The only problem, Barack critics say, is that it's the American taxpayers who footed the bill for the private planes that shuttled the Obamas back and forth (Air Force One got the night off). Obama sprung for the theater tix out of his own pocket.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Barack Obama -- The Price of Love
Barack Obama and his wife Michelle hopped a jet to New York last night to see a Broadway play and then grabbed some dinner at a chic West Village restaurant.
The only problem, Barack critics say, is that it's the American taxpayers who footed the bill for the private planes that shuttled the Obamas back and forth (Air Force One got the night off). Obama sprung for the theater tix out of his own pocket.
The only problem, Barack critics say, is that it's the American taxpayers who footed the bill for the private planes that shuttled the Obamas back and forth (Air Force One got the night off). Obama sprung for the theater tix out of his own pocket.
Live Your Best Life Ever!
Wish Away Cancer! Get A Lunchtime Face-Lift! Eradicate Autism! Turn Back The Clock! Thin Your Thighs! Cure Menopause! Harness Positive Energy! Erase Wrinkles! Banish Obesity! Live Your Best Life Ever!
Her audience cannot get enough. After more than two decades on the air, the Oprah franchise continues to expand. Forty million people tune in to watch her television show each week. O magazine, which features her picture on every cover, sells more than 2 million copies each month. She has her own satellite radio channel and a very popular Web site. Forbes puts Oprah's personal fortune at $2.7 billion. Her empire is about to get bigger. Oprah has made a deal to launch her own cable television channel that will reach 70 million homes. It will be called, of course, the Oprah Winfrey Network and will include Oprah-approved programming on health and living well. In announcing the deal, Oprah said, "I will now have the opportunity to do this 24 hours a day on a platform that goes on forever."
Oprah says things like this without irony. But really, how could it not go to her head, even a little? Her most ardent fans regard her as an oracle. If she mentions the title of a book, it goes to No. 1. If she says she uses a particular wrinkle cream, it sells out. At Oprah's retail store in Chicago, women can purchase used shoes and outfits that she wore on the show. Her viewers follow her guidance because they like and admire her, sure. But also because they believe that Oprah, with her billions and her Rolodex of experts, doesn't have to settle for second best. If she says something is good, it must be.
This is where things get tricky. Because the truth is, some of what Oprah promotes isn't good, and a lot of the advice her guests dispense on the show is just bad. The Suzanne Somers episode wasn't an oddball occurrence. This kind of thing happens again and again on Oprah. Some of the many experts who cross her stage offer interesting and useful information (props to you, Dr. Oz). Others gush nonsense. Oprah, who holds up her guests as prophets, can't seem to tell the difference. She has the power to summon the most learned authorities on any subject; who would refuse her? Instead, all too often Oprah winds up putting herself and her trusting audience in the hands of celebrity authors and pop-science artists pitching wonder cures and miracle treatments that are questionable or flat-out wrong, and sometimes dangerous.
Too long to post.
Read the full story here:
Saturday, May 30, 2009
How to Make Unbeatable Guacamole
by jamie430 - Hubpages.comI want to share my recipe for what I truly believe to be the best guacamole I’ve ever had. Of course, I have been making it for about 10 years, so I’m a little biased. Still, I have not only seen my friends’ faces after dipping into this magical bowl, but I have converted too many avocado naysayers to count. Now you’re gonna want to bear with me because most of my ingredients call for non-measurements…a true guacamole expert must learn to add a squeeze of lemon or dash of salt when needed.
Step 1.
Go to your favorite grocery store (or market if available!) and pick out a few ripe Hass Avocados. I’ll write this recipe as if you’re using 2 large avocados, but you can seriously make as much as you need depending on the number of guests. If you don’t know how to pick out a ripe avocado, you want to make sure the rind is almost black, but you don’t want it to be too mushy. Yes, the avocado will be soft, but it still needs to have a firmness to it, otherwise the consistency will be way too creamy! Now, you want to peel the avocado (just cut it in half and use a spoon to scrape out the delicious interior…but make sure you don’t get any of the pit when you’re cutting!) and “mash” the contents in a bowl. I suggest using a fork; then you will still have chunks in your final product.
Step 2.
The next most important ingredient to any delicious guacamole is definitely onion. Use a yellow onion because they’re way more flavorful, and they compliment avocados really well. For the onions, you’re really going to want to use your judgment for how much to use. I generally use, with 2 large avocados, about ¼ of a large onion, and probably even more. The most important thing, though, is to grate the onion right into the bowl of avocados rather than dice it. This way, the onion juice will not get lost on the cutting board or in a separate bowl. You want the onion flavor to really coat the avocados, and grating it will give you the most delicious results.
Step 3.
The best asset of this guacamole is its freshness. So, we don’t want to put too much else into it, but we still need a few spices. Salt is the most necessary addition because salt extracts the most ideal flavor in avocados. You really want to salt to taste, and you might even want to save salting for the end. Keep in mind what chips you’ll be eating with the dip. For example, if you’re using restaurant style tortilla chips, you’ll probably want to add a bit more salt than if you’re using Tostitos (because those have gotten SUPER salty these days).
Step 4.
The next imperative spice to my guacamole is chili powder. You can either sprinkle a little on top, or you can, if you’re like me, cover the top of the guacamole with a thin layer and then mix it in. Chili powder will add a little zing to your dip, and it truly makes a big difference!
Step 5.
Now, one of the things I’ve heard my friends say they dislike about avocados and guacamole is its tendency to turn brown after being exposed to oxygen. This happens to avocados when the pit is removed, but have no fear. Lemon juice not only adds a chemical component to keep the guac more green, but its flavor is a great addition (you can also use lime, but I think lemon gives a better taste). I prefer to use fresh lemons, and I usually just cut one in half and then squeeze as much of that half into the bowl as I can. Also, keep in mind that you can always stir your guac to make it stay green…only the top layer will brown.
Step 6.
You might already be done with your guacamole at this point, and completely ready to serve it to your friends, but there are still a few more things you can do to mix it up. If you want to add more substance and are a huge tomato fan, definitely don’t hesitate to dice up a tomato and toss it in there. Another option, which I used to live by, is, surprisingly, mayonnaise. If you take a large spoonful of mayo and spread it over the top of your guacamole (very thin layer!), you can refrigerate over night before serving. The mayo traps in some of the flavors, and once you mix it all together, you get a delicious final product! However, if you’re in more of a refreshing mood (especially during seasons like spring and summer), I would leave the mayo out!
Like I said, I’ve made this guacamole since I was 12 years old, and I’ve never seen a bite go uneaten. Hopefully you’re the kind of chef who enjoys adding ingredients by taste rather than measuring cups! Try making this dip for a group of friends, and I swear you’ll never bring anything else to a football tailgate or a night watching Grey’s Anatomy--because your friends won’t let you.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Obama Screws Taxpayers
Obama has the star power to raise millions of dollars for the candidates and organizations he graces with his stump speech.
But when the president hit the road Tuesday for a two-day fundraising tour to pack the party coffers, he also was racking up a $265,000 partisan bill for just one leg of the trip, according to a watchdog group -- part of which taxpayers, regardless of party affiliation, will have to pay.
Obama started out in Las Vegas, where he stumped that night for state Democrats and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. On Wednesday night he was to attend a two-tiered donor dinner for the Democratic Party in Los Angeles.
But sandwiched between political appearances, Obama squeezed in some quick public remarks on energy, ironically before burning fuel to Los Angeles, at Nevada's Nellis Air Force Base. It was a key stop, because it gives the entire trip an air of official legitimacy and allows the White House to write off part of the trip under rules governing travel, said Pete Sepp, vice president for policy and communications at the National Taxpayers Union.
"You've got to have some official (business) in the trip somewhere. It becomes almost a game to find some official function to hang the trip on," Sepp said.
The rest, though, is all politics. And, if history is any gauge, the American taxpayer will pick up a large portion of the tab.
Sepp estimated that the purely political part of the trip -- the distance from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and back, with no public events -- would cost at least $265,000, just for air travel expenses.
He said the minimum domestic travel package for the president consists of one Boeing 747, which serves as Air Force One, one back-up dummy plane and one C17 cargo plane. The cost estimate is based on past hourly operational costs for the three aircraft, adjusted for inflation.
A 2006 report for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform found that during 2002, political campaigns reimbursed the federal government for $198,000 of the $6.5 million in flight expenses racked up by campaign-related stops made by President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. That's 3 percent of the total cost.
Taxpayers paid the remaining $6.3 million.
Couple Ordered to Stop Holding Bible Study at Home Without Permit
Should the government be able to determine if you can pray with friends at your home?
That's what the Jones family said the county is trying to do with them.
They've hosted a weekly bible study at their Bonita home for the the past five years. Usually, anywhere from 5-25 or so friends join them for dinner and bible discussion every Tuesday night.
On Good Friday, April 11, the family was surprised to find county officials at their door.
"She asked me if we sang songs, said Amen, praised the Lord or not. I don't even think I answered because I was so taken aback" said Mary Jones.
Jones said the "insinuation" was questions over whether the services were "of religious nature." She said there were no questions or comments about there being a parking problem.
The family was given a warning to "cease and desist" their "religious gathering" until they are granted a "major use permit".
Major use permits are often given to churches, synagogues and other places of gathering. They take into account traffic concerns, engineering issues, architecture considerations and more. The main purpose is to assess the feasibility of large gatherings occurring at a particular location.
Dave Jones knew a great deal about major use permits since he got one for the nearby church he serves as Pastor of.
But, he felt one was certainly not needed for the small gathering at his home.
The Jones family was warned that if the bible studies continued they would be fined $100 for the first week, then $200, $500, $1,000 and eventually taken to court.
"Are you telling me I live in an America where I can't pray with my friends? I would say your authority stops at my door" he said.
Jones continued, "This is America, this is supposed to be freedom. I should be able to pray here whenever I want to, 7 nights a week."
The Pastor thought it was ironic the county was stopping prayers that were often pro-San Diego government and pro-United States.
Jones' attorney, Western Center for Law and Public Policy president Dean Broyles, said the order violates First Amendment rights. "The government may not prohibit the free exercise of religion" he said.
"They are treating this bible study likes its a religious assembly and that is improper" said Broyles.
Broyles said he is concerned this could have a "chilling effect" for the 1,000-plus bible studies in San Diego County or other small gatherings. "Is this county really going to treat a religious gathering any differently than a boyscout troupe or a tupperware party?"
"The county is not saying don't pray at home, what the county is saying is be a good neighbor" said Chandra L. Wallar, who serves as general manager of San Diego County's Land Use and Environment Group.
Wallar said the county received a complaint regarding parking, and they were obligated to investigate.
The complaint alleged that "cars were blocking access for themselves and for public safety" said Wallar. "The staff believed there were traffic issues...There were violations, principally due to the parking, and it appeared the use of the property was a religious assembly."
Wallar believes there is a "miscommunication" here; often, she said, people who are cited for the first time take it "personally". "They focused on the 'use' because they really didn't understand our process."
She wants to work with the Jones family on solutions to the parking problems including carpooling, parking down the street, or having bible study members rotate their homes.
But Jones said all the neighbors around him are supporting and praying for him. He added that he owns the private lot next to him, which is where most cars park.
The only person who may have complained, he believes, is a neighbor's friend whose car was dented, possibly by a bible study attendee.
Jones paid the money to fix the car out of his own pocket, and is not confident that is who complained.
The most frustrating aspect of this entire issue for Jones is that he feels the county officials are not telling the truth about the parking issue.
Jones said in all of the written and oral complaints over five weeks, nowhere has parking been mentioned. "None of it is on parking, all of it talks about a religious assembly...We've had hours of conversations, that's what it has been every time."
He said only after this story was picked up by national media outlets like the Drudge Report did he hear the county officials claim that parking was the main issue at stake here.
Jones wants his attorneys to challenge the county to prove where and when parking violations became the central issue.
Meanwhile, Wallar said Jones will not be charged with any violation for now and she hopes to work out the "misunderstanding" very soon.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Susan Boyle Loses Cool With Two Expletive-Laced Tirades in One Day
RANTING Susan Boyle completely lost her cool with TWO four-letter outbursts in a day, The Sun can reveal.
She stunned Britain's Got Talent fans, contestants and their families before going into meltdown later in front of hundreds of hotel guests.
There were fears last night that the pressure was getting to the show favourite.
Cops intervened at 5pm yesterday after Susan, 48, went berserk in the lobby of the Wembley Plaza Hotel in North London when two strangers set out to "wind her up".
The Scottish singer was heard to roar: "How f***ing dare you! You can't f***ing talk to me like that."
One of two cops stationed at the hotel went up and asked: "Is there a problem?"
Susan, dubbed SuBo, roared: "Of course there's a f***ing problem."
Tears flowing, she turned on her heel and marched out the exit followed by her family, production staff and the cops.
Hotel guests legged it to the windows to get a better view of the rumpus. Police spoke to Susan and her family for several minutes in the car park.
One officer told her: "You are in the public eye, you must learn to expect this sort of thing."
A pal of Susan's told the star: "You can't act like this."
TV producers ushered her back upstairs after police finished speaking to her.
One onlooker added: "It took her a long time to calm down from whatever upset her. She was breathing heavily and in a terrible rage.
"The pressure is obviously getting to Susan. Perhaps all the fame is too much for her."
A BGT spokesman said the strangers had been "trying to wind her up". He added: "The police were not called. They were already present."
The entire episode lasted 15 minutes.
Incredibly, Susan flew into another rage on Tuesday night after judge Piers Morgan lavished praise on rival singer Shaheen Jafargholi.
Shaheen, 12, wowed the judges with And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going from the musical Dreamgirls.
Piers, who gave spinster Susan her first kiss, said: "I think that, pound for pound, that was the best singing performance we've seen so far."
Smiling Simon Cowell added: "You are a real contender in the competition."
Hairy Angel Susan - watching on the hotel bar's TV with Shaheen's pals, family and show fans - stood and screamed "f*** off" before flicking a "V" at the screen and storming out.
More than 100 people saw her tantrum.
One onlooker said: "Susan was sitting there quite happily with her drink at first.
"She got a bit annoyed when a busload of tourists asked for autographs and told them to wait until Shaheen had finished. She was smiling as Shaheen sang but afterwards, when Piers started praising him, Susan went nuts.
"She got up, did one of those strange wiggling dances that she does, and then stuck two fingers up at the TV. Then she marched off. We didn't see her again.
"Everyone staying at the hotel gets on really well - it's like one big happy BGT family - so everyone was shocked by her outburst."
Shaheen was voted into the final by Piers, 44, and Amanda Holden. She's admitted to fancying "baby-faced" Piers.
The onlooker added: "She was clearly upset that her favourite judge had sided with one of her main rivals.
"It's beginning to look like its all getting a bit much for her."
Locals in Susan's hometown of Blackburn, West Lothian, claim Susan has frequent angry outbursts.
They've called her Rambo after the troubled fictional film hardcase "for years".
A neighbour told The Sun: "The reason is because if Susan doesn't get what she wants, she goes wild."
Another added: "It's not unusual to see her freak out over the smallest thing.
"A few of us think it's only a matter of time before she loses it on the show"
DNA Test: Body Found Near Illinois River Is Male
JOLIET, Ill. — Authorities say DNA tests show a headless, armless skeleton found along the Des Plaines River in Illinois last week was from an unidentified male.
Wednesday's announcement by the Illinois State Police ends speculation that the remains were related to the high-profile Will County missing persons cases of Stacy Peterson or Lisa Stebic.
The Will County coroner has said the person was dead for several months or more. Results of an autopsy last week were inconclusive.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Mom Who Reported Own Abduction is Charged
(CNN) -- A Pennsylvania woman who called 911 to report that she and her daughter had been abducted was charged with making a false report and identity theft after police found the pair at a Disney resort in Florida, authorities said Wednesday.
Bonnie Sweeten, 38, told authorities Tuesday afternoon that she and 9-year-old Julia Rakoczy were kidnapped after two men in a Cadillac rear-ended her sport-utility vehicle in Upper Southampton, north of Philadelphia. They were being held in the trunk of the Cadillac, she claimed.
Sweeten was arrested late Wednesday at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort in Orlando, Florida, said Michelle Henry, district attorney for Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Sweeten awaits extradition proceedings.
Asked what tipped off investigators, Henry said, "It was a combination of different facts that just didn't add up."
Sweeten's daughter is in state custody until her biological father picks her up, Henry said.
Authorities said Sweeten withdrew about $12,000 over a week in preparing for the trip and obtained a driver's license from a co-worker to buy airline tickets to Florida. The mother and daughter traveled under false names, and the trip was paid for in cash, Henry said.
Though possible motives were under investigation, Henry said, "We believe there were some domestic problems."
Sweeten has two other children who did not go on the trip, police said.
No Sign of Missing Pennsylvania Mother, Daughter Allegedly Abducted After Car Accident
A massive manhunt for a missing Pennsylvania mother and daughter who allegedly were kidnapped after a minor car accident turned up no sign of the pair Wednesday, as the mystery into what happened to them deepened.
Police are planning to examine the silver SUV belonging to Bonnie Sweeten, 38, that was found in Center City, Philadelphia, before dawn.
Sweeten reportedly called 911 Tuesday and said she was locked in the trunk of a car after she and her 9-year-old daughter Julia Rakoczy were kidnapped in broad daylight.
"Based on what she says, they supposedly took her car and she was put in another car, but right now that's all we have to go on," said Philadelphia Police Lt. Frank Vanore, who heard the tapes. "It definitely sounds like she's afraid. ... But it's hard to tell what's going on."
Detectives and reporters have been puzzled by holes in Sweeten's story, and FBI spokesman J.J. Klaver confirmed the existence of "inconsistencies" in her account of the accident and abduction. But he declined to elaborate and said those aren't the focus of the investigation.
In at least two cell phone calls she said she was making from a locked car trunk, Sweeten told emergency dispatchers that she and her daughter were snatched in the middle of the day Tuesday by two black men who rear-ended their SUV in suburban Philadelphia, according to police."We're not concerned about any inconsistencies," he told FOX News. "Our main concern is finding that young girl and her mother."
Though Sweeten, of Feasterville, Pa., implied her daughter was with her, the girl is not heard on the tapes, Vanore said.
Authorities haven't found either Sweeten or Julia after the early-morning discovery of their vehicle in Philadelphia Wednesday.
Coraline Review
Coraline (2008)
You rated this movie: 5.0 stars
Average of 12,266 ratings: 4.2 stars
Review from a Netflix user:
Spectacularly quirky and delightfully creepy, Coraline is like Alice in Wonderland meets Nightmare Before Christmas. Instead of falling down a rabbit hole, Coraline crawls into a tunnel located behind a locked doorway while exploring her new house, and discovers a kid's utopia version of her own life, where her workaholic parents have morphed into a fun-loving pair who cater to her every whim and desire. And she can stay in this world forever, if she will sew buttons over her eyes. Yup, this is where the creepy part comes in. The PG rating is VERY misleading b/c this is the stuff of nightmares for younger children. A PG-13 rating would have been more appropriate. Adult humor is not very subtle in some parts, such as a Burlesque show (complete with pasties) that her elderly neighbors, a flighty pair of retired dancers, perform. This was hilarious by the way, just not for children. I would recommend this more to children age 10 and up, and parents should probably pre-screen this one before showing it to them. As a grown-up, however, I adored this freak-fest of creepy/cool imagery and the refreshingly creative story. The stop-motion animation is incredible: the life-like movements of the cat, the raindrops on the windshield, the colorful, whimsical garden complete with a grasshopper-mobile her inventive dad rides around in.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Children of a Stupid God
This video contains a small inaccuracy that biblical scholars will doubtless pounce on. The phrase "lake of fire" actually comes from Revelation, not from Jesus, but he's still responsible for the Christian idea of eternal damnation, the bastard.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Splitter - Click Here to Play
Split boxes and solve the levels your way. Innovative BOX2D-usage.
Long description:
In Splitter, each level can be solved in a number of different ways.
Will you be able to come up with a brand new solution? Split the boxes and find out!
Your goal is to reach the brown exit, and preferrably collect the star(s) on the way.
You do this by splitting certain objects and let gravity do its thing.
Instructions:
CLICK and DRAG to split the material in the way you wish.
You can split joints and wood objects, but not metal and brick objects.
Archie is Getting Married.
Archie is getting married. Yes, the world's oldest and eternally least hip teenager is taking the plunge for Archie #600, and the soulless robot that churns out all those Archie comics is keeping his choice of bride under wraps. Will it be nice but stupid Betty? Or less stupid and bitchy Veronica?I mean, even if you're an Archie fan, you understand this is a disaster waiting to happen, right? About 90% of Archie's whole damn premise is the eternal struggle of Betty and Veronica for his sweet man-seed, and if he finally picks one of the girls, then it's all over. All that's left is to watch Jughead do... whatever it is he's been doing for the last 60+ years.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Anyone Game?
Cheeseburger in a Can
From Switzerland - Cheeseburger in a Can! A Swiss company has created this easy eating solution. It's an all-beef patty, lettuce, tomato and cheese on a sesame seed bun - sold in a can that retails for about 5 bucks and can stay fresh for up to a year!
Google Chrome 2 First Impressions
Google is boasting some impressive figures for its Chrome web browser launched yesterday at the 2.0 mark. The team made improvements on their already fast JavaScript engine dubbed “V8” and they claim that pages that make heavy use of JavaScript will see an increase in speed of about 30 percent. They also say it is a lot more stable with 300 serious bugs fixed since it was launched in September. You can read more about it here. But was this, along with some small features and tweaks, all of which should have been a long way coming, really enough for Chrome to get pushed to 2.0?
Well, according to the developers themselves, no. Here's what they said: "Finally, a note on version numbers: we're referring to this as Chrome 2, but that's mainly a metric to help us keep track of changes internally. We don't give too much weight to version numbers and will continue to roll out useful updates as often as possible."
OK so it's just an evolution not a new edition. But is it any good? Well, if you liked Chrome before you will like this version even more. If you didn't, there isn’t really anything to change your mind. The interface is practically identical and what you liked or hated about it is still there. There are some tweaks and new features but nothing to write home about. Instead, they're doing what they've always done with Chrome, what Google has done for every service or software it has to offer, namely keep it simple and fast. And it is fast. Faster than any previous version and faster than most of its competition. That's because most of the work has been done under the hood with Chrome sporting a new version of the popular open-source rendering engine, Apple's WebKit, also used by Safari and a couple of Linux web browsers, and the muscled-up V8 JavaScript engine. But its competition is not sitting still, with most browsers out there getting faster and faster JavaScript engines.
And is a browser that's fast but lacking in features going to gain more market share with the strong competition it's facing? Not likely. So you might want to know why Google is focusing solely on the technical side. For that you have to understand why the Mountain View-based search giant built a browser in the first place. Google is dependent on a browser yes – that's where it made and still makes most of its revenue – but there were already quite a few capable browsers out there. The company however is thinking in the long run, maybe a few years in advance. It wants a browser that can run its web applications like Gmail, Google Docs, Google Maps and future services as fast as possible, bridging the gap between the desktop and the cloud. And that's what it's doing; and we're not going to be that surprised if in time Google is going to shift its focus towards adding more features and making a better effort at gaining market share.
In conclusion, Chrome isn't going to replace your main browser just yet but in some cases like web applications it might just be the tool for the job. Still, things might be a lot more interesting in the future and Chrome is definitely worth keeping an eye on. And if you haven't tried it yet, we strongly recommend you to download it.
Well, according to the developers themselves, no. Here's what they said: "Finally, a note on version numbers: we're referring to this as Chrome 2, but that's mainly a metric to help us keep track of changes internally. We don't give too much weight to version numbers and will continue to roll out useful updates as often as possible."
OK so it's just an evolution not a new edition. But is it any good? Well, if you liked Chrome before you will like this version even more. If you didn't, there isn’t really anything to change your mind. The interface is practically identical and what you liked or hated about it is still there. There are some tweaks and new features but nothing to write home about. Instead, they're doing what they've always done with Chrome, what Google has done for every service or software it has to offer, namely keep it simple and fast. And it is fast. Faster than any previous version and faster than most of its competition. That's because most of the work has been done under the hood with Chrome sporting a new version of the popular open-source rendering engine, Apple's WebKit, also used by Safari and a couple of Linux web browsers, and the muscled-up V8 JavaScript engine. But its competition is not sitting still, with most browsers out there getting faster and faster JavaScript engines.
And is a browser that's fast but lacking in features going to gain more market share with the strong competition it's facing? Not likely. So you might want to know why Google is focusing solely on the technical side. For that you have to understand why the Mountain View-based search giant built a browser in the first place. Google is dependent on a browser yes – that's where it made and still makes most of its revenue – but there were already quite a few capable browsers out there. The company however is thinking in the long run, maybe a few years in advance. It wants a browser that can run its web applications like Gmail, Google Docs, Google Maps and future services as fast as possible, bridging the gap between the desktop and the cloud. And that's what it's doing; and we're not going to be that surprised if in time Google is going to shift its focus towards adding more features and making a better effort at gaining market share.
In conclusion, Chrome isn't going to replace your main browser just yet but in some cases like web applications it might just be the tool for the job. Still, things might be a lot more interesting in the future and Chrome is definitely worth keeping an eye on. And if you haven't tried it yet, we strongly recommend you to download it.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
The Incredible Biblical Story of Lot
Posted by Ashles on the JREF forum.
I don't know how many of you are familiar with the story of Lot (Genesis: Chapter 19) but I was rereading it yesterday and had forgotten just how incredibly bizarre it is. For those of you unfamiliar with it, it is the one that contains Sodom and Gomorrah.
I have used the New International Version as that is what Bible Gateway provides first.
I have not in any way changed any of the text in quote boxes.
Any of you who haven't read it before will find that quite hard to believe.
"It appears that you can change an angels mind if you are really insistent.
The story then suddenly goes in an incredibly unexpected direction:"
"What. The. Hell?
Does this happen whenever anyone visits the city? Or just to Lots guests?
Does Lot know what every other man in the city is like? If so why didn't he tell the angels it might be the best idea to move on to the next town."
"If Lot didn't know that every other man in the city was hell bent on having sex with any male visitors to the town... why didn't he know?
Did he miss a really unusual Town Meeting?"
"Brace yourself... get ready for this bit..."
"Lot, the hero of our story, has just offered his two virgin daughters to the baying, sex crazed men of an entire city!
What are we supposed to take from this story? I really cannot understand what moral position Genesis is recommending here."
"Lot is no doubt shouting to the angels by now "Little help here!"
"But apparently they were still trying to find the door so having been magically struck blind hasn't dampened their need to have sex with strange men."
"Well presumably if he does have any other male relatives they are currently outside the front door baying for sex."
"In essence the Angels are calling in an air-strike."
"Just getting weirder and weirder now. A whole city becomes homesexual sex criminals, they are magically struck blind, but the sons in law still think this is all part of Beadle's About?"
(Beadle's About also called The Best of Beadle's About was a British television programme hosted by Jeremy Beadle, where members of the public became victims of practical jokes behind hidden cameras. )
"And where are your sons in law?"
"Oh I told them, they thought I was joking."
"Uh, that's odd, how exactly did you word it?"
"We don't know why as Lot's first response when encountering a pack of sex maniacs was to toss his daughters to them.
If the Lord really wanted to be merciful why not a simple letter. "Don't be in town next Thursday. God."
"Sending a city of sex maniacs to my house was a bit off but never mind..."
"Well how very benevolent. The Angel tells Lot to flee to somewhere he cannot possibly physically reach in time, then when Lot pleads for a different location he can actually reach the Angel makes out like "Oh I'll grant yet another favor to you..."
"And God has a really itchy trigger finger."
"When God gets angry, not even plankton is safe."
"Now there was no real need for God to do this but, as has been thoroughly documented, God can be a right bastard when He feels like it.
The 'merciful' stage of God's bipolar disorder never lasts long."
"Okay, a deeply disturbing story. I wonder if there is any way we can increase the ick factor yet further?"
"Why?"
"Really, why?"
"But... they just left Zoar. There are men in Zoar. You don't need to-"
"Zoar! Girls please, you don't need to do this! Zoar's just down the road."
"Where are they getting this wine from if not Zoar? Does the cave have a distillation facility?"
"If you are that paralytic can you really perform?"
"Has he noticed anything yet?"
"Let's see, I keep getting plied with drink by my daughters, blackout, wake up sore, there are no other men around and my daughters are pregnant... nope, I can't solve this puzzle. Maybe some wine will help..."
"They must be so proud."
I don't know how many of you are familiar with the story of Lot (Genesis: Chapter 19) but I was rereading it yesterday and had forgotten just how incredibly bizarre it is. For those of you unfamiliar with it, it is the one that contains Sodom and Gomorrah.
I have used the New International Version as that is what Bible Gateway provides first.
I have not in any way changed any of the text in quote boxes.
Any of you who haven't read it before will find that quite hard to believe.
Quote:
"It appears that you can change an angels mind if you are really insistent.
The story then suddenly goes in an incredibly unexpected direction:"
Quote:
"What. The. Hell?
Does this happen whenever anyone visits the city? Or just to Lots guests?
Does Lot know what every other man in the city is like? If so why didn't he tell the angels it might be the best idea to move on to the next town."
"If Lot didn't know that every other man in the city was hell bent on having sex with any male visitors to the town... why didn't he know?
Did he miss a really unusual Town Meeting?"
Quote:
"Brace yourself... get ready for this bit..."
Quote:
"Lot, the hero of our story, has just offered his two virgin daughters to the baying, sex crazed men of an entire city!
What are we supposed to take from this story? I really cannot understand what moral position Genesis is recommending here."
Quote:
"Lot is no doubt shouting to the angels by now "Little help here!"
Quote:
"But apparently they were still trying to find the door so having been magically struck blind hasn't dampened their need to have sex with strange men."
Quote:
"Well presumably if he does have any other male relatives they are currently outside the front door baying for sex."
Quote:
"In essence the Angels are calling in an air-strike."
Quote:
"Just getting weirder and weirder now. A whole city becomes homesexual sex criminals, they are magically struck blind, but the sons in law still think this is all part of Beadle's About?"
(Beadle's About also called The Best of Beadle's About was a British television programme hosted by Jeremy Beadle, where members of the public became victims of practical jokes behind hidden cameras. )
Quote:
"And where are your sons in law?"
"Oh I told them, they thought I was joking."
"Uh, that's odd, how exactly did you word it?"
Quote:
"We don't know why as Lot's first response when encountering a pack of sex maniacs was to toss his daughters to them.
If the Lord really wanted to be merciful why not a simple letter. "Don't be in town next Thursday. God."
Quote:
"Sending a city of sex maniacs to my house was a bit off but never mind..."
Quote:
"Well how very benevolent. The Angel tells Lot to flee to somewhere he cannot possibly physically reach in time, then when Lot pleads for a different location he can actually reach the Angel makes out like "Oh I'll grant yet another favor to you..."
Quote:
"And God has a really itchy trigger finger."
Quote:
"When God gets angry, not even plankton is safe."
Quote:
"Now there was no real need for God to do this but, as has been thoroughly documented, God can be a right bastard when He feels like it.
The 'merciful' stage of God's bipolar disorder never lasts long."
Quote:
"Okay, a deeply disturbing story. I wonder if there is any way we can increase the ick factor yet further?"
Quote:
"Why?"
Quote:
"Really, why?"
Quote:
"But... they just left Zoar. There are men in Zoar. You don't need to-"
Quote:
"Zoar! Girls please, you don't need to do this! Zoar's just down the road."
Quote:
"Where are they getting this wine from if not Zoar? Does the cave have a distillation facility?"
Quote:
"If you are that paralytic can you really perform?"
Quote:
"Has he noticed anything yet?"
"Let's see, I keep getting plied with drink by my daughters, blackout, wake up sore, there are no other men around and my daughters are pregnant... nope, I can't solve this puzzle. Maybe some wine will help..."
Quote:
"They must be so proud."
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Decaying Body Found In Des Plaines River Raises Possibility Of Being Lisa Stebic Or Stacy Peterson
CHANNAHON, Ill. — Illinois state police are searching a river and the area around it where a badly decomposed body was pulled from the water.
The area is in Will County, home to two missing women whose disappearances have drawn national media attention.
The body was found Wednesday by a cleaning crew. It was unclear if it was a woman's, and an autopsy was scheduled for Thursday.
Will County was home to Stacy Peterson and Lisa Stebic. Peterson's husband, Drew Peterson, has pleaded not guilty to murdering his third wife, Kathleen Savio. He claims Stacy Peterson left him for another man in October 2007.
Authorities deemed Stebic's husband a "person of interest" in her 2007 disappearance. He denies wrongdoing.
Congress votes to allow guns in national parks
WASHINGTON - In a stinging defeat for gun-control, the U.S. Congress has voted to allow people to carry loaded guns in national parks and wildlife refuges.
The House approved the measure, 279-147, on Wednesday, one day after the Senate acted. A total of 105 Democrats in the House joined 174 Republicans in supporting the gun measure, which essentially restores a Bush administration policy that allowed loaded guns in national parks for two months earlier this year.
A total of 105 Democrats in the House joined 174 Republicans in supporting the gun measure, which essentially restores a Bush administration policy that briefly allowed loaded guns in national parks earlier this year. The measure, which is included in a bill imposing new restrictions on credit card companies, allows licensed gun owners to bring firearms into national parks and wildlife refuges as long as they are allowed by state law.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Well, You Didn't Take the Challenge I Made With The Bets You Can't Lose Post
But here's your Turkish Taffy anyway.
Simply Spectacular
“This morning, you watch us from the pinnacle of human existence, representing the pinnacle of our craft, and leaving Hubble at the apex of its scientific power,” Hubble program officials said in a message to the crew.
“Hubble is now ready to resume its role as humankind’s most powerful eyes on the universe.”
Monday, May 18, 2009
Custom Bobble Head and Cake Topper: Get Your Own Mini Me!
Custom Bobble Head and Cake Topper - starting at $99
W00t! I’m happy to announce that we’ve started a new collaboration with Wendy Lee of One and Only Figures to bring custom bobble heads and cake toppers to Neatorama’s Online Store.
These custom bobble heads are perfect for weddings (as a cake topper), graduation presents, or even if you simply want a mini me figurine. These durable personalized figures come with completely customized, hand-sculpted face in poly-clay. Turnaround time is fast: just 2 to 3 weeks when you choose from the wide selection of the available body-types.
And yes, this one is a bobble head of Neatorama author Miss Cellania, who didn’t have the slightest clue that I made her one!
http://shop.neatorama.com/store.php?custom-bubble-head-cake-topper-pg1-cid81.html
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Netflix: Now This is Customer Service!
We spend a lot of time taking technology companies to task for lousy customer service. If you don't believe me, take a look at Mark Sullivan's rant about ISPs, cable and phone companies. Or Ginny Mies' work solving readers' problems in On Your Side. So given that we're tough when necessary, it's only fair that we single out companies when they get things right. And Netflix really did right by me today.
Last night, my wife mentioned that she'd had a hard time streaming a movie included in Netflix's Instant Watching service to our PC. I didn't think too much of it at the time -- after all, the problem could have been with our ISP, our wireless network or our PC. It's the kind of problem that can have so many different fathers that establishing paternity later seldom seems worth the effort.
But this morning, I got this email from Netflix. It said their records indicated we might have had a streaming problem, apologized for the glitch -- and offered me a 2 percent discount on my next bill!
What hoops did I have to jump through to get my discount? Call Netflix and wait on hold for 10 minutes? Fill out an online form documenting exactly what happened and when? Nope. All I had to do was click a link in the e-mail. I was taken to the Netflix site, where I saw a message that my discount would be applied to my next bill.
Technology companies take note: This is how you provide great customer service. We consumers all know that things can go wrong with any technology device or service. When things do blow up, companies should take responsibility and offer amends, making the process as simple as possible for consumers. That's the kind of behavior that breeds customer loyalty.
A lot of customer service execs I've met would probably say that that kind of customer service costs too much. But Netflix has been known for customer service like this since their inception and somehow this former startup has managed to grow and prosper while their behemoth competition, Blockbuster, is tied up in such serious debt problems that it may need to close its retail stores. Seems like treating your customers well may pay off.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Atheists 'not fully human', says Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor
The extraordinary statement by the Cardinal that secularists and atheists are not fully human. And showing the face of rosmarinus officinalis for the first time ever.
If you don't want the Cardinal to be elevated to a peerage please sign the petition at:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/nocormacpeerage/
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Bets You Can’t Lose
The following is reprinted from Uncle John's Unstoppable Bathroom Reader book.
Psst! Do you need a sure-fire way to make money on bets that you absolutely, positively cannot lose? (Bar fights afterwards not guaranteed, mmkay?) Here are some sucker bets, courtesy of Uncle John of Bathroom Reader:
I'll Bet ... "I can make you say the word 'black.'"
Setup: Start asking your mark the colors of various objects in the room, making sure that none of them are black or blue. After three or four objects, ask "What are the colors of the American flag?"
Payoff: When they respond, "Red, white, and blue," you say, "I win, I told you I could make you say 'blue'!" Nine times out of ten they'll come back with, "You didn't say blue, you said black." Then you say, "Now I really do win!"
I'll Bet ... "I can make you say what I want you to."
Setup: When the other person agrees to the bet, tell them to say "mutifarious verbiage."
Payoff: When they say they won't or that they don't know what that means, you've won the bet. Why? To say multifarious verbiage means to say a variety of words ... which they've just done.
I'll Bet ... "I can roll the cue ball underneath the cue stick without holding it and without the ball touching the stick."
Setup: To demonstrate the difficulty, place the cue stick over the two long side rails of the pool table. Then have the sucker try to roll the cue ball underneath the stick, which they won't be able to do - the space between the stick and the tabletop is too small.
Payoff: But you can do it. Pick up the cue ball, put it on the floor under the table, and roll it underneath the table so it passes below the cue stick above. It will never touch the stick.
I'll Bet ... "You can't lift my hand off the top of my head"
Setup: Put your palm on the top of your head and instruct the person to try to remove it by pushing up on your forearm. It works best when a smaller person challenges a bigger, stronger person.
Payoff: They won't be able to. We're not sure why; it's one of those freaks of nature (not you, the trick).
I'll Bet ... "I can remove this quarter from underneath this napkin without touching the napkin or blowing on it."
Setup: Put a quarter under a napkin. After you've set up the trick, discreetly put another quarter into your hand. Then put that hand underneath the table, say some magical incantations, and after a moment, reveal that the quarter is magically in your hand!
Payoff: The person will most likely go straight for the napkin to prove you wrong. When they remove it, pick up the quarter and you've won the bet.
I'll Bet ... "You can't taste the difference between an apple and a raw potato if you close your eyes and plug your nose."
Setup: The best way to ensure success with this one is to make them try it three times. Just once is a 50/50 guess. Three times put the odds in your favor.
Payoff: It's not really a trick. According to experts, smell and sight are more important in tasting things than most people realize. Without those two senses, the taste buds don't have enough info to send to the brain.
I'll Bet ... "You can't eat eight saltines in 60 seconds."
Setup: Make sure that you stipulate the person isn't allowed to wash them down with anything - and that they have to eat them one by one.
Payoff: Because of the saltiness of the crackers, most people will get "cotton mouth" and not be able to eat more than five or six. Don't wager too much, though, because there is the occasional big mouth that can pull this one off. But at least you've gotten them to make a fool of themselves.
I'll Bet ... "I can jump higher than this house."
Setup: Just jump up in the air six inches or so.
Payoff: You've just jumped higher than any house ever could.
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