• Using garbage as fuel
• Bridesmaids need to get botox
• 2nd prize in lottery is a pre-paid petrol card
• Red wine is the secret to the fountain of youth. (Again)
• From 2011, all South Africans will need decoders to watch TV
• The new movie I’m looking forward to this weekend

Garbage as Petrol

It looks like there’s a big push in the United States at the moment to start using fuel produced from waste material.

For decades scientists have known it was possible to convert waste to fuel, but in an era of cheap oil, it made little sense. With oil now trading around $125 a barrel and gasoline above $4 a gallon, the potential economics of a waste-to-fuel industry have shifted radically, setting off a frenzy to be first to market.

I really hope they can start using something like plastic to produce a viable source of fuel as this would really help cut down the pollution os something that can take 100′s of years to bio-degrade.

Read the full story: Gassing Up With Garbage

Bridesmaids must get Botox

It seems that getting a spa treatment with some plastic surgery for the bride and her bridal party is picking up in popularity.

But at 35? “Giving them a bracelet isn’t as special as spending an evening together. Plus, as you get older, everyone is more conscientious about their skin and appearance,” she said. “Giving them something for themselves — as opposed to something that they’ll never wear again — is more meaningful.”

Though, maybe not everyone is that keen:

But for every accommodating pal, there’s another who feels going under the knife is beyond the duty of bridesmaid. Becky Lee, 39, a Manhattan photographer, declined when a friend asked her — and five other attendants — to have their breasts enhanced. “We’re all Asian and didn’t have a whole lot of cleavage, and she found a doctor in L.A. who was willing to do four for the price of two,” said Ms. Lee, who wore a push-up bra instead.

All I can say is, I’m glad I’m a guy…

Read the full story: It’s Botox for You, Dear Bridesmaids

Forget the Money, Get the Gas

In the Florida State Lottery, the second prize is “free gasoline for life” (terms and conditions apply, obviously ).

Once a week for the next two months, the second-prize winner in the latest lottery promotion, Summer Cash, will win free gasoline for life. And some people think that is a better deal than the game’s first prize, a quarter of a million dollars.

That’s not a bad idea, I guess. Though you’d have to do the maths and see if that really is worth it.

Read the full story: Lottery Adds to Prizes: Now Gas as Well as Cash

Red Wine will Keep you young

I’m sure we’ve all heard this before. Drinking a glass of red wine a day can help you avoid heart attacks. And maybe it can keep you young as well:

A compound in red wine may ward off a variety of medical conditions related to aging, providing heart benefits, stronger bones and preventing eye cataracts, researchers said on Thursday.

The study, involving mice fed a diet supplemented with resveratrol starting in their equivalent of middle age, is the latest to raise hope that the compound or drugs based on it may improve the health of people.

Anybody have a favourite red wine they’d like to recommend?

Read the full story here: Red wine ‘new fountain of youth’

South Africans will need a decoder to watch TV

In America there’s a big drive currently to inform people that some time in 2009 the TV stations will only be broadcasting in digital. This means any old TVs that can only receive analog data will not be able to work without a converter.

Looks like the goal to do this in South Africa is 2011:

The SABC will start phasing in digital terrestrial television (DTT) from November before switching off the analogue signal in 2011, at which stage anyone who does not have a decoder will be unable to receive free-to-air television.

There will definitely need to be a plan made for those people who don’t want to spend 20% of their salary to buy something just so they can watch “free TV”.

Read the full story here: Channel surf’s up

New Movie I’m looking forward to

This week the new Batman movie comes out. “The Dark Knight”.

It looks dark, no pun intended. In fact, the rumour is/was (I’m not into rumours that much) that playing the Joker was such a mind bendingly dark role that Heath Ledger suffered from severe depression and lack of sleep, leading to his “untimely demise”.

Either way, I’m a big comic movie fan, so hopefully this one doesn’t disappoint.

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The New Mexico Channel has an article on “Picture Perfect Home Decorating Ideas“. Here’s an excerpt that I like:

“To make sure your new color scheme is a winner, use a color wheel, available from most hardware stores. Complimentary colors are found opposite each other, while dominant and accent colors appear side-by-side on the wheel. It’s a great tool that will help ensure your success.”

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The Long Island Press has a nice article that builds on an interview that Natalie Weinstein had with Thomas Von Essen, fire commissioner of the City of New York under Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. She is asking “What Does Home Mean To You?“. Here is the introduction, see if it doesn’t grab you:

“My work is dedicated to changing people’s lives through their homes. Home, to me, has always meant that special place—empowering, nurturing and providing a safe haven.”

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First up is the “LA Times” with their article entitled “The Zagats of home improvement”. They’re talking about a site (and other like it) called Angies List (http://www.angieslist.com/). Here’s a bit of a description of the site:

Angie’s List, which debuted in Los Angeles last fall and in San Diego a year earlier, is part of a growing number of directories that bring the Zagat approach to the home improvement industry. These directories blend the contact information of a telephone book with frank consumer reviews. Businesses can not nominate themselves, pay to be included or advertise.

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The next story is from Delaware Online and they talk about how “Couch-buying anxiety can be conquered”. They say:

Buying a sofa is one of the most important furniture decisions a homeowner can make. Experts say this big-ticket purchase should not be taken lightly since there’s a good chance you’ll own a sofa longer than you’ll own a car.

It really is quite an interesting article. They mention the fact that, as people are getting larger (obesity wise), so too is the furniture getting larger:

The rise of obesity in the United States is another contributing factor in expanding furniture. Nilsen says sofas tend to be bigger “because people are.” She says seating sometimes can be anywhere from one-third to one-half larger than it has been in the past.

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Long Island Press has an interesting article on how to “Sex Up Your Bedroom For Valentine’s Day”. They offer some worth while obvious, yet forgotten, tips such as:

• Get rid of the clutter
• If you have your work in your bedroom, get it out!
• Adding a bit of color to the room, possibly with a new coat of paint
• Get some romantic bedding and sheets
• Dim the lights…

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The Dallas Morning News has an article about how you could use eBay to help decorate your house, and at a low price. It talks about being able to “click and find sophisticated home-decorating resources: everything from Ralph Lauren wallpaper and Pottery Barn rugs to McCoy pottery and Murano glass chandeliers”.

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If you’re in Eastern Iowa (how man people could possibly be from Eastern Iowa), go check out the “Eastern Iowa Home Improvement and Landscaping Show”. According to WCFCourier.com:

About 180 exhibitors will help homeowners scratch their itch for home building, remodeling, decorating and lawn and garden projects at the 55th annual event, said Barb Miller, show producer. The show is presented by the Waterloo Exchange Club and Iowa Show Productions.

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According to ABC7 Chicago there’sgood news for people over 60 in Indiana. Apparently, phony repair men would scam the elderly who couldn’t do the repairs themselves by taking the money and “and then perform repairs crudely — using paint that washes off or roof tar thinned with gasoline“. There’s a new bill just passed that makes this illegal. Why it wasn’t illegal before beats me, but then we’d probably have very few repair men out there and the jails would be full. Not necessarily for diluting roof tar, but at the very least for taking the money for shoddy work

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The Toronto Star talks about an 80%/20% theory. This is where 80% of your room can be in one certain style, where everything blends, and then you have the other 20% which deviates from this style. This can relieve the boredom in a room that otherwise might end up lacking any “personality”.
There are a few examples, and one that I like talks about lighting. You could add 20% artistic lighting using table lamps, wall sconces, or art lights to add a but of flare to the other 80% of the general ambient light…

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Windy City Times responds to a letter on how to start a kitchen overhaul. Some things that are mentioned are:

• How much are you willing to spend?
• Look at your workspace and see what you need to do to make it ideal for you
• Choose your Appliances, etc. according to your personal choice.

It really is quite an interesting read…

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LA Times.com has an article about the Maison & Objet design show in Paris. Quite an interesting looking design show, and I really must recommend you go if you have the spare cash to get there. Of course, take a check book, because shopping will get expensive. I mean, the article mentions a “bubble” that can sit in your sit in your living room, and, when open, converts into a small, modern kitchen, costing only $35,000. I think I’ll buy one for my mother for Christmas.

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If you’re into specialty fabric and sewing, look out for a Hancock store near you (in the United States). According to Picayune Item local news, they’re shutting down 50 underperforming stores. Each of these stores will be having a “Going out of business” sale, which should mean great deals for customers. Sorry about the 600 people losing their jobs, though.

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