Amazing choir makes it rain with their hands: Then beatboxes Africa by Toto

Driver Wears Monkey Mask to Beat Speed Cameras

Valley Monkey Has 37 Unpaid Photo-Enforcement Tickets; Actually He's Just a Dude in a Mask Who Won't Pay the Tickets

By James King

DPS Believes that Dave Vontesmar is the "man behind the mask" in 37 photo radar photos

​If you live in the Valley of the Sun, you probably have a trick or two to avoid getting busted by the speed cameras we all love so much. Some people just know exactly where they are, some buy devices to mask their license plates, and one man, police say, resorted to wearing a mask.

The man, according to police, is Dave Vontesmar.

Police say Vontesmar is the man behind the mask in at least 37 photo-radar tickets, where the driver can be seen wearing a mask to hide his identity.

Vontesmar says it's not him, despite being the owner of the car, but police disagree.

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Dave Vontesmar, seen here, is believed by DPS to be the man behind the mask, responsible for at least 37 photo radar tickets

​

"Our officers actually conducted surveillance on him and observed him putting the mask on just prior to the photo-enforcement zone. So obviously, he intended on speeding through the zone and was covering his face intentionally," DPS Lieutenant Steve Harrison tells 92.3 KTAR. "He had two masks. One appeared to be [of] a monkey, the other one appeared to be [of] a giraffe or some type of gazelle design."

Vontesmar tells the Arizona Republic that he is refusing to pay the tickets

"Not one of them there is a picture where you can identify the driver," Vontesmar said. "The ball's in their court. I sent back all these ones I got with a copy of my drivers license, and said, 'It's not me. I'm not paying them.' "

Harrison says this is no laughing matter

Umm, yes it is.There's a guy cruising around town evading police by wearing a monkey mask; if that's not a laughing matter, what is?

Here's an idea; maybe DPS officers should go back to actually pulling people over, like in the old days. It may be difficult to nail this driver by claiming -- through speed-camera pics -- that he must be the man behind the chimp get-up.

Meet Global Hawk: The New Rolls-Royce of Spy Planes

Predator & Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft #7 Combat Tech - watch more videos

The MQ-1 Predator is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, unmanned aircraft system The MQ-1's primary mission is interdiction and conducting armed reconnaissance against critical, perishable targets. When the MQ-1 is not ... more >

The MQ-1 Predator is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, unmanned aircraft system The MQ-1's primary mission is interdiction and conducting armed reconnaissance against critical, perishable targets. When the MQ-1 is not actively pursuing its primary mission, it acts as the Joint Forces Air Component Commander-owned theater asset for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in support of the Joint Forces commander. Features: The MQ-1 Predator is a system, not just an aircraft. A fully operational system consists of four aircraft (with sensors), a ground control station, a Predator Primary Satellite Link, or PPSL, along with operations and maintenance crews for deployed 24-hour operations. The basic crew for the Predator is one pilot and two sensor operators. They fly the aircraft from inside the ground control station via a line-of-sight data link or a satellite data link for beyond line-of-sight flight. The aircraft is equipped with a color nose camera (generally used by the pilot for flight control), a day variable-aperture TV camera, a variable-aperture infrared camera (for low light/night), and other sensors as the mission requires. The cameras produce full-motion video. The MQ-1 Predator carries the Multi-spectral Targeting System which integrates electro-optical, infrared, laser designator and laser illuminator into a single sensor package. The aircraft can employ two laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles.

Liposuction Fat Turned Into Stem Cells, Study Says

John Roach
for National Geographic News

A woman poses for a 2004 National Geographic magazine cover story.

Human fat can be a source of stem cells, a September 2009 study says. For example, someday it may be possible to grow new organs for patients from their own fat—and even thin people have enough fat for such a procedure, researchers say.

Photograph by Karen Kasmauski

September 8, 2009 Using leftovers from liposuction patients, scientists have turned human fat into stem cells, a new study says.

The new method is much more efficient than a previous practice that used skin cells, researchers say.

The discovery may also help avoid the controversy spawned by the use of stem cells from human embryos. (See stem cell research pictures.)

Human fat is "an abundant natural resource and a renewable one," said Stanford University plastic surgeon Michael Longaker, whose liposuction patients donated the fat for the study.

Longaker envisions a future in which doctors will be able to use fat from a patient to grow, in a lab, new tissues and organs for that patient.

The opportunity wouldn't be limited to the obese.

"Even if you're in great shape, there is still enough fat to be harvested from the vast majority of patients," added Longaker, who co-authored the study.

From Fat to Stem Cells to New Organs?

The reprogrammed cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, are capable of turning into most types of cells in the body.

Scientists are keen to obtain these cells to study disease and, one day, use them to grow new tissue and replacement organs.

Previously, researchers had shown that they could derive this type of stem cell from ordinary skin cells.

But the fat technique is about twice as fast and 20 times more efficient, said Joseph Wu, the study's senior author.

"We can get iPS-like colonies, basically, in about 16 days, compared to 28 days to 32 days using [skin]," said Wu, a Stanford stem cell expert. "And if you count the number of colonies in [skin] versus fat ... we get about 20 times more the number of iPS colonies."

The research appears online today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Reprogramming Cells

To create the stem cells, the scientists injected Trojan horse-like viruses into smooth muscle cells found in fat that surrounds blood vessels. Once inside, the viruses introduced genes that reprogrammed the cells, spurring them to grow into new forms.

Previously, this process had required growing the stem cells in a culture dish with nutrients from mouse cells. This had raised alarms about the potential for contamination from mouse proteins—a potential obstacle to government approval, Longaker, the plastic surgeon, said.

That the new method works at all is "somewhat surprising" and remains something of a mystery, Longaker said.

Sidestepping Stem Cell Controversy

The fat and skin methods allow researchers to sidestep the ethical controversy over the use of embryonic stem cells from cell lines originally harvested from unused human embryos from in vitro fertilization clinics.

In addition, Longaker noted, tissue or organs grown from a patient's own stem cells should be less likely to be rejected by the body.

The speediness of the fat method, in particular, could be lifesaving, he added.

For example, if a surgeon wanted to implant new heart tissue—derived from a heart attack victim's own fat—into a patient, the doctor might have only a short time before scar tissue would compromise the operation.

If he or she were able to generate the tissue within a few weeks, Longaker said, that "would be a big deal."

New Line Must Give Tolkien Estate $100 Million in Profits

By Matthew Belloni and Eriq Gardner

Today's resolution of the litigation between New Line Cinema and the estate of author J.R.R. Tolkien (right) over “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy is shaping up as one of the biggest profit participation settlements in Hollywood history.

Two independent sources with knowledge of the deal pegged the value to the Tolkiens and co-plaintiff Harper Collins at well over $100 million.

Reps for the Tolkien estate and New Line parent Warner Bros. would not comment on the terms, citing a confidentiality agreement.

“We deeply value the contributions of the Tolkien novels to the success of our films and are pleased to have put this litigation behind us,” said Alan Horn, president and chief operating officer of Warner Bros. Entertainment.

The settlement heads off a scheduled October trial between heirs of the “Rings” author and New Line, which released film adaptations in 2001-2003. The trilogy grossed $3 billion in worldwide theatrical boxoffice, plus an estimated $3 billion from DVD, TV licensing and merchandise sales.

The deal also paves the way for Warner Bros. and MGM to move forward with two planned films based on Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” which will be executive produced by “Rings” director Peter Jackson and directed by Guillermo del Toro.

The Tolkiens sued New Line in February 2008 claiming the family trust was paid only $62,500 for the right to make the three films and was owed 7.5 percent of gross receipts. The family initially sought $150 million but that figure was revised upward to $220 million during the litigation.

The suit echoed similar cases brought against New Line by Jackson and “Rings” producer Saul Zaentz. Those cases settled for more than $20 million apiece after both Jackson and Zaentz publicly feuded with former New Line co-topper Bob Shaye. Warners inherited the Tolkien litigation when New Line was absorbed in March 2008.

A major beneficiary of Tuesday’s settlement is the Tolkien Trust, the U.K.-based charity controlled by the family. “The Trustees regret that legal action was necessary, but are glad that this dispute has been settled on satisfactory terms that will allow the Tolkien Trust properly to pursue its charitable objectives,” trustee Christopher Tolkien said in a statement.

Tolkien lead attorney Bonnie Eskenazi said the family felt “vindicated and satisfied” with the settlement.

The nine-figure deal resolves a potentially disastrous situation for Warners and MGM on “Hobbit.” The Tolkiens argued in the litigation that New Line’s failure to pay profits was a material breach of contract, which, if proven, would allow the family to terminate a grant of rights. A hearing on that key issue was scheduled for next week.

“The Trustees acknowledge that New Line may now proceed with its proposed films of ‘The Hobbit,’ ” Christopher Tolkien said.

Jackson was also eager to move forward with the project. At Comic-Con in July, he told fans that he was close to delivering a script for the project, with budgeting and casting soon to follow.

Cops find man isn't dead, just a slob

BY Jonathan Lemire and Bill Egbert
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

DelMundo for News

Ray West stands next to neighbor Ming Li Sung's trash-filled flat in Ravenswood Houses in Long Island City, Queens.

The awful stench coming from a Queens apartment on Monday was so bad that cops thought they would find a body inside.

But when firefighters busted down the the door, they found tenant Ming Li Sung was very much alive - and living with rotting garbage piled floor to ceiling.

"When they started trying to clear away some of the trash to get in, he popped up inside, yelling, 'Get out! Get out!'" said Ray West, who lives across the hall.

Cops first noticed the horrible smell when they were called to the Ravenswood Houses in Long Island City in the early morning for a domestic dispute.

"They thought he was DOA," said West.

The apartment looked like a landfill, with trash jammed top to bottom and pressing up against the flat's front door and rear window.

A broken fan, an old watering can and scores of sodden plastic grocery bags stuffed with wet garbage could be seen among the detritus.

When an FDNY haz-mat team arrived to start excavating the garbage, an army of cockroaches poured out into the second-floor hallway, West said.

"The police were throwing up," West said.

Sung, 69, was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center for psychiatric evaluation, police said. He does not face any charges.

Sung's next-door neighbors have moved out because of the smell, which had been a problem for years, West said. He and his wife, Robin McNeil, are still on a long waiting list for a transfer.

"We're stuck here," said West, a veteran who returned just over a year ago from 18 months fighting in Afghanistan, only to spend his time fighting city bureaucrats over the rancid stench.

West said he called 311, the city Housing Authority and even the Health Department to complain, but he kept getting bounced from agency to agency.

"Everybody kept saying, 'We don't deal with that' and told me I had to call somebody else," he said.

Social workers would visit, but Sung wouldn't answer the door. A year ago the city took some action, according to West, but to little effect.

"They took him to Bellevue to get evaluated," West said, "but then they sent him back here."

The Housing Authority never made a serious effort to clean out the rotting refuse, said McNeil, who has lived at Ravenswood Houses for six years. Sometimes conditions were so bad that dead flies would accumulate on the hallway floor.

"All Housing would do was come and sweep them up," McNeil said.

McNeil was pregnant with twins - the couple's first children - but she miscarried in May. West thinks the overwhelming stench and the stress may have played a role.

"We have to follow the law and respect the rights of the tenant," Housing Authority spokeswoman Lynn Godfrey said late yesterday. She added: "We have a crew out there now to tackle the situation."

wegbert@nydailynews.com

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/real_estate/2009/09/08/2009-09-08_cops_find_queens_man_isnt_dead_just_slob.html#ixzz0QddJj360

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Climate Change to Have Staggering Impact on French Wine Producing Pedigree

By ClimateBiz Staff

BURGUNDY, France — A wine producing culture and industry that took centuries to cultivate may evaporate if nothing is done to address climate change, a new report has found.

Warmer temperatures and new diseases may displace French vineyards -- known for their prized Champagnes, Burgundies and Bordeaux -- by as much as 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from their traditional boundaries, according to “Impacts of Climate Change on Wine in France,” a report released by Greenpeace Friday.

Wine is the country’s largest export and second biggest crop. A reflection of the region’s soil and centuries-long production know-how, the country's celebrated wines would be subjected to warmer temperatures that would significantly alter the growing season, namely early harvests.

In Burgundy, for example, the home to some of the world’s most sought-after Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, harvests are taking place between 12 and 13 days later now, compared to the 1973-1987 time frame. In some areas of Burgundy, the period of ripening to maturity is 10 days shorter.

Warmer weather may have a beneficial effect on wines “not currently of the highest quality,” but will negatively impact those already producing the best quality wines. Productivity, for example, may increase, which can damage quality, while other side effects may include excessive sugar and acidity levels.

The report uses the example of the potential impacts on the French wine industry to advocate for an international climate treaty to succeed the Kyoto Protocol. World leaders are holding a series of negotiations in a bid to reach an agreement later this year.

“Climate change will cause serious impacts in France,” the report concluded. “But the consequences of global warming will be felt even harder in other parts of the world and developing countries are already experiencing the most severe effects of global warming. While it is clear that the economic development of industrialized nations is largely responsible for climate change, emerging countries will be the most strongly hit by its impacts in the coming decades.“

French winemakers joined Greenpeace and chefs earlier this month in calling upon French President Nicolas Sarkozy to forge a strong climate change deal in Copenhagen. According to a New York Times article, some experts warn European wine makers must adapt their techniques over the next two decades to prepare for altered growing conditions.

Image CC licensed by Flickr user Philip Larson.

Germany's New AIDS Ad — Starring Hitler

By Tristana Moore / Berlin

Germany's latest AIDS-awareness commercial evokes some strong emotions: shock, disgust, nausea. And that's exactly the point. The controversial ad, which was released online on Sept. 3 and starts running on German TV on Wednesday, Sept. 9, shows a couple having steamy sex in a dimly lit room with menacing music playing in the background. The viewer sees only the back of the man's head until the very end, when the camera pans to his face — to reveal that he's Adolf Hitler. Then the slogan flashes across the screen: "AIDS is a mass murderer."

Photos

Africa's AIDS Crisis

It's a strong message, but HIV/AIDS organizations in Germany are arguing over whether it's the right one. Rainbow, the AIDS-awareness group spearheading the campaign — which also includes newspaper ads and posters featuring the images of other dictators, like Stalin and Saddam Hussein — says it deliberately wants to provoke people, especially young Germans, into using condoms to help prevent the spread of HIV. "We want to give this terrible virus a face," Jan Schwertner, spokesman for Rainbow, tells TIME. "AIDS is a forgotten issue in Germany. It's been swept under the carpet. This shock campaign is necessary to get people thinking again." (See pictures of Hitler's rise to power.)

But the use of Hitler's image — always a highly sensitive topic in Germany — has angered mainstream HIV/AIDS organizations, which say the ad stigmatizes HIV sufferers. On Tuesday, Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe, an umbrella group for HIV counseling centers and Germany's biggest AIDS organization, called the video "disgusting" and demanded an immediate end to the campaign. "The video ridicules all victims of the Nazi regime, and it equates HIV-positive people with mass murderers," says spokeswoman Carolin Vierneisel. "The advertising campaign just relies on provoking anxiety among people. That's the wrong approach. Successful HIV prevention is based on factual information about the risks of HIV transmission and encourages people to use condoms." (Read "The Battle in Uganda Over Female Condoms.")

Germans need the encouragement — the facts about HIV rates in the country are alarming. According to Rainbow's research, eight people become infected with HIV in Germany every day. Across the country, 60,000 people are living with HIV. To help explain the advertisement's shock tactics, the campaign's website states, "Over the past number of years, public interest in AIDS has massively declined. The number of victims, however, has not. As of now, over 28 million people worldwide have died. And every day another 5,000 fatalities are added to that number. This makes AIDS one of the largest mass murderers of all time."

The ads will be shown in German cinemas and broadcast on TV starting on Wednesday, aiming for maximum impact. The agency that created the commercials, Hamburg-based Das Comitee, has robustly defended the campaign, pointing out that the video has already had thousands of viewings since last Thursday, when it was posted on video-sharing sites like YouTube. "We need to warn young people about the dangers of AIDS and the risks of unprotected sex," says creative director Hans Weishäupl. "AIDS is the mass murderer of the 21st century, and we have to show people how awful it is." He adds that he's received a lot of positive feedback on the commercials from young people and their parents. (See pictures of Kristallnacht.)

Weishäupl agrees that his agency's methods are controversial but insists that the end justifies the means. "It's the message that counts, and of course it was provocative to use the picture of Hitler," he says. "But how would you visualize a terrible virus?"

See TIME's Hitler covers.

Web goes nuts for 'Crasher Squirrel'

By Chris Welch
CNN

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (CNN) -- Melissa and Jackson Brandts knew right away that the photo from their recent trip to Canada was a good one.

Melissa and Jackson Brandts were taking a photo of themselves when the squirrel popped up.

However, it wasn't until the world -- and National Geographic -- took notice that they realized exactly how good.

Now, after submitting it to the magazine's online "Your Shot" contest (http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/your-shot/your-shot), the Minnesota couple's photo is set to grace the pages of the magazine's November issue. It's appeared on the Web sites of news outlets around the world, and the squirrel -- now dubbed "Crasher Squirrel" -- even has its own Wikipedia entry of the same moniker.

Melissa Brandts and her husband Jackson were hiking in Banff National Park the last week in May when they decided to set up their camera and use their wireless remote shutter for a few shots of the two of them. They were getting situated on the rocky shore near Lake Minnewanka when the now-iconic critter stopped by for a visit.

"The little squirrel had been running around while we were getting the shot set up," Brandts said in a phone interview Tuesday. "I was joking with my husband that I hoped he was friendly because he was getting awful close and kind of scampering around our feet and stuff."

Friendly? You might say so. It was also a bit timid and perhaps even indecisive because it soon scurried away and then, just as quickly, rushed back again.

"Photogenic" might also be a good word to use to describe it.

Don't Miss

• National Geographic -- Your Shot

"All of a sudden he popped back up because he heard the shutter releasing, the clicking of the camera. The only thing we can figure is that he thought it was going to give him food or something," Brandts said.

"He popped right up and looked right into the camera, and we were laughing so hard because we were like 'get it, get it!' and we were trying to get the remote to fire. So we got a couple of pictures -- took a couple of pictures with him there, and then he ducked down and proceeded to run away."

The resulting image exceeded all expectations.

"We didn't realize how good it was until we got back to the hotel that night and downloaded it to my husband's computer, and when we could see it on the full screen we were like, 'Whoa, are you serious?'"

"We had no idea it was going to turn out exactly like it did with him being in perfect focus, us being out of focus, and then us just laughing in the background. We weren't sure if he'd be standing like in front of one of us or something like that."

An international phenomenon

Brandts said she and her husband showed the photo to their friends and family, and were subsequently incessantly prodded to "do something" with it.

For months the two weren't sure what that something could be. That changed, however, when the latest issue of National Geographic arrived in the mail.

"I saw the 'Your Shot' contest, which of course I knew existed, but I had never thought of entering one of my own pictures into it," Brandts said. "I thought, 'This is what I'm going to do!'"

Brandts said she submitted it on August 5 and by August 13 it was NationalGeopgrahic.com's photo of the day.

"Things just kind of spun out of control from there."

The photo was soon published in the pages of two national Canadian newspapers, and Brandts received calls from a friend in South Korea who'd seen it on a local South Korean news Web site.

The couple has since appeared on NBC's "Today" show, as well as the Twin Cities' local affiliate KARE.

And now that it's been selected for publication in the November issue of National Geographic, the attention hasn't subsided.

As of this writing Brandts has received Facebook messages from random fans in 29 different countries. The Facebook group "Nuts the Squirrel is a Legend" comes complete with 5,300 fans and counting.

The squirrel is also being used by Banff National Park in advertising on its Web site, and it has created a Banff squirrel Twitter account.

There's even a Web site dubbed "The Squirrelizer," which has apparently been created for people who feel their photos lack a certain "squirrel charm," if you will. The site's tool will paste the squirrel cutout onto any picture uploaded.

Other sites have pasted the squirrel onto various scenes from history, from the D-Day invasion at Normandy to the Apollo moon landing.

And it hasn't stopped there.

"It keeps popping up everywhere, like at my husband's job," Brandts added. "If people are giving him a presentation, all of the sudden they'll have a squirrel pop up."

Authenticity assured

It was during their appearance on "Today" that host Matt Lauer raised questions about the possibility the photo could have been doctored. Brandts assured him, as she did once more for CNN, that the photo is "completely authentic" but said she understood the skepticism because people had originally thought the photo was taken simply with a timer -- as opposed to the remote shutter she used in actuality -- which, if it were the case, would have kept the couple in focus and blurred the squirrel.

"National Geographic looked at the full high-resolution [image, and] realized it was authentic," Brandts said, adding, "You can't make this stuff up."

New Asus Color E-Reader Folds Like a Book

• By Priya Ganapati

Computer maker Asus, known for its line of Eee PC netbooks, is working on an e-book reader that will have two touchscreens and when laid open will resemble a hardcover book.

Asus showed a prototype of the device at the CeBIT trade show in March. But now additional details have trickled out.

An Asus representative confirmed to Wired.com the company will probably show the device at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

Asus’ e-reader will likely have color touchscreens, a speaker, a webcam and a microphone, along with the capability to make inexpensive Skype calls. Despite all those features, Britain’s Sunday Times reports, somewhat unbelievably, that it may be priced lower than its competitors from Sony and Kindle.

The e-reader market is one of the hottest consumer product categories this year. Just the last few months have seen a slew of new product announcements. After introducing Kindle 2, the updated version of its e-reader, Amazon launched a broadsheet reading device called the Kindle DX. Last month Sony introduced a $400 wireless e-reader with a 7-inch screen and cut the price on its older models to offer the cheapest e-book reader in the market. Meanwhile, two other companies — iRex and Plastic Logic — plan to offer new large-screen readers later this year or early next year.

But all e-readers, available and planned, are black and white. Asus’ product will likely be the first to offer a color screen. The move, coupled with unexpected features such as speakers and mic, is the only way the company can stand out in a crowded market.

With dual screens, the new Eee e-reader could give readers a user experience similar to paper books. The device could also offer readers the option of using the second screen to browse a web page. The best part about the device, though, would be the price tag, says the Times report. The cheapest version of the Asus Eee reader could lost about £100, equivalent to $165.

While Asus has a well-deserved reputation for making extremely inexpensive computers, that price may be too low for even it to match, given the promised feature set.

For Asus, getting this mix of features and price right is essential if it has to make a dent in the e-reader market at this stage.

Ludacris Gives Away 20 Cars To Struggling Contest Winners

JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.

Rapper Ludacris smiles as Ella Me Johnson reacts to being presented with keys to her car at Nissan South, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009 in Morrow, Ga.. Ludacris, The Ludacris Foundation and Nissan South partnered to give away 20 used vehicles to selected Metro Atlanta area residents as part of his LudaDay weekend. (AP Photo/Paul Abell)

MORROW, Ga. — Talk about a one-man stimulus package: Grammy-winning rapper Ludacris has given away 20 cars to people who wrote about their struggles to keep their jobs for a lack of wheels of their own.

Ludacris said he was taken aback after reading thousands of essays by people struggling or unable to buy cars needed to get to and from work or find jobs. The 31-year-old rapper felt he could step in and move them ahead, partnering with a suburban Atlanta dealership for Sunday's giveaway.

"People are getting laid off, and now are looking for jobs," Ludacris said. "To be efficient, you need some transportation of your own to get there. That's why I wanted to give back to those who need it."

Each of the used vehicles included free gas for 30 days. Winning contestants were responsible for tags, registration, tax and insurance. About 4,000 contestants submitted a 300-word essay to the rapper's foundation, explaining why they deserved a car.

One of the most touching stories Ludacris read was by Mading Duor.

Duor described how he moved to the United States six years ago after his mother, father, and five brothers and sisters were killed in Sudan. The man also wrote that a son was killed by a drunken driver in Atlanta a few years back.

"His story touched my heart," Ludacris said. "He's endured so much in his life and he's still here standing. I'm very proud to have helped him."

Duor, 33, has been able to keep a steady job at a school, but each day he felt stressed about how he was going to get to work. No longer.

Surfers prepare for the big bore

Surfers from around the country ride the Severn Bores

Surfers are travelling from across the country to Gloucestershire to ride some of the biggest Severn Bores this year.

The bore is caused by the incoming tide being funnelled up the narrowing Severn Estuary, and on Saturday one of the biggest of the season is expected.

Steve King, one of the surfers, said the unpredictable nature of the bore was all part of the excitement.

"Every day it changes, although you can predict the tide you never know how big the wave will be or what shape."

Mr King took to the river on Friday morning just after dawn to get some practice in ahead of Saturday's tide.

He said: "We managed just over two miles on Friday's bore. It wasn't a bad tide especially towards Gloucester when the wave started to pick up."

BBC meteorologist, Richard Angwin said Friday morning's bore was enhanced by the brisk winds blowing up the river, helping to build the tidal wave.

"Although tomorrow's [Saturday's] predicted southerly winds will not help in the same way, the bore itself is predicted to be slightly stronger so it should be just as good," he added.

Egyptian temples followed heavenly plans

The Karnak temple in Luxor was laid out to coordinate with astronomical events (Image: Hisham Ibrahim / Getty)

ANCIENT Egyptian temples were aligned so precisely with astronomical events that people could set their political, economic and religious calendars by them. So finds a study of 650 temples, some dating back to 3000 BC.

For example, New Year coincided with the moment that the winter-solstice sun hit the central sanctuary of the Karnak temple (pictured) in present-day Luxor, says archaeological astronomer Juan Belmonte of the Canaries Astrophysical Institute in Tenerife, Spain.

Hieroglyphs on temple walls have hinted at the use of astronomy in temple architecture, including depictions of the "stretching of the cord" ceremony in which the pharaoh marked out the alignment for the temple with string. But there had been little evidence to support the drawings. Belmonte and Mosalam Shaltout of the Helwan Observatory in Cairo found that the temples are all aligned according to an astronomically significant event, such as a solstice or equinox, or the rising of Sirius, the brightest star in the sky (Advances in Space Research, DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2009.03.033).

"Somebody would have had to go to the prospective site during a solar, stellar or lunar event - as we did - to mark out the position that the temple axis should take," Belmonte says. "For the most important temples, this may well have been the pharaoh, as the temple drawings show."

Interview with Bobcat Goldthwait, Writer/Director of World's Greatest Dad

Posted by Turk182

Bobcat Goldthwait doesn't make movies for the masses. Love them or hate them, you have to respect that his films are not prepackaged creations designed to fit some concept of the popular aesthetic. Like any filmmaker, he wants to connect with an audience, but he is first and foremost interested in making films that he would want to see. Most great filmmakers are. Goldthwait’s World's Greatest Dad is easily his best film to date and one that displays a confidence and awareness that comes with decades of moviemaking experience. He sat down for a spirited and incredibly enjoyable conversation in Chicago this week.

by Brian Tallerico

**********

MovieRetriever: When you took World’s Greatest Dad to Sundance and the response was so overwhelmingly positive, were you surprised?

BOBCAT GOLDTHWAIT: Yeah because the last movie I had there, during the press screening, the projector broke down. (Laughs.) I'm just glad that it's been getting a favorable response. I'm fully aware that this movie has a lot of hurdles. If you heard what it was about, you would think that it was a slob comedy and my involvement and Robin. We both come with a lot of baggage. And then the name too. I don't think the name helps us much.

Bobcat Goldthwait on the set of World's Greatest Dad.

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

MovieRetriever: Then why choose the name?

GOLDTHWAIT: I thought it was funny when I wrote it. (Laughs.) I thought it was funny, I just think people's perception of, once again, Robin and myself, they think it's going to be a "wacky comedy."

MovieRetriever: There's an interesting line at the beginning where Lance expresses more interest in fame than creative fulfillment.

GOLDTHWAIT: He's saying that he wants success, but in a very cartoony way we see into his psyche what he's really imagining, which is that he'd be popular and have women and money. In my mind, Lance is writing for the wrong reasons. He's trying to ... to try and make stuff artistically and you're thinking of how it's going to affect other people and the repercussions is ... well, I shouldn't say that ... trying to make art for fame and money and all that is really silly. Trying to make stuff to connect with other people is a valid way to make stuff.

MovieRetriever: And the first line of your director's statement is "When I make a movie my only goal is to get to see it projected in front of an audience." But that's more of a connection standpoint than a fame standpoint.

GOLDTHWAIT: Oh, definitely. When it works for people, it's really exciting. I think people find it hard to believe that when I'm writing, I'm not saying "Oh, this will make a lot of money. Oh, this will make me really successful." Those are the furthest things from my mind. I think if I was really trying to make a lot of money, I would try and write a Judd Apatow movie .... or worse ... I'm not really interested in that.

MovieRetriever: But it raises an interesting idea about writing for yourself versus trying to appeal to an audience and how you balance the two. What's more important – if you like it or if the audience likes it?

GOLDTHWAIT: It's definitely ... I'm trying to make movies that I would go to.

MovieRetriever: You have to satisfy yourself first.

GOLDTHWAIT: Yeah. If it works for other people, that's awesome, but I spent most of my career just reacting to whatever was offered me or trying to pursue the things that Lance is trying to pursue – meet women and get rich. (Laughs.) It doesn't work and it's not very fulfilling.

Robin Williams in World's Greatest Dad.

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

MovieRetriever: When and how did you realize that?

GOLDTHWAIT: I realized that when I had all those things that Lance wants. I had the cute girl that's half-in and half-out of the relationship with me. I did have fame and all of that. It never felt right. It never felt right. It always felt really strange. I'm glad I had a persona to hide from ... wait, Freudian slip ... hide BEHIND all those years because it doesn't feel right or good.

MovieRetriever: But now that you've ditched that persona, don't you feel more comfortable?

GOLDTHWAIT: I'm much happier. It's funny. The cynical person who blogs or comments is going to say, "Well, he says he's happier now but...." I read a comment that was like, "That's what someone says when they've made mistakes and burned bridges and they're not happy." It's like, "No, I'm happier now pursuing the things that make me happy." If you've convinced yourself that making money makes you happy, it doesn't. In our culture, people aren't really encouraged to be fulfilled.

MovieRetriever: Especially in celebrity.

GOLDTHWAIT: Yeah. Look, as soon as Howie Mandel hit with that game show, I was offered three pilots and they would have all been for a lot of money. I turned those down not because I'm above it but because I knew that it wasn't going to make me happy. It's not very fulfilling. To have strangers come up and say, "I saw ‘Who's Your Daddy?’ last night and the other guy should have won." I would have put a gun in my mouth. I do stand-up to pay the bills and I've been offered reality shows. I make these tiny, personal movies. I think the mentality that every movie you make is trying to reach the broadest audience [is wrong]. I don't really want to talk to anybody that goes and sees studio comedies. If you write a review of studio comedies, I have nothing in common with you. I couldn't imagine going to any of those movies. I was reading one of those movies and someone was like "This is my pet peeve – that they used something that was in Bring It On and Mean Girls." It's like, "I would rather have someone shoot me in the face than see Bring It On and Mean Girls. I don't even know what the f**k you're talkng about. You're an adult. You went and saw Mean Girls and now you're going to write about it. Seriously?"

MovieRetriever: Well, we do it so we can...

GOLDTHWAIT: Well, if you're FORCED to see them. I understand if it's your job. Look, there's a lot of comedy clubs I don't like playing and that's what I do for a living. I understand that, but to weigh in on those movies as if there's good ones, that's crazy.

MovieRetriever: My theory is that you have to see the sh*t to know what's good.

GOLDTHWAIT: Right. And you're going to stumble across ones that surprise. I remember seeing the first Tremors and loving that movie unexpectedly.

Poster art for World's Greatest Dad.

MovieRetriever: And, to be honest, to tell people about little films like yours, you have to cover the big ones.

GOLDTHWAIT: It's not like I'm back-peddling but there's so many movies made solely with absolutely no voice in the movie. It's nobody's idea. It's just solely to get made to make money to perpetuate fame and they're not about anything.

MovieRetriever: I completely agree and would like to think that I can help people avoid them.

GOLDTHWAIT: (Laughs.) Look, I've been IN plenty of them. But, you know, it's only as a middle-aged man that I looked around and said, "What the f**k am I doing?" You know what's kind of funny now? Now that I've made a couple comedies that worked for some people, Hollywood reaches out a bit because they think "We could get Bob and we could FIX him." The guy who runs some company that made some new movie – He owns a company that wanted to acquire this movie and re-edit it. That's retarded. You would think that a fellow filmmaker would realize that it's all subjective. It's like, "Dude, give me an AVID and a couple days with your film and I'll see what I could do with it." What a knucklehead.

MovieRetriever: I read in another interview that you thought of the ending of this film first. Can you let our readers know the origin of the project?

GOLDTHWAIT: I wanted it to be about a guy who grows up and doesn't do what's expected of him because he's convinced himself that it would make him happy. The only reason that Lance is rewarded by the end is that he's willing to be alone. That's really scary to most people – the idea of being alone. And then the reward is that he ends up with people in his life who like him and are supportive.

MovieRetriever: Whenever a writer makes a film about a writer, one has to wonder how much of the creator is in the character. How much of you is in Lance?

GOLDTHWAIT: About a day in, Robin just goes, "I'm playing you." And I was like, "Yeah." There's a ton of Lance in me. I just spent a good portion of my adult life thinking "Oh, poor me. I'm not getting a break." I realized that none of these things that I was pursuing were going to ever really make me happy – relationships or work.

Bobcat Goldthwait (left) and Robin Williams in World's Greatest Dad.

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

MovieRetriever: If it's you, would you ever consider directing yourself in a movie?

GOLDTHWAIT: No. I really, really, really take making movies seriously and I want to put all of my energy into being the best writer and director I can be and I think it would be distracting. I make a cameo and it wasn't even really to be cute. Guillermo from the Kimmel show was supposed to play that part and he couldn't get the day off. He was doing a remote in Florida and I was in Seattle. I scrambled and held auditions that didn't go very well. I put myself in and I think it's funny how much I choked when the door opened up and it was Robin. (Laughs.) It was like The Chris Farley Show.

MovieRetriever: Did you write the part for Robin?

GOLDTHWAIT: No, no. I really would have stayed away from "poetry teacher who faces tragedy." (Laughs.) He really is one of the greatest actors in the world. I can't explain what really makes him good. It isn't just the empathy that people feel. It's so tiny and so natural. That's really the genius. It's the tiny moments that really....

MovieRetriever: Did you allow Robin input into his character?

GOLDTHWAIT: The reality is that there's a lot of ad-libbing but it's much more collaborative. You sit there and say, "What about this and that?" It's not just Robin. The kids asking questions about Kyle – I had written stuff but it just didn't work. So, I got all the kids together and let them come up with what they would ask. You trust the people you work with. Especially actors. I never hire anyone who doesn't get what they're doing. You need to get what the whole thing is about or I wouldn't have you on-board. I try not to hire people who just "do what they do" and don't get it.

MovieRetriever: Did Bruce Hornsby (who makes a great cameo) get it?

GOLDTHWAIT: Totally. And if he didn't, it would have come off as snarky. I needed someone that Lance would be a fan of. One of the nice byproducts of this movie is that people have a perception of me that I'm doing my best to change but people also have a perception of Daryl, Robin, Bruce Hornsby ... it's fun to say, "You know, it ain't over."

MovieRetriever: Do you prefer acting or directing?

GOLDTHWAIT: I prefer directing. If I never acted again, I would be really happy. Now that I take directing seriously, I have this whole new respect for actors.

MovieRetriever: What about your acting experience makes you a better director?

GOLDTHWAIT: I really stress that it's comfortable for the actors. On a set, there can be too much calamity. Actors can not feel safe and not feel like they're allowed to try different things or suggest different things. The bond company may want to shut me down, but I'll do another one because it's really terrible to be on a set making a comedy and everything is really stressful.

Alexie Gilmore (from left), Robin Williams, and Zach Sanchez

in World's Greatest Dad. Photo Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

MovieRetriever: Did you have too many uncomfortable set experiences or is there something about it you just don't enjoy?

GOLDTHWAIT: I don't enjoy it but I also feel that I don't think that it's what I'm strong at. I think there's a lot of people that are talented. It's funny. If you really boil Robin down, he thinks of himself as an actor first.

MovieRetriever: And you now think of yourself as a director first?

GOLDTHWAIT: TRYING to be a director. Trying to be a writer. And that's how I know that it's what I really want to do. I'm really trying.

MovieRetriever: You have so much creative control over your films now. Would you take an assignment or someone else's script ... $80 million budget, Ryan Reynolds, Sandra Bullock, back-end ... do you do it?

GOLDTHWAIT: (Laughs.) Sandy and Ry. No. No.

MovieRetriever: $10 million paycheck. Proposal, Part II.

GOLDTHWAIT: No, no, no.

MovieRetriever: What if it's the opposite? A GREAT script, but you didn't write it?

GOLDTHWAIT: Yeah. If it was a great script, but the problem would be the interference from ... getting notes and stuff. These last two movies were so small that I didn't get producer notes. Or from anybody. I want to keep doing that. I'll take jobs working for other people but the movies I'm making, I don't want to do that. I'm trying to build a trust with people.

MovieRetriever: Who has built a trust with you?

GOLDTHWAIT: There's so many people. Wes Anderson. There's so many folks. I like Quentin Tarantino, the Coen brothers, it's pretty basic stuff. I like going to see what P.T. Anderson does.

MovieRetriever: All writer/directors.

GOLDTHWAIT: All people who have a voice. I admire them. I get excited to watch their new stuff.

Bobcat Goldthwait's 2003 release I Don't Mean to Insult You,

But You Look Like Bobcat Goldthwait.

MovieRetriever: Do you still do stand-up?

GOLDTHWAIT: I do it to pay bills.

MovieRetriever: Do you enjoy it still?

GOLDTHWAIT: I didn't for the longest time and then recently I killed the character. And, by the way, if you're in the heartland and people come to see you do that? It's like being at a Poison reunion tour and not hearing "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." There's gonna be disgruntled audience members.

MovieRetriever: You must get asked to do it in airports.

GOLDTHWAIT: Sure. And morning radio shows. "The Taint and Teabag Show." Whatever. It's my own fault. I remember once seeing Spinal Tap performing live and Rob Reiner is there and the crowd starts going "Meathead! Meathead!"

MovieRetriever: Even he can't avoid his past.

GOLDTHWAIT: Yeah. And Ron Howard.

MovieRetriever: What's your airport question?

GOLDTHWAIT: I named a CD this because it was true. I did have a woman say, "I don't mean to insult you, but you look like Bobcat Goldthwait." A lot of people when they come up to me in an airport, they're unsure that it's me. And I do often hear, second hand, that people think I'm dead.

**********

**********

Bobcat Goldthwait is definitely alive and kicking.
His film, World's Greatest Dad, opened in Chicago on Sept. 4, 2009.

Make a Kegerator: From Wired How-To Wiki

This could be you. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired

If you're serious about cold beer, you will eventually find yourself yearning for a kegerator. Finding a used one is hard to do, so you are left with two options: You can buy a new one, or convert an old refrigerator.

Even a low-end commercial kegerator will run you $400 or more, and a nice one will be more than $600. If you've got a spare fridge, you can build a kegerator for around $200. It's easy to do, and well worth it. We should know: This how-to is based on Wired's own kegerator construction project.

Too busy to make your own? You can buy a commercial kegerator for as little as $450 -- read our review of two kegerators -- or a pimped-out kegerator for substantially more.

This page is part of a wiki anyone can edit. Got extra advice? Log in and contribute.

Contents [hide] 1 Video 2 What you'll need 2.1 There are kits, too 3 How to proceed 3.1 Step 1: Find a fridge 3.2 Step 2: Drill a hole in your fridge 3.3 Step 3: Install the tap 3.4 Step 4: Connect the CO2 3.5 Step 5: Tap the keg 3.6 Step 6: Mmmm... BEER 4 Tips & Tricks 5 Additional Reading

Video

What you'll need

1. Refrigerator
2. Conversion kit
3. CO2 cylinder
4. CO2 gas (inside the canister)
5. Screwdrivers
6. Power drill
7. 1⅜" and ⅞" hole saws
8. Measuring tape
9. Hacksaw
10. A keg of delicious beer

Some supplies

Some more supplies

There are kits, too

Conversion kits are a great way to go because they are cheaper than buying the components separately and are easy to find online.

Conversion kits come in two styles: door-mounted taps for upright fridges and towers for chest freezers and compact fridges. We got a basic single-tap door-mounted kit and a five-pound aluminum CO2 cylinder for $192 from the folks at BeverageFactory.com for this project.

You can also probably get everything you need at a local homebrewer's supply store.

How to proceed

Step 1: Find a fridge

If you don't have an old fridge rotting in your garage or basement, somebody else does. We found many, many options on Craigslist, including several freebies. Be sure to take a measuring tape with you when you go to check out a fridge. If you want to fit a full-size keg in your kegerator, they are 16 1/8" in diameter. With the CO2 canister inside, you will need an interior cavity of 28" by 18". Compact fridges that can fit a keg are harder to find, so we opted for a free, upright fridge that was advertised as working (which turned out to be true). While it takes up more space than a compact fridge would, it has the advantage of being able to fit two 5-gallon kegs.

Tip: If your spare fridge has a freezer, you can use the freezer for chilling your steins!

Step 2: Drill a hole in your fridge

Measure a spot for your tap low enough on the door so the freezer door can open without hitting the tap handle. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired

Save for tapping the keg, this is the most fun part. But this is also the only step with any real risk of messing up, which we did.

Find a place to put the tap -- make sure you put it low enough so the freezer door can open without hitting the tap handle. Mark it with a pen, then draw a mark on the other side of the door as well. Drill a ¼" pilot hole through the whole door. Then, drill a hole with the 1 ⅜" hole saw, just through the outer layer of the door, and drill the ⅞" hole saw just through the inner layer of the door. Measure the thickness of the door between the holes, then saw your PVC pipe to that length so it inserts into the hole.

Some advice: We made the mistake of starting by drilling the smaller hole through the outer layer. This wasn't the end of the world, but we no longer had the pilot hole to hold the drill in place while we sawed the larger hole. We ended up fitting a broom handle into the hole, and drilling a pilot hole in the end of it to guide the saw.

Drill, baby, drill! Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired

Step 3: Install the tap

Install the tap faucet on the front of the door. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired

Connect the faucet to the shank and moderately tighten with a wrench (some kits come with a special wrench for this purpose). Insert the shank into the PVC pipe and fasten it with the shank nut.

Push the beer hose onto the other end of the shank and fasten with a clamp. You will need to put the loose clamp onto the hose before attaching it to the shank. At the other end of the beer hose, insert a rubber washer into the nut and then screw the nut onto the top of the keg coupler. Tighten with a wrench.

Install the drip tray around a foot below the tap by putting screws into the door to hang the tray on.

Step 4: Connect the CO2

Hook up the gas canister. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired

Add a clamp to the gas hose and then fasten it to the thin end of the keg coupler and clamp it down. Add a clamp to the other end and then fasten it to the thin end of the CO2 regulator and tighten the clamp. Attach the end of the regulator with a nut on it to the CO2 cylinder. Tighten it with a wrench. Be careful not to over-tighten it, because you will need to remove it to refill the canister.

Step 5: Tap the keg

Insert the coupler into the keg with the handle pointing up. Rotate the coupler until it stops. Pull out the handle and push it down until it snaps below the catch.

Next, open the regulator valve near the hose on the gage by pointing it along the hose. Open the valve on the top of the tank. Turn the regulator clockwise until the gage reads around 10 psi. You may need to adjust this to get the right amount of gas for each keg of beer.

If you have a double gage regulator, the second gage shows how much pressure is in the keg. It will drop as the beer gets lower and help you predict when you will need a new keg.

Step 6: Mmmm... BEER

A perfect pour. Photo: Jon Snyder

The first beer will probably be mostly foam, as will the second. But by the third beer, it should be close to the right gas pressure. If it's not, fiddle with the regulator until it is.

Tips & Tricks

• Most American beer kegs use a Sankey coupler, and consequently most conversion kits come with one. But you may want to check your favorite brew to see if you need a different style coupler to serve it.

• You can swap your empty CO2 cylinder at most homebrew supply stores, or at gas suppliers. Some welding suppliers will fill your existing tank, which is cheaper.

Additional Reading

• Read the story of this particular kegerator project, The Saga of BeerRobot, on Gadget Lab.

This page was last modified 18:04, 8 September 2009 by dtweney. Based on work by amyatwired, howto_admin and pstatz.

Scientists clone oldest living organism

Lomatia tasmanica has proved very difficult to successfully propagate. (Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service)

• Video: Tasmania to protect 'oldest living organism' (The Midday Report)

Tasmanian scientists have cloned what is believed to be the world's oldest living organism as part of a battle to save it from a deadly fungus.

The tree species commonly known as King's Lomatia was first discovered in Tasmania's remote south-west wilderness 70 years ago.

Carbon dating revealed the trees were more than 43,000 years old.

Botanist Natalie Tapson from the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens says the tree can only reproduce by cloning itself.

And she says all 500 stands of the tree - produced from one original plant - are under threat from the deadly root rot disease phytophthora, which is spreading rapidly through grass plains surrounding its habitat.

She says an insurance population is being established by creating clones through tissue cultures.

"When we first started we lost all the plants almost straight away," she said.

"We now have about 20 plants in tissue culture that have survived for about eight months and we're hopeful that we can keep tubing these on and get more and more plants that way."