZ -- the first outlet to report that Jackson had suffered a cardiac arrest -- that the star was in "really bad shape."

Michael's father Joe Jackson told E! Online he was aware of the emergency but did not know further details.

"I am in Las Vegas, but yes, people in Los Angeles called me and are with Michael and tell me he was taken to the hospital," he said.

"I am not sure what's wrong. I am waiting to hear back from them."

The reports came as Jackson prepared to make a keenly anticipated concert comeback in London, his first series of shows in more than a decade and the first since his 2005 acquittal on child molestation charges.

However those concerts -- billed as the "final curtain" -- had been thrown into doubt after Jackson pushed back the opening dates last month.

Toronto's new green roof law a first for North America

From Mother Nature Network...

                                           By Michael dEstries

In a first for a North American city, Toronto recently passed a new law mandating "green" rooftops for all new developments. Any new construction with floor space of more than 2,000 square meters must devote between 20 and 60 percent of its roof to vegetation. The rule applies to residential, commercial, industrial and institutional structures.

As expected, developers are less than thrilled with the new mandatory rules -- least of all that they come during an economic downturn. Some estimate that green roofs could add more than $177,000 to the cost of a project; not including the ongoing maintenance, replacement and repair costs. "I don't think anybody is warm and fuzzy about having a green roof bylaw impressed on them as a prescriptive method," said one developer to Reuters.

Still, the benefits to the city in terms of energy savings and rainwater runoff management are seen as cost-effective in the long term. According to the organization Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, more than 3.1 million square feet of green roofs were installed in 2008, a 35 percent growth over the previous year. Though Toronto may have the lead in proactive legislation, the city of Chicago still retains the crown for having the most green roofs in North America at more than 600. Still, it should be interesting to see if our neighbors to the north inspire some U.S. cities to follow with similar legislation.

image via Photo: 416style/Flickr

'Outside The Box' teams up with As It Stands for laughs!

Tom Holloway is an old high school buddy of mine, and my brother-in-law. He does cartoon strips for the Frederick News-Post in Maryland.

"The Grand Life" and "Outside the Box," are the titles of two of his cartoons. Tom showed his artistic acumen in high school drawing superheros from Marvel and DC Comics.

Tom was recently inspired to draw this cartoon based on a post I made about Cheerios two days ago. If you'd like to see more of his work go to "Holloway's Grand Life" Enjoy.

Tom's comments:

Honest to God, this toon is based on an actual news story!

Check out the whole story from Tuesday, June 23, 2009
FDA says Cheerios is a drug and may not be legally marketed!

PETA Insanity: Clooney declines sweaty tofu offer

 That's all I can take without saying something. PETA has done a lot of questionable promotions in the past and taken some silly stands (PETA defends fly that Obama swats!), but this is just too much!

  Good grief! Who the hell would want to eat someone else's sweat? This is crazy. These PETA people must run around with tin-foil hats to avoid the galactic rays or something. I mean...c'mon...really?  

From stuff.com ...

George Clooney has declined an offer for his sweat to be used to make tofu.

Animal rights group Peta want to create the unusual vegetarian food by extracting George’s salty perspiration from his used gym towel.

The organisation wrote to the handsome actor asking for permission to create the product, saying: "The technology actually exists to take your perspiration and make it into George Clooney-flavoured tofu (CloFu).

"Of course, your fans would swoon at the idea of eating CloFu but what interests us most is that we would attract many people who don't try tofu because they worry that it would be bland or that they wouldn't know how to cook it.

 Click here to read the rest.

image via Rueters

S.C. governor admits affair, apologizes to family, public

  All right, what's going on here? What is it with Republican Governors cheating on their wives? This is becoming pretty commonplace among the GOP.

This guy, Stanford, was supposed to be in the running for President in 2012, but he can kiss that idea off! Last week it was another Republican Governor, John Ensign of Nevada, who did the dirty with another woman, despite the fact that he's married. Both of these cheaters were upcoming GOP leaders. This doesn't bode well for the staggering GOP party who are trying to shed their shitty image!

  From the Associated Press...

  The governor of South Carolina, who caused a ruckus after he could not be located by staff, family and friends for days, said Wednesday he has been having an affair and will resign as head of the Republican Governor's Association.

Gov. Mark Sanford, a married father and a rumored 2012 presidential candidate, gave an emotional statement in which he apologized to his wife, staff and others after returning from a trip to Argentina that followed a days long absence.

TV COVERAGE FROM WLTX: Sanford speaks about trip

His staff had said he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

Sanford's infidelity admission adds to an ever-growing list of woes for the out-of-power Republican Party as it looks to rebound against the popular President Obama and his emboldened Democrats. The episode is another distraction for a party seeking a turnaround after disastrous losses in consecutive national elections as it confronts a stark reality: its less than diverse ranks are steadily shrinking, its regional heft is limited to the South and it lacks a leader of stature to guide the party back to power.

Click here to read the rest.

photo via Mary Ann Chastain, AP

Senate to Consider Hate Crimes Legislation this week

Last year I wrote a column about hate crimes -

Election Fallout: Hate groups experience growth.

This year the senate is looking to do something about them.

From the CBN News Channel....

The U.S. Senate is scheduled to consider hate crimes legislation this week.

On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear the "Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act."

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is scheduled to testify in support of it.

The legislation is supposed to offer greater protections to lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and trans-gendered crime victims.

But critics argue it could lead to charges against those who speak out against homosexuality, like pastors.

The Liberty Counsel is trying to collect more than 100,000 petitions to send to Senators before Thursday's hate crimes hearing.

Click here to read the rest.

image via Google Images

FDA says Cheerios is a drug and may not be legally marketed!

How can this be? I eat Cheerios every morning. I need my Cheerios. I hope the FDA and the makers of my favorite cereal work this thing out and don't get stupid and take it off the market!

From The Washington Times...

The latest verdict from the Food and Drug Administration is that Cheerios is a drug. Parents, then, must be drug pushers.

The FDA sent a warning to Cheerios maker General Mills Inc. that it is in serious violation of federal rules.

"Based on claims made on your product's label, we have determined that your Cheerios Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal is promoted for conditions that cause it to be a drug because the product is intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease" the FDA letter said. "[Cheerios] may not be legally marketed with the above claims in the United States without an approved new drug application."

Click here to read the rest.

image via Google Images

A day in the life of the biggest land-dwelling arthropod in the world

 

How can you ever look at a crab from Alaska, or say Maine, and not think about their huge cousin the Coconut Crab now? It’s the biggest land-dwelling arthropod in the world. So if it wants to eat your garbage... let it! They got their moniker because they're actually strong enough to break coconuts with their claws! Ouch! I don't know how eatable the Coconut Crab is...but be assured I'll never go looking for them!

crab photos via Riff Trax 

Russian church sells miracle stickers to cell phone users

From MOSNEWS we have the following story about cell phone users. I recently wrote a column about cell phones 

That column generated a tremendous response and some readers even sent me more information about cell phone dangers in regards to children using them. Since that June 7th column, a steady flow of emails has come in. I just got one yesterday (today's not over yet).

I thought this article was an indirect link to what I wrote about, i.e., cell phone dangers, and an amusing solution to a very serious subject. 

The Russian Orthodox Church has started to sell stickers that, when put on a mobile phone, will miraculously protect its owner from hazardous electromagnetic waves.

For 170 rubles, or just $5.5, anyone can purchase the sticker at so-called “church shops” in the Novgorod Region, where they are sold among accessories like crosses, prayer books and candles, Komsomolskaya Pravda daily writes Tuesday.

The round stickers are decorated with images of famous Russian churches and monasteries – such as Christ the Savior or the Trinity Laura. They are extremely popular with customers.

  Click here to read the rest.

Photo: www.kp.ru

Man digs 50-foot hole to fish - in his own kitchen!

A Chinese farmer dug a 50ft hole inside his house to go fishing.

Li Huiyan, of Chongqing, hired 30 villagers for six months to dig the hole in his kitchen, reports IC Media.

He wanted to reach an underground river which he suspected was full of fish.

The river had been over ground but had disappeared 30 years ago when the local authorities bombed part of a mountain to pave a road.

Li explained: "The river used to have so many fish, and by simply putting a net there, hundreds of fish would be caught."

After digging his pit down to the river, Li installed a fishing net across it and regularly hauls out fish, so far earning his family nearly £2,000.

"I sell the fish at a wholesale price of 24 yuan (£2.15p) per kilo, but 36 yuan (£3.20p) per kilo for retail," he said.

Li built ladders from his kitchen to the river 16 metres below, and each day he has to go down to check the harvest.

 Photo and text via Annanova

I think I'd like to go to Bora Bora - how about you?

photo by easy.tahiti )

Bora Bora - One of the most mythical of the Pacific islands remains the island of all dreams.

The legends, mysteries, and romance associated with the words “Bora Bora” bring an almost mystical presence to the island. The island, located about 230 kilometers northwest of Papeete, is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef.

The island has been made famous by books, movies, and its stunning beauty. Warning- the island is now besieged by tourism and overcrowding. Regardless, if you must visit a South Pacific island, Bora Bora would be an interesting one.

To see some more incredible photos click here.

Crocodile versus Leopard: Guess which one won...

The astonishing spectacle of a leopard savaging a crocodile has been captured for the first time on camera.

A series of incredible pictures taken at a South African game reserve document the first known time that a leopard has taken on and defeated one of the fearsome reptiles.

The photographs were taken by Hal Brindley, an American wildlife photographer, who was supposed to be taking pictures of hippos from his car in the Kruger National Park.

The giant cat raced out of cover provided by scrub and bushes to surprise the crocodile, which was swimming nearby.

A terrible and bloody struggle ensued. Eventually, onlookers were amazed to see the leopard drag the crocodile from the water as the reptile fought back.

With the crocodile snapping its powerful jaws furiously, the two animals somersaulted and grappled. Despite the crocodile's huge weight and strength, the leopard had the upper hand catching its prey by the throat.

Click here to read the rest and see more photos.

Photo by Hal Brindley Story via the Telegraph

Marijuana News: Barney Frank Files Bill To Decriminalize Pot

From WBZTV...

A controversial law in Massachusetts could go national if Congressman Barney Frank gets his way.

Frank has filed a bill that would eliminate federal penalties for personal possession of less than 100 grams of marijuana.
It would also make the penalty for using marijuana in public just $100.
"I think John Stuart Mill had it right in the 1850s," said Congressman Frank, "when he argued that individuals should have the right to do what they want in private, so long as they don't hurt anyone else.

It's a matter of personal liberty. Moreover, our courts are already stressed and our prisons are over-crowded. We don't need to spend our scarce resources prosecuting people who are doing no harm to others."
Frank filed a similar bill last year, but it failed.

The law passed in Massachusetts last November.
Ten other states have also reduced penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana – in some cases they are a civil fine. These states include California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, and Oregon.

photo via WBZTV

A Father's thoughts about closing the gap between centuries and generations

By Dave Stancliff/The Times-Standard

 Posted: 06/21/2009 01:27:13 AM PDT

If you're a Baby Boomer like me, you might feel we are straddling eras. I have one slightly gnarly foot in the 20th century, and the other poking uncertainly into the 21st.

Mine eyes have seen the birth of television and the worldwide web. They have witnessed the end of the Korean War, the middle of the Vietnam War, the start of the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the glory of space travel before it become a common occurrence.

I watched wonders from my Marvel and DC comics from the 1960s become common gadgets in this marvelous age. Wrist phones, wireless phones, and computers that can store limitless knowledge have jumped off those colorful comic pages and landed in today's reality.

If only H.G. Wells or Jules Verne, could have seen their wild ideas about space and inventions come true. Aldous Huxley would be intrigued by what's happening today. George Orwell would probably say, “I told you Big Brother would take over.”

I can still see Robbie The Robot walking awkwardly inside our little black-and-white 1950s television. All those early robots were big and bulky. They spoke in monotones and often looked intimidating.

Click here to read the rest.

image via Google Images

Orwell would have shook his head and said: I told you so!

---

HOMELAND INSECURITY
U.S. military teaches 'protesters' are 'low-level terrorists'
Become 'dangerous citizen' by 'repeating the very phrases Founding Fathers used'

---

 

By Bob Unruh
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

Just weeks after a scandal erupted over a Department of Homeland Security report that described as "right-wing extremists" those who oppose abortion and support secure national borders, another report is revealing that the Department of Defense is teaching that protesters are "low-level terrorists."

The newest action to define those who disagree with positions adopted by the government or administration of the United States was revealed by blogger Dennis Loo at Salon.com.

He cited a complaint filed by the northern California branch of the American Civil Liberties Union demanding that the Department of Defense change its instructions and those who have been given the training be told of the modifications by "sending out corrective materials."

According to the ACLU letter, the DoD's "Annual Level 1 Antiterrorism (AT) Awareness Training for 2009" tells department personnel "that certain First Amendment-protected activity may amount to 'low-level terrorism.'"

Specifically the training "Knowledge Check 1" asks, "Which of the following is an example of low-level terrorism activity?"

Click here to read the rest.

From the Robot Gallery: Directory - Hall of Fame

   Conky is a small, plastic, wind-up toy robot based on the character from the Pee-Wee Herman television show of the late 1980s.

This image shows the packaged box. Click on the image for a larger view.

Click here for the sounds of CONKY (voice by actor Gregory Harrison).

Other images:
Conky, front view
Conky, large front view
Pee-Wee Herman

 

 To see and read all about more Robots from the Good Old Days till present

click here.

Image and text via robots@chaoskids.com

Dancing around the world strengthens social bonds...

We humans are natural dancers. Dances can be celebrations, or for praise, or for an audience - or just a simple act of letting the rhythm move your body. Dancers can communicate ideas, preserve cultural identities, strengthen social bonds, or just have a lot of fun. Collected here are recent photographs of us, human beings around the world, professional and amateur, in motion for all of the reasons above and more. (39 photos total)

photo via The Big Picture

U.S. Destroyer braces for first test stop of North Korean Ship

Navy Positions Destroyer For Possible Intercept of North Korean Ship Suspected of Proliferating Missiles, Nukes

The USS John McCain, a Navy destroyer, is preparing in case of orders to intercept a North Korean when it leaves the vicinity off the coast of China, according to a senior U.S. defense official.

According to Fox News this afternoon...

The U.S. military is preparing for a possible intercept of a North Korean flagged ship suspected of proliferating weapons material in violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution passed last Friday, FOX News has learned.

The USS John McCain, a Navy destroyer, is positioning itself in case it gets orders to intercept the ship Kang Nam (pictured here) as soon as it leaves the vicinity off the coast of China, according to a senior U.S. defense official. The order to inderdict has not been given yet, but the ship is moving into the area.

"Permission has not been requested. Nor is it clear it will be," a military source told FOX News. "This is a very delicate situation and no one is interested in precipitating a confrontation."

The ship left a port in North Korea Wednesday and appears to be heading toward Singapore, according to a senior U.S. military source. The vessel, which the military has been tracking since its departure, could be carrying weaponry, missile parts or nuclear materials, a violation of U.N. Resolution 1874, which put sanctions in place against Pyongyang.

The USS McCain was involved in an incident with a Chinese sub last Friday - near Subic Bay off the Philippines. The Chinese sub was shadowing the destroyer when it hit the underwater sonar array that the USS McCain was towing behind it.

This is the first suspected "proliferator" that the U.S. and its allies have tracked from North Korea since the United Nations authorized the world's navies to enforce compliance with a variety of U.N. sanctions aimed at punishing North Korea for its recent nuclear test.

Click here to read the whole story.

photo via Fox News

Ten most ridiculous lawsuits featured...

I'm always looking for stories regarding wacky lawsuits and this one fit's that bill nicely. Enjoy:

From The Independent World..

By John Costello

Blame Stella Liebeck. It was her ridiculous lawsuit against McDonald's that started the avalanche. Back in 1992, 79-year-old Stella spilled a cup of McDonald's coffee on her lap and burned herself. Everyone laughed when she declared she was suing McDonald's, until a jury awarded her $2.9m.

Now outrageous lawsuits are a fact of life no matter how farcical.

The latest involves ex-con Dawud Yaduallah, who is suing a prison nurse in the US after she sent him to his cell even though medication had given him a painful 55-hour erection that wouldn't go away.

It seems that particular dose of "hard" time was just too much for Yaduallah. But even his legal action isn't so harebrained when compared to the Ten Most Ridiculous Lawsuits Of All Time.

                    10. The sound of silence

Music publishers for the late avant-garde composer John Cage sued Mike Batt for plagiarism in 2002. They claimed Batt's song, 'A Minute's Silence,' ripped off Cage's '4'33,' which also contained absolutely no music or vocals.

Even though copyrighting silence would seem to be impossible, Batt agreed to settle the case out of court by paying a six-figure amount.

Silence, it seems, is not only golden but it is also potentially worth millions.

 Click here to see the other nine lawsuits.

Wait till you see number one!

 photo via The Independent World