Technology Slice Blog

Nelson Mandela Dead Hoax - Nelson Mandela dead is yet another Hoax that seems to have plagued the internet for the past month. During the Holiday season, there were daily celebrity deaths announced all over the internet. This is not the first time that Nelson Mandel has been declared dead. In 2003, he was falsely pronounced dead by of all News sources CNN. When his pre-written obituary (along with those of several other famous figures) was inadvertently published on CNN’s web site , due to a fault in password protection. Twitter is buzzing today with the rumor that Nelson Mandela has died. It seems the greatest statesman of Africa is the latest casualty of tweets, joining the likes of Aaron Carter, Shashi Kapoor, Eddie Murphy, Bill Cosby, Morgan Freeman to be literally killed by Twitter. Nelson Mandela Dead Hoax

200 Dead Cows Stockton - An investigation is under way after 200 dead cows were found in a field in the Town of Stockton. The Portage County sheriff's office says the owner of the cattle has been working with a local veterinarian and it's believed the animals died from the IBR/BVD virus. The virus can cause respiratory and reproductive problems. WSAW reports samples from the dead cows have been sent to Madison for testing. Authorities say there is no threat to humans or other animals. 200 Dead Cows Stockton

British Actress Susannah York Dies - British actress Susannah York has died at the age of 72 after suffering from cancer, her son has said. She appeared in film, TV and theatre during a career which began in the 1960s. She was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar for her role in the 1969 film They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and won a Bafta for the same role. Her son Orlando Wells told the Telegraph newspaper that she was "an absolutely fantastic mother". British Actress Susannah York Dies "She loved nothing more than cooking a good Sunday roast and sitting around a fire of a winter's evening. In some sense, she was quite a home girl. Both Sasha [Orlando's sister] and I feel incredibly lucky to have her as a mother.'' York graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1958, winning the Ronson Award for most promising student. Directed by Sydney Pollack, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? followed the contestants in a gruell...

Death Toll Brazil Flooding - Brazilians have emerged to face the chaos and destruction left by three days of torrential rains, rivers of mud and landslides that have killed at least 610 people in the country's worst flood disaster on record. The steady rain eased up a bit as rescue teams and residents picked through the wreckage of hillside communities near tourist hotspot Rio de Janeiro. The soil, however, remains saturated with water, and officials fear more landslides. Rio de Janeiro state declared a week of mourning for the dead starting Monday and authorities made an urgent appeal for donations of blood, bottled water, food and medicine. Death Toll Brazil Flooding About 14,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, civil defence officials say. The death toll, however, is not final as rescuers continue to search amid the mud-covered rubble for bodies. At least a dozen remote hamlets remain out of touch, and one witness reported seeing a group of people buried...

Bail for CSUN Student $1 Million - Police at a Los Angeles university campus may have prevented a tragedy when they detained a deranged student later found to have a shotgun and bomb-making ingredients in his dorm room, the school's police chief said on Saturday. California State University, Northridge, police chief Anne Glavin spoke to Reuters a day after a judge increased bail to $1 million for the student arrested in the case, David Everson, 22. Bail had previously been set at $150,000. "Between having a shotgun and explosive material, one has to assume this could have been, at minimum, a critical incident and at worst a tragic incident," Glavin said. Everson's arrest came days before an Arizona college dropout opened fire at an event held by Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords at a Tucson shopping center, gravely wounding her and killing six other victims. Officials with Pima Community College in Tucson say the alleged gunman, Jared Loughner, withdrew from t...

Chimps "Nebraska Zoo" Bite off Keeper's Fingers - Two chimpanzees at a Nebraska zoo attacked a keeper and bit off two of her fingers, police said on Saturday. The keeper at the Riverside Discovery Center in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, was petting a 40-year-old chimpanzee on Friday who apparently did not want to be touched, according to police. When the chimp grabbed the keeper's hand, the keeper started screaming, causing the chimp to scream, police said. This attracted another chimp, who also grabbed the keeper's hand. The chimps bit, and the keeper lost her index finger and a ring finger on one hand at the knuckles, police said. The middle finger had a laceration but was not bitten off. Anne Janes, executive director of the zoo in western Nebraska town, said the woman's fingers were recovered, and she was taken to a Scottsbluff hospital for treatment. Chimps "Nebraska Zoo" Bite off Keeper's Fingers

George Bronk Facebook Hack Women's Emails - In a cautionary tale for users of social-networking sites, a California man has admitted using personal information he gleaned from Facebook to hack into women's e-mail accounts, then send nude pictures of them to everyone in their address book. The California attorney general's office said Friday that George Bronk, 23, commandeered the e-mail accounts of dozens of women in the U.S. and England. He then scanned the women's "sent" folders for nude and seminude photos and videos, and forwarded any he found to all the women's contacts, prosecutors said. George Bronk Facebook Hack Women's Emails Bronk coerced one woman into sending him more explicit photographs by threatening to distribute the pictures he already had. One victim told authorities the intrusion felt like "virtual rape." Bronk, who lives in the Sacramento suburb of Citrus Heights, pleaded guilty Thursday to seven felonies in Sacra...

'Biggest Loser' for Dogs - NBC's "The Biggest Loser" has inspired millions of viewers to lose weight. A metro veterinary clinic hopes it can inspire you to help your overweight pets, too. Saturday, the Family Pet Veterinary Center in West Des Moines held a Biggest Loser weigh-in for cats and dogs. Doctor Jen Emerson-Mathis says not monitoring your dog's weight can have serious consequences in the long term. The veterinary center will set weight loss goals for the pets. If the owners help them reach those goals, they'll win prizes and free pet food. 'Biggest Loser' for Dogs

Babies may need more than Breast Milk - Feeding solid food earlier and not relying solely on breastfeeding for the first six months might benefit babies, a team of researchers say in a new study. Waiting to wean a baby could increase the occurrence of food allergies and iron deficiency, the BBC reported, citing the study in the British Medical Journal. The researchers said weaning could begin as early as four months, instead of the current recommendation of six months adopted by many countries, the BBC report said. Babies may need more than Breast Milk The World Health Organization issued the six months guideline nearly a decade ago, and the research team said this recommendation should stand for mothers in developing nations, as access to clean water and appropriate baby food can be limited. "When you look at the figures, there are a lot of babies being weaned before six months anyway - and that's probably the most important thing in terms of hard evidence," l...

Idaho Lawmakers Fail State History - Lawmakers were hit with a pop quiz on Idaho history when public schools chief Tom Luna decided to show off some new technology being used in classrooms - but not everyone passed. During a hearing Wednesday, the 27 lawmakers on the Senate and House education committees were asked two questions and given electronic devices that function like a remote to input their answers. While Luna used the "clickers" as an example of how technology is revamping the traditional classroom, the devices also allowed the audience a brief chuckle when some lawmakers failed the short quiz. When asked what year Idaho became a state, the results were automatically projected onto a screen and showed that 17% of lawmakers on the two education panels did not know the answer: 1890. When asked which town was Idaho's first capital, 15% did not answer "Lewiston" correctly. Idaho Lawmakers Fail State History

Hilary Duff "Excited to have Kids" - The singer-and-actress married Canadian hockey player Mike Comrie late last year in Santa Barbara, California. He surprised the 23-year-old with a lavish $1 million 14- carat ring while the pair were holidaying in Hawaii in February. Despite previously rejecting the notion of children anytime soon, Hilary confirms she has had a slight change of heart even if her career still comes first. "I think we're really excited to have kids," Duff says. "He comes from a really big family. But I'm only 23, so give me a little bit of time," she told reporters in London West Hollywood. After only five months of marriage the Cheaper by the Dozen star maintains she is still firmly in the honeymoon phase. She revealed that the pair still struggle to believe they are husband and wife. Hilary Duff "Excited to have Kids"

Brenda Strong Files for Divorce - Brenda Strong, the narrator of Desperate Housewives, has filed for divorce from her husband, Tom Henri, according to TMZ. The 50-year-old actress plays Mary Alice Young on the hit Desperate Housewives, who committed suicide and now narrates from beyond the grave. Strong cited “irreconcilable differences” on the divorce petition she filed with L.A. County Superior Court, TMZ claims. Radaronline.com claims that she is seeking joint physical and legal custody over their son. Henri and Strong have been married since July of 1989 and have a 16-year-old son, John Zakery Henri, together. Henri teaches yoga and Strong is still with Desperate Housewives, which is in negotiations for another season ABC. Brenda Strong Files for Divorce

Texas Gov. Rick Perry Movie Cameo - Even if Gov. Rick Perry doesn't run for president in 2012, he may already have a place in the national spotlight on the silver screen. Perry, a card-carrying member of the Screen Actors' Guild, took time away from the opening week of the 82nd legislative session to shoot a cameo appearance Thursday for an upcoming independent film, "Deep in the Heart." The movie, which is filming in and around Austin and qualifies for the Texas Film Commission incentive program, is based on the life of Richard Wallrath, the largest individual donor to Texas 4-H and Texas FFA and a personal friend of Perry's. The film's producers said the governor was instrumental in bringing the film to Texas — so instrumental that they wrote him into the script. The filmmakers may receive up to 29 percent of the film's budget back through film commission incentives. Texas Gov. Rick Perry Movie Cameo "It was just really refreshing to meet...

Signs that you need Couples Counseling - Couples counseling can be beneficial to many relationships but most will resist using the option. This is because there is a stigma associated with any kind of counseling. People perceive it as a weakness. This is unfortunate as some couples truely need it. There are signs couples counseling will be good for you and your partner. The biggest sign is constant bickering. Communication between some couples gets so bad they constantly argue about nearly every point. Eventually it doesn't matter what they fight about as long as they fight. Counseling will help this situation. It will allow couples to communicate and effectively and resolve issues before they become a problem. Signs that you need Couples Counseling

Injured Turtle gets Wheels to Walk - A fractured spine and weak hind legs were not enough to stop Tzvika the turtle from carrying his house on his back. Israeli veterinarians have equipped him with a set of training wheels. Tzvika, a male turtle from Jerusalem, was brought to the Israeli Wild Animal Hospital in Ramat Gan five months ago, seriously injured after he was run over by a lawn mower. In the hospital, Tzvika was treated for infections that spread under his shell. As time passed, his ability to move was degraded significantly and he also had trouble eating. "Because the fracture [that] passes through the middle of his body... his spine is fractured as well," said veterinarian Nili Anglister. "In most animals that would mean the animal can't walk any more... and that it would lose control of the hind part of their body. But he can actually walk, but he is very weak in his hind legs because of this." Hospital staff decided to try and glue wheels t...

Vincent McCrudden Execution List - A New York money manager with a long history of legal battles with the government has been charged with threatening to kill 47 U.S. officials, including the nation's top securities and commodities regulators. Vincent McCrudden, 49, last month allegedly posted online an "execution list" naming officials, including Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro and Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Gary Gensler. Federal prosecutors said the threat came shortly after the CFTC brought an enforcement action accusing the former commodities trader and two of his companies with operating unregistered investments. McCrudden threatened officials in emails and web postings at the SEC, CFTC, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the National Futures Association, authorities said. "Go buy a gun, and lets get to work in taking back our country from these criminals," McCrudden allegedly wrote, in a st...

Miss America Pageant - The 90th annual Miss America pageant returns to ABC tonight, with 53 women from across the country descending onto a Las Vegas stage to vie for the Miss America crown and a $50,000 scholarship. Caressa Cameron, who was crowned Miss America in 2010, will hand off the coveted crown to the new winner after a two-hour competition televised live from the Planet Hollywood resort and casino. Contestants hail from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Miss America Pageant The pageant, which has not aired on ABC since 2004, will begin with an opening number, after which hosts Brooke Burke from "Dancing with the Stars" and Chris Harrison of "The Bachelor" will announce 16 finalists, which will include one finalist chosen by fans through online and mobile phone voting. The 16 finalists will then compete in four categories: swimsuit, evening gown, talent and interview competitions. A panel of judges will ultima...

List of Miss America Winners by State - With the 2011 Miss America Pageant set to go off this Saturday night, it leads to think of the question of which states have had the most Miss America winners. The list is pretty interesting and may be interesting to others. One interesting fact is that there are 22 states that have never had a Miss America crowned and they are: Miss Alaska, Miss Delaware, Miss Idaho, Miss Iowa, Miss Louisiana, Miss Maine, Miss Maryland, Miss Massachusetts, Miss Montana, Miss Nebraska, Miss Nevada, Miss New Hampshire, Miss New Mexico, Miss North Dakota, Miss Puerto Rico, Miss Rhode Island, Miss South Dakota, Miss Vermont, Miss Virgin Islands, Miss Washington, Miss West Virginia and Miss Wyoming. California, Ohio, and Oklahoma lead the list with 6 wins. Illinois, Michigan, and Pennsylvania have 5. Miss Mississippi is the only four time winner of the crown. Alabama, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Virginia have 3 wins. It is Miss ...

Has Housing Market Hit Bottom? - U.S. housing prices overall are expected to hit bottom by spring 2011 and begin a gradual rise in 2012, Frank Nothaft, chief economist and vice president of housing lender Freddie Mac said on Wednesday. "I do think we'll see these housing prices bottom out, maybe by the spring," Nothaft said. Nothaft presented Freddie Mac's January 2011 Economic Outlook to reporters at the annual International Builders' Show in Orlando. Nothaft predicted that potential home buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines will start to get back into the market. He said this prediction is bolstered by historically low mortgage interest rates and other positive economic indicators, a small drop in the rate of unemployment, increases in purchases of durable goods and a slight slowing of serious delinquencies feeding the glut of foreclosed housing stock. "This is the time to come in the market if you've got the financial resources and wh...