Silly/Odd News Stories from around the World

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by AnimeFan188

"A team of scientists in Washington DC believe that the solution to oil
shortages, for jet planes at least, may be seawater.

Chemists working for the US Navy have managed to process seawater into
"unsaturated short-chain hydrocarbons”, which, reports New Scientist, could
be refined to make kerosene-based jet fuel."


See:

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/...seawater.aspx?

I would like to ask how the f*** do they process Group I salts and other impurities into carbon.

Originally Posted by MrTerrorist

Science ponders 'zombie attack'

Everyone get your guns ready & stock up your ammo!

We already have zombie attacks in most Asian countries. Infected groups are made up of students who perform well in schools and continue to sabotage creativity of the education system by "not walking the road less taken".

[Shadow Kira01]

Originally Posted by AnimeFan188

"A team of scientists in Washington DC believe that the solution to oil
shortages, for jet planes at least, may be seawater.

Chemists working for the US Navy have managed to process seawater into
"unsaturated short-chain hydrocarbons”, which, reports New Scientist, could
be refined to make kerosene-based jet fuel."


See:

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/...seawater.aspx?

If the scientific claim turns out to be genuine, this may bring about an era of change where the Middle East will become a safe and peaceful place as that nobody cares about oil anymore since they can just convert seawater for it and the fact that seawater consists of the majority of the world's capacity, it is almost an unlimited amount of supply for every country. Aside from that, it will also prevent global warming and protect the environment as that seawater is one with the nature. Hopefully, these scientists are for real...

[LynnieS]

Originally Posted by Shadow Kira01

If the scientific claim turns out to be genuine, this may bring about an era of change where the Middle East will become a safe and peaceful place as that nobody cares about oil anymore since they can just convert seawater for it and the fact that seawater consists of the majority of the world's capacity, it is almost an unlimited amount of supply for every country. Aside from that, it will also prevent global warming and protect the environment as that seawater is one with the nature. Hopefully, these scientists are for real...

Many countries in the Middle East have economies based on the petroleum/petrochemical industries, however. You would not be completely destroying those by just replacing jet fuel with a synthetic - not with heating oil, gasoline and manufacturing still needing petroleum - but I can see a certain amount of anger and unrest coming out of the Middle East if this comes true. Not as much if this was some fusion or another high-efficiency generation process, though.

I would imagine that translating this process to make gasoline should not be too hard as well? If so, the price of oil should come down, which would be good for consumers but may not, if it drops a lot, be that way for the producers.

What will be the byproducts of this seawater-to-jet fuel process also? Does the fuel also create the same (better or worse?) kind of waste when used?

It's a nice sentiment, though.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by LynnieS

Many countries in the Middle East have economies based on the petroleum/petrochemical industries, however. You would not be completely destroying those by just replacing jet fuel with a synthetic - not with heating oil, gasoline and manufacturing still needing petroleum - but I can see a certain amount of anger and unrest coming out of the Middle East if this comes true. Not as much if this was some fusion or another high-efficiency generation process, though.

I would imagine that translating this process to make gasoline should not be too hard as well? If so, the price of oil should come down, which would be good for consumers but may not, if it drops a lot, be that way for the producers.

What will be the byproducts of this seawater-to-jet fuel process also? Does the fuel also create the same (better or worse?) kind of waste when used?

It's a nice sentiment, though.

most middle east countries have enough money in the bank that even if you reduce oil price back down to $20 a barrel (still need it for plastic). Countries that depend completely depend on oil like Nigeria and Venezuela would be completely screw through.

Won't be soon enough but i love to see how chavez finance his revolution with $20/barrel of oil.

The model, made from 600 separate parts, took six months to build. And though there are no immediate plans to go into production, its creators are hopeful. Let's hope we still have some actual forests left by then...

http://www.wired.co.uk/wired-magazin...e-fighter.aspx

our own battlemechs provided skynet doesn't take over first.

[MrTerrorist]

Originally Posted by AnimeFan188

"A team of scientists in Washington DC believe that the solution to oil
shortages, for jet planes at least, may be seawater.

Chemists working for the US Navy have managed to process seawater into
"unsaturated short-chain hydrocarbons”, which, reports New Scientist, could
be refined to make kerosene-based jet fuel."


See:

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/...seawater.aspx?

Thats good to hear.

[Anh_Minh]

They used saltwater... and energy. Where does that energy come from?

Besides, you still need oil for a host of uses (the best known being all the plastic around us). Substitute can be found, probably, but our existing industry's pretty much based on oil.

[Slice of Life]

You never learn what scientists really had in mind from reading such articles, but I think the main goal was not to find alternative sources of energy but rather to store nuclear or solar energy into something kerosene-like to avoid a radical redesign of jet planes.

[MrTerrorist]

'German Borat' shakes up election

A fictional candidate "campaigning" for Germany's parliamentary elections next month would win 18% of the votes if he stood, an opinion poll suggests.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

our own battlemechs provided skynet doesn't take over first.

It reminds me of the Goblin Woodcutting meches in Warcraft III.

[Saleh]

Woman sues zoo over splashing dolphins

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A woman is suing a Chicago-area zoo for a 2008 fall near a dolphin exhibit, accusing zookeepers of encouraging the mammals to splash water and then failing to protect spectators from wet surfaces, local media reported on Thursday.

In her suit filed earlier this week, Allecyn Edwards said she was injured while walking near an exhibit at Brookfield Zoo, where a group of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins were performing, media said.

Officials "recklessly and willfully trained and encouraged the dolphins to throw water at the spectators in the stands, making the floor wet and slippery," but failed to post warning signs or lay down protective mats or strips, the suit said, according to the reports.

Edwards is demanding more than $50,000 for lost wages, medical expenses and emotional trauma from the Chicago Zoological Society and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, which operate the zoo in Chicago's southwest suburbs.

The suit was filed in Illinois' Circuit Court of Cook County.

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

most middle east countries have enough money in the bank that even if you reduce oil price back down to $20 a barrel (still need it for plastic). Countries that depend completely depend on oil like Nigeria and Venezuela would be completely screw through.

Won't be soon enough but i love to see how chavez finance his revolution with $20/barrel of oil..

If and when oil goes that far down, I can safely say that UMNO would be first hit. It mainly relies on Petronas to make the Bumiputera policy work thus far. However, Malaysia won't crash. Penang is still there.

On the other hand, only the UAE would be able to survive such drops in oil prices. Everyone else from Iran to Saudi Arabia will be really screwed. Same with Russia and the South American oil nations.

[LynnieS]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

most middle east countries have enough money in the bank that even if you reduce oil price back down to $20 a barrel (still need it for plastic). Countries that depend completely depend on oil like Nigeria and Venezuela would be completely screw through.

Won't be soon enough but i love to see how chavez finance his revolution with $20/barrel of oil.

Current versions of jet fuel with bio matter added use 20-50% of the stuff, so those kinds would primarily extend the supply of petroleum. Price may drop, but shouldn't be too bad. This new process seems to replace petroleum altogether, and may be able to be extended - although the article does not say one way or another.

Certainly for Saudi Arabia at least, the petroleum industry contributes about 45% to its economy, and if memory serves, most of the workers in the industry there are foreigners. There had been subsidies made by the Kingdom for barley, water, electricity and etc. in the past, which may/may not have been extended. If you lose income, foreign workers will either leave or be forced out, fewer subsidies can be afforded, and (possibly) more unrest. Not many countries do a particularly good job, IMHO, in managing their oil-generated cash for the future, so there is definitely a chance for problems there.

Lindsay Lohan goes loco in Manhattan after her phone was not returned

It's hard to say what upset Lindsay Lohan more - that a Manhattan deli worker wouldn't surrender her phone or that he didn't know who she was.

The "Mean Girls" actress cursed out counterman Mohammed Hashan and called the cops when he dared to demand proof she was the owner of a left-behind BlackBerry, he said.

Tough times in the porn industry

The adult entertainment business, centered in the San Fernando Valley, has weathered several recessions since it took off with the advent of home video in the 1980s. But this time the industry is not dealing with just a weakened economy. A growing abundance of free content on the Internet is undercutting consumers' willingness to pay for porn, and with it the ability of many workers to earn a living in the business.

For Stern, 23, the rapid decline of job opportunities in the porn business over the last year has been dramatic. She has gone from working four or five days a week to one and now has employers pressuring her to do male-female sex scenes for $700, a 30% discount from the $1,000 fee that used to be the industry standard.

Who said that "porn" is the one industry that would always... go up?

[LynnieS]

Topless women march in Central Park for the right to bare breasts

Some were shocked. Others disgusted. But for some, it was the breast day ever!

Dozens of semi-nude women gave the city a Double-D eyeful Sunday when they bared their boobs in Central Park and then marched through the streets.

The daring display was part of "National Go-Topless Day" - indeed, there is such a thing - and stunned jaded New Yorkers and wide-eyed tourists alike

I had lived in Manhattan for many years, and I never saw this then. Now that I'm no longer there, it happens. I'm also surprised that New York is the only state where, apparently, men and women can legally (but maybe not culturally) go topless in the U.S.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by LynnieS

Topless women march in Central Park for the right to bare breasts

I had lived in Manhattan for many years, and I never saw this then. Now that I'm no longer there, it happens. I'm also surprised that New York is the only state where, apparently, men and women can legally (but maybe not culturally) go topless in the U.S.

i support women's rights

[Woopzilla]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

i support women's rights

But only those between the ages of 18 and 30?

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by Woopzilla

But only those between the ages of 18 and 30?

Given his 2 previous signatures , I guest it's more ''those with C cup and higher'' .

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Woopzilla

But only those between the ages of 18 and 30?

i am 33

age (legal) to 40

Originally Posted by ganbaru

Given his 2 previous signatures , I guest it's more ''those with C cup and higher'' .

thats B or higher

[LynnieS]

... I was going to make a smart alec remark like "Support women's rights... in the same way as a bra.", but you guys' definitely beat mine.

But would the same hold true for topless guys? Both men and women can go topless in NY, and there are a lot more guys with hairy and/or beer bellies out there than women with... umm, well-developed pectorals!

[Anh_Minh]

It's ok. It's all a matter of focus.

[MakubeX2]

Something I've chanced upon while doing random surfing on the net :-

http://www.wretch.cc/blog/zeros211/6214663

Taiwanese Guy buy dress of JAV actress Miyu Hoshino (ほしのみゆ) off auction, clean it, frame it up and later :-

http://www.wretch.cc/blog/zeros211/6216109

Show it off to the actress herself on her visit to Taiwan.

While this is nothing strange from a normal fan point of view, I think it's another contrast of East VS West ideology.

Established Porn Actresses seems to be pretty much along side mainstream idols in Japan and where her pop culture had taken hold. In that they have their own group of fans and can make public appearance without rising much eyebrows.

But in the west they remain pretty much confined to a cult circle in the west, you will not see them making much public appearance.