`Here I would like to show, although I do not provide any warranty and can not give any guarantee, that isolating stem cells from the placenta is not more difficult than making a steak, and with proper preparation, investment and timing you can do it even at home or in a rent lab. The process is ethically non-controversial since the placenta is usually discarded after birth. Today, stem cell therapy is just a promising possibility, but in the not so distant future, self-aware citizens may manage their own stem cells, grow them in the garage, and store them in the fridge. If so, it could be a form of autonomous medical self-insurance. We are at the dawn of the bioDIY movement backed by open source science for anybody.’
We had the rocket scooter the other day, and today we have the rocket skateboard.
Fun for the whole family. 🙂
(2.3meg Windows media)
see it here »
`[..] New research demonstrates that habits of so-called magical thinking – the belief, for instance, that wishing harm on a loathed colleague or relative might make him sick – are far more common than people acknowledge.
These habits have little to do with religious faith, which is much more complex because it involves large questions of morality, community and history. But magical thinking underlies a vast, often unseen universe of small rituals that accompany people through every waking hour of a day.
The appetite for such beliefs appears to be rooted in the circuitry of the brain, and for good reason. The sense of having special powers buoys people in threatening situations, and helps soothe everyday fears and ward off mental distress. [..]
The brain seems to have networks that are specialized to produce an explicit, magical explanation in some circumstances, said Pascal Boyer, a professor of psychology and anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis.’
`The city likely will pay $35,000 to settle the claim of a girl forced to perform jumping jacks topless in front of a police officer to avoid arrest.
The Pensacola City Council’s finance committee on Monday forwarded the proposed settlement to a Thursday vote before the full council.
The victim’s attorney, Robert Bleach, said after the meeting that his client will be “glad to put this ugly incident behind her” and will use the money for her college education.
“She certainly didn’t want to go through a trial and relive the whole thing all over again,” he said.’
Never again worry about your dog shitting whilst you’re walking it.
Now all you need to do is worry about what to do with the bags of poo you’ve been collecting. 🙂
This remote control plane does a cool trick. It must take a lot of practice to be able to fly it that well..
see it here »
‘”The greatest threat to today’s society is the rise of the gothic subculture. Goth is a sinister and violent subculture obsessed with Satanism, Wicca, Vampirism, BDSM, rape, child abuse, Hitler, bondage, sick sexual perversions, serial killers, death, drugs, self mutilation and other sick practices to vile to mention. Goth’s are the Devil’s Children. In my opinion, Goths are more dangerous to children than paedophiles” – Rev. R.G. Green’
‘Hundreds of chickens have been found dead in east China — and a court has ruled that the cause of death was the screaming of a four-year-old boy who in turn had been scared by a barking dog, state media reported on Wednesday. [..]
“One neighbour told police that he had heard the boy’s crying that afternoon and another villager confirmed the boy screaming by the henhouse window,” the newspaper said.
A court ruled the boy’s screaming was “the only unexpected abnormal sound” and that 443 chickens trampled each other to death in fear.
The boy’s father was ordered to pay 1,800 yuan ($230) in compensation to the owner of the chickens.’
`The world of marine biology is scratching its collective head after a female shark gave birth to a pup even though it had apparently been nowhere near a male of the species.
The bonnethead shark has been swimming in a tank at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska, US, with two female companions for the past three years. [..]
The pregnancy could be a case of parthenogenesis – or asexual reproduction – which, although common in some amphibians, has never been reported before in sharks.
More likely, say the zoo’s scientists, the shark was impregnated before she came to the center and retained a male’s sperm in her reproductive tract until she was mature enough to conceive.’
The Ergopod 500 lets you use your computer whilst laying in bed on your back.
If you had a catheter and someone to bring you food, you’ve never have to move. Ha! 🙂
Another Tom Mabe clip, also quite funny. 🙂
Feeding the homeless like that is pretty cool.
(15.8meg Flash video)
see it here »
‘You’re the angel of death, man..’
This is a recording made by Tom Mabe, who likes to record phone calls from telemarketers and harass them a bit. It’s pretty funny. 🙂
(3.9meg Flash video)
see it here »
`A 19-year-old man has been charged over an attack in which another young man had a chair leg embedded in his brain in a fight outside a Melbourne nightclub.
Police said the man turned himself in yesterday.
The victim, also 19, was injured during a gang fight on Sunday morning outside the Metro nightclub on Bourke Street in the CBD.
The 1.9cm-wide metal chair leg pierced his left eye and became embedded in his brain.
Firefighters had to cut away part of the chair before the man, from suburban Northcote, could be treated.’
`Anglo-Dutch consumer products group Unilever NV/Plc sent knives to 200,000 Dutch families in a direct mail campaign which resulted in some children suffering injuries, the company said on Tuesday.
The company had sent the letters, which included a small knife with a metal blade and plastic hilt, in the first half of January to promote the use of one of its brands of margarine.
But Unilever said three children had needed to visit a doctor and around 50 parents had filed a complaint.
“Parents said the knife was too sharp, after which we decided to send a second letter and ask the families to throw away the knife,” a Unilever spokeswoman said.
Unilever said it had contacted the families which had complained and had offered them a cuddly toy as consolation. It said it had not received any requests for compensation.’
`An elderly Brisbane woman who killed a dog by sealing it in a plastic bag and putting it in a wheelie bin has been fined $2500.
The 71-year-old woman, from Holland Park in Brisbane’s east, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty today in Brisbane Magistrates Court .
She was charged by the RSPCA after she put the dog in a plastic bag which she then dumped in a wheelie bin on October 13 last year.’
`A Buffalo teenager who said he killed and slowly dismembered his mother over several days at the urging of the 50-year-old man who was sexually abusing him was sentenced Monday to six months in jail.
Angel Rosa, 16, pleaded guilty in June to a first-degree manslaughter in the death of Madeline Irene, 46, whose head and hands were found encased in cement in a garbage can at the 50-year-old’s home after other body parts were found floating in a nearby river.
Psychiatrists for both the prosecution and the defense determined Rosa was emotionally under the control of Edwin Gimenez, a convicted child molester who was his co-defendant in the homicide.’
`Prosecutors intend to charge President Moshe Katsav with rape and other crimes against female employees, the Justice Ministry said on Tuesday, in what would be an unprecedented indictment against an Israeli head of state.
Katsav has denied wrongdoing. His post is largely ceremonial and the scandal is unlikely to have a direct impact on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert — who has himself been hurt politically by a string of investigations into suspected corruption, which he has denied.
The case against Katsav, months in the making, appeared certain to strengthen the feeling among many Israelis that misconduct is rampant at the top.’
`We are surprised to see our work on reprogramming adult stem cells used to support arguments that research involving human embryonic stem cells is unnecessary. On the contrary, we assert that human embryonic stem cells hold great promise to find new treatments and cures for diseases. …
The work that we performed and that was cited in the White House policy report is precisely the type of research that is currently being harmed by the President’s arbitrary limitation on federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research. …
We feel that the President’s restrictive policy has directly impeded research that provides a hope for cures for millions of Americans. …’
`Des Moines police this morning used a striking instrument and pepper spray on a woman they later learned was pregnant in an effort to stop her from eating what they believed was marijuana.
Barbara Brown, 20, of Des Moines, was taken to Broadlawns Medical Center to be treated for what police believed was marijuana consumption.
Police said they were trying to preserve evidence, but Brown managed to chew and swallow all of it.
She was charged with public consumption. The charge refers to the beer she allegedly was drinking, not the marijuana police believe she had eaten.’
`32. TradingMarkets [..]
TradingMarkets – a Web site that provides its subscribers with professional stock-market expertise for as much as $100 a month – in January invites 10 Playboy models to participate in an investing contest.
When results are tallied toward the end of the year, 40 percent of the bunnies deliver better returns than the S&P 500, compared with just 29 percent of actively managed mutual funds.’
`Sydney councils are paying private detectives thousands of dollars to have sex with prostitutes so they can gather sufficient proof against illegal brothels.
Nine councils across Sydney have forked out $25,000 in fees to private investigators over the past three years.
The Sunday Telegraph has learned that Ku-ring-gai Council spent $7000 in the past month employing detectives to have sex with prostitutes.
Ku-ring-gai Mayor Nick Ebbeck said the extreme measures were necessary to prove the businesses were illegal.’
These guys have attache some rocket motors to a little scooter. They take it for a test drive in this video, and it works better than I think they expected. 🙂
see it here »
`Tom Cruise is the new “Christ” of Scientology, according to leaders of the cult-like religion.
The Mission: Impossible star has been told he has been “chosen” to spread the word of his faith throughout the world.
And leader David Miscavige believes that in future, Cruise, 44, will be worshipped like Jesus for his work to raise awareness of the religion.
A source close to the actor, who has risen to one of the church’s top levels, said: “Tom has been told he is Scientology’s Christ-like figure.
“Like Christ, he’s been criticised for his views. But future generations will realise he was right.”’
`The drug cartels here are clearly Goliath, heavily armed with automatic weapons.
The municipal police, stripped of their guns this month as part of a corruption probe, are now playing the role of David.
About 60 officers were issued slingshots yesterday for use on patrols in the tourist section of Avenida Revolucion and the business district of Zona Rio, according to a police department spokesman. Some of the officers bought bags of marbles for ammo.
“It’s obviously very denigrating to them to be carrying these kinds of instruments, but they have to look for ways to provide security for the public,” spokesman Fernando BojĂłrquez said. ‘
It’s amazing how efficient these guys are. I’m certainly not going to commit any crimes if I ever go to Europe. 🙂
see it here »
`A diver has survived a terrifying attack by a shark, which seized him first by the head and then bit into his torso before he fought free of the predator. [..]
The shark seized Mr Nerhus by the head, crushing his face mask inwards and breaking his nose, said friend and fellow diver Dennis Luobikis.
“He was actually bitten by the head down, the shark swallowed his head,” Mr Luobikis said.
Taking a second bite, the white pointer clenched its jaws around his torso, tearing deep lacerations in either side of his body.’
.. while with another crackhead smokes in the background.
see it here »
`According to several well informed intelligence sources, hundreds of CIA operatives have become virtual prisoners in the Green Zone, the sprawling American enclave whose high walls and guards separate the U.S. embassy, military command and related civilian agencies from the raging sectarian violence in Baghdad’s streets.
The CIA operatives cannot safely roam the city to meet their few agents, much less recruit new ones.
It’s just too dangerous. CIA chiefs don’t want to risk one getting kidnapped, tortured on camera and beheaded.
That would certainly dampen the allure of a career in the CIA.’
