Kiss of the Assassin

Observing the habitat of the Assassin bug and counting the number of bugs noted by exterminators has been tested as a very inexpensive, yet accurate method to determine if children need to be tested for the presence of the parasite, a protozoan called Trypanosoma cruzi.

Good news for the people in Peru and other South American countries plagued by Chaga's Disease.

clipped from www.reuters.com LONDON (Reuters) - A new, low-cost screening strategy could make it easier for poor countries to target and treat Chagas disease, a deadly parasite-borne condition found mainly in Latin America, according to a new study. By Michael Kahn But a team of U.S. researchers showed they could use easy-to-collect data on the number of insects found in homes during spraying campaigns to identify clusters of at-risk children who should be tested for Chagas disease. "The exterminators are really telling us what kids need to be tested," said Levy, who conducted the study while at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "It is very easy to add on to existing programs." Chagas disease is usually transmitted to humans by a blood-sucking insect called an assassin bug or a kissing bug. The insect carries a protozoan parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi, which kills more people in the region each year than any other parasite-born disease, including malaria, Levy said.

Real Whale Research, not Whale Hunting!

Terri Irwin has stepped up with an appropriate response to help end Japan's facade to the nations. Animals don't have to be killed to find out their life biology. It seems to me that the other governments should have already suggested alternative forms of research, but it is great that Terri Irwin has come up with a great idea. Thanks Terri!
Another idea that has never happened, the Japanese government should not be allowed to sell the whale meat for human or animal consumption.

clipped from hosted.ap.org SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- The widow of TV "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin announced Thursday she will launch non-lethal research of whales in Antarctic waters next year in hopes of showing that Japan's scientific whale kill is a sham. AP Photo/Ed Wray Tokyo has staunchly defended its annual cull of more than 1,000 whales as crucial for research, saying it is necessary to kill the whales to properly gather information about their eating, breeding and migratory habits. Japan had planned to kill up to 50 endangered humpback whales this season, but backed away from the plan in the face of strong international condemnation. "We are determined to show the Japanese they can stop all whaling, not just humpbacks," Irwin said.

100 Top Songs of 2007

Because our very existence is an irony, one thing can be said about the Americans I know, including myself, we love the ironic, the sardonic. Randy Newman, a contemporary American songwriter, cornered the market on American musical sardonic humor in his latest release, A Few Words In Defense of Our Country!

While Randy's new song is an apology for America and Americans, we don't get off the hook so easily. He is more than willing to make hay with our current history, including our American Pity Party pursuing terror.

I suppose that may explain why A Few Words In Defense of Our Country quietly became the #2 song in Rolling Stones 100 Best Songs of 2007. There is another irony, so everyone can relate to part of the song, A Few Words in Defense of Our Country while recognizing the validity of all of the song.

I would like to believe that one important reason this song became so highly prized in 2007 is because Americans understand who we are better than people in other countries believe we do. We are Americans, the whelps of the downtrodden, indentured servants and slaves, the dregs of all your countries, the naysayers and the political enemies of many of the most successful dictators in the ENTIRE world. We are Americans, so we know who we are and where we come from in the historical scheme of things.

We are Americans, and we established a country, a democracy, that many want to join and many want to hate.

My mother always told me that the people who want to destroy you the most are the people who want what you have....in plainspeak....they are jealous. That doesn't let us, Americans, off the hook for any issues we have caused, it just explains why some of the issues exist. Don't get it? It is OK, irony is often the tool of subtlety.

SciFiFry: In a Parallel Universe

One of the excellent members of the Wired Science blog team, Damon Gambuto, will be blogging about Science Fiction books each Friday. He will have plenty to blog about, and this series could continue forever.

When I read his blog, it reminded me of that Environmental Blogging Day I participated in last October. Many bloggers who love science fiction and science could write about science fiction on Friday. This is an idea that could work, especially if we had a bit of organization behind it...a widget or a badge to a weblink that listed all science fiction friday bloggers who are members of the Wired Science group. This is only a kernel of an idea, but I think it would be really cool!

11 yrs old select MW word of year

New Clipper! Welcome! Cool stuff, errata. Thank goodness, I was concerned by the selection of W00t Wordie looks to be an excellent new social networking. I think I like it, so I will check it out. Why don't you?

clipped from errata.wordie.org Wordie : Errata The Wordie Blog clipped from errata.wordie.org m00t clipped from errata.wordie.org I know it's not cool to be a prescriptivist, but can I just say that Merriam-Webster picked the dumbest [*#%&@!+] word in the universe as their Word of the Year 2007? I'm aware that M-W itself didn't make the choice, the eleven year olds who use their web site did, but isn't that why they have all those lexicographers lying around? I didn't say anything, because I didn't have anything nice to say. Actually I have one nice thing to say, which is that some of the comments on Wordie's page for it are pretty good, including the links to various etymologies, and, especially, the prior art from Chaucer. But I got a few more emails today and figured, fine, I'll uncork myself and spew some bile. I'm not even sure I don't like the word, but I hate that they picked it, and I'm not alone. It's not just the winner that sucks, it's the whole list. The only good word of the lot is Pecksniffian, M-W got voted off replaced by OneLook

How Rudolph Lost His Red Nose

Cool e-card; Rudolph lost his red nose, in a good way! Watch this digital story that can be sent as an e-card to your friends and family.

clipped from www.motherearthnews.com   clipped from www.motherearthnews.com Watch Santa cheer up Rudolph with a special green gift. Green your holiday, too, and send this terrific paper-free animated e-card to all your friends and family.

Mashable Marks Clipcast

This reviewer dosn't get it either, but I guess it's no different than those who live it and don't get it.

clipped from mashable.com Let’s hear that in marketingese: “The introduction of the ClipCast is the most exciting development in Clipmarks’ history, because it represents our evolution from a centralized Web site to a distributed platform for sharing the information that matters most to people,” says Eric Goldstein, CEO and co-founder of Clipmarks. I apologize for taking the reviewer’s easy way out with this comparison, but it all boils down to a widgetized version of Tumblr, and I must say I’m not particularly impressed. This third degree of separation (original website - your smallified version of it - widget) just feels too confusing, and I’m not sure I can find much value in it. Perhaps I’m old fashioned, but I’d rather simply browse through someone’s bookmarks. Link to This Post:

Rare Form of Alzheimer's Disease

I don't know what to say when the one of the most prolific science fiction writers in the world finds out he has early onset Alzheimer's disease

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk Pratchett has Alzheimer's disease The writer, 59, who gave the news on the website of Discworld artist Paul Kidby, said the condition was behind a "phantom stroke" earlier this year. Discworld author Pratchett has sold more than 55 million books worldwide. He said in a statement that with forthcoming conventions and the need to inform his publishers it would have been "unfair to withhold the news". Author Terry Pratchett is suffering from a rare form of early Alzheimer's disease, it has been revealed. suffering from a rare form of early Alzheimer's disease, it has been revealed. He told fans the statement should be interpreted as "I am not dead". "I will, of course, be dead at some future point, as will everybody else," he said. "I know it's a very human thing to say 'is there anything I can do', but in this case I would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry."

Clearing 4040 at Catal Hoyuk

Clearing 4040
Originally uploaded by catalhoyuk

A good example of what an area looks like when it is first being cleared of topsoil so the excavation and careful mapping of the site as it is worked can be documented for later research by Ian Hodder and his world renowned team.

South Excavation

South Excavation
Originally uploaded by catalhoyuk

Another perspective of the rooms within the city of Catal Hoyuk and the depth of the archaeological site which provides a glimpse of the layers of cities that were built upon one another, just as they are today in major cities across the globe.

This is another part of the Catal Hoyuk site that is excavated and researched by Ian Hodder and his world renowned team.

Tourists visiting Çatalhöyük

Tourists visiting Çatalhöyük
Originally uploaded by catalhoyuk

This picture provides better perspective for the size of ONE of the ongoing excavations at Catal Hoyuk. This city was settled for over 2,000 years by people we are only beginning to discover. When visiting Turkey, this would be an excellent tour destination.

View From Top of the Mound

View from top of the mound
Originally uploaded by catalhoyuk

Showing perspective of the site is very important. What does this area around Catal Hoyuk look like today? How did it look over 9,000 years ago? How do scientists discover this?

These are all questions that you can learn more about at the Catal Huyuk website and by studying these pictures at Flickr. Many of the techniques are straightforward and are used by historians and genealogy buffs to find the age, climate or setting of more current archaeological sites like old homesteads or cemeteries.

Wall Relief in TP Area - 1

Wall Relief in TP Area - 1
Originally uploaded by catalhoyuk

Look above the wall relief and you can see part of the extensive roof covering this area while it is being excavated, referenced, and translated by Ian Hodder and his world renowned team.

Pot with faces from 4040 Area - 1

Pot with faces from 4040 Area - 1
Originally uploaded by catalhoyuk

Beautifully crafted pottery face recovered from Catal Hoyuk by Ian Hodder and his world renowned team in 2007.

Animal Stamp Seal

Animal Stamp Seal
Originally uploaded by catalhoyuk

One of the more recent finds in the city of Anatolia referred to as Catal Huyuk that is being scientifically investigated and referenced for study by Ian Hodder and this world renowned team.

Civilizations Before Earlier Polar Meltdowns

Several pictures from the most recent archaeological dig at Catal Hoyuk in Turkey are posted above this entry (Monday and Tuesday postings. While this blogposting reports on the latest old city to compare with Catal Hoyuk, as it gains world wide attention.

The BBC has recently published information about the ancient city that was discovered of the coast of India while engineers and scientists were study pollution. I am glad this Indian site, on the western side of peninsula in the Bay of Cambay, is finally being publicized. It is very exciting because these cultures don't just spring up fully formed...they must grow and develop.

This new discovery in the Gulf of Cambay will help people learn more about our human history, and how a previous melting of the polar ice caps covered cities and civilizations around the globe.

This site, found in the Bay of Cambay, has at least one sister city. Catal Huyuk and its discovery broke the 6,000 year barrier for civilizations and cities. Now places like Cambay will be more easily accepted.

Here are several links that will provide information about the 9,500 year old city that was discovered over 50 years ago by James Mellart and has been studied by Ian Hodder and his world renowned team since 1993.

http://www.catalhoyuk.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/unearthingmysteries_20021112.shtml
http://www.ask.com/web?q=Catal+Huyuk