The Caveman captured!

It's a strange but funny story.

LISBON (Reuters) - Portuguese police have recaptured a convict who had escaped in 1993 and had been hiding in the caves in the mountains for 16 years receiving help from villagers nearby, local media said on Thursday.

The 54-year-old former shepherd, thin and heavily bearded but healthy, was arrested on Wednesday in the north of the country in a police operation dubbed "Cro-Magnon" in reference to Europe's early humans who lived in caves thousands of years ago, Diario de Noticias daily said.

He had been convicted and sentenced to a 10-year term for accidentally killing a neighbor in a discussion over a sheep flock, but escaped after about 2 years in prison.

Local residents were quoted as saying the man, who only had a dog for company during his hiding, never harmed anyone while on the run. A local mayor said the village would hire a lawyer to try to alleviate his sentence.

Police were quoted as saying many locals had been helping the fugitive by giving him food, money or offering odd jobs, but would not tell the police about his whereabouts when questioned. Police say he would have to serve at least the remaining eight years of his sentence.

Jornal de Noticias daily said the man was very worried about the fate of his pet and, when arrested, pleaded to give it to a villager he knew.

So this guy is Portugal's answer to our own "Toño Bicicleta". I understand, still he has to go to jail to pay for his crime. He if would have served his sentence, he would be free right now!

Scientists create "Transparent Aluminum"...for a few short seconds!

"How we know he did'nt invent the darn thing?" Retorted Mr. Scott to Dr. McCoy in a scene from "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" Well, guess what? It was invented! We have Transparent Aluminum!

Scientists claim to have created a form of aluminum that's nearly transparent to extreme ultraviolet radiation and which is a new state of matter.

It's an idea straight out of science fiction, featured in the movie "Star Trek IV."

The work is detailed in the journal Nature Physics.

The normal states of matter are solid, liquid and gas, and a fourth state, called plasma, is a superheated gas considered more exotic. Other experiments have created strange states of matter for brief periods. This one, too, existed only briefly.

To create the new, even more exotic stuff, a short pulse from a laser "knocked out" a core electron from every aluminum atom in a sample without disrupting the metal's crystalline structure, the researchers explain.

''What we have created is a completely new state of matter nobody has seen before," said professor Justin Wark of Oxford University's Department of Physics.

"Transparent aluminum is just the start," Wark said. "The physical properties of the matter we are creating are relevant to the conditions inside large planets, and we also hope that by studying it we can gain a greater understanding of what is going on during the creation of 'miniature stars' created by high-power laser implosions, which may one day allow the power of nuclear fusion to be harnessed here on Earth."

Fusion is a dream of scientists who would create cheap and plentiful power by fusing atoms together, as opposed to nuclear fission that generates electricity today.

The discovery was made possible with a high-powered synchrotron radiation generator called the FLASH laser, based in Hamburg, Germany. It produces extremely brief pulses of soft X-ray light, each of which is more powerful than the output of a power plant that provides electricity to a whole city.

The Oxford team, along with their international colleagues, focused all this power down into a spot with a diameter less than a twentieth of the width of a human hair. At such high intensities the aluminum turned transparent.

While the invisible effect lasted for only an extremely brief period - an estimated 40 femtoseconds - it demonstrates that such an exotic state of matter can be created using very high power X-ray sources.

"What is particularly remarkable about our experiment is that we have turned ordinary aluminum into this exotic new material in a single step by using this very powerful laser," Wark said. "For a brief period the sample looks and behaves in every way like a new form of matter. In certain respects, the way it reacts is as though we had changed every aluminum atom into silicon: it's almost as surprising as finding that you can turn lead into gold with light."

As a friend of mine used to say..."Star Trek is real! It just has not happened yet."
we used to tease him. Humm...maybe he's right.

Propofol caused Michael Jackson's death. Doc in Manslaughter probe!

At last, the truth is coming out in the sudden death of Michael Jackson.

A law enforcement official told the Associated Press on Monday that Dr. Conrad Murray has been identified in court papers as the subject of a manslaughter investigation surrounding the death of Michael Jackson.

According the the source (who wished to remain anonymous), Jackson regularly took the powerful anesthetic Propofol to go to sleep, and Dr. Murray administered the drug the night before Jackson's death. Authorities believe that the drug is what killed Jackson.

Murray was present when Jackson passed away on June 25th, but his lawyer maintains that he did not prescribe or give Jackson anything that should have killed him.

In our opinion, it doesn't really matter whether or not it should have killed him, because in the end it looks like it did.

Regular use of an anesthetic for a sleeping aid is a serious abuse and regardless of whether or not Dr. Murray gave Jackson the dose that killed him, he definitely enabled and perpetuated Jackson's serious drug addiction.

And the Box Office Champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A trio of animated secret agent guinea pigs broke the spell of the new Harry Potter movie to take the top spot at the North American box office, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.
"G-Force," a Disney live action and computer-generated animation family feature, earned $32.1 million in the United States and Canada, pushing "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" down to second place with $30 million in its second weekend.
The sixth movie in the boy wizard franchise dropped 61 percent from its huge opening last weekend -- a fall-off that was in line with studio expectations -- but is still on course for becoming the second biggest Potter movie so far, distributors Warner Bros said.
Internationally, "Half-Blood Prince" raked in $84.4 million in 64 countries over the weekend to take its worldwide total so far to $627.1 million.
Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros, said the earnings in North America and Canada had been hampered by the movie's small presence so far in IMAX movie houses. IMAX roll-outs will expand in the coming week.
"Our IMAX support will pop in this week and it looks like the movie is headed north of $300 million (in North America) which will be the second biggest Harry Potter of all time on the domestic side," Fellman said. The biggest movie was the first one, 2001's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."
Delighted Disney executives said "G-Force," which features cute talking guinea pigs as action heroes, played well to family audiences and that more than half the box office had come from 3D showings.
"We are very, very pleased with the results when you are competing with movies like 'Harry Potter' and 'The Ugly Truth,'" said Marc Zoradi, president of Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group.
Paul Dergarabedian of Hollywood.com said that "G-Force" had benefited from a "great marketing campaign and a premise that had people scratching their heads while simultaneously grabbing the family."
Romantic comedy "The Ugly Truth," starring Katherine Heigl of TV medical show "Grey's Anatomy" and British heart-throb Gerard Butler, brought in a solid $27 million to take third place -- above expectations, distributor Sony Pictures said.
Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution for Sony Pictures, said the movie had cost just $38 million to make and had played particularly well to women over the age of 25.
"It all paid off. The chemistry between Heigl and Butler is tremendous," Bruer said.
The weekend's other strongest new showing was horror film "Orphan" which took fourth spot at the box office with $12.7 million.
The glut of new offerings pushed 20th Century Fox's "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" from second place to fifth. The animated movie has brought in $171.3 million domestically in four weeks.
Universal Pictures' "Bruno" tumbled another 67 percent in its third week of release with $2.7 million over the weekend, taking the total for British actor Sacha Baron Cohen's outrageous gay spoof to a modest $56.5 million.
Universal is a unit of General Electric Co's NBC Universal, and Fox is a unit of News Corp.

Need rain for your fields? Send in naked girls to plow them!

Huh? Yup! Read on and ponder this...

PATNA, India (Reuters) - Farmers in an eastern Indian state have asked their unmarried daughters to plow parched fields naked in a bid to embarrass the weather gods to bring some badly needed monsoon rain, officials said on Thursday.

Witnesses said the naked girls in Bihar state plowed the fields and chanted ancient hymns after sunset to invoke the gods. They said elderly village women helped the girls drag the plows.

"They (villagers) believe their acts would get the weather gods badly embarrassed, who in turn would ensure bumper crops by sending rains," Upendra Kumar, a village council official, said from Bihar's remote Banke Bazaar town.

"This is the most trusted social custom in the area and the villagers have vowed to continue this practice until it rains very heavily."

India this year suffered its worst start to the vital monsoon rains in eight decades, causing drought in some states.

(Writing by Bappa Majumdar Editing by Sugita Katyal)

This just plain weird. I'm speechless.

Gidget, The Taco Bell Dog. 1994-2009

Yes, even the famous Taco Bell Dog has passed away.

The Taco Bell chihuahua was a popular advertising figure and mascot, voiced by Carlos Alazraqui, and developed by TBWA and used by Taco Bell, which is a division of Kentucky, United States-based Yum! Brands. The Chihuahua is a breed commonly associated with Mexico, as are the tacos the restaurant serves. At least two dogs were used as models: the original was named Dinky, but was replaced shortly thereafter by a dog named Gidget. Dinky and a dog named Taco would also be stand-ins for Gidget.

In September 1997, Taco Bell used the dog in one advertisement in the Northeastern United States. The positive response to the dog led to the company using it in advertisements across the United States.
The dog (sometimes depicted as a Mexican revolutionary wearing a beret or as a bandit wearing a sombrero) was made to speak through special effects. His advertising catch-phrase was "¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!" ("I want Taco Bell!"). The voiceover work for these commercials was provided by voice actor Carlos Alazraqui.

The figure grew popular, so much so that toy figures of the dog were produced, and "Yo quiero (X)" became a recognized piece of pop culture. The dog also started two other catch phrases, "Drop the chalupa!" which briefly became an oft-quoted phrase on SportsCenter, and "Viva Gorditas!," meaning "Long live Gorditas!" In a noted crossover with the 1998 Godzilla film, the dog famously attempted to trap the legendary monster in a box, goading the beast with the phrase "Here, lizard lizard lizard..." only to see Godzilla's size and respond "Uh-oh... I think I'm going to need a bigger box." (a reference to Jaws)
Some Latin Americans accused the dog of being a thinly veiled cultural stereotype. The company stopped showing the dog in advertisements in 2000. It was incorrectly rumored that Taco Bell ended the commercials because the dog died. Tom Kenny, a voice actor and friend of Alazraqui, said that Hispanic advocacy groups lobbying for the end of the campaign led to the cancellation of the Taco Bell dog. Mr. Kenny criticized the cancellation.

In 2003 Taco Bell lost a lawsuit brought forth by two Michigan men who had pitched the concept of the Chihuahua to Taco Bell six years earlier. Taco Bell had turned them down but went forward with the campaign with TBWA. The men sued and in 2003 a jury awarded them $30.1 million in compensation plus nearly $12 million in additional interest three months later. Taco Bell in turn sued TBWA saying it should have been aware of the conflicts. In 2009 a three-judge federal appeals panel ruled against Taco Bell.
Gidget died at 15 of a stroke on Tuesday, July 21, 2009.

Gidget is now eating the big Chalupa in the sky! Just don't leave a big mess, please!

Your first look- "Alice in Wonderland"

Here's the just released trailer for Tim Burton's version of "Alice in Wonderland", based on the famous book by Lewis Carroll.

Starrin Johnny Depp and Helena Bohnan-Carter, among others, will premiere in 2010.

Now we know the reason why Sarah Palin quit!

Or maybe one of the reasons...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An independent investigator has found evidence that Gov. Sarah Palin may have violated ethics laws by trading on her position in seeking money for legal fees, in the latest legal distraction for the former vice presidential candidate as she prepares to leave office this week.
The report obtained by The Associated Press says Palin is securing unwarranted benefits and receiving improper gifts through the Alaska Fund Trust, set up by supporters.
An investigator for the state Personnel Board says in his July 14 report that there is probable cause to believe Palin used or attempted to use her official position for personal gain because she authorized the creation of the trust as the "official" legal defense fund.
The practical effect of the ruling on Palin will be more financial than anything else. The report recommends that Palin refuse to accept payment from the defense fund, and that the complaint be resolved without a formal hearing before the board.
The fund aims to help Palin pay off debts stemming from multiple ethics complaints against her, most of which have been dismissed. Palin says she owes more than $500,000 in legal fees, and she cited the mounting toll of the ethics probes as one of the reasons she is leaving office.
The investigator, Thomas Daniel, sided with Palin in her frustration with having to defend herself against a barrage of ethics complaints. He suggested that Alaska lawmakers may need to create a law that reimburses public officials for legal expenses to defend complaints that end up being unfounded.
Palin posted an entry on Twitter in which she said the "matter is still pending."
"There is no final report. The Investigator is still confidentially reviewing this matter. It appears suspect that in the final days of the Governor's term, someone would again violate the law and announce a supposed conclusion before it is reached," her spokeswoman, Meghan Stapleton, said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
But Daniel said his report was final.
Palin's friends and supporters created the Alaska Fund Trust in April, limiting donations to $150 per person. Organizers declined to say how much it has raised, and had hoped to raise about $500,000. A Webathon last month brought in about $130,000 in pledges.
In his report, Daniel said his interpretation of the ethics act is consistent with common sense.
An ordinary citizen facing legal charges is not likely to be able to generate donations to a legal defense fund, he wrote. "In contrast, Governor Palin is able to generate donations because of the fact that she is a public official and a public figure. Were it not for the fact that she is governor and a national political figure, it is unlikely that many citizens would donate money to her legal defense fund."
The ethics complaint was filed by Eagle River resident Kim Chatman shortly after the fund was created, alleging Palin was misusing her official position and accepting improper gifts.
"It's an absolute shame that she would continue to keep the Alaska Fund Trust Web site up and running," Chatman told the AP.
At least 19 ethics complaints have been filed against Palin, most of them after she was named the running mate for GOP presidential candidate John McCain. Most of those have been dismissed, and Palin's office usually sends a news release with the announcement.
The multiple ethics complaints include an investigation by state lawmakers over Palin's firing of her public safety commissioner in the so-called Troopergate scandal.
John Coale, a Washington lawyer who helped set up the fund, called the probable cause finding "crazy," adding that if upheld, it would mean that no governor could ever defend themselves against frivolous ethics complaints.
"If this complaint is true, there's no way to defend yourself" as governor, Coale said. "Anybody can keep filing ethics complaints and drive someone out of office even if you're a nut."
Coale said that unlike other states, Alaska's governor has no legal counsel's office to defend the governor from allegations brought against the governor in her official capacity.
Coale said he recommended creation of the legal defense fund, a common practice in Washington. The Web site for the Palin fund cites similar accounts created for Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and other prominent politicians.

Sprite Ad in Germany...NEIN! BANNED!

The following ad is for a Sprite in Germany. It's so racy and controversial that it was banned for indecency.

We really want to warn you, do not play this in front of minors, or if you're offended by this.
this is NSFW!!!!




"Sprite. Las cosas como son". Indeed!

40 years ago today, Humans walked on the Moon!

My memories of this day are still very fresh! I was 7 years old, and I loved the space program. I watched all the Apollo flights while I was a child. I was very knowledgable seven year old...in other words, a pain in the ass!

I was very excited to see the climax of all the space travel done years before. I was going to see a man walking on another planet. Something I have taken for granted in Science Fiction, in movies like 2001 and in TV shows like "Star Trek" (still my favorite), and "Lost In Space", was becoming a reality.
I figured by the time the year 2000 came around, by the time I was 39 years old, I was going to walk and work on the moon!

But first, I had to clean up my room! That was the condition my mom put up for me to see the lunar landing.

I went to my room and began cleaning up, correctly, almost methodically.
And did it in record time. No toys were left on the floor, all of then were in a box. My comics were neatly stacked in the closet. Even the bed was made.

My mom and dad were impressed. Such was the compelling power of the lunar landing.

I spent that afternoon and evening of the 20th of July in the year 1969, glued, like my parents, to the TV set, watching history in the making.

I was in heaven. I saw Armstrong and Aldrin do something that a decade earlier was deemed to be impossible.

A man walked on the moon.

40 years ago today.

And 40 years later?

No moon base, no flights to outer space for civilians.

Just lame politicians, stupid reality shows and no imagination.

the 21st Century just sucks!

Here's to the pioneers, the risk takers and the dauntless! In this world of mediocrity and conformity, they are a sight to see, and behold!

To Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins. You are inmortal. You will always be remembered.

Futurama comes back...but without it's original voices!

Even though Futurama is returning to television come 2010, no members from the original voice cast will be joining the show!!!

Comedy Central and 20th TV weren't able to negotiate a deal with the show's original cast, which included actors such as Katey Sagal and Billy West, because the cable network and studio refused to pony up the $$$$$$!

The studio offered the former cast "modest pay increases" from their original salaries, but all of the actors rejected the offer, leaving studio heads hunting for a replacement cast.

It's suckalicious!

Futurama creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen are expected to approach the topic at a panel during this year's Comic-Con convention in San Diego.

Groening and Cohen better prepare for a mob of angry fans to answer to!!

Darrell "Shifty" Powers, Infantryman, Easy Company, 506 PIR, 101st. Airborne Div. 1923-2009

One of the soldiers immortalized in the book and TV series "Band Of Brothers" has passed away.

Darrell "Shifty" Powers was born in Clinchco, Dickenson County, Virginia and volunteered for the paratroopers with his good friend, "Popeye" Wynn. Shifty spent a great deal of time in the outdoors hunting game prior to joining the service. This would later prove useful as many of the skills he obtained helped him as a soldier.

Powers jumped into Normandy on D-Day, missing his drop zone. He eventually came in contact with Floyd Talbert and the two made their way to Easy Company. He participated in the assault of Carentan and every major battle Easy Company was involved with until the end of the war. He was considered by many to be the best shot in the company.

Because many men serving in the 101st lacked the minimum points required to return home, a lottery was put in place. Shifty Powers won this lottery after the rest of the company rigged it in his favor by removing their own names, and was set to return stateside. During the trip to the airfield, the vehicle Shifty was in was involved in an accident and Shifty was badly injured. He spent many months recuperating in hospitals overseas while his comrades in arms arrived home long before he did.
Honorably discharged from the Army in the postwar demobilization, he became a machinist for the Clinchfield Coal Corporation.
He is listed as one of 20 men from Easy Company who contributed to the 2009 book We Who Are Alive and Remain: Untold Stories from the Band of Brothers, published by Penguin/Berkley-Caliber.
"Shifty" Powers died June 17, 2009, of Cancer in Dickenson County, Virginia.

Darrell "Shifty" Powers was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Peter Youngblood Hills and appears in all 10 episodes.

A true hero. But you will see no crying fans shouting his name. No service at the Staples Center, No hour long specials on TV. Just the silent thanks of us who appreciate his sacrifice for all of us.

Thank You "Shifty". Good Job Trooper! Curraghe!

And the Box Office Champion this week is...

L

OS ANGELES (Reuters) – Harry Potter cast a spell over moviegoers worldwide as the sixth entry in the fantasy franchise set a new opening record of $396.7 million, a clear sign that the lucrative franchise has lost none of its magic.
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" earned $159.7 million in the United States and Canada, the sixth-biggest opening for a five-day period, distributor Warner Bros. Pictures said on Sunday.
The international component stands at $237 million from 84 markets, also setting a new record.
The old records were held by "Spider-Man 3" in 2007 when its global bow of $381.7 million included foreign sales of $230.5 million.
In North America, the new film outpaced its predecessor, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," which opened to $139.7 million two years ago. That picture ended with $938 million worldwide, the seventh-biggest movie of all time before accounting for inflation.
But while the five-day sum was impressive, it was dwarfed by the $200 million opening for "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" last month, which was just $3.8 million behind the record set last year by "The Dark Knight."
Top international markets for the new film included Britain with $32.4 million, Germany with $23 million, France with $20.2 million and Japan with $18.2 million.
"We are thrilled with the record-setting international results this weekend, showing that Harry Potter's audiences continue to grow as the characters mature with every installment in the series," said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, president of international distribution at the Time Warner Inc-owned studio.
BILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION
The big issue is whether the new film will become the first in the franchise to crack the $1 billion mark. The biggest movie was the first one, 2001's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," which finished with $975 million, the fifth-biggest movie of all time. (Internationally, the title was "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.")
The new film cost $235 million to make, the priciest yet in the lucrative franchise. The first five movies generated $4.5 billion in ticket sales worldwide. DVD sales send the tally even higher.
The new film opened worldwide on Wednesday, not a moment too soon for fans of the boy wizard and his pals. It was originally scheduled to open in November, but Warner Bros. decided to delay it until summer, devastating Potterphiles around the globe.
The action revolves around secret plots involving Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his nemesis Draco (Tom Felton), as the visually stunning film takes viewers deeper into the dark side. There are also budding romances among the young stars. It marks the second consecutive Harry Potter film directed by David Yates.
For the traditional three-day weekend, Friday through Sunday, the new "Harry Potter" film earned $79.5 million in North America, not far ahead of the $77.1 million haul for "Order of the Phoenix." Comparisons with the other movies in the franchise are difficult because those opened on Friday while the latter two opened on Wednesday.
Last weekend's North American champion, Universal Pictures' "Bruno," tumbled to No. 4 with $8.4 million for the three-day period, losing a hefty 73 percent of its opening-weekend audience. Movies generally hope for a 50 percent fall in their second weekend. The 10-day haul for British satirist Sacha Baron Cohen's risque look at gay culture stands at a modest $49.6 million.
20th Century Fox's "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" was steady at No. 2 with $17.7 million. The total for the cartoon rose to $152 million. The studio said it is the biggest film of the year internationally, with sales of $429 million, ahead of Paramount's "Transformers" sequel with $398 million.
But the robot picture has earned $363.9 million in North America, bolstered by a $13.8 million weekend, good enough for a second round at No. 3.
Universal is a unit of General Electric Co's NBC Universal. Fox is a unit of News Corp. Paramount Pictures is a unit of Viacom Inc.

Henry Allingham, world's oldest man and WWI veteran, 1896-2009

In contrast to Michael Jackson, here's the story of man that lived his life to the fullest!

Mr Allingham died in his sleep at 3.10am on Saturday at his care home near Brighton, after a life that saw him marked out as a national treasure. He was one of the last three surviving British veterans of the First World War.
He was also the last surviving founder member of the RAF, the last man to have witnessed the Battle of Jutland and the last surviving member of the Royal Naval Air Service.

On June 20 Guinness World Records had announced that Mr Allingham, who celebrated his 113th birthday on June 6, became the world's oldest man after the previous incumbent, Tomoji Tanabe, died in his sleep at his home in Japan, also at the age of 113.
He jokingly attributed his longevity to "cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women".
Mr Allingham, who became a familiar face at Remembrance ceremonies, was born in Clapton, East London, in 1896.
After his father's death he was brought up by his mother, who persuaded him not to join up as soon as war broke out. When she died in 1915 he enlisted, serving first as a seaplane mechanic and then as a spotter, or bomber.
He later confessed that he did not realise what war meant when he signed up, but his experiences at the Third Battle of Ypres, widely known as Passchendaele, resulted in his naïve enthusiasm for battle and glory that gave way to a passion for peace.
He once told the BBC: "War's stupid. Nobody wins. You might as well talk first, you have to talk last anyway."
The scenes he witnessed of soldiers waiting to go over the top at Ypres have stayed with him ever since.
"They would just stand there in 2ft of water in mud-filled trenches, waiting to go forward," he said. "They knew what was coming. It was pathetic to see those men like that. I don't think they have ever got the admiration and respect they deserved."
Mr Allingham and his wife Dorothy were together for more than 50 years, living to see his first great-great-great-grandchild. After the war he went into the motor industry, eventually joining the design department at Ford before retiring in 1961.
When asked how he had lived so long, Mr Allingham, who held the Legion d'Honneur, said: "I don't know if there is a secret, but keeping within your capacity is vital.
"I've had two major breakdowns, one during the war and one after but both when I was trying to do the work of three men.
"The trick is to look after yourself and always know your limitations."
Mr Allingham's nephew, Ronald Cator, said it was "a very sad day for the family".
He added: "He had an incredible life - a hard one, and an enjoyable one in the last few years.
"He was an incredible man. It's a very sad day for everyone."
Mr Cator, 75, from Acle, Norfolk, said he last saw Mr Allingham last month at his 113th birthday celebrations in London.
He said: "He was very, very frail. I visited him in April as well and he had been going steadily downhill ever since then."
Asked what memories he had of Mr Allingham from earlier years, he said: "I always remember him singing.
"He would sing all the old songs. He and my father would love to get together and have a good sing-along."
Since April 2006, Mr Allingham, who lost his sight as a result of macular degeneration, had been cared for by St Dunstan's, the charity providing support for visually impaired ex-Service men and women, at its centre in Ovingdean, near Brighton.
Robert Leader, chief executive of St Dunstan's, said: "Everybody at St Dunstan's is saddened by Henry's loss and our sympathy goes out to his family.
"He was very active right up to his final days, having recently celebrated his 113th birthday on HMS President surrounded by family.
"As well as possessing a great spirit of fun, he represented the last of a generation who gave a very great deal for us. Henry made many friends among the residents and staff at St Dunstan's. He was a great character and will be missed."
Mr Allingham had five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild.
A funeral will take place later this month at St Nicholas' Church in Brighton.

Godspeed Sir!
An advice to the next oldest person in the world. Do not accept the title! It seems that everybody that do, dies soon after!
A curse?
Hmmmm...

Walter Cronkite, Legendary CBS News reporter and anchorman. 1916-2009

Another sad day in the history of journalism.

NEW YORK – Walter Cronkite, the premier TV anchorman of the networks' golden age who reported a tumultuous time with reassuring authority and came to be called "the most trusted man in America," died Friday. He was 92.
Cronkite died at 7:42 p.m. with his family by his side at his Manhattan home after a long illness, CBS vice president Linda Mason said. Marlene Adler, Cronkite's chief of staff, said Cronkite died of cerebrovascular disease.
Morley Safer, a longtime "60 Minutes" correspondent, called Cronkite "the father of television news."
"The trust that viewers placed in him was based on the recognition of his fairness, honesty and strict objectivity ... and of course his long experience as a shoe-leather reporter covering everything from local politics to World War II and its aftermath in the Soviet Union," Safer said. "He was a giant of journalism and privately one of the funniest, happiest men I've ever known."
Cronkite was the face of the "CBS Evening News" from 1962 to 1981, when stories ranged from the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to racial and anti-war riots, Watergate and the Iranian hostage crisis.
It was Cronkite who read the bulletins coming from Dallas when Kennedy was shot Nov. 22, 1963, interrupting a live CBS-TV broadcast of the soap opera "As the World Turns."
He died just three days before the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, another earthshaking moment of history linked inexorably with his reporting.
"What was so remarkable about it was that he was not only in the midst of so many great stories, he was also the managing editor of CBS News and the managing editor for America," former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw said. "Walter always made us better. He set the bar so high."
Cronkite was the broadcaster to whom the title "anchorman" was first applied, and he came so identified in that role that eventually his own name became the term for the job in other languages. (Swedish anchors are known as Kronkiters; In Holland, they are Cronkiters.)
"He was a great broadcaster and a gentleman whose experience, honesty, professionalism and style defined the role of anchor and commentator," CBS Corp. chief executive Leslie Moonves said in a statement.
CBS has scheduled a prime-time special, "That's the Way it Was: Remembering Walter Cronkite," for 7 p.m. Sunday.
President Barack Obama issued a statement saying that Cronkite set the standard by which all other news anchors have been judged.
"He invited us to believe in him, and he never let us down. This country has lost an icon and a dear friend, and he will be truly missed," Obama said.
His 1968 editorial declaring the United States was "mired in stalemate" in Vietnam was seen by some as a turning point in U.S. opinion of the war. He also helped broker the 1977 invitation that took Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to Jerusalem, the breakthrough to Egypt's peace treaty with Israel.
He followed the 1960s space race with open fascination, anchoring marathon broadcasts of major flights from the first suborbital shot to the first moon landing, exclaiming, "Look at those pictures, wow!" as Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon's surface in 1969. In 1998, for CNN, he went back to Cape Canaveral to cover John Glenn's return to space after 36 years.
"He had a passion for human space exploration, an enthusiasm that was contagious, and the trust of his audience. He will be missed," Armstrong said in a statement.
He had been scheduled to speak last January for the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., but ill health prevented his appearance.
A former wire service reporter and war correspondent, he valued accuracy, objectivity and understated compassion. He expressed liberal views in more recent writings but said he had always aimed to be fair and professional in his judgments on the air.
Off camera, his stamina and admittedly demanding ways brought him the nickname "Old Ironpants." But to viewers, he was "Uncle Walter," with his jowls and grainy baritone, his warm, direct expression and his trim mustache.
When he summed up the news each evening by stating, "And THAT's the way it is," millions agreed. His reputation survived accusations of bias by Richard Nixon's vice president, Spiro Agnew, and being labeled a "pinko" in the tirades of a fictional icon, Archie Bunker of CBS's "All in the Family."
Two polls pronounced Cronkite the "most trusted man in America": a 1972 "trust index" survey in which he finished No. 1, about 15 points higher than leading politicians, and a 1974 survey in which people chose him as the most trusted television newscaster.

As a fervent news junkie, I feel sad at his passing. He will be missed.

Family Guy makes Emmy history!

Major congratulations are in order to the team over at the hit animated show Family Guy. The show has earned itself a big Emmy nomination.

Outstanding Comedy series!

In all of Emmy history, only one other animated series has ever been nominated in this category and that was The Flintstones back in 1961.

(Fun Fact- The Flintstones is a production of Hanna-Barbera, which is where Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane got his start. There, now you're smarter.)

The show is up against some heavy, heavy competition - such as Entourage, Flight of the Conchords, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, 30 Rock and Weeds. The odds aren't in their favor, but for once the phrase "an honor just to be nominated" is very, very true!

So congrats Team Griffin and may we just say…Giggity.

The Pepsi commercial where Michael Jackson head caught fire, finally released after 25 years!

This was the moment where, I think, MJ got crazy. After this accident, he became addicted to painkillers and began bleaching his skin.

Man tries to fix air matress, blows up his apartment instead!

The weirdness parade continues, this time from our good friends...the Germans!

BERLIN (Reuters) - A German who tried to fix his leaky air mattress blew up his apartment instead, the fire brigade in the western city of Duesseldorf said Wednesday.

The 45-year-old man used tire repair solvent to plug a hole in his airbed and left it overnight.

But it blew up when he went to inflate it the next day. "A spark from the electric air pump ignited it," a fire brigade spokesman said.

The blast pushed his living room wall into the building's stairwell and caused extensive damage to walls, windows and furniture.

Fire fighters evacuated the 12-apartment building and a neighboring housing block while they checked for structural damage.

The man suffered burns on his arms, while a three-year-old girl suffered first degree burns.

What was the solvent made of? Nitroglycerine?

3 year old floats down a river...in his toy truck!

When I saw this I couldn't belive it...

A Canadian boy celebrating his third birthday was unhurt and apparently unfazed after he floated 12 km down a river riding atop his toy truck, said police.

The boy’s family was camping at a popular park near Fort St. John, in northeastern British Columbia, on Sunday when the boy wandered off unnoticed and somehow entered the nearby Peace River, Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.

The boy’s parents at first thought he was playing with other relatives at the campsite. But police were later alerted and had begun a search when a boater found the boy, and the toy, about 12 km away.

After a nearly two-hour journey down the swift-moving river the boy had no injuries, and was apparently unaware of the danger he had been in.

“He was very excited to see the police,” said RCMP Constable Jackelynn Passarell.

A local news report said the boy also made sure the boater who found him also retrieved the toy truck.

Man...how come we didn't have toy trucks like this when we were little!?!

Future military robot that can feed on corpses

You read right!

It could be a combination of 19th-century mechanics, 21st-century technology — and a 20th-century horror movie.

A Maryland company under contract to the Pentagon is working on a steam-powered robot that would fuel itself by gobbling up whatever organic material it can find — grass, wood, old furniture, even dead bodies.

Robotic Technology Inc.'s Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot — that's right, "EATR" — "can find, ingest, and extract energy from biomass in the environment (and other organically-based energy sources), as well as use conventional and alternative fuels (such as gasoline, heavy fuel, kerosene, diesel, propane, coal, cooking oil, and solar) when suitable," reads the company's Web site.

That "biomass" and "other organically-based energy sources" wouldn't necessarily be limited to plant material — animal and human corpses contain plenty of energy, and they'd be plentiful in a war zone.

EATR will be powered by the Waste Heat Engine developed by Cyclone Power Technology of Pompano Beach, Fla., which uses an "external combustion chamber" burning up fuel to heat up water in a closed loop, generating electricity.

The advantages to the military are that the robot would be extremely flexible in fuel sources and could roam on its own for months, even years, without having to be refueled or serviced.

Upon the EATR platform, the Pentagon could build all sorts of things — a transport, an ambulance, a communications center, even a mobile gunship.

In press materials, Robotic Technology presents EATR as an essentially benign artificial creature that fills its belly through "foraging," despite the obvious military purpose.

This sounds like something out of a bad Cinemax late night flick!

Hooters Girl bar stool trick!

It's not what you think! It's actually safe for work.



I never saw this when Hooters was here in PR. She's so talented!

Hurt youself? Swearing makes it more tolerable!

Next time you hit your thumb with a hammer, swear like a sailor! It actually helps. Read on...

That muttered curse word that reflexively comes out when you stub your toe could actually make it easier to bear the throbbing pain, a new study suggests.

Swearing is a common response to pain, but no previous research has connected the uttering of an expletive to the actual physical experience of pain.

"Swearing has been around for centuries and is an almost universal human linguistic phenomenon," said Richard Stephens of Keele University in England and one of the authors of the new study. "It taps into emotional brain centers and appears to arise in the right brain, whereas most language production occurs in the left cerebral hemisphere of the brain."

Stephens and his fellow Keele researchers John Atkins and Andrew Kingston sought to test how swearing would affect an individual's tolerance to pain. Because swearing often has an exaggerating effect that can overstate the severity of pain, the team thought that swearing would lessen a person's tolerance.

As it turned out, the opposite seems to be true.

The researchers enlisted 64 undergraduate volunteers and had them submerge their hand in a tub of ice water for as long as possible while repeating a swear word of their choice. The experiment was then repeated with the volunteer repeating a more common word that they would use to describe a table.

Contrary to what the researcher expected, the volunteers kept their hands submerged longer while repeating the swear word.

The researchers think that the increase in pain tolerance occurs because swearing triggers the body's natural "fight-or-flight" response. Stephens and his colleagues suggest that swearing may increase aggression (seen in accelerated heart rates), which downplays weakness to appear stronger or more macho.

"Our research shows one potential reason why swearing developed and why it persists," Stephens said.

The results of the study are detailed in the Aug. 5 issue of the journal NeuroReport.

Swearing at politicians also helps. It lessens the pain of stupidity!

And the Box Office Champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – "Bruno," British satirist Sacha Baron Cohen's latest subversive outing, narrowly claimed the No. 1 spot at the weekend box office in North America, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.
The "mockumentary," in which Baron Cohen plays a gay Austrian fashion model seeking fame in the United States, sold $30.4 million worth of tickets during the three days beginning July 10, distributor Universal Pictures said.
But the film lost 39 percent of its audience from Friday to Saturday, a hefty drop given that movies usually see an uptick in that period.
Rival studios pounced on the slide, forecasting "Bruno" would have a short run in theaters. But Universal distribution president Nikki Rocco said such a dip "was not unusual in summer."
"Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" held steady at No. 2 with $28.5 million, taking the 12-day haul for 20th Century Fox's prehistoric cartoon to $120.6 million. The film was the top draw internationally over the weekend, with $98 million from 102 markets. Its total foreign haul stands at $327 million.
Last weekend's North American champion, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," slipped to No. 3 with $24.2 million. After 19 days, Paramount Pictures' robot sequel has earned $339.2 million in North America, easily the biggest movie of the year. Its international haul rose to $364.5 million.
The one other new entry was Fox's teen romantic comedy "I Love You, Beth Cooper," starring Hayden Panettiere in the title role. It came in at No. 7 with $5 million, in line with the studio's modest expectations.
The opening for "Bruno" was also in line with the forecasts of Universal Pictures, a General Electric Co unit, which paid independent producer Media Rights Capital $42.5 million for distribution rights in North America and eight foreign territories. Media Rights declined to disclose the budget.
Baron Cohen's previous release, the similarly outrageous "Borat," opened with $26.5 million in November 2006. But that was from about 800 theaters, while "Bruno" played in 2,756 theaters. "Borat" ended up with $128.5 million in North America and an additional $133 million internationally.
Universal said "Bruno" earned $20 million from the eight international markets, led by No. 1 bows in Britain ($8.1 million) and Australia ($6.1 million).
"Bruno" faced a similar storm of controversy as "Borat."
In the new film, Baron Cohen's character sashays across the American landscape, piling on the homosexual activity for unsuspecting co-stars and a squeamish audience. Critics mostly liked the movie, while gay-rights groups were mixed in their reactions.
Both films were directed by Larry Charles, a former writer/producer on "Seinfeld."
Exit data provided by Universal indicated that men made up 56 percent of the "Bruno" audience in North America, in line with the turnout for "Borat."
But this time, 54 percent of moviegoers were aged 25 and older, while 53 percent of the "Borat" crowd was aged under 25. Both films were rated "R" in the United States, requiring moviegoers under 17 to be accompanied by an adult.
Universal's Rocco said the film would be "very profitable" for the studio, which picked up the rights before "Borat" was released.
Fox is a unit of News Corp. Paramount is a unit of Viacom Inc.

Wanna learn better sex techniques. Then the Sex Academy is for you!

Read this and have fun!

By Caroline Copley

BERLIN (Reuters) - Wannabe Latin lovers can improve their technique by playing with the erogenous zones of naked mannequins at a new interactive exhibition that has now opened in Berlin.

The "Amora sex academy" that opened in Berlin on Thursday welcomes visitors with the wry slogan, "Finally -- an exhibition for those who always have to touch everything."

More than 50 interactive displays guide visitors through the intimate areas of the male and female bodies, offering helpful tips on everything from striptease to oral sex and how to achieve a perfect orgasm.

"A lot of couples come in here together to learn something," said Uta Barkow, the manager of the Beate Uhse sex chain which is hosting the academy. "It's been very well received so far. A lot of exhibits have that 'aha' effect on a lot of people."

The show features several life-sized plastic models, naked and in various positions. One female mannequin light ups when touched in the right spot. A voice shrieks "That's it!" when the visitor manages to put his finger on the elusive G-spot.

Next to it is what the museum called its "Spank-o-meter." It measures the level of pleasure a mannequin receives when spanked with a leather whip.

"So far we've had just as many women in here as men," Barkow said. "Women coming in tend to have fewer inhibitions while the men tend to be a bit more embarassed."

The museum also shows film clips of various sexual positions, including the "Italian chandelier" that the viewer learns can burn up to 920 calories per hour.

Founded by Frenchman Johan Rizki, the sex academy opened in London earlier this year and is also due to come to Barcelona.

We need something like that in here!

Oscar G. Mayer - Chairman, Oscar Mayer. 1914-2009

Here's his AP obit...

(AP) Oscar G. Mayer, retired chairman of the Wisconsin-based meat processing company that bears his name, has died at the age of 95.

Mayer's wife, Geraldine, said he died of old age Monday age at Hospice Care in Fitchburg.

He was the third Oscar Mayer in the family that founded Oscar Mayer Foods, which was once the largest private employer in Madison. His grandfather, Oscar F. Mayer, died in 1955 and his father, Oscar G. Mayer Sr., died in 1965.

Mayer retired as chairman of the board in 1977 at age 62 soon after the company recorded its first $1 billion year. The company was later sold to General Foods and is now a business unit of Kraft.

Mayer's first wife, Rosalie, died in 1998. He married Geraldine Fitzpatrick in 1999.

Public visitations are scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday at Cress Funeral Home for Mayer, who died Monday at Hospice Care in nearby Fitchburg.

The sad thing is...(and this is true...) No Weinermobile at the funeral!

Bummer!

We are one year old today!

Today our blog is one year old! 365 days of weird happenings in Puerto Rico and around the world. With your support we will continue to do the same.

Thanks to all!


Max.

Death by chocolate! No, really!

Weird you want...

A man has died after falling into a vat of hot chocolate at a factory in the US state of New Jersey.
Vincent Smith Jr, 29, was emptying pieces of solid chocolate into the melting vat when he slipped from a platform into the 2.5m (8ft) deep unit.
A spokesman for the local prosecutor's office said the man appeared to have died instantly from a blow to his head by a paddle mixing the chocolate.
His colleagues at the factory tried to shut down the mixer, but were too late.
Mr Smith was a temporary worker at the Cocoa Services Inc plant in the city of Camden.
The chocolate is mixed at the plant by another company before being shipped.

I know that's sad and everything...but I hope they questioned the Oompa Loompas on this one!

Weird little bastards!

"Donald, where are your trousers?"

I used a title from an old novelty song to illustrate the point. Get ready to hear the story of the pantless driver!

A man who claimed he lost his pants faces drunken driving charges after being stopped by the agency of police at what time naked from the waist down.

A speaker for Maryland’s Cecil County Sheriff’s Office, in the US, said 41-year-old Jonathan Schultz was only partially covered with a towel on his lay over, though he was wearing a shirt.

Lt Bernard Chiminto uttered Schultz was stopped Saturday near Rising Sun for going at 69mph in a 50mph zone. The deputy smelled alcohol and noticed Schultz’s semi-exposed situation.

Ah! Weirdness is back! It's refreshing!

A look back at the Michael Jackson memorial.

I, like millions of people around the world watched the live feed of the memorial for Michael Jackson.

I was expecting a garish, very tacky spectacle. More concert than tribute, more show that substance. In other words, something like MJ life itself.

I admit I was wrong.

The service was serious, bittersweet. At times funny and moving. The music was well selected and incredibly performed, from Stevie Wonder to John Mayer to Jennifer Hudson, everybody shone in it's performances. Eulogies from Magic Johnson to Brooke Shields went from the touching to the funny, without losing it's sobriety.

But the final touch was the family speaking. From Jermaine to Marlon Jackson's farewells to the high point, Michael's daughter, Paris, speaking for the first time in public, broke everybody's heart by expressing her heartfelt loss of her beloved "Daddy".

Kudos to the organizers of this memorial. You gave something back to Michael Jackson, something that he had lost during his tumultuous life.

You gave him class.

And that's enough.

Max Out!

Too much negative and MJ news! Time for some lunacy!!!

To break the stupid newscycle we are in. I bring you, for your watching enjoyment...
F-BOMBS AND POTATOES by Joe Cartoon. You can watch more of Joe Cartoon lunacy here!

WARNING!!!!
This video is NSFW!!!
Minors should not be watching this!!! (Unless, you want them to be weird and depraved adults, just like me. You would? Shame on you!)

And I'm not resposible for soiled underwear or Pepsi-filled keyboards!

Enjoy!!!

You want a Michael Jackson instant book? Here it is!

The Michael Jackson craziness continues...in China! Read about these two authors making a buck from the surgical-altered bones of the former king of pop!

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Two Chinese writers slaved for 48 hours straight to produce an "instant" biography of late singer Michael Jackson, despite having never met him, a state-run newspaper said on Monday.
The book, called "Moonwalk in Paradise", hit the bookshelves over the weekend, the China Daily said, after the authors subsisted on a diet of coffee and cigarettes and worked round-the-clock to complete it.
While they are not as popular as the Taiwanese and Hong Kong stars who dominate the music scene in China, Western artists are making inroads in the local market, thanks to young fans.
Jiang Xiaoyu, one of the writers, had previously written blogs and reviews about Jackson, who died on June 25 when he went into cardiac arrest at his rented mansion in Los Angeles.
"I am not only a music critic but also a fan of the King of Pop, so I understand what fans really need," Jiang was quoted as saying by the newspaper. "I fought the deadline around the clock, as fans cannot wait for months."
The China Youth Daily said the writers wrote the book based on their "accumulated knowledge about the King of Pop".
"Though it is hard to tell how big the market for instant books is in China, I am sure we have done a nice job on quickly responding to market needs," the China Daily quoted Zang Yongqing, an editor at the publishing house, as saying.
The report added that at least 10 other Chinese publishers were planning "instant" books about Jackson.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard, editing by Miral Fahmy)

Hey! Where's the Farrah Fawcett or Karl Malden instant books?

And the Box Office Champions this week are...

Yup! there are two champions this week!

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – In a rare tie, reigning champ "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and the new cartoon "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" shared the top spot at the holiday weekend box office in North America.
According to studio estimates issued Sunday, the movies each sold about $42.5 million worth of tickets during the three-day U.S. Independence Day holiday weekend.
But "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," the third movie in 20th Century Fox's family franchise, was clearly the top pick on a worldwide basis. It earned $148 million from 101 foreign markets, which the News Corp-owned studio said was the sixth-biggest opening overall.
Including its North American tally of $67.5 million since opening Wednesday, the global total stands at $215.5 million.
Paramount's "Transformers" sequel earned $55 million from 62 markets during its second weekend, taking the foreign haul to $298 million. The global total stands at $591 million, taking the robot sequel past Columbia Pictures' "Angels & Demons" ($474 million) to become the biggest film of the year.
In North America, the lucrative summer season is 5 percent ahead of last year's record-setting haul in terms of ticket sales with $2.3 billion banked so far, said industry analyst Paul Dergarabedian, president of Hollywood.com Box-Office. But he doubted the number of tickets sold (currently 319 million) would exceed the modern record of 653 million set in 2002.
He said it appeared to be unprecedented for two films to be tied, but noted that an eventual victor will be determined on Monday, when the studios release their final data.
Johnny Depp's gangster saga "Public Enemies" got off to a strong start at No. 3 with $26.2 million, a rare adult-oriented drama in a summer field dominated by effects-driven action movies. As with "Ice Age," Universal Pictures' $100 million release opened Wednesday to get a foothold ahead of holiday distractions. Its five-day total stands at $41 million.
Both Fox and Universal declared themselves thrilled with the initial results. Comparisons with the first two "Ice Age" movies, released in 2002 and 2006, are difficult because they came out on Fridays in March. They eventually earned $176 million and $195 million domestically, respectively. The new film cost $90 million to make, said Fox.
Some question marks did surround director Michael Mann's "Public Enemies," in which Depp plays Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger, because moviegoers have opted for fantasy over serious dramas in recent months.
"Good news for people who like films about grown-ups. The genre is not dead," said Adam Fogelson, Universal's president of marketing and distribution.
"Transformers" has earned $293 million after 12 days of release in the United States and Canada, about $100 million more than its 2007 predecessor had earned in the same period. The sequel also surpassed Paramount's "Star Trek" ($250 million) to become the biggest movie of the year in the markets.
Paramount is a unit of Viacom Inc. Universal is a unit of General Electric Co's NBC Universal.

Careful with soccer players! They are a sensitive bunch!

Next time you cal a player that he sucks or he's lousy...be careful or this might happen to you.

BOGOTA (Reuters) – A Colombian soccer player shot and killed a fan for calling him "lousy" on Sunday, days after the player's
team lost a local championship, police said.
Javier Florez, a midfielder for the Atletico Junior team of the Caribbean city Barranquilla, ran from the scene of the shooting but soon turned himself in to authorities.
Witnesses told police Florez shot Israel Castillo with a handgun after the 27-year-old electrician called him a "maleta" -- which in Colombian parlance describes a "lousy" player.
Atletico Junior lost the Apertura Championship final to a team called Once Caldas late last month.
The shooting recalled the case of Andres Escobar, a defender on Colombia's national team who was gunned down after a poor performance in the 1994 World Cup, which was played in the United States.
(Reporting by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by John O'Callaghan)

People in Colombia are very passionate about their "Futbol".

A game show that tries to convert non-theists!

Religions must be desperate! After wrecking the world with their belief in a invisible man, now they want to dominate the world by trying to convert the people with the biggest philosophy in the world; Atheism! Read on and laugh!

By Daren Butler

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - What happens when you put a Muslim imam, a Christian priest, a rabbi and a Buddhist monk in a room with 10 atheists?

Turkish television station Kanal T hopes the answer is a ratings success as it prepares to launch a gameshow where spiritual guides from the four faiths will seek to convert a group of non-believers.

The prize for converts will be a pilgrimage to a holy site of their chosen religion -- Mecca for Muslims, the Vatican for Christians, Jerusalem for Jews and Tibet for Buddhists.

But religious authorities in Muslim but secular Turkey are not amused by the twist on the popular reality game show format and the Religious Affairs Directorate is refusing to provide an imam for the show.

"Doing something like this for the sake of ratings is disrespectful to all religions. Religion should not be a subject for entertainment programs," High Board of Religious Affairs Chairman Hamza Aktan told state news agency Anatolian after news of the planned program emerged.

The makers of "Penitents Compete" are unrepentant and reject claims that the show, scheduled to begin broadcasting in September, will cheapen religion.

"We are giving the biggest prize in the world, the gift of belief in God," Kanal T chief executive Seyhan Soylu told Reuters.

"We don't approve of anyone being an atheist. God is great and it doesn't matter which religion you believe in. The important thing is to believe," Soylu said.

The project focuses attention on the issue of religious identity in European Union-candidate Turkey, where rights groups have raised concerns over freedom of religion for non-Muslim minorities.

Detractors of the ruling AK Party government, which is rooted in political Islam but officially secular, accuse it of having a hidden Islamist agenda, a charge it denies.

Some 200 people have so far applied to take part in the show and the 10 contestants will be chosen next month.

A team of theologians will ensure that the atheists are truly non-believers and are not just seeking fame or a free holiday.

This reminds me of something Benjamin Franklin once said.."Lighthouses are more helpful than churches".

Enough said!

Sarah Palin has resigned. The question is why?

Sarah "I can see Russia from my house" Palin has resigned as governor of Alaska. Surprise! Well not exactly...
Read on.

By RACHEL D'ORO, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 8 mins ago
WASILLA, Alaska – Even for a nonconformist, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has defied political logic with her sudden, stunning announcement to leave office more than a year early.
Supporters and critics alike say the former GOP vice presidential candidate's resignation, announced Friday afternoon and effective July 26, is an inexplicable move for a high profile Republican widely seen as a contender for a White House run in 2012. A half-term governor campaigning for president?
"If she is thinking that leaving her term 16 months early is going to help her prepare to maybe go on to bigger and better things on the political stage, I think she's sadly mistaken. You just can't quit," said Andrew Halcro, a Palin critic who lost the 2006 gubernatorial race to her.
Palin's abrupt announcement Friday rattled the Republican Party but left open the possibility of a presidential run. She and her staff are keeping mum on her future plans.
Palin's spokesman, David Murrow, said the governor didn't say anything to him about this being her "political finale."
"She's looking forward to serving the public outside the governor's chair," he said.
And Pam Pryor, a spokeswoman for Palin's political action committee, said the group continues to accept donations on its Web site, which saw an uptick in contributions Friday afternoon.
The announcement caught even current and former Palin advisers by surprise. Former members of Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign team, now dispersed across the country, traded perplexed e-mails and phone calls about the vice presidential nominee's decision to step down.
In a hastily arranged news conference at her home in Wasilla, a suburb of Anchorage, Palin said she had decided against running for re-election as Alaska's governor, and believed it was best to leave office even though she had 1.5 years left to her term. Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will take her place.
"Many just accept that lame duck status, and they hit that road," Palin said. "They draw a paycheck. They kind of milk it. And I'm not going to put Alaskans through that."
Palin has proven formidable among the party's base. But the last week brought a highly critical piece in Vanity Fair magazine, with unnamed campaign aides questioning if Palin was really prepared for the presidency.
The backbiting continued with follow-up articles elsewhere recounting the nasty infighting that plagued her failed bid. Her advisers sniped with other Republicans, underscoring the deeply divided GOP looking for its next standard bearer.
Meghan Stapleton, Palin's personal spokeswoman, shot down speculation that ranged wildly from Palin dropping out of politics altogether to eyeing runs against fellow Alaska Republicans Rep. Don Young and Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Palin's comment about serving outside government refers to the present, she said.
Stapleton, however, said it's too early to say whether Palin would seek the presidency. In the meantime, the governor will continue to work to bring "positive change as a citizen without a title right now," she said.
"Her vision is what's best for Alaska, which translates into what's best for America," Stapleton said.
Murkowski, whose father was the governor when he lost to Palin in the 2006 Republican primary, was dismissive of the announcement.
"I am deeply disappointed that the governor has decided to abandon the state and her constituents before her term has concluded," she said in a one-sentence statement.
At the news conference, Palin alluded to how she could help change the country and help military members — an indication that she didn't think her time on the national stage was over.
On her Twitter page Friday evening, Palin wrote that she was remembering America's service members on the eve of Fourth of July.
"Thinking of our vets who kept us free & our troops keeping us free today: THANK YOU!" she wrote on the social-networking Web site.
Palin's decision not to seek re-election is a familiar one for those considering a presidential campaign. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney chose not to seek another term as he geared up for an unsuccessful 2008 presidential bid. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has announced he won't seek another term, giving him plenty of free time ahead of a potential 2012 bid. But Romney completed his term and Pawlenty plans to finish his.
Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said the announcement left many confused. "I think it eliminates her from serious consideration for the presidency in 2012," he said.
Palin, 45, also has the potential to make far more money in the private sector than the $125,000 or so she has been making as governor. She already had a deal with publisher HarperCollins to produce her memoirs, with publication planned for next spring. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Six-figure book deals are common for high-profile political figures.
Palin emerged from relative obscurity nearly a year ago when she was tapped as then Republican presidential candidate McCain's running mate.
She was a controversial figure from the start and soon became the butt of talk-show jokes. Comedian Tina Fey famously imitated her elaborate updo and folksy "You betcha!" on "Saturday Night Live."
In Alaska, she saw her popularity wane this year after returning from the presidential campaign. She's become a polarizing figure, and multiple ethics complaints have been filed against her with the state personnel board.
All but two of the 15 complaints have been dismissed with no findings of wrongdoing, although one complaint led to Palin's agreement to reimburse the state about $8,100 for costs associated with trips taken with her children. The state says it has spent nearly $300,000 to investigate the complaints, and Palin says she has racked up more than $500,000 in legal fees fighting them.

I think it's all David Letterman's fault!

New Boricuas Beyond video!

Thanks to my friend Wewex, Guelo and Chizo for their very funny animations

It's confirmed! David Carradine's death ruled "Accidental Asphyxiation"

It was concluded that the cause of David Carradine's death several weeks ago was due to "accidental asphyxiation", or the inability to breathe.

The medical examiner stated he was certain of his findings, but admitted they still had not figure out why: "[W]hy that happened is still what we're working on."

However, Dr. Michael Baden knows he can rule out suicide as the cause of Carradine's death.

"He didn't die of natural causes, and he didn't die of suicidal causes from the nature of the ligatures around the body, so that leaves some kind of accidental death," says the doc.

Though the doctors findings did rule out suicide, they do not rule out the possibility that the asphyxiation could have been "auto erotic", or brought on by sexual activity.

We're sure, for the family, on some level, it's nice to have some more information on his passing and know that he didn't take his own life.

Still...it's kinda of stupid to die that way.

The new Air New Zeland in-flight safety video, The Bare Essentials!

Yup, those Kiwis can grab your attention! If you're like me, we barely listen or look at the in-flight safety briefing the crew gives you before take-off. Well Air New Zealand took it one step further.

Just before take off, they play this video on the cabin. It's called "The Bare essentials of flight safety" It features a group of crewmembers of the airline explaing the safety procedures, naked except for body paint of their uniforms.

We here at the Les'Shyerar Laboratories and Fried Chicken Shack, we have obtained a copy of the video for your viewing pleasure, being the cheeky bastards that we are. Don't worry, the video is safe for work.

Enjoy and fasten those seat belts!