Up and Coming Stories http://wwww.thriveorfail.com/recent.rss Universal has won a four-studio bidding war to pick up the film rights to the classic Atari video game "Asteroids." Matthew Lopez will write the script for the feature adaptation, which will be produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura. Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:32:34 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/PIHAfUOPPYk/211a9 http://www.thriveorfail.com/211a9 "IHOP has grown weak on powdered sugar and fruity garnishes, forsaking the righteousness of its original rib-sticking mission," said Lyman, who nailed his 95 comments to the door shortly before the morning brunch rush, when they would receive maximum exposure. "This house is no longer a house of pancakes—it is a house of lies." Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:00:10 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/fDOqkHpkSWg/857e8 http://www.thriveorfail.com/857e8 The new GQ has a story about Bruno, of course, cause what other stuff is happening this month? So they did a photo shoot of the gay-like character with an LA high school football team, and even paid the school a cool $500 for the privilege of handling their young men. Now the principal's in trouble! Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:33:18 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/yzGRQnwr14I/0ddc6 http://www.thriveorfail.com/0ddc6 I'm standing on The Ledge, the four new enclosed glass boxes that jut about four feet from the 103rd floor of the Sears Tower. The latest addition to the 110-story high-rise opens Thursday. From the glass boxes, visitors get a nearly panoramic view, from Wacker Drive below and up to 50 miles in three directions on a clear day. The boxes can hold at least 5 tons each, about the weight of an elephant, and they can retract into the building when the windows get washed. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:34:21 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/WKyu-EAf4uo/785d6 http://www.thriveorfail.com/785d6 The cryptic message was sent to President Jefferson in December 1801 by his friend and frequent correspondent, Robert Patterson, a mathematics professor at the University of Pennsylvania. President Jefferson and Mr. Patterson were both officials at the American Philosophical Society -- a group that promoted scholarly research in the sciences and humanities -- and were enthusiasts of ciphers and other codes, regularly exchanging letters about them. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:54:15 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/0rVrsx7boHg/93ada http://www.thriveorfail.com/93ada To continue the transportation theme for today, as we had the new trains, now something that was planned to be built 30 years ago, back in 1970s. It was called the “super string transportation system” and was claimed to come to replace the existing rail road technologies. The steel cords under great tension had to be stretched on the polls across all the country to support the high speed (up to 500 km/h - 300 mph) trains movement. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:46:02 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/XeupQaeHnLk/a01b1 http://www.thriveorfail.com/a01b1 LOD, Israel — Israeli archaeologists unveiled one of the largest and best preserved mosaics ever found in the country Wednesday, for only the second time since it was discovered more than a decade ago. The 600-square-foot (56 square meter), 1,700-year-old Roman floor mosaic was found in 1996 during an archaeological dig in the town of Lod near Tel Aviv. It drew 10,000 visitors in the one weekend it was on display then, according to the Israeli Antiquities Authority, the government agency responsible for its restoration. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:22:12 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/5w6ZFS5nDX0/cc1ea http://www.thriveorfail.com/cc1ea Many people in the United States and Europe are seeing gorgeous lavender sunsets lately thanks to the eruption more than two weeks ago of Russia's Sarychev Peak volcano. The volcano blew its top June 12, generating a remarkable shock wave in the atmosphere seen in a photo taken by astronauts. It also hurled massive plumes of sulfur dioxide into the air, and that material has been circling the globe. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:20:37 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/zvSRP_tZ9fc/933b9 http://www.thriveorfail.com/933b9 According to Michael Jackson's largest online fan club, MJ fanatics have been recently committing suicide because of the pop star's tragic death. The Sun is reporting that up to 12 die-hard Jackson followers have taken their own lives since his passing on Thursday. Gary Taylor, who runs MJJcommunity.com, recently said, "I know there has been an increase, I now believe the figure is 12. I believe there may have been one Briton who has taken their life. It is a serious situation that these people are going through but Michael Jackson would never want this. He would want them to live." Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:31:41 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/OmgZlx3GHAs/acffb http://www.thriveorfail.com/acffb A church has apologised after allowing Wimbledon tennis fans to park on top of graves. St Mary's Church in Wimbledon Village charged those attending the championships £20 a day to park in its cemetery. The money goes to three charities. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:25:21 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/4Z3O67kebhE/0570d http://www.thriveorfail.com/0570d BUDAPEST (Reuters) – An overeager crowd in the Hungarian capital thwarted low-cost airline Wizz Air's attempt to release 1,000 balloons for its fifth anniversary celebrations when they caught wind of the freebies attached. Onlookers spied coupons worth 10,000 forints ($49.45) attached to each balloon and a free-for-all of popping and grabbing commenced before the balloons could be officially released from a giant net in the center of Budapest. "Someone popped one of the balloons, hoping to get the gift coupon that was attached to it," Wizz Air communications director Natasa Kazmer said. "As if on cue, the entire crowd attacked the net." Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:47:26 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/dhX1fW9jthY/2a4ff http://www.thriveorfail.com/2a4ff Just to show kapauldo that i do actually have a sense of humor....... Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:51:57 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/9bmAQzQxSw0/463c0 http://www.thriveorfail.com/463c0 The Post-It note, stuck to a mirror in a public bathroom, had a simple message: "You are beautiful." When Caitlin Boyle of Orlando wrote that message on the little yellow sticky note a few weeks ago, she had only one goal: to encourage women in her tiny corner of the world to feel better about themselves. Later that day, the 25-year-old urban planner, posted a picture of her note on her weblog — healthytippingpoint.com — and challenged her readers to do something similar, and tell her about it. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:11:36 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/oYVIyOBZ75Q/d715a http://www.thriveorfail.com/d715a The WSJ is issuing more Madoff victim propaganda. It is interesting to see the WSJ advocating free markets while slyly supporting special treatment for rich investors who failed to follow basic financial advice. Remember: Madoff's investors only lost their life savings if they chose to violate Investment 101's cardinal rule: diversify, diversify, diversify. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:05:48 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/GivRUNtQym0/71134 http://www.thriveorfail.com/71134 The show makes $900M a year. What do you think? Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:19:47 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/XhfflXEQhpc/33b99 http://www.thriveorfail.com/33b99 The court ruled for white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., who said city officials violated their rights when it threw out the results of a promotions test on which few minorities scored well. The case drew outsize attention because President Obama's nominee for the high court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, had been part of a unanimous panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit that endorsed a lower-court ruling upholding New Haven's decision. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:14:12 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/pG-oiTbY44U/82a49 http://www.thriveorfail.com/82a49 "We could save enormous amounts of money if we had a public police system," argues Caroline Zeal, director of the nonprofit Citizens for Public Police Protection. "Our present crime prevention and punishment system is divided among 50 states with different rules and thousands of private crime insurance companies. And when you look at the mercenaries hired by the crime insurance companies, they come in all shapes and sizes -- commandos, samurai, Vikings, centurions and ninjas." Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:10:55 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/ChxkbcSDrq8/11254 http://www.thriveorfail.com/11254 Here's the quick version. Anderson says "free" is the new business model and that it's almost free anyway to distribute information. Gladwell says Anderson is ignoring the cost of infrastructure and is engaging in magical thinking. Read this rebuttal which also links to Gladwell's critique (or just vote in a Blink). See what I did there? Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:33:44 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/EdEl4rBpyas/a3905 http://www.thriveorfail.com/a3905 Michael Jackson fans who purchased tickets for his final concerts will receive a full refund or, if they chose, a commemorative ticket, the concert promoter said Tuesday. Which would you choose? Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:53:03 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/TmLQqiQ9K5U/3bc4c http://www.thriveorfail.com/3bc4c Rachel Veitch, who's 90 years old, bought her last car in 1964. Forty-five years and 558,000 miles later, the Mercury Comet Caliente she calls "Chariot" is still on the road. So what's the secret for keeping a car running for more than a half-million miles? Just taking care of it. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:09:08 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/9dxM8zzAYOA/60bf8 http://www.thriveorfail.com/60bf8 click the link then vote. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:06:23 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/MSi-ciZSfw4/be56f http://www.thriveorfail.com/be56f Swine flu has infected more than a million Americans, federal health officials said Friday, and is infecting thousands more every week even though the annual flu season is well over. Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:48:05 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/Mqd-t_wCqIo/4386f http://www.thriveorfail.com/4386f For one day, at least, it was OK to pack heat in church. More than 200 people answered gun-toting Pastor Ken Pagano's call to celebrate the Second Amendment at New Bethel Church in XXXXXXXXX on Saturday. There was just one rule for the several dozen who brought their guns along: No bullets. Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:46:28 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/hh8qwBDtQLQ/e646a http://www.thriveorfail.com/e646a LONDON (AP) -- Michael Jackson was due to make his triumphant return to the stage in London next month -- but instead his sudden death has left millions of fans feeling they've lost a lifelong friend. The dramatic death of the brilliant singer seemed to obscure his recent controversies and kindle warmer memories of Jackson the child star and Jackson the show-stopping, moonwalking headliner. The worldwide chorus of grief united the famous -- statesmen and superstars alike -- and the legions of ordinary people who grew up with "Thriller" and "Beat It." Word of Jackson's death jolted nearly everyone, from a young man in Colombia who was named after the King of Pop, to Malaysians who named a soy drink for him, to a generation of people around the world who have tried, in vain, to moonwalk. Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:43:29 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/14VG8Kmn1Yg/1c54f http://www.thriveorfail.com/1c54f click then vote Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:07:59 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/as0jsXp9QGM/11d72 http://www.thriveorfail.com/11d72 This is an old video of Steve Martin doing a parody of the Billie Jeane video. click then vote. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:20:32 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/K1vRPQKvDQY/7dc3b http://www.thriveorfail.com/7dc3b click the link to enter the wonderful world of chinese construction. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 12:52:06 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/Xhrv4NakcnA/bffe6 http://www.thriveorfail.com/bffe6 PETALUMA, Calif. (AP) — A prominent under-bite, scrunched face and floppy ears are the hallmarks of a winner. The winner of the World's Ugliest Dog contest, that is. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 12:45:55 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/N_sKn8lc7qQ/6d76d http://www.thriveorfail.com/6d76d It has been a debate for more than 100 years: what caused the Tunguska explosion in 1908, an event which devastated 830 square miles of Siberian forests? Perhaps it is not surprising that the mystery has stood for more than a century as it took the exhaust plumes of space shuttles (decidedly modern objects) to discover the answer. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 12:44:53 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/cxMoeO45oMk/4d5b4 http://www.thriveorfail.com/4d5b4 Brucks said he took a step, stumbled and fell. The driver, he said, took the old man's walker from the trunk, tossed it several yards away and drove off -- leaving Brucks lying by the side of East State Road 50 near Alafaya Trail with no shade or water. Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:26:51 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/r-V-sJA8CUI/75f71 http://www.thriveorfail.com/75f71 LOS ANGELES -- Debbie Rowe, Michael Jackson's one-time wife and the mother of two of his children, may get custody of the pair, according to a lawyer who represented Jackson during his divorce from Rowe. Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:24:16 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/pfExh_C8Ccw/f7251 http://www.thriveorfail.com/f7251 HUNTINGDON, Pa. (June 26) -- A high school secretary illegally changed grades in a school computer system to improve her daughter's class standing, according to criminal charges filed Thursday. Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:20:31 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/Smzwia31nqw/3949a http://www.thriveorfail.com/3949a Cheerleading safety efforts have led to modest reductions in the number of serious injuries in recent years, according to a new report about college and high school sports and cheerleading mishaps. But cheerleading continues to cause more serious and deadly injuries by far than other sports. Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:57:10 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/961GHpyyATI/badfd http://www.thriveorfail.com/badfd Gov. Mark Sanford returned to work in Columbia on Thursday, telling television reporters he had no plans to resign as questions mounted about his ability to lead. Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:42:39 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/8zXEPNU1anU/45f2a http://www.thriveorfail.com/45f2a This week it was reported that Steve Jobs, the CEO and cofounder of Apple, underwent a liver transplant two months ago. One detail concerning Jobs's transplant seemed odd: The surgery took place at a hospital in Tennessee, some 2,000 miles from Jobs' home in northern California. Why Tennessee? Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:42:23 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/-zQ-5VOcC2k/63ab7 http://www.thriveorfail.com/63ab7 Late-night TV funnyman Jimmy Fallon pulled a sports upset of epic proportions this morning in Times Square, beating Tiger Woods in a game of Nintendo Wii golf. Fallon had thrown down the golfing gauntlet to Woods recently and videogame-maker EA Sports made the event happen as hundreds of tourists and New Yorkers watched in amazement. Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:41:06 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/uuMOHlIdNmc/60215 http://www.thriveorfail.com/60215 The wing bone of a griffon vulture with five precisely drilled holes in it is the oldest known musical instrument, a 35,000-year-old relic of an early human society that drank beer, played flute and drums and danced around the campfire on cold winter evenings, researchers said Wednesday. Excavated from a cave in Germany, the nearly complete flute suggests that the first humans to occupy Europe had a fairly sophisticated culture, complete with alcohol, adornments, art objects and music that they developed there or even brought with them from Africa when they moved to the new continent 40,000 years or so ago. Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:09:33 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/mi28v9DDff8/ac81b http://www.thriveorfail.com/ac81b click then vote. Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:37:58 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/WoImN1_OamU/63a48 http://www.thriveorfail.com/63a48 New York has become the first state to allow taxpayer-funded researchers to pay women for giving their eggs for embryonic stem cell research, a move welcomed by many scientists but condemned by critics who fear it will lead to the exploitation of vulnerable women. Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:50:49 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/p35apqs-G84/4730c http://www.thriveorfail.com/4730c WASHINGTON (June 25) - The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a school's strip search of an Arizona teenage girl accused of having prescription-strength ibuprofen was illegal. In an 8-1 ruling, the justices said school officials violated the law with their search of Savana Redding in the rural eastern Arizona town of Safford. Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:01:05 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/1dHm7X7szQk/5691a http://www.thriveorfail.com/5691a This week I decided I'd had enough of the constant begging for privileges and goods beyond what my children really need to be healthy and happy. So, I made the rule that if a boy wants to ask me for something (beyond necessities), he must first do a chore to earn the privilege of asking for that thing. It has cut down on the asking considerably and then today, when Jacob decided it was worth all the effort to ask me for something, he cleaned his room and vacuumed every corner of it only to find that once he was done, he'd completely forgotten what he had wanted to ask me for in the first place. Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:58:01 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/EevEY_9Trb8/05950 http://www.thriveorfail.com/05950 For now, Mark Sanford is still the governor of South Carolina, and he's given every indication he wants to keep that job, at least until his term runs out at the beginning of 2011. (Under state law, he's limited to two terms and so can't run in 2010.) And no one who could really force him from office is talking impeachment -- at least not yet. But there are some rumblings, and some talk that maybe if he's not actually removed from office, he'll have to resign. Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:35:11 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/DgolNWDJYUQ/6a70c http://www.thriveorfail.com/6a70c Honor student lives at shelter in L.A.'s Skid Row, one of the city's roughest areas. Kenneth Chancey, 17, hopes to go to Harvard and become a doctor. "I have to dream because obviously my reality is horrible," he says. Chancey is student body president and star football player at Hollywood school. Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:46:27 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/VoS0b9mHhq8/4b89a http://www.thriveorfail.com/4b89a A Chicagoland auto dealer known for his TV ads is suing a plastic surgeon for stealing the romantic interest of his estranged wife. Bob Rohrman, president and owner of Rohrman Auto Group, which he claims is the 22nd largest dealership group in the country, filed a lawsuit in DuPage County last week against Dr. Sami Bittar, a plastic surgeon with offices in Chicago and La Grange. Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:18:51 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/9rDOruHy0wo/937f1 http://www.thriveorfail.com/937f1 Prominent Orlando attorney Cheney Mason was confident his client couldn't have gunned down four people in the time prosecutors said he did. So Mason told a national TV audience he'd pay $1 million to anyone who could show otherwise.Kolodziej, who just graduated from South Texas College of Law, said he retraced Serrano's route across two states and made the final leg of the journey within the required time. He taped his excursion and sent the video to Mason along with a letter demanding the $1 million. Mason, according to the lawsuit, refused to pay more than once. Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:16:03 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/V34YrfsEFXI/4d516 http://www.thriveorfail.com/4d516 A 16-year-old girl is on her first modeling shoot in Paris. She is unchaperoned and inexperienced. She takes a break for a cup of coffee, and a photographer follows her down the hall. She stops, and he fiddles with her clothes. Then he reaches in between her legs and gropes her. Stunned, the model says nothing. He says nothing. They walk back into the room and finish the shoot. Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:03:29 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/2jer0c-CagY/a3aab http://www.thriveorfail.com/a3aab (warning, adult themed content) Yesterday our Hamilton Nolan blamed BK's financial woes on their "edgy" ad agency. Now tonight our pal Copyranter sent us their newest advertisement, a reeking of desperation creation he called the "most overtly blow-jobby ad I've ever seen." Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:23:51 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/d-HPJYxK_jA/0f509 http://www.thriveorfail.com/0f509 Most people rationalize their own choices as good choices, unless they get screwed, in which case they want to hurt the source. That's why people love to tell about the fantastic deal they got on their new car (but you'd never be able to do so well!). I actually got screwed on my car deal, but since I've driven 275K miles without serious issue, I guess I did OK. Now, what about a website which allows you to actually put your money where your mouth is? Not this great site you found, but this great site you actually participate in? Who really wants to tell their friends which car to buy? Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:15:26 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/kQYncEpA390/36d53 http://www.thriveorfail.com/36d53 Click the link then vote. Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:11:45 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/LG4CDrwF4Ks/9d850 http://www.thriveorfail.com/9d850 In the course of reading Chris Anderson’s new book, Free: The Future of a Radical Price (Hyperion, $26.99), for a review in an upcoming issue of VQR, we have discovered almost a dozen passages that are reproduced nearly verbatim from uncredited sources. These instances were identified after a cursory investigation, after I checked by hand several dozen suspect passages in the whole of the 274-page book. This was not an exhaustive search, since I don’t have access to an electronic version of the book. Most of the passages, but not all, come from Wikipedia. Anderson is the author of the best-selling 2006 book The Long Tail and is the editor-in-chief of Wired magazine. The official publication date for Free is July 7. Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:29:54 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/rmvdi_aT9GE/69975 http://www.thriveorfail.com/69975 The Republican told the South Carolina newspaper he decided at the last minute to go to the South American country. The governor says he had considered hiking on the Appalachian Trail but wanted to do something "exotic." Sanford said he was alone on the trip. He declined to give any additional details about what he did other than to say he drove along the coastline. Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:31:13 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/pjsrc_MC3ls/e6b99 http://www.thriveorfail.com/e6b99 Widgets and gadgets are the latest trend to hit HDTVs. Vizio is upping the game by equipping its soon-to-be-released HDTVs with an impressive suite of Internet applications and video streaming sites. So much so, that this portfolio will place them on top of many people’s wish list as these TVs will be better equipped than a TiVo or even Windows Media Server. Forget about Vizio being a mid-tier, Walmart brand. These features might make some people question why they pay a monthly fee for a TiVo. Owners will be able to stream content from Revision3, Showtime and Pandora for free, while also able to subscribe to Vudu, Netflix, Blockbuster OnDemand, Amazon Video On Demand and Rhapsody. Plus, the sets are able to work with Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and the Yahoo Widgets Engine. Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:34:18 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/UeuAEYec2bI/be892 http://www.thriveorfail.com/be892 DENVER (June 23) - Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols is asking for a court-appointed lawyer to help him with a lawsuit complaining about the food he gets in prison. Nichols claims in his suit that the federal Supermax prison in Colorado is causing him to "sin against God" because he doesn't get enough whole grains and fresh food. Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:31:52 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/2mElv9O8Jwg/5ec48 http://www.thriveorfail.com/5ec48 (Massachusetts Congressman Barney) Frank has filed a bill that would eliminate federal penalties for personal possession of less than 100 grams of marijuana. It would also make the penalty for using marijuana in public just $100. Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:23:01 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/H0LWqMU6VX4/8d168 http://www.thriveorfail.com/8d168 Face it, babies are boring. They eat, they sleep. Total snooze fest. Who needs it? Time to spice that kid; Michael Bay that baby. Momlogic found some great methods from around the world to make parenthood way funner. For instance, in one Indian village they’ve been throwing babies off a 50-foot temple for over 500 years! And all we got for a tradition here is stupid Thanksgiving Day. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:40:48 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/jMXhHUSXO6Q/cbcbd http://www.thriveorfail.com/cbcbd the classic strategy game never ceases to amaze, the rubik's cube is an 80s game made from colored squares. it's a fascinating object, as it's both extremely simple and extremely complex. did you know there are over 43 billion possible permutations for a rubik's cube? french artist invader uses the rubik's cube like an artist uses paint. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:43:30 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/3psxRR_EMis/1ba7b http://www.thriveorfail.com/1ba7b On June 12th, Saychev Peak on Matua Island erupted, hurling ash and steam into the air. Luckily, NASA's International Space Station was watching. This stunning image, from the Earth Observatory, reveals some rare details about this eruption. In this image, you can see the volcanic plume extending into the sky. But you can also see the atmospheric shock wave from the eruption, which pushed the clouds back into a ring in the sky. Also visible is a smooth, fluffy white cloud on top of the rapidly rising ash column. This is likely a result of rapidly rising water vapor condensing on top of the plume. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:41:57 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/hVHp7zV_vWQ/4e546 http://www.thriveorfail.com/4e546 The basic idea behind Alice.com, which raised $4.3 million in funding last fall, is that the site is an open platform for consumer packaged goods manufacturers, like Procter & Gamble, to sell directly to consumers instead of going through retail channels like Target or Wal-Mart. On the consumer side, Alice.com lets users create a profile of their household (how many people, kids etc.) and then the site will keep track of items and reminds users with emails when they are running low and need to reorder. Each shipment is bundled together in a single ‘Alice’ box, delivered directly to the consumer’s door, with no shipping costs attached. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:20:29 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/RuZOTemaGbA/4bf94 http://www.thriveorfail.com/4bf94 If you’ve ever thought that your iPhone had the frictional coefficient of a Slip n’ Slide, you’re not alone. A new report from SquareTrade details the accident-prone nature of Apple’s line of smartphones, reporting that over 20% of iPhones have been damaged in the last 22 months. Cracked screens abound. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:10:55 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/lqD6G5zeNVw/c3718 http://www.thriveorfail.com/c3718 Photographer uses animated picture technique to show subjects in 3D. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:04:57 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/x3E2kRhZAG0/a751a http://www.thriveorfail.com/a751a The judges, in a rare decision favoring a defendant, ruled that the verdict form signed by jurors who convicted Wells contained the erroneous phrase: '' ... the amount of crack cocaine was in the amount exceeding ten one hundred (100) grams.'' The word ''ten'' should have been omitted. It was Wells himself who discovered the mistake. As a result, three appellate judges found that it is unclear whether jurors believed they were convicting Wells of possessing 100 grams of cocaine or 10/100th of a gram, which would constitute a lower-level felony. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:16:21 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/_owHDWf4Zi0/43a2d http://www.thriveorfail.com/43a2d Pikk a side - women's rights (Approve) or religious freedom (Object) - PARIS (June 22) - President Nicolas Sarkozy said the Muslim burqa would not be welcome in France, calling the full-body religious gown a sign of the "debasement" of women. In the first presidential address to parliament in 136 years, Sarkozy faced critics who fear the burqa issue could stigmatize France's Muslims and said he supported banning the garment from being worn in public. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:12:54 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/fFYAK2Ogdss/a9a2d http://www.thriveorfail.com/a9a2d (June 22) - The far-reaching tobacco regulation that became law Monday was controversial enough on its own. The fact that the president who signed the bill has struggled with smoking just added fuel to the fire. Readers critical of President Barack Obama have peppered online news articles about the legislation with comments accusing him of hypocrisy. Supporters have argued that Obama's personal experience with nicotine addiction underscores the urgency of his message to young people: Don't start smoking. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:31:14 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/j_RmOlpNvAU/7a61a http://www.thriveorfail.com/7a61a According to TMZ, the show will feature people on the wrong track who are given $1 Million to have a second chance. I’m all for giving people a second chance and seeing people turn their lives around, but does someone need $1 Million to do that? Supposedly Lindsay will serve on the panel of judges for the show. Ryan’s production company is also behind ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ and Brody Jenner’s ‘Bromance’. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:23:53 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/MLb00AeLqSY/09d45 http://www.thriveorfail.com/09d45 It seems that neither a bleak economic landscape nor a chief executive away on medical leave can upset Apple’s cart. On Monday, the company announced that it had sold more than one million models of the iPhone 3G S since the device first became available for purchase on Friday. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:21:52 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/VWxfZG_a1UM/59e48 http://www.thriveorfail.com/59e48 In 50 Iranian cities the number of votes cast in this month presidential election exceeded the number of eligible voters, the state's election watchdog admitted today. The surprising admission by the Guardian Council was, however, designed to undermine the claims of the defeated candidates that the vote was rigged. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:56:09 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/flh-yA4c5zQ/8eacf http://www.thriveorfail.com/8eacf WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is set to sign into law an anti-smoking bill that will give the federal government unprecedented authority to regulate tobacco. Obama is scheduled to sign the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act on Monday. The law allows the regulatory Food and Drug Administration to reduce nicotine in tobacco products, ban candy flavorings and block labels such "low tar" and "light." Tobacco companies also will be required to cover their cartons with large graphic warnings. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:55:00 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/L3GcLMKL9JQ/8de42 http://www.thriveorfail.com/8de42 Are all naked women pretty much the same? Reading stripper memoirs would lead one to think so. It is a surprisingly rigid genre, with a set of rules and conventions as strict as those of sonnets or villanelles. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:45:15 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/wtcNEWZKecE/0994a http://www.thriveorfail.com/0994a Huffstutter explains the animals' virtues. Mini-Herefords "consume about half [the feed] of a full-sized cow yet produce 50% to 75% of the rib-eyes and fillets, according to researchers and budget-conscious farmers," he notes. "Farmers who raise mini Jerseys brag how each animal provides 2 to 3 gallons of milk a day." Grass-fed minicows also "reached their mature weight faster, so they could be sold for meat sooner." Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:44:12 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/-_gxKtROrfk/c2c27 http://www.thriveorfail.com/c2c27 Today sees the launch of FitOrbit, a service that aims to remove the disadvantages associated with working with real life personal trainers for one-on-one fitness and meal plans. FitOrbit, which comes with both a web and iPhone application, boasts the support of a number of big names in both the financing and health industry. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:42:22 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/lU2-Dk6_iVM/0f8ae http://www.thriveorfail.com/0f8ae The book, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," by Sherman Alexie, is an award-winning story of a 14-year-old American Indian who leaves his school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white high school. The main character faces many of the same challenges the incoming freshmen will face when they start school in the fall, said John Whitehurst, chairman of the English department at Antioch High School. Jennifer Anderson said she was one of seven parents who attended the Community High School District 117 School Board meeting Thursday to ask that the book be banned from the curriculum, or at the very least be accompanied with a warning about the content. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:22:21 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/ZBrL7oOuiQM/7df22 http://www.thriveorfail.com/7df22 WASHINGTON – Great white sharks have some things in common with human serial killers, a new study says: They don't attack at random, but stalk specific victims, lurking out of sight. The sharks hang back and observe from a not-too-close, not-too-far base, hunt strategically, and learn from previous attempts, according to a study being published online Monday in the Journal of Zoology. Researchers used a serial killer profiling method to figure out just how the fearsome ocean predator hunts, something that's been hard to observe beneath the surface. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:45:23 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/vTxFReRe7Yw/ac64e http://www.thriveorfail.com/ac64e (you must click to watch the video) The 72 x 160-foot LED wall at the center of the new Cowboys Stadium is certainly impressive enough when it's showing game highlights or concert footage, but no giant screen ever truly earns its credentials until it's been put to some real use: playing video games. Thankfully, Jonas Brothers video director Steve Fatone somehow pulled himself away from concert preparations to do just that earlier this week, and apparently became the first person to ever play Xbox 360 on the display in the process. As you can see above and in the gallery below, the two certainly seem to be made for each other, although it looks like the controller can get a tad touchy if you stray too far while trying to play it. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:32:22 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/7L8GI2DCcHo/02d60 http://www.thriveorfail.com/02d60 In May, the fast-food chain promoted a giveaway of two pieces of grilled chicken, two individual side dishes and a biscuit on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Demand was so high that the company had to scale back the offer, asking some customers who had printed the online coupons to visit stores for an IOU. James Asanuma and Veronica Mora of California were feeling so peckish that they filed suit against KFC and its parent company, Yum Brands Inc., in Los Angeles last week seeking class-action status. Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:53:19 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/3Y5mx027jAA/7359f http://www.thriveorfail.com/7359f STONEHENGE, England (AP) — Pagans and partygoers drummed, danced or gyrated in hula hoops to stay awake through the night, as more than 35,000 people greeted the summer solstice Sunday at the ancient stone circle of Stonehenge. Despite fears of trouble because of the record-sized crowd, police said the annual party at the mysterious monument was mostly peaceful. "It's the most magical place on the planet," said antique salesman Frank Somers, 43, dressed in the robes of his Druid faith. Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:52:01 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/-wQNJlXUP6Y/dffd1 http://www.thriveorfail.com/dffd1 ABOARD G-FORCE ONE (June 20) - The bride wore white and earrings resembling tiny planets, the groom a tuxedo and cuff links shaped like spacecraft, and the wedding party attended in blue jump suits. New York City couple Erin Finnegan and Noah Fulmor floated into matrimony on Saturday thousands of feet above the Gulf of Mexico in what organizers said was the world's first weightless wedding held in zero gravity conditions. Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:18:27 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/yRry9-IcfR4/7a350 http://www.thriveorfail.com/7a350 click the link and behold what someone has created. Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:38:42 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/kYFS6dAQ25M/60eca http://www.thriveorfail.com/60eca This Father's Day, instead of the usual chocolate golf balls and barely concealed festering resentment, why not give Dad a gift that shows how you really feel? After all, you only get one day a year to thank him for your crippling abandonment issues, school loans and inability to trust men with beards. Make next Sunday count with something deeply confrontational (and yet resigned) from our helpful list below. Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:03:11 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/Ad2wTmOPwuY/d0689 http://www.thriveorfail.com/d0689 One of the entertainment industry’s favorite claims is that illegal file-sharing has discouraged people from producing new movies or albums, for example. It then argues society as a whole suffers as a result. A new Harvard Business School study conducted by Felix Oberholzer-Gee and Koleman Strumpf contradicts this claim with a variety of gathered evidence. Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:01:39 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/dZ9IwdvoLT8/00a07 http://www.thriveorfail.com/00a07 Thirty-four years ago, the Rohnert Park resident began gluing the tiny sticks together to form abstract structures. Then he started rolling pingpong balls around them. Soon he built a replica of the Golden Gate Bridge, then Lombard Street. Three thousand hours and 100,000 toothpicks later, Weaver's whim has spiraled into a massive piece-de-resistance that includes every major landmark of the city that inspired it - and then some. Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:39:58 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/u9oclZGjH2M/20455 http://www.thriveorfail.com/20455 At about 9:20 p.m. in Tehran (12:50 p.m. Eastern time), Mir-Hossein Mousavi, the opposition candidate whose suspicious defeat by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last week sparked the protests, declared he was ready for whatever happened next. "I am prepared For martyrdom," he wrote on his campaign Twitter page. "Go on strike if I am arrested." Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:28:29 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/98W0NBcn26I/3bba2 http://www.thriveorfail.com/3bba2 MUSKOGEE, Oklahoma (AP) — A 23-year-old woman who got a friend to kill her Jack Russell terrier was charged with skinning the puppy to make a belt out of its hide. Krystal Lynn Lewis and Austin Michael Mullins, 26, were being held Friday in the Muskogee County jail on $25,000 bail each. They were charged with one felony count of cruelty to animals. Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:28:35 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/bFhFhjT7MjE/e1478 http://www.thriveorfail.com/e1478 The New Kids on the Block were preparing for a set of Australia shows as part of their comeback tour, but apparently that won't be happening. In a staccato blog post on the Web site of the reunited 1980s boy band, Donnie Wahlberg announced the bad news: "However -- we are, in fact, in the middle of a worldwide recession and we just cannot make it work. . . We can only assure you that when the recession's stranglehold on the world's economies eases up a bit -- we will find a way to make this work." Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:59:41 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/L_aLtQndLgw/1974e http://www.thriveorfail.com/1974e Babies are cute, and men are usually normal looking — but when you swap their heads, the results are truly terrifying. ManBabies does just that, both by creating its own images and accepting user submissions for photos that are then voted on by the community. And you can easily share all these pictures via the normal means: Twitter, Facebook, email and you can even embed them. Sat, 20 Jun 2009 11:42:24 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/6ZQOfB9uZxM/79042 http://www.thriveorfail.com/79042 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has warned lawmakers they need to act boldly and make some tough budget choices, sent Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg a metal sculpture of bull testicles.It was intended as a gag gift but Steinberg, a Sacramento Democrat, was not amused and returned the football-sized gift with a terse note about the seriousness of the ongoing negotiations. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:34:40 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/zP2aJtpw4t0/d22b2 http://www.thriveorfail.com/d22b2 click then vote Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:51:15 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/4Y2IYStZe5Y/c198e http://www.thriveorfail.com/c198e This could have easily been a "guess the state." click the link then vote. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:45:14 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/quB9mMW87kM/ac663 http://www.thriveorfail.com/ac663 Even as Americans grow skeptical of various Democratic policies, President Obama's approval rating hovers at a robust 63 percent. People like him so much, in fact, that many say they voted for him—even when they didn't. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:55:54 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/JkPieQbeh9U/18010 http://www.thriveorfail.com/18010 Homer Simpson is the latest "celebrity" voice to join the TomTom GPS voice lineup, the GPS maker announced on Tuesday. Users can visit the TomTom site and download the voice for $12.95, or €9.95 in Europe. As you might expect, the voice of Homer (actually voiced by Dan Castellaneta) provides some occasional commentary, such as: "Take the third right." "We might find an ice cream truck! Mmm…ice cream." Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:54:49 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/wFF7DlGnWZ8/e3aff http://www.thriveorfail.com/e3aff Calling all business-savvy kids ages 5-12! Summer is here and that means our search is on once again to find the best lemonade stands in America. Think you have what it takes to put together an award-winning stand? We want to hear from you! Share your story with us about building and running a lemonade stand, and you could be one of our top winners and receive money for college. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:35:22 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/udhIcg9QCis/af7a5 http://www.thriveorfail.com/af7a5 NEW YORK, June 17 -- General Motors executives will now fly commercial. In a move that reflects the leaner company GM is seeking to become, the automaker on Thursday sought approval from a federal bankruptcy judge to terminate leases for all seven of its corporate aircraft, plus a hangar at a Detroit airport. Facing no objections, Judge Robert Gerber granted the request during a hearing in a Lower Manhattan courtroom that lasted less than 10 minutes. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:34:23 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/8t3XZ_KSE00/10601 http://www.thriveorfail.com/10601 Prisoners do not have a constitutional right to DNA testing after their conviction, the Supreme Court ruled yesterday, even though the technology provides an "unparalleled ability both to exonerate the wrongly convicted and to identify the guilty." Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:30:39 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/qqdajg2c6nU/31256 http://www.thriveorfail.com/31256 A federal jury ruled Thursday that Jammie Thomas-Rasset willfully violated the copyrights on 24 songs, and awarded recording companies $1.92 million, or $80,000 per song. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:47:19 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/ps2fIN2wAfo/697ad http://www.thriveorfail.com/697ad TOLEDO, Ohio (June 18) -- Online video shows an Ohio mayor who was biking through a city park step into a fight to break it up, yelling at the teens and calling one a "fatso." A video posted on YouTube shows 70-year-old Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner wading into the midst of about 20 young people. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:05:06 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/1OvOkL08QAo/2c5ee http://www.thriveorfail.com/2c5ee It all started with a simple, foolish tweet. On June 17th, GOP Congressman Pete Hoekstra compared the life and death struggle of Iranians trying to get their message out via Twitter to the Republican Party’s tussle with Democrats. (See quote above.) The Twitterati began satirizing Hoekstra’s tweet (see lulz below). Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:10:37 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/3lgsCOp5iQU/8ad4a http://www.thriveorfail.com/8ad4a Morgan Freeman has allegedly been having a decade long near-incestuous affair with his 27-year-old step-granddaughter E'dena Hines. If you're doing the math, that means she was 17 at the start of their relationship which The National Enquirer claims led to his divorce from wife Myrna: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:38:40 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/9ck1UQMdwPY/bb5ad http://www.thriveorfail.com/bb5ad a ___ video that @tlk is sure to love. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:36:28 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/iyjJshqUGHg/ec134 http://www.thriveorfail.com/ec134 My friend writes math/statistics pieces for Slate.com. This one was worthy of a pikk imo... Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:11:16 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/MEySIvG_EQE/ce471 http://www.thriveorfail.com/ce471 The city and Port Authority are mounting an all-out war on Canadian geese, vowing to wipe out at least 2,000 birds living within a five-mile radius of the airports. "The serious dangers that Canada geese pose to aviation became all too clear when geese struck US Airways Flight 1549," Mayor Bloomberg said Thursday in announcing the aggressive plan. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:08:01 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/bQrZTJ3x8CI/d1ce0 http://www.thriveorfail.com/d1ce0 This is what it sounds like. click then vote. Rouketopolemos (literally Rocket-War) is the name of a local traditional event held annually at the Greek Orthodox Easter in the city of Vrontados on the Greek island of Chios. As a variation of the Greek habit of throwing fireworks during the celebration of the service at midnight before Easter Sunday, two rival church congregations in the town perform an Rocket War by firing thousands of rockets across the town, with the objective of hitting the bell tower of the church of the other side. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:11:02 +0000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThriveOrFail/~3/zvHl7ckBH4A/c917b http://www.thriveorfail.com/c917b