Roberta Jasina's Blog

Lupus, Chlorox, Bad Moods & New Epic Movie

November 2nd, 2009 by rejasina-wwj

 

New hope for Lupus patients.

 

Human Genome Sciences and GlaxoSmithKline say their experimental lupus drug passed another key treatment goal and they plan on asking for regulatory approval in the first half of 2010. The Lupus drug is aimed at suppressing the immune system’s response to lupus, which is an inflammatory disease prompting the body to attack its own tissue and organs. In premarket trading, Human Genome shares soared 39 percent to $26.03.

 



 

 

 

 

 

The Swine Flu means business for some companies.

 

The Clorox Co. says profit rose 23 percent in its fiscal first quarter, as consumers worried about the flu bought more of its disinfecting products.

The maker of Brita water filters and Glad bags says profit rose to $157 million, or $1.11 per share.

 



 

 

 

In a bad mood today? It could be good for you!

An Australian study says being sad makes people less gullible, improves their ability to judge others and also boosts memory.

The study, at the University of New South Wales, showed that people in a negative mood were more critical of, and paid more attention to, their surroundings than happier people, who were more likely to believe anything they were told.

 



 

 

 

A new study says eating a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression. Scientists say if you eat a lot of sweetened desserts, fried food, processed meat, and high- fat dairy, and you’re depressed…there could be a connection.

What’s more, they say,  people who ate plenty of vegetables, fruit and fish actually had a lower risk of depression.

Details in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

 

 



 

 

Reuters reports an epic movie about Islam’s Prophet Mohammad is in the pipeline, backed by a producer of the Lord of the Rings.

Barrie Osborne, who also produced The Matrix, tells Reuters the film would be an “international epic” aimed at “bridging cultures”.

Observers say it will be interesting to see how they do this since images of the Prophet are considered blasphemous by Muslims.

 

 



 

 

 

It’s one of the hottest tickets to one of Washington’s coldest events.

The National Park Service is trying something new this year for the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. Nearly 10,000 free tickets will be given out in an online lottery. The drawing begins at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday. The tree lighting is scheduled for the evening of Dec. 3 on the Ellipse across from the White House. The president traditionally uses the occasion to deliver a message of peace.

 

 



 

 

What’s going on with the Wii.

Nintendo is reporting a 52 percent slide in quarterly profit, and slashed its full-year forecast,

Analysts say demand for Nintendo’s family-friendly games has cooled as rivals Sony Corp and Microsoft Corp bolster their catalog of games that appeal to die-hard players.

 



 

 

Can you teach paint to do tricks.

Scientists in England say they’re developing a new paint that could protect people riding in or around a vehicle after a chemical attack. They say this paint would be able to soak up a chemical warfare agent, it would automatically change colors in response,  decontaminate itself, and then change back to its original color.

The work is being carried out by the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.

 

 

Driving a Chair, a Big Pop Attack, New Drug for Preemies

October 23rd, 2009 by rejasina-wwj

 

 

 A 61-year-old Minnesota man named Dennis LeRoy has been sentenced to 180 days in jail after police say he got wasted at a Minnesota bar and tried to drive home on his tricked out piece of living room furniture.

His home-made vehicle, created from a La-Z-boy chair was equipped with a cup-holder, radio, headlight and a National Hot Rod Association sticker. It was powered by a converted lawn-mower.

Police say the man went to a bar, had 8 or 9 beers, left the bar, on his motorized recliner — which is capable of speeds up to 20 MPH — and crashed into a “real car” on the way back to his home.

Physically he’s ok. Legally he’s in trouble.

 

 


 

 

In Flint, everybody’s talking about a confrontation between a young man with a gun, and a senior citizen armed with a big bottle of pop.

77 year old Pat Gillespie says he was unloading groceries at his home near Mott Park in broad daylight when the thug approached him, told him to empty his pockets…and then pulled a gun.

 

Gillespie says he wasn’t going to give him anything.

He pulled out his two liter bottle of Pepsi, swung it at the gunman, and hit a “homerun.”

 

The gunman did get off a shot, hitting Gillespie in the groin with a bullet.

 

The gunman ran off.

Gillsepie was rushed to the hospital.

He says he’s fine..just a little sore

 

 

 


 

 

Were the pilots sleeping, arguing or WHAT?

Federal investigators are trying to figure out what caused a Northwest Airlines flight to overshoot Minneapolis by 150 miles. The plane’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder have been sent to Washington for analysis. Investigators still haven’t questioned the pilots.

The FAA had notified the military, which was ready to scramble as many as four Air National Guard fighter jets, but none took to the air.

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

Some people are calling him a miracle baby.

Thousands of Muslims have been traveling to a remote town in war torn southern Russia, hoping to see the child.

He’s nine months old and his parents say the word Allah appeared on his chin soon after birth.

They say other verses written in Arabic appear from time to time on his skin.

His parents say it happens twice a week.

 

 


 

 

 

 

English researchers say a drug used to treat cancer can stop contractions and may prevent premature labor and births.

 

The Newcastle University team tested the drug Trichostatin A on tissue taken from 36 women undergoing a caesarean.

The researchers said the therapy worked by increasing the levels of a protein that controls muscle relaxation.

 

 


 

 

 

There’s been a major change in British law enforcement. U.K. police say officers patrolling crime-ridden parts of London will now be armed. Previously, British police haven’t routinely carried firearms on patrol. Guns are usually handled only by dedicated teams of marksmen.

 

 


 

 

 

Tickets go on sale Saturday for the return of Garth Brooks.

So far, they’ll be for sale for the weekends of December 11, January 1, January 22, February 12 and February 26. He’ll be in the Encore Theater at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. All tickets are the same base price of $143. Tickets go on sale 11 am Eastern. www.WynnLasVegas.com/boxoffice.

 

 


 

 

 

Sweet Streets

Grab your costume and go trick or treating at the Detroit Historical Museum (5401 Woodward Avenue in Detroit.) It’s the annual “Treats in the Streets” party Sunday (October 25) from 1-4pm in the museum’s very cool “Streets of Old Detroit’ exhibit. Crafts, candy and a special “Ha Ha Halloween Show.” Admission is free for all costumed kids under the age of 12. Adults $6. 313-833-1805. www.detroithistorical.com.

 

 


 

 

 

Lotsa Loot in Royal Oak

Downtown Royal Oak businesses invite you to come trick or treating during its 26th annual “Spooktacular” Sunday from 2-4pm. Candy, pumpkin bowling, cookie decorating, cider, donuts, crafts, coloring contest and free family film festival. 248-246-3065. www.downtownroyaloak.org.

 

 


Copper Bracelets & The Simpsons Contest

October 16th, 2009 by rejasina-wwj

 

 

British researchers say copper bracelets and magnetic wrist straps are useless for relieving pain in people with arthritis.
Scientists at the University of York say in their study, they found the bracelets and wrist straps provided no benefit:  no relief for pain or stiffness.
An arthritis charity says people should not waste their money on the “therapies.”

 

 


 
Should we call him Dr. Jeff Daniels?
Actor, playwright, songwriter and Michigan native Jeff Daniels will receive an honorary Dr. of Fine Arts degree and will deliver the address at the University of Michigan’s Winter Commencement Dec. 20.

 

 


 

`The Simpsons” is giving you the chance to make others yellow with envy by creating a character for the animated TV series.  The new Springfield resident will appear in an early 2010 episode featuring Coldplay’s Chris Martin as guest star.
The contest, part of the Simpson’s 20th-anniversary celebration is open from today through Oct. 24.  You can make your online submission at  www.thesimpsons.com
The winner gets a trip to Los Angeles to work with producers and the show’s animation director.

 


Ceara Sturgis wants to be in a tuxedo for her senior yearbook picture. And the ACLU is threatening legal action if her photo isn’t accepted. Everyone at Ceara’s Mississippi high school knows she’s a lesbian. She’s an honor student, trumpet player and goalie on the school’s soccer team. The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi says it will take the school district (Copiah County Schools) to court if Ceara can’t wear a tux, which is traditionally worn by boys for their yearbook headshots.

 

 


 

 When you exercise do you think you’re better looking?
Scientists at the University of Florida say the simple act of exercise (and not fitness itself) can convince you that you look better.
The  study is published in the September issue of the Journal of Health Psychology

 

 


 

 

 

For the executive who doesn’t have time to come down with the flu, a Japanese company claims it has invented a new form of protection — the anti-H1N1 suit.
Manufacturers say the suit can protect wearers from the swine flu virus, because  it is coated with titanium dioxide, a chemical which breaks down when reacting with light, supposedly killing the virus upon contact.
They say the suit is proven to kill 40 percent of the latest flu virus in about three hours and will retain its protective capability even after being washed several times.

 


 
New research indicates A failing memory may not be the first mental problem to signal the onset of Alzheimer’s disease,
A University of Kansas study found a decline in other thinking and learning skills may be a warning sign years before diagnosis.
The spatial skills, such as reading a map or completing a jigsaw, seem to be the first to falter.
The Archives of Neurology study may help doctors to identify Alzheimer’s at an earlier stage.

 

 


 

 

What does cancer have to do with having a husband or wife?
A new study says adults who survived cancer as children may have a lower-than-average likelihood of getting married.
Men and women who had survived cancer of the brain or spine had the lowest marriage rate, with 62 percent having never married.
The  findings  in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

 

 


 

 

It’s being billed as the first online attempt to contact Michael Jackson beyond the grave.
It’s the first Twitter seance…which they call a “Tweance.”
It’s going to happen in London October 30.

Fats, Mondays, Michael Jackson & Juggling

October 12th, 2009 by rejasina-wwj

Some fats make you less fat (?)

A new study says eating certain kinds of fats may help obese women with diabetes actually trim some body fat. (!)
The study, of 35 older women with type 2 diabetes, found that supplements containing two types of fats — conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and safflower oil — led to healthy changes in body composition over four months.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, September 2009.

 
Bugs in Your Computer?

Microsoft will issue its biggest ever security update tomorrow. (Tues. Oct. 13)
The update will include 13 bulletins to tackle 34 vulnerabilities.
Microsoft said that eight of the bulletins were rated as critical - the most serious sort of vulnerability.
http://www.microsoft.com/security/default.aspx

 

 

Blue Mondays

 

Hey America,  ” does somebody have a case of the Mondays?”
Turns out…a lot of us do.
Apparently there is a 9.7 percent increase in happiness on Fridays compared with the worst day of the week, Monday. That is among the discoveries made by Facebook researchers with access to two years of anonymous “status updates” from 100 million users in the United States.
Another conclusion: holidays like the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Halloween make Americans happy, while days when celebrities like Michael Jackson or Heath Ledger die make Americans sad.

www.NewYorkTimes.com.

 

Drunks in China
In China, just being a passenger in a car driven by a drunk driver could get a person in trouble. The official China Daily newspaper reports China has proposed expanding a nationwide campaign against drunk drivers to include penalties against their passengers.

 

Juggling

Is it better for your brain for you to learn a new skill, or to just continue doing what you’re already good at.
A  new study says try to learn something new, because the brain wants to be puzzled and learn new things. A study done at Oxford University found that learning to juggle significantly boosted connections between different parts of the jugglers’ brains.
The Oxford researchers say the same transformation was seen in all the jugglers, regardless of how well they could perform.  They say it’s the learning process that’s important.

Nature Neuroscience, DOI: 10.1038/nn.2412

 
I’ll Have What She’s Having

Mystery Meat.  On purpose.
Something new at a Japanese restaurant called the Mystery Cafe. 
You can order whatever you like… but that won’t be what you end up eating. 

The restaurant wants patrons to expand their culinary horizons, so you get what the person before you ordered, and the next person gets what you ordered. 
The point is getting people to taste something new .

 

 

New Michael Jackson Music

You can now get the first song from that Michael Jackson music documentary. “This Is It” is now available on the Web site www.MichaelJackson.com. The movie makes its debut later this month - and features backup vocals by Jackson’s brothers. The film makes use of rehearsal footage for Jackson’s planned London concerts. Jackson never got to do those shows because he died on June 25.

October 9th, 2009 by rejasina-wwj

 

Mummies, Mustaches, Money, Soap, Stonehenge, Shroud

 

 

The Detroit Science Center is about to “take the wraps off” a dark but very dignified new exhibit called the “Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato.”

It features the actual bodies of 36 people who died about a hundred years ago in Mexico. And you’ll hear the story of how they became “accidentally mummified.”

The mummies have skin, hair, teeth, and in some cases, are still wearing their burial outfits (some of which are in beautiful condition.)

There are also exhibits on how death is “celebrated” in Mexico.

And (for “CSI” fans) check out the pathology lessons on what exactly is happening with these bodies.

I had a sneak peek on Thursday. It was fascinating.

But I think it could be disturbing for children under the age of 12.

 http://www.detroitsciencecenter.org/

 

  

Will you make more money if you have a mustache?

A new study commissioned by Quicken (and the American Mustache Institute) says having a mustache may improve your chances of landing a higher paying job.

The study found that mustached Americans earned 8.2 percent more on average than those with beards and 4.3 percent more than the clean shaven.

http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE5980IP20091009

 

 

 

Extreme Laundry Soap

Selestial Soap, in Traverse City, has introduced Outdoor Extreme Laundry Soap, the first 100% natural laundry product designed specifically for the needs of hunters, soldiers or even athletes. They say its for gear where scent, camouflage and maintaining the properties of high-tech fabrics are critical.

They say for soldiers, their uniforms will not glow when viewed with nightvision equipment

 

selestialsoap.com 231-944-1431.

 

 

 

Very Scary

Some critics say this is the scariest movie they’ve ever seen.

It’s a new one called “Paranormal Activity.”

 

The film follows a young couple who, convinced they’re being haunted by spirits, set up a video camera to monitor their bedroom over the course of 20 nights.

It was made in just a few days. The budget: just a few thousand dollars.

www.movie phone.com says no other film this millennium has proved so shockingly chilling or packed the kind of lingering effects to leave you shaken and utterly terrified of your own home.

 

 

Stonehenge and the Shroud of Turin

 

Researchers say a new find near Stonehenge shows the religious significance of the site.

It was more than just a calendar.

The scientists believe a newly discovered prehistoric stone circle and the larger Stonehenge circle may mark a “domain of the dead” that was linked to the “domain of the living” by the River Avon.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/oct/06/second-stonehenge-discovered

 

Meantime, an Italian Scientist says the Shroud of Turin is not a “miracle relic,”

it was man made.

Chemistry professor Luigi Garlaschelli says he was able to recreate the shroud using technology that was available in the 14th century.

He says the shroud is a medieval fake.

 

While admitting his funding came from an Italian association of

atheists and agnostics, he adds that this has had no bearing on the final results. He says if the Church wants to fund me in the future, that’s fine with him.

 

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/829194…

Abortion, Nasal Spray, Cows with Names

October 2nd, 2009 by rejasina-wwj

 

A turnabout on abortion.

 

A new national survey finds weakening support for, and growing opposition to, abortion.

The Pew Research Center poll of more than 4,000 adults suggests that less than half of Americans now support legal abortion, with opponents of abortion growing in both strength and conviction.

The poll found support for legal abortion down sharply among Catholics, Protestants, Jews and Americans of all political persuasions since the Presidential election.

Pew researcher Greg Smith says supporters and opponents of legal abortion also have become more polarized, with about 40 percent of each now saying they don’t respect the opposite point of view.

 

 



 

 

We may be sniffing our way to a better memory.

A nasal spray has been developed by a team of German scientists who say a molecule from the body’s immune system (interleukin-6) when administered through the nose helps the brain retain emotional and procedural memories during REM sleep.

 

Details at www.sciencedaily.com.

 

 


 

 

 

 

Are these ideas ridiculous or really worth thinking about?

Scientists have developed a bra that turns into a gas mask.

There’s a separate team of researchers who have found that cows that have names produce more milk than cows that are anonymous.

Another researcher thinks you can make diamonds from tequila.

 

Those projects are among the winners of the “2009 Ig Nobel prizes.”

The aim of the awards is to honor achievements that “first make people laugh and then make them think”.

The peace prize went to a Swiss research team who determined whether it is better to be hit over the head with a full or empty bottle of beer.

The ceremony was organised by the magazine Annals of Improbable Research.

http://improbable.com/category/ig-nobel/

 

 


 

 

 

Could evolution ever switch gears?

Could we de-evolve and the proteins in our bodies return to the old shapes and jobs they had millions of years ago.

A team of scientists now declares the answer is no.

Dr. Joseph Thornton at the University of Oregon says new mutations make it practically impossible for evolution to reverse direction. He says the mutations burn the bridge that evolution just crossed,”

Details in current issue of the journal “Nature.”

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

The New York Daily News is reporting that Red Sox Hall of Famer Ted Williams’ severed head was mistreated at an Arizona cryonics facility. That’s according to the new book “Frozen.”

It’s written by a former executive with the Arizona  storage facility where Williams’ remains were sent.

Larry Johnson writes that in July 2002, shortly after Williams diied at age 83, technicians with no medical certification used crude equipment to decapitate Williams.

He also reports Williams’ severed head was then frozen, and even used for batting practice by a technician trying to dislodge it from a tuna fish can.

 

 


 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday! (Where’s the party?)

Wayne County Parks will be celebrating its 90th Birthday with a party October 10 and you’re invited.

1-3 p.m.

at Elizabeth Park in Trenton.

We will have a bike parade, moonwalks, trackless train rides, performances by the Candy Band and the Gratitude Steel Band and much more.

 

 

 

History & Halloween

Trick or treating isn’t just for October 31st anymore. Start early at “Hallowe’en at Greenfield Village,” (20900 Oakwood Blvd Dearborn.) October 9-11, 16-18 and 23-25. Eight hundred hand-carved jack-o-lanterns, 11 treat stations, costumed characters, loot bags provided. Dress up or come as you are. Tickets start at $12.75. Kids 2 and under get in free. 6:30-9pm Fri, & Sat. 6:30-8pm Sun. 313-982-6001. http://www.hfmgv.org.

 

 

 

Free College Class for Kids (& Adults)

How fast is evolution? Find out Saturday morning at the University of Michigan’s fun, free, easy-to-understand Saturday Morning Physics Classes. 10:30am-11:30am. For ages 10 and up. 170 & 182 Dennison Building in Ann Arbor. Refreshments served before class. Free and open to the public. 734-764-4437. http://www.lsa.umich.edu

 

Happiness, Brain Damage, Shakespeare

September 28th, 2009 by rejasina-wwj

Are you happy?
If not, is there any chance you could start your own business?

According to a recent survey, business owners are the happiest Americans. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index finds professionals and managers/executives are the second-most satisfied group. 
Those working in manufacturing are the least satisfied.

 

 


 
If someone has  severe brain damage and does not appear to have signs of consciousness, are they still able to learn?
A new Cambridge University study says possibly.
 Researchers tested for Pavlovian-like responses in 22 people in a persistent vegetative state by playing a noise prior to a puff of air to the eye.
Some patients  learnt to anticipate the puff of air causing the eye muscles to twitch, 
The team hopes it may lead to tests to determine which patients could recover.
Details in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

 

 


 
Wayne State University is now offering an online course on how to respond when someone starts shooting.   The school says it’s a response to a number of massacres at U.S. colleges and high schools.  The course is called “Be Prepared: Surviving an Active Shooter Incident” and is intended for students, faculty and staff.  

 

 


 
THEY might be bald and ugly, but naked mole rats never get cancer.  Why is that? Scientists at Rochester University want to find out. They say if the  trick can be copied it could help humans resist cancer too.
Details at New scientist.com.

 

 


 
Do you know someone who suddenly has weird little problems writing checks or paying their bills. A new study says Declining financial skills are detectable in patients in the year before they develop Alzheimer’s.
The researchers say this could be a useful indicator for doctors supporting people with memory problems.
The research from the University of Alabama in Birmingham is published in the journal, Neurology.

 

 


 

 

The church where William Shakespeare was baptized and buried is seeking money to keep a roof over his grave. 
The Reverend Martin Gorick, vicar of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, says that workmen recently discovered that the main beam in the roof right above Shakespeare’s grave is falling apart.
The church has raised nearly $1.6 million in the past 7 years for restoration work, and estimates that repairs to the beam will cost another $81,000.

 

 


 
Something new in neckties.
Thomas Pink, the British shirt brand has designed a necktie with a hidden pocket for your i-pod.  They call it the “Commuter Tie.”
It’s got an extra fabric loop keeps wires, including headphone wires, out of sight and close to the body.

Drinking binges and Bacteria (Among Other Things.)

September 18th, 2009 by rejasina-wwj

 

 Do viruses like it when you go on a drinking binge.

A new study says yes.

 

New research out of Mississippi State University says going on a drinking binge could leave you wide open to infections, as well as hangovers.Scientists say drinking copious amounts of alcohol in one session hurts your the immune system by knocking out proteins essential for fighting off bacteria and viruses.

 

And they say, the alcohol’s effects continue long after the party is over.

Details in the online journal BMC Immunology .

 

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New hope for the color blind.

Scientists at the University of Washington say they are getting promising results using gene therapy.

They say they were able to restore full color vision to adult monkeys born without the ability to distinguish between the colors red and green.

Details in the journal Nature.

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You’ve heard the saying an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth?

This is a tooth for an eye.

For the first time in the U.S., Doctors at the University of Miami have used a tooth to help restore a woman’s eyesight.

Kay Thornton has been blind for nine years, but surgeons at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute put a plastic lens into a tooth from her mouth, and implanted the combination into her eye. She now has 20/70 vision that might further improve as she recovers from the surgery.

 

The procedure was developed in Italy in 1963 and has been used successfully in Europe and Japan.

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Who would want the Berlin Wall BACK?

A new study says one in seven Germans want the Berlin Wall back because they were better off when the country was divided.

November 9 will be the 20th anniversaty of the collapse of the wall.

 

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Ticketmaster has come up with a way to resell tickets that shuts out brokers and scalpers.

Ticketmaster has a “paperless” ticketing platform, that does it by requiring customers to show a credit card and ID when they arrive at an event. Without the paper ticket, there’s nothing for a scalper to resell but also no way for the buyer to pass it along.

So, Ticketmaster has developed a new exchange system that debuted at Penn State’s football season opener earlier this month. The system involved 21,000 season tickets reserved for full-time students, capping the number of games students can resell and limiting the price to $60, about twice the face value and fees of the original tickets.

The moves gives Ticketmaster a chance to capture more of the secondary market by cutting out StubHub and other brokers.

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Cool Concert coming up called “Hamburger Helper.”

(!)

 

That’s what Wayne State University’s Department of music is calling the concert this Sunday at St. Michael’s Episocal Church in Grosse Pointe Woods, 4pm.

Dr. Norah Duncan and Dr. Eldonna May will be playing the so called Hamburger Suite.

German Baroque music for Organ and Oboe.

Suggested donation of ten dollars

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Exercise, “The Urban Hopper,” and a Hot New Planet

September 16th, 2009 by rejasina-wwj

 

Do you exercise alone or with a group?

A new study says working out with a bunch of other people appears to increase the level of the feel-good endorphin hormones naturally released during physical exertion.

The study done at England’s Oxford University. 

Details in Biology Letters

 

 


 

 

 This is one giant leap …for robots.

A new robot being developed for the U.S. military can jump over obstacles that are 25 feet high.

It’s about the size of a shoebox, and most of the time uses its four wheels to get around.

They call it the Precision Urban Hopper.

Developers say this could really boost the capabilities of troops and special forces engaged in urban warfare

Its developers say this GPS driving robot could potentially reduce troop casualties.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8253807.stm


 

He’s two feet tall,

he was a national TV star for 20 years,

he once ran for President

and now one of Detroit’s most famous residents is being honored with a U.S. postage stamp.

It’s Howdy Doody.

 

The excitement starts at 3:30 this coming Sunday afternoon at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

And you’re invited to the party.

 

Howdy Doody is being honored with the postage stamp.  There’s going to be singing, reminiscing, and Howdy will take questions from the audience. (!)

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

Astronomers have found a rocky planet outside our solar system.

Scientists have found more than 300 planets over the years, but they’ll all been gas balls or can’t be proven to be solid. Now, astronomers in Europe say they’ve proved a planet about 500 light years away is rocky. However it’s so close to its sun, that its surface temperature is more than 3,600 degrees.

 

 


 

 

 

Christian publicist Mark DeMoss says the televised outbursts by rapper Kanye West, Congressman Joe Wilson and tennis star Serena Williams reflect bad manners and a regrettable incivility in public life.

DeMoss launched what he calls “The Civility Project”.

The project’s Web site asks people to pledge that they’ll be civil in public discourse and behavior, will oppose incivility and will be respectful of others regardless of their views.

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

A federal report says the government is moving so slowly to clean up the most polluted sites in the Great Lakes that it will take 77 more years to finish the job at the current pace. The report estimates it will cost more than $2 billion to finish the cleanup of 31 sites.

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

A new poll suggests most Americans oppose the government taking ownership stakes in struggling companies, even if the business’ failure would cost jobs and hurt the economy. The Associated Press-National Constitution Center found only 38 percent of respondents favored the kind of intervention that saved insurance giant AIG, GM and mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

 

 

 


 

A real boar is coming to dinner at Meadowbrook Hall.In fact, the boar is dinner.

It’s Meadowbrook Hall’s annual Wild Game fundraiser dinner tomorrow night  (Thursday) at 7pm.

Tickets $75 dollars per person.

Meadowbrook is on Squirrel Rd.

(Don’t worry..that’s the street not an entre.)

 

 

 

 

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Suicide, Fruit Tattoos, Howdy Doody in Detroit

September 14th, 2009 by rejasina-wwj

 

France Telecom SA was mobilizing all 20,000 of its managers Monday in an effort to respond to a string of 23 employee suicides that unions blame partly on layoffs and restructuring at the telecommunications giant.

 

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iR7XMHsnezEZ0lJyBaipuNgJQqPwD9AN4HJG0


 

 Goodbye sticky labels, hello tattooed fruit.

The FDA is expected to approve laser-etching of fruits and vegetables in the next month or so, paving the way for produce “tattooed” with product information to hit store shelves.
Scientists say the little tattoos are safe and they don’t affect the taste of the fruit or veggies.

They say they can print anything on just about any fruit or vegetable…except for leafy greens like lettuce.

http://www.foodproductdesign.com/news/2009/08/fruit-tattoos.aspx?tw=20090914082327

 

 


 

 

 Remember the initial uproar over the “Body Worlds” exhibit, that displayed human cadavers in unusual poses?  The exhibit (which involved the use of a preservation technique called Plastination) drew huge crowds at museums around the world.
German scientists now plan a new show dedicated to showing the cadavers looking like they’re having sex as part of a new exhibit.
Gunther von Hagens says it’s not his intention to shock people with dead people and sex poses. He says the idea is to show the anatomy and the function of what’s involved.
Some observers have called the exhibit revolting.

http://momento24.com/en/2009/09/13/body-worlds-plan-cadaver-sex-exhibition/

 

 


 
Another comeback for Captain Jack.

 

Johnny Depp is going to do a fourth “Pirates”  movie.

`Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” will be released in the summer of 2011.

Depp  also will play Tonto in a new movie version of “The Lone Ranger.”

 

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iR7XMHsnezEZ0lJyBaipuNgJQqPwD9AN4HJG0

 


 

 

They’re trying to add new magic to the Magic Kingdom.   
Disney executives are planning the largest expansion in the Magic Kingdom’s history.

The development will nearly double the size of Fantasyland and include a new, lavish ride based on the Little Mermaid.
   Disney also plans to update Star Tours, the Star Wars-themed ride in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It will debut in 2011.
   Disney’s parks contribute about a third of the giant entertainment company’s revenue.

 

 


 

 

 

 Go Green!
Spend an evening with Tom Izzo Thursday (September 17) at the Lorenzo Cultural Center (44575 Garfield, Clinton Township) 7 pm.  The Michigan State Basketball Coach will be talking about his philosophy of success in sports and in life. $15-adults.  $5-students. 586-445-7348.
www.lorenzoculturalcenter.com.
 
World War II and You
The Rochester Hills Museum (1005 Van Hoosen Road) presents “Driven to Victory” Saturday (September 19) featuring Allied and enemy campsites, military and armored vehicles, weapons demonstrations, battle reenactments, and video games. 9am-4pm. $5-adults. $3-students. 248-656-4663.
www.rochesterhills.org
 
Hoofing it at the Zoo
It’s fun on the run Sunday (September 20) during the annual Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo (8450 W 10 Mile Rd, Royal Oak.) Compete in the 5K and 10K races in the streets of Huntington Woods, or take it slow with the Fun Walk inside the zoo. Stick around for the post race party with live music, food, and special activities for kids. 5k-8am. 10k-8:45am. Fun Walk-9am. On site registration $20-$25.  (248) 398-0900.
www.detroitzoo.org.
Hey Kids!  What Time Is It?
It’s Howdy Doody Time Sunday (Sept. 20) at the Detroit Institute of Arts (5200 Woodward Avenue in Detroit.)  The DIA’s own Howdy Doody marionette will be on hand at the unveiling of a new U.S. Postage stamp created in his honor. Howdy will be joined by his old partner, writer/composer Ed Kean.  The two of them will answer questions and lead a sing along.  3pm.  $8-adults, $4-children. 313-833-7900. 
www.dia.org.