A cup of drip brewed coffee has about 115 milligrams of caffeine, an espresso (and percolated coffee) about 80mg, while instant coffee has about 65mg of caffeine. Decaffeinated coffee is not totally caffeine free, containing about 3mg of caffeine. A can of Coca-Cola has about 23mg of caffeine, Pepsi Cola 25mg, Mountain Dew 37mg, and TAB 31mg. Tea has about 40mg of caffeine, while an ounce of chocolate contains about 20mg.

Coffee is the world's most popular stimulant: 4 out of 5 Americans drink it, consuming more than 400 million cups a day. Consumption in Scandinavian countries is more than 12kg (26lb) per capita. With more than 25 million people employed in the industry, coffee is second only to oil in world trade.

Although coffee is believed to have been grown near the Red Sea since the 7th century, an Arabian author of the 15th century, Shehabeddin Ben, wrote that Ethiopians enjoyed coffee ever since anyone could remember. By the 16th centuries, coffee plants were found throughout the Yemen region of Arabia. After a Turkish ambassador introduced it to the court of Louis XIV in 1669, Europeans quickly acquired a taste for it. A few years later, the Dutch introduced coffee into Java. In 1714, the Frenchman Desclieux planted a single cutting of a coffee tree on the island of Martinique. Plantations soon grew from French Guiana to Brazil and Central America. Today, coffee is planted in moist regions around the world.

Coffee is the seed of a cherry from the tree genus Coffea, a tree yielding about 1kg (2lb) of coffee per year. There are more than 25 species of coffee, the 3 main commercial types being Robusta, Liberia and Arabica, the latter representing 70% of total production.

Caffeine increases the power of aspirin and other painkillers, that is why it is found in some medicines. Ironically, caffeine withdrawal also is one of the most common causes of headaches. Women who drink 2 or more cups of coffee a day also have an increased risk of developing osteoporosis. This, however, can be offset by drinking milk or yoghurt to replace the lost calcium. Most studies have found that high caffeine consumption impairs fertility, and taken during pregnancy may cause premature or defected birth.

Caffeine is removed from coffee by treating the green beans with chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents. Instant coffee is prepared by mixing ground and roasted coffee with hot water. The water is then evaporated by spray dryers and high pressure, leaving only the coffee powder. In some coffee products, coffee is replaced with chicory (a wildflower herb), fig, date, malt, or barley, remotely resembling real coffee.

The first fax process was patented in 1843 by Alexander Bain, but fax machines went into service only in 1964. In 1888, Frank Sprague completed an electric railway, but electric locomotives were introduced only in 1895. Eugene Ely landed a plane on a boat in 1911, but aircraft carriers weren't perfected for another 20 years.

The first parachute jump was made from a hot air balloon by Andre-Jacques Garnerinthe in France in 1793. Leonardo da Vinci made detailed sketches of parachutes in 1485. He also sketched studies for a helicopter, a tank and retractable landing gear. The first helicopter that could carry a person was flown by Paul Cornu in 1907. Tanks were first used during World War One in Cambrai, France in 1917. The first airplane with retractable landing gear was built in 1933. Da Vinci also suggested underwater breathing methods. Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Emile Gagnon introduced scuba diving only in 1943, 458 years later.

Although Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928, it was only in 1938 that Howard Florey and Ernst Chain found a way to produce it, demonstrating it only in 1942.

Adolph Fick first suggested contact lenses in 1888, and although two companies manufactured lenses out of glass, it wasn't until 1948 when Kevin Tuohy invented the soft plastic lens.

Bar codes were invented by Bernard Silver and Norman Woodland in 1948. Their system used light to read a set of concentric circles, but they had to wait two decades before the advent of computers and lasers made their system practical. (However, the bar code system in use today is the Universal Product Code, introduced by IBM in 1973. The first bar coded item sold was a pack of gum in 1974.)

Heron of Greece invented steam power in 50 BC. But the leaders of the day thought that it would cause unemployment which may lead to unrest and the invention ran out of steam. The steam engine reappeared again only in 1698 when Thomas Savery invented a steam pump. The first practical steam engine was the atmospheric machine of Thomas Newcomen in 1701. It was used to operate pumps on coal mines. In 1804, English inventor Richard Trevithick introduced the steam locomotive in Wales. In 1815, George Stephenson built the world's first workable steam locomotive.

The computer was launched in 1943, more than 100 years after Charles Babbage designed the first programmable device. Babbage dropped his idea after he couldn't raise capital for it. In 1998, the Science Museum in London, UK, built a working replica of the Babbage machine, using the materials and work methods available at Babbage's time. It worked just as Babbage had intended.

Worldwide, 20,000 brands of beer are brewed in 180 styles, from ales, lagers, pilsner and stouts to bitters, cream ales and iced beers.

Beer has been a popular beverage for a long time. Babylonian clay tablets show detailed recipes of beer making in 4300 BC. Beer was also brewed by the ancient Chinese, Assyrians and Incas.

An Egyptian text of 1600 BC gives 100 medical prescriptions using beer. A few years ago, the New Castle Brewery in England brewed 1,000 bottles Tutankhamun Ale from a 3,200-year old recipe found in the sun temple of Queen Nefertiti.

Commercial beer making was established in 1200 AD in present-day Germany. In 1506, the German Purity Law is issued, specifying that beer ingredients must only be water, barley, wheat and hops. Bottling of beer started in 1605.

Making beer
Brewing is the process of changing water and grain into beer through a yeast catalyst. The quality of the water is extremely important. Hard water produce a bitter ale, soft water produce bitter lager. Barley or hops, or a combination of them, is used for the grain.

Getting dry grain ready for fermentation is called malting. The grain is steeped in water until it sprouts. The sprouting or germination is not allowed to end naturally but is interrupted either by drying or roasting in kilns.

Barley
Barley has been a grain of choice for thousands of years. The longer the roasting of the malted barley, the darker the beer. Barley, or wheat beers have a sweet taste.

Hops
Hops are herbaceous climbing vines and look like a cross between pine cores and artichokes. The bitter, dry flavour of hops counterbalance the sweetness of malt.

Yeast
Sugars in the malted grains are converted into alcohol by yeast. Different yeast ferment sugars into different flavours. For ales, top fermentation yeast is used, while bottom fermentation yeast is used for lagers.

The beer making process starts by germinating the grain, then steeping the resulting malt in hot water to get the wort. Base wort contents means the percentage of wort in the beer before fermentation. The alcohol contents is roughly one third of the base wort contents.The wort is boiled (brewed) and hops are added. After brewing, fermentation starts by adding yeast. After fermentation, the wort is drown into tanks where it is allowed to condition or age. Yeast and hops are sometimes added in a secondary fermentation process.

Ales and Lagers
Ales, stouts and several other types of brews, like porter, are top-fermented. The top-fermentation yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, usually produces stronger alcohol contents than the bottom-fermentation yeast, Saccharomyces carlsbergi, but the latter produces more quality-consistent brew. Lagers are bottom-fermented.

Ales usually are heavily hopped, and include bitters, brown ales, cream ales, mild ale, pale ale, India pale ale, barley wine and several other types. There are two types of the aboriginal ale still brewed in Europe. They are Belgian "lambic" and Finnish "sahti", which is brewed from rye malt. They are brewed on wild yeast and spontaneous fermentation. Both have very distinct tastes.

The word "lager" is German and means "storage", which refers to the lager (storage) fermentation. The main fermentation of both ales and lager are done on the similar temperature for 7-14 days. After that time the ale, depending on the type, may be ready for bottling. With lagers, this is only the start. After the main fermentation the beer is pumped into lager (storage) tanks with temperature some 10 deg C lower than room temperature. It is then let to mature and ferment for several weeks, usually 6-10 weeks. At 270 days, the longest lager fermentation is for that of Budejovicky Budvar brewery's Bud Strong.

Best taste
The best taste usually is acquired at an alcohol contents of 4.7% ethanol per volume. Less than that results in a beer with a bland taste. More than that and the higher alcohols (butanol, pentanol etc) become overpowering and spoils the taste.

The strongest beer type by alcohol content is doppelbock, which is usually 8%-10% ethanol by its volume content. The strongest beer brand in production is German "Eisbock", with some 14% ethanol by volume.

The very first bomb that the Allies dropped on Berlin in World War II killed the only elephant in the Berlin Zoo, it is said. The NATO attack on Serbia in 1999 (the Kosovo war) killed more animals than people. "Smart" weapons, such the Tomahawk missile is supposed to hit a postage stamp at 300km or more (200 miles or more). But only two out of thirteen actually hit the target. One skimmed over the house of a small farmer a few kilometres (miles) off target, straight up a track, through bushes, and exploded in the farmer's field, killing seven sheep, one cow and a goat. The farmer kept the missile nosecone as a souvenir.

To err is human. To really mess things up you need a computer
On 5 October 1960 an early-warning system warned the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) of a massive Soviet nuclear missile strike approaching the United States. What happened is that a fault in a computer system had removed two zeros from the radar's ranging components, detecting the missile attack at 4 000km (2,500 miles) away. The radar was actually detecting a reflection from the moon, located 400 000km (250,000 miles) away.

On 3 June 1980 a massive Soviet missile attack was again registered by computers. 100 nuclear-armed B-52s were immediately put on alert. A computer fault was detected in time, but three days later the same error occurred and again the bombers were put on alert. The problem was later traced to the failure of an integrated circuit in a computer, which was producing random digits representing the number of missiles detected.

On 10 January 1984, Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, recorded a message that one of its Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles was about to launch from its silo due to a computer malfunction. To prevent the possible launch, an armoured car was parked on top of the silo.

The longest and biggest cruise liners in the world

When Ferdinand Magellan led the first circumnavigation of earth in the 16th century, his 5 ships were about 33 metres (100 feet) long, and reached 10 knots. Today, cruise liners exceed 300m (1,000ft) in length and reaches 25 knots.

Other beauties in the big league include the Norway, at one stage, the longest liner at 315,5 metres (1,035 feet), yet she's not in the top ten by Gross Registered Tonnes (GRT), registering 76,049 tonnes. The Grand Princess, which cruises the Mediterranean, is, at 109,000 tonnes, one of the biggest. She accommodates 2,600 passengers. The Carnival Destiny - at 101,000 tonnes the first liner to displace more than 100,000 tonnes - accommodates more passengers, courting 3,400 passengers at a time in the Caribbean. The two 142,000 tonnes sister ships Voyager of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas are not shy of their size, either. They cruise in at 308 metres (1,025 feet) in length. The Titanic, built for $10 million in 1911, was 265 metres (883 feet) long.

Not to be outdone in any manner Queen Mary 2, launched by Cunard on 12 January 2004, is 345 metres (1,132 ft) long, displaces 150 000 tonnes and accommodates 1 253 crew members at the service of 2 620 passengers in the grandest luxury. Queen Mary 2 was the world's largest, longest, tallest ocean liner... until Royal Caribbean International's Freedom of the Seas was launched in April 2006. Although QM2 is 6m longer, Freedom of the Seas comes in at 160,000 tonnes, is 339 metres (1,112 ft) long, 56m (184 ft) wide and has a cruising speed of 21.6 knots. She is 15m wider than QM2 and takes up to 4,375 lucky passengers.

Bon voyage!

Cunard's Queen Mary 2, featuring 17 decks and towering 62 metres (200 ft) above the waterline, one and half times higher than the Statue of Liberty, only 35 metres shorter than the Empire State Building.

Traffic lights were in use before there were motorcars

Traffic lights were used before the advent of the motorcar. In 1868, a lantern with red and green signals was used at a London intersection to control the flow of horse buggies and pedestrians.

When motorcars were introduced to the US in the late 1890s, Police Officer William Potts used railroad signals for street traffic, adding the amber light. His electric traffic lights were installed in 1920 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. They were manually controlled. The first automatic traffic light was invented later in 1920 by Garrett Morgan and first used in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Isn't it amazing that, after all these years, the only thing that can stop a 30-ton truck is a traffic light.

Homophones are words that sound the same but have a different meaning. 

Can you work out what they are?

1. Can you bake with something in the grass?

2. Can a woman have a baby in the sky? 

3. What colour is the same as some one reading?

4. What animal is on your head?

5. A vegetable dripping water. 

6. Not very tough for 7 days.

7. When you look at it you do it!

8. It walks in the woods, with nothing on.

9. Begin a letter living in forest.

10. Wear silver clothes after day.

11. You ride one when your throat is sore.

12 . Can you eat it and play golf at the same time?

13. The Queen and the sky both do this.

14.  A girl's name in the morning.

15. Part of a shoe in your body.

16. Not a girl floating in the sea.

17. All around and next to the throne.

18. Trapped in prison but not buying.

19.  A tree with lots of grains.

20.  Meaning of a clock and a herb.

21. Hard thief.

22. Walk up and down using your eyes.

23. Are you dull and made of wood?

Think you know what they all are? Then click to find out!
Answers

The longest word in the world

What word are you talking about? How large is it?

This is what I'm talking about:

kyyhkyslakkahillotaatelipalmusunnuntaikävelykatujuhla-
koristehedelmäkaramellimassatuotevalvontalaitteisto-
testauslaboratoriokäyttökertatulitikkuviinapiilohomo-
kaasulasersädehoitokotikaljakimblemestaruussarjakuva-
ristikkokilpajuoksuhiekka-aavikkoluonto-ohjelmauusinta-
vaalikokousedustusmeno-paluuruuhkabussivuoropysäköinti-
sakkolihakoukkuselkänahkavyöruusukasvimaamunajuustomaito-
rasvaimunestepinta-alahuulipunakampelaverkkomahalasku-
harjoituskrapula-aamukampapellavaöljykriisiapukeinolonkkalepo-
lomarusketusrajatietoteollisuuskiinteistömarkkinointi-
diplomi-insinööriopiskelijaperinnemaisema-arkkitehti-
kilta-aktiivihiiliteräsbetonivalurautaristisiitoshärkä-
pizzamaustevoipaperiroskapostimerkkisavusaunavastaprotesti-
marssivapautusliikevaihtoväliarvojoukkopakomatkaopas-
koirakantakorttitaikatalvisotakunniajäsenetupuolikuiva-
rehuvilja-aittakorpisuomaastohiihtoputkitiivistesilikoni-
rintataskuvaraslähtöliukumiinakenttäkeitinvesihanasaari-
ryhmätyömyyrävuosikurssikirjapainopistetulotukivarsikenkä-
kauppaopistoupseerikerhohuonepalveluammattikoulupoika-
tyttöenergiatalousaluelaajennustarvehierarkiakaavio-
suunnittelupäätöspäivävientisulkuporttiteoriapohjakunto-
urheiluruutuässäpariluistelutyylituomaripelimies-
voimisteluvideokulmakarvakuonokoppalakkipäämääräalennus-
tilataksimittarimatopurkkikeittoastiakaappipakastin-
yhdistelmälukkoseppähenkilötunnussanaleikkikalupakkipussi-
eläinkoeponnistuslautakuntalakitekstiseikkailuleiri-
telttakangaspuujalkasienipiirakkareseptivihkopakkaus-
muovikuularuiskumaalaustarvikevarastohyllymetrilakuavain-
naulakkovartiopäällikkötasogeometriavirhevaihtosähkökazoo-
pillihousupukupellehyppylankakeräkaaliaivovuotosuoja-
vaatekappalemyyntitykkilavatanssiaskelmoottoripyörä-
koppisiemenperunapalstajakoviivaintegraalioperaattori-
algebraoppilaitoskompleksilukusuoraveto-oikeusmurha-
asevarikkopilttuu

This word has exactly 1787 letters. The hyphenation was done by hand, so it may look weird on some machines.

For the rest of the story.

We have all heard of the 'bat cave'. The cave used by Batman and Robin the popular TV series that has also been made into numerous movies. The cave is usually filled with computer equipment, Batman's costume, and of course a great place to stash the bat mobile. All concealed behind a secret door in the house of Bruce Wayne.

Law enforcement officials in middle Tennessee made a discovery that would make even Batman's jaw drop. The cave in Trousdale county Tennessee was used to house a sophisticated underground marijuana growing facility. The stash was complete with offices, sleeping quarters, restroom, and a huge climate controlled growing area large enough for 1,000 marijuana plants. All concealed within one of Tennessee 9,000 natural caves and accessible through a hidden passageway below a beautiful vacation home. Did I mention the escape hatch down a 150 yard long corridor complete with a trap door below a hydraulic controlled boulder.

The World Series of Poker is the most prestigious, hotly contested Poker event in the World. From a humble, and somewhat questionable, origin, the WSOP has evolved into a multi-week tournament that attracts the top players from all over the world, and rewards its champion with a multi-million dollar payday.

In the years leading up to the 1970s, Poker had a checkered reputation. The lack of legitimacy in card gambling, and the inherent difficulties in keeping cheats out of Poker rooms kept the game on the fringes of mainstream acceptability. This was all about to change.

The first World Series of Poker was the work of Riverside Casino boss Tom Morehead; it was held in the Riverside at Reno and was a purely invitational event. A young Benny Binion saw this event occurring and was inspired to develop the multi-week, multi-tournament format we have today. From this visionary idea, Binion hosted the first WSOP tournament in 1970 at his Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. There were only 7 players, and legend Johnny Moss was declared the victor; his prize was a silver cup and the title of first ever World Champion.

In 1970 Johnny Moss was elected as Champion by his peers; From 1971 on, the tournament would remain a Freezout format, meaning that at the end of the tournament all players except 1 has been eliminated. The main event of the Championship has always been No Limit Hold’em, and in 1973 Five Card Stud was added to the bill. Over the years, new games have been added and removed, but the number of events has grown steadily, peaking at the current total of 36. In addition to the standard games, there are also special events for seniors, women, and casino employees.

Why all the hype about this event? Two reasons: prestige and LOTS OF MONEY. In addition to the title of World’s Best, this includes bragging rights, winners get the special Golden Bracelet which identifies them as Champions and a considerable cash prize. In 2004 Main Event Champion Greg Raymer took home a cool $5 Million for his victory in $10,000 No Limit Texas Hold’em. In all, over $25 Million in prizes was distributed to the top players.

The World Series of Poker has shown phenomenal and consistent growth over the past years, and much of this is due to the popularity of the World Poker Tour, as well as a booming online Poker market. The 2005 event promises to be bigger than ever, and while the final two days main event will remain at the traditional Binion’s location, the other events will take place at the Rio Casino, owned by entertainment giant Harrah’s who recently purchased Binion’s Horseshoe.
Regardless of location, the WSOP can be counted on to deliver the biggest pots, and attract the very best players in the Poker World.

"I learned how to chip-shuffle before I learned how to play poker because I felt like these are things all the men do," she said.

Though an actor for more than two decades, Tilly doesn't just look the part when playing poker for keeps — a world away from some of her movie roles as a ditzy bimbo with a whispery, childlike voice.

She draws on lessons from 10- to 12-hour days at the tables, devouring books on strategy and the guidance of her poker-pro boyfriend, Phil "The Unabomber" Laak. (She says he talks poker in his sleep.)

As a woman and a celebrity, Tilly is battling odds on two fronts in a game dominated by men known for their moves, not their movies. But "The Unabombshell," her nickname since pairing with Laak, says one reason she is "obsessed" with poker is that chips trump critics.

"Acting is one of the arts where somebody has to validate you, say, 'Yes, I think you're great, and I'm going to give you this wonderful part,' " she said in a piano bar at the Bellagio hotel/casino. "With poker, everyone can think you're the worst player in the world. You can still pay your five thousand, pay your 10 thousand and sit down and play, and the person that has the most chips at the end, that's the winner."

A year ago, Tilly earned a gold bracelet and $158,335 by winning the Ladies Event in the World Series of Poker.

After that 2005 victory in a field of 600 which included top female pros, she won the World Poker Tour (WPT) Ladies Night Invitational a few months later in Los Angeles.

No woman has won a WPT open event or the World Series main event, where Tilly went out in the first round last year.

"It's definitely going to happen. Everyone wants to be the first," said Tilly, who'll be back in the World Series main event starting Friday.

She was eliminated early in this year's Ladies Event, which drew 1,128 players.

Recent heat wave-related blackouts in California and New York are at least partly being blamed on creaky transformers, circuit breakers and cables.

And smaller outages in cities such as Detroit, Chicago and Houston will be investigated to see if aging parts played a role, says Stan Johnson of the North American Electric Reliability Council.

Low investment in interstate transmission lines could lead to more regional blackouts, such as the one that hit the Northeast in August 2003. The trends show the need to pump more money into the power grid to meet demand, federal officials say. That would mean higher consumer rates.

"There is a need to spend more," says Gerry Cauley, vice president of standards for the reliability council.

While Johnson says the USA's power grid handled the heat spell well, key trouble spots were exposed:

• In Queens, N.Y., as households boosted their electricity usage during last week's heat wave, high-voltage feeder cables failed, plunging 25,000 Con Edison customers into darkness for up to nine days. Reports to state regulators show that the Queens system had 71 equipment failures last year and that many parts were 30 to 60 years old.

"Age is not necessarily an indicator of performance," Con Ed's Chris Olert says.

While even new cables break if stressed, older ones have more cracks that absorb corrosive moisture, says Gerald Wilson, a power-system expert at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. New York last year told Con Ed to spend $3.4 billion on upgrades by 2009.

• In Southern California, more than 1 million customers of Southern California Edison and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have lost power since July 13. Utility executives blamed the record heat wave and transformers that weren't built to handle customers' new central air conditioning systems, multiple computers and big-screen TVs.

Southern California Edison already planned to spend $7 billion by 2011 on upgrades, and may seek further rate increases for extra transformers, Senior Vice President Ron Litzinger says.

• In Franklin, Tenn., 10,000 homes lost power for 90 minutes in May as a 40-year-old surge protector broke.

A bigger weak spot may be the transmission lines that bring electricity to regions. As demand and power supply rose 2.5% a year from 1993 to 2004, delivery lines grew just 0.75%, says the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

"You're raising the prospects we will see another major regional blackout," FERC Chairman Joseph Kelliher says.

New rules allowing utilities higher returns should spur construction. Yet, local regulators may be loath to clear rate increases for other upgrades with rates in some states soaring, Johnson says.

On average, 42% of IRS supervisors sampled in the audit certified that they had reviewed security reports showing whether their staffers gained access to taxpayer information without authorization.

The certification rate ranged from a low of 15% for IRS supervisors in Austin to a high of 75% for their Brookhaven, N.Y., counterparts, according to the audit by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

"As a result, employees may be browsing their spouses' or other employees' tax information with little chance of detection," the audit concluded.

Underscoring the potential danger, auditors reported that they found "a clear violation" of data safeguards designed to prevent unauthorized access to taxpayer information during a site visit to one unidentified IRS location.

Auditors also said the IRS paid a government contractor $2.4 million for the data security system in 2002, even though it did not completely meet the agency's requirements. The IRS did not renew the contract last year because the contractor was unable to develop an anticipated upgrade.

Auditors recommended that the IRS emphasize the importance of reviewing data security reports and hold managers accountable. They also recommended that the agency hire a new contractor quickly to upgrade the security system. The IRS agreed with most of the recommendations.

Nonetheless, the audit results prompted criticism from Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., the ranking minority member on the Senate Finance Committee.

"With recent reports of security breaches at the VA (Veterans Affairs) and the Social Security Administration, it's unbelievable that IRS isn't doing what it takes to keep information safe in-house," Baucus said.

Now why would I think that Texas will get it. 
********************************************

"Today I am pleased to announce that the United States will sponsor a $1 billion, 10-year demonstration project to create the world's first coal-based, zero-emissions electricity and hydrogen power plant..."
                               President George W. Bush
                                February 27, 2003

2 Texas cities make FutureGen shortlist

 

12:01 PM CDT on Tuesday, July 25, 2006

 

By ELIZABETH SOUDER / The Dallas Morning News

 

Texas came two steps closer to hosting the world’s first near-zero-emissions coal power plant Tuesday.

Both cities Texas had proposed as sites for FutureGen – Odessa and Jewett – made a shortlist of locations for the plant.

The other two cities on the shortlist are in Illinois: Mattoon and Tuscola.

“I’m thrilled, I’m excited,” said Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, who’s in charge of Texas’ bid to host the $1 billion plant, funded largely by the Department of Energy.

A group of coal industry companies, called the FutureGen Alliance, came up with the shortlist and will choose the final site for the project next year. The power plant is expected to begin operating in 2012.

FutureGen will combine several different kinds of technology to scrub nearly all polluting emissions from the coal-fired power plant. Most important, the research project will be the first big coal power plant to include equipment to capture carbon dioxide and store it underground.

Traditional coal plants vent the carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, thus contributing to global warming.

Thursday 7-27

v243x

Unscramble the State Capitals

1. NNLSIGA
Capital of Michigan

2. INNOAPASL
Capital of Maryland

3. BLYNAA
Capital of New York

4. OAIIDNLPAISN
Capital of Indiana

5. HLLSAEAETSA
Capital of Florida

6. NDROOCC
Capital of New Hampshire

7. NOUHLULO
Capital of Hawaii

8. PIMOYLA
Capital of Washington

9. ERERPI
Capital of South Dakota

10. AHEENL
Capital of Montana

11. IOEBS
Capital of Idaho

12. AKHMALOO ICTY
Capital of Oklahoma

13. ATAATNL
Capital of Georgia

14. POTEAK
Capital of Kansas

15. BUCOMSUL
Capital of Ohio

16. LNOCLIN
Capital of Nebraska

17. USINAT
Capital of Texas

18. TALS EKAL YTCI
Capital of Utah

19. NETONRT
Capital of New Jersey

20. NECTALOHSR
Capital of West Virginia

21. UAUSTAG
Capital of Maine

22. OSBNOT
Capital of Massachusetts

23. KCANSOJ
Capital of Mississippi

24. OTASMRACNE
Capital of California

25. FFAONTRRK
Capital of Kentucky

26. ELAIGHR
Capital of North Carolina

27. NEUJAU
Capital of Alaska

28. VREOD
Capital of Delaware

29. SFRONJFEE IYTC
Capital of Missouri

30. ILUNSTPAA
Capital of Minnesota

31. VLAHNLISE
Capital of Tennessee

32. ENRVED
Capital of Colorado

33. XPNEIOH
Capital of Arizona

34. KABSCMIR
Capital of North Dakota

35. GBSIRRRAHU
Capital of Pennsylvania

36. HRAFDORT
Capital of Connecticut

37. TNIELOMPER
Capital of Vermont

38. ISADMNO
Capital of Wisconsin

39. IENFPLRSDIG
Capital of Illinois

40. OAUCIBLM
Capital of South Carolina

41. CYHNNEEE
Capital of Wyoming

42. SLMAE
Capital of Oregon

43. EONVIRCDEP
Capital of Rhode Island

44. OHRDNIMC
Capital of Virginia

45. MGYNTROEOM
Capital of Alabama

46. SED SMOEIN
Capital of Iowa

47. OCNASR CTIY
Capital of Nevada

48. NATOB GROEU
Capital of Louisiana

49. SATAN EF
Capital of New Mexico

50. TELLTI CKOR
Capital of Arkansas

Hewlett-Packard is adapting jet engines from radio-controlled jets to help cool their servers. It's a good idea and a wonder why nobody has thought of it yet. Imagine the difference between a propeller and a jet engine, and the amount of hot air they could potentially move.

A rare rainbow known as a circumhorizontal arc was spotted over Idaho on June 3rd. The arc isn't a traditional rainbow, but rather caused by light passing through wispy, high-altitude cirrus clouds, and only occurs when the sun is very high in the sky - more than 58 degrees above the horizon. Additionally, the hexagonal ice crystals that make up the cirrus clouds must be shaped like thick plates with their faces parallel to the ground, so that light enters through the vertical face of the ice crystal and leaves from the bottom face; refracting the way light passing through a prism does.

The progress of the earth sciences and the advancement of technologies associated with the understanding of our planet during the 1940's and 50's have led geologists to develop a new way of looking at the world and how it works. This exhibit explains the history of our new understanding of the Earth and provides a brief overview of the theories behind it.

Plate Tectonics

This playful Swiss Army-inspired seating landscape is cut, to fold, like a knife. The Swiss knife seating unit is product design done on the scale of furniture.
The design goal is to allow you to minimize your furnishings, maybe you can get away with just one piece that you unfold for parties.

Anybody can own one of those lame stand alone hammocks but it takes a real innovator to own one with fake palm trees attached. What better way to remind yourself your life is bad and you can't afford a real vacation by laying in this bad boy in your backyard and weeping the days away.

The word "google" has officially been added to Webster's dictionary, with the definition: "to use the Google search engine to obtain information on the World Wide Web." As in, "Let me google that." The problem is, if the word becomes too embedded in everyday speech then Google can lose its trademark protection and other companies can start using the term "google" when referring to their search. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but "cellophane", "aspirin", and even "escalator" used to be trademarks.

Researchers at Akishima Laboratories (Mitsui Zosen), working in conjunction with professor Shigeru Naito of Osaka University, have developed a device that uses waves to draw text and pictures on the surface of water. The device consists of 50 water wave generators encircling a cylindrical tank 1.6 meters in diameter and 30 cm deep (about the size of a backyard kiddie pool). The wave generators move up and down in controlled motions to simultaneously produce a number of cylindrical waves that act as pixels. The pixels, which measure 10 cm in diameter and 4 cm in height, are combined to form lines and shapes. The device is capable of spelling out the entire roman alphabet, as well as some simple kanji characters. Each letter or picture remains on the water surface only for a moment, but they can be produced in succession on the surface every 3 seconds.

Monopoly board game players can now pay for properties with debit cards. Game makers Parker have phased out the standard multi-coloured cash in a new version. Players will instead use a Visa mock debit card to keep track of how much they win or lose. It is inserted into an electronic machine where the banker taps in cardholders' earnings and payments. Parker said replacing of cash with plastic showed the game was moving with the times. Spokesman Chris Weatherhead said: "The new electronic Monopoly reflects the changing nature of society and the advancement of technology."

Great Gas Mileage Going Nowhere Fast

The opening number of "The Muppet Movie"

Kermit: Why are there so many songs about rainbows
And what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
And rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers and me.

Who said that every wish would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that, and someone believed it,
And look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing
And what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers, and me.

All of us under its spell,
We know that it's probably magic...

... Have you been half asleep? And have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
... Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors?
The voice might be one and the same
I've heard it too many times to ignore it
It's something that I'm s'posed to be...
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers, and me.

Laa, da daa dee da daa daa,
La laa la la laa dee daa doo...

Artist/Band: Engvall Bill
Lyrics for Song: Here's Your Sign (Get The Picture)
Lyrics for Album: Here's Your Sign (Get The Picture)

I just hate stupid people.
They should have to wear signs that just say I'm stupid.
That way you wouldn't rely on them, would you?
You wouldn't ask them anything. It would be like, "Excuse me...oops,
never mind"
"I didn't see your sign."

It's like before my wife and I moved from Texas to California our house
was full
of boxes and there was a u-Haul truck in our driveway.
My friend comes over and says, "Hey, You moving?"

"Nope."

"We just pack our stuff up once or twice a week. Just to see how many
boxes it takes."

"Here's your sign."

Why can't they get the picture? Why don't they understand?
We're not dealing with the planet of apes, we're talking about the
modern man.
So you people with them itsy bitsy teensie weensie tiny minds...
Here's your sign. Here's your sign.

A couple of months ago I went fishing with a buddy of mine, we pulled
his boat
into the dock, I lifted up this big 'ol stringer of bass this idiot on
the dock
goes, "Hey, yall catch all them fish?"

Nope.

"Talked 'em into giving up."

"Here's your sign."

I was out in the front yard with my boy the other day and he was
playing with his little friend, and he hit his friend and I went up to
him
and I said "Hey, (smacks his boy), we don't hit." He looked up at me
like, "Here's your sign, dad."

Why can't they get the picture? Why don't they understand?
We're not dealing with the planet of apes, we're talking about the
modern man.
So you people with them itsy bitsy teensie weensie tiny minds...
Here's your sign. Here's your sign.

I was watching one of those animal shows on the Discovery Channel, there
was a guy
inventing a shark bite suit. There's only one way to test that.
"Alright Jimmy, you got that shark suit on, it looks good... They want
you to jump
into this pool of sharks, and you tell us if it hurts when they bite
you."

"Well allright....hold my sign, I don't wanna loose it"

Why can't they get the picture? Why don't they understand?
We're not dealing with the planet of apes, we're talking about the
modern man.
So you people with them itsy bitsy teensie weensie tiny minds...
Here's your sign. Here's your sign.

Last time I was home I was driving around I had a flat tire, I pulled my
truck into one
of these side-of-the-road gas statioons, the attendant walks out, looks
at my truck,
looks at me, I swear to GOD he went, "Tire go flat?"

I couldn't resist.

I said "Nope".

"No I was driving around and those other three just swelled right up on
me."

"Here's your sign."

Why can't they get the picture? Why don't they understand?
We're not dealing with the planet of apes, we're talking about the
modern man.
So you people with them itsy bitsy teensie weensie tiny minds...
People with them little bitty teenie weenie tiny monds...
Here's your sign.

We were trying to sell our car about a year ago, a guy come over to the
house, drove the
car around for about 45 minutes. We get back to the house, he gets out
of the car, reaches down
and grabs the exhaust pipe, then goes, "Damn thats hot!"

See...

If he'd been wearing his sign, I could have stopped him.

Making mistakes simply means you are learning faster.

The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work.

Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.

Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.

I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix. - Dan Quayle

The Internet is a great way to get on the Net. - Bob Dole

Be Silly. Be honest. Be kind. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wednesday 7-26

v243x

Corvette debuted in January of 1953 as a show car in the GM Motorama. It was a stylish two-seat convertible, designed to show the world that GM could create a sports car to compete with European nameplates like Jaguar and MG. All 1953 Corvettes were Polo White with red interiors.

The response to the Motorama show car was overwhelmingly positive, and production began that June in Flint, Michigan. It would change the landscape of the American road forever.

The 1953 Corvettes were built by hand and appeared nearly identical to the Motorama car. They were powered by the existing Chevrolet 235-cu.-in. 6-cylinder engine that was modified with a three-carburetor design and dual exhaust to give it more sports car-like performance. Named the Blue Flame Special, this engine generated 150 horsepower, and it was teamed with a 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. This powertrain, however, did not live up to the performance expectations of sports car buyers. Although sales climbed to 3640 units in 1954, they fell off dramatically to just 700 in 1955 setting off rumors that Corvette might be a short-lived automotive experiment. But Zora Arkus-Duntov had different ideas.

Arkus-Duntov, an engineer on the Corvette team since 1953 and a former European road racer, set out to give Corvette the two things it needed most -- better performance and better handling. Corvette's evolution into a true sports car began in 1955 when a 265-cu.-in. V8 that generated 195 horsepower was offered; and by the end of the model year, a 3-speed manual transmission was also available.

In 1955, driving a prototype V8-powered Corvette, Zora Arkus-Duntov set a new record in the Daytona "Measured Mile" at just over 150 miles per hour.

Corvette received its first major styling update in 1956. Changes included an all-new body with "scooped out" sides, outside door handles, roll-up windows and an optional removable hardtop.

Corvette got a performance boost to go along with its styling in 1957. The 283-cu.-in. V8 was modified with fuel injection to produce an unprecedented 283 horsepower, and a new 4-speed manual transmission was offered as a $188 option -- making Corvette one of the first cars in the world to mate a fuel-injected V8 engine with a 4-speed manual gearbox.

Corvette lit up the streets in 1958 in more ways than one. The fuel-injected 283-cu.-in. V8 was now producing up to 290 horsepower, and Corvette's new body design featured four headlights.

The 1960s -- Gaining Momentum
In 1960, Corvette production topped the 10,000 mark for the first time. It was now carving out a solid niche in the market and becoming a part of American culture.

In each year between 1960 and 1962, performance and styling enhancements made it more and more appealing to a wide variety of buyers. 1961 was the first year for Corvette trademark quad taillights. In 1962, engine displacement was increased to 327 cu. in. and top horsepower was up to 360.

But the most exciting changes were still a year away.

In 1963, Chevrolet unveiled its all-new Corvette Coupe and Convertible models -- the Sting Rays. This was the first time Corvette was available as a hardtop coupe model as well as the traditional convertible. Both cars featured an all-new body design that was significantly trimmer and more stylish than the previous generation. It was also the first year for concealed headlamps. The chassis was all new as well, including an independent rear suspension.

The 1963 Sting Ray Coupe featured a split rear-window design, but it was replaced with a single-piece rear window in 1964 because owners complained about visibility. Today, a 1963 split-window Coupe is a cherished prize among collectors.

The Sting Rays were the automotive success story of the year. Chevrolet had to add a second shift to its St. Louis, Missouri assembly plant to keep up with demand, and dealers reported owners waiting months for their cars to be built. By the end of the model year, Corvette production would surpass the 20,000-unit milestone.

The Sting Rays continued the Corvette evolution through the mid-1960s. In 1965, the 396-cu.-in. "Big Block" V8 was available in Corvette. It was rated at 425 horsepower. Four-wheel disc brakes were also made standard, although buyers could choose drum brakes as a cost-delete option while supplies of parts lasted.

In 1967, the limited-production L88 Corvette was officially rated at 430 horsepower, although some Corvette historians believe that figure was artificially low. Only 20 of the L88 Corvettes were built.

The all-new 1968 Corvette was dramatically different in appearance from any other Corvette. Bearing a striking resemblance to Chevrolet's "Mako Shark II" concept vehicle, it literally changed the way people looked at cars. Along with its bold new look, the 1968 Corvettes introduced hidden windshield wipers and removable T-Tops on Coupe models. In 1968, Corvette production hit a new record of 28,566. Corvette received its most radical styling change in 1968, and this basic body design would continue to evolve for 15 years.



The 1970s -- A Time of Change
The 1970s were a time of great change for Corvette. While a late production start for the 1970 model year prevented the first cars from rolling off the assembly line until January, sales rebounded in 1971 and continued to climb. But at the same time, outside forces, such as the oil embargo and increasing government regulations, were having an impact on Corvette performance.

The original high-performance LT1 engine, a 350-cu.-in. "Small Block," was introduced in 1970. It generated 370 horsepower. That year, the "Big Block" displacement was increased to 454 cu. in., and was rated at 390 horsepower in the LS5 version.

In 1971, a special-purpose "Big Block" V8 was available that produced 425 horsepower. But 1971 was the last year for "gross" horsepower ratings. The industry changed to a "net" rating system that accounted for the exhaust system, vehicle accessories and other components. It provided a truer measure of an engine's performance and is still used today.

The Convertible model was dropped at the end of the 1975 model year. The next Corvette Convertible would not be available until 1986.

In 1977, Corvette hit the 1/2-million milestone as the 500,000th car rolled off the assembly line. Leather seats were standard for the first time, although buyers could choose cloth as a no-cost option. Production reached 49,213 units.

Corvette celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1978 and, in recognition of this event, was selected to be the Official Pace Car of the Indianapolis 500. Two special models were produced for public sale -- a Pace Car appearance edition and a special Silver Anniversary paint package.



In 1979, Corvette production hit 53,807 units -- a record that still stands today.

The 1980s -- Anticipation
Sales of Corvette remained strong in the early '80s. It was clearly now a part of the American fabric, attracting buyers with its rich heritage and dramatic styling.

There were no 1983 Corvettes produced for public sale, but 43 pilot models of the new-generation Corvette were built in 1983 for testing purposes. Today, one of those 1983 pilots is on display at the Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The rest were scrapped.

Chevrolet introduced the first all-new Corvette since 1968. It featured an all-new body design, a double-wishbone front suspension and five-link independent rear suspension teamed with Goodyear Gatorback unidirectional tires. Inside, the pit surrounded the driver and featured advanced electronic instrumentation.The introduction of the 1984 Corvette was one of the most eagerly awaited vehicle announcements in recent history. It was named Motor Trend,s "Car of The Year."

For 1986, the Corvette Convertible was back! To celebrate the convertible's return, Corvette again paced the Indy 500 and all convertibles were designated Pace Car replicas. The evolution of Corvette as a world-class performance car also continued with the addition of new standard 4-wheel ABS, an increase in maximum horsepower to 230 from its 5.7 Liter V8 and continued suspension fine-tuning. The PASS-Key¨ theft-deterrent system was also added as standard equipment on all models.

Corvette handling made great strides in 1989 with the Performance Handling Package becoming standard equipment, along with new 17-inch wheels and tires. The Selective Ride Control adjustable suspension system was also introduced -- allowing drivers to choose between three different operating modes: "Touring," "Sport" and "Performance." A new 6-speed manual transmission was also offered, giving drivers added ability to maximize the Corvette power range.

The 1990s
ZR-1 roared to life in 1990 with an all-new 375 horsepower LT5 engine under its hood. Designed in a cooperative effort between General Motors and Lotus, the LT5's dual overhead cam, 32-valve design made Corvette the talk of the automotive world. To help distinguish the appearance of the ZR-1 from standard Corvette Coupes, it was given an all-new convex rear fascia and quad rectangular taillights. All Corvettes received a new pit design that included digital readouts and analog gauges as well as a driver air bag. The maximum horsepower of the standard L98 engine was increased to 250.

Corvette received styling refinements for 1991 that included wrap-around front parking/cornering lamps, new side-panel louvers and a ZR-1 style convex rear fascia on all models. To help differentiate the look of the ZR-1, its center high-mounted stop lamp remained on the roof, while it was integrated into the rear fascia on both Coupe and Convertible.

Corvette performance continued to grow in 1992 with the introduction of the second-generation LT1 -- putting a 300-horsepower engine back in the standard Corvette. The engine was designated LT1 because it was the first Chevy "Small Block" to surpass the horsepower of the original LT1 in 1970. The Acceleration Slip Regulation (ASR) system and Goodyear GS-C asymmetrical tires were also introduced as standard equipment. ZR-1 received a ZR-1 badge on the sides of its clam shell hood. The one-millionth Corvette was built on July 2, 1992 in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

For 1993, LT5 output was boosted to 405 horsepower, and a special 40th Anniversary package was available on all models. Passive Keyless Entry (PKE) was also added as standard equipment.

The pit of Corvette was transformed for 1994 with a new single-piece instrument panel, a front-passenger air bag, and new door panels. Both the standard and Sport seats were also restyled, and leather seats became standard equipment.

The most noticeable change on the 1995 Corvette was the revised gill panel design. This also marked the last year for the ZR-1. Corvette served as the Official 1995 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car.

Two distinctive Corvettes are part of the 1996 lineup: the Grand Sport and Collector Edition. Both celebrate the rich heritage of the Corvette, and mark the end of the C4 style. The new optional LT4 engine is introduced (required on Grand Sport).

Chevrolet's Corvette has been in production since June 1953. The 1997-Current Corvette is referred to as the C5 or "Fifth Generation" Corvette. This is the first totally new Corvette -- the 1953 Corvette used parts shared with other Chevrolets, but in addition to a totally redesigned body, the 1997 Corvette employed a new frame, engine and rear mounted transmission. The 1997 model year was a short production year.

In 1998 Corvette produced its fourth Indy Pace Car Replica model.

In 1999 Chevrolet brought out a fixed roof coupe they call a "Hardtop" version, the first "fixed roof" model since 1967. Current models include the convertible, the coupe and the hardtop.

The 2000 Corvette employed few external changes. New wheels were introduced, a standard version and a hi-polished version, and the passenger's outside door key lock entry was discontinued. In January another new 2000 standard painted wheel was introduced.

2001 saw the introduction of the Z06 model. Based on the fixed roof coupe model, the Z06 is Chevrolet's race ready model. The Z06 comes with the LS6 engine and functioning front air intake grills and functioning rear brake duct air intake grills directly behind the doors. The 6-speed manual transmission is the only transmission available in the Z06.

In 2002 the Z06's LS6 engine was upped to 405 H.P.

2003 is Corvette's 50th anniversary. A 50th anniversary option is available on the coupe and convertible, but not on the Z06. The 50th anniversary option consists of a special "Anniversary Red" paint, a special "shale" colored interior and special 50th Anniversary badging. The Z06 remained unchanged from the 2002 model. Also new for 2003 is Magnetic Selective Ride Control which replaced the Real Time Damping system.

 

 

This car is the oldest Corvette in existence! It is the first Corvette show car. It was actually built in the latter part of 1952. It is officially known as EX 122. This was the GM Motorama Corvette that was shown at the Waldorf in NY in Dec. 1952. Back then, it was equipped with a 6 cylinder engine, powerglide auto trans, it was white with a red interior and black top, as all the future '53 production Corvette's were. The car was carried , babied and handled very carefully through the various auto shows throughout the USA. It then stood in the lobby of the GM building until the 1953 model came into production and was then used as a engineering department test car.
About that time the new Chevrolet V8 265 cu. in. was being developed for engineering so they removed the 235 CI 6 and installed the V8. The car was taken to the proving grounds where it was run on a 25,000 mile durability test and then completely torn down with each part being inspected for future production purposes. It was then not needed for engineering and it was reassembled using new production pieces wherever the experimental parts showed wear. It was then repainted red ,a new top was installed along with a new interior. it was used as a courtesy car for about 5000 miles and then was sold. Russell Sanders who was ahead of the enginnering dept. bought the car in 1956. He had a rough time trying to register the car because of it's serial # EX 122, which denotes an experimental car. He got the car registered in Michigan then moved to Rochester NY ( Rochester Products of GM) and the car was used by various members of his family, in particular his daughter. The daughter was not able to use the car while attending college, so he sold it. He sold the car to John Engle of Rochester NY for $1000 in 1959. John Engle owned this car until his death in 2001. His family sold it to A private collector for $300,000.

v1234 has been hitting a lot lately.
7-8-06
7-14-06
7-20-06
7-22-06
7-24-06

Tuesday 7-25-06
v1125
v1145
v2215

It can really kill you!

Throughout the history of humans, the woman's body has been squeezed and contorted into many different forms. 

The breasts are certainly no exception. 

The female bust has gone in and out of style many times (even more times than John Travolta). At times it has been minimized to be hidden from view. At others, it has been maximized to the fullest extent. 

For instance, if we take a look back to 2500 B.C., we will find that the Minoan women that lived on the Greek isle of Crete actually wore a bra-like garment that actually lifted their bare breasts out of their clothes. 

Years later, ancient Roman and Greek women took the opposite approach. They actually strapped on a breast band to reduce their bust size. 

But where did the modern bra come from? And how can it actually kill? 

Let's find out: 

As pointed out above, there have been many types of garments that have appeared over the centuries to help enhance the human form. 

Many authors claim that the bra was invented by one Otto Titzling. However, it turns out that this story first appeared in the book Bust Up: The Uplifting Tale of Otto Titzling by Wallace Reyburn (the same guy that wrote the humorous book that describes how Thomas Crapper invented the toilet). The book claims that Titzling invented the bra with the help of his assistant Hans Delving in 1912. They designed the bra for a Swedish athlete named Lois Lung. Titzling then sued a Frenchman named Phillipe de Brassiere for patent infringement in the 1930's. As you can see from these names, the story is probably pure fiction (especially since, as we will see below, Mary Phelps Jacobs takes credit for the first documented use of the name brassiere in 1914). 

If you check most current literature, you will find the following story: 

The first modern bra was invented by a New York socialite named Mary Phelps Jacob way back in 1913 (I'm sure that a lot of women want to believe that a man invented this torturous device, but it was a woman). 

Mary had just purchased a sheer evening gown for one of her social events that poor people like myself will never get to attend. 

She had a problem. 

At that time, corsets that were stiffened with whaleback bones were the accepted undergarment. Unfortunately, whaleback corsets and sheer evening gowns just don't go together well. 

In one of those great flashes of genius, Mary came up with a great solution. Together with her French maid Marie, Mary took two handkerchiefs, ribbon, and some cord and devised a simple backless brassiere. 

We can be fairly sure that Mary was the hit of the party, but the real hit was her newfangled brassiere among the women in attendance. 

Mary was very happy to sew up a bra for all family and friends that were interested. I guess you could say that she started the currently male dominated tradition of giving sexy underwear for those special holidays. 

One day, she received a request for one of her contraptions from a stranger, who had happened to enclose a dollar for her efforts. 

Mary Jacobs ran to the patent office with her sketches. In November, 1914, she was awarded a patent for the "Backless Brassiere". 

Mary made several hundred of the devices (marketed under the name Caresse Crosby), but due to lack of publicity, the business collapsed. 

One would think that this would have been the end of the bra, but it managed to live on. 

Mary sold the rights to the brassiere to the Warner Brothers Corset Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut for a mere $1500. Just think how much money that would be worth today. 

This sounds like a great story, and is almost entirely true, except for the fact that Mary Jacobs did not invent the first bra. Her design was simply the first one to be widely used. 

It seems that a man named Hoag Levins had too much time on his hands and did an in depth study of all the sexual devices ever patented by the United States Patent Office. In the book American Sex Machines, Levins presents quite a few patents on bra-type creations. 

Levins' conclusion is that a woman named Marie Tucek patented the first brassiere in 1893. This "breast supporter", as she called it, looked very similar to the modern brassiere. The device included separate pockets for the breasts, straps that went over the shoulder which were fastened by hook-and-eye closures. 

In comparison, Mary Phelps Jacobs device was patented on November 3, 1914 and was called a "brassiere". She may have had the name correct, but she didn't have the design. Her patent was for a device that was lightweight and flattened the breasts. Her bra did not have cups to support the breasts. 

Of course, many innovations were later made to the brassiere: use of elastic, standard cup sizes, and the development of the strapless bra. 

During the 1920's, the flat chested "flappers" that my grandmother always reminisces about were all the rage. A Russian immigrant named Ida Rosenthal decided to buck the trend. With the help of her husband William, they founded Maidenform. Ida was responsible for grouping women into bust size categories (cup sizes) and developed bras for every stage of life (puberty to maturity). 

Of course, the 1960's was famous for its bra-burnings. One would think that this would have been the end of the bra, but it wasn't. Gravity and aging were on the side of the brassiere manufacturers. 

The bra has made a great comeback ever since. 

We have the Wonderbra. The 18 hour bra. Cross your heart (and hope to die?) bras. Training bras (training for what?). Jogging bras. Dangerous breast implants that need added support. Madonna walking around in her underwear. Victoria's Secret (she's not very good at keeping her secret - everyone seems to know about it). 

So what about bras killing you? (I thought this would get your attention). 

In the 1994 book Dressed to Kill by Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijerin, they suggested that wearing bras may inhibit the normal function of the lymphatic system in and around the breast. The result is a decreased removal of toxins from the breast and an increased occurrence of breast cancer. 

Based on a sample of 4,730 women, they concluded that women that go braless have a 21 times less chance of developing cancer. 

The study was torn apart by critics because the authors failed to incorporate the lifestyles (smoking, alcohol, exercise, we