New Harry Potter Book

J.K. Rowling’s Charity to Publish “Beedle the Bard” in December.

 Today, on J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter’s birthdays, JKR has announced that her children’s charity, Children’s High Level Group, will publish The Tales of Beedle the Bard on December 4, in an exclusive deal with Bloomsbury, Scholastic and Amazon. (You can pre-order from Amazon now.)

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2008/7/31/j-k-rowling-s-charity-to-publish-beedle-the-bard-in-december

Blu-Ray DVD player that also streams Netflix Movies

LG’s BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player will begin streaming Netflix movies in the US this September. The player will cost “well under $500″ and allow Netflix members to stream more than 12,000 standard definition TV and films through the device at no additional increase to their monthly paid subscriptions.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/31/lgs-bd300-network-blu-ray-player-to-stream-netflix-in-september/

3-D Printing for the Masses (from MIT)

A new online service aims to bring customized manufacturing to the masses by allowing consumers to submit digital designs of products that are then printed, using 3-D printers, and shipped back.

http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/21152/?a=f

http://www.shapeways.com/login

(NGO) A beluga whale blows bubbles

Hamada, Japan, July 26, 2008—A beluga whale blows bubbles at an aquarium in Japan to the delight of visitors who have come by the thousands to view the spectacle.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/07/photogalleries/animal-photos-week2/index.html

Giant lake confirmed on Saturn’s Titan moon

(from MSNBC)

A giant, glassy lake larger than North America’s Lake Ontario graces the south pole of Saturn’s largest moon Titan, new research confirms.

“This is the first observation that really pins down that Titan has a surface lake filled with liquid,” said lead researcher Robert Brown of the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in Tucson.

Called Ontario Lacus, the lake extends 150 miles (235 kilometers) and covers an area of about 7,800 square miles (20,000 square kilometers). The lake structure is filled mostly with methane and ethane, hydrocarbons that are gases on Earth but liquid on the bone-chilling surface of Titan.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25934585/

Teaser for Harry Potter (#6) and the Half Blood Prince

“Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince.”

It was unveiled online Tuesday night.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/29/harry-potter-and-the-half_n_115744.html

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2008/7/30/half-blood-prince-high-res-trailer-stills-screencaps

And you think your pool is crowded

(from NGO)

Crowded Pool - Shot from National Geographic

It hit 98 degrees and people went swimming.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/07/photogalleries/nature-photos-week2/index.html

Those Crazy animals – Ultrasonic Frog

Ultrasonic Frog Tunes Its Ears Like a Radio Dial

A Chinese frog that uses ultrasonic communication can tune its ears like a radio dial to block out lower pitched background noise, a new study finds.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/07/080725-ultrasonic-frog.html

Great White Shark Filmed Breaching at Night — A First

Although seals are a common meal for great white sharks, under the cover of darkness, one might expect the marine mammals to catch a break. Dramatic new footage, however, proves great whites sometimes fancy a midnight snack.  – Check out the video at:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/07/080725-sharkville.html

The week in Animals Photos from National Geographic

NGO always has cool shots, but check out this Albino Eagle:

Other Animals
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/07/photogalleries/animal-photos-week1/index.html