“Ear Candling,” also known as auricular candling or coning, refers to various procedures that involve placing a cone-shaped device in the ear canal and supposedly extracting earwax and other impurities with the help of smoke or a burning wick.

This is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever heard… Evidentally people do this to other people, or themselves… you be the judge:

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/candling.html
http://colonhealth.net/ear_candling/candhist.htm

Trinity ranks No. 1 by U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report once again ranked Trinity University No. 1 in its category in this year’s America’s Best Colleges issue.

http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2003/08/18/daily33.html

My sister is now officially a first-year at Trinity starting today! Yay! (wow I feel old)

Win or lose, drawing endorsements is key

They say in sports that winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing. Not true in the upside-down world of sports endorsements.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2003-08-21-endorse_x.htm

Hormel produces special Spam can for Hawaii

Hawaiians, who eat more Spam per person than any other group in the United States, now have a Spam product of their very own

http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2003-08-21-spam-can-hawaii_x.htm

New Point System For Texas Drivers

If you speed or have a wreck, it’s about to cost you a lot more to drive. The effects will last a lot longer as well.

http://www.msnbc.com/local/KMOL/D-0B345574-AE67-4DB4-A7C4-21AE19591EAD.asp?0na=x2212250K

Front page of http://www.hostcompare.com/! Woohoo!

Direct link to article here: http://www.hostcompare.com/interviews/richardyoo.htm

I FOUND THE BOOB!

w00t!

NELLY PIMPS HIS JUICE!

NELLY has launched his own vitamin-enriched soft drink, ‘PIMP JUICE’, which is due out in the US next month.

http://www.nme.com/news/105934.htm

(Thanks Annie!)

Alamo Quarry Market For Sale

The Alamo Quarry Market, one of the busiest shopping malls in South Texas, is going on the market.

http://www.msnbc.com/local/KMOL/D-9BAC3C9A-B6AB-465B-836D-49BBB9314210.asp?0na=x2201373J

If you’re looking for a great programmable remote to replace your mess of remote controls on your coffee table, this is the one:

PHILIPS TSU500 Pronto Neo Universal Intelligent Remote Control

The thing is completely programmable – including how the buttons look and are laid out on the screen… everything is programmed on a PC and uploaded via USB… this thing is awesome.

In fact – there’s a great deal on them right now… $80 plus $5 shipping for a refurbished unit. Mine’s on its way… good luck!

Go to http://www.jandr.com/ and search for TSU50099

Texas Pledge? What’s That?

Texans can’t recite pledge now required of all school children.

http://www.msnbc.com/local/KMOL/D-6B597A48-D63E-4492-B5DE-185FC67F1E2A.asp?0na=x2203130J

New evidence links virus with breast cancer

The string of studies adds significant support to a connection, but contradictory evidence also exists

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994066

Fake drugs force makers to play spy games

Drug companies are turning to spy novel gizmos — invisible inks, tiny radio-frequency antennas and the like — to help stop counterfeiters from faking or adulterating prescription drugs.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/drugs/2003-08-17-fakedrugs_x.htm

Volvo finally meshes power, handling

Volvo has made powerful cars, and it has made smooth cars. But the twain haven’t often met. The 2004 R cars change that.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/reviews/healey/2003-08-14-volvo_x.htm

Satellite Views Of The Blackout

http://slashdot.org/articles/03/08/16/1320201.shtml?tid=134&tid=160

Too funny…

http://dev.projek7.com/projekx/skunkworks/hosted/fun/STD-ster.html#

LifeSavers changes its stripes Friday

LifeSavers will announce on Friday a new flavor lineup for its classic, nearly 70-year-old five-flavor roll. Raspberry-, watermelon- and blackberry-flavored “O’s” will replace the traditional orange, lemon and lime.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2003-08-14-lifesavers_x.htm

Gotta love the fans.

http://laer.nu/captions/superman.php?text=ebg13V+ernq+Gur+Evttrq+Hc+Arg

and

http://www.patrick.fm/boobies/boobies.php?text=Rigged%20Up

Go here to make your own.

Overexposure can sour sweet ‘Eye’

These days, networks don’t so much promote shows as pillage them.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2003-08-13-queer-eye_x.htm

Electronic ‘Etch A Sketch’ may boost quantum design

An innovative system, which works rather like a child’s Etch A Sketch toy, could significantly speed the design of quantum electronic devices. The intricate circuits needed can be “drawn” on a surface using tiny spots of charge, adjusted, and then scrubbed out with a flash of light.

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994055

Nuclear reactor back online

A nuclear reactor that’s partly owned by Austin Energy is operating again after an extended shutdown, the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Co. announced Thursday.

http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2003/08/11/daily28.html

For those nights and days, when you want to be and feel a little special, naughty, and very sexy, these Manties are for you.
Once you have them on, it will be “hard” to take them off. They are made of nylon and have the extra room where you need it, for the most comfortable fit there is. Once you try a pair, you will wonder why you never tried them before.
Panties are for the gals MANties are for the guys

http://www.manties.net/

Will edgy shows scare off marketers?

The broadcast TV networks will be living on the edge this fall. New comedies and dramas such as NBC’s Coupling and Fox’s Skin will exploit such racy topics as sexuality and the multibillion-dollar porn industry. The question is whether advertisers will buy into these edgy programs.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2003-08-12-edgy_x.htm

Remember the webiste, Hot or not? Well… these other guys took that idea, and have created Mobileasses.com … basically people running around with cellphones with built-in cameras are sending in pics of butts in public for your rating amusement… good stuff.

Muscle power aid also boosts brain power

A dietary supplement used by many athletes to boost muscle power can also increase brain power, at least in vegetarians. New research shows that non-meat eaters taking the supplement, called creatine, perform better in various memory tests than those taking a placebo.

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994047

Winning the War on spam: Comparison of Bayesian spam filters

Spam e-mail has become an ever increasing problem, and these days it is next to impossible to use e-mail without receiving it in large amounts. Various techniques exits to combat the problem; keyword-based filters, source blacklists, signature blacklists, source verification and combinations of these to name a few. All of them have problems; keyword filters needs to be constantly updated manually and are not very accurate; blacklists also need to be constantly updated, and will always lag behind spammers.

http://home.dataparty.no/kristian/reviews/bayesian/

Krispy Kreme’s sweet on Britain

The doughnuts already are rolling off the line at the Krispy Kreme training center in a bare-bones warehouse south of the city. But come October, they’ll officially make their debut in that British palace of posh: Harrods department store.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2003-08-11-krispykreme_x.htm

Study: ISPs block some legitimate email

A new study by Return Path Inc. reveals Internet service providers inadvertently are blocking or filtering legitimate email in their attempts to protect their subscribers from spam.

http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2003/08/11/daily9.html

Is Zip coming undone?

New versions of software based on a popular file-compression technology could create headaches for users through their use of incompatible formats.

http://news.com.com/2100-1046_3-5062423.html?tag=fd_lede2_hed

Parkinson’s drugs linked to heavy gambling

Excessive gambling may be a rare side effect of some Parkinson’s drugs given at high doses, say US doctors.

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994044

Truly bump’n tune….

Nelly, P. Diddy – “Shake Ya Tailfeather”

Watch the video here:
http://www.mtv.com/sitewide/videoplayer/index.jhtml?vid=22501&channelID=1&gateway=charts&s1=&s2=&adPth=/adsetup/charts/&adPN=charts_mtvtop20

Scam Artists Target Riverwalk Customers

Organized scam artists are working a scam that targets customers at restaurants along the Riverwalk, 1200 WOAI news has been told.

http://www.msnbc.com/local/KMOL/D-44BC367E-E552-4EC8-8DF8-6F015CDA4B5F.asp?0na=x2201351B

Information Pollution

Excessive word count and worthless details are making it harder for people to extract useful information. The more you say, the more people tune out your message.

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030811.html

(Thanks Hilary)

Many Bluetooth gadgets open to wireless snooping

A new software tool could allow sensitive data could be pilfered through the air from laptops, mobile phones and handheld computers.

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994041

Who’s watching the class?

When students in Biloxi, Miss., show up this morning for the first day of the new school year, a virtual army of digital cameras will be recording every minute of every lesson in every classroom.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2003-08-10-webcams-usat_x.htm

“No Call” Law Could Cost Thousands of SA Jobs

City’s telemarketing firms endangered.

http://www.msnbc.com/local/KMOL/D-86AF9627-3289-4A65-B366-7A35CC4086C6.asp?0na=x2203110B

Mathematical twist reveals the agony of back pain

The first comprehensive model of the human spine suggests many injuries are the result of quick twists of the vertebrae

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994027

Dating Top 10: Signs You’re In Love

If you’ve forgotten your ex, stop having boys’ nights out and don’t notice babes on the street, this might just be it, buddy.

http://www.askmen.com/dating/dating_top_ten_60/79_dating_list.html

When Is 54 Not Equal to 54? A Look at 802.11a, b, and g Throughput

Now that the 802.11g standard has been finalized, comparisons with the other standards in the 802.11 family are inevitable. One conclusion that is frequently drawn is that 802.11g offers similar speeds to 802.11a. After all, both products are advertised as having a data rate of 54 Mbps.

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/wireless/2003/08/08/wireless_throughput.html

Lords’ life story makes for poignant reading

Traci Lords. To most, it’s a name synonymous with underage porn, and it still evokes the most taboo of interests — interest in how a 15-year-old girl from the Midwest rocked the porn industry, interest in those early films that sparked an intense three-year FBI investigation, and interest in how someone polishes such a tarnished reputation.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/reviews/2003-08-06-lords_x.htm