MLManley

US Government May Force Drug Firms to Report Money Paid to Doctors

2012-01-25T09:47:00.000-06:00

When your doctor recommends a new drug or treatment for your diabetes, do you know if the doctor has received payment from the company that markets the drug or device? If the Obama administration has its way, you will. It is proposing a new law that will require drug companies to disclose payments made to doctors for research, consulting, speaking, travel, and entertainment-even something as minor as coffee and bagels delivered to a doctor's office for a meeting.

Story continued at: Diabetes Health

City of Burlington, Iowa Comprehensive Plan Website

2012-01-25T09:13:00.000-06:00

http://burlingtoncompplan.com/

VERDICT: Garth Brooks wins suit against Integris hospital

2012-01-25T09:02:00.003-06:00

Woman Calls Cops After She Was Sold Sugar Instead of Crack

2012-01-24T16:46:00.000-06:00

Suzanne Basham, 47, made that mistake yesterday morning when she dialed police in Springfield, Missouri to report that she had paid $40 for crack cocaine that turned out to be sugar.

Woman who offered sex for Chicken McNuggets is homeless, police say

2012-01-24T16:42:00.002-06:00

A Los Angeles woman who offered sexual favors in exchange for Chicken McNuggets at a McDonald’s is homeless and has a history of run-ins with the law, police said.

Khadijah Baseer, 31, was arrested on suspicion of prostitution Jan. 11 after she asked the manager of the McDonald’s in the 1700 block of Olive Avenue for free Chicken McNuggets in exchange for sexual favors, Sgt. Darin Ryburn said.

She had allegedly been opening the car doors of customers waiting in the late-night McDonald’s drive-through.

Ryburn said that the woman is a transient, and that the manager at McDonald’s has seen her there “quite a few times.”

“She solicits money from customers and is always causing some sort of disturbance,” the manager, who was not identified, told police, Ryburn said.

The woman was opening customers’ car doors in the drive-through when the manager approached her, Ryburn said.

“She told the manager she was hungry and said that if he gave her Chicken McNuggets, she would perform a sexual favor,” Ryburn said.

Initial reports indicated the woman was offering sexual favors to customers in the drive-through, but that offer was extended only to the manager, Ryburn said.

Baseer was asked to leave the property, but she refused and police were called in.

Ryburn said the woman has had previous contact with law enforcement officials, but declined to discuss the incidents.

She remained in custody Wednesday on $2,000 bail.

—Maria Hsin

Source: The Burbank Leader

Date set for arguments in appeal of IWD lawsuit against the governor

2012-01-24T16:18:00.000-06:00

The Iowa Supreme Court has set a date to hear oral arguments in the appeal of a ruling against the governor over the closing of 36 Iowa Workforce Development offices. A Polk County judge ruled the governor’s line-item veto that led to the closing of the offices was unconstitutional because the governor attempted to redirect the money meant to keep the offices open.

Five Democrats in the legislature and AFSCME, the state’s largest employee union, filed the lawsuit. AFSCME Council 61 president, Danny Homan, said they want to see the offices reopened as they offer services needed by the unemployed. Branstad said his decision to close the I.W.D. offices would save the state $6.5 million a year.

He said the offices have been replaced by a “much more efficient” system involving computer stations in libraries, homeless shelters and other locations. The Iowa Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case at 7 p.m. on February 21st in the courtroom of the judicial building in Des Moines.

Source: Radio Iowa News

Grassley says president’s denial of pipeline cost thousands of jobs

2012-01-24T16:16:00.000-06:00

Reports say President Obama’s State of the Union Address tonight will be focusing, in part, on economic fairness. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says it isn’t “fair” for the president to have denied the permit last week that would have green-lighted construction of the Keystone X-L oil pipeline from Canada to Texas.

Grassley says Obama’s action will halt the hiring of what could have been thousands of pipeline workers. “He’s going to convince me he’s interested in fairness when he gets those 20,000 workers to work,” Grassley says.

“He’s the only person standing in the way of those 20,000 jobs. You can’t blame John Deere, you can’t blame Caterpillar, you can’t blame Wall Street, you can’t blame anybody else. So if he’s going to be fair and equitable, create those 20,000 jobs.”

Grassley says the pipeline also promises to create another 120,000 jobs indirectly. Grassley, a Republican, says America needs more affordable energy, in his words, “We need to drill here and drill now.” The proposed six-billion dollar pipeline would stretch 1,700 miles from Canada’s British Columbia and across six states to refineries on the Gulf Coast.

Story continued at: Radio Iowa

Branstad, local officials argue over road money

2012-01-24T16:14:00.000-06:00

Governor Branstad and officials from cities and counties got into a pointed discussion this morning over the condition of Iowa’s rural roads and city streets — and the need for a hike in the state gas tax.
Branstad has indicated he may approve an increase in the state gas tax for next year, but only after a $50 million budget-cutting plan unveiled today is implemented at the Iowa DOT. Branstad urged city and county officials to cut their own budgets as well, to convince the public a gas tax increase is the only option.
“There’s still a lot of skepticism out there that we’re managing things as well as we should,” Branstad said.
But local government officials, like Keokuk County Supervisor Mike Hadley, say their road budgets have already been cut to the bone.
“I understand what the governor’s saying. I just want him to really understand what we are saying,” Hadley told reporters after he spoke to the governor. “We just can’t keep putting it off.”

Story continued at: Branstad, local officials argue over road money

Chase ends badly - YouTube

2012-01-23T19:07:00.000-06:00

A 20 mile-long police chase ends badly.

Davie the Dog

2012-01-23T19:01:00.000-06:00

A Fort Madison dog is lucky to be alive after being hit by a train.
A local man found this dog named Davie covered with snow behind a house. When the man lifted him up, the dog had a crushed rear leg and nearly severed tail. Davie was rushed to the Fort Madison Vet Clinic where his leg was fully amputated and all but three inches of his tail was removed.

GOP presidential candidates' homes

2012-01-23T08:48:00.000-06:00

I found this a bit telling and interesting. All of the presidential candidates have homes valued over a million dollars except one, Ron Paul, whose home is valued at $325,000 and experts say that is over valued by $60,000 making his home true value at $265,000. To me that speaks volumes, especially considering he has been in politics for over 35 years.

Book Review: Kill Alex Cross

2012-01-23T07:36:00.002-06:00

Kill Alex Cross by James Patterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Good as usual. This one really get your blood going. At several points in the story you almost catch your self yelling at the characters. One point in particular you want the one character to do something to the other in a bad way. Also a new, I'm sure to be reappearing, character is introduced as a secondary story line. The resolution of the main story line was rather quick to me, so as a result if I could I would have only gone 4.5 stars, but since I can't I went with 5.

View all my reviews

Divers Eye: Underwater footage from wrecked Costa Concordia

2012-01-22T17:53:00.000-06:00

Divers are resuming the search of the wreckage of the capsized Costa Concordia after data indicated the cruise ship had stabilised in the sea off Tuscany. To make it easier to enter and leave, the divers blasted more holes Saturday into the carcass of the ship, which has been lying on its side near the port of Giglio island since shortly after it crashed into a reef on January 13. They are searching for bodies or survivors, although it is unlikely any of the 21 missing in the accident could still be alive. The search was suspended on Friday after the Concordia shifted, prompting fears the ship could roll off a rocky ledge of sea bed and plunge deeper into the sea. An underwater robot equipped with a camera was also used to monitor the area and search for victims. There are also fears the Concordia's fuel could leak, polluting the surrounding pristine waters of the Mediterranean.

Lost Calories: US trashes $ 1 Bln worth of food

2012-01-22T17:22:00.000-06:00

America's expanding waistline prove's the country's love affair with food. But almost as much as is consumed, is being dumped in the trash every day. And that's despite statistics saying millions in the country are now struggling to put anything on the dinner plate. Marina Portnaya met the so called dumpster divers who say a few minutes of raking through garbage bags can deliver a banquet.

'Snow is alive': Avalanche hunters decipher nature

2012-01-22T17:19:00.000-06:00

Athletes from around the world already have their sights firmly set on the next winter Olympics in Sochi in two years time. And the host city, which has always been a lure for scores of thrill-seekers, is making safety a main priority. RT's Denis Bolotsky reports on the brave men who are fighting the danger lurking behind the picture-perfect mountain peaks.

NASA SDO - M2.6 Solar Flare on January 19, 2012

2012-01-21T07:02:00.000-06:00

Watch the skies tonight. 22:30 UT is (22:30-6) 16:30 CST or 4:30pm in Iowa.

Today's M2.6-class Solar Flare produced a nice Coronal Mass Ejection, which appears to be Earth directed. Current forecasts have it to arrive on January 21, 2012 at approx. 22:30 UT (let's give or take 7 hours... it's over 90 million mile journey after all).

Our friends at the NASA Goddard Space Weather Lab are predicting possible strong geomagnetic storms. What will it mean for us? Possibly some Aurorea and perhaps some communications interruption. No major issues are expected.

A view of the Active Regions 1401 and 1402 over the past couple of days shows the development of those beautiful sunspots. Then two views of the solar flare through the SDO instrument before concluding with views from STEREO Ahead and Behind.

Credit: NASA SDO & NASA STEREO

SOPA Stopped: 'Bill delay major victory for Internet freedom'

2012-01-21T06:48:00.000-06:00

A controversial American anti-piracy act was recalled on Friday, which came as no small victory for hacktivists who launched history's largest attack on several websites -- including that of FBI -- in protest of the Stop Online Piracy Act.

Those opposing the controversial law have grown jubilant, with many seeing Friday's news as real victory in a sort of war for online freedom. The vote on the anti-piracy legislation, which was due on January, 24, has been postponed.

Trevor Timm of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a US-based international digital rights advocacy non-profit, confirmed to RT that the online protests over SOPA and PIPA were the biggest in Internet history, with over 115,000 sites somehow altering their webpages.

MotoReuben - Toasted Donut #9

2012-01-20T02:05:00.000-06:00

See why Glenn cut his big motorcycle trip short (shattered iPhone, anyone?). And the first Toasted Donut cooking recipe gets its debut, the Vegan Reuben!

Megaupload op: Anonymous downs FBI, DoJ, music sites in biggest attack ever

2012-01-20T01:01:00.000-06:00

Today the Feds raided the website MegaUpload, which led to the arrests of seven people across the globe, according to some reports. Now the Hacktivist group, Anonymous, has come forth in retaliation to the crackdown and launched an attack on several websites including The Department of Justice, Universal Music Group, and the Recording Industry Association of America. The wave of attacks is just the beginning and Barrett Brown, founder of Project PM, joins us to discuss whats next for the groups.

Love My Jean Skirt on KHQA This Morning

2012-01-20T00:54:00.000-06:00

#KHQA's Lindsey Boetsch is live at Love My Jean Skirt in Hannibal, Missouri.

Lindsey channels her inner truck driver

2012-01-20T00:44:00.000-06:00

Garth Brooks speaks out about lawsuit

2012-01-19T23:16:00.000-06:00

Garth Brooks filed lawsuit against hospital that said it would name new women's wing after his mom after he donated $500,000, but now finds out hospital never intended to build it to start with and used his name to garner more donations from others.

Damn Toilet!

2012-01-18T15:34:00.002-06:00

Damn toilet wax seal blew out when I was trying to plunge the toilet that backed up. As a result I flooded the bathroom and made water run into the basement on top of the softener and dehumidifier.
So Green's Plumbing came out and fixed the toilet seal, but the pipe is still plugged so went downstairs to remove the clean out plug and the nut on the plug ripped off, causing the backed up water to spray all over the basement. So I had to chisel out the plug and the pipe was half full of sludge so it has been plugging up slowly for a while. So now sewer smell is in the house and I am waiting on Drain Tainer to come out and clean out the pipe.
So it has been a fun day on top of my neck being out of place and fighting a monster headache.

Delorean - CES 2012 - YouTube

2012-01-18T15:04:00.000-06:00

Delorean making a comeback with an all electric 260 horsepower, 0-60 in under 5 seconds, motor.

Samsung OLED Full HD Dual Experience

2012-01-18T11:17:00.000-06:00

People can watch two different channels at the same time on one tv in HD.

The Perfect Work Station Chair For Programmers and Gamers: Emperor 1510 at CES 2012

2012-01-18T11:13:00.000-06:00

This is my chair, I wish. Awesome.

Darren discovers the perfect way to enjoy CES and relax at the same time: the Emperor 1510 work station chair. With the push of a button, you're surrounded by 3 monitors and Bose sound. It's the perfect work station for gaming and programming in comfort and style.

PRODUCT: Emperor 1510
COMPANY: MWE Labs
AVAILABILITY: TBA
PRICE: $6200
FEATURES: supports 1-3 monitors 19"-24", stereo Bose speakers, retractable keyboard tray, cup holder, fits 85% of people

Des Moines man regains handgun stolen from him in 1981

2012-01-18T10:21:00.001-06:00

A .25-caliber semiautomatic handgun recovered by police in Maryland last summer has been returned to Des Moines, where it had disappeared in a burglary on June 12, 1981.

The rightful owner of the gun, Harold Bullington, said Tuesday that he will be glad to get it back.

“If it could talk, I’d like to find out where it’s been,” he said. “They said it was found in Maryland. That’s a long trip.”

Des Moines police detectives closed the burglary case years ago without an arrest. But now Bullington will at last recover one of the items taken from his home just south of Gray’s Lake Park.

Story continued at: Des Moines man regains handgun stolen from him in 1981

Wikipedia Goes Dark For 24 Hours To Protest Web Piracy Bills

2012-01-18T09:58:00.000-06:00

Can the world live without Wikipedia for a day?

The online encyclopedia is one of the Internet's most visited sites, and at midnight Eastern Standard Time it began a 24-hour "blackout" in protest against proposed anti-piracy legislation that many leading websites -- including Reddit, Google, Facebook, Amazon and others -- contend will make it challenging if not impossible for them to operate.

It's a dramatic response to the Protect Intellectual Property Act under consideration in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House, a pair of bills backed by the motion picture and recording industries that are intended to eliminate theft online once and for all.

Story continued at:Wikipedia Goes Dark For 24 Hours To Protest Web Piracy Bills | Fox News

Side note: Wikipedia is not the only site doing this. Google also has blacked out their name. I did use the Wikipedia page and entered my zip and then sent each one of my Congressmen a note that I was against SOPA and PIPA and I urged them to vote NO on both.

The Ultimate Example of Preventive Medicine

2012-01-18T09:30:00.001-06:00

video platform video management video solutions video player

Few of us expect to be confronted with our own mortality during the course of your average workday, but that's exactly what happened to Bill Weir last Friday, January 13th.

In Los Angeles to interview renowned cancer specialist and preventive medicine proponent, Dr. David Agus, Bill underwent a battery of tests to show the Nightline audience the analytics behind Dr. Agus' approach. What he discovered was beyond anything he expected, and changed the entire course of the story he went to cover.

Source: The Ultimate Example of Preventive Medicine | This Could Be Big - Yahoo! News

Eagle Owl Flight

2012-01-17T22:12:00.002-06:00

Click image to enlarge.

Scientists find MRSA germ in supermarket meats

2012-01-17T11:40:00.000-06:00

MRSA, a bacteria resistant to common antibiotics, has been discovered in supermarket meats, and the germ is apparently being introduced by human food handlers, a new study reports.

Although thorough cooking will kill the bacteria, consumers run the risk of infection if they handle meats contaminated with the germ, researchers said.

MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is common in hospitals and nursing homes, where it can cause serious illness and even death. And so-called "community-acquired MRSA" has become a problem among some high school and college athletes who share equipment; this type of MRSA appears as a skin infection and is usually less serious, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's the community-acquired MRSA that was found in the meats, the researchers said.

Story continued at: - USATODAY.com

Playing around with colors

2012-01-17T11:20:00.000-06:00

I have been playing around with colors and text again. I also fixed the older posts link at the bottom of the posts so that it can now be seen.

Let me know what you think, are the colors good, is black on white better? Is the courier font easy to read or change to something different. Font size, is it easily readable? Like I said, give me some feedback on the comments.

Toying with idea of going back to my own fully controllable website, but not sure I want to spend the $60 a year or not. It seems that I got a lot more visitors when I was hosted on my own WordPress blog on Go Daddy, was up to over 1,200 new visitors a month. Currently on Blogger only getting around 250 new visitors a month. Something I have to think on for a day or two. I do know that a lot of workplace and schools block blogger, whereas if I host my own it can be accessed. have no fear, whatever I decide the url http://mlmanley.com will take you there, so you will have no changes on your end if you stick with that url.

Well it is time for my ass to go to bed. ^MLM

Book Review: V is for Vengeance

2012-01-17T09:46:00.002-06:00

V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good as usual. This book has about 4 different story lines that all converge in the end and make sense. The way it started off then left it hanging made me wonder for a while what the heck was going on. But as I stated in the end it starts all tying together and makes good sense making a good story.

View all my reviews

Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress

2012-01-17T09:16:00.000-06:00

The Hollies' Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress

Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" was a song by the rock and roll group, The Hollies, and released on February 1, 1972 as a single on the Parlophone Records label.

It was released soon after Allan Clarke, who was featured on lead guitar as well as lead vocal had left the group, from their album "Distant Light" (1970). As the group had just left EMI/Parlophone and signed with Polydor, they did not promote the song. However it became a No. 2 hit in the United States, their greatest ever singles success there. It was inspired and in the style of the rock and roll group Creedence Clearwater Revival, and on being reactivated by EMI in Britain a few months later, it reached No. 32.

The song is notable in that it features Clarke playing rhythm guitar, something he rarely did (Clarke came up with the song's signature guitar rhythm that opens the song).

Man in Stable Condition After $44 Million Hospital Bill

2012-01-17T08:40:00.000-06:00

A Bronx man says he nearly had an asthma attack after opening his mail to find a $44 million medical bill from a local hospital.

Unemployed doorman Alexis Rodriguez, 28, received the astronomical bill after receiving successful treatment for pneumonia at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital last week, The New York Daily News reports.

"I almost had an asthma attack," said Rodriguez, who apparently is not the only patient to receive an outsized bill. The firm responsible for the botched billing, PHY Services, was reportedly inundated with complaints and has since apologized.

"If you are calling with respect the billing statement for services provided at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, please disregard the statement," said a recording for concerned callers, "you will be receiving a new statement shortly."

PHY is blaming the mistake on a "system error" that resulted in the bill's invoice number being mistakenly placed in the "amount due" field.

As for Rodriguez, he owes no more than $300 for outpatient services.

Source: Man in Stable Condition After $44 Million Hospital Bill - Yahoo! News

A Quincy Invention - The Bowtree

2012-01-17T01:59:00.002-06:00

#KHQA Melissa Shriver interviews Mike Ray of Bowtree Custom Shop in Quincy, IL.

Wedding rings are worn on the 'ring finger' because of an ancient belief that it had a direct connection to the heart

2012-01-16T17:17:00.000-06:00

It's called the Vena Amoris which literally means the vein of love. It is rumored that the belief comes fom ancient Egypt where chains and bracelets usead as a symbol of love slowly transformed into the traditional ring.

The earliest reference to the Vena Amoris comes from writings in 1686. Interestingly, the circulatory system was not known at the time. Up until 17th century England it wasn't uncommon to use the wedding ring on the thumb or middle finger. The most likely explanation for this tradition for this belief enduring is a combination of tradition and marketing by the jewelry industry.

Source: Wedding rings are worn on the 'ring finger' because of an ancient belief that it had a direct connection to the heart - Facts - Jan 8, 2012 - OMG Facts

Twitter Tutorial: Navigating through the Twittersphere

2012-01-16T13:23:00.000-06:00

#KHQA's Lindsey Boetsch shows you how to use Twitter. Items she covers include hashtags, handles, trending and much more!

Send a message to KHQA by putting @KHQA in your tweet ... or send a message to Lindsey by putting @KHQALindsey in your tweet. It's just that easy!

See you in the Twittersphere!

Girl Scout Cookies - Making Thin Mint Pizza

2012-01-16T07:44:00.000-06:00

#KHQA's Melissa Shriver learns how to make a Thin Mint pizza!! Yum!

Mac Davis - Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me

2012-01-16T07:21:00.000-06:00

Hit #1 on the charts on September 23, 1972 and stayed there for 3 weeks. Remained on the top 100 for 18 weeks.

Lemon crusted strawberries

2012-01-15T19:50:00.000-06:00

#KHQA Made with Girl Scout cookies.

America at Work

2012-01-15T13:00:00.001-06:00

Check out these pictures, click on link at end of post.

According to the latest jobs numbers, issued by the Labor Department on January 6, the U.S. unemployment rate has dropped to 8.5 percent, down from 10 percent in 2009. The Great Recession has claimed more than 8.5 million jobs since 2007, and even though the current trajectory of the U.S. appears to be toward recovery, Americans are still struggling to find work. Nine of the photographs below appear in The Atlantic's January/February 2012 print issue, and I've added 25 more here to round out a collection of images from these years of uncertainty -- of men and women both at work and out of work in the United States. [34 photos]

America at Work - Alan Taylor - In Focus - The Atlantic

Paula Deen expected to address diabetes reports on 'Today'

2012-01-15T12:15:00.001-06:00

#diabetes
Paula Deen is expected to address rumors that she has type 2 diabetes on the "Today" show on Tuesday.

The 64-year-old Food Network star, who is known for her love of fatty comfort foods, is set to sit down with host Al Roker to discuss her alleged health problems.

Deen has long been rumored to suffer from diabetes, but not from the most reputable sources. In May 2011, the National Enquirer reported that Deen had been diagnosed with the condition and on Friday, The Daily claimed that the chef had signed on to endorse the diabetes drug Novartis, which has since been debunked to CBS news by a rep of the drug company.

Deen made headlines in August after exchanging words with Anthony Bourdain, who called her "the worst, most dangerous person in America."

"The worst, most dangerous person to America is clearly Paula Deen," Bourdain, 55, told TV Guide. "She revels in unholy connections with evil corporations and she's proud of the fact that her food is (expletive) bad for you. If I were on at seven at night and loved by millions of people at every age, I would think twice before telling an already obese nation that it's OK to eat food that is killing us. Plus, her food sucks."

Story continued at: Paula Deen expected to address diabetes reports on 'Today' - 01/14/2012 | Entertainment News from OnTheRedCarpet.com

Trees can EXPLODE!

2012-01-14T15:47:00.001-06:00

Things like extremely cold temperatures will cause trees to explode under certain circumstances! The explosions can actually be caused by three different elements: cold, fire, and lightning. It is also caused by stresses in the tree trunks.

For example, Maple trees explode when their sap freezes and it’s said to sound like a gunshot. The Sioux and the Cree Native Americans call the first new moon of the year as the “Moon of the cold exploding trees.” Some trees, like the eucalyptus native to Australia are highly flammable and explode during bush fires.

Source: Trees can EXPLODE! - Facts - Jan 5, 2012 - OMG Facts

'Confused' driver leaves car teetering on edge of pier

2012-01-14T15:25:00.002-06:00

An elderly motorist drove a car to the end of a pier at Montrose Harbor late Tuesday, leaving the car teetering over the edge, a Chicago Fire Department spokesman said.

The driver, an elderly woman, was safely removed from the Volkwagen Jetta and didn't fall into the 36-degree lake water, authorities said.

The Jetta was similarly rescued without plunging into the harbor, Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said.

While authorities initially believed the driver was drunk, they later said she "appeared confused."

Source: 'Confused' driver leaves car teetering on edge of Montrose Harbor pier - chicagotribune.com:

The 10 Inventions Of Nikola Tesla That Changed The World

2012-01-14T15:17:00.000-06:00

Upon Tesla's death on January 7th, 1943, the U.S. government moved into his lab and apartment confiscating all of his scientific research, and to this day none of this research has been made public.

Read story here: The 10 Inventions Of Nikola Tesla That Changed The World | Before It's News

Newegg TV: The SSD Tutorial

2012-01-14T15:09:00.000-06:00

Explanation of what SSD hard drives are and why you want one, I know I do.

Book Review: Blood Work

2012-01-14T14:18:00.001-06:00

Blood Work by Michael Connelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I started on the Harry Bosch series and this character comes up in that series. This story explains the entire back story of the character. The two tie in real nicely. This was a good story and was real twisty. It was kind of nice to read a non series story, that yet tied in to one. Strange, yes, but nice. I think it would be nice to have other separate single books about characters in other series.

View all my reviews

Jonas Gahr Støre: In defense of dialogue

2012-01-14T14:04:00.000-06:00

#TED Well said talk, too bad the people who need to listen don't.

In politics, it seems counter intuitive to engage in dialogue with violent groups, with radicals and terrorists, and with the states that support them. But Jonas Gahr Støre, the foreign minister of Norway, makes a compelling case for open discussion, even when values diverge, in an attempt to build greater security for all.

Award-winning teen-age science in action

2012-01-14T13:41:00.000-06:00

#TED In 2011 three young women swept the top prizes of the first Google Science Fair. At TEDxWomen Lauren Hodge, Shree Bose and Naomi Shah described their extraordinary projects-- and their route to a passion for science.

No Pants Subway Ride 2012

2012-01-13T11:49:00.000-06:00

On Sunday, January 8th, 2012 tens of thousands of people took off their pants on subways in 59 cities in 27 countries around the world. In New York, our 11th Annual No Pants Subway Ride had nearly 4,000 participants, spread out over six meeting points and ten subway lines.

Dumpster Home

2012-01-13T01:11:00.000-06:00

Gregory Lincoln Kloehn (A direct descendent of Abraham Lincoln) has crafted an amazing home out of a dumpster.

This video features a some time-lapse of the external features of the luxurious dumpster home. This fully functioning steel beauty has a shower, stove, hot water and a love nest. The various external dumpster attachments are done with ease. This mil spec tank will roll you right over. Come by for food, drinks, dancing or just hang on the rooftop.

In our upcoming short films we will feature several amenities inside the home and the various characters that have decided to live in a dump...ster

The video below shows the inside of the dumpster home.

Book Review: Nine Dragons

2012-01-11T14:17:00.000-06:00

Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The action and story was so so in this one to me. I didn't like the aspect of the involvement of certain characters in the story. To me is really took the Bosch series in a direction that it doesn't need to go. I hope in Drop it does not do the same type of story line. Also I thought the book was kind of dragged out. So I rate it only 3 stars.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Overlook

2012-01-11T14:11:00.000-06:00

The Overlook by Michael Connelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book, straight to the point. I was worried when I saw that it was only a couple hundred pages and not the usual three to four hundred. But it lacked nothing and was a good Bosch as usual. This one brings in a back character from another earlier book. Good twists and turns and misdirection as usual.

View all my reviews

Pags Pizza

2012-01-11T12:35:00.000-06:00

#KHQA Pags Pizza in Macomb, IL

Search continues for missing southeast Iowa woman after her car is found

2012-01-10T19:45:00.000-06:00

The car of a missing southeast Iowa woman was located over the weekend at an abandoned home near Wright City, Missouri. But, there’s still no sign of 45-year-old Sharon Hopf of Crawfordsville.

Washington County Sheriff Jerry Dunbar says it’s unclear if Hopf was with her vehicle in Wright City – which is located about 30 miles west of St. Louis. “The last time we’ve known that she was seen was at 7 a.m. Thursday (January 5),” Dunbar told Radio Iowa.

”It’s our belief that she was in the car, but for us to stay she was in it…we don’t know at this point 100 percent.”

Hopf, a business owner, wife and mother of two, disappeared Thursday while headed to her furniture store in Kalona. Her cell phone signal disappeared shortly after 7 a.m. and her credit card was used minutes later at a gas station in Ainsworth, along Interstate 80.

Sheriff Dunbar said investigators don’t know if Hopf was the one who used her credit card. “We don’t know at this time. The video system (at the gas station) was off line at that time, so we don’t know if she was alone,” Dunbar said. “It could be that something happened there. She may have been abducted there or she may’ve voluntarily got on the Interstate. It’s right where Highway 218 meets the Avenue of the Saints.”

Hopf’s family has said the stop at that gas station isn’t part of her normal routine. The car, a 1999 white Chevy Lumina, was being brought back to Iowa today. It was searched for evidence, but Dunbar said nothing significant was found.

Searches have been conducted in southeast Iowa and in the area where Hopf’s car was located. Anyone with information about Hopf’s disappearance is asked to call the Washington County Sheriff’s office at 319-653-2107.

Hopf’s family has started a Facebook page in hopes of finding information: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=14831730#!/findsharon

Source: Search continues for missing southeast Iowa woman after her car is found

Protesters present their own agenda after the Condition of the State speech

2012-01-10T19:43:00.000-06:00

Hundreds people gathered in the rotunda of the state capitol today for what they said was a response to the governor’s Condition of the State address.

Protesters organized by Iowan Citizens for Community Improvement chanted “put people first” and then “where’s our jobs” as Governor Branstad made his way from the House chamber to his formal office after his speech.

ICCI member Barb Kalbach led the crowd in several cheers and then talked about the reason for the gathering.

“We come here today to set the legislative agenda for 2012, and we’re here to send a message to 150 legislators and to Governor Branstad,” Kalbach said.

The group’s agenda includes: Protecting Iowa’s water, air and quality of life; Protecting all Iowans regardless of immigration status; Standing up for good affordable credit for all; Giving everyday Iowans a voice by removing big money from politics, and not balancing the budget on the backs of everyday Iowans.

Continue at: Protesters present their own agenda after the Condition of the State speech (audio)

Erin Langworthy Bungled Bungee

2012-01-09T18:22:00.000-06:00

Bungee snaps over Zambezi River

Statins linked to higher diabetes risk

2012-01-09T18:11:00.000-06:00

Millions of people taking statin medications to lower their cholesterol are at a slightly higher risk of diabetes, a new study suggests.

Study authors advise patients not to stop taking their medications without talking to a doctor, because statins' proven power to prevent heart attacks and strokes outweighs any potential increase in type 2 diabetes risk. But the results — a nearly 50% increase in diabetes among longtime statin users — should throw cold water on the idea of prescribing these drugs to healthy people, which some have recommended as a way to prevent disease, says co-author JoAnn Manson, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. In recent years, statins' success in preventing heart attacks — even among people without high cholesterol — has led some doctors to joke about "putting them in the water supply."

Continued at: Statins linked to higher diabetes risk - USATODAY.com

Snowstorm Aftermath - January 6, 2012 - Cordova, Alaska

2012-01-09T17:54:00.000-06:00

Over 15 FEET, yes feet of snow in a month!
Cordova has had a rough winter thus far, and today the Mayor officially declared the excessive snow load an emergency situation following the January 5, 2012 "Snowpocalypse". This small coastal Alaskan community does not have the resources necessary to keep on top of the massive amount of snow that has fallen since December 17, 2011....and that is continuing to fall. Despite this, everyone is working together. Shoveling, shoveling, shoveling - everybody's shoveling. Cordova is a pretty special community, and when faced with disaster locals work together to overcome the situation. I'm proud to call Cordova home!

My Office

2012-01-08T19:49:00.000-06:00

It is in good shape considering it is over 170 years old.
Click on picture to enlarge.

American Goldfinch

2012-01-08T10:07:00.001-06:00

#Birding #BirdWatching

One of the most popular birds attracted to backyard bird feeders is the American Goldfinch. These small finches are commonly referred to as wild canaries with the male a vibrant yellow in the summer. In basic plumage during the winter months he molts into an olive drab. The female on the hand is a dull yellow-brown shade which brightens only slightly during the summer. The male displays brightly colored plumage during the breeding season to attract a mate. But even in their basic plumage the white wing bars remain an identifiable feature along with the notched tail, conical beak, and lack of streaking. Although the beak is dull most of the year it becomes bright orange with the spring molt. The American Goldfinch measures 4.5 to 5 inches in length with a wingspan of 7.5 to 8.5 inches weighing in at less than an ounce. These handsome little finches are the state bird of New Jersey, Iowa and Washington.

Goldfinch can be found year round from the Carolinas northward across the central and northern U.S. They occur across Southern Canada during the summer breeding season then move south. Considered a short distance migrant, many of our summer residents Goldfinches drift south toward the Gulf Coast and southwestern United States into Mexico during the winter months. They are replaced by the northern population which moves south from Canada during the winter months. By March our resident Goldfinch return joining the northern population which will remain here into early May before returning north following the dandelion blooms.

The American Goldfinch prefers open country where weeds thrive, such as fields, meadows, flood plains, along roadsides, in orchards, and gardens. They are also found along the edges of open deciduous and riparian woodlands and areas of secondary growth. These areas are particularly prime habitat when overgrown with sunflowers, asters, and thistle plants providing a good food source with scattered shrubs and small trees for nesting. This habitat preference continues during the spring and autumn migrations.

The conical shape and size of the Goldfinches beak aids in the extraction of seeds from the seed heads of thistles, sunflowers, and other composite plants while clinging with their feet. They will also feed on the seed heads of grasses and dandelions along with the seeds of alder, birch, and cedar trees. Goldfinches are common in suburbs, parks, and urban areas. At backyard bird feeders they prefer Nyjer thistle, black oil sunflower seed and hulled sunflowers. I have a seed tube feeder filled with Nutra-Saf safflower seed which seems to attract them as well.

Unlike some finch species, the American Goldfinch uses its feet extensively in feeding. It frequently hangs from seed-heads while feeding in order to reach the seeds more easily. In the spring, the American Goldfinch feeds on the catkins hanging from birches and alders by pulling one up with its beak and using its toes to hold the catkin still against the branch. This dexterity enables it to take advantage of food sources relatively inaccessible to potential competitors, increasing its chances of survival.

Between March and early May when our resident Goldfinches return joining the northern Goldfinches that are waiting to move back north has been dubbed finch season by those who maintain thistle feeders. They can become quite abundant around feeding stations. But by the second week in May the northern population has moved back to their summer range. We are left with our resident Goldfinches that will continue to patronize bird feeders in urbanized areas until late June. By then they will begin to drift into outlying areas across the countryside to begin nesting. During the past several summers in our neighborhood I usually see a few Goldfinches visiting the feeders, probably unmated birds. Folks in rural areas will continue to see a lot of activity at their finch feeders until mid to late August. At that time it appears the Goldfinches prefer the bounty of natural foods that have become available.

The American Goldfinch is very social during the non-breeding season and is often found in large flocks. These flocks may include Pine Siskin, Common Red-polls and other finches. Flocks generally fly in an undulating pattern, creating a wave-shaped path. During the breeding season they live in loose colonies. While the nest is being constructed, the male will act aggressively toward other males who intrude into his territory, driving them away, and the female reacts in the same way toward other females. This aggressiveness fades once the eggs have been laid.
The American Goldfinch is a late nester. Their primary diet is seeds and seeds are fed exclusively to their young in the nest. The nestlings of most other birds begin their lives being fed high-protein insects. Waiting to begin nesting in July assures the Goldfinches there is a large enough supply of natural seeds to support raising a family.

The male and female Goldfinch are monogamous and will select a nesting site together usually in a shrub or small tree in an open area. Plum thickets are ideal. The nest is constructed by the female where two or three small vertical branches join. The male will join her when collecting materials and even help bring items back for her to use. The nest is often shaded from above by leaves but visible from underneath. The nest cup, which is about 3 inches across and 3 to 4 inches deep, is made from rootlets and other plant fibers then lined with plant down from the same plants they feed on. The nest is anchored to the branches by spider silk. Once completed the nest is so tightly woven together that it can hold water. During rainstorms an adult must be on the nest to prevent the eggs from floating out or the young drowning once they have hatched.

It takes about six days for the female to build the nest after which she will lay 2 to 7 pale bluish white eggs, often with light brown spots on the larger end. When the clutch is completed incubation begins taking approximately 12 to 14 days before they hatch. The young will remain in the nest for another 11 to 17 days. Once they are ready to leave the nest they begin to practice short flights close by. For up to three weeks after fledging they will continue to be fed by the adult male who locates them by listening for their fledging call. The chicks will stop giving this call when they become entirely independent foraging for their own food. In northern regions there will be one brood each season, with two broods possible in southern warmer areas.

The song of the American Goldfinch is a series of musical warbles and twitters, often with a long note. A tsee-tsi-tsi-tsit call is often given in flight; it may also be described as po-ta-to-chip. While the female incubates the eggs, she calls to her returning mate with a soft continuous teeteeteeteete sound. The young begin to use a call of chick-kee or chick-wee shortly before fledging, which they use until they have left the nest entirely. The American Goldfinch does not act aggressively toward predators within its territory; its only reaction is alarm calling. Predators include snakes, weasels, squirrels, and Blue Jays, which may destroy eggs or kill young, and hawks and cats, which pose a threat to both young and adults. There are two defense calls made by adults during nesting; a sweeet call made to rally other goldfinches to the nest and distract predators, and a bearbee used to signal to the nestlings to quiet them and get them to crouch down in the nest to become less conspicuous.

The American Goldfinch is widespread throughout its range and has not been overly threatened by human activity. The clearing of forests by humans, though harmful to many bird and wildlife species, has benefited the American Goldfinch. Clearing wooded areas creates open spaces which are the preferred environment of these little finches. Spaces where weeds thrive producing the primary food source of the American Goldfinch.

Goldfinches are easily attracted to backyard bird feeders but many natural plants can attract them as well. Planting grasses, composite plants like sunflowers and perennial plants such as zinnias, cosmos, bee balm, coneflowers, or globe thistle produce seed-heads favored by finches. Leave these plants in your flower beds during winter after they have gone to seed and you may be surprised at what other birds show up for dinner.
Wingtip: Cowbirds parasitize on a variety of birds by laying their eggs in other bird’s nests. The Cowbird nestlings grow rapidly receiving up to 100% of the food the host bird brings to the nest while the other nestlings generally die from lack of nutrition. When Cowbirds lay their eggs in the nest of a Goldfinch they perish since the diet offered to the Goldfinch nestlings is strictly seed. Cowbirds developed this method of laying their eggs in other bird’s nests leaving the host bird to raise their young since they followed the ever moving bison herds leaving little time to stop and raise a family.

Source: http://wildbirdhabitatstore.com/index.php?_a=viewDoc&docId=11

SweetestThing Donuts

2012-01-08T09:52:00.001-06:00

#KHQA visits Sweetest Thing Bakery and Donuts Shop in Hannibal, MO

Do I Shoot?

2012-01-07T11:05:00.000-06:00

#KHQA Talking with Marion County Missouri 911 director about dispatchers and calls they get pertaining to felonies in progress. Use of deadly force or not?

Cooking at the 18 Wheeler

2012-01-07T11:03:00.000-06:00

#KHQA visits the 18 Wheeler in Taylor, MO

Norwegian beach briefly carpeted with dead herring

2012-01-06T18:37:00.000-06:00

Tens of thousands of dead herring have carpeted a stretch of coast in northern Norway — and then disappeared again.

The fish appeared on New Year's Eve, leading to speculation that predators might have driven a huge school ashore or the fish could have been washed onto the beach by a powerful storm that hit Norway on Christmas Day.

Jens Christian Holst of Norway's Institute of Marine Research says a combination of several factors was the likely explanation.

Continues: Norwegian beach briefly carpeted with dead herring - Yahoo! News

Obama administration plans change for some immigrants applying for legal status

2012-01-06T18:24:00.000-06:00

The Obama administration proposed a rule change Friday to reduce the time that illegal immigrant spouses and children are separated from their American relatives while they try to gain legal status in the United States.

Currently, many illegal immigrants must leave the country before they can ask the government to waive a three- to 10-year ban on legally coming back to the U.S. The length of the ban depends on how long they have lived in the U.S. without permission.

Continues: Obama administration plans change for some immigrants applying for legal status - The Washington Post

Pamida to merge with Shopko

2012-01-06T18:13:00.000-06:00

A Nebraska-based retail store chain with a long-time presence in some two-dozen Iowa cities will see a name change in a newly-announced merger. Omaha-headquartered Pamida is pairing up with Shopko, based in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Terms of the deal aren’t being revealed. The merger should be complete in the middle of next month. Both stores focus on smaller, rural communities. No changes are planned at any of the Shopko stores, but some $80-million will be invested over the next year to convert most of the Pamida stores into Shopko Hometown stores.

Combined, they’ll have almost 350 stores in 22 states. The Iowa Pamida stores are in: Albia, Hampton, Humboldt,Onawa, Forest City, Sheldon,New Hampton, Winterset, Dyersville, Oelwein, Jefferson, Toledo, Waukon, Perry, Ida Grove, Red Oak, Harlan, Osceola, Estherville, Sigourney, Chariton, Audubon, Bloomfield, Clarion, Cordyn, Eldora, Glenwood, Greenfield, Missouri Valley, Mount Ayr.

Source: Pamida to merge with Shopko

Meredith buys magazine from Disney

2012-01-06T18:12:00.001-06:00

A large magazine publishing firm based in central Iowa is acquiring another big title. Meredith Corporation is buying FamilyFun magazine from Disney Publishing Worldwide.

The purchase price wasn’t released. FamilyFun focuses on cooking, crafts, parties and travel. With a circulation over two-million, it targets moms with kids between three and 12.

The Des Moines-based Meredith is known for several other popular magazines, including Ladies’ Home Journal, Successful Farming and Better Homes and Gardens.

Source: Meredith buys magazine from Disney

Lawmakers unveil plan to raise the gas tax

2012-01-06T18:12:00.000-06:00

Two state lawmakers unveiled a plan Wednesday to raise the state gasoline tax to boost road and bridge repair funds. The bill would increase the tax by four cents-a-gallon in each of the next two years.

Senator Tom Reilly, a Democrat from Oskaloosa, says the state has delayed critical road repairs too long. “What got us here is we’ve constantly kicked the can down the road for the last 22, 23 years, every time it’s gotten tough. Since 1989 when the gas tax was last adjusted, the buying power of that same 21 cents has been eroded by almost 70%,” Reilly says.

He says it’s a safety issue that he’s witnessed first hand, as his daughter rolled her pickup because of the condition of the roads and bridges. “I don’t have a problem with paying another $65 a year to ensure the safety of our roads and bridges, not to mention the $10,000 worth of damage.”

Story continues at: Lawmakers unveil plan to raise the gas tax

AJ Jacobs: How healthy living nearly killed me

2012-01-06T03:05:00.000-06:00

#TED For a full year, AJ Jacobs followed every piece of health advice he could -- from applying sunscreen by the shotglass to wearing a bicycle helmet while shopping. Onstage at TEDMED, he shares the surprising things he learned.

A.J. Jacobs' writings stand at the intersection of philosophy, Gonzo journalism and performance art. Stubbornly curious and slyly perceptive, he takes immersive learning to its irrational and profoundly amusing extreme -- extracting wisdom and meaning after long stints as a self-styled guinea pig. For his widely circulated Esquire article, My Outsourced Life, he explored the phenomenon of outsourcing by hiring a team in Bangalore, India to take care of every part of his life -- from reading his emails to arguing with his wife to reading bedtime stories to his own son. A previous article, I Think You're Fat, chronicled a brief, cringe-inducing attempt to live his life in Radical Honesty, telling all the truth, all the time.

Jacobs is author of The Know-It-All, which documents the year he spent reading the Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z, uncovering both funny and surprising factoids but also poignant insight into history and human nature. In 2007 he released The Year of Living Biblically, he attempted to follow every single rule in the Bible as literally as possible for an entire year. His latest book, My Life as an Experiment, is a collection of numerous personal experiments including living according to George Washington's rules of conduct, outsourcing every single task to India, and posing as a woman on an online dating site.

"A. J. Jacobs has written about the Bible in a manner that is brilliantly funny but unerringly respectful, learned but goofy, deeply personal yet highly relevant. I am covetous and wish him smited."

Mary Roach, author, Bonk

Paddy Ashdown: The global power shift #TED

2012-01-06T03:02:00.000-06:00

Paddy Ashdown claims that we are living in a moment in history where power is changing in ways it never has before. In a spellbinding talk at TEDxBrussels he outlines the three major global shifts that he sees coming.

Throughout his career, Paddy Ashdown has moved across the international stage. He served as a Royal Marine and an intelligence officer in MI6, the Secret Intelligence Service of the United Kingdom, before becoming a member of Parlaiment. In 1988 he became the first leader of the newly formed Liberal Democrat party. After leaving Parlaiment he served as the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Miniatur Wunderland

2012-01-03T17:48:00.000-06:00

The official video about Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg, the largest model railway in the world, and one of the most successful tourist attractions in Germany. On the 1.300 m² large layout, far more than a thousand trains, aircrafts, cars and ships move about. A wonder of the world in miniature. Please, find more information on http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com

FIRST METEOR SHOWER OF 2012

2012-01-03T17:43:00.000-06:00

The annual Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on Wednesday morning, Jan. 4th, when Earth passes through a narrow stream of debris from a comet thought to have broken apart some 500 years ago. The shower is expected to be strong (as many as 100 meteors per hour), but elusive, with a peak that lasts no longer than a couple of hours. The shower's radiant near Polaris favors observers in the northern hemisphere. Images, live audio from a meteor radar, and more information are available on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

Revenue Department not mailing out tax books this year

2012-01-02T18:17:00.000-06:00

The start of the New Year means it’s time to think about filing your taxes for 2011, but you’ll have to seek out the paper forms if you want to file your state taxes the old fashioned way.

The Iowa Department of Revenue will stop sending out paper tax booklets for the first time this year. Department spokesperson, Victoria Daniels, says you can still get the paper forms, but you’ll have to call their office or stop by. Daniels says it’s a cost-savings step and she says about 85-percent of individual filers already file electronically.

Since this is the first year they are not sending out tax booklets, Daniels says the department is expanding its telephone and e-mail customer service hours during the month of January. “Now is the time when those books would be coming out and…if they haven’t heard already, they are probably wondering when am I going to get my book in the mail, and they’re not, but there are still ways to get the forms in the mail if they want the paper forms,” Daniels says.

The e-mail and telephone hours for January are 7:30 a.m until 5 p.m. “We just encourage people if you have questions to call, that is why we are here. We don’t prepare returns for people be we certainly are available to answer questions by telephone or by e-mai,” Daniels said.

There are walk-in hours at their offices in Des Moines Monday through Friday from 8 a.m until 4:30 p.m. Or you can go to the departments website at: www.iowa.gov/tax.

Source: Revenue Department not mailing out tax books this year

UI Hospital to offer alternative to traditional heart surgery

2012-01-02T18:16:00.000-06:00

Doctors at the University of Iowa Heart and Vascular Center will soon be using a new technology to treat seriously ill patients with heart valve problems.

Doctor Robert Farivar says the procedure offers an alternative to traditional forms of heart valve replacement surgery. “With the new technology, we actually go through a groin incision – a small cut in the groin – and the valve is placed using a wire and a balloon. It’s almost like a stint. It gets deployed into the aorta without having to go on the heart/lung machine,” Farivar said.

The transcatheter procedure is reserved for patients who were previously considered too high risk for surgery. “This is a way to do that aortic valve replacement without having to go through some of the stress of the open heart surgery,” Farivar said. “The patients tend to be older, typically in their 80s.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the treatment. The UI Heart and Vascular Center team plans to begin treating patients early in 2012. The procedure has been done in Europe for several years now. “The U.S. is actually quite late to the game in this,” Farivar said. “I think the U.S. is the 47th country to get it. That’s because of the way the FDA approves these devices. It’s a very slow process with new technologies now.”

Research has shown the transcatheter procedure can reduce deaths among patients by 20% at one year following treatment.

Click here for more information.

Source: UI Hospital to offer alternative to traditional heart surgery

Roller derby skating accident claims life of Mason City woman

2012-01-02T18:13:00.000-06:00

An accident at a roller skating rink on New Year’s Eve has resulted in the death of a Mason City woman. Mason City police say they were called at about 11:30 Saturday night to Roller City after 36-year-old Toni Torres was injured in a fall at the rink during a speed skating session.

Sgt. Mike Thomas said witnesses reported that Torres was speed skating when she fell forward. Torres was taken to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa where she was pronounced dead, her death being attributed to a neck injury.

Torres was a member of the River City Dames of Anarchy team, a flat-track team based in Mason City.

(Bob Fisher, KGLO)

Source: Roller derby skating accident claims life of Mason City woman

Study: Careless parents raise risk of kids getting cavities

2012-01-02T18:12:00.000-06:00

A study finds parents can accidentally pass harmful bacteria from their mouths to their children, putting kids at a higher risk of getting cavities and developing other problems.

Dr. Ed Schooley, a dentist and dental director for Delta Dental of Iowa, says moms and dads may be infecting their children through very innocent actions.

“The bacteria typically are passed with items that are contaminated with one’s saliva into a child’s mouth,” Dr. Schooley says. “This primarily takes place through natural parental behaviors as sharing utensils or using one’s mouth to clean a baby’s pacifier.”

He says a recent survey found fewer than a third of Iowa parents realize the risks involved with such simple behaviors.

“Most parents lack the knowledge of passing on bacteria like this and what it can lead to,” Schooley says. “Babies are born without any harmful bacteria in their mouths but once the bacteria are introduced, then they’re more prone to having cavities in their baby teeth and permanent teeth.”

The survey found 30-percent of Iowans say they sometimes or often share utensils with their children, while caregivers of children ages two and three are most likely to share utensils.

In addition to avoiding passing saliva on objects, he says good dental hygiene is another safeguard — for kids and parents.

“Brush the teeth once a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss once a day, at least,” Schooley says. “With the baby, take a warm washcloth and wipe it over the gums until they get teeth, and once they get teeth, you can start to use a soft toothbrush.”

The research shows moms, more often than dads or others, usually inadvertently infect their children.

Learn more at: www.OralHealthIA.com

Source: Study: Careless parents raise risk of kids getting cavities

Book Review: Echo Park

2012-01-02T17:54:00.000-06:00

Echo Park by Michael Connelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good Bosch as usual. This one was hard to figure out until almost the end. Connelly threw a few more twists into this one than the others so far. Good book, one of the best in the Bosch series so far.

View all my reviews

Obama Signs NDAA Martial Law

2012-01-02T17:27:00.000-06:00

There is little one can say about a video such as this but nazi Germany has arrived in the US predicted by many for years. The writing was on the wall so people shouldn't be surprised. Credits to the editor of this video Matt D and to YouTube user clipofreality who uploaded this clip on 14th December and thanks to rohbss for bringing this video to my attention. I am very glad that more people are now awakening to the atrocities that have been going on for a very long time. The more people that see this video the better. It's all about informing and spreading truth after all.

Getting Older

2012-01-02T17:25:00.002-06:00

There's that "You're only as old as you feel" business, which is fine to a point, but you can't be Shirley Temple on the Good Ship Lollipop forever. Sooner or later, dammit, you're old. - Joan Crawford

Alexander Gardner’s Civil War photography

2011-12-31T18:26:00.000-06:00

Neat old photographs in this slide presentation at the post.
Alexander Gardner’s Civil War photography - The Washington Post

High-tech cars raise possibility of cyber-attacks

2011-12-31T18:23:00.000-06:00

Imagine this nightmarish possibility: Al-Qaida terrorists cause thousands of motorists racing down a freeway during the morning commute to suddenly lose their brakes, leading to massive chaos, death and destruction. Implausible? Maybe not, some experts warn.

As cars and trucks have become laden with brainy devices to control everything from their air bags to their crash-avoidance systems, the vehicles have become increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks, according to recent studies by university researchers and security companies.

One found that a car's computer controls could be remotely accessed through their Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or OnStar connections, potentially allowing terrorists to simultaneously disable the brakes of numerous cars, corporate spies to eavesdrop on a motoring executive's phone calls, or thieves to electronically locate, break into and start cars they've targeted to steal.

Story continues at: High-tech cars raise possibility of cyber-attacks - Quad Cities Online

Enforcement Hammer Falls on Giant Arizona Organic Factory Farm Dairy

2011-12-31T17:57:00.000-06:00

USDA Action Spurred by Industry Watchdog’s Investigation

An industrial-scale organic dairy, located south of Phoenix in the desert Southwest, is poised to lose its USDA organic certification. The enforcement action at Shamrock Farms is the result of a USDA investigation into organic livestock management practices that was triggered by a formal complaint from The Cornucopia Institute.

Shamrock operates a massive dairy that was milking approximately 16,000 cows at the time of an inspection by Cornucopia staff in 2008. Between 700 and 1,100 of the cows at the split operation were in the organic milk herd; the remainder were part of a conventional dairy that is part of the same sprawling complex. Shamrock is Arizona’s first-ever certified organic dairy.

“We found inadequate, overgrazed pasture adjacent to their milking facility, and we were told by Shamrock employees that the confined cows had not been out in weeks,” said Mark A. Kastel, Senior Farm Policy Analyst for Wisconsin-based Cornucopia Institute, an organic industry watchdog.

Story continues at:Enforcement Hammer Falls on Giant Arizona Organic Factory Farm Dairy | Cornucopia Institute

Stratfor hackers publish email, password data

2011-12-30T17:53:00.001-06:00

Hackers affiliated with the Anonymous group published hundreds of thousands of email addresses belonging to subscribers of private intelligence analysis firm Strategic Forecasting Inc along with thousands of customer credit card numbers.

The lists, which were published on the Internet late on Thursday, included information on people including former U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former CIA Director Jim Woolsey. They could not be reached for comment.

The lists included information on large numbers of people working for big corporations, the U.S. military and major defense contractors - which attackers could potentially use to target them with virus-tainted emails in an approach known as "spear phishing."

Story continues at: Stratfor hackers publish email, password data | Reuters:

Arson Fires Consume Hollywood

2011-12-30T17:46:00.002-06:00

Investigators believe a string of 19 arson fires in Hollywood on Friday, mostly starting in cars and damaging several vehicles and homes, were the work of a serial arsonist, law-enforcement sources told ABC News.

No serious injuries were reported, although a firefighter suffered minor injuries. Four of the incidents occurred in West Hollywood and 15 in Hollywood. The former home of the late rock star Jim Morrison was among the properties affected by the fire, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Investigators are reviewing surveillance tapes in their search for the arsonist.

The fires began at 1 a.m. and caused extensive damage to a building on North Cahuenga Boulevard, where three vehicles were burned out. The fire spread from the carport to the apartment above, fire officials said at a news conference, according to ABC affiliate KABC in Los Angeles.

"We have so many that are going around hitting occupancies just like this, carports with residents above," Los Angeles Fire Department Battalion Chief Greg Gibson said at the news conference.

Two apartment buildings had to be evacuated. "I woke up really scared. I heard somebody saying, 'Fire, fire,'" Daniel Meza of Hollywood told KABC.

The Los Angeles Fire Department went on tactical alert while authorities hunted for the arsonist, allowing officials to pull in resources from other areas to help fight the fires.

It was not clear whether the incidents on Friday were related to three arson fires that struck Hollywood Thursday. Samuel Arrington, 22, and a second suspect were arrested in connection with those incidents.

Source: KGO Newstalk 810 San Francisco

Triple A says rumor about free towing is false

2011-12-30T17:42:00.000-06:00

A false rumor is being forwarded around by some Iowans on Facebook about free rides and vehicle tows for people who’ve had too much New Year’s Eve cheer. Rose White, at Triple-A Iowa, says the “Tipsy Tow” and “Tow to Go” programs are real, but they’re not available here.

“Unfortunately, these programs are only available in about a dozen states,” White says. “They are not available nationwide as indicated on some of the popular social media sites. It’s not available in Iowa or Nebraska.” She says the two free towing programs have nothing to do with what’s available for the auto club’s members.

White says, “Basic membership services will always be provided to any AAA member but Tipsy Tow and the Tow to Go programs are basically community service safety programs that are only operated in certain areas of the country.” White says Iowa is usually busy during the winter months with drivers needing assistance with winter-related problems, one reason the free service isn’t offered here.

Source: Triple A says rumor about free towing is false:

LG Kompressor Plus Supermodel Commercial

2011-12-30T17:39:00.000-06:00

Hilarious commercial.

3 Drugs on the Horizon Could Help the Fight Against Obesity

2011-12-30T02:13:00.000-06:00

Health experts are unanimous that obesity or being overweight are major factors in the onset of type 2 diabetes. So it's no surprise that researchers here and abroad are working to develop weight-loss drugs that can help people shed pounds and lessen their susceptibility to diabetes.

Currently there's only one weight-loss drug approved for sales in the United States and United Kingdom: Xenical (generic name orlistat) a prescription drug that has a lower-dose OTC version called Alli.

But more help may be on the way. Three weight-loss drugs are in the research pipeline now: Pfizer's OAP-189, Vivus Inc.'s Qnexa, and an as yet unnamed experimental drug from Roche Holding AG. Their effectiveness will hinge on their ability to overcome problems previous weight-loss drugs posed, including nausea, psychiatric side effects, and heart damage.

The three drugs have formidable obstacles ahead of them, including the need for further testing and rigorous performance challenges from U.S. and European drug regulators. It will take at least three years and up to seven or more before any of them comes to market.

Here's a brief look at each: 3 Drugs on the Horizon Could Help the Fight Against Obesity - Diabetes Health:

Deadly vehicle pileup in New Orleans

2011-12-29T16:02:00.000-06:00

Source: Deadly vehicle pileup in New Orleans - CBS News

NY apartment sells for 88 million dollars

2011-12-29T03:26:00.002-06:00

The daughter of Russian tycoon Dmitry Rybolovlev is believed to have bought the most expensive apartment in New York City. Tara Cleary reports

Elvis is at it again

2011-12-29T03:22:00.000-06:00

Elvis the croc takes on a lawnmower.

Book Review: The Closers

2011-12-29T03:05:00.000-06:00

The Closers by Michael Connelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Harry Bosch is back on the LAPD's payroll, but he is working old cold cases. The one he and his partner pull up is over 17 years old and leads them on dad and misleading ends, with the final solvency one that no one suspected until the very last minute. The clues are few in this one and you will start scratching your head until almost the very end when it all comes together.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Narrows

2011-12-29T03:00:00.002-06:00

The Narrows by Michael Connelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one is another one that involves the past, but the case is not just a cold case, it also involves a cold case killer who is not dead. Bosch once again tangles with the FBI and this is a good story line. The ending is one I did not count on, and not meaning the suspect, but in the way the suspect is "caught".

View all my reviews

Book Review: Lost Light

2011-12-29T02:55:00.000-06:00

Lost Light by Michael Connelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good book as usual. Bosch ends up solving a case several years old, but in the end it has a twist you probably won't see coming. Another good one in the Bosch series.

View all my reviews

Sea Shepherd anti-whaling boat damaged by wave

2011-12-29T02:23:00.000-06:00

A conservationist group's boat that was chasing a Japanese whaling vessel off Antarctica was seriously damaged by a giant wave on Thursday, a major setback in the group's ongoing and sometimes violent battle with Japan's whaling fleet, the activists said.

The wave cracked the hull and severely damaged one of the pontoons on the Brigitte Bardot, a scout vessel for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which is chasing the whaling fleet in the hopes of interrupting Japan's annual hunt.

None of the boat's 10 crew were hurt, and the vessel was in no danger of sinking in the icy waters, Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson said.

"It's not going to stop our attempt, but it is a setback because it takes out one of our boats," Watson said by phone from his vessel, the Steve Irwin

Story continues at: Sea Shepherd anti-whaling boat damaged by wave | World news | guardian.co.uk

PETA Activist Tried

2011-12-29T02:16:00.000-06:00

Kalona will try again to sell naming rights to creek.

The naming rights for a creek in southeast Iowa will be back up for auction on eBay later this week. Dan Ehl proposed the idea of selling the naming rights of the West Drainage Ditch in Kalona as a way to raise money for a sidewalk improvement project in the town.

“People who live around here just call it ‘the creek,’” Ehl said. “So, when we were thinking of naming it, I thought we should put it on eBay and get some money for a town project.” The naming rights were placed on eBay earlier this month and the winning bid came from a man who claimed to be from Virginia.

“He said he was bidding for a friend of his in Japan whose great grandfather had visited (Kalona) once and always spoke about how peaceful it was,” Ehl said. The winning bidder wanted to name the Kalona waterway Baniku Kinshi Creek. Ehl, who works as editor of The Kalona News, said city leaders quickly learned “Baniku Kinshi” is Japanese for “horse meat prohibited.”

Ehl said the man who tried to purchase the naming rights was an activist with PETA or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. “The name had a ring to it, but most people here probably wouldn’t like ‘Horse Meat (Prohibited)’ for a name to a creek,” Ehl said.

Kalona city leaders rejected the name, so now the naming rights for the creek will be placed on eBay again this Thursday. The winning bid last time was $681, after more than 10 people placed bids. The final name will be subject to approval by the city council and the U.S. Board of Geographic Names.

By Mark Carlson, KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids

Source: Kalona will try again to sell naming rights to creek

Bachmann's Iowa Co-Chairman Leaves Campaign, Backs Ron Paul

2011-12-29T02:04:00.000-06:00

Michele Bachmann's struggling presidential campaign has been dealt another setback: One of her Iowa co-chairmen has defected to rival Ron Paul's side.

Hours after appearing with Bachmann at a Wednesday event, state Sen. Kent Sorenson gave his endorsement to the Texas congressman at a Des Moines rally. Sorenson said he resigned from Bachmann's campaign to join the most conservative of the top-tier candidates.

The Minnesota congresswoman has been unable to recover from a fall slide that followed her Iowa straw poll victory in August. Paul was a close second.

Sorenson has strong ties to Iowa's tea party, and he joined her for an afternoon stop on her 99-county tour. He didn't speak at that gathering, citing recent dental work.

Bachmann criticizes Paul as "dangerous" for his hands-off foreign policy.

Source: Bachmann's Iowa Co-Chairman Leaves Campaign, Backs Ron Paul | KCRG-TV9 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa News, Sports, and Weather | Local News

Area Archer Gains National Attention

2011-12-28T02:05:00.001-06:00

Randy Oitker makes some amazing archery shots. He holds world records too. Neat videos.

Norovirus outbreaks lead to warning about food safety

2011-12-26T22:30:00.000-06:00

The Iowa Department of Public Health has received reports of several medium to large outbreaks of probable norovirus in at least five Iowa counties. Deputy state epidemiologist Ann Garvey says the virus causes flu-like symptoms.

“Really what it is, is a couple of days of vomiting and diarrhea, it usually resolves on its own, and there really aren’t any long term health effects, but it does make you real miserable,” Garvey says. The I.D.P.H. says three groups of people became ill after eating at a restaurant where several food handlers had also been sick.

Outbreaks were also associated with events like holiday parties and holiday potlucks. She says it’s important to remember the illness is quickly spread from person to person.

“If you are ill or if you’ve ill in the last two days we do not recommend that you cook the meal for others. So if you been sick, let someone else cook the meal for your friends and family,” Garvey says.

The health department recommends if you had any stomach illness, you should not prepare food of any kind for others until 48 hours have passed. Garvey also recommends frequent hand washing to prevent spreading the illness.

Source: Norovirus outbreaks lead to warning about food safety: