Weird, Strange, and Unusual Condoms from Around the World
Generally speaking, buying condoms is a pretty straightforward affair. You walk nondescriptly into a gas station, pick up a bag of chips or a drink, a newspaper, something that disguises the fact that you only walked into said location to buy condoms.
Then you slyly ask for a box of Trojans behind the counter if there, or grab them from the shelf, pay for your prophylactics and other items, leave said location, and then pray for a good evening. The whole encounter looks something like this:
Things would be a lot more awkward if you showed up to a date’s house with any one of these weird condoms.
10. Obama Condoms
Your lady friend might look at you strangely if you whip out this presidential condom. Your mother always told you to never talk about politics in polite company. Anyways, you can buy your very own Obama, Palin, or McCain condoms from the company’s website.
9. Vibrating Condoms
This is just something I just can’t really grasp… I mean, I know it’s all about the motion of the ocean and not the size of the ship, but this vibrating apparatus seems a little much.
8. Junko Mizuno Manga Condoms
Now, I’ve never been really into the strangeness that is the manga subculture, but if I were, I’d make damn sure any girl I’m about to get freaky with was as well, or things might get a little awkward. In case you are sure, you can buy these weird condoms here at the Mizuno Garden website.
7. Lambskin Condoms
Seriously…Lambskin condoms don’t protect you or your lady friend from STD’s, so why even bother? Plus, there’s something a little unsettling about using a condom made from animal intestines during the physical act love. But, if you don’t care about these little things, you can pick them up here.
6. Condoms to Protect Endangered Species
Now, I’m all about saving the environment and pretty little animals that aren’t readily consumable, but seriously? At least they’re free, you can go to the hippy group’s website and get free save the wildlife condoms to distribute to your friends and total strangers!
5. Coffee Flavored Condoms
I’m sure one of the least tastiest things one can encounter during lovemaking is an artificially flavored Ethiopian coffee condom.
4. Juicy Queen Condoms
This is just crazy! Condoms that come in a fruit juice container? Look at the ingredients: Stimulation and Excitement are 100%! Freshly squeezed from a Korean sweatshop, you too can own these fruit flavored condoms!
3. Helthe Strange Condom
I mean, just look at this thing! Ehhhh, you can buy one here.
2. Durian Flavored Condom
The strange thing is, apparently the durian flavored condom smells as vicious as it looks. While many asians find the smell of the durian fruit appealing, most westerners think it smells like “stale cheese, old gym shoes, or a gas leak.” Unless your lady friend of the evening is asian, I don’t think this is the right way to set the mood. Really, the durian fruit stinks.
1. Spray On Condoms
Yeah, try convincing any woman this is a good idea. There’s something about the hiss of a can of spray on latex that cries safety and sets a sensual mood.
We're the Government -- and You're Not
What if the U.S. government released an "educational video"
to teach today's Americans how to be good citizens?
Unfortunately this bit of satire is just what this administration
is hell bent upon creating in America!
THIS BIKE IS JUST AMAZING!!!
United Airlines pilot admits being over drink limit
AP – United Airlines pilot Erwin Washington, center, arrives with his legal team at Uxbridge Magistrates …
Tue Jan 5, 12:36 pm ET
LONDON (Reuters) – A United Airlines pilot admitted in court on Tuesday that he had turned up at London's Heathrow Airport to fly a plane to Chicago while three times over the alcohol limit.
Erwin Washington, 51, of Lakewood, Colorado, had been due to captain a Boeing 767 bound for Chicago last November with 124 passengers and 11 crew members when a colleague smelled alcohol on his breath.
The flight was "imminent" when police arrived and arrested him. A breath test recorded a reading of 31 micrograms of alcohol per 100 milliliters of breath. The legal limit is nine micrograms.
When arrested Washington, who has a military background, replied: "Okay, fine."
He pleaded guilty at London's Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Tuesday to being above the alcohol limit for flying a plane, the Press Association reported. His lawyer Chris Humphreys said the pilot was "remorseful."
Humphreys told the court that legislation relating to airline staff over the legal alcohol limit for flying had only been used seven times. "There are, thankfully, very few cases of this sort," he said.
Washington will be sentenced on February 5 and was released on unconditional bail.
United Airlines said he had been suspended pending a full investigation.
(Reporting by Michael Holden, editing by Tim Pearce)
Ray Stevens - We The People - RayStevens.com
Yes, we have bananas and heroin today
Reuters – Bananas soaked into water are seen at a U.S.-supported banana-packing plant in Senda "B" in …
2 hrs 31 mins ago
MADRID (Reuters) – Spanish police have uncovered at least 25 kilos of heroin hidden in boxes of plantains destined for the shelves of Madrid supermarkets, local media reported on Sunday.
A worker at the low-cost Lidl supermarket found a brick of the drug as he unloaded a box of the fruit, which is related to the banana, on Saturday morning, El Mundo newspaper said.
Police were alerted and hunted around all the Lidl branches in the Madrid region as well as the main city market. Sniffer dogs found up to 25 packets of the drug.
"Two or three police cars came and they went straight to the bananas to search them," an employee at one Lidl branch told El Mundo.
Lidl withdrew all the plantains, which had come from Ivory Coast and Ecuador, from its shops, the newspaper said. Lidl representatives could not be reached for comment.
(Reporting by Nigel Davies; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Got a pet tarantula? Better protect your eyes
Fri Jan 1, 10:53 am ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Here's some advice stemming from the unusual case of a man who had spider hairs stuck in his cornea: Be sure to cover your eyes when hanging around with your pet tarantula.
Ophthalmologists at St. James's University Hospital in Leeds, England, used high magnification lenses to find out what made the man's eye red, watery and light-sensitive, according to a study reported in the British medical journal The Lancet on Thursday.
They discovered hair-like projections stuck in the man's cornea.
It was a light bulb moment for the patient, who remembered that three weeks earlier he had been cleaning a stubborn stain on the glass tank of his pet, a Chilean Rose tarantula.
"He sensed movement in the terrarium. He turned his head and found that the tarantula, which was in close proximity, had released 'a mist of hairs' which hit his eyes and face," the doctors wrote.
They said the man's condition was rare.
The authors noted that the Chilean Rose tarantula releases the barbed hair on the back of its body to defend against predators.
"We suggest that tarantula keepers be advised to routinely wear eye protection when handling these animals," the doctors said.
(Editing by Mohammad Zargham)
Man opts for jail over New Year with relatives
Fri Jan 1, 10:53 am ET
ROME (Reuters) – A Sicilian man stole sweets and a packet of chewing gum so he could get arrested and spend New Year's Eve in a jail cell rather than be with his wife and relatives, Italian media reported on Friday.
The 35-year old Sicilian first showed up at a police station on Thursday asking to be arrested because he preferred spending the night in prison rather than with his family, but was rebuffed because he had not committed a crime, the Agi news agency said.
The man immediately went to a tobacco shop next door, where he threatened the owner with a box cutter as he grabbed a few sweets and a packet of gum. He then waited until police arrived to arrest him for robbery, the news agency said.
(Writing by Deepa Babington; Editing by Charles Dick)
As the late Adrian Rogers said, "you cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."
An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before,
but had once failed an entire class.
That class had insisted that Obama's socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.
The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama's plan".
All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A...
After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B..
The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.
As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.
The second test average was a D!
No one was happy.
When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F.
The scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.
All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.
Could not be any simpler than that.
THE INTERNET: TODAY VERSES YESTERDAY
I have just finished a research paper for a college class of mine, on the Internet's history and the changes that it has gone through during the past few decades. This also included how the Internet will change very soon, due to the S:773 Cybersecurity Act of 2009 bill that was just recently introduced by the Senate this past April, which will give President Obama full control over the Internet at every level, to shut down or restrict at any time he sees fit. Please read the following, because I believe every American should be informed as to just how this will effect their future priviledges on the Internet.
The Internet, Today Verses Yesterday
By: Wayne Hurlburt
The Internet is an interesting phenomenon which has undergone some extreme changes throughout the years, as well as how fast this technology has advanced. "Radio, television and the telephone became part of American daily life at a comparatively glacial pace. Such dizzying expansion and alteration make the Internet a tremendously exciting phenomenon" (Merrimen, Trinkle, 2006, pg. xiii). Today, the Internet is common place. It is used by just about everyone around the world. It can be accessed, not only by home computers anymore, but laptops, cell phones, PDA's, pagers and even some game consoles. Today's society has actually become an Internet based society. The use of the Internet is a daily event for the majority of people today, whether it be for work, education or just for communication and pleasure. "Clearly, Internet access and adoption by citizens in developed and developing nations can provide for both personal and financial growth.(Schell, 2007, pg 109). For many of today's young people this form of communication has been around their entire life. Computers have become so user friendly, that almost anyone can buy a computer, open it fresh from the box, set it up and within minutes they can be searching the Internet , sending e-mails, creating websites, blogs pretty much anything without much experience. With the aid of laptops and cell phones this process has become even easier to access the internet almost anywhere, anytime. A person could go as far as to say that most people today would be lost without the Internet. Taking this one step further and say that the world as we know it could not even run on a day to day basis without this technology. With this being said, the following will examine how long ago this technology came into play, the difficulties in the use of it, and who started the thought of this kind of technology, as well as what may become of the Internet in the near future.
For the people that can remember using computers back in the earlier 1990's, they would remember first hand when the first real commercial online services came into play and the costs for these services. "The new network system, within which the Internet loomed largest by the mid-1990's, required a sweeping metamorphosis of the structure and policy of existing telecommunications. To set about this task, computer companies and leading telecommunications carriers allied themselves." (Schiller, 1999, pg. 1). AOL, Prodigy & CompuServe led these services. It is really strange to think back that far and imagine paying for a service that would allow a person to communicate with others through their computer. It was amazing and not many people could afford a computer or the service. Today the service is paid on a monthly basis. Back at the start of AOL, Prodigy and CompuServe, they had a base charge of approximately $9.95/month for about 5 hours of basic service, then charged by the hour after that point, at a rate of about $2.95/hour. These services were limited to different areas of connection as well, depending on the forums people connected to, there would be additional fees that would accumulate, similar to that of what certain calling plans are today when calling outside of the service plan, in ranges of $1.00 - $2.00/ per hour on top of the provider fees. Just imagine being charged today by the amount of hours a person used the Internet, once exceeding a 5 hour limit.
Another aspect with computers back then, they were not as user friendly as today's computers. They basically just started out strictly MSDOS based, and in time a Windows operating system was established that still heavily relied upon an MSDOS interface. MSDOS is actually the main operating part of a computer, even today, but it is more set into the background of operations for users of today's computer applications. This was not so back in the early 1990's, people had to have some working knowledge of the MSDOS interface to use their computers. As a matter a fact some of the software that was available for use with the computers had to be used in MSDOS because the Windows platform was still relatively new and software companies were still using MSDOS as their platform. The computers also were very low in terms of memory storage, RAM and connection speed. Basically if a person had a computer with a 25 - 100 MB(megabyte) hard drive and 8 MB(megabytes) of RAM they were doing pretty good. These computers would operate at glazier speed compared to today's computers when talking in terms of GB(gigabytes), just to be able to run today's software. The Internet was just as slow, being that it's the computer's power that enables how fast it can process the information back and forth. The connection speeds on average were 9.6kbps(kilobytes per second) - 14.4kbps(kilobytes per second). The graphics on the internet were very limited, if any on most pages. Also a person really needed to know HTML if they even wanted to attempt to make a webpage of their own. There were no sites that supplied templates as with Myspace, Facebook or others that are available today. Even now the Internet suppliers have templates available for homepages and blogs.
All this information may sound interesting enough, compared to today's technology aa well as the accessibility to the Internet. So far this research is about 15-20 years ago. If researched further into the Internet and its beginnings, this would go back even further, to a point when the first idea was thought of and who thought of it. Most people might actually be surprised to just how long ago the Internet was in its birthing stage, so to speak. The following information dates back 30 more years from the 1990's, bringing it just about a half a century ago into the early 1960's to find the real start of the Internet. Before the Internet, transferring information from one computer to another computer was no easy task. "Even the sharing of software or data among users of different computers could be a formidable challenge. Before the advent of computer networks, a person who wanted to transfer information between computers usually had to carry some physical storage mediums, such as a reel of magnetic tape or a stack of punch cards, from one machine to the other." (Abbate, 1999, pg.1). There has been a so called myth the states the Internet was in connection with surviving a nuclear war. Well actually that myth wasn't entirely wrong. "The Internet that we use today grew out of a project funded by the U.S. Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a division set up in 1958 in the wake of the Soviet Union's orbiting of Sputnik the year before." (Aspray, 2008). According to Walt Howe's work entitled A Brief History of the Internet, who is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License, states just how far back the thought of having a worldwide internet was.
"This was initially thought of by some visionary thinking for scientific and military fields. J.C.R. Licklinder of MIT, first proposed a theory to make a global network of computers in 1962. He was moved over to the Defense Advanced Researched Projects Agency(DARPA) in the later part of 1962 to head up the work to develop it. Leonard Klienrock of MIT and later UCLA formed the basis of Internet connections by way of the theory of packet switching. The first two computers were connected in 1965 by Lawrence Roberts of MIT, when he connected a Massachusetts computer with a California computer over a dial-up telephone line. These people and others involved are the real founders of what we now know as the Internet." (Howe, 2009)
As you can see, there have been some extreme differences in how the Internet was and cost just decades ago, as compared to today's uses and costs. It's amazing how dependant people have become on this technology. A person can only imagine just how much this technology will change as the next few decades come to pass. As it stands now, just about everyone uses the Internet in one form or another on a daily basis, whether for work, schooling, business or communication, the list goes on. With this in mind and everyone being so dependent on the Internet, what would happen if all types of restrictions were to be placed on how much people use the Internet or even having to get a license or a degree just to access the Internet? The future of the Internet may be having this type of change in the very near future, if the government is able to take control over the Internet. There is a bill going through Congress right now that may allow a variety of restrictions to be placed on the use of the Internet, entitled S:773: Cubersecurity Act of 2009.
There is a lot of freedom on the Internet as far as gaining information from all types of cultures and countries, where just years ago was only found in books at libraries or schools. This is convenient knowing that this information is so easy to access. This freedom may be coming to an end and the Internet as we know could be taking a very big change. This change will come in the form of a government take-over of the Internet and possibly reducing it to a glorified media system with a limit of about 1000-2000 sites available. This is definitely in the works and Alex Jones of Infowars.com has made many videos predicting this. One of these videos is entitled "Internet Censorship (Alex Jones)",(Jones, n.d.). According to James Osborne of Fox News:
"Now this past April 2009 the Senate proposed a bill that would give the government full control over the nation's critical infrastructure, under the Cybersecurity Act of 2009. This would in turn give the President full authority to shut down Internet traffic to protect national security. This would also give the government access to digital data from all types of industries including banking, telecommunications and energy. A second bill to go along with this would create a national cybersecurity adviser giving even more control to the White House and the agencies involved." (Senate Proposal Could Put Heavy Restrictions on Internet Freedoms, Osborne, 2009).
The government says the need for this is obvious as they refer to hundreds of countries in which facilities and media offices as well as embassies have been effected with software that could steal data, which Canadian researchers recently discovered. A Seattle security analyst warned, as a result from President Obama's stimulus plan that promoted the advancement of digital communication within the electrical grid, would leave the nation's electrical supply vulnerable to hackers. Basically this bill is so vague it leaves room for the government to implement anything they want along side of it. If this bill does get passed it will be another step toward socialism and take more privacies away from the people today. Everything always sounds good when the government sugar coats it. Just like the stimulus plan sounded when rushed through before anyone could read it. Where did the sum of over 7 trillion dollars disappear to within the next day after it passed? It is backhanded sneaky tactics that is used in most of the government issues today that allows for skepticism from a lot people today.
Sen. Jay Rockefella said in a prepared statement when the bill was introduced "I know the threats we face. Our enemies are real. They are sophisticated, they are determined and they will not rest." (Senate Proposal Could Put Heavy Restrictions on Internet Freedoms, Osborne, 2009)." The bill would allow the government to set detailed standards for cybersecurity, as well as takeover the process of certifying IT technicians. But many in the technology sector say the government is simply not equipped to get involved at the technical level, a policy analyst with the Business Software Alliance, Frank Journoud stated, "Simply put, who has the expertise?" he said "It's the industry, not the government. We have a responsibility to increase and improve security. That responsibility cannot be captured in a government standard." (Senate Proposal Could Put Heavy Restrictions on Internet Freedoms, Osborne, 2009).
Also Dale Curtis, a spokesman for the Business Software Alliance, said "Any standards have to be set at an international level and industrial led. This industry moves so fast, and the government just doesn't move that fast"(Senate Proposal Could Put Heavy Restrictions on Internet Freedom, Osborne, 2009). Even the specialists in the field are worried about this bill and potential problems that may arise. This could be another step forward for the government to invade our privacy as they did with the wire tapping issues not too long ago.
With this type of control the president or government could actually set the guidelines for Internet use or even terminate the use at certain levels, on a whim. This bill has so much vagueness in it anything is possible, just like having an open book to re-write as needed. According to an article by James Croft, a journalist for the Hub Pages:
"Let the snooping begin, Not snooping of the critical infrastructure, whatever that will be defined as, but of the entire internet. That gets your little computer in the corner of your bedroom. Mark my words! Once the government seizes the internet, there goes our e-mail, our online banking, browsing and whatever else we do." (Mr. Obama Will Seize The Internet, Croft, 2009).
Americans may have some real concerns about the government taking control of the Internet use. This may even effect businesses that rely on the internet as well, especially the small businesses just trying to stay going in these bad times. They could regulate who can use the Internet as well, by having a certain type of degree or technical background to even use the internet. Another statement taken from James Croft, journalist of the Hub Pages:
"The government getting involved in the private sector hiring? The criteria could start with a simple background check, something a lot of companies do now, and go from there. To where? I don't know but perhaps a four year Technology degree. Don't laugh. "They" have already thought about a license requirement."(Mr. Obama Will Seize The Internet, Croft, 2009).
How will the public and businesses be effected if these type of requirements were to be implemented? This would hurt businesses, especially ones that rely solely on the Internet, not only by the fact of possibly being forced to be licensed, but the cost and time to implement this could hurt them as well. "In the end, this is not a business-verses-government debate; it is consumers verses unaccountability. A public debate on the internet use is needed, not rubber-stamped measures that openly flaunt norms and the rule of law." (Government attempts to control Internet, Herrick, 2009).
With all of what the government intends to due and with the vagueness of the bill that will give the president full control over another aspect of the peoples freedoms. This bill must be stopped, or justly amended. People must get their voices heard, by contacting elected officials, protesting even signing or making petitions. The security software companies need to step up and do the same. The answer is not in giving government control over the Internet, it is getting the right people in the right areas to step up and develop new security software to battle these problems, so that the government will lose at least some more excuses for their attempt to try to mold and spy on us through whatever methods they can come up with. A lot of information has been given to people today through the Internet on just what the U.S. government is doing as well as other governments around the world, through websites like, InfoWars.com, PrisonPlanet.com, JonesReport.com and many others that basically just put the information out there for everyone to read. The government is trying to shut this type of information down. The people of this country must take a stand and stop all this government involvement into every aspect of their lives, or this country will lose the symbol of "Home of the Free". and become "Home of the Free Less".
Hopefully this bill (S:773 Cybersecurity Act of 2009) will have some additional changes as it passes through Congress. Congress has already rejected a few areas of this bill, for being too vague. There have been some amendments to the bill already. The part that is still leaving a lot of room for the President to invoke loss of privileges or shut down our public and non-governmental systems and networks on what he may call a national security threat, is located in the definitions area of the bill. This is located in S:773:Cybersecurity Act of 2009, Sec.23 Definitions:
"(1) ADVISORY PANEL-The term 'Advisory Panel' means the Cybersecurity Advisory Panel established under section 3 (S.773, 2009)."
Which basically gives the President full control over who will be in this panel.
"(2) CYBER- The term 'cyber' means-- (A) any process, program, or protocol relating to the use of the Internet or an intranet, automatic data processing or transmission, or telecommunication via the Internet or an intranet; and (B) any matter relating to, or involving the use of computers or computer networks (S. 773, 2009)."
This is really leaving no issue of using a computer (whether it is hooked up to the internet or not, by reading the definition of (B) above), to be invaded of privacy at any time, and no court order or court need to be involved. This final one really shows that every computer in the U.S. can be held under this Cybersecurity Act, at any time for whatever reason the President seems fit. The President will have total control (no courts or warrants needed).
"(3) FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE UNITED STATES CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND NETWORKS- The term 'Federal Government and the United States critical infrastructure information systems and networks' includes-- (A) Federal Government information systems and networks; and (B) State, local, and non-governmental information systems and networks in the United States designated by the President as critical information systems and networks (S. 773, 2009)."
The next few years the Internet as we know it is going to change. Just how it changes only time will tell. The main purpose for the bill was for the intent of government security, yet by reading the bill it has actually expanded into every part of computer and Internet use of any kind without the need of warrants or court involvement. The President's actions would be final and not up for change or review for at least 4 years after the bill passes .The people need to get involved and find out as much information as they can to make sure the government don't just take control and the Internet becomes so entwined with limitations and fees, it will be almost unusable for the average person. Take a good look into China's so called government controlled Internet and see how a government controlled Internet can work. The following is taken from a book entitled, 'Censorship Global Issues' by Frank Caso:
"On September 25, 2005, the PRC promulgated a new set of regulations covering the Internet that in some areas reaffirmed existing rules and added new restrictions. Some of the new rules applied to major search engines and portals, which had to replace their own commentary articles with government approved pieces. Also, private individuals and groups had to register as so-called news organizations in order to disseminate news or commentary via e-mail." (Caso, 2008, pg.72).
Between May 2002 and November 2002 the Chinese government had blocked more than 200,000 websites through Chinese Internet service providers. By 2005 even Internet Cafes are required to register the names of all customers, while recording and storing their online activity for 60 days. China also took matters of search engines to censor what they allowed for information to enter into China's Internet users, By 2006 the three top providers, Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft had to alter their search engines to do business with China. All this combined censorship, the registration of online users, newsgroups, and e-mailers, the search engine requirements, tied together with the world's most sophisticated blocking technology came to be known as the Great Firewall of China.
There would be nothing stopping the same from happening here, in the United States, if the government takes full control over the Internet traffic in as well as outside of the U.S. from reaching American citizens. The Cybersecurity Act of 2009 already has the same type of registration requirements for service providers, networks (including local and non-governmental, public and private) organizations they must comply with according to the bill, once passed. The government is already trying to enforce the content people can place on the Internet, which includes anything that goes against the government and President Obama, and they don't even have control yet. One can only imagine what can be done with full control. According to Chris Demaska's book, 'Modern Power and Free Speech: Contemporary Culture and Issues of Equality':
"In the current U.S. climate created by the so-called "war on terror," coupled with the physical war in Iraq, the political dissident has become subject to speech restrictions. These infringements are far-ranging from issues of academic freedom to restriction of once public information to invasions of privacy" (Demaska, 2009, pg. 167)
This shows how restrictions can vary into a wide range of areas, especially with the war in Iraq as well as other areas of concern our government has, if they gain control over the Internet, these will be the exact excuses they will use to either shut down or limit certain Internet access, whether these areas are government or not.
In closing, this country is going through some major changes with this new government reform, under President Obama's political plans. With all that the Internet has gone through to become what it is today for a global informational tool, in which the majority of people and businesses depend on a daily basis, to be stripped down with limitations of free speech, loss of access to certain information and potentially now becoming an totally controlled entity of the President, is a staggering thought. Not one country where the government has taken full control over the Internet, has worked in the favor of the people within that country. The government knows that the majority of people and businesses rely heavily on the Internet today. They also know that if they gain control they can do whatever they want. Just like the phone and electrical companies, people and businesses need them so they will pay the price for it. The same will happen with the Internet. The cost for this S:773 Cybersecurity Act of 2009 over the next five years, ranging from 2010-2014, is a staggering $1,710,000,000 (over 1.7 billion dollars), just for training purposes, to be split up into several categories stated in the bill itself. This does not include the cost of implementing such an endeavor. This money has to come from somewhere. The American people , that's where, by way of taxes, fees and other costs that may be required for the use of the Internet . If the government takes control over the Internet, the American people could end up with a glorified media system with the programs picked and chosen by the government, called the 'New Internet; Where Every Search is Now Limited'.
References:
Abbate, J. (1999), Inventing the Internet, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press., Retrieved December 12,
2009 from Net Library, Devry.
Aspray, W. & Ceruzzi, P. (2008), Internet and American business, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Retrieved December 12, 2009 from Net Library, Devry.
Caso, F. (2008) Censorship global issues, New York, Facts on File, Inc., Retrieved December
12, 2009 from Net Library, Devry.
Croft, L. (2009, August 29), Mr. Obama will seize the Internet. Hub Pages, Retrieved November
15, 2009 from http://hubpages.com/hub/internetbill
Demaska, C. (2009) Modern power and speech: Contemporary culture and uses of equality,
Lanham Lexington Books., Retrieved December 12, 2009 from Net Library, Devry.
Merriman, S.& Trinkle, D. (2006). The history highway: A 21st century guide to the internet resources (4th Ed.). Armonk, NY: ME Sharpe, Inc., Retrieved December 12, 2009 from
Net Library, Devry.
Schell, B. (2007). The internet and society: A reference handbook, Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-Cambridge, MA: MIT Press., Retrieved December 12, 2009 from Net Library, Devry.
Schiller, D. (1999), Digital capitalism:Networking the global market system, Cambridge,
MA, MIT Press., Retrieved December 12, 2009 from Net Library, Devry.
30 STRANGEST DEATHS IN HISTORY
Death by Embracing the Reflection of the Moon
Chinese poet Li Po (701-706) is regarded as one of the two greatest poets in China’s literary history. He was well known for his love of liquor and often spouted his greatest poems while drunk.
One night, Li Po fell from his boat and drowned in the Yangtze River while trying to embrace the reflection of the moon in the water.
Death by Beard
Austrian Hans Steininger was famous for having the world’s longest beard (it was 4.5 feet or nearly 1.4 m long) and for dying because of it.
One day in 1567, there was a fire in town and in his haste Hans forgot to roll up his beard. He accidentally stepped on his beard, lost balance, stumbled, broke his neck and died!
Death From Holding a Pee In
Danish nobleman and astronomer Tycho Brahe [wiki] was one interesting fellow. He kept a dwarf as a court jester who sat under the table during dinner. He even had a tame pet moose.
Tycho also lost the tip of his nose in a duel with another Danish nobleman and had to wear a "dummy" nose made from silver and gold, but that’s another story.
It was said that Tycho had to hold his pee during one particularly long banquet in 1601 (getting up in the middle of a dinner was considered really rude) that his bladder, strained to its limits, developed an infection which later killed him!
Later analyses suggested that Tycho died because of mercury poisoning but that’s not nearly as interesting as the original story.
Death by Conductor’s Cane
While conducting the hymnal Te Deum for French King Louis XIV in 1687, Jean-Baptiste Lully was so focused in keeping the rhythm by banging a staff against the floor (this was the method before conductor’s baton came into use), that he struck his toe hard but refused to stop.
The toe developed an abscess, which later turned gangrenous, but Lully refused to have it amputated. The gangrene spread and killed the stubborn musician.
Ironically, the hymn he was conducting was in celebration of the recovery of Louis XIV from an illness.
Death by Dessert
King Adolf Frederick [wiki] of Sweden loved to eat and died from it too!
The "King Who Ate Himself to Death" died in 1771 at the age of 61 from a digestive problem after eating a giant meal consisting of lobster, caviar, saurkraut, cabbage soup, smoked herring, champagne and 14 servings of his favorite dessert: semla [wiki], a bun filled with marzipan and milk.
Death by Jury Demonstration
After the Civil War, controversial Ohio politician Clement Vallandigham [wiki] became a highly successful lawyer who rarely lost a case.
In 1871, he defended Thomas McGehan who was accused of shooting one Tom Myers during a barroom brawl. Vallandigham’s defense was that Myers had accidentally shot himself while drawing his pistol from a kneeling position.
To convince the jury, Vallandigham decided to demonstrate his theory. Unfortunately, he grabbed a loaded gun by mistake and ended up shooting himself!
By dying, Vallandigham succeeded in demonstrating the plausibility of the accidental shooting and got his client acquitted.
Death from Biting One’s Tongue
Allan Pinkerton (1819-1884)[wiki], famous for creating the Pinkerton detective agency and developing investigative techniques such as surveilling a suspect and doing undercover work, died of an infection after biting his tongue when he slipped on a sidewalk!
Death from Stubbing One’s Toe
Famous Tennessee whiskey distiller Jack Daniel [wiki] decided to come in to work early one morning in 1911. He wanted to open his safe but couldn’t remember the combination. In anger, Daniel kicked the safe and injured his toe, which later developed an infection that killed him!
Moral of the story? Don’t go to work early.
Death by Orange Peel
Bobby Leach [wiki] wasn’t afraid to court death: in 1911, he was the second person in the world to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. The daredevil went on to perform many other death-defying stunts, so his death is especially ironic.
One day while walking down a street in New Zealand, Leach slipped on a piece of orange peel. He broke his leg so badly it had to be amputated. Leach died due to complications that developed afterwards.
Death by Overcoat Parachute Failure
In 1911, French tailor Franz Reichelt decided to test his invention, a combination overcoat and parachute, by jumping off the Eiffel Tower. Actually, he told the authorities that he would use a dummy, but at the last minute decided to test it himself. It was no surprise that he fell to his death.
Death by 1) Poison, 2) Gunshot Wound (4x), 3) Beating by Clubs, 4) Drowning.
According to legends, Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin (1869-1916) was first poisoned with enough cyanide to kill ten men, but he wasn’t affected.
So his killers shot him in the back with a revolver. Rasputin fell but later revived. So, he was shot again three more times, but Rasputin still lived. He was then clubbed, and for good measure thrown into the icy Neva River.
Rasputin was finally dead for good.
Death by Baseball
Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman [wiki] was the only man ever killed by a baseball pitch.
At that time, baseball pitchers dirtied up a ball before it was thrown at the batter to make it harder to see. On August 6, 1920 in a game against the New York Yankees, Carl Mays pitched such a ball towards Chapman that fatally hit his skull.
Death by Scarf
"Mother of modern dance" Isadora Duncan [wiki] was killed in 1927 by her trademark scarf she loved to wear:
As the New York Times noted in its obituary of the dancer on 15 September 1927, "The automobile was going at full speed when the scarf of strong silk began winding around the wheel and with terrific force dragged Miss Duncan, around whom it was securely wrapped, bodily over the side of the car, precipitating her with violence against the cobblestone street. She was dragged for several yards before the chauffeur halted, attracted by her cries in the street. Medical aid was summoned, but it was stated that she had been strangled and killed instantly."
Death by Garbage
Homer and Langley Collyer [wiki] were compulsive hoarders. The two brothers had a fear of throwing anything away and obsessively collected newspapers and other junk in their house. They even set up booby-traps in corridors and doorways to protect against intruders.
In 1947, an anonymous tip called that there was a dead body in the Collyer house, and after much initial difficulty getting in, the police found Homer Collyer dead and Langley no where to be found. About two weeks later, after removing nearly 100 tons of garbage from the house, workers found Langley Collyer’s partialy decomposed (and rat-chewed) body just 10 feet away from where they had found his brother.
Apparently, Langley had been crawling through tunnels of newspapers to bring food to his paralyzed brother when he set off one of his own booby-traps. Homer died several days later from starvation.
Jerome Irving Rodale [wiki] was a proponent of healthy eating. He was an early advocate for organic farming and sustainable agriculture, founder of Organic Farming and Gardening magazine and Rodale Press.
After bragging that he would "live to 100, unless I’m run down by a a sugar-crazy taxi driver", Rodale died of a heart attack while being interviewed on the Dick Cavett Show in 1971. Appearing fast asleep, Dick Cavett joked "Are we boring you, Mr. Rodale?" before discovering that his 72-year-old guest had indeed died. The show was never aired.
Death by Suicide During a Live TV News Broadcast
Christine Chubbuck [wiki] was the first and only TV news reporter to commit suicide during a live television broadcast.
On July 15, 1974, eight minutes into the broadcast, the depressed reporter said "In keeping with Channel 40’s policy of bringing you the latest in blood and guts, and in living color, you are going to see another first: an attempted suicide." With that, Chubbuck drew up a revolver and shot herself in the head.
Death on the Toilet
There are several examples of death on the toilet, but that of Elvis Presley (1935 – 1977) was the most famous.
The King of Rock ‘n Roll was found lying on the floor of his Graceland mansion’s bathroom after throwing up while being seated on the toilet, taking care of business.
Doctors attributed his death to a heart attack from weight gain and taking too many prescription drugs.
Death by Robot
Robert Williams [wiki] was the first man ever killed by a robot. On January 25, 1979, Williams climbed into a storage rack at the Ford Motor’s Flat Rock casting plant to retrieve a part because the parts-retrieval robot malfunctioned. Suddenly, the robot reactivated and slammed its arm into Williams’ head, killing him instantly.
The second death by robot happened just a couple of years afterwards in 1981. Kenji Urada [wiki], a 37-year-old Japanese maintenance engineer was working on a broken robot at a Kawasaki plant when he failed to turn it off. The robot’s mechanical arm accidentally pushed him into a grinding machine.
Death by Decapitation by Helicopter Rotor Blades
Actor Vic Morrow [wiki] died on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie when a helicopter spun out of control due to special effect explosions, crashed, and decapitated him with its rotor blades.
Two other child actors also died at the event, which triggered a massive reform in US child labor laws and safety regulations on movie sets.
Death by Cactus
In 1982, 27-year-old David Grundman and a roommate decided to do a little "cactus plugging," by shooting the desert plant with a shotgun.
The first one, a small cactus, went off without a hitch and Grundman was encouraged to try a larger prey: a 26-foot-tall Saguaro cactus, probably a 100-year-old plant. Unfortunately, Grundman blasted off a large chuck of the cactus that fell on him and crushed him to death!
To date, this was probably the only known instance of revenge killing by a plant.
Death by Bottle Cap
American playwright Tennessee Williams [wiki] died in 1983 after he choked on a bottle cap in his hotel room. Yes, he had been drinking.
In 1985, to celebrate their first drowning-free season ever, the lifeguards of the New Orleans recreation department decided to throw themselves a party.
When the party ended, a 31-year-old guest named Jerome Moody was found dead on the bottom of the recreation department’s pool.
We suppose when it’s your time to go, then it’s your time to go: there were four lifeguards on duty and more than half of the 200 party-goers were themselves lifeguards!
Dick Shawn (1924-1987) was a comedian who had a heart attack and died during a joke that seemed strangely appropriate:
He was making fun of politicians by saying campaign cliches ending with "I will not lay down on the job!" Shawn then laid down on the floor face down. At first, the audience thought that it was all part of the show, until some time later a theater employee checked him for a pulse and began administering CPR.
The paramedics then arrived, and the audience were told to go home – Dick Shawn was dead.
British pro wrestler Mal "King Kong" Kirk died underneath the big belly of Shirley "Big Daddy" Crabtree.
In August 1987, during the final moments of the match, Crabtree delivered his signature "Belly-Splash" move (basically jumping up and down, slamming his belly onto a guy) on Kirk, who then had a heart attack and died.
Crabtree was cleared after it was revealed that Kirk had a serious heart condition prior to the match. However, Crabtree blamed himself for Kirk’s death and retired from pro wrestling.
In 1991, artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude put up an environmental installation art of thousands of giant yellow and blue umbrellas in California and Japan.
The giant umbrellas, which measured about 20 foot (6 m) in height, 28 foot (8.7 m) in diameter and weighed about 500 lb, became a huge tourist attraction.
Less than two months after the installation opened, Lori Rae Keevil-Mathews, a 33-year-old woman drove out to see the umbrellas in California. A wind gust uprooted one of the umbrellas and blew it straight at her, crushing her against a boulder and killing her.
Christo immediately ordered all of the umbrellas taken down. The umbrellas, however, took another life – this time in Japan. Crane operator Masaaki Nakamura was electrocuted when the machine’s arm touched a 65,000-volt high-tension line when removing the umbrellas.
Death by Re-creation
In 1991, a 57-year-old Thai woman Yooket Paen was walking in her farm when she accidentally slipped on a cow dung, grabbed a naked live wire and got electrocuted to death.
Soon after Paen’s funeral, her 52-year-old-sister Yooket Pan was showing her neighbors how the accident happened when she herself slipped, grabbed the same live wire and also got electrocuted to death!
Death by Sheep
In 1999, Betty Stobbs, 67, of Durham, England, took a bale of hay to feed her flock of sheep on the back of her motorcycle.
Apparently, the sheep were very hungry. About forty of them rushed the hay and knocked her off a cliff into a 100-feet deep quarry. Stobbs survived the fall only to be killed when the motorcycle, which was also knocked off the cliff, tumbled down after her.
Death by Necklace Bomb
On the afternoon of August 28, 2003, pizza deliveryman Brian Wells [wiki] tried to rob a bank with a home-made shotgun disguised as a cane.
When he was caught by the police, Wells revealed that he had been forced by some people he delivered pizza to earlier to rob the bank. A necklace with an explosive device was attached to his neck.
The necklace bomb blew up before the bomb squad could deactivate it (indeed, there was controversy whether the police took his story seriously and delayed calling the bomb squad). Until today, it’s unclear whether Wells was a victim, a co-conspirator or the lone perpetrator of the robbery and subsequent death.
Update 3/12/07: Case solved, said the authorities, with indictments expected soon: Link
Death by Stingray
In 2006, Australian wildlife expert and TV personality Steve "The Crocodile Hunter" Irwin [wiki] died when he was stabbed in the heart by a stingray spine while filming a documentary Ocean’s Deadliest.
Death by Bookcase
Mariesa Weber was reported missing by her family for nearly two weeks before they found her in her bedroom, wedged behind a bookcase.
"I’m sleeping in the same house as her for 11 days, looking for her," her mother, Connie Weber, told the St. Petersburg Times. "And she’s right in the bedroom."
Both Weber and her sister had previously adjusted the television plug by standing on a bureau next to the shelf and leaning over the top. Her family believes Weber, who was 5-foot-3 and barely 100 pounds, may have fallen headfirst into the space.
Happy Christmas honey - here's a divorce voucher
LONDON (Reuters) – Stuck for Christmas gift ideas? Is your marriage or a friend's going through a rocky patch? How about a divorce voucher?
In an unusual take on the season of giving, a London law firm is offering Christmas gift vouchers for divorce advice.
The firm, Lloyd Platt & Company, which normally charges 325 pounds ($530) an hour, said it had been swamped with enquiries since it launched the vouchers early last week.
So far, more than 60 have been sold -- a snip at 125 pounds for a half hour session with a divorce lawyer.
The firm's founder, Vanessa Lloyd Platt, said she had been amazed at the response to the vouchers. "They seem to appeal to an enormously widespread spectrum of people looking for that 'must have' gift for Christmas," she said.
A spokesman for the Church of England called the vouchers sad.
"Divorce is a very personal matter and not really suitable for the idea of gift vouchers which are presents from other people," he said.
Demand for the vouchers could soar over the next few weeks.
Christmas tends to be a particularly stressful time for families, with a huge rise in people seeking advice each January, Lloyd Platt said.
(Reporting by Elizabeth Fullerton; Editing by Steve Addison)
Click Above to Visit Rappelz Site
Try this game out for yourself. If you do you can find me on Bahamut Server. My Charactor name is 'MightyOdin'
Rappelz (from Old French "rapeler": to summon) is a free MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) made by Gala-Net Inc. It is based in a fantasy world dominated by three races of separate alignments: The Deva--guardians of light, the Asura--servants of the dark, and the Gaia--the protectors of nature. Each of the three races in Rappelz has three classes: a melee-oriented class, a magic-oriented class, and a "summoner" class whose ablities center around their pets.
Rappelz is a free-to-play game. Special items and equipment are available through the item shop. Players can buy gPotatoes (the item shop currency) from the official website. The gPotatoes are credited to the player's account. The player can then use the gPotatoes to purchase items from the item shop.
Players can choose from 3 races and 15 classes, each with a detailed skill customization option.
Subject: UNBELIEVABLE PRESIDENT
Unbelievable President
THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS STATEMENT EVER MADE BY A PUBLIC OFFICIAL LET ALONE BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. AND THIS GUY IS OUR "COMMANDER IN CHIEF". HE IS A DISGRACE.
HERE IS HIS RESPONSE WHEN HE BACKED OFF FROM HIS DECISION TO LET THE MILITARY PAY FOR THEIR WAR INJURIES.
Bad press, including major mockery of the plan by comedian Jon Stewart, led to President Obama abandoning his proposal to require veterans carry private health insurance to cover the estimated $540 million annual cost to the federal government of treatment for injuries to military personnel received during their tours on active duty. The President admitted that he was puzzled by the magnitude of the opposition to his proposal.
"Look, it's an all volunteer force," Obama complained. "Nobody Made these guys go to war. They had to have known and accepted the risks. Now they whine about bearing the costs of their choice? It doesn't compute.." "I thought these were people who were proud to sacrifice for their country, "Obama continued. "I wasn't asking for blood, just money. With the country facing the worst financial crisis in its history, I'd have thought that the patriotic thing to do would be to try to help reduce the nation's deficit. I guess I underestimated the selfishness of some of my fellow Americans."
Please pass this on to every one including every vet and their families whom you know.
How in the world did a person with this mind set become our leader? I didn't vote for him!!!!!
REMEMBER THIS STATEMENT.... "Nobody made these guys go to war. They had to have known and accepted the risks. Now they whine about bearing the costs of their choice?
If this ASS thinks he will ever get another vote from an Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard service member or veteran of a military service he ought to think it over. If you or a family member is or has served their country please pass this to them. Please pass this to everyone.
I'm guessing that other than the 20-25 percent hardcore liberals in the US will agree that this is just another example why this is the worst president in American history. Remind everyone over and over how this man thinks, while he bows to the Saudi Arabian king.
Here is a nice website i found that contains a company from the early 1900's with my family name. I found it intesting, maybe you will also
Untitled Document
Schwarzenegger asked to close prostitute Website
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks during a news conference at the State Capitol in Sacramento, California July 1, 2009.
Thu Oct 1, 1:58 pm ET
LONDON (Reuters) – A British government minister asked California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday to shut down a U.S. website that allows men to rate prostitutes, including many working in London.
Harriet Harman, minister for women and equality, told the ruling Labor Party's annual conference that "Punternet" fuels the demand for prostitution -- a vice she said degrades women and puts them at risk.
She said the web site was a "very sinister development" in the trade and exploitation of women and allows guests to compare and rate services in the same way as they would a restaurant, a hotel or a holiday.
Pimps put women on sale for sex on the site then clients offered their comments on line, she said.
"Punternet has pages and pages of women for sale in London," said Harman, who is deputy leader of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labor Party.
She said she had raised the issue with the U.S. ambassador to Britain and asked California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to close it down as it is based in that state.
"Surely it can't be too difficult for 'The Terminator' to terminate Punternet and that's what I am demanding that he does."
The Punternet site describes itself as "The Online Community for Patrons and Providers of Adult Personal Services in the UK" and says it was "created to facilitate the exchange of information on prostitution in the UK."
A U.S. Embassy spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.
Prostitution is not illegal in Britain. But associated activities, including soliciting, advertising using cards in telephone boxes and kerb crawling, are criminal offences.
The minister also used the speech to say the government would make it a criminal offence to have sex with a prostitute who is being controlled by a pimp.
The government was also stepping up action to tackle human trafficking in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games, most of which will be hosted in London.
"We're determined to ensure that, especially in the run-up to the Olympics, international criminal gangs don't trick and abduct women from abroad and sell them for sex in London."
(Reporting by Stefano Ambrogi; Editing by Angus MacSwan
Miss Singapore World resigns after lingerie fraud
Wed Sep 30, 12:46 pm ET
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Beauty queen Miss Singapore World has given up her crown after it emerged that she had stolen credit cards to go on a shopping spree for lingerie. Ris Low had come under public pressure to be stripped of her 2009 title, after local media reported she stole seven credit cards last year while working at a medical clinic, buying goods worth about S$8,000 ($5,662) including gold anklets and phones.
Organizers of the pageant ERM World Marketing said she had resigned Tuesday of her own accord. She will no longer represent Singapore at the Miss World finals to be held in South Africa in December, but her replacement has not yet been decided.
Low had also been criticized for her poor English, mispronouncing "bikini" in a recent video, leading others in multicultural Singapore to spring to her defense and soul-searching on websites about the national character.
"If there was a beauty contest for countries, how do you think Singapore would fare on the world stage? We seem to have the aesthetic qualifications. But with a very ugly personality," said blogger Solofigure09 on the Straits Times newspaper's website.
(Reporting by Neil Chatterjee; Editing by Alex Richardson)
Giant candy store to open in gigantic mall
People buy sweets at Souk al-Hamidieh in Damascus' old downtown in preparations for Eid al-Fitr September 29, 2008
By Tamara Walid Tamara Walid – Wed Sep 30, 12:43 pm ET
DUBAI (Reuters) – A Dubai-based company is opening what it says will be the world's largest confectionary store in Dubai as it looks to tap demand from the Gulf Arab region's hunger for candy.
Candylicious, which initially opens in one of the world's largest shopping centers, The Dubai Mall, is also planning a second store in Singapore early next year, Sunaina Gill, director of Retail Is Detail, a Singaporean family business in Dubai told Reuters on Wednesday.
"We are planning 10-15 stores in the Gulf Arab region over the next 3-5 years, with additional stores to open in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the next 12 months," said Gill.
Dubai, one of seven emirates comprising the United Arab Emirates and the tourism and trade hub of the Middle East, already has the world's tallest skyscraper and one of the longest driverless train systems globally after investing billions of dollars to propel the emirate on to the international map during a six-year oil-fueled boom.
Dubai is an ideal place for the store, said Gill, adding there was a gap and sufficient demand in the market for a confectionary store of this type, especially with 30 million visitors a year expected to visit the Dubai Mall.
Gill said the group, which will sell everything from chocolates, soda and popcorn, was aiming for sales of $10 million annually.
In addition to its sweets, the 10,000 square foot store features a huge 10-meter singing chocolate tree decorated with lollipops.
Customers will not need to necessarily have venture into the store to taste the candy. The store will also employ "Candylicious Junior," a car that will circle the mall.
(Editing by John Irish and Paul Casci
A mai tai with the Mai Mai?
A Congolese fighter from the pro-government Mai-Mai militia runs with his weapon in the village of Kalenge near the front line in eastern Congo, February 4, 2009.
Tue Sep 29, 3:19 pm ET
KINSHASA (Reuters) – Congo's army has suspended an officer accused of drinking with the enemy ahead of a militia attack that the United Nations said left six soldiers dead, a top army commander said Tuesday.
Local Mai Mai militia fighters attacked an army camp in the town of Nyamilima, near Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern border with Uganda, early Sunday.
The army's head of operations in North Kivu province said Nyamilima's battalion commander, known as Major Leon, was suspended for negligence in the execution of his functions.
"He was drinking in the camp with the Mai Mai that then came and attacked," Colonel Bobo Kakudji told Reuters.
Congo's U.N. peacekeeping mission, known as MONUC, said eight people died in the fighting, including six soldiers, one Mai Mai, and a civilian. According to the army, one government soldier, a civilian woman, and four Mai Mai were killed.
Government forces are battling Rwandan Hutu rebels the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) in U.N.-backed operations in the eastern border provinces of North and South Kivu.
However, the offensive, launched earlier this year, has led to increased tension among government loyalists and the various rebel factions and militias brought into the army under a peace deal intended to help boost its capacity to take on the FDLR.
The army's previous commander at Nyamilima was transferred earlier this month after hundreds of former rebels deserted and went on a looting spree.
Last week, 20 eastern militia groups suspended their participation in the peace deal, accusing the government of failing to honor pledges to grant them command positions in the army.
(Reporting by Joe Bavier; Editing by Daniel M
Fashionistas furious over Berlusconi link
Reuters – A model presents a creation as part of Prada Spring/Summer 2010 women's collection in Milan September …
By Marie-Louise Gumuchian Marie-louise Gumuchian – Tue Sep 29, 3:18 pm ET
MILAN (Reuters) – Italian fashionistas on Wednesday hit back at foreign media reports that their latest creations were for "bimbos" inspired by the sex scandals surrounding Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's private life.
In reviews of Milan's spring/summer 2010 womenswear fashion shows on Monday, the Financial Times and International Herald Tribune had linked the abundance of short and sexy dresses this past week to the 73-year-old prime minister.
Berlusconi has been hit by a spate of scandals surrounding his private life in recent months, including allegations that a businessman paid women to sleep with him. His wife announced in May that she wanted a divorce because of his womanizing.
"I was very surprised .. I did not expect this judgment. I find it without motive, unjustified," Mario Boselli, chairman of Italy's national chamber of fashion, told Reuters.
"I saw at least 50 shows ... certainly I did not see that what was written and I believe that this fashion week was dominated by balance and great elegance, certainly nothing vulgar and uselessly provocative."
Italy's fashion capital is known for top names such as Giorgio Armani, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and Prada, who all held their womenswear shows in the last few days.
As the warm season brings out more of the skin, many designers made sure to show off the flesh with bare backs, one-shouldered outfits and high hemlines -- from small dresses and skirts to 1950s-style high-waisted culottes.
The Financial Times wrote that the scandals surrounding Berlusconi's private life had "filtered down into designers' imaginations and from there on to the catwalk."
"There hasn't been this much flesh on display since the first inklings of an economic downturn were felt oh so many seasons ago," reporter Vanessa Friedman wrote.
The International Herald Tribune entitled its review "Blame it on Berlusconi."
"'Viva la Bimbo' would seem to be the rallying cry of this summer 2010 fashion season," Suzy Menkes wrote, making note of the "veline" or scantily clad showgirls on Italian television.
Italian leading daily newspapers were full of the story.
"I don't think Berlusconi influences us," designer Donatella Versace was quoted as saying in Corriere della Sera. "I didn't see anything vulgar on the catwalks in the last few days."
(Additional reporting by Philip Pullella, editing by Paul Casciato)
When you had a stock trading at over $700 a share I guess you can throw some money around on making your office space fun and enjoyable for your employees. The Google Zurich office seems like a nice place to hang your hat for a few hours a day. I thought getting a no window office was cool, but after seeing this I feel like I got robbed.
Plug and play ... the Brix phone is a Lego-inspired mobile that can connect to other Brix to watch TV and play movies.
The creator, Seokwon Hong, believes his creation will bring people together.
"I want to make people... communicate with each other through individual products.
Don't forget to wipe ... easy to recycle, the Napkin PC may eliminate the need for printers, paper and ink with an instant "print" feature. Using touch input, the palm-sized design is ideal for business professionals and work groups.
"It can have multiple users, multiple interfaces, and multiple configurations. It breaks the PC down to only the interface - a pen and a space - and then gives you a multitude of both so you can let your creativity run wild," says designer Avery Holleman.
Instead of ever putting ink on paper, the interfaces themselves instantly become "prints" when the power is removed .
Small machine, big mission ... the prototype XO-2 touchscreen laptop is the second machine created by the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation as a cheap learning tool for impoverished and developing communities.
This dual-screen laptop, expected in 2010, has been built with real-world conditions in mind - it is energy-efficient, can withstand extreme weather conditions and has local language support. The dual touchpad supports written input and includes a virtual keyboard with 80+ keys.
ICU ... the iCom is a sophisticated communication station that makes use of your home Wi-Fi connection and showcases it on a touch-controlled display.
The iCom concept design shows an all-in-one multimedia machine that can act as a picture frame, music streamer, and news feed reader.
With a design heavily influenced by Apple Macs, the LCD screen displays three iPhone-like interfaces side-by-side, along with a scrolling toolbar populated with a number of icons - and it has a holographic 3D display .
Flip out ... the iPhone Flip is a smaller clamshell version of Apple's smartphone, adding a dual-sided trackpad to separate the touch sensor and phone display into two separate units.
The touch sensor is on a transparent panel hinged onto to the iPhone. If you want to dial a number, you can draw it on your trackpad.
While the iPhone Flip is just a concept design, it would be interesting to see if Apple actually take it into consideration .
Wild fold ... When it comes to mobile phones - how small is too small? Mac Funamizu tests these limits with his conceptual design of foldable phone.
The Wild Fold uses Samsung's flexible OLED technology, how you fold your phone is up to you. According to Mac, "how we fold a mobile phone could be limitless especially if it could work as a touch screen.
It's freezing in here ... the iFreeze is a future iMac concept design by UK-based illustrator and designer Adam Benton.
Fully wireless, the iFreeze features a 30" LCD screen that becomes transparent when not in use. The keyboard is also transparent and uses light-sensitive illuminated keys. The whole machine will packed with a 5TB hard drive.
The future of gaming ... the Prime Gaming Laptop (PGL) could become the gamer's weapon of choice as they step out onto the battlefield.
When fully opened, this design has a super-wide 26" screen (13" when closed) with a 32:10 aspect for better in-game visibility.
Boasting a sturdy aluminium design, the PGL allows for an efficient cooling system and has room for 2 CPUs - perfect for fluid gameplay at fast speeds. Look out for this collapsible gem in 2010.
Next generation laptop ... created by German industrial designer Felix Schmidberger, the Compenion is a classy, elegant, futuristic laptop that uses an OLED touchscreen.
The whole screen also slides out to reveal a second OLED touchscreen underneath, where you can have a keyboard or working controls.
"Because of its interactivity you can place exactly the controls there that you need at the moment or have individual styles and themes to fit your taste. It is also possible to either have a keyboard displayed there or to write directly on it with the pen," says Schmidberger.
The Compenion is expected to be released in 2011.
Triple your experience ... the TriBook concept features three screens and an ultra-wide 21" landscape display.
It also features an 8x SuperDrive, a whopping 1TB hard drive, and a MacBook Pro-calibre CPU. All that plus a generous keyboard and an expanded multitouch trackpad that supports a whole new complement of touch gestures. Shame it's just a fantasy.
SAND sculptures are created during preparations for the FIESA 2009 International Sand Sculpture. Just take a look at this amazing view by the sand sculptors. Well, am really interested in this and sure want to be there...
Creation ... a man works on a sand sculpture during preparations for the FIESA 2009 International Sand Sculpture Festival in Pera, Southern US.
Group effort ... an international team of 60 sculptors will turn 35,000 tons of sand into sculptures spread over 15,000 square metres for the festival.
Amazing ... a sculpture of a plane.
Pondering ... a sculptor works on a sand sculpture of "The Thinker".
Massive ... a man works on a sand sculpture of a primate.
Posted by Editor John On Thursday, September 03, 2009
1. Cavo Tagoo, Mykonos
Guests at the Cavo Tagoo on Mykonos can enjoy cocktails and Mediterranean views from the comfort of this gorgeous infinity pool. Designer lighting provides further atmosphere after dark.
2.Rogner Bad Blumau, Steiermark
The draw of this Austrian hotel is its thermal springs, which provide an ideal opportunity to
recover from a day's trekking in the surrounding countryside.
3.Rio Calma, Fuerteventura
Located on the sandy beach of Costa Calma, the Rio Calma hotel features a huge pool and saltwater lagoon with a perfect view of the Atlantic.
4.Golden Nugget, Las Vegas
Where else could you find an integrated swimming pool and shark aquarium? Only a glass wall
separates the big fish on display and visitors to the Golden Nugget Hotel.
5.Enchantment Resort and Mii Amo Spa, Arizona
Lying among Arizona's spectacular Red Rock State Park, the Enchantment Resort offers panoramic mountain views and cave-like accommodation.
6.Atlantis Palm Resort, Dubai
Featuring a 28-metre waterslide and a zone where guests can share the water with dolphins, the
swimming pool at the Atlantis Resort in Dubai is typically outrageous. Its underwater aquarium
also features 65,000 species of marine creatures.
7.Intercontinental, Hong Kong
The Intercontinental Hotel's infinity pool - situated on the roof of the building - offers breathtaking views over Hong Kong. The five-star hotel also boasts five restaurants, a spa and a
fitness centre.
8.Adler Dolomiti Spa and Sport Resort, Southern Tirol
This five-star resort in the middle of the Dolomites features a 35°C saltwater pool, a large outside swimming area and a hot whirlpool with a panoramic view of the Alps.
9.Ubud Hanging Gardens, Bali
The Ubud Hanging Gardens resort - accessed via a private aerial rope way - has several pools
extending over multiple levels while each room has access to its own private pool.
10.Gran Hotel La Florida,Barcelona
The 37-metre pool at the Gran Hotels La Florida offers stunning views of Barcelona from 500 metres above the city.
Repentant Man Breeds 4,600 Scorpions
By Noppawan Bunluesilp Noppawan Bunluesilp –
UTTARADIT, Thailand (Reuters) – A Thai man is keeping more than 4,600 scorpions as pets to atone for the years he spent cooking the arachnids to sell as snacks.
Scorpions, insects and worms are commonly eaten in Thailand, especially in the northern regions.
But after years of serving up scorpions, Suang Puangsri, a practicing Buddhist, felt it was time to befriend them instead.
"Although I was happy to have money, I felt suffering deep inside as they were being harmed by me," he told Reuters. "I felt scared that I was committing a sin."
The 38-year-old has given up the bottom floor of his two-storey home to the scorpions, who scuttle about a 6 meter by 5 meter (19 ft by 16 ft) enclosure decorated with branches and stone so that very little light and heat come in.
Suang buys up to one kg of live cicadas and other inspects daily to feed his pets, who have stung him so many times that he says he is immune to their venom.
He also spends at least an hour every day meditating inside the enclosure, often placing scorpions in his mouth.
Suang's pets have attracted a few tourists to his sleepy town of Fark Ta in the northern province of Uttaradit, and he now makes a living by selling figurines and stone carvings of ants, frogs, turtles and Buddhas.
Although the $570 he earns a month is a far cry from the $860 he made selling cooked scorpions, he and his family are content.
"I feel good about what is he doing. I didn't like it when he made the scorpions suffer. I'm not scared of those scorpions, but I don't dare touch them," said Suang's wife, Lampoon Pimtoom.
Suang is so determined to atone for his past sins that he even buys scorpions from other people who want to sell them to restaurants. When the arachnids become too many, he and his son release a few hundred back into the forest.
Suang's fixation with scorpions is unusual, but not totally unheard of in Thailand.
Earlier this year a Thai woman went into the record books for spending 33 days and nights with 5,000 live scorpions. She also held a 7-inch live scorpion in her mouth for 2 minutes and 3 seconds.
(Editing by Miral Fahmy
Fast Food Giant Loses in McDonald's vs. McCurry Tiff
Reuters – Customers arrive at McCurry Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur September 4, 2009. REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (Reuters) – Fast food giantMcDonald's on Tuesday lost an eight-year trademark battle against a Malaysian curry restaurant after the country's highest court allowed the latter to use the prefix 'Mc'.
Malaysia's Federal Court dismissed an application by McDonald's Corporation to appeal against an earlier Appeals Court judgment which allowed McCurry to use the prefix.
Chief Judge of Malaya Ariffin Zakaria, reading the verdict of the three-person Federal Court in the administrative capital, said McDonald's had failed to properly frame its questions when applying to challenge the Appeals Court's earlier verdict.
"It is unfortunate that we have to dismiss the application with costs," Ariffin said.
McCurry, which is short for "Malaysian Chicken Curry," serves Malaysian staples including fish head curry, according to the company website (www.mccurryrecipe.com).
"We feel great that this eight-year legal battle is finally over, and we can now go ahead with whatever we plan to do such as opening new branches," McCurry owner P. Suppiah told Reuters after the court decision.
McDonald's, which has 185 outlets in Malaysia, first sued the curry restaurant in 2001 and a High Court ruled in favor of the international fast food chain in 2006.
McCurry then took the matter up to the Court of Appeal, which ruled in favor of the Malaysian restaurant. McDonald's subsequently took the matter to the Federal Court.
The McDonald's operation in this country of 27 million people is run as a franchise by prominent businessman Vincent Tan.
(Reporting by Royce Cheah; Editing by Sugita Katyal)
Artwork Gets Onlookers Asking - Will He Jump?
Reuters – A life-sized installation by Austrian artist Ronald Koldritsch is standing on the edge of a building …
VIENNA (Reuters Life!) – A small crowd of people wonder if the smart businessman clutching a briefcase will jump off the edge of a four-storey building in central Vienna -- but he won't. He can't.
The man, dressed in a grey suit, dark shoes and a black hat, is a life-size plastic art installation, which will be perched atop the office of an investment and real estate company for the next year.
The artist, Austrian Ronald Kodritsch, says the piece -- called "Reason to Believe" -- is not necessarily about suicide.
"It's not interesting whether he will jump or not. It's all about having a different perspective on things and about what might cross his mind," Kodritsch told Reuters. "Hyperrealism is boring!"
Although the man may evoke images of ruined businessmen ending it all in the dire economic climate, the idea for the work came to Kodritsch a year before the banking crisis erupted.
While some passers-by like 23-year-old Verena Kircher found the piece "alarming," others like Caroline van Kelst thought it was beautiful.
"It is crystal clear that this is not a suicide," she said. "He has definitely got something about him which is majestic, not desperate."
(Reporting by Petra Spescha; Editing by Steve Addison)
Drunk Grandmaster Checkmated After Dozing Off
CHENNAI, India (Reuters) – A leading French chess player turned up drunk and dozed off after just 11 moves in an international tournament in Kolkata, losing the round on technical grounds, domestic media reported Friday.
Grandmaster Vladislav Tkachiev arrived for Thursday's match against India's Praveen Kumar in such an inebriated state that he could hardly sit in his chair and soon fell asleep, resting his head on the table, Hindustan Times newspaper reported.
Indian papers carried pictures of the world number 58 sleeping and the organizers' futile attempts to wake his up.
The game was awarded to the Indian on the technical ground of Tkachiev being unable to complete his moves within the stipulated time of an hour and 30 minutes, the paper said.
The player was warned and reprimanded by the organizers afterwards but has been allowed to take part in the remainder of the competition, the paper said.
(Reporting by Sanjay Rajan; Editing by John O'Brien)
Obviously it wasn't armed robbery...
Reuters – A finger print is detected by an electronic device in Berlin December 12, 2001. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz
MIAMI (Reuters) – A bank in Florida refused to cash a check for an armless man because he could not provide a thumbprint.
"They looked at my prosthetic hands and the teller said, 'Well, obviously you can't give us a thumbprint'," Steve Valdez told CNN on Wednesday.
But he said the Bank of America Corp branch in downtown Tampa, Florida, still insisted on a thumbprint identification for him to cash a check drawn on his wife's account at the bank, even though he showed them two photo IDs.
In the incident last week, a bank supervisor told Valdez he could only cash the check without a thumbprint if he brought his wife in with him or he opened an account with them.
"I told them I neither wanted an account with them and couldn't bring my wife in because she was nowhere close by," Valdez told CNN.
Bank of America said in a statement cited by CNN: "While the thumbprint is a requirement for those who don't have accounts, the bank should have made accommodations."
Valdez said his treatment by the bank violated the U.S. Americans with Disability Act requiring institutions to provide reasonable accommodation to disabled persons.
(Writing by Pascal Fletcher; editing by Todd Eastham)
Things That Make You Go...CRAP!!!
Thank you for visiting my website. My name is Wayne Hurlburt. I am from Massachusetts and pursuing a degree in Web Graphic Design.In the meantime I have set up this site to show the strange and unusual things that happen around the world. Please feel free to browse through the posts.
HELLO ALL !!! I'm BACK !!! I have been busy in college and other stuff lately and haven't had much time to keep this site up to date. I'm back now and will start adding more NEW and Interesting stuff again, that I hope you all will ENJOY !!!
I have included a music jukebox. You can scroll through the 500 songs I have programed in to it, or use the song search if you wish to listen to a song you know. I have disabled auto-play to enable faster page loads, I hope this improves your viewing enjoyment.
Also below is a link to a relatives family business, who also resides in Massachusetts. Just click on the ad to visit his site.
Our company is your number one source for professional service. We surpass the competition, in not only price, but value as well.
AP – United Airlines pilot Erwin Washington, center, arrives with his legal team at Uxbridge Magistrates … 
In 1947, an anonymous tip called that there was a dead body in the Collyer house, and after much initial difficulty getting in, the police found Homer Collyer dead and Langley no where to be found. About two weeks later, after removing nearly 100 tons of garbage from the house, workers found Langley Collyer’s partialy decomposed (and rat-chewed) body just 10 feet away from where they had found his brother. 
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