Gaia's giant farts may be silent but deadly

Scientists have discovered that millions of tons of a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide are being released into the atmosphere from beneath the Arctic seabed.

Preliminary findings suggest that massive deposits of sub-sea methane are bubbling to the surface as the Arctic region becomes warmer and its ice retreats.

Underground stores of methane are important because scientists believe their sudden release has in the past been responsible for rapid increases in global temperatures, dramatic changes to the climate, and even the mass extinction of species. Scientists aboard a research ship that has sailed the entire length of Russia's northern coast have discovered intense concentrations of methane – sometimes at up to 100 times background levels – over several areas covering thousands of square miles of the Siberian continental shelf.

Gaia, the Greek supreme goddess of Earth, is frequently used to describe the Earth as a single organism.

Around the world in 80 ways

Check out this visualization of air traffic around the world.

How to train your pet rocks

This is a remarkable story of a man who is able to balance rocks in gravity-defying sculptures. Watch the video and you still won't understand how he does it.

Bill Dan is a San Francisco-based balanced-rock sculptor who has demonstrated the art, discipline and craft of rock balancing and balanced-stone stacking around the world. His website includes images of his balanced stones and rocks, links to other rock balancers, information about naturally balancing rocks and world-wide stone balancing and rock stacking traditions.

Couple put on trial in Dubai for drinking juice in public

A 28-year-old Russian female, who visited Dubai on a tourist visa, and a 30-year-old male citizen of Lebanon, a salesman in a local store, were put on trial for drinking juice in a public place in the daytime during Muslim fasting.

The police caught the two people red-handed at a gas station in Dubai, Emirat.ru reports with reference to Gulf News.

In accordance with the Federal Penal Code of the United Arab Emirates, a public intake of food and beverages during daytime hours of the month of Ramadan is forbidden by Article 313. The article stipulates the punishment in the form of either a monetary penalty – up to 2,000 dirhems ($555) – or even a term of up to one month in prison.

The young people told the court that they were not Muslims and were thus unaware of the fact that their actions could be punishable.

People tell more lies in email than on paper

In two studies co-authored by Lehigh’s Liuba Belkin, people using e-mail lied almost 50 percent more often than those using pen-and-paper.

Workers are significantly more likely to lie in e-mail messages than in traditional pen-and-paper communications, according to two new studies co-authored by Lehigh’s Liuba Belkin.

More surprising is that people actually feel justified when lying using e-mail, the studies show.

“There is a growing concern in the workplace over e-mail communications, and it comes down to trust,” says Belkin, an assistant professor of management in the College of Business and Economics. “You’re not afforded the luxury of seeing non-verbal and behavioral cues over e-mail. And in an organizational context, that leaves a lot of room for misinterpretation and, as we saw in our study, intentional deception.”

Pickle-lovers unite!

Picklefest 2008 was a huge success. Held at Machine Project in LA, the public was invited to bring their produce (grown in their garden, or purchased at farmers' markets or a supermarket) and pickle it using the lacto-fermentation process.

From Machine Project's page about lacto-fermentation pickling:

Back before the advent of canning and freezing, folks preserved their vegetable harvest via lacto-fermentation. This process, once commonplace, survives today mostly in the form of sauerkraut and kim-chi. These days, almost all store bought pickles and contemporary pickle recipes are vinegar-based. Lacto-fermented pickles contain no vinegar at all.

In lacto-fermentation, salt is added to vegetables, either by covering them in salty water or by mixing them with salt to draw out their own juices. Either way, the vegetable ends up stewing in salty liquid. Lactic microbial organisms (the same beasties that spoil milk) take hold in this environment and make it so acidic that bacteria that cause food to spoil can’t live there. The result is a pickled food that will keep without canning or refrigeration.

Lacto-fermented pickles are also full of beneficial bacteria that, like the bacteria in yogurt, are good for your gut and make food more digestible.

More female candidates on ballot in federal election than ever before

A record number of women are among the 1,601 candidates vying for the approval of voters and 308 House of Commons seats in the federal election campaign, according to Elections Canada.

But while women represent more than 50 per cent of the Canadian population, only 437 of the candidates — 27 per cent — are female.

"This improvement provides more opportunities than ever to increase the representation of women in Parliament," Equal Voice chairwoman Raylene Lang-Dion said.

All five major parties have made strides since the last election in getting more women to run, although the Tories continue to lag behind the others.

Street Corner Science

In “Street Corner Science,” a ScienCentral original Web Show, pedestrians are given the chance to sit down with a world-class scientist and ask him or her any question they like about science, or anything else on their minds. In this episode, Nobel-Prize-winning Physicist Dr. Leon Lederman graciously answers a varied and astute array of questions from some lucky passersby. This video is the first of two “Street Corner Science” segments featuring Dr. Lederman, so be sure to check back with ScienCentral.com for more!

Best ''brew' product

The first of its kind worldwide, "red espresso" is the world's first tea espresso. Premium Rooibos tea [Wikipedia] offers a healthy alternative to coffee and contains five times the antioxidants than green tea.

Lost in Space

On a clear night, you can look in the sky and see the moon and stars. You might even see the blinking light of a working satellite as it flies past, on its way around the Earth.

And, even though you cannot see it, you are also looking at the largest junkyard in the solar system.

Higher than the highest clouds but much closer than the moon, the bulk of the junkyard stretches from the Earth’s surface to 20,000 miles overhead. There are tens of millions of pieces of rubbish there. Some of the pieces are rocks and dust from passing comets, but most of them are manmade and called “orbital debris”.

In the picture above, each white dot represents an individual piece of tracked orbital debris. This image shows the Low Earth Orbit, which is the region from the Earth’s surface to 1,240 miles and contains the most space junk.
NASA Johnson Space Center

Imagine a 'City of Knowledge'

Belgian Paul Otlet [Wikipedia], often considered the father of information management, had a vision in 1934 that came long before anyone else. He first envisioned a "city of knowledge" with concepts of the computer and the internet that were probably considered fantastical at the time.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s Otlet pioneered the field of what we today call Information Science, but what he called "Documentation". A hundred years before the development of the Internet, Otlet used terms like web of knowledge, link, and knowledge network to describe his vision for a central repository of all human knowledge.

Below is a longer documentary narrated by W. Boyd Rayward, his biographer.

How big is BIG?

If you ever thought that you were important in the univers, watch this video that show real, relative sizes ... then get back to me.

How - More amazing video clips are a click away

Everyone but Conservative: 4 parties share arts platforms in Ottawa

Last Wednesday, hundreds of people from Ottawa's arts community heard how the federal government will support arts and culture — but only if the Conservatives are NOT elected during the federal election on Oct. 14.

Following noisy rallies in Montreal and Toronto, artists in Ottawa held the bilingual "Vote Culture Town Hall" at the University of Ottawa campus, inviting candidates from all five major parties.

Not one Tory candidate showed up to field questions and hear concerns about arts, culture and heritage policies and funding.

Prisoner of conscience in Myanmar, released after 19 years in jail.

U Win Tin, Amnesty International's longest serving prisoner of conscience in Myanmar, has been released after spending 19 years of his life in jail.

While we celebrate the release of U Win Tin and six other political prisoners, there is still a long way to go.

Approximately 2,000 political prisoners remain in jails in Myanmar, and there are tens of thousands more in other countries. Support Amnesty International with a donation. Help draw the world’s attention to the plight of these prisoners, and strengthen pressure on regimes that are denying their human rights.

My pussy is stuck in the toilet!

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

2 photos/day x 17 years

Right Whales: On the Brink, On the Rebound

Just a few hundred of these giants survive along the coasts of North America, but their numbers are growing in southern seas. Have a look at these beautiful phots from National Geographic,

Actors condemn Harper's culture cuts

Canada's top film and television performers gathered in Toronto Wednesday to condemn the $45 million in cuts to culture funding announced by the Conservative government in August, saying the cuts will cripple the Canadian arts industry.

Canadian actress Wendy Crewson kicked off the event, saying Canadian artists are "fed up" with the cuts and want to see a return to stable funding for the arts.

"Culture is critical to our identity as a country and is a huge part of our economy," Crewson said. "These policies are job killers, and artists will not stand by and allow these attacks on our industry to continue without a fight."

Stephen Harper has called the culture cuts a niche topic, saying that "ordinary Canadians" are not particularly concerned with them.

U.S. army deserter, family win stay of deportation

A U.S. army deserter and his family were granted a last-minute stay of deportation Monday by a Federal Court judge while the court decides whether to hear their appeal.

Jeremy Hinzman, his wife and two children were ordered to leave Canada by Tuesday or face forcible deportation to the United States, where the soldier faces prosecution for fleeing to Canada in 2004 rather than deploying with his army unit to Iraq.

The judge's decision will allow the family to remain in Toronto while the court decides whether to review a decision by Citizenship and Immigration officials not to let the Hinzmans remain in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. They are also trying to appeal their pre-removal risk assessment.

Super Star: A "Mobile China Town" Skyscraper

Tired of the "same-old" look to China Towns everywhere? Well, this radical cyberpunk concept by MAD Architects brings to extreme the shape of a crystal star 1000 meters high, with simply mind-boggling effect:

They don't say how exactly this skyscraper can be mobile, but you can almost imagine it floating from location to location, gracing lucky cities with its extreme China Town version:

This truly mad (in a good sense) bunch of architects - their studio is based in Bejing - are also responsible for the great-looking skyscrapers, currently under construction in Toronto, Canada and in Guangzhou, China

With thanks to Dark Roasted Blend blog

Traffic Cop: Have you been sending text messages, Sir?

Motorists who send text messages while driving are "significantly more impaired" than those who drive drunk, even at the minimum legal limit for alcohol, according to a British study.

The study showed that drivers' reaction times deteriorated by 35 per cent and they saw a 91 per cent decrease in steering ability.

"When texting, drivers are distracted by taking their hand off the wheel to use their phone, by trying to read small text on the phone display, and by thinking about how to write their message," said Reed.

SEE MAP of places that restrict the use of cellphones while driving

Cheney must preserve records of time in office, U.S. judge rules

Had sought to exclude VP's office from reach of Presidential Records Act

A U.S. federal judge on Saturday ordered Vice-President Dick Cheney to preserve a wide range of records from his time in office.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly is a setback for the Bush administration, which has been pushing for a narrow definition of materials that must be safeguarded under the Presidential Records Act.

The judge said the administration's legal position "heightens the court's concern" that some records may not be preserved.

Fish for dinner again

Aliens have landed

A photographer captured this strange picture of a family of deer on a neighbour's lawn. To see the full picture and more of his pix, click on the article title.

Where did I leave those Post-It notes?

From the creators of the Diet Coke and Mentos experiment, EepyBird show us how to have fun with sticky notes. eepybird.com

via videosift.com

Traffic as usual on "Car Free Day" in Toronto

Public transit ferried some extra passengers, but highways in the Greater Toronto Area seemed as busy as usual Monday as the city proclaimed its eighth annual Car Free Day.

"Yes, there seems to be more people riding Go trains and buses today," said Ed Shea, manager of corporate communications for Go Transit.

Shea said ridership has increased enough to be noticeable for the past two or three years on Car Free Day, which is held in communities around the world.

But TTC spokesman Mike Detoma said there are so many variables on a day-to-day basis that they won't be able to tally the numbers until late next week.

The Miracle of Marlboro

In 1950, Marlboros were promoted as a cigarette for mothers. Can you imagine mums puffing away and the innocent babies, toddlers and children growing up as passive smokers inhaling all the poison? These ads, supposedly from 1950, advised mummies to take a puff to release stress. Thankfully, times have changed.

"Before you scold me, Mom ... maybe you'd better light up a Marlboro."

I, Robot

The Immersive Cocoon combines elegant industrial design with a revolutionary new way to think about digital interfaces. A surround-view display dome and the sophisticated motion-sensing software that inspired the film "Minority Report" replace today's 2D mouse-click computing world.

Clay Aiken comes out at last!

Following the Aug. 8 birth of his son Parker, singer Clay Aiken is following through on a promise he made to himself as a new dad: to publicly acknowledge that he's gay.

"It was the first decision I made as a father," Aiken, 29, tells the upcoming issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday. "I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things. I wasn't raised that way, and I'm not going to raise a child to do that."

California Prop. 8 remains too close to call

Great momentum continues to build for No on 8, Equality for All’s efforts to defeat Proposition 8 in California this fall. As people continue to discover that Prop. 8 would eliminate the right to marry for same-sex couples, unprecedented numbers are stepping forward to give time, money and support.

Over the last couple of weeks, crowds packed No on 8 campaign rallies in San Francisco and Los Angeles, along with LGBT community leaders, progressive allies and local elected officials including San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Thousands of volunteers are now calling critical swing voters regularly and urging them to vote No on 8. Eleven full-time Task Force organizers are on the ground in California; most are running regional or local field offices. This past weekend, over 40 communities organized local rallies and visibility actions to raise community awareness against Prop. 8. Yesterday, the campaign ran its first No on 8 campaign ad.

The No on 8 campaign can win, but only if we effectively reach undecided voters with our message, and that means keeping our TV ads on the air. Only you can help us do that!

YouTube Link

Don't believe everything you read ... or watch ... or hear

Mainstream economists and so-called experts have filled the minds of many Americans with economic myths that are constantly reinforced by the media and repeated on the streets. These myths are erroneous at best - sometimes based on half-truths - but, the majority of them are just false.

We read and hear them every day: "inflation" is caused by rising oil prices; consumption is the most important element for economic growth; low interest rates are helpful to the economy; government expenditures help "stimulate" the economy; there is an energy "crisis," and many others.

This article examines some of the most common myths and offers an alternate explanation of the reality behind them.

When Jeremy comes marching home again, Hurrah!

With less than a week before U.S. Iraq war resister Jeremy Hinzman and his family are to be deported, the Liberals have reaffirmed their support for his fight to stay in Canada.

The 29-year-old Hinzman, his wife, Nga Nguyen, and their children — six-year-old Liam and six-week-old Meghan — have been ordered to leave Canada by Sept. 23 or face deportation.

Fresh off the campaign trail, Liberal Bob Rae spoke at a Toronto news conference with Hinzman. Rae urged the government to support a motion passed earlier this year by all parties, except the Conservatives, to let conscientious objectors take up permanent residence.

To CERN with Love

You may have heard bits and pieces about the Large Haddron Collider in Europe. It was fired up recently and some people were afraid it would create a black hole that would engulf the planet. It didn't but we did get this lovely video of what they are trying to do.

Murderer for hire

Not sure what kind of meat they serve at this restaurant, but they sure are specific about the type of employees they are looking for.

I hope it's not a real-life scene from "Delicatessen 2"

N&L Premier urges: Vote Anything But Conservative

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams made his "ABC," or Anything But Conservative, campaign official on Tuesday by registering his crusade against Stephen Harper's Conservatives with Elections Canada and obtaining "third party" status.

It's just the latest move by Williams, a Progressive Conservative, to ramp up his fight to prevent the re-election of Stephen Harper in the Oct. 14 federal election.

Williams has waged a war of words with Harper ever since the leader reneged on a 2006 election promise to exclude non-renewable energy sources from the equalization formula.

> Anything But Conservative website <

One World, One Dream

From September 6th to September 17th, Beijing is once again hosting athletes from around the world.

Over 4,200 athletes - from six different disability groups - from 148 countries are taking part in the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games.

Not only are the sports divided into events, but the events are divided into different disability categories, to even out the playing field as much as possible.

The slogan for this years Paralympic Games is the same as the one for the Olympics held just last month: "One World, One Dream".

Follow the link to see other remarkable photos from the games.

A virtual lawyer for small business owners

An online legal service is targeting small business owners who are flustered with filing paperwork but are reluctant to shell out the big bucks for legal help.
Corporation Centre offers a host of services for small businesses in all provinces. Their business model is to try to undercut regular law firms for incorporating businesses, getting GST and provincial tax numbers, applying for trademarks, doing corporate filings and preparing documents to issue shares. The growth of services like this might be useful to small business owners without stockpiles of cash for legal help.
[ NOTE : I don't endorse this agency, I just think it is a great idea. Let me know if it works for you. D ]

... whereas these drawings only look 3D

Julian Beever has made pavement drawings for over ten years and worked all over the world.

His pavement drawings include both renderings of old masters plus a wealth of original inventive pieces of work.

But they certainly do belie the fact that they have been created on a two-dimensional surface.

Art imitates Life

Get ready for a spate of 3D animated movies to hit the big screen over the next few months. This year, the biggest animation studios in the world — including Dreamworks, Disney and Pixar — have all vowed to release their pictures in stereoscopic vision (which, come to think of it, isn’t too difficult given the fact that they’re already rendered in 3D).

Who do you really agree with? McCain or Obama?

This is a fun but challenging little test, that will help reveal what you really think about the issues in the American election. Take your time and read the choices carefully.

'Still Alive' has a life of its own

This little ditty apparently comes from the closing credits of a video game called "Portal". It has made it's way onto YouTube and become a hit. It's called "Still Alive" and I hereby give you fair warning ... it's very, very catchy!

The Milky Way Over Ontario

This is a beautiful image that many Canadians are lucky to be able to experience first-hand. If you click on the image after the link, it will load a larger version for download - use it as an inspiring background for your desktop.

How dum is American spelling?

This guy is probably responsible for American spelling of words like 'colour' without the U, but if you click on the link at the bottom you can watch his video rationale.

The thrill of the hunt!

This video cracks me UP! I think it is because the cat's 'expression' never changes from a "wuht? I'm not doing anything" look. Enjoy!

Brad Pitt donates $100,000 to support gay marriage rights

Film star Brad Pitt has donated $100,000 to oppose a California referendum seeking to ban gay marriage, The Los Angeles Times reported.

Gay marriage has been legal in California since June.

But opponents of same-sex marriages collected enough signatures to force a referendum seeking to ban them. Called "Proposition 8," it goes before voters in the most populous US state November 4.

He and partner Angelina Jolie have said they would wed when everyone who wants to get married in the United States is able to do so. Same-sex marriages are illegal in most US states.

Looks yummy, doesn't it?

I often tell people I like just about everything when it comes to food, but I don't think I could stomach this unless it was a last resort!

RCMP relied too much on Taser manufacturer info: report

RCMP officials relied too heavily on information provided by manufacturers when they developed their own stun gun policies and training programs, an independent review concludes.

The review of the Mounties' policies on the use of electrical stun guns, known by the brand name Taser, was prepared on the orders of RCMP Commissioner William Elliott.

"There was an overreliance on research carried out by [stun gun] manufacturers and/or the views of police services relying primarily on the research conducted or sponsored by the manufacturers," the review states in its conclusion.

Republicans plan to foreclose on voters' rights

The chairman of the Republican Party in Macomb County, Michigan, a key swing county in a key swing state, is planning to use a list of foreclosed homes to block people from voting in the upcoming election as part of the state GOP’s effort to challenge some voters on Election Day.

“We will have a list of foreclosed homes and will make sure people aren’t voting from those addresses,” party chairman James Carabelli told Michigan Messenger in a telephone interview earlier this week. He said the local party wanted to make sure that proper electoral procedures were followed.

Memories are a figment of our imagination

Four out of 10 people surveyed in a new study claim to have viewed footage that simply doesn't exist of the 7/7 bombings in London three years ago.

A previous study by the same researchers, reported how people distinctly remember seeing footage of the Princess Diana car crash. No such footage of that event exists either.

"Star Trek" actor Takei marries boyfriend in L.A.

Former "Star Trek" crew member George Takei married his longtime boyfriend on Sunday in a Los Angeles ceremony that paid homage to the actor's Japanese heritage.

Takei, 71, tied the knot with his business manager, Brad Altman, 54, as some of his "Star Trek" castmates looked on, including best man Walter Koenig ("Chekhov") and matron-of-honour Nichelle Nichols ("Uhura"). Takei played Mr. Sulu in the 1960s sci-fi series and in subsequent movies.

Nearly 200 people attended the Buddhist ceremony at the Japanese American National Museum in downtown Los Angeles. The couple wore matching tuxedos -- white jackets and shirts, with black trousers and bow ties.

Home Movie Day is just around the corner

Bring your home movies to the Film Reference Library from August 20 to October 3 [2008], for a free inspection and evaluation.

Films will also be considered for the curated programme screening, during the sixth annual Home Movie Day at Cinematheque Ontario in the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Admission is FREE and attendance is not contingent on having a film in the programme. For more information, visit the Film Reference Library website at filmreferencelibrary.ca.

Conditional Discharge for fake bomb incident

Art student Thorarinn Ingi Jonsson has been given a conditional discharge and placed on probation for planting an object resembling a bomb outside the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.

Jonsson, an Icelandic citizen who was attending the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD), said he wanted people to think about where art is placed and how that changes their view of it. He described it as a conceptual art piece, using plastic, wood and glass and a video.

(... it was still a dumb idea, Thor!)

Doctors : Curb cellphone to avoid collisions

Ontario's doctors are the latest to weigh in on the risks of chatting on a cellphone while driving, saying it significantly increases the chance of an accident.

Mobile-phone use affects a driver's cognitive function, visual concentration, speed of information processing and reaction time, the Ontario Medical Association said Sunday.

'There have been studies that show when cellphones are banned, that accident rates decrease.'— OMA president Dr. Ken Arnold

The group compiled studies from around the world pointing to the dangers in a bid to get action from the Ontario government.

Who owns ideas now?

When you download music or text from the web, you may be innocently breaking the law. Jim Lebans, a producer with CBC Radio’s Quirks and Quarks, looks at the tangled world of intellectual property and how the digital age is challenging ideas about who owns our culture. These legal rights were established over hundreds of years to reward creators of ideas, but at the same time preserve and protect the public's right to access and make use of the expression of ideas.

Click through to listen to a formal discussion about the new reality of intellectual property and copyright.

Lindros: Checking out the competition?

Then there’s this Lindros story :

The bathroom was relatively crowded — seeing Lindros in person, he was taller (and skinnier) than I expected.

As I did my thing, I felt someone bearing down on me from an unobstructed perspective. It was Lindros, and, yes, he was sneaking a peek.

Lindros : 9th most generous star - Oprah tops

Retired hockey player Eric Lindros is among the world's top 10 most generous celebrities.

Lindros made No. 9 on the list, which is compiled annually by The Giving Back Fund, after contributing $5 million to the London Health Sciences Centre, a London, Ont.-based hospital where he was treated.

He tied in generosity with other sports stars — basketball player Michael Jordan, who gave to a Chicago school, and cyclist Lance Armstrong, who gave to cancer research.

Lindros played in the National Hockey League for 16 years, most notably with the Philadelphia Flyers.

... Speaking of gorillas

Here is another type of gorilla that might be a thing of the past ... men who are afraid of commitment!

Scientists studying voles (mouse-like rodents) discovered that transferring a single gene, the vasopressin receptor, from the monogamous prairie vole into the brain's reward centre of a promiscuous meadow vole, would cause that meadow vole to become monogamous.

CLICK HERE to learn how that applies to huMEN! - and where to get "Vasopressin" for the man you love! [ just kidding! ]

Run Gorilla Run

I am not sure about this commercial's implied messages (racist rant, gorillas are a bad thing and ought to be shipped back, etc.), but I think the event sounds fun (for bank robbers, anyway!), and the cause is a good one. What do you think?

Believe it or not: Some People Live Without TV

Some give it up to avoid exposing their families to the excessive sex, violence, and consumerism they feel are promoted onscreen. Others object to the medium itself, claiming television intrudes too much into their lives, interferes with conversation and takes time away from the family. Finally, some people have a beef with the power and values of the television industry and don't want its influence in their homes.

Emotional memories hurt more

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," simply is not true, according to researchers.

Psychologists found memories of painful emotional experiences linger far longer than those involving physical pain.

They quizzed volunteers about painful events over the previous five years.

Writing in the journal Psychological Science, they said evolutionary brain changes which allow us to work better in groups or societies could be key.

"No, really ... it was THEM!"

She has been doing so well, but today at breakfast ... she dropped her fork, crawled over to the next booth to get it, and claimed she saw the Obamas and the Bidens.

Like all they have to do with their time is have waffles and patty sausages here at the Yankee Kitchen!