Thieves Target Theft Exhibition

Organizers discovered thieves had broken into the Ashdod Museum and stolen items from the "Antiquities Theft in Israel" display. Among the missing items were earrings and a silver ring which once belonged to Alexander the Great. The exhibition, which has been on display for four years, displays items which were recovered from the black market.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Online Backup Plans

The technological world is moving toward cloud computing. It won't be long before just about every piece of technological equipment is connected to "The Cloud" for one reason or another - you can see the trend even today. When backing-up your files, labeling and storing the CDs is as important as anything else, and who among us has not lost CDs? I have lost entire bagsful of CDs! That is why experts have been suggesting online backup for years now.

The problem with that is silly, but real, and related to backing-up to CD: remembering where your files are. There are so many online backup sites that it's easy to forget which ones you signed-up for and where you put which files. Instead, choose three: one for back-ups, one for a back-up of your original back-ups, and a third for transient files.

Holiday Inn Hires Human Bed-Warmers

Three Holiday Inn hotels in Britain are offering human bed-warmers who will dress in a fleece "sleeper suit" and roll around between the sheets of your bed to warm it up before you lie down. The bed-warmer will have a thermometer to measure the bed's temperature. It was not said whether or not the bed-warmer would shower before each use, but hair will be covered, the bed-warmer will be fully-dressed, and the bed-warmer will not be in the bed at the same time as any guest.

Holiday Inn did not discuss why the beds were being warmed by people instead of hot water bottles or electric blankets, but admitted it was "quirky." A spokesperson for the international hotel chain explained the services were in response to the unseasonably cold winter.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Floridians Fear "Super-Serpent"

Recently, authorities say five African rock pythons were seen in a three-day period, leading experts to wonder if the species has established itself in the area, and stirring local fears of a "super-snake." The African rock python is known to eat goats and even children! One of the captured pythons was 14' long and another was 31" in circumference! Of the five, two escaped and one was bearing eggs (however, I do not know if it was one of those captured).

Florida already has a breeding population of several thousand Burmese pythons, which also grow to incredible lengths - males grow to 21' or more. Authorities fear the two could interbreed, creating a "super snake." However, the African rock python is more aggressive and "meaner" than the Burmese python and both are predators. While crocodiles and alligators may pursue the species, African rock pythons are known to stalk and eat even those!

While fears of a "super snake" may be a little overblown, pythons are a keystone species, just like the crocodile.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Head to Orlando!

So the holidays are out of the way and it's several months until the summer. This is the time of year a lot of people like to vacation. Working holidays means holiday pay, so if you play your cards right, you could fill-in for your co-workers who have families and obligations, then use that money to pay for your kickin' vacation. Airfare and other rates are usually lower during the off-season, and traffic is lighter; not only can you better afford a vacation at this time, there are fewer people to fight as well!

Even though some parts of Florida saw snow for the first time in ages this year, it is still called "The Sunshine State" for a reason, and Orlando has some of the biggest draws in the country - and the largest concentration of theme parks in the world! So why not head on over to BookIt and checkout their great deals on orlando hotels and vacation packages.

Swedish Necrophiliacs Help Haitian Earthquake Victims

Thousands joined a Facebook group which said it would donate 30¢ per member to Haitian relief efforts once the group's roster hit 200,000. Once the target number was met, a message explained that the Svenska Nekrofil-föreningen - the Swedish Necrophilia Association - was the entity behind the group and was sending Haitian relief efforts some 500,000 kronor (over $69,000). The group then posted disturbing pictures and discussions as to the types of dead bodies with which members wished to have sex.

A founding member of the Facebook group later told a Swedish newspaper the point of the hoax was to teach people to "critically review their sources." I believe that is supposed to mean "teach people to better research what groups the are joining, to whom they are donating, etc." because the quote doesn't make much sense.

Enrollment peaked at about 212k Tuesday afternoon. Once the hoax was revealed, membership dwindled, then plummeted. The group was removed Tuesday night. Though I earnestly searched, I do not know if any money was actually collected or donated.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Technical Note #234920496710

I am tweaking some things behind the scenes today and will be doing so off and on for the immediate future, so if anything is not working correctly or you have problems with anything at all, please leave a comment and I will check into it. Remember that all comments are moderated, so I (and only I) see them before they are published. I will not publish anything with your personal information or anything like that, should you have to include for whatever reason - and I can think of no reason you would, but I'm mentioning it all the same.

Most of this stuff is just cosmetic, but it still requires me getting into the source code up to my elbows, so... just a heads-up.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Poor People Wear "Britches"

Having grown-up in the South, and the rural South at that, I am no stranger to the sport of horse showing and riding. I never got into it myself, but several of the neighbors did and I grew-up with them, so I got to experience some of it from a participant's perspective, and I can say this much for equestrian... ism or whatever: It's expensive!

We owned a horse for a short while and he was expensive, both to purchase and to maintain, the tack was expensive, and the clothes were expensive. So we rode naked. Okay, so we didn't, but I'm not kidding when I stress how much things like saddles, breeches, stirrups, and all the rest costs. If you are into horses, then you already know and I'm sure you stay on the lookout for cheaper prices. Maybe The Equestrian Corner can help.

Another Fine Mess...

Carlos Laurel and Andre Hardy, both in their 30s, were arrested in Luzerne County, PA when they attempted to deliver 50 bags of cocaine - yes, 50 - to an unidentified recipient. Both were already on probation for prior drug-related arrests. Oliver Laurel also had 10 bags of marijuana - yes, 10 - in his waistband, along with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Laurel and Hardy were charged with the following felonies:

• Delivery of a controlled substance
• Criminal conspiracy to commit delivery of a controlled substance
• Possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance
• Criminal conspiracy to commit possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance
• Criminal use of a communication facility

In addition to the following misdemeanors:

• Possession of a controlled substance
• Possession of drug paraphernalia
• Criminal conspiracy to commit possession of a controlled substance

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

High-Fat Diet Cures Epilepsy in Children

The Ketogenic Diet, a diet high in fats and low in carbohydrates, was first described in the 1920s at the Mayo Clinic. It is used to treat the 25% or so of children who do not respond to medications meant to control their epilepsy. The Ketogenic Diet literally consists of such meals as a stick of butter, followed by several pieces of bacon, and maybe a piece of fruit, however doctors who have had patients on the Ketogenic Diet say few develop medical issues such as high cholesterol.

The diet mimics starvation and forces the brain to replace glucose as an energy source with ketone bodies produced by the liver. This results in a condition known as "ketosis," and for whatever reason, it completely cures about ¹/₃ of the children who are placed on the Ketogenic Diet. A full 50% of those who are placed on the diet show some signs of improvement.

The diet was widely prescribed shortly after its discovery, but abandoned a decade or so later when effective anticonvulsant drugs became available. It wasn't until the 1990s that interest in the Ketogenic Diet was renewed, thanks to a movie producer known as Jim Abrahams - the guy who brought us such slapstick comedy classics as Airplane! and Ruthless People. Abrahams' epileptic son was one of the unfortunate ¹/₄ of patients who did not respond to anticonvulsants.

The diet is also said to help some adult patients and is being prescribed to sufferers of other neurological disorders to see if it is beneficial in those cases. No conclusions can be drawn so far, due to insufficient data, but trials continue.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

LSAT Preparation

I am not going to pretend to know much about the Law School Admittance Test, or LSAT, because I do not know much about the LSAT. I know it costs over $100 to take, and nearly $200 if you are late signing-up, so you do not want to have to take it more than once! Knewton knows this, too. Knewton's LSAT prep course is not only less expensive than the competitions' - by almost half! - they offer more prep tests and have live operators available to help you.

If you are looking to take your LSAT, then you already know what is expected of you, the costs involved, and probably have a good idea as to the amount of preparation you need to ensure a passing score. Taking the LSAT is one of the key points in your life, so don't take chances; take a look at Knewton's LSAT prep course and see if it is right for you.

Super Bear "Bubba" Stalking Nevada

A black bruin reputed to weigh about 700-lbs. in the Incline Village area of Nevada is said to have broken-in to some 50+ homes. Authorities say the bear is adept at avoiding traps and has been shot numerous times. In one instance, the shooter said the bullet bounced off the creature's head! The bear has scars from where it has been shot by a .44 and a .30/.30 as well as a gash across its neck.

All eyewitnesses agree the bruin (a male bear) is the largest they have ever seen. Residents have taken to calling him "Bubba," though not too affectionately. One woman recounted the story of how Bubba crashed through her son's garage while she was staying at the house alone, opened the refrigerator, and dined on what he pleased. Bubba would saunter away whenever wildlife authorities neared, but return after they left; he terrorized the poor woman for several hours - until 4 in the morning, she said!

Bubba is literally "smarter than the average bear" and has become habituated to humans, which makes him very dangerous. Bears who become familiarized with humans are more likely to attack. This is why the Fish and Wildlife authorities are trying to trap and kill Bubba, as opposed to the more common method of trapping and relocating. However, one authority admitted that relocation doesn't work anyway - the bears tend to migrate back to wherever they came from originally. Bubba has the garbage collection dates for certain neighborhoods memorized, as he tends to appear on those days.

Bears of this type grow to excessive sizes because they have learned to associate people with easy food supplies - yet another omen that Bubba could turn deadly. While no black bears have killed anyone in the area in over 100 years, Bubba is a contender for breaking the record, as bears with similar knowledge tend not to hibernate and be more aggressive.

His scat was described by one man whose garage Bubba broke not once but twice as "the size of a basketball."



© C Harris Lynn, 2010

The Kennebunkport Car Mix-Up

Not quite unique enough to make it into our "Fate or Coincidence" series, I'd be remiss not to note the recent mix-up a Kennebunkport-area man made when he went to pick-up his son's car from a school parking lot recently:

The unidentified man went to the school parking lot and picked-up his son's car as instructed. Meanwhile, his wife was listening to the police scanner when she heard a report for area police to be on the lookout for a white 1998 Volvo Model 70 sedan. As it turns out, there were two, apparently identical, white 1998 Volvo, Model 70 sedans - and both had keys wherever the man's son had told him to look!

She phoned the husband and asked simply, "Are you sure you took the right car?"

Of course, the vehicle was returned to its rightful owner, no charges were filed, and the story made the local news. And, now, The OddBlog!

Enjoy your 15 minutes, unidentified, absent-minded, Kennebunkport father of a white Volvo-owning son! You earned it.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Emergency Signs

If you own a brick and mortar business, there are many codes to which you must adhere. You need to check with your local chamber of commerce and similar resources and programs to know exactly what is expected of you in your locale, but exit signs are going to be among these necessities; no matter where you reside or your business is located, all of the possible exits in your establishment must be clearly marked as such for fire safety precautions.

The fire marshal himself may be the one to inspect your property to ensure this much has been done, as well as the other requirements concerning fire hazards and safety, but a building/code inspector often handles all of this in one inspection - more if s/he determines changes are needed.

Human Head Left as Tribute at Drug Lord's Tomb

A severed human head with a single, red flower sticking from its ear was placed on the steps of the tomb of Beltran Leyva, a Mexican drug lord killed in a raid last month. The body was found in the same cemetery, wrapped in plastic, alongside the gravesite of another drug lord who was killed in 2006. The cemetery is the resting place of many Mexican drug lords. The identity of the dismembered body remains unknown at this time.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Update

It hasn't quite been two weeks since my surgery and I am still recovering. I actually get to take my first shower since January 4^th today! I've had to wash carefully the last few weeks and I'm dirty and icky-feeling. I still hurt pretty badly on a fairly regular basis, but I feel I should be back up and running by next week. If not, I'll be sure to let you know.

I'm sorry I haven't been able to bring you the Ghost Adventures spots the last few weeks, but promise to get back on them regularly as soon as I'm able to post regularly again. Thanks for continuing to visit and I'll see you soon!

© C Harris Lynn, 2010