Toyota Will Offer a Plug-In Hybrid by 2010 - New York Times

Toyota Will Offer a Plug-In Hybrid by 2010 - New York Times: "DETROIT — The Toyota Motor Corporation, which leads the world’s automakers in sales of hybrid-electric vehicles, announced Sunday night that it would build its first plug-in hybrid by 2010."

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Spare part heart' beats in lab

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Spare part heart' beats in lab: "Scientists removed all the muscle cells in a rat heart, leaving just a 'scaffold' of other tissues such as blood vessels and valves.

When the University of Minnesota team added heart cells, they quickly grew and produced a pumping action.

It is hoped the Nature Medicine study will ultimately mean human or animal hearts can be crafted for transplant."....








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The World Link: Tsunami warning sirens will be tested Sunday

What other communities are doing....

The World Link: Tsunami warning sirens will be tested Sunday: "Sirens will blare throughout the Bay Area on Sunday as part of a test of the local tsunami and Pony Creek Dam warning system.

According to a Coos Bay-North Bend Water Board press release, at about 2 p.m., sirens will be activated at the North Bend High School, Empire Fire Hall and the Water Board’s service center.

Two tests will be performed. The first will consist of a one-minute steady siren blast, representing a tsunami warning. The subsequent sirens, featuring 15 seconds blasts followed by 10 seconds of silence, signify a dam failure warning."

Netflix Subscribers Get Unlimited Streaming Video -- Video -- InformationWeek

Netflix Subscribers Get Unlimited Streaming Video -- Video -- InformationWeek: "customers can now rent as many movies and television shows as they want.

The company announced Monday that its 7 million unlimited rental subscribers can stream as many movies and television shows as they want, with no additional charge. The unlimited rental plans start at $8.99 a month.

Netflix offers more than 6,000 titles for streaming. Last year, the company expanded its rental service to allow streaming video on PCs. Until now, subscribers could view an hour a month of free streaming on their PCs for every dollar spent on their subscriptions."

The mysteries of Mercury revealed - USATODAY.com

The mysteries of Mercury revealed - USATODAY.com: "On the closest planet to the sun, where temperatures can reach more than 800 degrees Fahrenheit (425 degrees Celsius), there might surprisingly be ice. Ice is highly reflective to radar, and Earth-based radar suggests deposits of frozen water might be hidden in deep, dark craters at Mercury's poles that have never seen sunlight. This water might have come gassing up from within the planet or from meteorite impacts.

MESSENGER will search for hydrogen at the permanently shadowed floors of polar craters. If the spacecraft discovers any, MESSENGER may have found ice amidst an inferno."

CG Searches for Man That Fell Off Cliff

CG Searches for Man That Fell Off Cliff: "The Coast Guard searched for a man south of Depoe Bay, Ore., after he fell an estimated height of 30 to 50-feet from a cliff.

At 11:15 p.m. the Coast Guard suspended the search after rescuers from Air Facility Newport, Ore., Station Depoe Bay, and Air Station North Bend searched the area for more than four hours.

The incident was reported by the man's wife, after he fell from the cliff into a cove below."

Extreme Hybrid Showcases Green Technology, Innovative Energy Storage Devices Let One Concept Car Drive 40 Miles On Electric Power Alone - CBS News

Watch the video... CLICK HERE

Extreme Hybrid Showcases Green Technology, Innovative Energy Storage Devices Let One Concept Car Drive 40 Miles On Electric Power Alone - CBS News: "Finally, a 'plug-in hybrid' powerful enough to accelerate to sixty miles per hour in about ten-seconds, with the range to run forty miles on battery power alone."

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online

"Few things are more satisfying than seeing your own children have teenagers of their own."

The Chicken Soup Chronicles - New York Times

The Chicken Soup Chronicles - New York Times: "THE other day I felt a cold coming on. So I decided to have chicken soup to ward off the cold. Nonetheless I got the cold. This happens all the time: you think you’re getting a cold; you have chicken soup; you get the cold anyway. So: is it possible that chicken soup gives you a cold?"

Cumberland Times-News - CERT Train Trainers course held

CERT in other parts of the nation

Cumberland Times-News - CERT Train Trainers course held: "“By working together, CERTs can assist saving lives and protecting property using the basic techniques in this course,’’ said trainers instructor Marc Bashoor, director of the Mineral County Office of Emergency Management. “With the additional instructors we now have in the region we hope to see many more CERT training courses offered in our communities.’’"

Ocean Takes Out Chunk of Central Oregon Coast Cliff

Ocean Takes Out Chunk of Central Oregon Coast Cliff: "It was either a really exciting storm or a so-so event, depending on who you talk to. But in Newport, the storm surges and immense wave action may turn out to be an expensive ordeal for the Oregon Department of Transportation, with as much as six feet of roadway falling away just north of town in some spots."





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February FossilFest Digs Deep Into Oregon Coast

February FossilFest Digs Deep Into Oregon Coast: "(Newport, Oregon) – The Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport will go underground on February 9 with FossilFest – a collection of events for collectors of fossils and those interested in dino-age objects. The festival begins at 10 a.m. and admission is by suggested donation"

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online

"Laughter is the closest distance between two people."

"Laughter is the closest distance between two people."

1 incoming link

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online

"Character is what you have left when you've lost everything you can lose."

PUMA, MOUNTAIN LION , COUGAR !!

Larry Henson told me that the surveyor team were the two guys that saw the cougar tracks south east of the park awhile back. So, we went to them to get the straight story of what it was they saw.

While surveying for the people making a mess of the forest to the southeast of the park, one of them told me this story.

I had been surveying for a client up behind your park and it had been raining pretty hard. We needed to take a reading down by the southeast gate of LVH. My partner and I walked down there to set up when we saw fresh cougar tracks in the mud coming down the road and going through the gate into the park. The racks went around the gate area and then back up the road into the forest.

A couple of weeks later they were surveying again and the area that had been cleared out just north of the road by the construction (more like the destruction) outfit. Had what they described as a cougar trail heading north into the cleared area and down into a forest ravine.

Think about whether you should be walking in that area.

What's all the Surveying about anyhow?

Surveyors from a company called North Star have been around the park putting marks on roads. The one you will see all over the streets in and out of the park is a right angle... Something like an "L" but with each leg about 4ft long. These marks are used to line up pictures taken from an aerial survey of the county. The last survey I've been told was 1985 I think.

This happens every so often because maps become so outdated with the construction that takes place in an area that they become less and less meaningful. Planning dept's and First Responders will benefit greatly from the new mapping.

Indian Company Unveils The $2,500 Car, Ultra-Cheap Model Will Mean Motoring For The Masses, But Is That A Good Thing? - CBS News

Indian Company Unveils The $2,500 Car, Ultra-Cheap Model Will Mean Motoring For The Masses, But Is That A Good Thing? - CBS News: "India's Tata Motors on Thursday unveiled its much anticipated $2,500 car, an ultra-cheap price tag that brings car ownership into the reach of tens of millions of people. But critics worry the car could overwhelm the country's roads and create an environmental nightmare."





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NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online

"What we call 'Progress' is the exchange of one nuisance for another nuisance."

JOURNEY OF MANKIND - The Peopling of the World

JOURNEY OF MANKIND - The Peopling of the World

MailTribune.com: Pair breathe life into dead language

MailTribune.com: Pair breathe life into dead language: "In 1933, anthropologist John Peabody Harrington chauffeured the last known fluent Takelma speaker, Frances Johnson, from the Siletz Reservation near Newport to the Rogue River Valley to capture some of the phrases and stories of the dying indigenous language.

During the trip, Harrington took about 1,200 pages of field notes on the language, now extinct, said storyteller Thomas Doty.
If you go

What: Presentation on the Takelma language and stories about traditional myths.

When: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19.

Where: Talent Historical Society, 150 N. Market St., Talent.

Admission: Free.

Another presentation is set for 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at the library at Southern Oregon University, 1250 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland.

For details about the Takelma Language Project, visit www.dotycoyote.com.

Johnson died the following year"

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online

"I believe that people would be alive today if there were a death penalty."

"I believe that people would be alive today if there were a death penalty."

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online

"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do."

BBC NEWS | Health | Dementia drug instant hit claim

BBC NEWS | Health | Dementia drug instant hit claim: "US scientists claim a drug can reverse some of the early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease - with the first effects seen within 10 minutes."

ARRLWeb: Oregon Governor Allocates $250,000 for Digital Communications Network

ARRLWeb: Oregon Governor Allocates $250,000 for Digital Communications Network: "During the December storms, Amateur Radio operators were there to help. After a visit to one of the severely affected towns, Governor Kulongoski said, 'I'm going to tell you who the heroes were from the very beginning of this...the ham radio operators. These people just came in and actually provided a tremendous communication link to us.' Oregon's OEM said the radio operators were 'tireless in their efforts to keep the systems connected. When even state police had difficulty reaching some of their own troops, ham radio worked, setting up networks so emergency officials could communicate and relaying lists of supplies needed in stricken areas.'"

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself."

"Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself."

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online

"If a dog jumps in your lap, it is because he is fond of you; but if a cat does the same thing, it is because your lap is warmer."

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online

"The purpose of life is to fight maturity."

Guess What?

Surprise Surprise!


High Winds Tonight

Here are some photos of a bunch of us having fun taking down the Christmas tree. We laughed, ate and had lots of fun.

WindTonight

ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE PACIFIC NW TONIGHT
AND TUESDAY. SO. WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 60 TO 65
MPH ARE EXPECTED.BEGINNING LATE THIS EVENING & CONTINUING
INTO TUES MORNING. THE STRONGEST GUSTS WILL BE NEAR THE BEACHES
AND HEADLANDS. THE WIND WILL SUBSIDE BY LATE TUES MORNING.

This is a slide show experiment Barb Dudley and I are working on...

BBC NEWS | Technology | Gates hails age of digital senses

BBC NEWS | Technology | Gates hails age of digital senses: "'We're adding the ability to touch and directly manipulate, we're adding vision so the computer can see what you're doing, we're adding the pen, we're adding speech,' he told BBC News.

During the interview Mr Gates showed off the Microsoft Surface computer, a large table like machine with a multi-touch interface.

'I'll be brave, in five years we'll have many tens of million of people sitting browsing their photos, browsing their music, organising their lives using this type of touch interface,' he said."

Ocean Takes Out Chunk of Central Oregon Coast Cliff

Ocean Takes Out Chunk of Central Oregon Coast Cliff: "(Newport, Oregon) – It was either a really exciting storm or a so-so event, depending on who you talk to. But in Newport, the storm surges and immense wave action may turn out to be an expensive ordeal for the Oregon Department of Transportation, with as much as six feet of roadway falling away just north of town in some spots.

On the north coast, there were some exhilarating moments had by various stormwatchers and tourists, but altogether Saturday’s massive 20-foot swells didn’t make much more of an impression than sucking out a lot of sand."

an Editorial and a plea for help....

As the new Neighborhood Watch Radio System takes it's place in the community new problems crop up. There is one now that needs to be talked about.

When you press the transmit button on the radio it gives a satisfying sound and assures you that your radio is working. Well it also destroys the effectiveness of the Neighborhood Watch system.

Why? Pressing the transmit key also clicks on everyone else's radio in the community that is a designated, volunteer listener. That causes a beep and static over the listener's radio speakers. Now, late at night, if you happen to be a 24 hour listener, that will wake you from a sound sleep. If the person that does that is an early riser that noise will also wake a listener from the sleep that they need.

During the day the clicking mike is just an aggravation. Why, because the listeners are awake but now wonder if the clicker can't speak and needs help.

As you can imagine getting people to volunteer to listen to the radio 24 hours a day is really tough. When aggravations like this occur those volunteers can only take so much and then they turn off their radios. That, friends is a great loss to the community.

If you don't understand why we would like you to think about Charley Currie. Charley was in his easy chair away from his phone. Suddenly, he became very dizzy, unable to move as movement caused the sensation to worsen. On the table next to his chair was his FRS radio.. Grabbing it he called and asked if there were any CERTs available. Fortunately for him, there were listeners available and within 2 minutes 2 were there to help!

What if by keying your radio to see if it works finally made a listener discouraged enough to shut off his radio. No-one would have heard Charley's call for help. How long would Charley have suffered? Would he have eventually succumbed? Now, instead of using Charley as an example why don't you insert your name wherever you see his in the above story. Or, if that doesn't mean anything try putting one of your single, living alone, neighbor's names there... See what we mean?

Now, it may not be you... Maybe, your friend? We don't know.. Practically impossible to find out who it is. We hope this raises your level of awareness about the problem and you make it a topic of conversation around the park, at gatherings, at the mail room, at your club meetings, when you play pool, Canasta, and dominoes... Help us help you.

FOR YOU SNOWBIRDS.... The LVH Newsletter is on its website ... Click the link on the left of the webpage..RT

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "'A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he gets to know something.'"

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "John Adams
1/5/2008 5:00:00 PM [rss@quotationspage.com (Quotes of the Day)]

'In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.'
'In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.'

[Add to Clippings] [Forward post via email] [Instant Message this post to a friend.]"

Listen to climate change - OregonLive.com

Listen to climate change - OregonLive.com: "For the past three years, the researchers have journeyed to the Antarctic to deploy hydrophones designed and built at this tiny science center on Newport's Yaquina Bay by Haru Matsumoto, 55, a research associate at Oregon State University. The exploration is a collaboration with the Korea Polar Research Institute, which provides the ship used for experiments."

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "'The most dangerous strategy is to jump a chasm in two leaps.'"

SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY.

WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 4 PM PST
SATURDAY.

SNOW WILL INCREASE SAT IN THE COAST RANGE & CASCADE
FOOTHILLS OF NW OR & SW WA. SNOW
LEVELS FALL TO AROUND 2000 FEET IN THE MORNING & 1500 FEET LATER
IN THE DAY. FROM 2 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE IN THE COAST
RANGE & 2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED IN THE CASCADE
FOOTHILLS. ADDITIONALLY WINDS WILL GUST INTO THE 40 MPH RANGE AT
TIMES WITH AREAS OF BLOWING & DRIFTING SNOW.

A SNOW & BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY MEANS THAT VISIBILITIES WILL BE
LIMITED DUE TO A COMBINATION OF FALLING & BLOWING SNOW. USE
CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING.ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS.

News - StatesmanJournal.com

News - StatesmanJournal.com: "10-acre rural property east of Gervais has turned out to be home of the area's largest fencing operation for stolen property in at least a quarter-century, Marion County Sheriff Russ Isham said.

The farm's owner, Ivan Cam, 42, was arrested Dec. 26 on charges that include delivering methamphetamine."

Intel Out Of One Laptop Per Child Program, Conflict Causes Chipmaker To Abandon Project; Intel To Continue Low-Cost Laptop Project - CBS News

Intel Out Of One Laptop Per Child Program, Conflict Causes Chipmaker To Abandon Project; Intel To Continue Low-Cost Laptop Project - CBS News: "Citing disagreements with the organization, Intel Corp. said it has abandoned the One Laptop Per Child program, dealing a big blow to the ambitious project seeking to bring millions of low-cost laptops to children in developing countries."

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "'For three days after death hair and fingernails continue to grow but phone calls taper off.'"

BBC NEWS | Health | Universal flu jab works in people

BBC NEWS | Health | Universal flu jab works in people: "Each year winter flu kills around 4,000 people in the UK.

Globally, between 500,000 and one million people die each year from influenza.

But a pandemic of the human form of bird flu, which experts believe is inevitable, could kill as many as 50m people worldwide.

The US trials show that the jab is safe and it works fast to make the body immune against flu."

Newport News-Times: Yaquina Head: A retrospective: "The next key player to come into this story was Mark Hatfield. At the time, Hatfield was finishing up his second term as governor of Oregon and was seeking a seat in the U.S. Senate. During that 1966 campaign, one of his staff called a meeting at the old Abbey Oar Room on the Bayfront. Local fishermen were invited; I was the only one to show up. (This didn't surprise me. Most fishermen don't trust most politicians.)"

an email from Larry Henson, Park Manager

Special Thanks to all the Longview Hills Residents who helped out during the recent blowout of a gasket on the East water line valve at the Junction of NE 62^nd Street and NE Evergreen Lane.

The CERT’s did a fantastic job, Ron Thomas, “Coach” Rod McCready, Ed Simon, Marlene Crites, Ruthanne Carson and Gerry Emens all pitched in an extra helping hand and it is very much appreciated.

Larry Henson, CM/LA-LVHMHC

MORE ON THE STORMS...

THE FIRST OF SEVERAL PROGRESSIVELY STRONGER FRONTAL SYSTEMS IS
APPROACHING THE NO. & CNTL OR COAST & THE SOUTH
WA COAST & WILL MOVE INLAND TODAY. SOUTHERLY WINDS ALONG
THE COAST SHOULD INCREASE INTO THE 25 TO 35 MPH RANGE NEAR SHORE
WITH GUSTS 55 TO 60 MPH.STRONGEST NEAR THE HEADLANDS & NEAR
SHORE COMMUNITIES.

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "Committee--a group of men who individually can do nothing but as a group decide that nothing can be done.'"

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "'The wages of sin are death, but by the time taxes are taken out, it's just sort of a tired feeling.'"

Man Caught Stealing from Whale Carcass on Oregon Coast

Man Caught Stealing from Whale Carcass on Oregon Coast: "(Seaside, Oregon) – Federal authorities are investigating the alleged stealing of teeth from a whale carcass that washed up in Cannon Beach on New Year’s Eve – which is considered a federal crime."







.

The Great Plane Robbery and Other Sordid Tales - Jet Lagged - Air Travel - Opinion - New York Times Blog

The Great Plane Robbery and Other Sordid Tales - Jet Lagged - Air Travel - Opinion - New York Times Blog: "When flight attendants get together for drinks, inevitably the conversation turns skyward. We share details about the deranged man who sprinted up the aisle of an Airbus, slapping passengers’ heads along the way (true story). We gossip about the shameless couple that had sex in a main-cabin seat (I saw them with my own eyes), the freaked-out-flier who tried to open the emergency exit at 15,000 feet (I grabbed him with my own hands), the hapless pilot who stepped into a dark unlocked lavatory and got his foot caught in a screaming woman’s panties. (The captain looked me straight in the eye and recounted his embarrassing experience.)"

HANDI HINT

Need a quick on line calculator? Do you have the Google tool bar? If you answer yes.... Then here is a clever trick for you...

By entering your math into the google tool bar (for instance 30x10/2 etc. ) will show you the results as fast as you type it into the search block.

Give 'er a try..

RT

XL underwear smothers fire - CNN.com

XL underwear smothers fire - CNN.com: "From baggy briefs to the ultimate hotpants: A British woman's underwear saved the day by doubling as an emergency fire blanket when her kitchen caught fire."

Saudis Confirm Detention of Blogger - New York Times

Saudis Confirm Detention of Blogger - New York Times: "“The issue that caused all of this is because I wrote about the political prisoners here in Saudi Arabia, and they think I’m running an online campaign promoting their issue,” the letter continued, saying that Mr. Farhan had been asked to sign a statement of apology.

“I’m not sure if I’m ready to do that,” he wrote. “An apology for what? Apologizing because I said the government is a liar when they accused those guys to be supporting terrorism?”"

Netflix To Stream Internet Video, Movies Directly To TVs -- Netflix -- InformationWeek

Netflix To Stream Internet Video, Movies Directly To TVs -- Netflix -- InformationWeek: "Netflix and LG Electronics will deliver rental movies and TV series directly to TV sets, sidestepping the well-known red envelopes used by the DVD rental company.

The companies announced Thursday that they will develop a set-top box that will allow users to stream movies and other content from the Internet to HDTV sets.

Netflix, which began to allow users to stream content to their PCs via the Internet last year, said the new system would bypass PCs. The companies said a networked LG player will be released to market by the second half of this year."

.HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT

FROM FRI MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY
MORNING FOR THE NO. & CNTL OR COAST & THE SOUTH
WA COAST.

THE NATL WEATHER SVC IN PORTLAND HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND
WATCH.WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY
MORNING.

A VERY STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL APPROACH VANCOUVER ISLAND
FRIDAY THROUGH SAT MORNING POTENTIALLY BRINGING STRONG SOUTH
WINDS TO THE NO. & CNTL OR COAST & THE SOUTH
WA COAST. SO. WINDS OF 25 TO 40 MPH MAY DEVELOP DURING
THE DAY WITH GUSTS TO 60 TO 70 MPH POSSIBLE BY LATE FRIDAY
AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY SAT MORNING. WINDS WILL SUBSIDE
SATURDAY MORNING AS THE LOW MOVES INLAND ACROSS VANCOUVER ISLAND.


A HIGH WIND WATCH MEANS THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A HAZARDOUS
HIGH WIND EVENT. SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH.OR GUSTS OF
58 MPH OR STRONGER MAY OCCUR. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST
FORECASTS.

Life - StatesmanJournal.com

Life - StatesmanJournal.com: "First, vintage 2007. What can we say about this rain-soaked, mildew laced, ornery growing season?

Well, I'll bet every wine maker throughout the Willamette Valley is at work trying to come up with a positive way to explain this one to the customer.

The last vintage of this dreary nature was, wow, exactly 10 years ago.

I remember winemakers getting defensive, if not downright argumentative, about the wines from that year.

How to put a positive spin on 2007? Call it 'Burgundian' and leave it at that."

News - StatesmanJournal.com

News - StatesmanJournal.com: "Arrests for impaired driving went up slightly this New Year's holiday, including of a man driving 109 mph on Interstate 5, according to Oregon State Police.

OSP arrested 36 drivers for driving under the influence of intoxicants between midnight and 9 a.m. Tuesday. That brought the 78-hour total from midnight Dec. 28 to 90, up from 81 last year."

"Green" Ball To Drop At Times Square, New Energy-Efficient LED Bulbs Will Illuminate Iconic Sphere With Wattage Of 10 Toasters - CBS News

"Green" Ball To Drop At Times Square, New Energy-Efficient LED Bulbs Will Illuminate Iconic Sphere With Wattage Of 10 Toasters - CBS News: "The star of the world-famous holiday extravaganza was revamped this year with 9,576 energy-efficient bulbs that use about the same amount of electricity as 10 toasters."






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NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "'My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to 99 cents a can. That's almost $7.00 in dog money.'"

The Invisible Ingredient in Every Kitchen - New York Times

The Invisible Ingredient in Every Kitchen - New York Times: "Among the major culprits here are inefficient appliances. According to the United States Department of Energy, a gas burner delivers only 35 to 40 percent of its heat energy to the pan; a standard electrical element conveys about 70 percent. Anyone thinking about kitchen renovation should know that induction cooktops, which generate heat directly within the pan itself, are around 90 percent efficient. They can out-cook big-B.T.U. gas burners, work faster, don’t heat up the whole kitchen, and are becoming more common in restaurant kitchens."

Sorry, No politics.

NEW YEAR'S EVE 2007

There was a fun gathering at the Clubhouse on New Year's Eve. It was a great chance to visit with friends;

We played games, laughed a lot and many of us even made it to midnight and watched to Ball drop at Times Square! As always, fun was had by all.

The Longview Hills CERT team....
Trying out new equipment..

Yesterday, we had a ruptured water line near Evergreen and 62nd. That necessitated turning water off to all homes north of 61st street and a few others. Neighborhood watch calling tree was able to notify about 2/3 of the folks affected. The other third have no block captain as no one wants to volunteer for the job.

The CERT team decided to try out a new battery operated megaphone, that they had acquired from a donor, as a means to notify the residents that don't have a block captain. The megaphone has a siren and a talk feature. The area to be notified was all of Deer Ln. north of the lake.

Here is what we did...

A team was dispatched in a vehicle to move down the street and stop at every house, sound the siren, then announce that the water was being shut off. The entire street was notified in about 5 minutes. This was an experiment and probably will be the way that you will first hear that a CERT team is coming to help should we have a disaster.

What we would like to know is if you were home on Deer Lane at the time of the announcement if you heard it? A siren followed by a verbal announcement... Give us a comment won't you?

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "'There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.'"

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "'The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would hire them away.'"

The Claim: Drinking Makes You Warmer in Winter - New York Times

The Claim: Drinking Makes You Warmer in Winter - New York Times: "In moderation, the right beverage can bring cheer on a cold winter night. But will it really warm you up?

According to studies over the years, while alcohol may seem like the perfect cold-weather beverage because it creates a sensation of warmth, it actually decreases core body temperature — regardless of the temperature outside — and increases the risk of hypothermia."

Below is a link to the New York Times Video.


Bhutto Assination

Ancient Pyramid Discovered in Heart of Mexico City - Life in the Fast Lane

Ancient Pyramid Discovered in Heart of Mexico City - Life in the Fast Lane: "Ruins of an 800 year old Aztec pyramid have been discovered in the heart of Mexico City that archeologists believe could prove the ancient the Aztecs began to develop their civilization in the mountains of central Mexico at least a century earlier than previously considered."




.

WE GOT BACK THIS AFTERNOON (SUNDAY) AND FOUND THAT ONLY 2 COUPLES HAD SIGNED UP FOR THE CASINO NITE!!!
SO WE ARE CANCELING THE CASINO NIGHT AND HAVING A NEW YEAR'S EVE GET TOGETHER AT THE CLUBHOUSE.. WE'LL HAVE BOARD GAMES, CARDS OR JUST SIT AROUND AND CHIT CHAT AND DRINK!!!..DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN THAT!! AND A WHOLE LOT LESS WORK..
SO I WILL STILL SEE YOU AT THE CLUBHOUSE AT 7PM...MONDAY JANUARY 31.. BRING A SNACK AND WHAT YOU ARE DRINKING..
ALSO TAKE A NAP SO YOU CAN SEE THE NEW YEAR IN.!!!!!!!

THANKS JACKY

Results pretty close to even. So, I recommend you link to the Yahoo political poll page and bookmark it for you own viewing. That is what I have done. It will not appear as a link in our links column... RT.... Below is the link

http://news.yahoo.com/election/2008/dashboard


Do you want a link on our website to the Yahoo political dashboard?
Answers Votes Percent
1.
NO 5 42%
2.
YES 7 58%

Total Votes: 12

Do you want a link on our website to the Yahoo political dashboard?
Answers Votes Percent 1. NO 5 42% 2. YES 7 58%		Total Votes: 12

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "'All of us learn to write in the second grade. Most of us go on to greater things.'"

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "John F. Kennedy
12/28/2007 5:00:00 PM [rss@quotationspage.com (Quotes of the Day)]

'When we got into office, the thing that surprised me the most was that things were as bad as we'd been saying they were.'"

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "'Perhaps in time the so-called Dark Ages will be thought of as including our own.'"

Am I a Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chameleon? - New York Times

Am I a Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chameleon? - New York Times: "Faith, the faith healer, is twirling a crystal over my green couch.

The pendulum is hovering above a chart, pointing to sources of negative energy in my house that need to be cleared.

The pendulum quivers and swings and slows and finally settles above the word “Curses.”

“That sounds scary,” I say."

Do you know why I pulled you over? - CNN.com

Do you know why I pulled you over? - CNN.com: "The ridiculous

An assortment of seemingly crazy state driving laws exists and can be found easily across the Internet. Most of these examples are sourced from newspapers and come from the site www.dumblaws.com, whose editors did not respond to a call for comment. Here goes:

In California, no vehicle without a driver may exceed 60 miles per hour.

In Florida, if an elephant, goat or alligator is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid just as it would for a vehicle.

In Montana, it is illegal to have a sheep in the cab of your truck without a chaperone.

In Oregon, a door on a car may not be left open longer than necessary.

In Tennessee, it is illegal shoot any game other than whales from a moving automobile.

Good luck finding a whale in Tennessee!"

Do you know why I pulled you over? - CNN.com

Do you know why I pulled you over? - CNN.com: "Now it's illegal in many states to leave an animal alone in a car, and with good reason. The Animal Law Coalition points out that, even with the vehicle's windows left slightly open, an outside temperature of 85 degrees can cause a temperature of 102 degrees inside a vehicle within 10 minutes, and 120 degrees within half of an hour. As dogs breathe differently from humans, their central nervous systems can be overwhelmed in less than 15 minutes from excessive heat."

NBC2 News Online - Drink too much? Don't drive - call Tow to Go

NBC2 News Online - Drink too much? Don't drive - call Tow to Go: "When you call the toll free number, your call is directed to an Emergency Response Center. The AAA dispatcher contacts a local tow company, who takes you and your car home free of charge.

AAA has been sponsoring the Tow to Go program since 1998. They say they have safely removed more than 7,000 potentially drunk drivers from the roads since then."

KTVZ.com Central Oregons News, Weather and Sports Leader - Oregon shrimpers hope sustainable designation translates to sales

KTVZ.com Central Oregons News, Weather and Sports Leader - Oregon shrimpers hope sustainable designation translates to sales: "For years, boats dragged giant nets across the ocean floor, scooping up not just their targeted product but all sorts of other unwanted inhabitants of the deep.

Then, in the 1990s, the shrimp fishing fleet added grates to its equipment that allowed only shrimp and smaller fish into the net.

That substantially reduced unintended catch and sped up the amount of time it took to clear a net."

Oregon Coast Best of Awards for the Year

Oregon Coast Best of Awards for the Year: "(Oregon Coast) – It’s the First Annual Oregon Coast Beach Connection Best of Awards from BeachConnection.net, spotlighting the most intriguing and glittering of the Oregon coast (with an occasional nod towards the most crappy).

Here, we salute the best restaurants, lodgings, coastal promoters, science organizations, and the most intriguing events of the year in nature – all in a diverse range of categories.

These categories will likely not remain static throughout the coming years, either. They probably will change with the year, depending on what transpires and what emerges over that time.

It’s an award that’s as malleable as the march of time itself."

Paper or plastic grocery bags - which are better for the environment? Well, um, neither : National-World : Albuquerque Tribune

Paper or plastic grocery bags - which are better for the environment? Well, um, neither : National-World : Albuquerque Tribune: "someone using plastic grocery bags for a year would go through 520 bags and generate 6.08 kilograms of greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming. Someone using paper bags would go through 520 bags to generate 11.8 kilograms of greenhouse gases.

But a year's worth of reusable polypropylene bags - estimated at four bags, used twice a week - would generate less than 2 kilograms of greenhouse gases.

'The best thing is for people to be encouraged to take reusable bags,' Hershkowitz said. 'That's a truism everyone can agree upon.'"

CANCELLED

CASINO NITE.. NEW YEAR'S EVE

7PM -12MIDNITE (IF WE CAN STAY UP)!!!!!!!!!

$10 BUYS YOU $2500 IN LVH FUNNY MONEY (NO WHERE ELSE DO YOU GET THAT KIND OF RETURN ON YOUR MONEY!!!!). ALSO PLEASE BRING A GENTLY USED WHITE ELEPHANT GIFT( A GOOD ONE.. NOT JUNKIE) FOR THE AUCTION AFTER THE GAMING.

WE'LL HAVE SLOT MACHINES, HORSE RACING, TEXAS HOLD'EM & 5 OR 7 CARD DRAW...

BRING YOUR OWN BOTTLE.. THERE WILL BE FREE SNACKS & SODAS..

SO DON'T
BE A PARTY POOPER. COME HAVE FUN WITH US!!!!!!!!!!!!

SO REMEMBER THIS MONDAY AT 7 PM I WILL SEE YOU AT THE CLUBHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When tsunami hits coast, fishing boats may save lives: The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore.

When tsunami hits coast, fishing boats may save lives: The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore.: "NEWPORT — When the big one hits — a giant earthquake that crumbles bridges and roadways and the giant tsunami that comes rumbling behind it, knocking down buildings and flooding the beachfront communities that line the Oregon Coast — there won’t be much anybody can do to help, at least not for a while.

A Cascadia Subduction Zone quake, with an expected magnitude of 9.0 or greater, will cripple initial emergency response efforts and may cut off access to the coast altogether, before even the first powerful waves arrive on shore to turn towns into frigid, debris-ridden soup."

Incident: Illegal Transient Camp Clean Up Report

Location: 19 locations throughout Newport

Date: December 11, thru December 14

Details: A Citywide cleanup of active and inactive illegal camp sites was conducted during the week of December 11^th. Members of the Newport Police Department, Newport Public Works Department and hired workers collected 12,480 pounds of trash, debris and hazardous materials. 19 sites in all were located and cleaned up with eleven of them being active up to December 7^th.

During the clean up, 28 used hypodermic needles were recovered and property disposed of; with the majority being found in the area south of SW 12^th Street and in the wooded area about Bay Blvd. Three were found in the area south of Jump-Off-Joes, on the beach which is a tourist and local recreation area. Glass pipes used for smoking methamphetamine along with other drug related items were found in the ten of the 19 sites. Also found in two of the illegal camp sites were books from the Newport Library. They were ruined beyond repair or salvage from being left out in the rain and weather.

During the week of December 4^th, members of the Newport Police Department visited all of the sites located on public lands and posted them, notifying that a clean up of the area would take place. During this time, twenty two transient-homeless people were contacted. 18 were male and four female. There were no children. These individuals were provided with information on available resources in Lincoln County. In addition, Det. Ken Real, the project coordinator, was able to locate housing for two families.

The cost of this project totaled $2137.05 which included disposal fees and the use of temporary workers.

# # #

Information Released By: Chief Mark J. Miranda, 541-574-3348

News - StatesmanJournal.com

News - StatesmanJournal.com: "SISTERS -- All across Central Oregon on Monday night, there were reports of a fireball seen streaking to the ground.

Keith Clinton, who lives east of Bend, reported to KTVZ-TV that he saw a 'large, bright green fireball descend out of the cloudless sky east of Bend.'

Clinton said the fireball turned yellow and exploded about 10 degrees above the horizon, breaking into several pieces.

And someone near Prineville called Crook County Sheriff's Office to report a meteorite that had come crashing to the ground."

Medicare Private Plan Abuses - New York Times

Medicare Private Plan Abuses - New York Times: "Heavily subsidized private Medicare plans are continuing to prey on elderly Americans despite state, federal and industry efforts to stop them. It is yet another reason to rein in these operations by eliminating their unjustified subsidies."

HEAVY SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON
TO 12 PM PST WED FOR THE COAST RANGE OF NW OR.

A HEAVY SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON
TO 12 PM PST WEDNESDAY.

RAIN WITH SNOW LEVEL NEAR 2000 FEET IS MOVING INTO THE NORTH
OR COAST RANGE & WILL TURN TO SHOWERS BY EVENING.
ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE BY SUNSET THIS EVENING.
SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT.WITH SNOW LEVELS LWRING
TO 500 FEET AFTER MIDNIGHT. STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED TO
BE FROM 5 TO 10 INCHES BY MIDDAY WEDNESDAY. HEAVIEST
ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE ABOVE 1000 FEET.

THE SNOW SHOWERS WILL DIMINISH SOME WED AFTERNOON.

A HEAVY SNOW WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST
THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF
YOU MUST.KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT.FOOD.& WATER IN YOUR
VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "'He's the kind of a guy who lights up a room just by flicking a switch.'"

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "'What's on your mind, if you will allow the overstatement?'"

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "'In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these.'"

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can't be done.'"

A Dessert With a Past - New York Times

A Dessert With a Past - New York Times: "FRUITCAKE might be a bad joke at Christmas in America, but for most Britons, rich, fruity Christmas pudding, steamed for long hours on the holiday stove, still taps into something visceral in the national psyche. The problem here is that the sense of pleasure rarely makes the leap from the English psyche to the English palate these days — it’s a long story, and one that Americans should appreciate."

Free: Ten Universities with Free Online Courses

Free: Ten Universities with Free Online Courses: "The web has democratized a lot of things since its birth, including the learning previously available only with a hefty tuition check. College site Education Portal has a handy list of the colleges that offer the most comprehensive course material online, including open-course trailblazers like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Tufts University, and programs like Stanford's lecture podcasts on iTunes U. You can't get a sheepskin for free, but you can further your knowledge and training for less than even the cost of a book. For way more college-based free learning, check out Wendy's comprehensive guide to the .edu underground."

No Joke, Bulb Change Is Challenge for U.S. - New York Times

No Joke, Bulb Change Is Challenge for U.S. - New York Times: "Manufacturers are putting a lot of stock in light-emitting diodes — or L.E.D.’s. They operate with chips made of nontoxic materials and last for about 50,000 hours, compared with 1,000 hours for an incandescent and 6,000 for a compact fluorescent. A tiny L.E.D. can shed as much light as a cumbersome bulb, which makes them easier to integrate into a home’s d�cor. And, they are extremely energy efficient."

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Medical myths' exposed as untrue

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Medical myths' exposed as untrue: "In fact, studies suggest that adequate fluid intake is often met by drinking juice, milk, and even caffeine-rich tea and coffee.

Data also suggests drinking excessive amounts of water can be dangerous."

Hunters, anglers have big economic impact - Portland Business Journal:

Hunters, anglers have big economic impact - Portland Business Journal:: "In Oregon, spending by hunters and anglers directly supports 19,500 jobs, contributes $125 million in state and local taxes and contributes $573 million in salaries and wages.

The study pegs the ripple effect at $1.8 billion annually.

Oregon ranks No. 25 among all states in terms of total spending. Texas is No. 1 at $6.6 billion, and Florida placed second, $4.8 billion."

Wave-power project is OK'd

Wave-power project is OK'd: "The Electric Power Research Institute estimates that waves off the Washington, Oregon and California coasts could produce from 250 to 500 terawatt-hours per year. A terawatt-hour is a million megawatt-hours, or a billion kilowatt-hours. The nation uses about 4,000 terawatt-hours of electricity every year."

The Associated Press: Two Quakes Hit Alaska's Aleutian Islands

The Associated Press: Two Quakes Hit Alaska's Aleutian Islands: "ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Two significant earthquakes shook Alaska's seismically active Aleutian Islands on Thursday, but there were no immediate reports of any damages or injuries.

The magnitude-5.9 and 6.1 quakes struck about one minute apart starting at 2:23 a.m. EST on Friday. Both were centered about 100 miles west of Adak in the island chain, according to a preliminary report by the U.S. Geological Survey.

'There were two tonight and that was very unusual,' said geophysicist Paul Huang of the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center. 'We're going to study this a little more closely.'"

NewsGator Online

NewsGator Online: "Will Rogers
12/19/2007 5:00:00 PM [rss@quotationspage.com (Quotes of the Day)]

'On account of being a democracy and run by the people, we are the only nation in the world that has to keep a government four years, no matter what it does.'"

Squirrels Use "Snake Perfume" to Fool Predators

Squirrels Use "Snake Perfume" to Fool Predators: "To mask their odor from rattlesnakes, California ground squirrels and rock squirrels chew on sloughed-off snake skin and smear it on their fur, according to a new study.

The act most likely persuades the predators that another snake, not a squirrel, is in the area."