Free Republic

The Pierce County Council reversed course Tuesday and approved spending $730,000 for a new saltwater patrol and rescue boat for the Sheriff’s Department. Three months ago, the council refused to add the boat to this year’s budget, even though $525,000 of the cost would come from a federal Homeland Security grant. Council members cited sticker shock, saying they didn’t want to spend so much taxpayer money on a boat. But Tuesday, some council members said they had changed their minds and concluded the cost was appropriate for the kind of vessel the Sheriff’s Department would get. The boat would be...

Biologists at the University of California, San Diego have discovered that the presence of a key protein in the compound eyes of the fruit fly (which glow at center due to a fluorescent protein) allows the formation of distinct light gathering units in each of its 800 unit eyes, an evolutionary change to an “open system” that enabled insects to make significant improvements in visual acuity and angular sensitivity. In contrast, beetles (shown surrounding the fruit fly), bees and many mosquito species have the light-gathering units fused together into a “closed system.” In a paper published in this week's early...

Motorists would be banned from using handheld cell phones - a problem blamed for thousands of vehicle crashes and fatalities - under a bill expected to be approved by the Legislature next week. Modeled after a New York City law, Senate Bill 1613 would fine drivers using handheld cell phones $20 for the first offense and $50 for subsequent offenses beginning Jan. 1, 2008. It would not apply to drivers using hands-free models and would exempt motorists using handheld cell phones in emergencies. And the legislation would remain in effect only until July 1, 2011, unless renewed. "Cell phones are...

Received a phone call last night. Person with a very heavy accent telling me I have been selected to receive a government grant of $25,000.00. Asked me how I was going to spend it? Asked me if I pay taxes (4 times) Asked me if I had checking accounts. Asked me if I had savings accounts. Asked me for said account numbers. SCAM. I gave him no info. Told him to send me my check. WAITING.... (that will be the day).