Sneaky Thinkings

Foreclosures Drop 9% Over Fudged Paperwork Fallout:

For the first time in a long while, foreclosures actually dropped in October, falling 9%. The big drop came about as several big banks halted foreclosures across the board after news about the robo signers began to emerge. Foreclosures are expected to pick back up again November, albeit at a softened pace. It may be 3-4 months before the rate fully resumes. So take a gasp, homeowners behind on your mortgage, you just caught a temporary break.

US homes lost to foreclosure drops 9 pct in Oct. [Florida Times Union]

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(Via Consumerist.)

Robotic Vaginas Make Childbirth Look More Horrifying Than Ever [NSFW] [Video]: “

WARNING: This video will probably leave you so traumatized that you’ll be unable to look at a baby, vagina, or robot without cringing again. It will also leave you wondering why on earth someone designed a baby machine like this. More »

(Via Gizmodo.)

Global map of air pollution: “

Image: NASA’s satellite-derived map of air pollution, throughout planet earth, between 2001-2006. Specifically, the ‘warmer’ areas of the color map (yellow, orange, red) indicate higher densities of problematic particles known as fine particulate matter, or PM2.5. These are 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter, roughly 1/10 the width of a strand of human hair. They’re small enough to sneak past your body’s defenses, and lodge inside your lungs.

Click for large size.

(Via Boing Boing.)

I’ve Lost Count Of The Excuses Apple Can Use To Reject This App [IPhone Apps]: “

I’ve only skimmed Apple’s App Review Guidelines, but I’m pretty sure that Moral Decay isn’t exactly designed in accordance to them. But who knows, maybe Apple will approve an iPhone game that involves Jesus Chris T. gunning down sumo wrestlers, aliens, and other bad guys. More »

(Via Gizmodo.)

Burning the Oil in the Gulf of Mexico [Photography]: “

With BP closing its book on the oil spill disaster, we’re left to repair the damage—and look at Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky‘s dramatic photos from the last few months, including the Q4000′s oil flaring. [Burtynsky via DesignBoom] More »

(Via Gizmodo.)

Darpa Wants Remote Controls to Master Troop Minds [War]: “

The Pentagon’s research arm wants to trick out troops’ brains, from the areas that regulate alertness and cognition to psychiatric well-being. And they want to do it all from the outside in, with a gadget installed inside the troops’ helmets. More »

(Via Gizmodo.)

Denny’s Fried Cheese Melt Pushes Gooey Cheese Tolerance To New Levels: “

Have you ever been eating mozzarella sticks and thought, ‘these would be soooo much better in a sandwich’? Or maybe you’ve been snacking on a grilled cheese sandwich and wondered how improved it would be if it also had fried cheese sticks between the bread? If so, then Denny’s is about to roll out the perfect sandwich for you.

The restaurant chain recently announced a bunch of new items to its value menu. And while most of them are nothing new — quesadilla, fried shrimp — the ‘fried cheese melt’ caught our eyes and stopped our hearts.

The sandwich, which should sell for $4, is ‘made with four fried mozzarella sticks and melted American cheese grilled between two slices of sourdough bread. It is served with French fries and a side of marinara sauce.’ It and the other new items should be available starting Aug. 24.

Now if someone would just take two of these fried cheese melts and wedge a burger between them, Friendly’s would have some real competition.

(Via Consumerist.)

The Ruins of Detroit: “

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last decade or so, it’s nearly impossible that you haven’t heard of the Motor City’s dramatic decline. The Ruins of Detroit…

Visit Uncrate for the full post.“

(Via Uncrate.)

Hot Flash Spray Evamist Causes Boobs On Pets, Kids:

I like FDA warnings like this new one about Evamist, because I can file the symptoms away and use them to impress someone with my Sherlock Holmes skills. Friend: ‘How did you know she used Evamist?’ Me: ‘Note the tell-tale breasts on her grandchildren and her terrier.’

Anyway, if you or someone you know uses Evamist to treat menopausal hot flashes, you can keep on keeping on–but don’t hug any kids or pets, warns the FDA:

Adverse events reported in unintentionally exposed children include

• premature puberty, nipple swelling, and breast development in girls
• breast enlargement in boys

FDA has also received reports of inadvertent exposure in pets. Pets exposed to Evamist may exhibit signs such as mammary/nipple enlargement and vulvar swelling.

The FDA suggests you wear sleeves if you can’t keep kids away when you use it. If you notice ‘vulvar enlargement’ in your pet–yes, you need to start checking for that–call your vet.

(Via Consumerist.)

Celeb Chef Mario Batali Sued By Staff For Alleged Tip Skimming: “

We know that tipping is a touchy subject here, but not as touchy as it is to the wait staff at the restaurants owned by celeb chef Mario Batali. The red-headed TV personality is the subject of a class action lawsuit that alleges he’s been screwing his employees over by skimming off the top of the tip pile.

The lawsuit claims that Batali has been holding back on sharing credit card tips and that the amount being withheld is equal to 4-5% of the nightly wine sales at his restaurants.

Says the lawyer for the plaintiffs: ‘This policy is vintage tip theft… Our clients hope their case will put a cork in it.’

The seeks unspecified damages for workers at Batali-owned restaurants Otto, Casa Mono, Bar Jamon and Lupa and Tarry Lodge.

(Via Consumerist.)