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| Posted by Kanzen on 06:35 PM 10/19/2008 |
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Creepy gnome back on the prowl. A NEW sighting of South America’s ‘creepy gnome’ has caused panic among locals after a group of youngsters claimed a ‘midget monster’ ran towards them at night. The teens – who recorded footage of the freaky being on their mobile phone – said they are now “too terrified” to go out at night. Experts who examined the latest footage, taken in the town of Clodomira, province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina, last week, say it is ‘credible’. But sceptics say the sidestepping ‘gnome’ could be a speedy child or even a small animal. Last week’s footage was taken by Juan Carlos Roldan, his b... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 06:35 PM 10/19/2008 |
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Grandma with five dead husbands freed RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) -- A Georgia grandmother who came under suspicion because all five of her husbands had died was released Thursday from a North Carolina jail where she had been held on charges in one of their deaths. Betty Neumar, 76, posted $300,000 bond late Thursday morning at the Stanly County jail, where she's been held since her arrest in May, Sheriff Rick Burris said. He did not know the conditions of her release or where she got the money. It was not clear if she would be allowed to leave the state. Neumar is charged with solicitation to commit first-degree murder in the 1986 de... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 06:34 PM 10/19/2008 |
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Computer circuit builds itself Organic molecules organize themselves to form a bridge between electrodes. A team of European physicists has developed an integrated circuit that can build itself. The work, appearing in this week's Nature1, is an important step towards its ultimate goal — a self-assembling computer. Today's computer chips are made by etching patterns onto semiconducting wafers using a combination of light and photosensitive chemicals. But the technique is being pushed to the limit as ever more processing power is being packed onto chips, requiring engineers to etch details just a few tens of nanometres across. So scientists are ... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 06:34 PM 10/19/2008 |
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Hackers got into 18 computer servers at World Bank Cyberintruders used the Internet to crack into at least 18 computer servers at the World Bank Group last July. The intrusion, revealed Friday in a FoxNews.com story by veteran investigative reporter Richard Behar, underscores how relentlessly criminals probe corporate IT systems, especially banks, say tech-security experts. "The sophistication, resolve and organization of cybercriminals are growing exponentially," says Tom Kellerman, vice president of security awareness at Core Security Technologies. Kellerman served as a senior risk-management specialist at the World Bank from 2000 to 2006; he hel... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 06:33 PM 10/19/2008 |
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Man killed wife in Facebook row A man has been jailed for life for stabbing his wife to death over a posting she made on the social networking site Facebook. Wayne Forrester, 34, told police he was devastated that his wife Emma, also 34, had changed her online profile to "single" days after he had moved out. The Old Bailey heard Forrester drove to her home in Croydon, south London, and attacked the mother-of-two. He stabbed her with a kitchen knife and a meat cleaver on 18 February. Forrester, who pleaded guilty to murder, was ordered to serve a minimum term of 14 years. Judge Brian Barker, the Commo... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 06:33 PM 10/19/2008 |
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Gene mutation predicts future weight gain It would be nice to blame that chubby belly on genes rather than greed. And indeed, a new study suggests that a gene mutation can cause people to overeat. But things are never that simple. The same study shows that people with the standard gene can also put on weight if their brains get a bigger hit from snacking. The common mutation, in a gene called DRD2 that senses a pleasure-providing brain chemical called dopamine, causes people to get less of a high from food – and then compensate by eating more. "Eating the same éclair is going to be less rewarding to obese people than to lean people," says ... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 06:33 PM 10/19/2008 |
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Did a Mutation Give Humans Thought? -Scientists Say "Yes" Although humans and chimpanzees genetically vary by just 1.2 percent, that small percentage makes a world of difference in the mental and linguistic capabilities between the two species. A study shows that a certain form of neuropsin, a protein that plays a role in learning and memory, is expressed only in the central nervous systems of humans. The scientists conclude that this critical difference originated less than 5 million years ago. Dr. Bing Su of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Kunming, China, and other researchers analyzed the DNA of humans and several species of apes and monkeys. Previously they had found that type ... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 06:32 PM 10/19/2008 |
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'Bring it on, sweetie': Man kills bear with stick (and he's got the scars to prove it) A man who was attacked by a black bear while walking his dogs survived only after crushing the creature's skull with a stick. Jim West needed 60 stitches on his head and body to close wounds from the terrifying attack. The 45 year old was out walking his dogs on Saturday in British Columbia, Canada, when, he said, he heard a grunt and turned around. 'All I saw was eyes full of hatred,' he said afterwards. 'I had no option … So I stuck my foot up and tried to kick her in the face.' The bear responded by attacking him and knocking him to the ground. More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 06:32 PM 10/19/2008 |
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Bank worker accused of £26million 'IRA' robbery walks free after trial collapses The only man accused of Britain's biggest bank robbery walked free from court yesterday after the collapse of his trial. Bank official Chris Ward, 26, was said to have provided inside information to the gang which escaped with £26.5million in December 2004. But in dramatic scenes in Belfast Crown Court, prosecutors announced they would offer no further evidence. Police blamed the Northern Bank robbery on the Provisional IRA and yesterday's collapse means whoever carried out the heist has, in the words of one bank official, 'got clean away with it'. Mr Ward was kept under surveilla... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 06:32 PM 10/19/2008 |
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IFPI Loses Another P2P ‘Wireless Defense’ Case A man accused of being a music pirate has been cleared by a Danish court. The man denied the claims of the IFPI, based on his assertion that someone else must have accessed his wireless router to commit the infringements. This is the second major defeat for the IFPI in Denmark over the so-called ‘wireless defense’. The music industry anti-piracy lobby IFPI has taken a severe beating in Denmark recently. In September the major Danish ISPs issued a joint statement rejecting the IFPI’s demands for a ‘3 strikes’ agreement aimed at ultimately disconnecting alleged pirates from the Internet, labeling it as a “contravention of the law... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 10:24 PM 10/07/2008 |
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'Power Ranger' faces death penalty in yacht killings News item submitted by Dralokyn. SANTA ANA, California (AP) -- Ryan Hawks held a memorial service after his father and stepmother vanished at sea four years ago. He created a Web site where friends have uploaded photos of the fun-loving Arizona couple along with hundreds of notes and prayers that they rest in peace. But the dutiful son said he can't move on with his life until a former child actor stands trial for allegedly tying Tom and Jackie Hawks to an anchor and tossing them from their yacht into the Pacific Ocean. "My life has been put on hold pretty much until the trial," said... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 10:24 PM 10/07/2008 |
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Scientists Discover Fish in Act of Evolution in Africa’s Greatest Lake what could be a first in the world, a fish species known as cichlids has been observed by scientists in the act of splitting into two distinct species in Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake and one of the world’s biggest fresh water bodies. This may be remarkable because what is causing them to diverge are adaptations to their vision as animals and plants try to cope with increased pollution and the effects of climate change. The change is also happening without geographical isolation, which was thought to be a precursor for evolution. The Pundamilia nyererei is a haplochromine type cichlid native to areas in th... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 10:24 PM 10/07/2008 |
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Snake attacks sleeping girl - in bed A GIRL in the Northern Territory woke when a snake slithered into her bed, wrapped around her neck and bit her on the arm. Ashlee Findlay, 16, who is afraid of snakes, spiders and centipedes, spent two hours at a hospital after the attack, the Northern Territory News reported. The receptionist said she would be haunted by the incident. "Everyone was a bit freaked," she said. Ms Findlay woke up in her Howard Springs home early on Thursday morning when the snake bit her. "I thought it was a huge spider or something. I hate spiders. But a few seconds later, I felt something moving p... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 10:23 PM 10/07/2008 |
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New iJET Solar Cell is as Easy to Make as Pizza An Australian scientist has developed a new method of manufacturing solar cells using nothing more than some nail polish remover, a pizza oven and a standard inkjet printer. The iJET technique is so easy and cheap to carry out that it could revolutionize access to solar technology in the developing world. In a recent radio interview (audio), Nicole Kuepper, a 23 year-old PhD student at the University of New South Wales, explained the process. Firstly, she takes a standard silicon solar cell and sprays it with a substance similar to nail polish. Then, she inkjet prints something like nail po... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 10:23 PM 10/07/2008 |
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Jack Thompson Disbarred News item submitted by Dagnabbit. Is it finally game over for Florida lawyer and violent video game opponent Jack Thompson? Judgment has been entered in the case that started last year and came to a head when Judge Dava Tunis recommended permanent disbarment for the bombastic, showboating law man. The court has approved the report and has ordered that JT is officially disbarred as of 30 days from today. 'The Court approves the corrected referee's report and John Bruce Thompson is permanently disbarred, effective thirty days from the date of this order so that respondent can close out his practice and protect the ... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 10:22 PM 10/07/2008 |
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Again: Female teacher caught with female student. Parents Speak Out About Grissom Middle School Teacher's Arrest ST. JOSEPH CO. — Parents have lots of questions after a Penn Harris Madison teacher and coach was accused of child seduction. Police arrested 27-year-old Brooke Biggs Thursday at a home in Osceola. She teaches 7th and 8th grade P.E. at Grissom Middle School and coaches some Penn High School sports. Almost every parent and student WSBT spoke with after school Thursday said the accusations against the teacher are a huge surprise. "I don't believe it right now," said Grissom parent Kim Rassi. "She's my favorit... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 10:21 PM 10/07/2008 |
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Bacteria Think Ahead Bacteria may be humble single-celled creatures, but they're sophisticated enough to anticipate regular events, such as the arrival of day, thanks to their internal circadian clocks. A new study shows that they can also anticipate and prepare for sporadic events, as long as the events are reliably preceded by a signal. What kinds of events? Well, to colonize the gut of a mammal, Escherichia coli must first enter the warm-blooded diner's mouth, where the bacteria experience a temperature rise; a short time later, they end up in the intestines—a place with low oxygen levels, as well as fierce competition from other microscopic set... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 10:21 PM 10/07/2008 |
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It just won’t die: Windows XP gets another six months Redmond (WA) – Microsoft has stepped up its effort to promote its Vista operating system, but Windows XP just isn’t going away. The company reportedly extended the OEM downgrade timeline once again: As of now, system builders can still offer Windows XP downgrades to their customers and will be able to do so until Vista’s second birthday. Microsoft’s deadline for allowing OEMs to sell PCs with systems that are “downgraded” from Windows Vista to XP is still a moving target. Initially planned to expire on June 30 of this year, Microsoft at first granted an extension to July 31. However, OEMs are still selling the downgrade opti... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 10:20 PM 10/07/2008 |
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Gas Thief Gets Burned -- Literally Police in Wisconsin said a man was arrested after he used a cigarette lighter while trying to siphon gasoline from a van. The man, who was visiting friends, went to drive home early Saturday but realized that he didn't have enough gas in his SUV. Police said the man tried to siphon the gas with help from another woman, but he couldn't see how much gas was in the container, so he used the lighter to check. A blast of fire burned his hands and caused nearby residents to call police. Police said he and the woman were located later in a store parking lot. He was arrested for theft and negligent use of ... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 09:30 PM 10/03/2008 |
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Boy fed zoo reptiles to crocodile A seven-year-old boy has been filmed going on the rampage at a popular zoo in Australia, killing rare reptiles and feeding live ones to a crocodile. Footage from the security cameras at Alice Springs Reptile Centre caught the child smiling as he killed a total of 13 animals. During his 30-minute spree, he was seen hurling the animals over the security fence into the crocodile enclosure. Zoo officials described the boy's actions as "unbelievable". They are considering suing the parents as the boy is too young to be prosecuted. For the full article, check the source. More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 09:30 PM 10/03/2008 |
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Doomsday "Black-Hole" Believer Thrown Out of Court Daily Galaxy favorite Walter Wagner has finally been thrown out of court! For those of you who don't subscribe to Nutjob Monthly, Mr Wagner has been filing lawsuits to prevent the activation of the Large Hadron Collider - mainly based on the assumption that his time working in a hospital with nuclear medicine and a Hawaiian botanical garden gives him a better understanding of particle physics than almost every scientist on the planet. It turns out this wasn't a great assumption. US District Court Judge Helen Gillmor dismissed the case on the grounds that while Mr Wagner claims a preternatural knowledge of eleven-dimensional b... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 09:29 PM 10/03/2008 |
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Court: RapidShare must remove infringing content proactively File sharing service RapidShare may find itself without a viable business model if a German court ruling stands. After getting sued by a German copyright holder, the company argued that it was doing all it could to screen out copyrighted material. The court, however, has ruled that its efforts were insufficient, raising questions about whether doing anything that was legally sufficient could be done without incurring enough costs to sink the company. RapidShare is one of a large number of companies that will host large files for users who need to exchange them with friends and family. Like many of these companies, it offers a f... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 09:29 PM 10/03/2008 |
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Royalty Rate Unchanged, Apple's iTunes Safe For Now Apple generated some headlines on Tuesday when statements by iTunes vice president Eddie Cue suggested that Apple might shut down iTunes rather than pay increased royalty rates to music publishers. Few took the threat seriously, but CNet reports that the Copyright Royalty Board decided to keep royalty rates at 9.1 cents. Music publishers had been pushing for an increase to 15 cents per track, while Apple was insisting that the price increase would not be tolerated by the market. The 9.1 cents/track rate is now set for the next five years. An Apple spokesperson stated they were very pleased with the decision. More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 09:28 PM 10/03/2008 |
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Armored truck robber uses Craigslist to make getaway MONROE, Wash. – In a move that could be right out of a Hollywood movie, a brazen crook apparently used a Craigslist ad to hire a dozen unsuspecting decoys to help him make his getaway following a robbery outside a bank on Tuesday. He then made his escape in an inner tube on the Skykomish River. The robbery happened about 11 a.m. on an armored truck guard at a Bank of America branch. "He was wearing a dust mask, a particle mask. At first I thought it might be a surgical mask. I still didn't think anything was wrong, just unusual. Then I noticed he had a pump sprayer," said Mitch Ruth, who had looked out his office... (More) |
| Posted by Kanzen on 09:28 PM 10/03/2008 |
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Australians urged to eat kangaroo An Australian government adviser on climate change has urged Australians to ditch beef and lamb for kangaroo steaks to help save the planet. Sheep and cows produce a high amount of environmentally unfriendly methane gas through belching and flatulence. But economist Ross Garnaut noted in a report on global warming that kangaroos produce virtually no methane. He predicts a change in farming and eating habits with the introduction of a national carbon trading scheme. In a 600-page study commissioned by the Australian government, Professor Garnaut calls for the agricultural industry to ... (More) |