WASHINGTON, D.C. (ISNS) -- The three best visual illusions in the world were chosen at a gathering last weekend of neuroscientists and psychologists at the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts in Florida.
The winning entry, from a Bucknell University professor, may help explain why curve balls in baseball are so tricky to hit.
The government will begin taking land from seven property owners so that the Flight 93 memorial can be built in time for the 10th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks, the National Park Service said.The seven property owners own about 500 acres still needed for what will ultimately be a $58 million, 2,200-acre permanent memorial and national park at the crash site near Shanksville, about 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.
The estranged wife of a Muslim television executive feared for her life after filing for divorce last month from her abusive husband, her attorney said — and was found beheaded Thursday in his upstate New York television studio.
Interviewer Cynthia McFadden asked Bush if the Bible was literally true.
"You know. Probably not. ... No, I'm not a literalist, but I think you can learn a lot from it, but I do think that the New Testament for example is ... has got ... You know, the important lesson is 'God sent a son,"' Bush said.
The president also said that he prays to the same God as those with different religious beliefs.
I find myself in a lonely position. While many states and local governments are lining up for a bailout from Congress, I went to Washington recently to oppose such bailouts. I may be the only governor to do so.
But I suspect I'm not entirely alone, as there are a lot of taxpayers who aren't pleased with Christmas coming early for politicians. And I hope these taxpayers make their voices heard before Democrats load up the next bailout train for states with budget deficits.
Already, our nation's unfunded liabilities total $52 trillion -- about $450,000 per household. There's something very strange about issuing debt to solve a problem caused by too much debt.
Community bankers tell me that they are now at a competitive disadvantage for being careful about who to lend to, because others that were less disciplined will get a federal bailout. This is also true for states. Those that have been fiscally responsible will pay for or lose out to the big spenders. California increased spending 95% over the past 10 years (federal spending went up 71% over the same period). To bail out California now seems unfair to fiscally prudent states.
Despite Barack Obama's approval of abortion and homosexual activism, new polling by a prestigious Christian research group indicates that the Democratic presidential nominee is making significant inroads among voters who are classified as "born-again" Christians.
According to Dave Kinnaman, president of The Barna Group, born-again Christians voting for Obama say they are backing the Illinois senator because they believe he will do a better job restoring America's reputation and handling the economy and agree with his stance on the Iraq War.
"People in their 20s or 30s who are born-again Christian are more likely to support Senator Obama than Senator McCain, compared to people who are older born-again Christians, who are more likely to support the Arizona senator," he explains. "So, when you look at it, it's a pretty complex set of reasons, and each person comes to this voting decision with their own unique sensibility...
Mortgage apps – This morning's weekly MBA mortgage applications report showed the third straight sharp decline, thus putting an even weaker light on the US housing market. The overall MBA mortgage applications index this morning fell -11.6%, the purchases sub-index fell -8.5%, and the refinancing sub-index fell -15.4%. The purchases sub-index this morning fell to a 4-year low, which suggests that home buying interest is drying up further.
Muslim terrorist leaders threatened to forcibly convert Britney Spears and Madonna to Islam and warned if they resist, their heads would be cut off for "spreading Satanic culture," according to a new book released today.
"If I meet these whores I will have the honor – I repeat, I will have the honor – to be the first one to cut the heads off Madonna and Britney Spears if they will keep spreading their satanic culture against Islam," said Muhammad Abdel-Al, spokesman and senior leader of the Popular Resistance Committees terror organization.
A major new scientific study concludes the impact of carbon dioxide emissions on worldwide temperatures is largely irrelevant, prompting one veteran meteorologist to quip, "You can go outside and spit and have the same effect as doubling carbon dioxide."That comment comes from Reid Bryson, founding chairman of the Department of Meteorology at the University of Wisconsin, who said the temperature of the earth is increasing, but that it's got nothing to do with what man is doing.
"Of course it's going up. It has gone up since the early 1800s, before the Industrial Revolution, because we're coming out of the Little Ice Age, not because we're putting more carbon dioxide into the air."
And for more meteorologic fun, try this one:
Don't forget to bundle up if you're headed out in New York City today. After all, it is August 21.Don't ever forget, the Global Warming Scam is nothing more than a socialist plot to separate you from more of your money via some guilt-driven tax scheme.
The city along with the rest of the tri-state region is feeling the chilly effect of a cold front sweeping through the region, accompanied by cool rain showers.
As of 4 p.m., the high temperature for the day in Central Park was just 59 degrees.
The normal high for today is 82 degrees. The normal low is 67, still well above what the city is expected to see today. Forecasters say temperatures could warm up to only around 61, which would break a city record, though the high fell back again to 58 degrees at 3 o'clock.
"If this high holds up, it will smash the previous record for the coldest high temperature for the day, which is 64 degrees, set back in 1999," CBS 2 meteorologist Jason Cali told wcbstv.com.
Americans are not only eating up the fall's only two hit network TV shows both dealing with nuclear attacks, they are also showing more interest in preparing for the disasters U.S. officials have characterized as inevitable in the future.Here's what we learned from Hurricane Katrina:
In fact, after I called him out last week in my column, Warren e-mailed me claiming to have been misquoted by the official Syrian news agency.A member of the CFR??!??!
''Joseph, why didn't you contact me first and discover the fact that I said nothing of the sort?'' he pleaded. ''The trip was a favor to my next door neighbor, had nothing to do with policy, and was done with the State Department's knowledge – who told us to expect exactly what Syria did – a PR blast. I don't pretend to be a diplomat. I'm a pastor who just gets invited places.''
I pointed out to Warren that WND had indeed attempted to contact him about his trip. No one from his Saddleback Church ever returned our calls the day the story broke.
''I'm sure since you were warned in advance by the State Department that you took the precaution of recording your own words,'' I suggested in my response. ''We look forward to seeing the transcripts or hearing the recordings.''
I also asked if he could respond specifically to the words put in his mouth by the Syrian news agency. And lastly I suggested that he should have ''counseled with me, or other people knowledgeable about the Middle East before doing so much damage with your reckless trip.''
I really didn't expect to hear back from Warren – but, a few minutes later, I did, with an absolutely stunning retort.
He let me know he is a close friend of President Bush ''and many, if not most, of the generals at the Pentagon.''
He also told me he did not tape anything while in Syria, ''because it was a courtesy call, like I do in every country.''
Warren explained that he had also counseled with the National Security Council and the White House, as well as the State Department, before his little courtesy call for a neighbor.
''In fact,'' Warren added, ''as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Oxford Analytica, I might know as much about the Middle East as you.''
A retired priest committed suicide by setting himself on fire in a German monastery in protest at the spread of Islam and the Protestant Church’s inability to contain it.Guess he showed those terrorists.
The Rev. Ted Haggard admitted Friday he bought methamphetamine and received a massage from a gay prostitute who claims he was paid for drug-fueled trysts by the former head of the National Association of Evangelicals.Let me be up front: I DO NOT like Ted Haggard. Just his looks give my spirit the creeps. That, however, does not shade my opinion of this:
Shortly after Haggard told reporters outside his home, "I bought it for myself but never used it. I was tempted, but I never used it,”Before my Christian brethern get all stupid and come running to his defense, how many of you believed Slick Willie when he claimed "I smoked pot but didn't inhale"?
Haggard, 50, said he never had sex with Jones.This is like a bad rerun..."I did not have sex with that woman, Miss Lewinski"
...he said he bought the meth because he was curious.Uhhh, I don't think so. Curious people by pot. Curious people buy cocaine.
The international press won't get their first look at the documentary Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing until its gala premiere at the Toronto Film Festival tonight. But EW.com got an early look at the sure-to-be-controversial doc in Los Angeles and can attest that the film will continue to bring the (ex?) country trio more plaudits from progressives and further condemnation from conservatives. And if you think singer Natalie Maines had some harsh words for President Bush in public, wait till you hear what she had to say about him behind the scenes.Now, I don't make any claim to knowing George Bush's intelligence status.
In one memorable scene, Maines watches news footage of the president being interviewed about the furor that followed the singer's on-stage comment that she was ''ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas,'' which resulted in the group being dropped from most radio stations, as well as protests and plummeting sales. ''The Dixie Chicks are free to speak their mind,'' Bush told Tom Brokaw at the time, adding, ''They shouldn't have their feelings hurt just because some people don't want to buy their records when they speak out. You know, freedom is a two-way street.''
After watching this footage, Maines repeats the president's comment about how the group shouldn't have their ''feelings hurt,'' incredulous, and then says, ''What a dumb f---.'' She then looks into the camera, as if addressing Bush, and reiterates, ''You're a dumb f---.''
Initially, sisters Emily Robison and Martie Seidel seem downcast over their apparently nose-diving popularity, but Maines assures them, ''I think this is better for our career.'' And when whether to stay quiet or get their backs up becomes an issue, the singer jokes, ''Now that we've f---ed ourselves, I think we have a responsibility to continue to f--- ourselves,'' amid gales of laughter.I rest my case.
