Avoid Sex With Anyone From The Following Schools

BC SUCKS AT SEXUAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Collegeotr.com -If you needed more incentive to use condoms, here it is. Find out if your school is a festering pool of gonorrhea and herpes - or a safe haven from sexually-transmitted diseases. For the past two years, Trojan Brand Condoms has provided the collegiate community with rankings based on sexual health. The Trojan Sexual Health Report Card, the most recent includes 139 schools, surveys colleges and then scores them by a "grading system" that resembles a GPA. In honor of the Trojan Evolve Tour, we are listing the best and worst campuses on the list.

The Best:

1. University of Minnesota (a thunderous round of applause for being the least STI-riddled)

2. University of Wyoming

3. University of Washington

4. Rutgers University

5. Purdue University

Honorable Mentions:
Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Oregon, University of Michigan, and Duke University

The Ickiest:

135. Villanova University

136. University of Arkansas at Little Rock

137. Arkansas State University

138. University of Louisiana at Monroe

139. Louisiana Tech University (Congrats for being dirtier than Paris Hilton's thongs)

Dishonorable Mentions:
St. John's University, Vanderbilt, Baylor University, Georgetown and Boston College.


At least BC is in the top 5 in the Nation in something right? (Hockey doesn’t count since there are only 5 teams to begin with) I mean if you can’t compete for the National Championship in Football then you might as well go for the National Title in shittiest sexual prevention and awareness programs. I just hope the campus is equipped to deal with what happens when football players rape chicks like last week.

- Thanks to Dan for the tip

Top 10 Amazing BBQ Grills [+More Pics]

Summer is nearly here, and with it comes the great American culinary tradition: barbecue! BBQ is both a rite of summer and a rite of manhood (yes, BBQ is associated with male cooking, probably because any sane woman would not go near the combination fire, meat and beer). In some parts of the USA, BBQ is not just food, it’s a religion.

read more | digg story

Juror in Houston Pot Trial Caught Smoking Pot Outside Court

Cornelia Turner Mayo went from prospective juror in a marijuana possession trial to a prospective defendant in her own case after authorities accused her of smoking a joint outside the courthouse Harris County Sheriff's Office

May 6, 2008, 6:57PM
Police: Prospective juror in Houston pot trial caught smoking it
Woman charged with drug possession on break from trial

By BRIAN ROGERS
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

udge Sherman Ross tried to assemble a jury of peers for a woman accused of possession of a marijuana on trial Tuesday.

But authorities say prospective juror Cornelia Mayo might have taken that concept a bit too far after she was caught smoking a joint outside the courthouse during a break.

The 49-year-old Houston woman was one of 20 people in a jury pool in Criminal Court at Law No. 10.

Ross said he realized something was wrong when juror No. 2, Mayo, didn't return from a 45-minute break. Before the judge could file a bench warrant for the missing juror, his bailiff got a call from police notifying him that Mayo was being booked on a charge of smoking marijuana outside the criminal courthouse.

"I've had prospective jurors get lost before, but it never occurred to me that they might be getting ready for a marijuana trial by, allegedly, smoking marijuana," Ross said.

He also said it was a strange coincidence for a court that also sees trials for DWI's, family violence and many other misdemeanors.

"It's the first weed case I've tried in years," Ross said. "People usually plead out."

The former juror was charged with possession of marijuana. She is scheduled to be arraigned next week in Criminal Court at Law No. 11 —across the hall from Ross' courtroom.

Mayo remained in the Harris County Jail on a $500 bail Tuesday night and could not be reached for comment.

brian.rogers@chron.com

A Time-Lapse Take on the Carnival [Vid]

Cinco De Mayo Carnival from Andrew Curtis on Vimeo.

Waterfront Park, Portland, Oregon.

Some details:
Shooting 1 second exposures every 2 seconds
A total of 2683 images in this video, played back at 12fps.
Shot on 2 consecutive nights. First night was the panning tripod. While we were shooting, a guy called me back about an ad on craigslist for his Peleng 8mm fisheye. We went and picked it up at midnight and brought it along the 2nd night, when we did all the still shots.

The 10 most stylish cities in the world

London tops list of cool capitals, thanks to its cosmopolitan vibe

The Spice Girls and David Beckham may have both benefited from Tony Blair's Cool Britannia campaign in the late '90s, positioning London as cool, hip and happening, but it's also the city's history, multiculturalism and wealth that send it to the top of the most stylish cities list.

By Nicola Ruiz
Forbes
updated 1:31 p.m. ET, Wed., May. 7, 2008

Paris has La Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. New York is home to Fifth and Madison avenues. And shoppers need look no further than Via Monte Napoleone in Milan, Italy, for the latest prêt-a-porter.

But none can match London's cosmopolitan vibe. One third of the city's population was born outside Britain; that's 2.3 million Londoners sharing their cultural style, fashion and cuisine. This mix gives tremendous vibrancy to the city, the world's most stylish according to a recent survey.

"The only downside to London is its safety and expense," says Simon Anholt, editor of the journal "Place Branding and Public Diplomacy" and author of the 2008 City Brands Index survey on which the rankings, released last month, are based. Anholt also consults with city and national governments on policies, investments and strategies for improving their national reputations. "But these two factors also help its image: If it was too safe people wouldn't find it as exciting, and if it was cheaper it would get less respect."

Sydney, Australia; Rome; Barcelona, Spain; Melbourne, Australia; Berlin; Amsterdam, Netherlands; and Madrid, Spain, round out the top 10.

The Anholt City Brands Index surveyed 18,000 people from 18 countries. Cities were judged on lifestyle, buzz, multiculturalism, cultural life and attractiveness. Respondents, for example, were asked to rank 40 cities on climate and weather, pollution and the physical attractiveness of buildings and parks. They were asked how warm and welcome they expect the people of each city to be, and how important each city's contribution to the world has been over the last 30 years in the areas of science, culture and government.

"The smarter governments have always looked at their city as a brand that needs to be marketed," says Anholt. "But one of the effects of globalization is that competition has become incredibly intense between cities for tourists, investors, business [and] major events, so proper attention to reputation is now mandatory in a way it never was before."

Capitals of cool
London landed atop the list in part because almost one-third of the world's population (including those in Australia, India and Canada) has ties to the British Commonwealth and consider London the financial, fashion and music capital of the world. The announced 2012 Olympics also gives it a stylish stamp of approval.

Its ability to produce charismatic leaders doesn't hurt either. When he came to power in 1997, Prime Minister Tony Blair launched the "Cool Britannia" campaign positioning London as cool, hip and happening to a world audience. The advertising slogan was an attempt to rebrand Britain as progressive, forward-looking and diverse, while promoting "Brit pop" bands such as Oasis, the Spice Girls and Blur.

Herbert Knosowski / AP

"Berlin is perceived as being stylish and in recent years has earned a reputation for being a trendsetting city," says study author Simon Anholt. "It has youth appeal, great nightlife and a strong youth culture."

It seems to have worked. "It has history [and] a multi-cultural population," says Philip Kotler, professor of international marketing at Northwestern University and author of over 40 books on place marketing. "It's the world financial center, art center and antique center, and has a dynamic quality of energy."

While Paris came in second, Anholt says it's done less to deserve this elite spot than other cities. With no notable new buildings going up since the Arche de La Defense 20 years ago, and few new crowd-pleasing events of late, Anholt says that Paris, like Rome and Milan, is riding on its reputation.

"It's almost cliché that Paris is one of the most stylish cities," he says. "It's burned into the global, popular culture. Particularly in developing countries, people expect that in Paris they'll get the best food and fashion as well as a chic lifestyle. It could turn into an awful place for many years and it still wouldn't lose that reputation."

If you want to surround yourself with beauty, however, Paris is still the place to go. When asked to rate a city's beauty, 50 percent of survey respondents said that Paris was very attractive, 46 percent felt that way about Rome, 29 percent about New York and only 5 percent found Beijing attractive.

S. Greg Panosian / iStockphoto

"There's a beauty about Paris that other cities just don't have," says Philip Kotler, professor of international marketing at Northwestern University. "It's romantic, classic, stylish and fashionable ... not to mention the wonderful food. It's no surprise that Paris is near the top of the stylish list."

Milan, which scored 15th on the most stylish list, was selected as the city that made the most important contribution to the world — with fashion — followed by Washington with politics, Madrid with culture and Tokyo with technology.

Of course each city has its own unique reputation to maintain. While some governments aim for their city to be perceived as safe and clean, others work to crank up their cool factor.

"Holland is viewed as solid, reliable, efficient, wealthy and boring, but Amsterdam is considered much more stylish ... it's all about sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, and the city governments want it to keep that edgy, cool appeal," says Anholt, who adds that Amsterdam, ninth on the style list, is one of the few cities that passes the "cool T-shirt test." "If you put ‘I heart Amsterdam' on a plain, white T-shirt, it will sell for more than if it were just a plain, white T-shirt."

Sydney also passes Anholt's cool T-shirt test and surprisingly to all but those who enjoy living in this vibrant city, it ranks third in the most stylish list ahead of New York, Rome and Barcelona.

"Everyone loves Australia," says Anholt. "It's a fantastic brand, and it basically all comes down to Crocodile Dundee. That film did wonders for the image of Australian cities. It's had so much airtime all over the world and Australia is now perceived as the perfect country: warm, rich, welcoming and civilized."

© 2008 Forbes.com

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24413710/

Grizzly polar bear hybrid | Grolar bear |

“One of the real things that is happening is that grizzlies are moving north, at the same time the polar bears are forced to be on the beach and we have found a number of grizzly bear polar bear hybrids. Dr Divoky has witnessed the onset of climate change first hand and its effects, which includes Cooper Island being invaded by

read more | digg story

7 Unpopular Themes for Hit Shows

Syndication may have gotten you used to a particular version of a show's theme song, but some programs had some weird themes before they had an audience. Here's seven alternate themes that probably kept its shows from popularity.

read more | digg story

Amazing & Full of Color Fields Of Flowers

Dutch farmers tip-toe through the tulips as landscape is transformed into a spectacular display of colour

Last updated at 00:01am on 8th May 2008

At first glance, it looks like a giant child armed with a box of crayons has been set loose upon the landscape.

Vivid stripes of purple, yellow, red, pink, orange and green make up a glorious technicolour patchwork.

Yet far from being a child's sketchbook, this is, in fact, the northern Netherlands in the middle of the tulip season.

Scroll down for more...

Rainbow view: The stunning tulip fields of the northern Netherlands

With more than 10,000 hectares devoted to the cultivation of these delicate flowers, the Dutch landscape in May is a kaleidoscope of giddy colours as the tulips burst into life.

The bulbs were planted in late October and early November, and these colourful creations are now ready to be picked and sold as bunches of cut flowers in florists and supermarkets.

More than three billion tulips are grown each year and two-thirds of the vibrant blooms are exported, mostly to the U.S. and Germany.

In the first picture, an extraordinary 60 million tulips can be seen coming into flower.

Scroll down for more...

The fields of northern Holland explode into a colourful springtime display

Their dazzling colours are thanks to the years in the 17th century when Tulipmania swept the globe and the most eye-catching specimens changed hands for a small fortune.

But like a rainbow, this colourful landscape is a short-lived phenomenon.

When the flowers are gone, the land will be cultivated for a rather more mundane crop of vegetables.

The Netherlands produce more than nine million bulbs a year

China’s Huge Self-Sustaining Soar LED Wall

It’s called the GreenPix Zero Energy Media Wall, and with 2,292 individual color LEDs, comparable to a 24,000 sq. ft. monitor screen, it’s said to be the largest color LED display in the world. The wall is solar-powered too — photovoltaics are integrated into the wall’s glass curtain, and it harvests power during the day, to illuminate the display at night.

Designed by, Simone Giostra & Partners Architects, the GreenPix wall is part of the Xicui Entertainment Complex in Beijing, near the site of the 2008 Olympics.

The polycrystalline photovoltaic cells are laminated within the glass of the curtain wall and placed with changing density on the entire building’s skin. The density pattern increases building’s performance, allowing natural light when required by interior program, while reducing heat gain and transforming excessive solar radiation into energy for the media wall.

The building will open to the public in June 2008, with a specially commissioned program of video installations and live performances by artists.

More photos here.

21 Dining Rooms That Are Better to Eat in Than the Office

How to Quit Soda Pop

If you're someone who's drinking eight or more cups of soda pop a day, instead of eight cups of water, then it may be time for a change. Sweetened drinks are one of the substances linked directly to weight gain, comprising a good portion of daily calorie intake.

read more | digg story

Lose Weight While You Geek

If you're anything like me...you're one good-looking dude. But you see, as a man who spends all day in front of a computer (several computers actually), it's difficult to stay in good, healthy shape.

read more | digg story

Top 10 Castles for a Fairytale Wedding

As wedding locations go, there’s no place more romantic to tie the knot than an enchanting historic castle. Whether you’re planning a renaissance wedding or you’re simply seeking a stunning and secluded place to say “I do,” a castle is the ultimate location for your special day.

read more | digg story

The Young and Plastic Surgery Hungry

Perhaps it's fallout from television programming such as Nip/Tuck, but Internet data shows that younger adults have become the primary audience obsessed with altering their personal appearance. Once the domain of the well-to-do female in her fifties, plastic surgery has become the obsession of the affluent segment of younger Internet users.

read more | digg story

25 Ailments That Can Be Cured By Having Sex

May 6th, 2008

By Jessica Hupp

Sex is one of life’s most enjoyable physical pleasures, but did you know that it’s also great for your overall health? That’s right-sex has been found to help with conditions ranging from the common cold to high blood pressure. And although you’re not likely to come home from your next doctor’s appointment with a scribbled prescription for sex, it can be highly effective as a preventative measure and complementary treatment. Read on to find out what conditions you’re protecting yourself from every time you enjoy a roll in the hay.

1. Depression: Without the help of researchers, just about anyone can agree that sex will make you feel good about yourself and just a bit more confident. But one researcher has said there’s a scientific explanation that goes a bit farther. Professor Gordon Gallop says that there’s an unknown chemical in semen that has an antidepressant effect on women.
2. Pregnancy: Sex is both the cause and the cure for pregnancy. Women who are ready to induce labor often have sex to speed up the process, and research backs up this method. Semen contains prostaglandins, which help the cervix prepare to open, and orgasms produce oxytocin, which will help cause contractions.
3. Headaches: Although sex can sometimes bring on a headache, it can cure them too. The tension release your body experiences during and after sex can ease restricted blood vessels in the brain.
4. Menstrual cramps: Sex acts as an analgetic to relieve menstrual pain, primarily because of the relaxation and endorphins sex brings.
5. Arthritis: In his book, “How to Treat Arthritis with Sex and Alcohol,” rheumatologist Carter V. Multz asserts that sex, as well as alcohol and other complementary treatments, can reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation associated with arthritis.
6. Common cold: Manfred Schedlovski, a Swiss researcher from Zurich, asserts that sex has a positive effect on phagocytes, which are a part of the immune system that goes after alien bodies, like cold germs, and kills them. Phagocytes are increased signficantly during sex, and will often double after orgasm.
7. Stress: Orgasms offer a great way to relax, and even nonorgasmic sex offers some relief. Dr. Joshua Golden asserts sex’s relaxation properties, as well as emotional benefits.
8. Tooth decay: Kissing, as well as oral sex, encourages saliva production. This increase in saliva helps to wash food particles from your teeth, prevents plaque build-up, and helps lower decay-causing acid. Additionaly, seminal plasma has been shown to help prevent tooth decay.
9. Erectile dysfunction: By exercising your Kegel muscles with frequent sex and delaying ejaculation, men can help strengthen muscles enough to help with minor erection problems.
10. High blood pressure: Semen has been found to lower blood pressure in women. Specifically, swallowing semen can help ward off preeclampsia, which is a dangerously high blood pressure that sometimes occurs during pregnancy.
11. Insomnia: Many people find that the relaxation they experience after sex helps them go to sleep.
12. Prostate cancer: Men who ejaculate more frequently have been found to be at a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.
13. Hangovers: Sex may not save your liver, but it will help you shake off a funk. Having sex will help boost your endorphins and oxytocins, which stimulate muscle contraction and help you avoid aggressiveness.
14. Toxic system: Sex gets your blood pumping faster, which helps to rid the body of waste.
15. Heart disease: Studies have shown that if men have sex twice a week or more, they tend to have a lower risk of heart attack. For women, increased levels of estrogen caused by sex help to protect against heart disease.
16. Stubborn wounds: Studies have found that oxytocin, which is released during sex, can help wounds heal faster.
17. Low energy: Sex increases energy through exercise and emotional well-being.
18. Minor cognitive problems: Whenever you become sexually excited or have an orgasm, the hormone DHEA is released. DHEA has been found to improve cognition.
19. Skin irritations: The sweat released during sex will cleanse your pores, helping to relieve rashes, blemishes, and other skin problems.
20. Pain: Orgasm releases endorphins, which will alleviate pain for just about everything.
21. Obesity: Although few doctors are likely to prescribe a sex diet, the fact is that sex is a form of exercise. Performing the act of sex requires physical activity that will burn calories and strengthen your heart. It’s an especially great exercise for those who have little motivation to get to the gym.
22. Incontinence: Every time you have sex, you’re exercising your Kegel muscles, which are the same ones you use to stem the flow of urine.
23. Weak bones and muscles: Sex brings on a boost of testosterone, which helps to make your bones and muscles strong.
24. Semen allergy: Unfortunately, some women are allergic to their partner’s semen. However, along with other treatments, frequent sex has been found to work as an effective desensitization therapy for this allergy.
25. Death: That’s right, sex can help ward off death for men. Professor Stuart Brody reports that men who orgasm twice a week are half as likely to die as those who only orgasm once a month.

Psst... Government-Supplied Marijuana Program Turns 30

By Bruce Mirken, AlterNet
Posted on May 7, 2008, Printed on May 8, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/story/84766/

Each month Irvin Rosenfeld goes to his pharmacy and picks up a special prescription, supplied to him by the U.S. government: a canister containing roughly 10 ounces of marijuana in pre-rolled cigarettes.

Rosenfeld, a Boca Raton, Florida stockbroker, suffers from a rare illness called multiple congenital cartilaginous exostosis, a painful genetic disease that causes tumors to grow at the ends of his long bones, causing unbelievable pain. He is also one of four surviving patients receiving government-supplied medical marijuana, in a program that was closed to new applicants by President George H.W. Bush in 1992.

That program marks its 30th anniversary May 10. That's right, our government has been supplying medical marijuana to a small number of patients -- the program peaked at 34 approved participants in 1991 -- for three full decades.

This may seem puzzling. After all, hasn't White House Drug Czar John Walters called medical marijuana "snake oil," a "con," a "farce," and even compared it to "medicinal crack"? Surely if our government really thinks marijuana is useless and dangerous, it wouldn't supply it to sick people?

A better question might be: Why is our government working so hard to avoid learning that marijuana can be a safe and effective medicine?

The federal medical marijuana program, begun on May 10, 1978 as part of the settlement to a lawsuit filed by glaucoma patient Robert Randall, is officially a research program. Randall, Rosenfeld and the other participants were required to sign a consent document specifically referring to it as a "study."

But there has been no study of these patients, at least not by the government. While shipping literally hundreds of pounds of marijuana to these patients over the course of 30 years, the federal government never lifted a finger to find out whether it was helping or hurting.

In frustration, a handful of the patients worked with researchers a few years ago to organize and fund a study of four of the eight still alive in 2001 (the others were either too ill to participate or chose to remain anonymous). Each was subjected to an exhaustive battery of medical tests, including immunological and endocrine assays, MRI scans of the brain, pulmonary function tests, neuropsychological tests and more.

The study, published in 2002, found, "Results demonstrate clinical effectiveness [of marijuana] in these patients in treating glaucoma, chronic musculoskeletal pain, spasm and nausea, and spasticity of multiple sclerosis. All 4 patients are stable with respect to their chronic conditions, and are taking many fewer standard pharmaceuticals than previously." The only meaningful side effect noted was "mild changes in pulmonary function" in two of the patients -- not surprising, given that investigators found the government's marijuana to be a "crude, low-grade product."

In testimony before the Illinois state legislature two years ago, Rosenfeld called himself "living proof that [marijuana] works well. I'm also living proof that the government doesn't want to know how well it works. If they want to do research, all they have to do is contact me."

Federal officials claim they have no bias against medical marijuana research. The government has indeed allowed a handful of small pilot studies to proceed, and the ones published so far have consistently found marijuana to be safe and effective at relieving symptoms such as pain and appetite loss.

Typically in science, successful pilot studies lead to larger, more advanced trials. And there is a group of researchers at the University of Massachusetts who want to do just that: grow specially selected strains of marijuana for studies in treating specific conditions, designed to develop marijuana as an FDA-approved prescription drug.

The government is blocking them.

Instead of learning from the private study of the federal medical marijuana patients and the handful of other medical marijuana trials it has permitted, federal officials have chosen to bury their heads in the sand, repeating, "Marijuana is not a medicine," as if saying so would make it true.

The hypocrisy and dishonesty continue, and patients -- except for those four lucky survivors -- continue to suffer.

Bruce Mirken is director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project.

© 2008 Independent Media Institute. All rights reserved.
View this story online at: http://www.alternet.org/story/84766/

G-13 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has been alleged that G-13 was created by government agencies such as the CIA and the FBI who focused on hybridizing different strands of cannabis from ...

Why Amsterdam has the cleanest urinals

real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

Check out this website:
www.urinalfly.com

Remote Control Host: travelling beer keg

Remote Control Host

With the influx of all manner of RC machines lately for flying, driving and floating activity this machine is a welcome diversion. This months "Why didn't I think of that" award looks to be going the way of the RC drinks cooler, just load it up with ice and refreshments of your choice then you're set to serve drinks from the comfort of your deckchair. It's not going to be much good on rough terrains but those with patio's and decking rejoice, and of course those with wooden floors as it is not just an outdoor affair. What could be more enjoyable that watching your guests chase around the room after that last chilled drink? Available From FIREBOX for £39.95

Unusual, Beautiful Patterns Of Nature--From The Sea To Sky

Great Nat Geo gallery of different elements & objects, & the unexpected, often beautiful patterns they produce. From the detailed arm of a starfish to "Mammatus clouds [that] roil in the Nebraska sky, identifiable by their sagging, pouch-like shape [& whose] name comes from the Latin word for 'breast.'"

read more | digg story

Top 10 Tools to Get Blogging Done

Writing your blog should be a fun way to stretch your mind and stay connected to trends, friends, and the greater world, not another computer task that takes far too long to get done. But that's exactly what it can feel like if it takes you more time to find your post ideas, tweak your markup, and make everything look right than to actually get your thoughts down. Being somewhat experienced at this blogging thing, your Lifehacker editors have pinpointed a few tools and tricks that make our posts go faster and smoother. After the jump, we round up 10 of them.

10. Skip the copy/paste with AutoCopy

Many bloggers quote passages from other web pages, and referencing those snippets of language usually requires a Control/Command+C, then Control/Command+V once you're at the exact right place in your markup. Not so with AutoCopy, a free Firefox extension that automatically adds whatever text you've highlighted in your browser to the clipboard, then pastes it when you middle-click anywhere in Firefox. If you're not using a quick-blog tool like Tumblr, it might be the closest equivalent to the kind of speed-of-thought blogging that keeps writing from turning into a chore. (Original post)

9. Copy links and their titles with CoLT

When it comes time to post a relevant link at the end of most Lifehacker posts, the uninitiated (read: me, a few months ago) have to first copy the URL of the link, paste it in the right spot, then head back, copy the title of the linked page (being careful not to click!), then paste it inside the link tags. Those who have discovered the magic of the Copy Link Text Firefox extension, on the other hand, have magic right-click options that make grabbing the URL, the text, or both parts of a link dead simple. Give your right-click a rest and get back to adding context. (Original post)

8. Make reusable templates for posts and images

A lot of posts are, at least structurally, very similar, with a certain-size picture up top, a certain formatting for IM pastes or photo dumps, or similar repetitions. To save your time for real editing, try using Wired's guide to automating Photoshop actions. For hand-coding HTML, it pays to create templates out of your common formats (tables, unordered lists, picture posts) and plug them into a text-substitution app (see below for links and ideas). If you're tinkering with your site's design or layout, why re-invent the wheel? Grab a free template for Blogger, WordPress, or one of 40 general CSS templates for use on any site,. Need more? Check out Gina's roundup of seven different free HTML templates.

7. Live-blog from your phone with Jott

Free voicemail-to-text service Jott can help you nail down post material while you're on the go with a phone call, but you can also use the service directly with a number of blogging platforms, including Blogger, Typepad, LiveJournal, Tumblr, and WordPress. If you're hosting your own blog, you can still use Jott's voice-to-email service in conjunction with your platform's email-to-post function to indirectly get your thoughts up online, even while you're miles from your keyboard.

6. Automate repetitive code with text replacement

If you've ever manually embedded a Flickr photo, created a custom headline or signature template, or searched out previously-used code to copy and paste for your posts, you need to add a text replacement app to your stable. Any of them—Texter for Windows, TextExpander for Mac OS X, or Snippits for Linux—can quickly paste, while also preventing common typos and misspellings. If you just want to speed up your HTML coding, try Adam's Markdown automation script, a stand-alone, blog-focused precursor to Texter.

5. Get topic-based post ideas sent to your inbox every day with Google Alerts

Whether you write about a team, a certain topic, or a broad trend, Google Alerts brings your post material to you. Use the same kind of advanced search operators you use on Google's main search site to laser-focus on a particular kind of web site, blog post, news story, or group post you're looking for. Decide if it gets sent as fast as Google's servers find it, or in a daily or weekly email digest. Using Alerts exposes you to a wider array of information than you'd get from a defined list of RSS feeds, and it's an easy way to keep your eyes on the web without really being at the search box all day.

4. Spend less time resizing images

Few blogs can get by with just words alone, but finding the perfect image to illustrate a post—and then making it fit right—can take more time than the post itself. If you're not committed to Photoshop or its open-source alternative, GIMP, free online image editing site Picnik is a good bet, both for its right-click Firefox extension and its integration with Flickr. If you've got a whole set of pictures to post up, you can try the Windows-only ImageResizer, or for an elegant solution, use the export-and-resize functionality of Picasa. (For more on finding reusable images, see our six ways to find reusable media.

3. Keep post ideas synchronized with Foxmarks

Great posting fodder can be found at all hours of the day, but you're not always ready to post it at that exact moment. Use the Foxmarks bookmark synchronizer, and your bookmarks toolbar becomes a universal idea space you can drag-and-drop your links onto. Anyone who likes more control over their backed-up bookmarks can synchronize with their own server, and it can be rolled into a portable Firefox to help you get blogging done with just a thumb drive and some spare time. (Original post)

2. Quick post media (minimum writing required) with Tumblr

A tumblelog—that is, a quick-post blog powered by the Tumblr webapp—makes posting your thoughts, IM chats, videos, photos, and other favorite media tidbits a lot less intimidating than the wide-open HTML spaces of Wordpress, Movable Type, and other platforms (which are still great for longer, text-and-links posts). The real time-saver is Tumblr's bookmarklet, which makes capturing and preparing a new post a one-click affair. Here's more on keeping up an instant, no-overhead blog with Tumblr.

1. Bookmark and track email and posts with Gmail

Adam showed us back in the day how you could set up Gmail as a bookmarking service (using the Gmail this bookmarklet), but with Gmail's 2.0 version, it's even easier to throw the emails that inspire you to get blogging with your other links, as they have short, human-readable permalinks that you can easily drag into a bookmark folder. And, assuming your blog inspires some kind of feedback, you can keep it separated and organized from your day-to-day mail using filters and persistent searches.

Spare Change? Hilarious Panhandling Signs

By: Buddy Jones (View Profile)

We all know our country is heading into the financial crapper. But things could be worse. Imagine if you rely solely on other people’s generosity to live. When you only have three seconds to argue your need for spare change, you have to stand out and get a little creative.

Photo source blog.dannyngan.com

Photo source flickr

Photo source jameswaydirect

Photo source ok2passenge.blogspot.com

View Profile)

Photo source www.2spare.com

Photo source www.sptimes.com

Photo source www.2spare.com

Photo source Bianca (cc) ... So, it’s not a sign, but I couldn’t resist.

Photo source Triple7 (cc)

Photo source PhotoNerd (cc)

OS X Capable PC Arrives

Opening up Psystar’s Open Computer
The OS X-capable PC has arrived in our lab; we share our first impressions

by James Galbraith, Macworld.com


Because we think it’s informative to see how OS X performs on a computer that isn’t a Mac, Macworld ordered a Psystar Open Computer about a week or so ago. The machine, which Psystar touts as a low-cost alternative to Apple’s hardware, has arrived in our lab, where we plan to put it to the test, just like the home-made Mac built by our own Rob Griffiths.

The system we bought from Psystar features a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of 667MHz RAM, and a 250GB Hard Drive (specifically, a Hitachi Deskstar in our machine). Though the base model includes Intel’s integrated graphics, we splurged and purchased an Nvidia GeForce 8600GT for $110 so that we could test the Open Computer with both cards.

I ordered our Open Computer directly from the Psystar Web site, since that was the only way to place an order at the time. (Psystar now offers sales over the phone.) Originally, I placed an order for an Open Computer without OS X installed—Psystar charges $155 to install the operating system, and I figured we could save a few bucks on our order with a little do-it-yourself know-how. But a few days after ordering, I called Psystar looking for a status update. A live human being answered the phone—somewhat surprising to me, given the stories that had appeared about the company immediately after it announced plans to sell a Mac clone—and put me on hold to look up the order. Moments later, another Psystar employee came on the line and strongly suggested that I pay to have OS X pre-installed. He explained that, unlike the Windows and Linux, installing OS X is a very difficult and complicated process and that the company does not provide installation instructions for OSX. I reluctantly pulled out the credit card, and the system shipped out to us a few days later. The system cost us $399.99, plus $50 for a FireWire card. Add in the $110 graphics card and the $155 OS installation, and the machine cost $714.99; shipping brought the price to $751.47.

As I mentioned above, we’re currently testing the Open Computer to see how it performs compared to an honest-to-goodness Mac. But here are some first impressions gleaned from receiving and setting up the machine…

The Psystar Open Computer, resting comfortably in our Lab

The Psystar Open Computer, resting comfortably in our Lab
If Psystar is all about giving you the Mac OS X experience at a more affordable price, it was obvious right away that product packaging is one area where the company is looking to trim costs. When the box arrived, we found it stuffed with white foam packing peanuts, making the unpacking process a big mess—I hate those things. The Open Computer was just sitting in there with the packing peanuts, with nothing covering it. Some of the doors on the front of the case that cover the optical drive and the USB ports were a ajar with little pieces of the packing peanuts lodged in there. After we cleared out the offending bits, the doors closed properly and the computer appeared to be no worse for wear.

We had a bit of scare, however, when we tried to start up the computer. As soon as I hit the power button it sounded like I’d turned on the garbage disposal. I quickly unplugged the power cable and opened the case. It turns out that one of the power cables was getting caught in the fan. I rerouted the cable and restarted. The crunching sound of the cable hitting the fan was gone, but the fan was still pretty darn loud. You won’t want this computer sitting on your desk.

After using Rob’s home-made Frankenmac for a few days last week, I was prepared for all of those elegant PC BIOS and bootup screens. Unlike Rob’s machine though, there were no other visible partitions or operating systems stored on the hard drive. Once the Open Computer was all booted up, I was able to plug in a FireWire drive and have it be recognized. The system asked if I wanted to use the external drive as a Time Machine backup drive, and I clicked Yes. And though the icon of the drive changed to reflect its new status as Time Machine volume, the backup would immediately fail each time it attempted to run.

The Psystar site features a page with lots of available software update downloads, including one for fixing Time Machine errors. Psystar turns off the Mac OS’s automatic System Update feature, so you need to download and install updates manually. One might think that the company would send you a machine that’s as up-to-date as possible, but that’s not the case. I called Psystar tech support and learned that the company will offer a download in the next couple weeks that will enable Psystar users to take advantage of Apple’s Software Update utility.

Macworld Lab uses Migration Assistant to transfer our Speedmark user files and folders to our test system from a clean system booted into FireWire Target Disk Mode, and that process worked just fine with the Open Computer. We found, however, that we were unable to boot the Open Computer into FireWire Target disk mode. The tech support person didn’t think that Psystar offered that feature. Other startup options, like SafeBoot, zapping of PRAM, and startup drive selection via the Option key are also not available.

I tried cloning the internal drive to an external FireWire drive using Carbon Copy Cloner. It cloned successfully, but I was unable to boot from it, even though a message said the volume would be bootable. It sounds like a couple of folks in the Psystar forums were able to find a way to do it, but they weren’t giving out specific instructions. We’ll continue to look into that.

That said, I’ve been impressed by how compatible the Psystar is with applications and peripherals—many of the OS X features work as they would on a legitimate Mac. Look for Speedmark results for our Open Computer, as well as other interesting tidbits we come across, in the coming days.

Moment of truth? I say little Green men....Or another habitable earth-like planet

MEDIA ADVISORY : M08-089

NASA to Announce Success of Long Galactic Hunt

WASHINGTON -- NASA has scheduled a media teleconference Wednesday, May 14, at 1 p.m. EDT, to announce the discovery of an object in our Galaxy astronomers have been hunting for more than 50 years. This finding was made by combining data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory with ground-based observations.

To participate in the teleconference, reporters must contact the Chandra Press Office at 617-496-7998 or e-mail mwatzke@cfa.harvard.edu. Live audio of the teleconference will be streamed online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

A video file about the discovery will air on NASA Television on May 14. NASA TV is carried on an MPEG-2 digital signal accessed via satellite AMC-6, at 72 degrees west longitude, transponder 17C, 4040 MHz, vertical polarization. NASA TV is available in Alaska and Hawaii on AMC-7 at 137 degrees west longitude, transponder 18C, at 4060 MHz, horizontal polarization.

For information about NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory on the Web, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/chandra

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