Archive for July 8th, 2009

United Breaks Guitars

“In the spring of 2008, Sons of Maxwell were traveling to Nebraska for a one-week tour and my Taylor guitar was witnessed being thrown by United Airlines baggage handlers in Chicago. I discovered later that the $3500 guitar was severely damaged. They didnt deny the experience occurred but for nine months the various people I communicated with put the responsibility for dealing with the damage on everyone other than themselves and finally said they would do nothing to compensate me for my loss. So I promised the last person to finally say no to compensation (Ms. Irlweg) that I would write and produce three songs about my experience with United Airlines and make videos for each to be viewed online by anyone in the world.” Full Story

“Apocalypse” Crop Circle Appears In UK

A 350 ft ancient Mayan symbol, has appeared in the form of a crop circle at Silbury Hill, Wiltshire, UK.

The Maya calendar predicts an apocalypse in 2012, and many members of the crop circle community believe that the crop circle a sign of the end of the Mayan Calender. According to Mayan calculations, the current cycle of the world is due to end in December 2012, however there is speculation as to whether the end of the “current cycle” actually means the end of the world.

Is this a sign from powers above or has some keen gardener had a field day? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Town Bans Bottled Water

A small town in south-east Australia has become the first place in the world to ban bottled water.

The people of Bundanoon, located in New South Wales have voted overwhelmingly in favor of the ban at a public meeting, with 398 out of the 400 people at the gathering wanting bottled water to be banned in the town.

The community realized they needed to act when Norlex Holdings, a drinks company, unveiled plans to tap an underground reservoir in the town, transport the water to Sydney (some 150 km away) and then send it back bottled.

The people believe that this procedure makes unnecessary use of transport fuel and that serving water in bottles is an unnecessary use of plastic.

Shops in Bundanoon will now be banned from stocking and selling bottled water, visitors from the town will be discouraged from drinking it and new filtered water fountains will be placed on the main street in the town so that people can fill up their bottles for free.

This may be good for the environment, but what effect is it likely to have on the local economy? With Australians spending about half a billion dollars on bottled water per year, a knock-on ban in other parts of the country could have devastating effects for the economy.

Perhaps Australia should ban their exports of Fosters Lager which they transport all around the world. There are plenty of other perfectly good brewers in almost every country aren’t there? This would save thousands of tons of fuel and greenhouse gases from being polluted.

Is this really a sensible decision by the people of Bundanoon or are they making a mountain out of a mole hill? You decide.

12:34:56 7/8/09

The date and time with all of the numbers the correct ascending order, counting from 1 to 9 only happens once every 1000 years, so enjoy it whilst it lasts!

For those who say the day before the month, i.e 8/7/09, your special day will be in August.

Scientists Create Artificial Brain Cells

Scientists have created an artificial brain cell that could be used to treat neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s.

A tiny piece of plastic that can transmit electricity has been successful in sending messages around the brain, in the same way that nerve cells transmit neurotransmitters.

Parkinson’s is caused by a lack of the neurotransmitter dopamine. A new brain cell would be able to do the same job as these neurotransmitters and so there is hope that it can be used to treat the disease.

The technology could also help to treat epilepsy and hearing loss. Swedish scientists have already been able to control the hearing of guinea pig using the new brain cells.

The scientists are planning to develop a small unit of cells which can be implanted in the body, which can be programmed to release specific neurotransmitters.

Let’s hope this major breakthrough can be used to good effect in the future and help improve many people’s lives.