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Cash for thirsty cars

America House of Representatives has just approved additional $2 billion to the “cash for thirsty cars” program (clunkers).  The original program supposedly to last until November 1, for 250,000 new cars with each car owner receiving about $4,500 discount.  However, there are more demands from car buyers that the program had expected.  The previous $1 billion program has run out cash within the first week of introduction by August 1.  Given the additional $2 billion, the program will continue without further interruption.

Read American CARS program, click here

(photo: drudgereport.com)

A fugitive caveman

A man who supposedly serving a 10-year sentence for a murder in a small village in northern Portugal has been put back into a prison after escaped in 1993.  The man had been hiding in a very hostile terrain and caves around his home village for the past 16 years. 

As reported by AP news, this small village fugitive was charged with murdering a woman during which the woman was badly injured her head after an argument over goats.  While in hiding many local residences gave the caveman food to survive.

A man having sex with a horse and was caught by a hidden camera

A horse owner’s hidden camera recorded a sex act by a man and a horse.  The man has been arrested and now in a police custody due to his sex act.  This was his second violations of sex act with an animal at the same barn.  Last year, he has pleaded guilty to having sex with the same horse, and was placed on South Carolina state's sex offender list.   As AP news wrote:

“…[the horse’s owner] noticed several weeks ago her 21-year-old horse Sugar was acting strange and getting infections again…”

“…[the horse’s owner] noticed things in the barn had been moved around — dirt piled up and bales of hay stacked near the horse's stall…”

High school to offer free pregnancy testing

Sex before marriage and sex at young age (14 to 17 year-old) is so common in America.  In order to prevent young age students from drop out of schools, a high school in New York State will soon offer a new service for pregnancy testing with absolute confidentiality (without telling their parents). 

As reported by wcbstv.com, Port Chester High School may be one of the first high schools in America to offer such controversial service.

"There are times when they don't feel safe and they really need to have a place where they can come and disclose"

"Some of them are embarrassed so they can come to a counselor or a school nurse they trust and I think it's a good thing"

Happiest places to earn a bachelor degree in America

Most universities in America will start the new school year within the next four weeks.   This year's fall semester will start on Monday, August 24, 2009.  For many, the decision to attend a university is already been made by the students and parents. 

Here is a list of top 10 happiest campuses to earn a bachelor degree in America.  The list is based on The Princeton Review's survey of 122,000 college students for 2010 edition.

1. Brown University (Providence, R.I.)
2. Clemson University (Clemson, S.C.)
3. Claremont McKenna College (Claremont, Calif.)
4. Stanford University (Stanford, Calif.)
5. Bowdoin College (Brunswick, Maine)
6. Yale University (New Haven, Conn.)
7. Stonehill College (Easton, Mass.)
8. Rice University (Houston, Texas)
9. St. Mary's College of Maryland (St. Mary's City, Md.)
10. Colorado College (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

China Internet users have reached over 338 million, the largest in the world

As of the end of June 2009, China Internet users have reached over 338 million, as reported by AFP.  While China’s Xinhua news agency published a report citing data from the China Internet Network Information Center, there were about 93.5 million users connecting to the Internet on broadband (28% of total users).

A Chinese panda was born from frozen sperm

In order to promote genetic diversity in panda population, scientists in China announced this weekend that a panda cub has been born after being breed using frozen sperm.  Many pandas have been born in the zoo around the world in the past ten years, and majority of them through inbreeding.  Scientists believe pandas who were born and conceived in the zoo can lead to birth defects and for a long run this would harmful to the species. Scientists would continue using frozen sperm from pandas born in the wild to support a healthy panda population and will help to prevent the endangered species from extinction.

January to June 2009: Top 10 Best Sellers Cars in America

In this recession era, Americans are really thoughtful before they decided which car to purchase while they have a limited budget and resources.  As gasoline price continues to skyrocketing, cars that consume less gasoline are the most popular today. 

Many young American families also prefer a new class of cars which is dubbed as crossover, a very modest looking car to get around urban areas without having the embarrassment of driving a station wagon.  One of the most popular crossovers in America today is Honda CR-V.  Honda introduced the CR-V in America for the 1997 model year.  The latest model of Honda CR-V starts at around $21,500.

Car brand & model (total sales from January to June 2009 in units):

1. Ford F-Series   179,632
2. Toyota Camry   150,242
3. Chevrolet Silverado  149,949
4. Honda Accord  131,043
5. Toyota Corolla  121,643
6. Honda Civic   118,459
7. Nissan Altima   96,428 
8. Dodge Ram   94,516
9. Ford Fusion   85,146
10. Honda CR-V   78,917

Read a full report of the top 10 cars in MSN

She is now Renee, she used to be Richard

Medical newscaster Stephanie Stahl at cbs3.com reporting a man had a surgery to become a woman.  She was the oldest patients (77-year-old) to make the switch at a transgender center in Montgomery County, Philadelphia.  As cbs3.com wrote “She used to be Richard; a green beret specialist in Vietnam. A tough guy who privately dreamed of wearing dresses.” 

An 8-year-old girl was brutally sexually assaulted by four boys ages 9 to 14-year-old in Phoenix (AZ)

As reported by local news azcentral.com, police department in Phoenix (AZ) said that four boys ages 9 to 14-year-old had raped an 8-year-old girl simultaneously.  These four boys acted like an adult behind a shed for more than 10 minutes. 

Local authorities are so horrified with this case, as azcentral.com wrote “the little girl's parents criticized her after the attack and blamed her for bringing shame on the family.” 

The oldest boy (14) of the group of four boys had been charged as a grown up for sexual assault and kidnapping and is being put in jail with no bailed out using bond.

Microsoft profit dropped 29 percent from April to June 2009, lack of demand for Windows and Office software

After the Wall Street market closed on July 23, Microsoft reported they had net income at $3.05 billion for fiscal calendar of April to June 2009, compared to the same quarter one year ago at $4.3 billion.  This was a 29 percent profit drop for the quarter.  Apparently demand for Windows and Office software is still going down hill.  Read more about Microsoft at bloomberg.com.

Families don’t want the dead bodies and more bodies being cremated and went unclaimed due to high funeral cost in Los Angeles

As American economy continues in recession and high cost of living in big cities, many families cannot afford to pay for funeral fees in Los Angeles.  While the state of California is still in budget crisis with so many unpaid government bills, the Los Angeles coroner's office is currently handling more than 712 unpaid and unclaimed bodies, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.  This was an increase from 525 bodies last year.  As the LA Times wrote “36% more cremations were done at taxpayers' expense.”

High risks posed by cellphone use while driving a car

America’s road agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, withheld data about a study of high risks of cellphone use while driving a car since 2003.   This 6-years old study show that driving a car and talking on a cellphone was a serious threat on America’s streets. 

The agency’s study, as reported by the New York Times and quoted by msnbc.com, has never made into public knowledge because the agency's worries of angering America's Congress.

“We’re looking at a problem that could be as bad as drunk driving…”

“…a cellphone conversation itself, not just holding the phone, takes drivers’ focus off the road, studies showed…”

“Research shows that motorists talking on a phone are four times as likely to crash as other drivers, and are as likely to cause an accident as someone with a .08 blood alcohol content.”

New iPhone app to locates marijuana spots in America

Cannabis Apps is a new iPhone app to locate a place that sells marijuana (the app costs about $2.99).  There are about thirteen states in America that legalized the distribution of marijuana for medical reason.

According to Cannabis Apps website, this new iPhone app has some of the following features:

Locate Medical Cannabis Collectives and Cooperatives
Locate Doctors and Clinics
Locate Attorneys and Organizations
Search by City
Search by Zip

Cellphone texting risks in America

Many dangerous drivers in America today, it’s not because of bad driving records, however, it’s due to distractions caused by cellphone texting while driving their cars in full speed.   Majority large states (incl. California and New York) have banned handheld cellphone while driving, and now several states are going to disallow texting as well.

As New York Times wrote:

“A 2003 Harvard study estimated that cellphone distractions caused 2,600 traffic deaths every year, and 330,000 accidents that result in moderate or severe injuries.”

“…Fourteen states have passed measures to ban texting while driving…”

“Over all, cellphone use has soared. From 1995 to 2008, the number of wireless subscribers in the United States increased eightfold, to 270 million, and minutes talked rose 58-fold.”

The world's oldest man died in his sleep at the age of 113

A veteran of the World War I, Henry Allingham, died in his sleep on July 18 early morning.  He was the world's oldest man at the age of 113.  

Allingham was born in East London in 1896.  According to dailymail.co.uk, Allingham was married to his wife Dorothy who already died several years ago for more than 50 years.  This old couple had five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great-grandchildren and one great-great-great-grandchild.

Young British school girl caught a monster fish

During a fishing trip with her father, a young British girl caught a monster fish at Ebro River in North-East Spain.  As reported by dailymail.co.uk, the 11-year-old little girl, Jessica Wanstall, caught a monster fish that was twice her weight and twice her height.  The monster catfish was measured about 9ft long and weighing over 190 lb.

Cellphone anyone? It's free in Colorado

Low-income residences of Colorado who rely their life on welfare and government food stamps will soon receive a free wireless phone provided by TracFone Wireless, a company who is based in Miami.  Colorado will be the number 17th state who gives free phone to its residence in America.

As Denver Post wrote “the money — more than $800 million in subsidies were paid last year for low-income phone service across the country — comes from the Universal Service Fund, a tax on all telephone lines. Of that amount, Coloradans received nearly $3.2 million in low-income subsidies.”

Hurricanes killer

While Bill Gates, the Microsoft Corp boss, has not been able to find a Google killer, however, he could find hurricanes killer.  The richest man in the planet and a team of scientists and engineers has applied a patent to deploy a mechanical engine to drain warm water in the surface of ocean thru long tubes.  These long tubes will suck cool water from below surface of ocean to the top of ocean.

As reported by New Orleans local news: “…Some variations have the water moving through turbines on their way down, which would in turn generate electricity to suck up the cooler water…”

“…As many as 200 vessels could be placed strategically in the predicted path of a hurricane, and they could be designed to be reused or to sink in place and decompose underwater. The vessels could be moved into place by towing or by dropping from airplanes…”

Internet to Extra Terrestrial (ET)

For the main character of 1982 all time box office record movie, Extra Terrestrial (ET) can call home faster using a new Internet protocol developed by the University of Colorado at Boulder and NASA.  The technology is known as Disruption Tolerant Networking, or DTN, which connects Earth's Internet into outer space.

As reported by the University of Colorado at Boulder news: "...the new technology will enable NASA and other space agencies around the world to better communicate with international fleets of spacecraft that will be used to explore the moon and Mars in the future..."

ET Internet

Microsoft Office 2010: it's free to 400 million users with a Windows Live ID

Microsoft announced the availability of Microsoft Office 2010 at Worldwide Partner Conference 2009 in New Orleans on Monday, July 13, 2009.

According to Microsoft’s press release, there are three ways to access the new Office Web applications:
(1) Free access to 400 million users who login with a Windows Live ID to utilize Office Web
(2) Paid access to 90 million subscribers who use thru corporate licensing
(3) Paid access as an add-on via Microsoft Online Services on a hosted package

Teen girl cellphone texting and fell into smelly sewage in New York

A teenager girl was walking and texting in the same time, and somehow she fell into a deep street manhole.  She dropped into smelly sewage and suffered deep cuts and bruises.  The manhole was open while two New York City public workers prepared to unblock the sewer and plumbing system in the area.

“… she also did admit she was texting at the time…”

Teen texting

Car license plate readers

As economy continues to worsen in California with increasing crime rates such as thefts and burglaries, a small town of 8,800 people near San Francisco, Tiburon, is planning to install several cameras on the city streets to read car license plate. 

“The readers, which use character recognition software, can compare plates to databases of cars that have been stolen or linked to crimes, then immediately notify police of matches, said Police Chief Michael Cronin.”

The cost of installing such cameras on city’s streets is about $100,000.  If the city police department will get the city council approval, those cameras will be placed on major streets this fall.

California car license plate readers

Barack’s wandering eyes . . . oh . . . dear . . .

It’s so hard for a powerful man in the planet who committed relationship to keep his wandering eyes in check.  This was occurred during the photo session at the G8 summit in Italy.  A 17-year-old Brazilian hottie, Mayara Tavares, certainly grabbed the attention of several world leaders, including American President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

More cars were sold in China than in America during the first six months of 2009

From January to June 2009, over 6.1 million cars were sold in China.  At the same period of time, only 4.8 million cars were purchased in America.   Automobile experts believed that there will be between 10 million to 11 million vehicles to be sold in China this year, compared to America’s sales this year to only 9.7 million cars.

January to June 2009 Cars Sales

Massive cyber attacks hit American government websites since 4th of July Independence Day

Several American government websites, including State, Treasury, and Transportation were attacted by unidentified hackers since Americans celebrating 4th of July holiday.  Many business websites are still crippled by the latest attack.  Some computer experts in South Korea, as reported by bloomberg.com, blamed North Korea for this massive attack.

Britain’s medical laboratory can produce human sperm and men will soon be obsolete

A breakthrough research at Newcastle University and the NorthEast England Stem Cell Institute has given hope to couples who want children while they cannot produce sperm on their own, especially for men who are infertile due to cancer treatment.  A team of scientists at this stem cell lab has produced “'fully mature, functional sperm' in their initial finding, while they are investigating reasons that affecting infertile in certain group of people.

Mobile porn booming in Japan

Most Japanese mobile users pay about 6,300 yen ($66 US Dollar) per month to their providers for unlimited phone and mobile web access.   With the ulimited access plan, many users download and watch movies on their mobile phones or mobile devices.   Adult movie is the fastest growing segment among all mobile streaming in Japan today.

According to bloomberg.com, several large mobile providers, including NTT DoCoMo Inc. and KDDI Corp., have started to enforce limits on top bandwidth users as the Japanese mobile network continues to slowing down during peak hours.  Fans accessing mobile porn movies have continued to grow significantly since the introduction of third generation high speed mobile web services in 2001.  According to Juniper Research Ltd., as reported by bloomberg.com, “global revenue from pornography on mobile devices will more than double to $4.9 billion in the five years to 2013.”   Yusuke Tsunoda of Tokai Tokyo Securities Co., as quoted in bloomberg.com, said “pornography will eventually open a debate about how carriers should modify their business model as data traffic swells.”

94 Million Euros Man (131 Million US Dollars)

A former Manchester United player and current Portuguese striker, Cristiano Ronaldo, is now the the world's highest-paid soccer player.  He signed a six-year contract with Spanish Real Madrid which is worth 94 million euros.  Ronaldo will be officially showed to public in Santiago Bernabeu stadium by the Spanish Real Madrid on Monday, July 6th. 

(photo: madridgalacticos.com)

Red-light district bank to help brothel house owners and prostitutes in the Netherland

As part of city’s redevelopment project to improve the sex district of De Wallen in the Netherland, local officials have been pursued banks to help brothel house owners and sex workers to get access to financial institutions. As reported by reuters.com:

"Up until now, it's been very difficult for people in the sex industry to get credit with the banks”

"For them it is a hazard that they can not get regular credit or help or mortgages or anything from a regular bank"

The sex district of De Wallen is famous for its brothels housing many prostitutes in small glass windows.  Although the sex trade is being legal in the Netherland, many local banks hesitate to doing business with prostitutes.