A British man recently became the first person to walk the entire 4,000-mile length of the Amazon River. And after hearing about some of the things he encountered en route, we can see why no one else has managed it.  Ed Stafford, 34, set off in April 2008 on his epic quest to become the first known person to walk along the mighty river from Peru to the coast of Brazil. Along the way, Ed had to dodge vipers, electric eels and scorpions, while resigning himself to suffering hundreds of wasp stings and an estimated 50,000 mosquito bites.

It wasn't just the wildlife Ed needed to be careful of, he was also imprisoned, chased by bow-and-arrow-wielding locals and wrongly accused of murder ... twice. Whereas any of this would have had us hopping on the first plane back home, the former soldier persevered in his effort to raise money for charity and increase awareness of environmental issues impacting the river. Writing on his blog, the adventurer, who spent much of the trek living off a delightful-sounding diet of piranhas, beans and rice, remarked, "The endurance, both mental and physical, has been the thing that's been the most wearing. I've been quite humbled by how much I've had to rely on other people and I've benefited greatly from the generosity of the people I've met along the way."  Upon arriving at Maruda beach on the coast of Brazil, a jubilant Ed ran into the sea accompanied by Gadiel "Cho" Sanchez Rivera, a Peruvian forestry worker who joined him for much of the journey.Source: www.asylum.com

As added proof of just how impressive the Amazon source-to-sea challenge has been -- as if it were needed -- famed British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes described the effort as "truly extraordinary." For more details check out Ed's blog, and prepare for your daily commute to look even more tiny by comparison.Source: www.asylum.com

All you thrill-seeking adventure travellers looking for something exciting might want to try this extreme travel - if not the entire lenght - maybe just a part of it.

A British man recently became the first person to walk the entire 4,000-mile length of the Amazon River. And after hearing about some of the things he encountered en route, we can see why no one else has managed it.  Ed Stafford, 34, set off in April 2008 on his epic quest to become the first known person to walk along the mighty river from Peru to the coast of Brazil. Along the way, Ed had to dodge vipers, electric eels and scorpions, while resigning himself to suffering hundreds of wasp stings and an estimated 50,000 mosquito bites.

It wasn't just the wildlife Ed needed to be careful of, he was also imprisoned, chased by bow-and-arrow-wielding locals and wrongly accused of murder ... twice. Whereas any of this would have had us hopping on the first plane back home, the former soldier persevered in his effort to raise money for charity and increase awareness of environmental issues impacting the river. Writing on his blog, the adventurer, who spent much of the trek living off a delightful-sounding diet of piranhas, beans and rice, remarked, "The endurance, both mental and physical, has been the thing that's been the most wearing. I've been quite humbled by how much I've had to rely on other people and I've benefited greatly from the generosity of the people I've met along the way."  Upon arriving at Maruda beach on the coast of Brazil, a jubilant Ed ran into the sea accompanied by Gadiel "Cho" Sanchez Rivera, a Peruvian forestry worker who joined him for much of the journey.Source: www.asylum.com

As added proof of just how impressive the Amazon source-to-sea challenge has been -- as if it were needed -- famed British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes described the effort as "truly extraordinary." For more details check out Ed's blog, and prepare for your daily commute to look even more tiny by comparison.Source: www.asylum.com

All you thrill-seeking adventure travellers looking for something exciting might want to try this extreme travel - if not the entire lenght - maybe just a part of it.

Aug. 13 marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Florence Nightingale, considered to be the founder of modern professional nursing. But as famous as the "Lady with the Lamp" remains for the many pioneering achievements she made in the field of nursing, there's something else about Nightingale that few realize. She was a world-class math whiz. She also later became an honorary member of the American Statistical Association. Today, credited with developing a form of the pie chart known as the "polar area diagram," Nightingale is revered and respected in math circles for her breakthroughs in the fields of statistics and statistical analysis. Another big misconception is that she was a nurse. In fact, the work she carried out in the Crimea was administrative. She organized supplies, the stores, work for the nurses she took with her, but the amount of nursing as we know it was actually very little.

English nursing reformer Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) became the first woman to receive the Order of Merit for her tireless efforts during the Crimean War.

British nurse Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) makes her rounds in the Barrack hospital at Scutari, Turkey, during the Crimean War, Feb. 24, 1855.

The Florence Nightingale Museum (located in the grounds of St. Thomas' Hospital in London) has some big plans for the centenary year of Nightingale's death.
They've commissioned a unique audio tour through London that will lead listeners to significant places related to Nightingale, including the house where she died on Aug. 13, 1910. The tour includes the rooms she called the "Little War Office," where she first began the movement to investigate the British army's health, as well as commentary from several Nightingale experts.Source: www.aolnews.com

Aug. 13 marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Florence Nightingale, considered to be the founder of modern professional nursing. But as famous as the "Lady with the Lamp" remains for the many pioneering achievements she made in the field of nursing, there's something else about Nightingale that few realize. She was a world-class math whiz. She also later became an honorary member of the American Statistical Association. Today, credited with developing a form of the pie chart known as the "polar area diagram," Nightingale is revered and respected in math circles for her breakthroughs in the fields of statistics and statistical analysis. Another big misconception is that she was a nurse. In fact, the work she carried out in the Crimea was administrative. She organized supplies, the stores, work for the nurses she took with her, but the amount of nursing as we know it was actually very little.

English nursing reformer Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) became the first woman to receive the Order of Merit for her tireless efforts during the Crimean War.

British nurse Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) makes her rounds in the Barrack hospital at Scutari, Turkey, during the Crimean War, Feb. 24, 1855.

The Florence Nightingale Museum (located in the grounds of St. Thomas' Hospital in London) has some big plans for the centenary year of Nightingale's death.
They've commissioned a unique audio tour through London that will lead listeners to significant places related to Nightingale, including the house where she died on Aug. 13, 1910. The tour includes the rooms she called the "Little War Office," where she first began the movement to investigate the British army's health, as well as commentary from several Nightingale experts.Source: www.aolnews.com

Just like millions of peeps out there, I am a big animal lover too. And as much as we love our cuddly pooches we cannot possibly know everything about them. Here are some surprising and interesting facts that you may or may not have known.

Dog Kisses Can Make You Sick 

Think dogs' mouths are cleaner than humans? Think again. Veterinarians say dogs' chops are teeming with germs like salmonella, campylobacter, and cryptosporidium. These germs get into a dog's mouth from eating spoiled food or when he uses his tongue as toilet paper. Then a kiss moves these germs from pooch to person, along with a nasty course of diarrhea.   

Humans Can Make Pets Sick

It's not common, but it happens. H1N1 "swine" flu has hit cats, dogs, and ferrets — contracted from their sick owners. Most often it's mild, but a few pets have died, so vets advise frequent hand-washing and separate beds when the owner is sick. Dogs and people can also share the same strains of E. coli bacteria. And MRSA, the "superbug" is making its way from humans to dogs.

Dogs Can Smell Diabetes

It sounds like a Lassie TV episode, but it's truth, not fiction. Dogs can sniff out a dangerous drop in blood sugar in a diabetic owner and alert the person to take action by pawing, licking, whining, or barking. A few dogs have even been trained and placed as diabetic service dogs. Their nose for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is correct 90% of the time, according to their trainers.

Dogs Have a Look of Love

When your dog locks eyes with you, it may genuinely be a look of love, and not simply a form of begging. Dogs can develop this atypical behavior with close human companions — while between dogs or with a strange person, a direct stare is a threat. Of course not every glance from Fido is loving — he may simply want your dinner. Or, if his body is tense and ears flattened, he may be telling you to back off.

Cats May Love Too Much

Behavior experts confirm that some cats really do experience separation anxiety when apart from a favorite person — and that's one reason a sweet kitty may pee on your clothes when you're at work. Other signs: the cat paces, vocalizes, or blocks the owner's path to the door. Left alone, she may vomit or be too worried to eat. For cats who love too much, behavior therapy can help – and Prozac.

Dogs Can Learn 250 Words

The smartest, best-trained breeds are similar to a 2-year-old child in their ability to understand human speech, according to researcher Stanley Coren, PhD. These dogs understand up to 250 words, while the average dog can understand 150 words.
Top Dog: Border collie, poodle, German shepherd, golden retriever, Doberman pincher
Beauty Before Brains: Borzoi, chow chow, bull dog, basenji, Afghan hound.

White Cats Are Often Deaf

Cats with a white coat are often deaf in one or both ears, especially those with blue eyes. When only one eye is blue, the cat is likely to be deaf on that side only. Many owners report that deaf cats are not too bright — but it's not clear if deafness or lower intelligence is to blame.

Dogs Can Dance

Dog lovers have created a competitive event called canine freestyle that brings the bond between human and animal to a new high. A dog and handler pair up — ballroom dancing style — for a choreographed dance performed with music and, sometimes, matching costumes.

Cats Smell With Their Mouths

Cats have a small scent gland in the roof of the mouth called the vomeronasal organ. For a really good whiff of something like urine or another cat's private parts, they'll open their mouths wide to draw the odor to this scent organ. This fierce-looking behavior is called the Flehmen reaction, and it's often seen in males who are checking out a female cat in heat.

Newborn Pups Don't Wag

Puppies don't wag their tails before they are about three weeks old — and some don't start until seven weeks old. Vets believe tiny puppies are capable, but they're too busy sleeping and eating to bother. As they become more alert, tail wagging starts as a kind of sign language: a peace sign to rambunctious littermates or when begging for food. Dogs almost never wag their tails when alone.

Early Bonding Key for Kitty

Cats that are aloof or bite the hand that feeds them probably had no exposure to people in early life. Feline behavior experts say a kitten needs regular contact with people in the first seven weeks, or it may never bond with humans. Even five minutes a day in the early weeks will teach a kitten not to bite when the hand of a towering human lifts it off the ground.

A Limp Can Mean Lung Trouble

Dogs sometimes come to the vet for a limp and leave with a lung cancer diagnosis. Cancer in the chest can activate the leg bones to grow new tissue — causing swelling and pain in the legs. A more typical symptom is a cough, although about 25% of dogs have no symptoms until lung cancer is detected on chest X-ray. The leg changes — called hypertrophic osteopathy — go away once the cancer is treated.

Cats Kiss With Their Eyes

Cats communicate with a slow blink, according to feline experts. With their own kind, it's a peace sign, meant to put other felines at ease. Aimed at a human, this seductive blink shows affection, even love. People can return the love with a long gaze and slow blink to "blow a kiss" back in cat body language. The calming blink works on house cats, feral cats, and even tigers in the wild, according to behaviorist Roger Tabor.

Dogs Fall in Love

Can two dogs develop a loving relationship? Or do they hook up with anyone at the dog park? Anthropologist Elizabeth Marshall Thomas says dogs can fall in love and she documents a remarkable love story between "Sundog" and "Bean" in her book, "The Social Lives of Dogs." Thomas claims few dogs develop relationships because they are kept as pets in captivity, "born to do what we want, not what they want."

Smoking Kills Cats and Dogs

Secondhand smoke causes at least two fatal cancers in cats: lymphoma and oral carcinoma. Housecats get a double dose of toxins by breathing cigarette smoke in the air and by licking the residue off their fur when grooming. Dogs with long noses may develop cancerous nasal tumors from living with a smoker — and short-nosed breeds are more prone to lung cancer.

So, love your pet's health as well as yours. Be safe - be healthy - be happy!

pets.webmd.com

Just like millions of peeps out there, I am a big animal lover too. And as much as we love our cuddly pooches we cannot possibly know everything about them. Here are some surprising and interesting facts that you may or may not have known.

Dog Kisses Can Make You Sick 

Think dogs' mouths are cleaner than humans? Think again. Veterinarians say dogs' chops are teeming with germs like salmonella, campylobacter, and cryptosporidium. These germs get into a dog's mouth from eating spoiled food or when he uses his tongue as toilet paper. Then a kiss moves these germs from pooch to person, along with a nasty course of diarrhea.   

Humans Can Make Pets Sick

It's not common, but it happens. H1N1 "swine" flu has hit cats, dogs, and ferrets — contracted from their sick owners. Most often it's mild, but a few pets have died, so vets advise frequent hand-washing and separate beds when the owner is sick. Dogs and people can also share the same strains of E. coli bacteria. And MRSA, the "superbug" is making its way from humans to dogs.

Dogs Can Smell Diabetes

It sounds like a Lassie TV episode, but it's truth, not fiction. Dogs can sniff out a dangerous drop in blood sugar in a diabetic owner and alert the person to take action by pawing, licking, whining, or barking. A few dogs have even been trained and placed as diabetic service dogs. Their nose for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is correct 90% of the time, according to their trainers.

Dogs Have a Look of Love

When your dog locks eyes with you, it may genuinely be a look of love, and not simply a form of begging. Dogs can develop this atypical behavior with close human companions — while between dogs or with a strange person, a direct stare is a threat. Of course not every glance from Fido is loving — he may simply want your dinner. Or, if his body is tense and ears flattened, he may be telling you to back off.

Cats May Love Too Much

Behavior experts confirm that some cats really do experience separation anxiety when apart from a favorite person — and that's one reason a sweet kitty may pee on your clothes when you're at work. Other signs: the cat paces, vocalizes, or blocks the owner's path to the door. Left alone, she may vomit or be too worried to eat. For cats who love too much, behavior therapy can help – and Prozac.

Dogs Can Learn 250 Words

The smartest, best-trained breeds are similar to a 2-year-old child in their ability to understand human speech, according to researcher Stanley Coren, PhD. These dogs understand up to 250 words, while the average dog can understand 150 words.
Top Dog: Border collie, poodle, German shepherd, golden retriever, Doberman pincher
Beauty Before Brains: Borzoi, chow chow, bull dog, basenji, Afghan hound.

White Cats Are Often Deaf

Cats with a white coat are often deaf in one or both ears, especially those with blue eyes. When only one eye is blue, the cat is likely to be deaf on that side only. Many owners report that deaf cats are not too bright — but it's not clear if deafness or lower intelligence is to blame.

Dogs Can Dance

Dog lovers have created a competitive event called canine freestyle that brings the bond between human and animal to a new high. A dog and handler pair up — ballroom dancing style — for a choreographed dance performed with music and, sometimes, matching costumes.

Cats Smell With Their Mouths

Cats have a small scent gland in the roof of the mouth called the vomeronasal organ. For a really good whiff of something like urine or another cat's private parts, they'll open their mouths wide to draw the odor to this scent organ. This fierce-looking behavior is called the Flehmen reaction, and it's often seen in males who are checking out a female cat in heat.

Newborn Pups Don't Wag

Puppies don't wag their tails before they are about three weeks old — and some don't start until seven weeks old. Vets believe tiny puppies are capable, but they're too busy sleeping and eating to bother. As they become more alert, tail wagging starts as a kind of sign language: a peace sign to rambunctious littermates or when begging for food. Dogs almost never wag their tails when alone.

Early Bonding Key for Kitty

Cats that are aloof or bite the hand that feeds them probably had no exposure to people in early life. Feline behavior experts say a kitten needs regular contact with people in the first seven weeks, or it may never bond with humans. Even five minutes a day in the early weeks will teach a kitten not to bite when the hand of a towering human lifts it off the ground.

A Limp Can Mean Lung Trouble

Dogs sometimes come to the vet for a limp and leave with a lung cancer diagnosis. Cancer in the chest can activate the leg bones to grow new tissue — causing swelling and pain in the legs. A more typical symptom is a cough, although about 25% of dogs have no symptoms until lung cancer is detected on chest X-ray. The leg changes — called hypertrophic osteopathy — go away once the cancer is treated.

Cats Kiss With Their Eyes

Cats communicate with a slow blink, according to feline experts. With their own kind, it's a peace sign, meant to put other felines at ease. Aimed at a human, this seductive blink shows affection, even love. People can return the love with a long gaze and slow blink to "blow a kiss" back in cat body language. The calming blink works on house cats, feral cats, and even tigers in the wild, according to behaviorist Roger Tabor.

Dogs Fall in Love

Can two dogs develop a loving relationship? Or do they hook up with anyone at the dog park? Anthropologist Elizabeth Marshall Thomas says dogs can fall in love and she documents a remarkable love story between "Sundog" and "Bean" in her book, "The Social Lives of Dogs." Thomas claims few dogs develop relationships because they are kept as pets in captivity, "born to do what we want, not what they want."

Smoking Kills Cats and Dogs

Secondhand smoke causes at least two fatal cancers in cats: lymphoma and oral carcinoma. Housecats get a double dose of toxins by breathing cigarette smoke in the air and by licking the residue off their fur when grooming. Dogs with long noses may develop cancerous nasal tumors from living with a smoker — and short-nosed breeds are more prone to lung cancer.

So, love your pet's health as well as yours. Be safe - be healthy - be happy!

pets.webmd.com

The business-friendly United Arab Emirates kicked it off - to the surprise of many.  On August 1, the announcement came from Abu Dhabi that it will suspend BlackBerry Messenger - also known as BBM - as well as BlackBerry email and mobile browsing services starting in October.  The reason: the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority there said the services pose a security threat because data sent with the BlackBerry is encrypted and stored abroad. Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's largest economy, soon followed suit, ordering phones operating within the kingdom to stop BBM beginning August 6.

The BlackBerry smart phone's unique data encryption standards have made it a must-have by business executives, government officials, and others concerned about just who might be monitoring their communications. But those standards are putting BlackBerry's manufacturer, Research in Motion, into hot water with governments around the world.

India and Indonesia were next up.  Officials in Jakarta issued conflicting statements as to whether the BlackBerry would face a similar ban, while India asked Research in Motion to host a data server in that country, or face a possible ban. Indian Minister of State for Communications Sachin Pilot had told IANS last week the government was hoping for a solution soon, and access to data through BlackBerry devices was being sought only under certain situations and not to invade a citizen's privacy. "We are working with them. They have given certain options. We are hoping they will come on board in addressing our genuine and legitimate security concerns," Pilot had said, referring to the discussions with Research in Motion. "We would want Blackberry services to stay and expand. We only want to take measures to counter the possibility of these devices being misused. Our internal security people have no desire whatsoever to be obstructionists."

Research in Motion has shipped over 100 million BlackBerry devices till date, with some 46 million active subscribers through 550 telecom carriers in more than 175 countries. The company does not share country-specific data, but the number of BlackBerry users in India is estimated at around one million. It is not an easy time for the BlackBerry. Millions of Blackberry users are also frustrated as well as disappointed.

http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/asia/south/BlackBerry-In-A-Jam-100147909.html

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Home-ministry-to-meet-telecom-operators-on-BlackBerry-security/Article1-584346.aspx

The business-friendly United Arab Emirates kicked it off - to the surprise of many.  On August 1, the announcement came from Abu Dhabi that it will suspend BlackBerry Messenger - also known as BBM - as well as BlackBerry email and mobile browsing services starting in October.  The reason: the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority there said the services pose a security threat because data sent with the BlackBerry is encrypted and stored abroad. Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's largest economy, soon followed suit, ordering phones operating within the kingdom to stop BBM beginning August 6.

The BlackBerry smart phone's unique data encryption standards have made it a must-have by business executives, government officials, and others concerned about just who might be monitoring their communications. But those standards are putting BlackBerry's manufacturer, Research in Motion, into hot water with governments around the world.

India and Indonesia were next up.  Officials in Jakarta issued conflicting statements as to whether the BlackBerry would face a similar ban, while India asked Research in Motion to host a data server in that country, or face a possible ban. Indian Minister of State for Communications Sachin Pilot had told IANS last week the government was hoping for a solution soon, and access to data through BlackBerry devices was being sought only under certain situations and not to invade a citizen's privacy. "We are working with them. They have given certain options. We are hoping they will come on board in addressing our genuine and legitimate security concerns," Pilot had said, referring to the discussions with Research in Motion. "We would want Blackberry services to stay and expand. We only want to take measures to counter the possibility of these devices being misused. Our internal security people have no desire whatsoever to be obstructionists."

Research in Motion has shipped over 100 million BlackBerry devices till date, with some 46 million active subscribers through 550 telecom carriers in more than 175 countries. The company does not share country-specific data, but the number of BlackBerry users in India is estimated at around one million. It is not an easy time for the BlackBerry. Millions of Blackberry users are also frustrated as well as disappointed.

http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/asia/south/BlackBerry-In-A-Jam-100147909.html

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Home-ministry-to-meet-telecom-operators-on-BlackBerry-security/Article1-584346.aspx

In case "Single White Female" didn't convince you, here's more proof that stilettos can, in fact, be dangerous -- and to more than your own health. British woman Staci Hargreaves was riding in a cab with her boyfriend Gavin Thomas, who was in the front seat. They were both pretty smashed apparently, and arguing. Gavin turned around to face Staci, who kicked at him with her 3-inch stiletto clad foot. The heel of her shoe went through his eye, fracturing the socket, and into his brain.  As one does in these situations, Gavin began coughing up blood and lost consciousness. He was sent to the hospital where, after a month, he made a full recovery.

The judge presiding over the trial against Staci informed the jury not to find her guilty, since there was no proof that she was not acting in self-defense-- Gavin would not offer evidence to support his case, and everybody from the incident was so drunk they couldn't offer a very clear account of what had happened. In fact, a female friend who had been hanging out with them was arrested on the same night for arguing with a different cab driver. (Sounds like an all-around swell group of people.) So, there -- another story from the annals of drinking to support our argument to wear ballet flats all the time, everywhere.

from -lemondrop.com

In case "Single White Female" didn't convince you, here's more proof that stilettos can, in fact, be dangerous -- and to more than your own health. British woman Staci Hargreaves was riding in a cab with her boyfriend Gavin Thomas, who was in the front seat. They were both pretty smashed apparently, and arguing. Gavin turned around to face Staci, who kicked at him with her 3-inch stiletto clad foot. The heel of her shoe went through his eye, fracturing the socket, and into his brain.  As one does in these situations, Gavin began coughing up blood and lost consciousness. He was sent to the hospital where, after a month, he made a full recovery.

The judge presiding over the trial against Staci informed the jury not to find her guilty, since there was no proof that she was not acting in self-defense-- Gavin would not offer evidence to support his case, and everybody from the incident was so drunk they couldn't offer a very clear account of what had happened. In fact, a female friend who had been hanging out with them was arrested on the same night for arguing with a different cab driver. (Sounds like an all-around swell group of people.) So, there -- another story from the annals of drinking to support our argument to wear ballet flats all the time, everywhere.

from -lemondrop.com

The British had no shortage of foreign foes in the early 1940s. So it's perhaps understandable that wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill may have decided not to trouble the nation with news that -- as well as battling German Nazis, Italian fascists and Japanese militarists -- they might also have to take on another alien menace: little green men. According to allegations contained in a trove of newly published secret government documents, Churchill became concerned over the morale-sapping influence of extraterrestrial invaders in the latter years of World War II, when he was told of an alleged close encounter between a Royal Air Force (RAF) plane and a metallic UFO over the east coast of England. He reportedly ordered the sighting to be kept secret for 50 years, declaring: "This event should be immediately classified since it would create mass panic amongst the general population and destroy one's belief in the church." That, at least, is the allegation put to the U.K.'s Ministry of Defense by the family of a senior British military aide who claimed to have been present at a meeting in which Churchill and U.S. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower reportedly discussed "foo fighter" sightings by Allied aircrews.Source: www.aolnews.com

Newly released documents suggest former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, shown here in 1954, was concerned about the possibility of alien visitors to Earth in the latter years of World War II.

This bizarre wartime incident can be found alongside hundreds of other reports of unexplained celestial phenomena -- from a supposed UFO crash in the Welsh mountains in 1974 to a fast-moving "rocket" buzzing a Boeing 737 at Manchester Airport in 1995 -- released today by the London-based British National Archive. The documents are part of a collection of 11,000 UFO files accumulated by the Defense Ministry since the end of World War II, which are released in batches. The latest set can be downloaded free from the archive's site within the next month. This will happen just before the European Union may reveal to the rest of the world whether or not it has top-secret UFO files. AOL News recently reported how Mario Borghezio, leader of the ultraconservative Italian Northern League party, has urged the 27 member EU governments to publicly release any UFO information.Source: www.aolnews.com

But with the British files, don't expect great revelations of alien experiments or shocking details of interplanetary conspiracies. Most follow a boringly predictable pattern: a concerned member of the public writes to the ministry to report a spacecraft sighting (often providing a hand-drawn starship sketch), only for defense staff to respond that they'd simply seen a weather balloon or odd-shaped cloud. The Churchill file, though, stands out amid this mass of crackpot-penned letters. It opens in 1999, when the military aide's grandson contacted the ministry, asking if it had any information on the alleged wartime episode. The grandson -- whose name has been redacted, but who describes himself as an astrophysicist -- says his grandfather told him he had been present at a meeting between Churchill and Eisenhower that focused on an RAF crew's reported sighting of a mysterious flying "metallic" object as they returned from a reconnaissance mission over mainland Europe. This vessel "appeared to hover noiselessly relative to the aircraft for a time" and then "very suddenly disappeared, leaving no trace of its earlier presence." "This event was discussed by Mr. Churchill and Gen. Eisenhower, neither of whom knew what had been observed," the grandson added. "There was a general inability for either side to match a plausible account to these observations. ... Another person [at the meeting] raised the possibility of an unidentified flying object, at which point Mr. Churchill declared the incident should be immediately classified for at least 50 years and its status reviewed by a future prime minister."

An official wrote back saying the ministry knew of "no closed records dating from World War II on this subject." However, the ministry did note that Churchill himself was so intrigued by the flurry of post-war UFO sightings in the U.K. and U.S. that he wrote to the Air Ministry in July 1952 and asked: "What does all this stuff about flying saucers amount to? What can it mean? What is the truth?"

Source: www.aolnews.com

The British had no shortage of foreign foes in the early 1940s. So it's perhaps understandable that wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill may have decided not to trouble the nation with news that -- as well as battling German Nazis, Italian fascists and Japanese militarists -- they might also have to take on another alien menace: little green men. According to allegations contained in a trove of newly published secret government documents, Churchill became concerned over the morale-sapping influence of extraterrestrial invaders in the latter years of World War II, when he was told of an alleged close encounter between a Royal Air Force (RAF) plane and a metallic UFO over the east coast of England. He reportedly ordered the sighting to be kept secret for 50 years, declaring: "This event should be immediately classified since it would create mass panic amongst the general population and destroy one's belief in the church." That, at least, is the allegation put to the U.K.'s Ministry of Defense by the family of a senior British military aide who claimed to have been present at a meeting in which Churchill and U.S. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower reportedly discussed "foo fighter" sightings by Allied aircrews.Source: www.aolnews.com

Newly released documents suggest former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, shown here in 1954, was concerned about the possibility of alien visitors to Earth in the latter years of World War II.

This bizarre wartime incident can be found alongside hundreds of other reports of unexplained celestial phenomena -- from a supposed UFO crash in the Welsh mountains in 1974 to a fast-moving "rocket" buzzing a Boeing 737 at Manchester Airport in 1995 -- released today by the London-based British National Archive. The documents are part of a collection of 11,000 UFO files accumulated by the Defense Ministry since the end of World War II, which are released in batches. The latest set can be downloaded free from the archive's site within the next month. This will happen just before the European Union may reveal to the rest of the world whether or not it has top-secret UFO files. AOL News recently reported how Mario Borghezio, leader of the ultraconservative Italian Northern League party, has urged the 27 member EU governments to publicly release any UFO information.Source: www.aolnews.com

But with the British files, don't expect great revelations of alien experiments or shocking details of interplanetary conspiracies. Most follow a boringly predictable pattern: a concerned member of the public writes to the ministry to report a spacecraft sighting (often providing a hand-drawn starship sketch), only for defense staff to respond that they'd simply seen a weather balloon or odd-shaped cloud. The Churchill file, though, stands out amid this mass of crackpot-penned letters. It opens in 1999, when the military aide's grandson contacted the ministry, asking if it had any information on the alleged wartime episode. The grandson -- whose name has been redacted, but who describes himself as an astrophysicist -- says his grandfather told him he had been present at a meeting between Churchill and Eisenhower that focused on an RAF crew's reported sighting of a mysterious flying "metallic" object as they returned from a reconnaissance mission over mainland Europe. This vessel "appeared to hover noiselessly relative to the aircraft for a time" and then "very suddenly disappeared, leaving no trace of its earlier presence." "This event was discussed by Mr. Churchill and Gen. Eisenhower, neither of whom knew what had been observed," the grandson added. "There was a general inability for either side to match a plausible account to these observations. ... Another person [at the meeting] raised the possibility of an unidentified flying object, at which point Mr. Churchill declared the incident should be immediately classified for at least 50 years and its status reviewed by a future prime minister."

An official wrote back saying the ministry knew of "no closed records dating from World War II on this subject." However, the ministry did note that Churchill himself was so intrigued by the flurry of post-war UFO sightings in the U.K. and U.S. that he wrote to the Air Ministry in July 1952 and asked: "What does all this stuff about flying saucers amount to? What can it mean? What is the truth?"

Source: www.aolnews.com

Dumpsters apparently are a new way to get wet and keep cool on city streets. An innovative New York City design company has recently remodeled the ubiquitous giant curbside trash bins for a second life as swimming pools!!! In some cases they come with add-on cabanas and barbecue grills. Perhaps adding a new meaning to the term "Dumpster diving," the truck-borne trash bins were tested at private pool parties in Brooklyn last summer. But this weekend they will make their debut on Manhattan's Park Avenue as part of a New York City street festival.

A group of people enjoy a refreshing dip in a New York City Dumpster pool.

"They took an idea that seems crazy and did a really good job with it," said Dani Simons from New York City's Department of Transportation. "In a big way, they are taking this unexpected thing -- a Dumpster -- and reimagining it as a pool." Yet fear not, city swimmers.  While last season's prototype pools were reconditioned used Dumpsters sourced from a scrap yard, the Park Avenue pools on show this weekend have been upgraded and specially constructed for New York City's Summer Streets Program, which runs Saturdays through August. "Our challenge was to make the pools work right off the truck," said David Belt, from the design company Macro-Sea, which initiated the project. "They're basically self-contained, portable pools, but we still wanted them to look like Dumpsters." Electric pumps, rather than a garden hose,fill the dumpsters with water and power the filtration system, certified by the New York City Department of Health. For Summer Streets, the city required a deck to frame the portable pools. The original concept came from a backyard Dumpster pool in Georgia that Belt heard about last year. "Why bring your friends to the pool when we can bring the pool to your friends?" suggests a statement on the Macro-Sea website. "The goal is to use these mobile swimming pools, made from objects typically utilized to store and haul junk, in unexpected settings."Source: www.aolnews.com

New York City has converted roadside Dumpsters into chic swimming pools for the public.

The original Brooklyn Dumpsters were acquired from a nearby junkyard, lined with plastic and hooked up to filtration systems similar to standard above-ground pools.
"I tried to do it so that even if you had to rent one, you could do a stand-alone Dumpster, a grill and chair for under $1,000. Then the pools were successfully tested on friends at invitation-only pool parties. "The water's amazingly fresh, for swimming in a Dumpster," said Alexis Bloom, an early tester. There are plans to roll out the Dumpster pools idea nationally, but this weekend a more lush and public version of the Brooklyn backyard pool parties will take place on Park Avenue at Grand Central Terminal. The all-ages pools will feature cabanas, changing rooms and lounge chairs.Source: www.aolnews.com

Dumpsters apparently are a new way to get wet and keep cool on city streets. An innovative New York City design company has recently remodeled the ubiquitous giant curbside trash bins for a second life as swimming pools!!! In some cases they come with add-on cabanas and barbecue grills. Perhaps adding a new meaning to the term "Dumpster diving," the truck-borne trash bins were tested at private pool parties in Brooklyn last summer. But this weekend they will make their debut on Manhattan's Park Avenue as part of a New York City street festival.

A group of people enjoy a refreshing dip in a New York City Dumpster pool.

"They took an idea that seems crazy and did a really good job with it," said Dani Simons from New York City's Department of Transportation. "In a big way, they are taking this unexpected thing -- a Dumpster -- and reimagining it as a pool." Yet fear not, city swimmers.  While last season's prototype pools were reconditioned used Dumpsters sourced from a scrap yard, the Park Avenue pools on show this weekend have been upgraded and specially constructed for New York City's Summer Streets Program, which runs Saturdays through August. "Our challenge was to make the pools work right off the truck," said David Belt, from the design company Macro-Sea, which initiated the project. "They're basically self-contained, portable pools, but we still wanted them to look like Dumpsters." Electric pumps, rather than a garden hose,fill the dumpsters with water and power the filtration system, certified by the New York City Department of Health. For Summer Streets, the city required a deck to frame the portable pools. The original concept came from a backyard Dumpster pool in Georgia that Belt heard about last year. "Why bring your friends to the pool when we can bring the pool to your friends?" suggests a statement on the Macro-Sea website. "The goal is to use these mobile swimming pools, made from objects typically utilized to store and haul junk, in unexpected settings."Source: www.aolnews.com

New York City has converted roadside Dumpsters into chic swimming pools for the public.

The original Brooklyn Dumpsters were acquired from a nearby junkyard, lined with plastic and hooked up to filtration systems similar to standard above-ground pools.
"I tried to do it so that even if you had to rent one, you could do a stand-alone Dumpster, a grill and chair for under $1,000. Then the pools were successfully tested on friends at invitation-only pool parties. "The water's amazingly fresh, for swimming in a Dumpster," said Alexis Bloom, an early tester. There are plans to roll out the Dumpster pools idea nationally, but this weekend a more lush and public version of the Brooklyn backyard pool parties will take place on Park Avenue at Grand Central Terminal. The all-ages pools will feature cabanas, changing rooms and lounge chairs.Source: www.aolnews.com

Take some extra time to lie in bed on the weekends. It’ll do your body and mind some good come Monday morning. According to a new study published in the journal Sleep, just one morning spent sleeping in is all that's needd to replenish your brain and improve alertness and attention span.

But if you think that this gives you carte blanche to stay up partying the weekend away, think again. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania who conducted the study say doing so significantly reduces your performance at work the following week. So, if you’re reading this and feeling a little bleary-eyed, start planning now for extra time in the sack this weekend.

source - webmd

Take some extra time to lie in bed on the weekends. It’ll do your body and mind some good come Monday morning. According to a new study published in the journal Sleep, just one morning spent sleeping in is all that's needd to replenish your brain and improve alertness and attention span.

But if you think that this gives you carte blanche to stay up partying the weekend away, think again. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania who conducted the study say doing so significantly reduces your performance at work the following week. So, if you’re reading this and feeling a little bleary-eyed, start planning now for extra time in the sack this weekend.

source - webmd

First it was Chat Roulette, a zany Internet phenomenon that paired random strangers for video chatting. Now, there's a twist on the concept: Animal Roulette, a Dr. Doolittle version that creates face time between random shelter animals and potential adopters. Developed by Michael Ayalon, AnimalRoulette.com is a 2-month-old website that aims to revolutionize the way people adopt pets. No more driving to the local shelter to pick out a dog or cat amid a chorus of barks, meows or tweets. Now, it can all be done online, quickly and in the convenience of the home. Playing off the randomness of Chat Roulette, which allows participants to switch to another partner on a whim, Animal Roulette permits potential adopters to jump from animal to animal with the click of a mouse (the mechanical kind).

Dogs have been testing the concept of Animal Roulette. In the future, cats, lizards and other adoptable pets will get in on the action.

The first Animal Roulette, held on July 17 at the Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton, N.Y., saw over 200 chats take place, resulting in 15 adoptions. While the event only featured canines, the idea is for future roulettes to be completely random -- meaning any shelter animal could pop up on an adopter's screen. Tired of the dog you're "chatting" with? Click a button -- up comes a lizard. While the randomness may sound like whimsy, it serves a very good purpose, says Ayalon, 35, of East Meadow, N.Y. He explains that most people only think of adopting popular animals, such as cats and small, well-mannered dogs. However, he adds, there are so many other animals at shelters that just need a little face time with adopters. "The system is obviously broken," Ayalon said of the way pets are adopted in the U.S., "and something needs to be done." Eventually, Ayalon expects adopters to use Animal Roulette not only to jump from animal to animal, but from shelter to shelter in their search for the ideal pet. And to ensure the roulettes don't attract idle browsers or weirdos, shelters require participants (the human ones) to fill out an application before they can chat with animals. Ayalon came up with the idea for Animal Roulette eight months ago, after a fruitless visit to a shelter to adopt a dog. There were so many distractions, he said, he couldn't focus on any particular dog. "There were a lot of animals that didn't get a chance," he recalled. "One of the goals of Animal Roulette is to show the animals in a calmer, more natural environment." While the frivolity of Chat Roulette turned him off, he saw promise in the concept.Source: www.aolnews.com

Humans aren't the only ones who get to enjoy the randomness of Chat Roulette. Above, a dog at the Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton, N.Y., gets face time with a potential adopter.

"Chat Roulette had no meaning to me," Ayalon explained. "I liked the technology. I just thought the meaning was wrong." Pam Green, executive director of the Kent Animal Shelter, is an early adopter (pun intended) of Animal Roulette and believes the concept's greatest strength lies in the live interaction with animals. "If you see a picture of an animal on a website, you don't really know what the animal is like," Green said. "And you don't know whether the animal has been adopted or not." Ayalon is still looking for a dog to adopt and hopes to use Animal Roulette to find one. He was online for the Kent Animal Shelter roulette and had his eye on a Chihuahua. Alas, the dog was adopted by an eager participant before he could get it. As writer C.P. Snow once said, "Technology ... is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other."Source: www.aolnews.com

First it was Chat Roulette, a zany Internet phenomenon that paired random strangers for video chatting. Now, there's a twist on the concept: Animal Roulette, a Dr. Doolittle version that creates face time between random shelter animals and potential adopters. Developed by Michael Ayalon, AnimalRoulette.com is a 2-month-old website that aims to revolutionize the way people adopt pets. No more driving to the local shelter to pick out a dog or cat amid a chorus of barks, meows or tweets. Now, it can all be done online, quickly and in the convenience of the home. Playing off the randomness of Chat Roulette, which allows participants to switch to another partner on a whim, Animal Roulette permits potential adopters to jump from animal to animal with the click of a mouse (the mechanical kind).

Dogs have been testing the concept of Animal Roulette. In the future, cats, lizards and other adoptable pets will get in on the action.

The first Animal Roulette, held on July 17 at the Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton, N.Y., saw over 200 chats take place, resulting in 15 adoptions. While the event only featured canines, the idea is for future roulettes to be completely random -- meaning any shelter animal could pop up on an adopter's screen. Tired of the dog you're "chatting" with? Click a button -- up comes a lizard. While the randomness may sound like whimsy, it serves a very good purpose, says Ayalon, 35, of East Meadow, N.Y. He explains that most people only think of adopting popular animals, such as cats and small, well-mannered dogs. However, he adds, there are so many other animals at shelters that just need a little face time with adopters. "The system is obviously broken," Ayalon said of the way pets are adopted in the U.S., "and something needs to be done." Eventually, Ayalon expects adopters to use Animal Roulette not only to jump from animal to animal, but from shelter to shelter in their search for the ideal pet. And to ensure the roulettes don't attract idle browsers or weirdos, shelters require participants (the human ones) to fill out an application before they can chat with animals. Ayalon came up with the idea for Animal Roulette eight months ago, after a fruitless visit to a shelter to adopt a dog. There were so many distractions, he said, he couldn't focus on any particular dog. "There were a lot of animals that didn't get a chance," he recalled. "One of the goals of Animal Roulette is to show the animals in a calmer, more natural environment." While the frivolity of Chat Roulette turned him off, he saw promise in the concept.Source: www.aolnews.com

Humans aren't the only ones who get to enjoy the randomness of Chat Roulette. Above, a dog at the Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton, N.Y., gets face time with a potential adopter.

"Chat Roulette had no meaning to me," Ayalon explained. "I liked the technology. I just thought the meaning was wrong." Pam Green, executive director of the Kent Animal Shelter, is an early adopter (pun intended) of Animal Roulette and believes the concept's greatest strength lies in the live interaction with animals. "If you see a picture of an animal on a website, you don't really know what the animal is like," Green said. "And you don't know whether the animal has been adopted or not." Ayalon is still looking for a dog to adopt and hopes to use Animal Roulette to find one. He was online for the Kent Animal Shelter roulette and had his eye on a Chihuahua. Alas, the dog was adopted by an eager participant before he could get it. As writer C.P. Snow once said, "Technology ... is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other."Source: www.aolnews.com