WAKE n’ BACON
July 31, 2008
An alarm clock that wakes you up with the smell and sizzle of cooking bacon!
Good morning!
Posted by Andre of Bem Legaus
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Mother Earth naked -- a modern masterpiece
Mother Earth naked -- a modern masterpiece
Published on Jul 31, 2008 - 9:11:20 AM
July 31, 2008 - Have you ever wondered what our world would look like stripped bare of all plants, soils, water and man-made structures? Well wonder no longer; images of the Earth as never seen before have been unveiled in what is the world's biggest geological mapping project ever.
Earth and computer scientists from 79 nations are working together on a global project called OneGeology to produce the first digital geological map of the world. This project is doing the same for the rocks beneath our feet that Google does for maps of the Earth's surface. These scientists have achieved their goal in just over one year after initiating this global project. For a science that usually counts time in millions of years, this is no mean feat!
OneGeology is supported by UNESCO and six other international umbrella bodies and is the flagship project for UN International Year of Planet Earth 2008. The key results of this project are:
1. Geological maps from around the globe are accessible on the World Wide Web;
2. A new web language has been written for geology which allows nations to share data with each other and the public;
3. The know-how to do this is being exchanged so that all nations across the world, regardless of their development status, can take part and benefit.
Explaining the significance of this project, Ian Jackson, Chief of Operations at the British Geological Survey, who is coordinating OneGeology explained: "Geological maps are essential tools in finding natural resources e.g. water, hydrocarbons and minerals, and when planning to mitigate geohazards e.g. earthquakes, volcanoes and radon. Natural resources are a crucial source of wealth for all nations, especially those that need to develop and build their economies. Identifying geohazards is often a matter of life or death. Other challenges facing all nations in the 21st century include rising sea levels, management of waste (nuclear or domestic) and storage of carbon. Knowledge of the rocks that we all live on has become increasingly important and sharing that knowledge at a time of global environmental change is crucial".
François Robida, Deputy Head of Division, Information Systems and Technologies at the Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières, France, explained; "Today you can go to the OneGeology website and get geological maps from across the globe - from an overview of our entire planet, to larger scale maps of the rocks of individual nations. You also have the ability to hop from this web site to higher resolution applied maps and data on linked national web sites. Participating nations are contributing to a legacy for humankind; by acting locally they are thinking globally".
Unfortunately information about the Earth's rocks isn't always up-to-date, joined-up, and in some parts of the world is not available at all! This was the challenge that OneGeology project set out to tackle and these scientists will be unveiling the the result of their work at the 33rd International Geological Congress in Oslo, Norway on 6 August 2008.
International organisations supporting OneGeology include:
1. UNESCO
2. International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS)
3. International Consortium of Geological Surveys (ICOGS)
4. EuroGeoSurveys
5. Commission for the Geological Map of the World (CGMW)
6. International Steering Committee for Global Mapping (ISCGM)
7. International Lithosphere Program
OneGeology Project:
The OneGeology project was initiated in England in March 2007, when leading scientists from more than 43 countries around the world, from as far apart as Australia and Brazil, Canada and Russia, Namibia and Japan met to agree and plan the details of this global project. A movie capturing this event may be seen at http://www.onegeology.org/docs/brighton_workshop/onegeology.html
The OneGeology project website is at www.onegeology.org and You Tube channel is at www.youtube.com/OneGeology
International Year of Planet Earth 2008:
The International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) was proclaimed for 2008 by General Assembly of the United Nations in its Plenary Session on the 22 December 2005. The aim of the IYPE is to demonstrate new and exciting ways in which Earth sciences can help future challenges involved in ensuring a safer and more prosperous world. More about IYPE can be found at: www.esfs.org
The British Geological Survey:
The British Geological Survey (BGS), a component body of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), is the nation's principal supplier of objective, impartial and up-to-date geological expertise and information for decision making for governmental, commercial and individual users. The BGS maintains and develops the nation's understanding of its geology to improve policy making, enhance national wealth and reduce risk. It also collaborates with the national and international scientific community in carrying out research in strategic areas, including energy and natural resources, our vulnerability to environmental change and hazards, and our general knowledge of the Earth system. More about the BGS can be found at http://www.bgs.ac.uk/
Website: www.onegeology.org
Attenborough alarmed as children are left flummoxed by test on the natural world
Alamy
What amphibian is this?
Can you do any better? Test your knowledgeChildren have lost touch with the natural world and are unable to identify common animals and plants, according to a survey.
Half of youngsters aged nine to 11 were unable to identify a daddy-long-legs, oak tree, blue tit or bluebell, in the poll by BBC Wildlife Magazine. The study also found that playing in the countryside was children's least popular way of spending their spare time, and that they would rather see friends or play on their computer than go for a walk or play outdoors.
The survey asked 700 children to identify pictured flora and fauna. Just over half could name bluebells, 54 per cent knew what blue tits were and 45 per cent could identify an oak. Less than two-thirds (62 per cent) identified frogs and 12 per cent knew what a primrose was.
Children performed better at identifying robins (95 per cent) and badgers, correctly labelled by nine out of 10.
Sir David Attenborough warned that children who lack any understanding of the natural world would not grow into adults who cared about the environment. "The wild world is becoming so remote to children that they miss out," he said, "and an interest in the natural world doesn't grow as it should. Nobody is going protect the natural world unless they understand it."
Fergus Collins, of BBC Wildlife Magazine, said the results "reinforce the idea that many children don't spend enough time playing in the green outdoors and enjoying wildlife – something older generations might have taken for granted".
A surprisingly large number of children incorrectly identified the bluebells as lavender, and the deer was commonly misidentified as an antelope.
The newt, recognised by 42 per cent, was mistaken for a lizard while the primrose was thought to be a dandelion.
Experts blamed the widening gulf between children and nature on over-protective parents and the hostility to children among some conservationists, who fear that they will damage the environment. They said that this lack of exposure to outdoor play in natural environments was vital for children's social and emotional development.
Dr Martin Maudsley, play development officer for Playwork Partnerships, at the University of Gloucestershire, said that adults had become too protective of wild places: "Environmental sensitivities should not be prioritised over children."
He said: "Play is the primary mechanism through which children engage and connect with the world, and natural environments are particularly attractive, inspiring and satisfying for kids. Something magical occurs when children and wild spaces mix."
Friday, August 1, 2008
Reports: Bizarre Creature Washes Up On N.Y. Shore
Reports: Bizarre Creature Washes Up On N.Y. Shore
Corpse Appears To Have Dinosaur-Like Beak
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NEW YORK -- Is it real or is it a hoax? That's what many are asking after the corpse of a bizarre-looking creature with a dinosaur-like beak washed up on a Long Island shore this week.A tipster told Gawker.com that there is "a government animal testing facility very close by" where the creature washed ashore. But government biologists contacted by Hamptons-based Web site Plum said after looking at the pictures that "no such creature exists," according to Gawker.The woman who took the photo of the creature's corpse on the shore, along with two others who claim to have seen the "Montauk Monster," will appear on Plum's Web show to discuss the sighting.While neighboring towns are abuzz with talk of the creature -- is it a sea turtle? a rodent? a dog? -- no one knows for sure.Those who claim to have seen it told Newsday they were "shocked and amazed."And if it were a real animal, one county executive said, it could make some money as an attraction."If this could be certified as the Suffolk version of the Loch Ness monster, we'd sell tickets and get a lot of revenue," County Executive Steve Levy told Newsday
Flatulence joke is world's oldest
Flatulence joke is world's oldest
 Flatulence, farce and pharaohs feature in the list of the world's oldest jokes |
Breaking news about breaking wind: the world's oldest joke is a one-liner about flatulence, researchers say.
Academics have compiled a list of the most ancient gags and the oldest, harking back to 1900BC, is a Sumerian proverb from what is now southern Iraq.
"Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband's lap," goes the joke.
Randy pharaohs, thirsty ox-drivers and barbers also feature in the list.
The oldest British joke dates back to the 10th Century, and uses the traditional question and answer format to suggestively poke fun at Anglo-Saxon men.
"What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? A key."
Pharaohs and emperors
HAVE YOUR SAY
The most humourous joke will come when you least expect it
Nikk, South Shields
"Jokes have varied over the years, with some taking the question and answer format while others are witty proverbs or riddles," said Dr Paul McDonald, who led the study by academics at the University of Wolverhampton.
"What they all share, however, is a willingness to deal with taboos and a degree of rebellion."
As today, world leaders make good foils for ancient humour, particularly Egyptian pharaohs, as shown by this 1600BC joke:
"How do you entertain a bored pharaoh? Sail a boatload of young women dressed only in fishing nets down the Nile - and urge the pharaoh to go fishing."
One Roman jape dating back to the 1st Century BC details the Emperor Augustus touring his realm and coming across a man who bears a striking resemblance to himself.
Intrigued, he asks the man: "Was your mother at one time in service at the palace?"
The man replies: "No your highness, but my father was."9,000 Couples to Marry on Lucky 8/8/08
9,000 Couples to Marry on Lucky 8/8/08
Come the 8th of August, 2008, there will be more than one historical event in China, as some estimated 9,000 couples have will be married on the same day to celebrate the opening of the Olympic Games.
The Chinese government had planned the Olympics to kick off on 8/8/08, due to the number “8″ being very lucky and sounding like part of the phrase “to get rich” in Mandarin.
The thousands of couples hope to also share in the blessing of the rare and lucky date, similar to the 7/7/07 marriage craze in the US.
“We want to show our support for the Olympics, a century-old dream for China, and take part in a major event,” says Liu Huiling, 24, an office assistant. “Who knows if we will ever see another Olympics?”
Before the couples are actually married they will be asked to sign a billboard stating the governments slogan: “A century of the Olympics; a century-long dream; a century-long prayer for happiness; a century of perfect marriage.”
Today was the first day that couples could register to be officially married on the 8th of August and around 1,000 couples have already registered.
The estimated 9,000 couple wedding record would more than double China’s previous single-day wedding record.
Police find shooting victim's secret stash
Police find shooting victim's secret stash
 Video Gallery |
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FAST FACTS:
- 18-year-old shot twice
- Paramedics treating him discovered marijuana stuffed in his buttocks
- Police are still searching for the gunman
(MEMPHIS, TN 7/31/2008) Memphis Police caught an 18-year-old man with a stash of marijuana. But, where he kept it, well..let's just say they handled it with gloves.
Paramedics treated Michael Covington for 2 gunshot wounds after a shooting near Boxdale and Winchester. According to police, the teen was hiding drugs. More specifically, the police report states that 14 individually wrapped bags of what appeared to be marijuana were stuffed in his buttocks.
"I believe it, I do," said neighbor Cecelia Beasley. "I'm a news person, I read the news I'm online all the time, nothing surprises me."
Covington is now recovering at home. He declined to talk to us about what happened.
For now, cops are focusing on finding the man who shot him. They believe its 27-year-old Jeremy Matlock, also known as "Big Jeremy."
A warrant went out for his arrest today. He's charged with aggravated assault.
According to the report, Matlock chased Covington down the street near Winchester and Boxdale July 21, firing several bullets at him and eventually wounding him in the rear.
It's unclear exactly what led to the altercation, but we took a look at Matlock's wrap sheet and found several drug related arrests.
If you know where Matlock is give the Shelby County Fugitive Bureau a call at (901) 545-5625.
In case you're wondering, police say Covington isn't off the hook yet either. They say it's pretty likely he'll be facing drug charges once he recovers.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Olympic link to early 'computer'
Olympic link to early 'computer'
 The device is a unique piece of ancient technology |
A 2,100-year-old "computer" found in a Roman shipwreck may have acted as a calendar for the Olympic Games, scientists report in Nature journal.
The Antikythera Mechanism has puzzled experts since its discovery by Greek sponge divers in 1901.
Researchers have long suspected the ancient clockwork device was used to display astronomical cycles.
A team has now found that one of the dials records the dates of the ancient Olympiad.
This could have been to provide a benchmark for the passage of time.
The device is made up of bronze gearwheels and dials, and scientists know of nothing like it until at least 1,000 years later.
Social importance
Tony Freeth, a member of the Antikythera Mechanism Research Project, said he was "astonished" at the discovery.
"The Olympiad cycle was a very simple, four-year cycle and you don't need a sophisticated instrument like this to calculate it. It took us by huge surprise when we saw this.
"But the Games were of such cultural and social importance that it's not unnatural to have it in the Mechanism."
The technique of X-ray computed tomography gave the researchers a 3D view of its 29 surviving gears. High-resolution imaging provided them with a close-up of tiny letters engraved on the surface.
The device's "subsidiary dial" was once thought to be a 76-year "callippic" calendar.
However, Mr Freeth and his colleagues have now been able to establish from its inscriptions that it displays the 4-year Olympiad cycle.
Instead of one Olympics as there is today, the ancient Olympiads, called the Panhellenic Games, comprised four games spread over four years.
'Eureka' moment
The four sectors of the dial are inscribed with a year number and two Panhellenic Games: the "crown" games of Isthmia, Olympia, Nemea and Pythia; and two lesser games: Naa (held at Dodona) and a second game which has not yet been deciphered.
In addition, the team was able to identify the names of all 12 months, which belong to the Corinthian family of months.
Corinth, in central Greece, established colonies in north-western Greece, Corfu and Sicily, where Archimedes was established.
Archimedes, whose list of exploits included an explanation for the displacement of water and a screw pump that bears his name today, died there in 212 BC.
The Antikythera Mechanism was "almost certainly made many decades" after his death, according to Alexander Jones, a professor at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World in New York, US.
If it came from Syracuse, the dial could have been made by the school of scientists and instrument-makers he inspired.
The priceless artefact was found by a sponge diver amid other treasures on a wreck near the tiny island of Antikythera between Crete and the mainland. It is on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
Live fish caught at record depth
Live fish caught at record depth
| By Anna-Marie Lever Science and Nature reporter, BBC News |
Deep-sea fish caught at record depth
A live deep-sea fish has been caught at a record depth of 2,300m on the hot vents of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Three shrimp species were also pulled to the surface, researchers report in the journal Deep-Sea Research.
Scientists have engineered a new device that allows recovery of live animals under their natural pressure at greater depths than previously achieved.
Next they hope to be able to transfer the animals into an experimental lab to study their normal biology.
"Pressurised recovery has been around for the past 30 years, but this is the deepest fish-capture under pressure - the previous record was 1,400m. This is also the first time pressurised capture has occurred at a hydrothermal vent," said Dr Bruce Shillito, marine biologist at the Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.
The shrimp species were caught at 1,700m (5,600ft; Mirocaris fortunata and Chorocaris chacei) and 2,300m (7,500ft; Rimicaris exoculata) at two vent fields, Lucky Strike and Rainbow, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
 Scientists watch the deep-sea fish inside the Periscop onboard ship |
Dr Shillito explains: "At depths of over 1,000m, it is difficult to recover animals alive. Catching with no pressure is as good as catching dead. Fish are the most fragile - even a fisherman with a 100m line will probably reel in a catch whose gas bladder is in its mouth."
Although the fish caught by the team was a zoarcid (Pachycara saldanhai) and had no gas bladder, it was sensitive to full decompression.
At the surface, under pressure, the fish was active and remained upright, however upon release of pressure its movement became uncoordinated and within a few minutes it was totally motionless.
A similar effect, caused by decompression, was also observed in the shrimp species. At the surface, under pressure, most shrimps were in an upright position and swimming actively and continuously.
When a separate shrimp sample was caught and pulled to the surface without pressure, the animals jerked violently, and after a few hours were dead.
The samples were examined onboard the ship "Pourquoi Pas?" during the Momareto cruise, which was organised by Ifremer, the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea.
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First deep-sea shrimps caught around hydrothermal vent
The next step for Dr Shillito's team is to be able to transfer its catch from the sampling device into a better equipped experimental tank, without decompression, allowing the scientists to observe the animals' normal behaviour and responses to different environments.
"We are particularly interested in the Pompeii worm (Alvinella pompejana), a vent worm which is thought to be the most thermo-tolerant marine organism, yet remains to be recovered in good enough shape. It is intriguing to find out how heat-resistant this animal is," Dr Shillito told BBC News.
Despite covering about 60% of the Earth's surface, the deep-sea floor ecosystem is poorly understood. Dr Shillito says: "We urgently need to find out more about the place we are destroying."
He adds: "At a time when we are over-fishing the depths of the ocean, we know more about cooking recipes than the biological features of deep-sea fauna."
A new device
The new sampling system for pressured recovery, which has been named Periscop, was developed by Dr Shillito in conjunction with Mr Gerard Hamel, a mechanics engineer at the Universite Pierre et Marie Curie.
It received funding from Exocet/d, a large European research programme.
It has three compartments which perform different tasks - capture at depth, recovery of the deep-sea species under natural pressure, and transfer to the lab with no decompression.
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"In most previous attempts involving pressurised recovery, a single container fulfilled these three tasks - this may lead to contradictory technical requirements," explains Dr Shillito.
The plastic capture box is attached to a submersible arm which allows movement and suction for sampling. The animal is then transferred into a pressurised box. This is kept at the same pressure as the sampling depth during ascent by a pressure compensator.
"We used pressurised water to maintain pressure, which is a safer and a simpler alternative to gas. We hope this method of pressurised recovery will become standard," Dr Shillito said.
As well as pressure shock, when animals are pulled to the surface they suffer from changes in temperature.
"The temperature at depths below 2,000m is pretty constant all over the world - around 2-4C, yet the surface waters where we were sampling were 22-25C," explains Dr Shillito.
He adds: "Heating is difficult to prevent without getting out the heavy gear - using active cooling systems, requiring energy and computer controls - but at least we know that every sample has had the same temperature history; they have the same background story."
Police Raid Berwyn Heights Mayor's Home, Kill His 2 Dogs
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 31, 2008; Page B01
My government blew through my doors and killed my dogs," Calvo said. "They thought we were drug dealers, and we were treated as such. I don't think they really ever considered that we weren't."
Thursday, July 31, 2008; Page B01
A police SWAT team raided the home of the mayor in the Prince George's County town of Berwyn Heights on Tuesday, shooting and killing his two dogs, after he brought in a 32-pound package of marijuana that had been delivered to his doorstep, police said.
Mayor Cheye Calvo was not arrested in the raid, which was carried out about 7 p.m. by the Sheriff's Office SWAT team and county police narcotics officers. Prince George's police spokesman Henry Tippett said yesterday that all the residents of the house -- Calvo, his wife and his mother-in-law -- are "persons of interest" in the case.
The package was addressed to Calvo's wife, Trinity Tomsic, said law enforcement officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the case is ongoing.
Tippett said police are working to determine for whom the drugs were meant.
Calvo said yesterday that he did not know how the drugs wound up on his doorstep. He works part time as the mayor and serves as director of expansion for the SEED Foundation, a well-known national nonprofit group that runs urban public boarding schools.
My government blew through my doors and killed my dogs," Calvo said. "They thought we were drug dealers, and we were treated as such. I don't think they really ever considered that we weren't."
Calvo described a chaotic scene, in which he -- wearing only underwear and socks -- and his mother-in-law were handcuffed and interrogated for hours. They were surrounded by the dogs' carcasses and pools of the dogs' blood, Calvo said.
Spokesmen for the Sheriff's Office and Prince George's police expressed regret yesterday that the mayor's dogs were killed. But they defended the way the raid was carried out, saying it was proper for a case involving such a large amount of drugs.
Sgt. Mario Ellis, a Sheriff's Office spokesman, said the deputies who entered Calvo's home "apparently felt threatened" by the dogs.
"We're not in the habit of going to homes and shooting peoples' dogs," Ellis said. "If we were, there would be a lot more dead dogs around the county."
Calvo, 37, has been mayor of the 3,000-person town near College Park since 2004. His wife is a finance officer for the state, he said.
The investigation that led police to their house in the 8500 block of Edmonston Road began in Arizona, officials said. There, a police dog at a shipping facility identified the package as being filled with marijuana. Prince George's officers posed as deliverymen and brought it to Calvo's home.
Calvo said he came home early from work Tuesday. While walking the dogs, Calvo said, he noticed several black sport-utility vehicles and a woman parked in a car down the street.
"I figured someone was having a party," he recalled.
It was the police. They were watching, waiting for someone to bring the package into the house.
As Calvo returned to the house, he said, he spotted the large package that his mother-in-law had told a deliveryman to leave on the porch. He placed it on a buffet table near the front door and went upstairs to change.
"I brought it inside because I figured it was something we'd gotten for the garden," he said.
Moments later, just after he had undressed, Calvo said, he heard his mother-in-law scream that someone was coming toward the house. He looked out his bedroom window and saw officers in SWAT gear running across the lawn.
"I heard a loud crash and then 'bang, bang, bang,' " he said, recalling the sounds of the police shooting the dogs. "I hit the floor."
As the police came in, Calvo said, they shot his 7-year-old black Labrador retriever, Payton, near the front door and then his 4-year-old dog, Chase, also a black Lab, as the dog ran into a back room. Walking through his house yesterday, Calvo pointed out a bullet hole in the drywall where the younger dog had been shot.
"I understand they have a job to do, but it didn't have to go like that," Calvo said. He said the police could have knocked on his door and asked him about the package. "I've never done drugs in my life. Anyone who knows me knows that I am so adamantly opposed to them."
Police said yesterday that, when they seized the package during the raid, it was unopened.
Berwyn Heights Police Chief Patrick Murphy said county police and the Sheriff's Office had not notified his department of the raid. He said town police could have conducted the search without a SWAT team.
"You can't tell me the chief of police of a municipality wouldn't have been able to knock on the door of the mayor of that municipality, gain his confidence and enter the residence," Murphy said. "It would not have been a necessity to shoot and kill this man's dogs."
Vegetables Swiped From Resident's Garden Corn, Green Beans, Squash, Tomatoes Taken From Resident
Vegetables Swiped From Resident's Garden
Corn, Green Beans, Squash, Tomatoes Taken From Resident
- Video: Gardener Has Veggies Stolen
LAFAYETTE, Tenn. -- A Macon County resident said thieves entered her garden and stripped her of many of the vegetables she has been growing all summer long.
During the night, thieves stole corn, green beans, squash and tomatoes from Vicki Adams.When Adams found out about the thefts, she was furious."What I said can't be repeated on camera," said Adams.Other neighboring gardens have been hit as well, but Adams has the biggest garden of any that has been stripped.It stretches from just outside her front door to across her street, but most of the produce she had been tending to has been taken from her.Passers by have told Adams her loss is a sign of tough economic times, but she has an answer to that statement."They need to be made to get a job and work like I have to," said Adams.Adams cans, and eats every morsel she raises from her garden. She's hoping the thieves don't come back for what's left."I get out here in the hot sun, while everybody else is in the air conditioning. I hoe out my garden. That's what I love to do," said Adams.She believes the thieves stole her vegetables to buy drugs and said green beans are selling for $20 to $28 a bushel.Macon County sheriff's deputies are investigating what happened, but authorities said the likelihood of the thieves being caught and Adams getting her vegetables back is slim.
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Most Cost Effective Vehicle Ever
Most Cost Effective Vehicle Ever
In a local Shanghai suburb, one man has created what has to be one of the most cost effective automobiles ever.
The car has a very simple design, basically a bunch of wood scraps tied together with wire, four wheels, and a seat that can barely fit one person.
An open frame allows for a nice breeze, so an air conditioner is not required, and it even has a headlight.
No word on the gas mileage this things gets, but all in all the vehicle is pretty impressive.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Bug feast saves Outback pest man
Bug feast saves Outback pest man
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When a former pest-control officer lost his bearings in Australia's Outback he thought he would die, until he stumbled on a termites' nest and "got stuck in".
Theo Rosmulder, 52, managed to survive for four days by feasting on termites and other insects before local Aborigines rescued him.
"Termites don't taste too bad," he told reporters in the mining town of Laverton in Western Australia.
Mr Rosmulder was prospecting for gold last Friday when he got lost.
He had separated from his group about 80 miles (130km) north of Laverton and carried on alone, armed only with a penknife, a torch and a metal detector, police said.
Believing he would never be rescued, he said he sought out somewhere to "crawl into a hole and just call it quits".
"[I] found a hollow in the rocks where the kangaroos slept and crawled into it, got a few bushes over the top of me and stayed the night," he said.
Moisture and protein
But the next day a chance discovery of a termite mound changed his luck.
"I just hit the top of the termite nest off and got stuck into them," he said.
Police said Mr Rosmulder was suffering from dehydration but was otherwise in "surprisingly good condition".
Sgt Graham Clifford, of Western Australia police, said the insects and termites had provided him with moisture and protein.
"He kept eating what he used to kill," Sgt Clifford said.
Police had launched a large search operation at first light on Saturday, with dozens of searchers combing 77 sq miles (200 sq km) of the rocky desert terrain by land and air.
But it was a group of local Aborigines who spotted Mr Rosmulder, still clutching his metal detector, on Tuesday morning.
"It was just magic, I just collapsed," Mr Rosmulder said, before adding that he intended to continue with his gold-hunting holiday.Man, 66, records 2 holes-in-one in same round
GAYLORD, Mich. (AP) - For somebody who'd been playing golf 50 years and never had a hole-in-one, Bob Hickey got the hang of it quickly.
The 66-year-old Grayling man used a 7-iron to card his first-ever ace Thursday on the 167-yard 10th hole at Marsh Ridge in Gaylord. Then Hickey used an 8-iron to ace the 147-yard 17th hole.
According to a 2000 Golf Digest article cited by the Traverse City Record-Eagle, the odds of one player making two holes-in-one during the same round are 67 million to 1.
Hickey, who finished at 2-over-par 74, says he'd made two eagles but never came close to a hole-in-one before Thursday. The long-haul trucker says he thinks he benefited from "just pure luck."
Driving test began with a crash - then came the bad news ...
PORTSMOUTH
Antoinette Bowser didn't need to be told she failed her driving test.
She had just started it when she backed into a parked car in the lot of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
It could have been one of those mortifying moments that one laughs about much later. But for Bowser, it has become the driving-test nightmare without end.
Two years later, the Portsmouth woman learned that the state is coming after her for $75,000 to cover the costs of medical expenses and lost wages for the DMV employee who was in the vehicle administering the test for her.
That examiner is one of about 70 Virginia DMV employees who have filed workers' compensation claims because of road test accidents since January 2007, according to Melanie Stokes, a department spokeswoman.
The attorney general's office did not have information on the number of lawsuits related to such accidents. David Clementson, a spokesman for the office, declined to comment on the suit against Bowser.
In the lawsuit, the state says Bowser hit the car with such "force and violence" that the employee, Geralynn P. Banks, suffered "great pain of body and mind." Reached by phone Tuesday, Banks declined to comment.
Bowser recalls the incident as a fender-bender.
"I know I walked away. And I know she walked away," she said.
She thought it was over.
Bowser, a single mother, said she was shocked when she discovered she was being sued. "I was in tears," she said. "I don't have $75,000 laying around. I'm just making it like everybody else."
Just hiring an attorney was a hardship, she said. She went to Norfolk lawyer Allan Zaleski because his office is close to where she works.
The state is seeking compensation for past and future lost wages and medical bills for Banks. The attorney general's office is asking for attorney's costs and for interest on the $75,000 going back to March 2006, when the accident occurred.
Zaleski said he has yet to receive information about the nature of medical problems and expenses that the state is claiming on behalf of the employee.
Normally, a driver's insurance company would be fighting the suit, he said. But Bowser was driving her boyfriend's car that day and only later learned he did not have insurance.
She never did get her driver's license. She rides two buses to work now.
It has its advantages, she said.
Lottery winner keeps a multimillion-dollar secret for a year
Most people can't wait to claim their lottery winnings, but when Peter Dushop realized he hit the jackpot last August he didn't rush out to claim his $3.6-million prize.
Instead, the 24-year-old realtor from Maple Ridge, B.C., put the winning Lotto 6/49 ticket in a safety deposit box and only told his mom about the win.
"I felt that was the best way to go, I needed some time to reflect on it," said Dushop on Monday, when he collected his cheque.
The cool, calm and collected Dushop managed to keep the win a secret from his girlfriend for nearly an entire year. And even then, she only found out by watching the media coverage on TV.
"It was pretty funny. I waited until the news came on ... and was 'Ooohh, what was that?' She just watched it in disbelief," said Dushop.
The new millionaire said it was pretty hard keeping the win under wraps from the love of his life, but claims he did give her some clues.
"I told her that something exciting was going to happen within the year. That was basically my way of telling her," he said.
All the patient waiting did come at a cost to Dushop — he lost a chance to collect about $100,000 in interest. But he said it was worth taking the time to really think about how it would change his life.
"Winning a 1,000 bucks is pretty exciting, but $3.5 million is pretty life changing ..." he said.
Dushop is planning a vacation somewhere hot, but when he returns he plans to continue working.
Can You Say ‘Foot Fetish’?
Can You Say ‘Foot Fetish’?
What do you get when 2016 participants decide to put their hands and feet together?
A New World Record of course!
On July 1st, if you happened to have been visiting Taiwan, you might have seen this wacky weird group trying for a world record for the most people to receive foot massages (reflexology) simultaneously.
1,008 reflexologists and 1,008 tourists from Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, all volunteered to rub, and be rubbed, for 40 minutes in this record event.
The Taiwan Tourism Bureau organized the record foot feat to promote their health tourism. “Reflexology” is among the most popular practices in Taiwan for relaxation and improving general health.
Guinness had set the requirement to have at least 400 participants receiving treatment for at least five minutes on each foot, a feat the 2016 participants managed with ease.
Monday, July 28, 2008
The 7 Hamburgers of the Apocalypse
The 7 Hamburgers of the Apocalypse
Hamburgers, next to apple pie and statins they're the ambassadors of American cuisine--for better or for worse--and these harbingers of heart disease might be the baddest of all.
Here are 7 over the top hamburgers that are guaranteed to clog your arteries by just looking that them:
1. The Quadruple Bypass Burger
The Quadruple Bypass Burger from the Heart Attack Grill; four burger patties with side orders of Jolt Cola, unfiltered Lucky Strike cigarettes and French fries deep-fried in pure lard.
2. Big Daddy Barrick Burger
Sonya Thomas, a 5'5 99-pound competitive eating champion, downed an 18 pound Big Daddy Barrick Burger in Las Vegas a few years ago.
3. The Hotdog Hamburger
This one hails from England. I'm not sure what it's called, but it's a hamburger with a chopped hotdog on top.
4. Mulligan's Monster
Mulligan's invented the Hamdog, one hotdog wrapped in a beef patty and cheese, then deep-fried, covered with chili and onions and served on a bun with a fried egg on top.
5. Dyer's Burgers
Dyer's Burgers are deep-fried hamburgers piled with mustard, onion and pickle and paired with a single, double or triple-order of cheese fries.
6. Whatafarm Burger
Whataburger puts the entire farm in one sandwich; bacon, cheese, fried egg, burger patty, and chicken cutlet. They affectionately call it the "Whatafarm" burger.
7. Luther Burger
Another Mulligan's creation, the Luther Burger. Named after Luther Vandross it's a bacon cheeseburger sandwiched between two glazed donuts.
Now, I hope you all find it incredibly ironic that a guy who doesn't eat meat was asked to compile a list of monstrous hamburgers. I do.
In video: Nasa's 50 years in space
In video: Nasa's 50 years in space
The US space agency's five decades in space have given the world many memorable moving images.
On 29 July 1958, President Dwight D Eisenhower created the US space administration Nasa by signing the National Aeronautics and Space Act.
The BBC News website has collated just some of the many gripping moments of footage from the agency's history.
1961: KENNEDY MAKES MOON PLEDGE
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Clips from JFK's two key speeches
President John F Kennedy called for millions of dollars to fund a space programme to get the first man on the Moon by 1970.
In his 1961 State of the Union address to Congress, he asked for an extra $1,700m (£600m) on the federal budget.
In September 1962 Kennedy made a further speech in which he spoke of wanting to further his space ambitions "not because they are easy, but because they are hard."
1969: ARMSTRONG TAKES 'ONE SMALL STEP'
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Armstrong makes his "one small step"
American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon on 21 July 1969.
Armstrong and his partner Buzz Aldrin spent 21 hours on the lunar surface after Apollo 11's landing craft touched down.
1975: SPACE RACE RIVALS MEET IN ORBIT
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Space Race rivals meet in orbit
The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in July 1975 was the first joint flight by the American and Soviet Cold War enemies.
A US module carrying three astronauts successfully docked with a Soyuz capsule carrying two cosmonauts in orbit, and signalled the end to the Space Race.
1981: FIRST SHUTTLE FLIGHT
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Highlights from Columbia's first mission
The Space Shuttle Columbia made history when it launched from Cape Canaveral on 12 April 1981.
It was the first of the winged, reusable craft to be used by Nasa as the US sought a departure from the capsules of the 1960s and 70s.
1986: CHALLENGER SHUTTLE DISASTER
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The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded just after take-off
Seven astronauts died when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded just over a minute after take-off.
The astronauts' families and millions of Americans witnessed the world's worst space disaster live on TV.
1990: HUBBLE "EYE IN THE SKY"
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Images from the Hubble Space Telescope
The giant Hubble Space Telescope was delivered into orbit by the shuttle Discovery in April 1990.
Although dogged by early technical problems, repairs and upgrades resulted in stunning images of deep space.
2004: BUSH'S NEW MOON PLAN
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President Bush unveils plans for the Moon and Mars
The US will send astronauts back to the Moon by 2020, President George W Bush announced in 2004.
In a speech about Nasa's future, the president also unveiled plans for a manned mission to Mars.
2008: PHOENIX LANDS ON MARS
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Simulation of Phoenix's landing and the probe's first pictures
Nasa's Phoenix lander sent back historic first pictures of an unexplored region of Mars in May 2008.
The probe had survived a fiery plunge through the planet's thin atmosphere following its 680 million-km (423 million-mile) journey from Earth.Tour de France 2008
Carlos Sastre sealed his first Tour de France crown and became the third Spaniard in three years to win.
The CSC rider, 33, retained the lead he carried over from Saturday's decisive time trial and cantered to the finish among the peloton to win by 58 seconds.
Australia's Cadel Evans, runner-up in 2007, took second place again while Austria's Bernhard Kohl was third.
Belgium's Gert Steegmans won the final 143km stage from Etampes to Paris, which finished in the Champs'Elysees.
The green jersey - awarded to the best sprinter overall - went to Rabobank's Spanish rider Oscar Freire, who finished in the top 10 of eight stages.
 | It's very moving. I've dreamt of this since I was a child Carlos Sastre |
Gerolsteiner rider Kohl added the polka dot jersey - which signifies his status as the King of the Mountains for the 2008 Tour - to his third-place finish overall, while Sastre's team-mate Andy Schleck took the white jersey for the best young rider (under the age of 25) title.
But the day belonged to the unassuming Sastre who enjoyed the traditional relaxed final-day procession into Paris.
Though there is no official ruling, Tour de France tradition dictates that attacks from other riders which would threaten the leaders position are not made on the final stage (unless the time margin separating him is negligible).
| 606: DEBATE Peter S - BBC Sport |
His subsequent overall lead of 94 seconds proved decisive in Saturday's time trial as Evans - widely considered the better sprinter and tipped to post a much quicker time than Sastre - failed to produce what was required, gaining only 29 seconds.
"I'm beyond words, to be here with my family is really special."
Sastre follows Oscar Pereiro in 2006 and Alberto Contador in 2007 as Tour de France winners.
Stage 21 results, Etampes to Paris (143km):
1. Gert Steegmans (Belgium/ Quick-Step) 3hr 51min 38secs
2. Gerald Ciolek (Germany/ Columbia ) same time
3. Oscar Freire (Spain/ Rabobank) "
4. Robbie McEwen (Australia/ Silence - Lotto) "
5. Thor Hushovd (Norway/ Credit Agricole) "
6. Julian Dean (New Zealand/ Garmin - Chipotle) "
7. Stefan Schumacher (Germany/ Gerolsteiner) "
8. Robert Forster (Germany/ Gerolsteiner) "
9. Leonardo Duque (Colombia/ Cofidis) "
10. Robert Hunter (South Africa/ Barloworld) "
Selected other:
134. David Millar (Britain/ Garmin - Chipotle) +34secs
Final standings:
1. Carlos Sastre (Spain/ Team CSC) 87hr 52min 52secs
2. Cadel Evans (Australia/ Silence - Lotto) +58secs
3. Bernhard Kohl (Austria/ Gerolsteiner) +1min 13secs
4. Denis Menchov (Russia/ Rabobank ) +2min 10secs
5. Christian Vande Velde (USA/ Garmin - Chipotle) +3min 05secs
6. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg/ Team CSC) +4min 28secs
7. Samuel Sanchez (Spain/ Euskaltel) +6min 25secs
8. Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg/ Columbia) +6min 55secs
9. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/ Caisse d'Epargne) +7min 12secs
10. Tadej Valjavec (Slovenia/ AG2R ) +9mins 5secs
Selected other:
68. David Millar (Britain/ Garmin - Chipotle) +1hr 59mins 39secs
Polka dot jersey (King of the Mountains) standings
1. Bernhard Kohl (Austria/ Gerolsteiner) 128 points
2. Carlos Sastre (Spain/ Team CSC Saxo Bank) 80 points
3. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg/ Team CSC Saxo Bank) 80 points
White jersey (Best youth) standings
1. Andy Schleck (Luxembourg/ CSC Saxo Bank) 88hr 4min 24secs
2. Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic/ Liquigas) +1min 27secs
3. Vincenzo Nibali, (Italy/ Liquigas) +17min 1secs
1. Oscar Freire (Spain/ Rabobank ) 270 points
2. Thor Hushovd (Norway/ Credit Agricole) 220 points
3. Erik Zabel (Germany/ Milram) 217 points