Australian Scientists Develop World’s Most Efficient Solar Cell The race for the world’s most efficient solar power cell is forever played out in fractions of percentages. The latest victory comes from scientists at the University of New South Wales in Australia, who have concocted a multi-cell combination that converts 43% of sunlight into electricity , besting the previous record of 42.7%! So how did the team break the record? By using a special silicon cell optimized to harness light at the red and near-infrared end of the light spectrum. When the silicon cell was combined with four other cells made from gallium, indium, phosphorous and arsenic, the scientists were able to reach the magic 43% mark. The same UNSW scientific team has had success before — last year, they broke the record for the world’s most efficient silicon solar cell, achieving 25% efficiency. But the newest record uses a combination of cells that can reach a greater efficiency than any single solar cell. There are still some kinks to work out before the UNSW multi-cell combo is ready for everyday use. The cells have only been tested under lab conditions, and the non-silicon cells are still too expensive for most potential uses. Still, the record-breaking discovery bodes well for our solar-powered future.

Global starvation imminent as US faces crop failure 2009-08-24 The world faces “mass starvation” following North America’s next major crop failure. And it could even happen before year’s end. So says Chicago-based Don Coxe, who is one of the world’s leading experts on agricultural commodities, so much so that Canada’s renowned BMO Financial Group named the fund after him. Climate change will cause shorter crop growing seasons and the world’s under-developed farming sector is ill-prepared to make up for the shortfall, Coxe says. He has been following the farming industry for many years and benefits from more than 35 years of institutional investment experience in Canada and the U.S. This includes managing the best-performing mutual fund in the U.S., Harris Investment Management, as recently as 2005. In particular, an imminent crop failure in North America will have particularly dire consequences for major overseas markets that are highly reliant on U.S. crop imports, Coxe cautions. Sadly, this scenario could have been avoided had successive North America’s governments not weakened the farming industry with too much political interference, he suggests. “We’ve got a situation where there has been no incentive to allocate significant new capital to agriculture or to develop new technologies to dramatically expand crop output. We’ve got complacency,” he told BNW News Wire. “So for those reasons I believe the next food crisis – when it comes – will be a bigger shock than $150 oil.” BNW

'Moon Rock' in Dutch Museum Is Just Petrified Wood Conspiracy theorists rejoice: Prized 'moon rock' in Dutch national museum is a fake AMSTERDAM August 27, 2009 (AP) The Associated Press The Dutch national museum said Thursday that one of its prized possessions, a rock supposedly brought back from the moon by U.S. astronauts, is just a piece of petrified wood. Rijksmuseum spokeswoman Xandra van Gelder, who oversaw the investigation that proved the piece was a fake, said the museum will keep it anyway as a curiosity. The museum acquired the rock after the death of former Prime Minister Willem Drees in 1988. Drees received it as a private gift on Oct. 9, 1969 from then-U.S. ambassador J. William Middendorf during a visit by the three Apollo 11 astronauts, part of their "Giant Leap" goodwill tour after the first moon landing. "I do remember that (Drees) was very interested in the little piece of stone," the NOS quoted Middendorf as saying. "But that it's not real, I don't know anything about that." The U.S. Embassy in the Hague said it was investigating the matter. The museum had vetted the moon rock with a phone call to NASA, Van Gelder said. She said the space agency told the museum then that it was possible the Netherlands had received a rock: NASA gave moon rocks to more than 100 countries in the early 1970s, but those were from later missions. "Apparently no one thought to doubt it, since it came from the prime minister's collection," Van Gelder said. The rock is not usually on display; the museum is primarily known for its paintings and other works of fine art by masters such as Rembrandt. A jagged fist-size stone with reddish tints, it was mounted and placed above a plaque that said, "With the compliments of the Ambassador of the United States of America ... to commemorate the visit to The Netherlands of the Apollo-11 astronauts." The plaque does not specify that the rock came from the moon's surface.

$260M Powerball winner vows to do good USA TODAY COLUMBIA, S.C. — The retiree who won the $259.9 million Powerball lottery in South Carolina went to the store where he got the winning ticket for its cheap gas."I wanted to save my 3 cents a gallon," Solomon Jackson said Tuesday of his stop at Murphy USA gas station, which followed a stop at his favorite store: Wal-Mart ."It's the savings place, for those of y'all that don't know," Jackson told reporters at a lottery claims center in Columbia, S.C.Jackson, a former assistant supervisor at the state Department of Revenue, now has the happy task of figuring out what to do with the quarter-billion dollars he won in the Aug. 19 Powerball drawing. He shelled out $2 for the win.During a news conference, Jackson said he would use some of the money to support education programs in South Carolina and would find ways to help others with his winnings.But Jackson, a life-long resident of Columbia, vowed that the money would not go to his head. He said he didn't need to buy a Cadillac because he already had one. Despite the win, Jackson still drove to a western suburb, Lexington, for a $35 deal on tire alignment."Some winners anticipate a change. But I'll still be Solomon," he said.He was guarded about his personal life, refusing to say how old he was, not talking much about his family and declining to say whether he would take the winnings in a lump sum or spread out over 30 years. He said he was one of 12 children, and when asked if he had children or grandchildren, he simply said: "There's a few of them." He said he hadn't even told his friends and family yet. Mostly he spoke of how he will use his new wealth to help others out."I won't do a bunch with it, but somebody's going to be blessed," he said. To date, South Carolina stores have sold six Powerball tickets that have matched all the numbers, but Jackson's jackpot was the largest ever won in the state. The largest Powerball prize ever came in 2006, when eight co-workers at the ConAgra Foods meat plant in Lincoln, Neb., won $365 million. The odds of winning the Powerball are one in 195 million. The game is played in 30 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.. USA Today

World’s Most Romantic Husband August 21, 2009 “Every now and then devoted husbands make an extra special effort to bring a little romance to their marriages. But wives across the country may well be pointing to Tom Shovelton today and telling their husbands they are simply not doing enough. For Mr Shovelton , who is a sprightly 87, has put a fresh rose at his wife’s bedside every single day of the 60 years they have been married . And if that supremely romantic gesture wasn’t enough to shame most husbands in Britain, there is more. For every morning he also kisses his 83-year-old wife Joan and every night he ensures she goes to sleep with another kiss. These simple acts must secure the octogenarian the accolade of one of the most romantic husbands in the country.”

Mexico enacts 'personal use' drug law MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico decriminalized small amounts of marijuana, cocaine and heroin on Friday — a move that prosecutors say makes sense even in the midst of the government's grueling battle against drug traffickers. Prosecutors said the new law sets clear limits that keep Mexico's corruption-prone police from shaking down casual users and offers addicts free treatment to keep growing domestic drug use in check."This is not legalization, this is regulating the issue and giving citizens greater legal certainty," said Bernardo Espino del Castillo of the attorney general's office. The new law sets out maximum "personal use" amounts for drugs, also including LSD and methamphetamine. People detained with those quantities no longer face criminal prosecution.Espino del Castillo says, in practice, small users almost never did face charges, anyway. Under the previous law, the possession of any amount of drugs was punishable by stiff jail sentences, but there was leeway for addicts caught with smaller amounts."We couldn't charge somebody who was in possession of a dose of a drug, there was no way ... because the person would claim they were an addict," he said. Despite the provisions, police sometimes hauled in suspects and demanded bribes, threatening long jail sentences if people did not pay."The bad thing was that it was left up to the discretion of the detective, and it could open the door to corruption or extortion," Espino del Castillo said.Anyone caught with drug amounts under the new personal-use limit will be encouraged to seek treatment, and for those caught a third time treatment is mandatory. The maximum amount of marijuana for "personal use" under the new law is 5 grams — the equivalent of about four joints. The limit is a half-gram for cocaine, the equivalent of about four "lines." For other drugs, the limits are 50 milligrams of heroin, 40 milligrams for methamphetamine and 0.015 milligrams for LSD. Mexico has emphasized the need to differentiate drug addicts and casual users from the violent traffickers whose turf battles have contributed to the deaths of more than 11,000 people since President Felipe Calderon took office in late 2006.But one expert saw potential for conflict under the new law.Javier Oliva, a political scientist at Mexico's National Autonomous University, said the new law posed "a serious contradiction" for the Calderon administration."If they decriminalize drugs it could lead the army, which has been given the task of combating this, to say, 'What are we doing?' " he said.Officials said the legal changes could help the government focus more on big-time traffickers.Espino del Castillo said since Calderon took office, there have been over 15,000 police searches related to small-scale drug dealing or possession, with 95,000 people detained — but only 12% to 15% of whom were ever charged with anything.

Mexico City Welcomes First Week Without Plastic Bags 2009-08-24 - - AHN Mexico City, Mexico (AHN) -- Mexico City, one of the most populated and most polluted metropolitan areas in the world, has banned non-biodegradable plastic bags from the retail sector. The ban will effect grocery stores, pharmacies and other shops that have been selling the bags which are one of the most common forms of litter in the world. And the ban, which went into effect on Wednesday, will be felt hard on Monday as the city begins its first full week without the commonplace grocery icon. Meanwhile, in San Diego, a City Council meeting this week will decide if the city will join San Francisco and others in banning the wasteful bags. While some cities and counties ban bags altogether, others simply tax them into oblivion. In Ireland, for example, plastic bags are taxed, leading to a 90% drop in retail use.

2009-08-27 – AHN News UNESCO Sex-Ed Program To Teach Masturbation, Aphrodisiacs To Kids New York, NY (AHN) -- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is recommending the voluntary teaching of sexuality education, including masturbation and aphrodisiacs, starting at age five to prevent HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. The recommendation is contained in the UNESCO report called "International Guidelines for Sexuality Education" released in June at the 19th World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) Congress held in Göteborg, Sweden. Under the UNESCO guidelines, children are divided into age groups and each group will have corresponding sexuality education topics. Kids age 5 to 8 will be taught what masturbation is while those age 9 to 12 will learn the positive and negative effects of aphrodisiacs. At age 12 to 15, children will learn abortion and its safety. Those age 15 to 18 will be taught on advocating the right to and access to safe abortion. Dr. Doug Kirby, an adolescent sexuality expert, and Nanette Ecker, the former director of international education and training at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States authored the guidelines. The Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum called the guidelines absurd. However, Mark Richmond, director of UNESCO's Division for the Coordination of U.N. Priorities in Education, defended the guidelines saying it will help kids develop understanding of sexual behavior.

51 Operations To Look Like Queen Nefertiti August 22, 2009 “ Her transformation began more than 20 years ago after she decided that in a past life she had lived as Queen Nefertiti . During that time Nileen Namita has spent $200,000 on her face in order to turn herself into a living sculpture of the ancient Egyptian. The mother of three has had 51 cosmetic surgery operations – including eight nose jobs, three chin implants, one eyebrow lift, three facelifts, six mini facelifts, two lip surgeries, five eye surgeries and 20 minor tweaks – in her efforts to recreate herself in the image of the ‘Beauty of the Nile’. Miss Namita, a 49-year-old artist from Brighton, says her quest for perfection isn’t over yet and plans further surgery, describing her face as a ‘work in progress’. She began her transformation in 1987 after deciding that in a past life she had lived as Nefertiti. She said: ‘Throughout my childhood and teen years I had constant vivid dreams of this ancient queen.”

Teacher allegedly paid student after sex The Salt Lake Tribune 08/21/2009 A former Helper Junior High School teacher charged with having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old male student paid her victim between $1,400 and $1,500 after the encounters, court documents allege. According to the statement, the victim's mother confronted Andreini at Andreini's home in Helper on July 3 after finding out the teacher was supposedly having sex with her son. Andreini admitted to the boy's mother that she had sex with the teenager on several occasions at her home, according to the statement. A Utah Division of Child and Family Services worker along with police interviewed the boy about his relationship with Andreini, which he said started during the 2008-09 school year, according to the statement. The boy told police Andreini used to bring him and his friends coffee two to three times a week before school started. The boys went to Andreini's classroom to get the drinks, according to the statement. The victim reported to police that Andreini paid him money after three separate sexual episodes at her home in June. Court documents do not specify if the money exchanged was for sex or to keep the boy quiet about the encounters. The victim's mother told police Andreini admitted to paying the boy between $1,400 and $1,500 when the mother confronted. Andreini, 28, was charged Monday in 7th Distirct Court with three counts of third-degree felony unlawful sexual activity with a minor. Her first court appearance is scheduled for Sept.28 before Judge Douglas Thomas in Price. If convicted, Andreini faces up to five years in prison on each count. Last week, Helper police announced Andreini was under investigation for sexual activity with a boy who recently completed ninth grade at Helper Junior High School. Cox said Andreini submitted a letter of resignation to the district on Aug. 3. The other teacher has been placed on administrative leave.

Lindsay Lohan Too 'Worn-Out' To Play Sexually Curious Teen? August 19th, 2009 Lindsay Lohan has been snubbed for a new film role about a sexually curious teen - after producers ruled the troubled star is too "worn-out" to play the part. The actress has struggled to reclaim a top spot at the box-office since 2004's Mean Girls , and her promising career has been marred by a string of drunk driving charges and allegations of excess boozing and partying. Just last week Lohan denied reports her on/off lesbian lover Samantha Ronson staged an intervention to confront the star about her alleged drug abuse, brushing the reports off as "weird". And writer Allison Burnett has now revealed she's passed up the actress as a prospect in a movie adaptation of her novel Undiscovered Gyrl , about a teen blogging about her sexual coming-of-age - because of Lohan's troubled past.

Police get a shock when new Taser briefly ignites suspect August 19, 2009 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH It didn't take Lancaster police long to discover a potential danger with their newly issued stun guns: They can set their targets on fire. One day after officers received Tasers this week, two of them were patting out the flames on Daniel Wood, a 31-year-old homeless man who reportedly had been inhaling a chemical from a spray can to get high. Wood was not seriously injured but was taken to a hospital as a precaution, said Lancaster Police Chief David Bailey. "Clearly, this is not the way we'd hoped to get started," Bailey said. "But I'm glad the suspect is OK, and this gives us an opportunity to review how we will do things from this point." The makers of stun guns warn that such fires are extremely rare but a risk nonetheless, and Lancaster's written policy for the department's seven new Tasers says that the devices shouldn't be used when flammable materials are evident. Bailey said his officers acted appropriately given the situation and Wood's combative behavior. "There was no recognition on the part of these officers that this would be the result," Bailey said. "They didn't know the vapor was present and would flash. ... It wasn't as if the suspect was doused in a chemical." CNN reported last month that a man in Australia who had been huffing a chemical poured gasoline on himself as he charged police. An officer used a stun gun, and that man burst into flames and was seriously injured. And a man died in Texas in 2007 after police hit him with pepper spray and then jolted him with a stun gun, according to published reports. Authorities in both cases said the men were carrying lighters in their hands, so the source of ignition couldn't be determined for certain.

Sultan Of Brunei Spent $21,000 On A Haircut 2009-08-24 - - AHN Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei (AHN) -- The Sultan of Brunei has splashed out a whopping $21,000 on a haircut. The 63-year-old royal flew hairdresser Ken Modestou, who works at London's Dorchester Hotel in the exclusive Mayfair district, 7,000 miles so he could give him a trim. The sultan even booked out a private suite on a Singapore Airlines flight so Ken - who usually charges $43 for a haircut - could travel in comfort, at a cost of $15,750. It has also been suggested the area was hired to ensure Ken was kept separate from other passengers due to fears about swine flu. Ken's colleague George Kadi reportedly said: "Ken has been cutting the hair of the sultan for 16 years." "He goes regularly, sometimes every three or four weeks. The sultan flies him first-class at a cost of about $13,000. Everything is paid for, hotel, luxury food." The sultan's fortune is estimated to stand at $17 billion.

Kettering mother arrested for selling sex; child home alone Monday, August 24, 2009 KETTERING, OHIO — A Kettering woman was arrested on Saturday, Aug. 22, after police said she left her 8-month-old baby home alone while she sold herself for sex outside of a local business. Lori Richards, 25, of Gracemore Avenue, has been charged with a first degree misdemeanor charge of child endangering and third degree misdemeanor charge of soliciting in Kettering Municipal Court, according to online court records. Richards’ arrest occurred about 9 p.m. on Saturday outside a bar on East Dorothy Lane, according to a Kettering police incident log. Police received a call stating that a “female was standing outside the door offering sex for exchange of money,” according to the log entry. Police dispatched to the scene approached Richards, who matched the description of the woman described by the caller. The log said, “Talking with her, they discovered she may have left her 8-month-old baby unattended in her apartment. Checking her apartment, they found her 8-month-old baby boy asleep in a swing with no one else in the apartment...Richards admitted she was attempting to exchange sexual favors for $40 to $120.” Police on the scene called Montgomery County Children Services Board and the baby was placed in the custody of his grandparents. A pre-trial hearing for both misdemeanor charges has been scheduled for Richards on Aug. 31 in the chambers of Judge Robert Moore.

Iloilo farmer molests, kills neighbor's goat 08/24/2009 PHILIPPINES - An 18-year-old farmer faces charges for allegedly sexually molesting – and killing - a two-year-old goat in Iloilo province following a drinking spree Sunday evening. Radio dzXL cited initial police reports showing the incident occurred at Sitio Tacas in Talacuan village in Leon town in Iloilo. Investigation showed Eliseo Minerva, the owner of the goat, was shocked to see the suspect, identified as Rogie Calamaan, sexually assaulting his pet at about 6 p.m. Police learned Calamaan went on a drinking spree after he finished planting rice last Sunday. The goat died after the assault, the report said. A separate report on Visayas-based Bombo Radyo said Calamaan admitted assaulting the goat, but said he was too drunk at the time. The report quoted Calamaan as saying he was going to gather the harvested rice when he saw the goat in a "prone" position, and took "interest." He said he strangled the goat when it tried to resist his advances. Calamaan is now facing charges of malicious mischief from the police. - GMANews.TV

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Married GP 'had sex with patient while unsuspecting husband sat in next door waiting room' 25th August 2009 Daily Mail Married father: Dr Michael Rusling pictured arriving at yesterday's hearing, is accused of having a sexual relationship with two patients. A doctor had sex with a patient in his surgery while her unsuspecting husband sat next door in the waiting room, it was claimed yesterday. Dr Michael Rusling, 48, a married father of three, is accused of secret trysts with the woman both at work and at her home. Known as Patient A, the mother of four and grandmother recorded their encounters in her diary with the letter 'M' in a circle followed by remarks such as: 'Happy day' and 'Michael - great'. On the day that she had sex with Dr Rusling in his surgery, she wrote: 'What a buzz.' Yesterday, the GP faced the General Medical Council accused of having sexual relationships with two patients and threatening to withdraw the medication of one of them unless she continued to see him. If the panel finds against him he could be struck off, suspended or have other conditions imposed on him. Bernadette Baxter, for the GMC, said the affair with Patient A began in September 2006 when she went to see Dr Rusling about a lump on her lower stomach. As he examined her, the doctor moved his hand beneath her underwear and the woman tried to laugh it off by saying: 'Isn't that something my husband should be doing?' The next day Dr Rusling visited her at her home where they had sex. The eight-month affair was discovered when one of her daughters saw the doctor leaving the house with her mother standing at the doorstep in her dressing gown. Their affair continued after Dr Rusling left the practice in March 2007, but police approached her following complaints by two other women, Patient B and a member of the surgery staff, Miss C.

The Enicycle - Single Wheel Transportation The EniCycle is one-wheel self-stabilizing unicycle, created by Slovenian inventor Aleksander Polutnik. Powered by a electric motor and features a self-balancing gyroscope system that runs 100 times per second. The speed of eniCycle is controlled by leaning forwards/backwards like the Segway. And they claim that it is eaily learning to ride in less than 30 minutes.

Taser Gun Ultra Extreme August 26, 2009 “ A Taser stun gun which is capable of shocking up to three people at a time without being reloaded has been unveiled in the United States . The device, which can hit people up to 35 feet away, weighs less than two pounds and is only seven inches tall, but is being billed as the most powerful Taser yet. The new Taser stun gun can also can target the same person more than once and each barb can deliver a separate shock, according to manufacturers. The gun was unveiled yesterday in front of hundreds of police at Taser Internationa’s annual conference. American police, who will use the device from next month, said it would allow for greater accountability because it had sensors that measured each discharge. Data can also be downloaded and analysed from the device. Taser International CEO Rick Smith said the gun would become the new standard for police officers who want greater tactical abilities.”

Indiana News Deputy Charged In Sex-For-Soda, Cigarettes Case August 25, 2009 INDIANAPOLIS -- A Marion County sheriff's deputy was charged Tuesday with official misconduct and patronizing a prostitute after an Indianapolis police sting caught him in the act, police said. Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi said Paul Wagner, 25, attempted to use his job to obtain sexual favors from a woman while he worked an off-duty security job at a Speedway gas station in the 5100 block of East Washington Street. According to a probable cause affidavit, Indianapolis police began their investigation after a woman told them that Wagner attempted to solicit her for sex on several occasions. Wagner, who has been with the department for 10 months, was arrested Sunday after police wired the woman for sound. Brizzi said Wagner was heard on a recording offering to trade a pack of cigarettes and a soda for oral sex. Wagner was wearing his sheriff's uniform when he was arrested. He was suspended without pay, pending

Tue Aug 25,10:07 AM ET A model presents a creation from Laperla fall / winter 2009 collection during a fashion show at the MasterCard Luxury Week in Hong Kong August 25, 2009.

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Man fires shotgun at a stray cat, hits two people August 21st, 2009 @ 3:09pm LINDON , UTAH -- Lindon police arrested a man for firing a sawed-off shotgun in his own backyard. When the man missed his original target, the stray pellets hit two people. A driving instructor and a student were filling up at a gas station when they were hit. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt. When police investigated, they tracked the stray pellets back to 52-year-old Kay Fotheringham. Police say Fotheringham told them he was actually aiming for a stray cat that was chasing birds in his yard. The cat escaped, apparently unharmed, but the stray pellets hit a nearby trailer, then the driving instructor, his student and the car, all several yards away. Police say Fotheringham had been heavily drinking. Chief Cody Cullimore, with the Lindon Police Department, said, "Alcohol and firearms never go together. This situation, luckily, wasn't tragic, but could have been a very serious problem." Police say at first Fotheringham denied firing the gun but later admitted to it. He was booked into the Utah County jail for reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and discharging a firearm in the city. Fotheringham has since been released from jail. Police say he has no prior history. Police say the sawed-off shotgun Fotheringham used wasn't legal; that'll mean a federal felony charge.

Tue Aug 25, 6:28 AM ET Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela, seen here at Atlantis, Paradise Island Bahamas, on August 23. As Venezuela celebrated its back-to-back success at the Miss Universe competition, the rest of the world was left to ponder why the women of the South American nation are fairest of them all.