Music of the sun

The sun has been the inspiration for hundreds of songs, but now scientists have discovered that the star at the centre of our solar system produces its own music.

Source.

The Lighter Side...?

The floor of a Weight Watchers clinic in Sweden collapsed beneath a group of 20 members of the weight loss programme who were gathered for a meeting.

Irony if I ever saw it...

How to fake your own book prizes

An interesting read about how the publishing industry uses fake awards(including the corresponding websites) to sell you their crap.

Vanity Book Awards

Best of all, as USABN's Web site freely promises, "the National Best Books Awards are the ONLY Awards Program in the nation that offers direct coverage to the book buying public for every entry." Like the Special Olympics, this is a competition that everybody wins. If you enter the 2010 contest by the end of this year, they'll even throw in a "six-month full-color listing on USABookNews.com," which is "valued at $1500.00!" despite the fact that none of the publishers whose books are listed there now seem to have paid for this service or even to be aware that it's been provided.

Just who you want flying the plane.

Michael Moore has a 'nice; story. I don't know, perhaps I should avoid flying US airlines? On the other hand : perhaps the same goes for all the other ones...

The plane landed and I stepped into the cockpit. "Read this," the first officer said. He handed me a letter from the airline to him. It was headlined "LETTER OF CONCERN." It seems this poor fellow had taken three sick days in the past year. The letter was a warning not to take another one -- or else.
"Great," I said. "Just what I want -- you coming to work sick, flying me up in the air and asking to borrow the barf bag from my seatback pocket."
He then showed me his pay stub. He took home $405 this week. My life was completely and totally in his hands for the past hour and he's paid less than the kid who delivers my pizza.

michael-moore-do-you-want-airline-pil

Let me translate. Frank Zappa...

http://www.nu.nl/news/1176477/70/Berlijn_eert_Frank_Zappa_met_straat.html

Berlijn eert Frank Zappa met straat
Uitgegeven: 30 juli 2007 19:27
Laatst gewijzigd: 30 juli 2007 19:28

AMSTERDAM - In Berlijn is een straat vernoemd naar de legendarische rockster Frank Zappa. Straat 13 in het voorheen communistische oosten van Berlijn heet vanaf nu Frank Zappastraat.
ANP

Het initiatief voor de naamsverandering is genomen door de filmorganisatie Orwo Haus, die in de straat gevestigd is. Het gaat de organisatie, die stamt uit de DDR-tijd, naar eigen zeggen om hetgeen Zappa symboliseerde.

"Taboes kende hij niet, hij was muzikaal van alle markten thuis, prikkelend en hij liet zich niet inpalmen door kapitalistische ondernemingen", zegt de organisatie in een verklaring.

Broer

Zappa's broer Bobby heeft Orwo Haus bedankt en gezegd dat de in 1993 overleden Amerikaan trots zou zijn geweest.
(c) ANP

Berlin honours Frank Zappa with street.

Released: 30 juli 2007 19:27
Last updated: 30 juli 2007 19:28


AMSTERDAM - In Berlin a street was named after the legendary rockstar Frank Zappa. Strasse 13(Street 13) is now called Frank Zappa Street.

The initiative for the namechange came from the film organization Orwo Haus, located in the street. The organization, which stems from the DDR-era, aims for what Frank Zappa stood for.

"He did not know any taboos, he was musically extremely eclectic, he pushed the envelope and he was not seduced by capitalist companies", the organization states.


Brother.

Zappa's brother Bobby has thanked Orwo Haus en stated that the artist, who passed away in 1993, would have been proud.

(c) ANP