Two minor earthquakes have shaken the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but no significant damage is reported.

The U.S. Geological Survey says an earthquake with a 2.5 magnitude was reported at 11:25 p.m. Thursday, centred in the Grand Prairie area. The agency says a slightly stronger quake, at 3.0 magnitude, occurred at 12:01 a.m. Friday, centred in Irving, about 15 kilometres west of Dallas.

Survey geophysicist Randy Baldwin says aftershocks could last several days.

College in the United States is expensive, and unlike countries like Australia where the Government subsidizes tertiary education and students don’t have to pay upfront, American students usually do. But there’s expensive, and then there’s really expensive.

Sarah Lawrence College has beaten George Washington University into first place on the most expensive colleges in America list, charging students (including board) $53,166 a year to GWU’s $50,312.

Sarah Lawrence is a private, independent, liberal arts college located in Yonkers, New York.

In the tuition only stakes, Bates College tops the list at $43,950 with Sarah Lawrence College coming in at $39,450.

If you’re planning on starting college any time soon, start saving.

Sarah Lawrence College … read more »

Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO) is a colorless and odorless chemical compound, also referred to by some as Dihydrogen Oxide, Hydrogen Hydroxide, Hydronium Hydroxide, or simply Hydric acid. Its basis is the highly reactive hydroxyl radical, a species shown to mutate DNA, denature proteins, disrupt cell membranes, and chemically alter critical neurotransmitters. The atomic components of DHMO are found in a number of caustic, explosive and poisonous compounds such as Sulfuric Acid, Nitroglycerine and Ethyl Alcohol.

Should I be concerned about Dihydrogen Monoxide?

Yes, you should be concerned about DHMO! Although the U.S. Government and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) do not classify Dihydrogen Monoxide as a toxic or carcinogenic substance (as it does with better known chemicals such as hydrochloric acid and benzene), DHMO is a constituent of many known toxic substances, diseases and disease-causing agents, environmental hazards and can even be lethal to humans in quantities as small as a thimbleful.

Research conducted by award-winning U.S. scientist Nathan Zohner concluded that roughly 86 percent of the population supports a ban on dihydrogen monoxide. Although his results are preliminary, Zohner believes people need to pay closer attention to the information presented to them regarding Dihydrogen Monoxide. He adds that if more people knew the truth about DHMO then studies like the one he conducted would not be necessary.

What are some of the dangers associated with DHMO?

What is Dihydrogen Monoxide? … read more »

Tony Hillerman, author of the acclaimed Navajo Tribal Police mystery novels and creator of two of the unlikeliest of literary heroes — Navajo police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee — died Sunday of pulmonary failure. He was 83.

Hillerman’s daughter, Anne Hillerman, said her father’s health had been declining in the last couple years and that he was at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque when he died at about 3 p.m.

Hillerman lived through two heart attacks and surgeries for prostate and bladder cancer. He kept tapping at his keyboard even as his eyes began to dim, as his hearing faded, as rheumatoid arthritis turned his hands into claws.

Lt. Joe Leaphorn, introduced in “The Blessing Way” in 1970, was an experienced police officer who understood, but did not share, his people’s traditional belief in a rich spirit world. Officer Jim Chee, introduced in “People of Darkness” in 1978, was a younger officer studying to become a “hathaali” — Navajo for “shaman.”

Together, they struggled daily to bridge the cultural divide between the dominant Anglo society and the impoverished people who call themselves the Dineh.

Hillerman’s commercial breakthrough was “Skinwalkers,” published in 1987 — the first time he put both characters and their divergent world views in the same book. It sold 430,000 hardcover copies, paving the way for “A Thief of Time,” which made several best seller lists. In all, he wrote 18 books in the Navajo series, the most recent titled “The Shape Shifter.”

Tony Hillerman dies at 83 … read more »

Two people have been killed and a third wounded after a shooting just after 9:00 Sunday night outside the Snow Fine Arts Building, UCA campus. Police at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) said all three were men but could not say if they were students.

UCA police spokeswoman Rhonda Swindle said one man died at the scene, and another died later in hospital. The condition of the third man was not available. Swindle said the campus in Conway, near Little Rock, would remain in lockdown on Monday, with all classes cancelled following Sunday night’s shooting.

The university police website said one person was in custody and three others were being sought.

Interim UCA President Tom Courtway said every precaution was being taken to ensure the safety of students who remained in their dormitory rooms.

“The number one responsibility is to make sure this campus is safe and that’s what we’re doing,” Courtway said. UCA has 12,500 students.