For the first time ever, Oahu residents had to use their phones or computers to vote with some surprising results. 7,300 people voted this year, compared to 44,000 people the previous year, a drop of about 83 percent. "It is disappointing, compared to two years ago. This is the first time there is no paper ballot to speak of. So again, this is a huge change and I know that, and given the budget, this is a best that we could do," said Joan Manke of the city Neighborhood Commission. She added that voters obviously did not know about or did not embrace the changes.

courteaudotbiz writes "French ISP Orange has been fined 13000 Euros after being sued by a man named Mohamed Zaidi, who has been assigned the temporary password 'salearabe' (dirtyarab) by e-mail after he placed a support call. At the hearing, the prosecutor called the password 'offensive, insulting and even defamatory.'"

An anonymous reader writes "Shopping for a new mouse? Got $20k to blow? Well then we have the the mouse for you! The world's most expensive computer mouse, cast from 18 carat white gold and set with 59 brilliant cut diamonds. "A perfect gift for a 60th wedding anniversary, as diamond is the traditional gift for this event, it is also a great choice for a 50th wedding anniversary, as Gold is the traditional gift for this event!" the site says that sells the mouse. I don't know about you, but I don't have $20k burning a hole in my pocket!"

Avril Grube's three-year-old son Gavin was taken by his father over 27 years ago. Gavin was taken to Hungary and despite appeals to the Hungarian embassy in London, the British embassy in Budapest and an appeal to Margaret Thatcher, the boy was never returned. Last October Avril's sister typed the boy's name into Google and found a link to someone of that name on Facebook. Several weeks later mother and son were reunited. "I couldn't sleep, I just sat waiting for him to arrive. Even though it has been nearly 30 years, when I first saw him I recognized him, he has my eyes. I was so overcome and just said 'my beautiful son' over and over again. He was very quiet and overwhelmed. We just hugged each other. It is the happiest day of my life, there are almost no words to describe it," Avril said.

Ali Soufan, a former FBI interrogator, says that Osama Bin Laden's bodyguard, Abu Jandal, talked about the 9/11 attack only after he was given sugar free cookies. Jandal is diabetic and was unable to eat the regular cookies given to him with his tea. Noticing this, Soufan offered the suspect sugar-free cookies at their next meeting. Soufan says it was this act of kindness, not rougher methods, that opened up a dialogue between the two. "We had showed him respect, and we had done this nice thing for him. So he started talking to us instead of giving us lectures," Soufan said.

Bruce Perens writes "A Berkeley, California, burglar engineered his own arrest, and that of his girlfriend, when he stole a laptop and used it as his personal computer. He didn't realize that the laptop had an automatic backup program, and that the photos he took were being copied to his victim's backup repository. Berkeley police recognized him, and his location, from the photos."

A 62-year-old man visiting his relatives in the US was held for four hours by immigration officials after they could not detect his fingerprints because of a cancer drug he was taking. The man was prescribed capecitabine, a drug used to treat cancers in the head, neck, breast, and stomach. Some of the drug's side-effects include chronic inflammation of the palms or soles of the feet, which can cause the skin to peel or bleed. "This can give rise to eradication of fingerprints with time," explained Tan Eng Huat, senior consultant in the medical oncology department at Singapore's National Cancer Center. "Theoretically, if you stop the drug, it will grow back, but details are scanty. No one knows the frequency of this occurrence among patients taking this drug and nobody knows how long a person must be on this drug before the loss of fingerprints," he added.

RWalrond writes "How much do you love your iPhone or iPod? Lay My Head is an interactive application that allows you to treat your iPhone/iPod the way it should be treated: Like your Special Baby! Show your love for your baby by doing what Baby asks of you; shown at the bottom of the screen. Your baby is going to want your full attention. Sometimes baby will be very demanding and will want a lot of things. Are you going to let your baby cry? If you've done all you can do, Baby is telling you I want to 'Lay My Head.' Hit the bedtime button; it will make your baby happy. Do it when people are watching; on the train from work or at the grocery store. They'll know your Phone or iPod is your baby. Don't be shy, love and pamper your baby with hugs, rocking, play a lullaby for Baby and more! Remember nobody likes a cry-baby! So Go Ahead! Make all the other phones and people jealous, and love your Baby!" And the winner of creepiest app ever goes to ...

The famous restaurant chain Nobu has added advisories about bluefin tuna to the menus at its London restaurants, warning customers that the fish is "environmentally challenged." The warning adds: "Please ask your server for an alternative." "They shouldn't sell endangered species. They should change their menu to incorporate a fish that's sustainable and not one that's critically endangered," said Giles Bartlett, senior policy officer for WWF. Other dishes that have raised eyebrows in the past, including panda sashimi and manatee tempura, remain on the menu without an advisory.

An understaffed health clinic in Prague has taken a novel approach to filling out its staff. The clinic offers free liposuction, tummy tucks, or breast implants to any nurse or doctor who signs on for a three-year term. "It has been a success," said Jiri Schweitzer, a manager at the Iscare Clinic, adding that the clinic has turned away dozens of applicants.

Did you say nachos, movies, and pizza?

dacut writes "After successfully repairing the Hubble Space Telescope, astronauts aboard the shuttle Atlantis found themselves with a free day due to thunderstorms which delayed their return. They attempted to pass the time by watching movies, only to find that their laptops did not have the proper software, and Houston was unable to help. No word, alas, on what software was involved, though we can assume that software/codec updates are a tad difficult when you're orbiting the planet at 17,200MPH."

Some psychiatrists are trying to get excessive bitterness identified as a mental illness named post-traumatic embitterment disorder. Of course this has some people who live perfect little lives, and always get what they want, questioning the new classification. The so called "disorder" is modeled after post-traumatic stress disorder because it too is a response to a trauma that endures. "They feel the world has treated them unfairly. It's one step more complex than anger. They're angry plus helpless," says Dr. Michael Linden, the psychiatrist who put a name to how the world works.

Maybe it hasn't occurred to anyone that they might try to peddle away or maybe French prison guards just like a challenge, but a select group of French prisoners will be let out of jail next month to participate in their own Tour de France. Almost 200 prisoners will hit the open road and race 1,400 miles around France, closely watched by 124 guards and prison sports instructors. "This project aims to help these men re-integrate into society by fostering values like effort, teamwork and self-esteem. We want to show them that, with some training, you can achieve your goals and start a new life," said Sylvie Marion of the prison authority.

I must admit that I like reading older books like Fantasy Island and The A Team.

A Russian woman who became irate that her boyfriend did not want to marry her tied firecrackers to his penis and set them off. The evening started off pleasantly. The couple shared a nice dinner, some laughs and quite a few drinks. Exploding genitals never crossed 33-year-old Alik D's mind as he passed out. Moments later his girlfriend Kira tied the mini-explosives to his manhood and sent it to the hereafter in a shower of sparks and a bang. Alik remains in intensive care and Kira faces up to 12 years imprisonment even if he lives.

Michael Hicks, 55, of Detroit was charged with a felony count of malicious mischief, and damaging governmental property for repeatedly urinating inside a Detroit IRS building freight elevator. An Investigation by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration started after employees complained about someone urinating in the elevator on numerous occasions. A camera was eventually installed and Mr. Hicks was identified and confessed to being the mystery pisser. "Hicks denied having any medical conditions that would cause him to commit such an offense," Delmaria Scott, a special agent for the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, said in an affidavit filed in US District Court. "He stated that he did it because he felt he could get away with it."

Over 100 people are estimated to have slipped across during the competition.

CNETNate writes "The Japanese Odin 99 handset isn't a regular video-enabled phone. It's geared, perhaps somewhat ironically, towards the Buddhist geek. Aside from regular cell phone features, a dedicated button loads a private, customizable, animated altar on the phone's screen. The idea is to allow Buddhists to perform their dedications conveniently on-the-go. You can simulate incense burning, purification rites and play music to help you meditate wherever you happen to be. The question is, does such a device somewhat negate the values a Buddhist would stand for?"

Sergio Santos has designed college housing projects in England, two high-rises in Poland, an office building in Turkey, a mall in Germany and now he lives in a 5 1/2 by 14 foot closet. The 39-year-old Brazilian architect negotiated with the landlord for the tiny space after he lost his job in January. "The landlord had a larger place available, but he wanted $350 a month," Santos said. "I asked if he would rent me this small room that was a place for the telephone, Internet and security system. I pay only $150 a month and I love it.".