In the news these days

A couple of good/fun facts that I gathered from the papers in the last few days...

The Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco has gathered enough signatures to submit his idea to popular vote come Fall : to rename a wastewater (sewage) treatment plant "The George W Bush Sewage Plant"...

They feel it's important to honor political leaders in a historically accurate context, and since the Us will still be cleaning W's mess in 10-20 years from now...

The republican party is not amused... I wonder why ;)

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For your parties, BBQs, picnics and other gatherings involving lots of food but no time to clean... here's a very nice way NOT to use evil Styrofoam or plastic plates/cups.

Plates made of sugar cane fibers:
"completely disposable, compostable and biodegradable plates made from 100% bagasse, the sugarcane fiber that remains after extracting the juice from the sugarcane. Sugarcane is not only a readily renewable resource, but the sugarcane fiber can be turned into products normally made from plastic and paper and prevents the pollution from the normal burning of sugarcane waste after juice extraction."

they're CHEAP!!! and eco-friendly... get cooking people!

You can find them, in Montreal, at Coop La Maison Verte or order them on the net HERE for the rest of North America (don't know about Europe, but if you google "sugar cane plates" you should find a place easily)

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An oil tycoon is building the biggest wind farm of the Us near his ranch in Texas... and has proposed a multi-billion dollars project to reduce by a third Usa's oil importation in the next 5-10 years. The project involves the construction of wind farms from Texas to North Dakota, a corridor he calls "the Saudi Arabia of wind".
for more infos about this less than typical Texan google T Boone Pickens.

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(if you don't get what follows you need to update your Hollywood musicals database)

Last but not least... The Von Trapp Manor, in Salzbourg, Austria, has opened to the public. It is now an hotel-museum, where you can stay for 100 euros a night (not too bad a price to be able to sing "the hills are alive" in context :P). They even serve cakes made from an original recipe of Fraulein Maria!!!

But the real kicker is that the hotel will host a traditional Austrian Summer Ball every year, starting in 2009. (I have to go to one!!!!!!!!!!! a real ball!!!!!!!!! in Austria!!!!!!!! waltzing in the garden like the captain and Maria!!!!!!!!!!! HMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the hard part will be to find a guy willing to go with me :S)

Disclaimer to prevent disappointment : all scenes inside the manor were filmed in Hollywood studios' sets that didn't look at all like the real one...