MooPig's Report from Europe :: "Snow"

Snow in Rome and South to Puglia, Foggia
Retrieved by Pat Darnell | Feb 6, 2012 | Bryan TX

[Pictures LINK]

Photo taken on Feb. 5, 2012 shows the snow-covered historic center in Rome, Italy. An extraordinary snowfall which had not occurred since 1985 hit Rome on Feb.3. (Xinhua/Wang Qingqin)

An extraordinary snowfall which had not occurred since 1985 hit Rome on Feb.3.
The severe cold weather currently gripping Europe has now spread to Italy. Freezing temperatures affecting the North of the peninsula began moving south on Monday, with snow now falling in Central Italy and the island of Sardinia too.

Authorities say that snow could fall on the nation's capital by Friday, while Florence and

Feb 5, 2012 | EXCERPT | " ... Emilia Romagna, are predicted to see snow flurries by Tuesday afternoon.

Trains and planes in Turin and Milan were delayed or cancelled, 100 flights were grounded at Bologna's Guglielmo Marconi airport, and heavy snowfall that caused disruption on the highways in Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia Romagna, central Tuscany and Umbria has the weather reached sub-zero temperatures.

Transportation authorities are requiring travellers to carry snow chains on board if their vehicles are not equipped with snow tires. This inclement weather has already caused school shut-downs and stopped lorries from crossing the France-Italy boarders.

On the Alps, temperatures dipped to -21 Celsius degrees on the Mount Blanc, -27 on Mount Rosa and -12 in the ski resort town of Cortina. Many Italian Serie A and B soccer matches are at risk and might be cancelled.

______________________Reference
http://english.sina.com/world/p/2012/0205/437441.html
http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy/weather/europe-s-big-freeze-spreads-over-italy
http://www.euronews.net/2012/02/04/big-freeze-tightens-its-grip-on-europe/

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Indonesia 'rail surfers' face 'goop' brooms - CBC News

Retrieved by Pat Darnell  |  Feb 6, 2012  |  Bryan TX

[Picture LINK]

Indonesia 'rail surfers' face 'goop' brooms - CBC News: "Indonesia has come up with another bizarre plan to keep commuters from riding on the roofs of trains: Swat them with brooms drenched in putrid goop.

"For anyone who is still up there, it'll be like a whip," said Ahmad Sujadi, of the state-run railway, PT Kereta Api Indonesia."

'via Blog this'
Thrillseeking ‘train surfers’ in Indonesia will be brought down to earth with a bump as part of a new scheme to crack down on fare dodgers.

Rail bosses in Indonesia hope they’re on the right track to get rid of pesky roof-riders – by installing grapefruit-sized concrete balls to sweep the tops of carriages.

They hope to derail hundreds of passengers who dice with death by clambering on top of trains, either to dodge the fares or escape the crush inside.

A spokesman for the state-owned railway company, PT Kereta Api, said: ‘We’ve tried just about everything, even putting rolls of barbed wire on the roof, but nothing seems to work. Maybe this will do it.’

The first set of the silver-painted balls was installed near a station just outside Jakarta.

But the effect was rather lost when it emerged bungling officials had made the chains too short, leaving a gap of about 40cm (16in) between the balls and passing trains.

 [Picture LINK]


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http://www.cbc.ca/news/offbeat/story/2012/02/05/indonesia-train-plan-goop.html
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/887665-indonesia-cracks-down-on-train-surfing-with-help-of-concrete-balls

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Group Urges 'Hit Limit' In Youth Football

Group Urges 'Hit Limit' In Youth Football - Health News Story - WISC Madison: " The adolescent football player's brain is rattled an average of 650 times per season. That's just an average. There are positions on the football field where the numbers approach 1,000 hits to the head."

'via Blog this'

"We regulate a lot of things in kids' lives and brain trauma should be one of them," said Nowinski. "There are kids getting hit a thousand times a season. Is that good for children's development?"

"You've got the toughest men in the room [NFL players] saying there is no such thing as a tough brain," said Nowinski. "If the NFL is willing to do that, then we should do that for kids as well."

And while a small fraction of those hits actually lead to a diagnosable concussion, the concern is that sub-concussive damage - the menacing smaller blows that add up during practices and games - could be as bad, or worse, for the brain.

With those sobering stats in mind, the Sports Legacy Institute Friday called for the adoption of a "Hit Count" - similar to the "Pitch Count" system used in baseball - for youth athletes participating in contact sports.




_________________________Reference
http://www.channel3000.com/health/30373852/detail.html

Who is your Pick for Super Bowl Sunday?

Who would you Like most to sit with you and watch Today's SuperBowl XLVI?
by Pat Darnell  |  Feb 5, 2012  |  Bryan TX

[Picture LINK]

Jerry Sandusky, with Oprah,

--OR--

Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Arizona

[Picture LINK]

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FWD :: FWD Email "Gullible's Island"

Marcel Sebo Copied from, 'Hot Liberals' post

Just sit right back
And you'll hear a tale
A tale of a campaign trip,
That started in Iowa in Fall,
And all the candidates were shit.
The Mitt was a crooked businessman,
The Newt an adult-er-er,
The Republican field, though not so good,
Thought they'd win because of Tea Baggers,
Thought they'd win because of Tea Baggers.

The campaign started getting rough,
The Super Pacs slung dirt,
Exposing the corruption of Republicans
Would the Presidency be lost?
Would the Presidency be lost?

The shit was slung by the Super Pacs
On all the candidates it hit
On Gilligan,
The Skipper too.
The millionaire
And his wife,
The movie star,
And the Rest
Here on Republican Isle.