Maybe The Musics Just Lousy?

"My conclusions, in a nutshell, are that MP3 downloading does appear to be causing harm. No other explanations that have been put forward seem to be able to explain the decline in sales that have occurred since 1999," Liebowitz said, referring to songs downloaded to digital music players. "Still, it is not clear that the harm will be fatal."
http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,62871,00.html

Methane on Mars == Life?

Evidence pointing to possible alien life on Mars today has been suggested by the recent methane detected in the atmosphere of the Red Planet by the European Mars Express spacecraft and confirmed by Earth-based telespcope observations. Michael Mumma of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, when asked if the methane was biological in origin, said "I think it is, myself personally." in a report posted on Slashdot. The discovery of past oceans of salty water by one of the two Mars Exploration Rovers recently adds scientific excitement to the confirmed discovery of atmospheric methane raising human hopes of finding life on Mars. Methane exists only brifely in the Mars atmosphere and must be replinished frequently to be sustained with two working theories now before scientists: living microbes or active volcanoes. Methane has a relatively short lifetime on Mars for atmospheric gases, about 300 years or so, scientists believe there must be some process at work to keep replenishing its concentration in the atmosphere.
http://www.mywisecounty.com/news/033004-1.htm

We Are In An Extintion Event

According to scientists, there have been five prior mass extinctions in the past 450 million years. The last was 65 million years ago, when the dinosaurs and tens of thousands of species disappeared, likely as a result of a comet or large asteroid hitting the Earth. Theres no great mystery about the cause of the sixth extinction. Humans have dramatically altered the ecosystems of the Earth, says Stuart Pimm, a leading conservation biologist at Duke University.
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,62735,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1

StrongBads Hundreth Email

http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemailahundred.html

Hubbles Deepest View Ever of the Universe Unveils Earliest Galaxies

Thanks Tim...
Download the full resolution image here.
view the animation of the Field of View of Hubbles Advance Camera for Surveys Ultra Deep Field here.
For more hit hubblesite.
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/newsdesk/archive/releases/2004/07/

The Hunt for Zero Point : Inside the Classified World of Antigravity Technology

For all intents and purposes, a rant on the possible technology recovered from the Germans in WWII and its theoretical next-generation classified applications today. Short on details and tall on speculation, an interesting read nevertheless.
From amazon.com:

The Hunt for Zero Point explores the scientific speculation that a "zero point" of gravity exists in the universe and can be replicated here on Earth. The pressure to be the first nation to harness gravity is immense, as it means having the ability to build military planes of unlimited speed and range, along with the most deadly weaponry the world has ever seen. The ideal shape for a gravity-defying vehicle happens to be a perfect disk, making antigravity tests a possible explanation for the numerous UFO sightings of the past 50 years.Chronicling the origins of antigravity research in the worlds most advanced research facility, which was operated by the Third Reich during World War II, The Hunt for Zero Point traces U.S. involvement in the project, beginning with the recruitment of former Nazi scientists after the war. Drawn from interviews with those involved with the research and who visited labs in Europe and the United States, The Hunt for Zero Point journeys to the heart of the twentieth centurys most puzzling unexplained phenomena.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0767906284/qid=1079374670/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-5862973-0424625?v=glance&s=books

Alpha and Omega: The Search for the Beginning and End of the Universe

Interesting book in a Brief History of Time kind of way. A romp through cosmological theory, ending in string theory. A good read, but you should check out The Elegant Universe, Minds, Machines, and the Multiverse and Just Six Numbers as companions.
From amazon.com:
Alpha and Omega is a dispatch from the front lines of the cosmological revolution that is being waged at observatories and laboratories around the world-in Europe, in America, and even in Antarctica-where scientists are actually peering into both the cradle of the universe and its grave. Scientists-including galaxy hunters and microwave eavesdroppers, gravity theorists and atom smashers, all of whom are on the trail of dark matter, dark energy, and the growing inhabitants of the particle zoo-now know how the universe will end and are on the brink of understanding its beginning. Their findings will be among the greatest triumphs of science, even towering above the deciphering of the human genome. This is the book you need to help understand the frequent front-page headlines heralding dramatic cosmological discoveries. It makes cutting-edge science both crystal clear and wonderfully exciting.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0670031798/qid=1079374402/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-5862973-0424625?v=glance&s=books

The End Of Time

An interesting idea: time doesnt exist, the perception of time is simply the universe sliding down the hill of entropy. Failed to compel me, the idea of encapsulating time into instantaneous time capsules seems intuitively incorrect.
From amazon.com:
The "End of Time" devotes many pages to arguments in favour of the authors thesis, in a way that will bore the general reader but is unlikely to convince the physicist. Near the end of the book my feeling was ok ok you win, just tell me the implications, but thats the problem, the author refuses to speculate, possibly on the spurious grounds that predictions are impossible in a world without time. In summary a long, confusing and eventually a frustrating read.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0195145925/qid=1079374132/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/103-5862973-0424625?v=glance&s=books

The Art Of Happines At Work

Listened to this on my iPod, fully agree with the following review from Amazon.com:
The Art of Happiness at Work is a modern-day Socratic dialogue in which Cutler asks the Dalai Lama about the difficulties and rewards we might encounter in the workplace. The authors explore issues such as work and identity, making money, the Buddhist concept of "right livelihood," and transforming dissatisfaction at work. The discussion appears simple, if not obvious, at first, but upon closer scrutiny, the Dalai Lamas profound wisdom and sensitivity emerges. For the Dalai Lama, basic human values such as kindness, tolerance, compassion, honesty, and forgiveness are the source of human happiness. Throughout the book, he illustrates with clear examples how bringing those qualities to bear on work-related challenges can help us tolerate or overcome the most thorny situations. Recognizing that not all problems can be solved, the Dalai Lama provides very sound advice. The authors urge balance and self-awareness and wisely state, "No matter how satisfying our work is, it is a mistake to rely on work as our only source of satisfaction."
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1573222615/qid=1078956592/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-4484612-1776934?v=glance&s=books

Who Owns Tomorrow?

Some good stuff from a Canadian futurist:
- The rising power of the knowledge worker
- Continuous training replaces job security; respect is rare, but produces loyalty
- Data mining and the golden customer
- Seek Clarity, Not Facts
- Knowledge is power, but information is a curse
- Customized media, fragmented society
- Watch for Falling Governments

http://www.futuresearch.com/tomorrow.php

The Path to Enlightenment

For the last forty years, the Tibetan government has been exiled in India. In 1959 the new Communist Chinese government forced the non-violent Tibetan Buddhist government, lead by the fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, to flee the land in preparation to overtake the Tibetan people. In his years in exile the Dalai Lama has written literature on the Tibetan Buddhist way of life, not only to attract the Buddhist population but the worlds religions. This life is one of clarity, love, and good deeds. Path to Enlightenment, which is a commentary on the third Dalai Lamas Essence of Refined Gold, gives spiritual advice through the eyes of Buddhist over a span of many years, defining the life of a Tibetan Buddhist. The writing of Tenzin Gyatso and Sonam Gyatso together is showing us Buddhas principal on the path to enlightenment. ALong with defining the Lam Rim, which are the stages on the spiritual path. His holiness described the difficulty of attaining Nirvana(full Buddhahood), but urges determination. Path to Enlightenment makes one aware of the steps that must be taken in advance for the true inner peace., while giving up the expectation of a quick fix to a problem. The Dalai Lama explains how to cultivate a persons own meditative concentration, to give the mind a clear state. A person has to train their mind to discipline themselves, but enlightenment is feasible by any human being.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1559390328/qid=1078345041/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/103-1586376-7306229?v=glance&s=books

Stillness Speaks

In Stillness Speaks, best-selling author Eckhart Tolle illuminates the fundamental elements of his teaching, addressing the needs of the modern seeker by drawing from all spiritual traditions. At the core of the book is what the author calls "the state of presence," a living in the "now" that is both intensely inspirational and practical. When the pressures of future and past thinking disappear, fear and frustration also vanish, conquered by the moment. Stillness Speaks takes the form of 200 individual entries, organized into 10 topic clusters that range from "Beyond the Thinking Mind" to "Suffering and the End of Suffering." The entries are concise and complete in themselves, but, read together, take on a transformative power.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/157731400X/qid=1078344945/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-1586376-7306229?v=glance&s=books

The One Minute Manager

The One-Minute Manager, adapted from Blanchards classic book which sold more than a million copies, is a parable about a young man in search of world-class management skills. The authors message is so simple its brilliant: a "One-Minute Manager" achieves positive results with a minimum of time and effort by being communicative and consistent. Areas covered include goal-setting, motivating, training, praising and even reprimanding employees. Key points are effectively recapped by co-author Johnson at the end of the CD.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0425098478/ref=pd_sbs_eb_1/103-1586376-7306229?v=glance&s=ebooks

Secret Tactics

This book is a very deep research text. It comprehensively unites, comments on and extends past writings on martial arts.Beautiful calligraphies notwithstanding, it is not a work for the coffee table. In an attempt to properly understand the content, this reader was slowed down to about three pages a day. In turn, rewards are sweet and plentiful. Master Tabata characterizes clearly how the basic tenets and spiritual practice of martial arts are different from other strands of eastern philosophical and religious traditions. This book will be seminal, as it combines scholarly rigour and original insight to establish martial arts as an independent spiritual system. It traces its roots in India and East Asia but highlights its original contributions over traditional Buddhist or Confuzian beliefs and ideals. It also gives helpful advice on how to beat up your opponent in a match.This book is indispensable for any instructor or serious practitioner of martial arts. It will be the standard reference work for anyone trying to discover the meaning and foundations of martial arts.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0804834881/qid=1078344759/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-1586376-7306229?v=glance&s=books