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Half a million years ago, earlier than was previously thought possible, humans were building structures made of wood, according to new research by a team from the University of Liverpool and Aberystwyth University. The research, published in the journal Nature, reports on the excavation of well-preserved wood at the archaeological site of Kalambo Falls, Zambia, dating back at least 476,000 years and predating the evolution of our own species, Homo sapiens. The excavation team uncovering the wooden wedge Expert analysis of stone tool cut-marks on the wood show that these early humans shaped and joined two large logs to make...

'Voters are going to get behind us in ways that are probably bigger than we've seen in the last 20 or 25 years as Republicans.' Florida’s Governor is looking to a former California Governor as an antecedent for his current presidential run. During an interview on Wisconsin’s Mark Belling Show, Ron DeSantis suggested his candidacy could be the modern version of the 1980 election that saw Ronald Reagan defeat Democrat Jimmy Carter. “What I would just tell folks out there listening is Biden is kind of like Jimmy Carter. When Reagan came on the scene, the country lost confidence in...

Some unknown political consultant told Ron DeSantis it would be a great optic to show up at a Rodeo in Oklahoma and announce his presence. The event atop the bleachers came replete with grand trumpets to announce his entry.The cringe-factor was already off the charts when Top Gov grabbed the microphone and announced, “Hello Oklahoma, great to be wit ya. Greetings from the free state of Florida, we appreciate what you do here“… and things went rapidly downhill from there as the audience turned to see King Meatball, deliver his prose. [video below]This latest exhibition takes place as the Daily...

Simple processes can make wood tough, impact-resistant—or even transparent Some varieties of wood, such as oak and maple, are renowned for their strength. But scientists say a simple and inexpensive new process can transform any type of wood into a material stronger than steel, and even some high-tech titanium alloys. Besides taking a star turn in buildings and vehicles, the substance could even be used to make bullet-resistant armor plates. Wood is abundant and relatively low-cost—it literally grows on trees. And although it has been used for millennia to build everything from furniture to homes and larger structures, untreated wood...

The sort of thing that makes you yearn for a simpler time. Take a moment to relax and admire this man's work. You're Welcome.

A more confident and energized Mitt Romney is putting his people skills to the test in New Hampshire as he tries to fix a likeability issue that hurt his failed bid for the White House in 2008. The Republican presidential hopeful is shaking hands, signing autographs and pumping diesel in a dozen appearances over three days in a classic campaign bus tour aimed at winning the Republican nomination backed by television ads. In an interview with Reuters, the former Massachusetts governor said he has embraced retail politics with a different mindset than in 2008 when he lost the nomination to...

When I first started coaching age-group swimming (almost 40 years ago), I made a copy of the late John Wooden's “Pyramid of Success” to use with my swimmers, the 100 or so 5- to 18-year-old kids who made up the Amador Polar Bears. My girlfriend (now my wife) wasn't terribly impressed with my artistic efforts and made for me a much nicer poster-board version of the pyramid. For 15 years, I began each swimming season by going over the basic elements of the pyramid with my swimmers. I used the pyramid also at the little Christian schools where I served...

- GetReligion - http://www.getreligion.org - Wooden: Faith and fidelity (updated) Posted By tmatt On June 5, 2010 @ 2:00 pm In Family, Mainline, People, Religion, Sports | 5 Comments Many people simple called him the “reverend,” which was nice since he hated his famous nickname — the Wizard of Westwood.He was constantly reading his Bible, as well as stacks of other books, which was perfectly natural for a former English teacher who hardly ever missed church. However, try to find a picture of this man reading his Bible.He studied Abraham Lincoln and the person he admired the most — among...

Just a question to all of you.I may have missed something, I hope that I did, but .........WHY has not DRUDGE put Mr. Wooden's passing on his site today?Just asking.Maybe I missed something.

With all due respect to Bob Knight, Mike Krzyzewski and even Bear Bryant and Vince Lombardi, John Wooden was in a class by himself. Wooden will go down as the most accomplished coach anywhere. Ever. The Wizard of Westwood won 10 national titles in a 12-year span, including a remarkable seven consecutive from 1967 through ’73. Wooden’s success is almost unfathomable. Wooden passed away on Friday night at the UCLA Medical Center, just months prior to his 100th birthday on Oct. 14. Wooden was still mentally sharp in his 90s and was spotted at UCLA games and other events.

John Wooden, the UCLA basketball coach who became an icon of American sports while guiding the Bruins to an unprecedented 10 national championships in the 1960s and '70s and remained in the spotlight during retirement with his "Pyramid of Success" motivational program, has died. He was 99. Though his fame extended beyond the sports world, it was Wooden's achievements during 27 seasons at UCLA that put him in the company of such legendary coaches as the Green Bay Packers' Vince Lombardi and Notre Dame's Knute Rockne. Wooden's string of championships began with back-to-back victories in 1964 and '65. Starting in...

“Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” - Coach John Wooden Ever since we were kids, Todd and I have looked at Coach John Wooden as a true hero. His quotes plastered our bulletin boards, school notebooks, and locker doors. Realizing this mutual admiration of Coach Wooden when Todd and I first met about 30 years ago was a sure sign that we were on the same page. From afar we have admired Coach’s wit and wisdom, we’ve absorbed his writings and the life lessons he’s taught from the basketball...

Legendary basketball coach John Wooden, 99, is gravely ill in hospital 99, several media outlets are reporting. He reportedly not eaten for several days and is receiving care at UCLA Medical Center. Wooden is best known for winning a record 10 NCAA championships in 12 seasons while coaching the Lew Alcindor-led UCLA Bruins in the 1948 to 1975. He was born Oct. 14, 1910 in a small town in Indiana called Hall, and played his own college ball for the Purdue Boilermakers, winning a national title in 1932. In his golden years, Wooden has been a much sought after speaker...

Legendary basketball coach John Wooden, 99, is gravely ill in hospital 99, several media outlets are reporting. He reportedly not eaten for several days and is receiving care at UCLA Medical Center.

Read today that Hall Of Fame coach John Wooden is hospitalized after a fall at his home . Did a Youtube check and immediately found this , and thought I ought to share it with fellow Freepers . They definitely don't make em like John W any more . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-FyRMpo824

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - With little else to attract tourists, promoters of two Swedish counties are pinning their hopes on a truly gargantuan wooden moose. When completed, the 148-foot tall, 155-foot-long moose will have a restaurant in its belly, as well as a concert hall, conference rooms and a shop, according to Thorbjorn Holmlund, project coordinator and local tourism promoter. The monument to the moose will be so big that its massive wooden hooves will be firmly planted in two different counties, Vasterbotten and Norrbotten, about 540 miles north of Stockholm. "The reason we decided to build a moose is because...

Archaeologists find rare wooden statue in Egypt Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:36AM EST Science News CAIRO (Reuters) - A rare double wooden statue of an ancient Egyptian scribe and his wife has been found in their tomb south of Cairo, Egypt's chief archaeologist said on Monday. The double statue, dating from around 2300 BC, was among a total of five wooden statues found at the tomb in Sakkara, the necropolis of the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis, said Zahi Hawass, chairman of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. The official was Ka-Hay, who kept divine records, and his wife, Spri-Ankh. They...

Al Gore continues to be the comedic gift that keeps on giving. First, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) revealed on May 24, 2006, that Gore has used enough hydrocarbons to circle the globe to present over 1,000 Power Point presentations on climate change. CEI also revealed that he recently used five large SUVs to haul his movie entourage a mere 500 yards at the Cannes Film Festival in France, all the while admonishing others to curtail their own energy use. Gore's "Saturday Night Live" appearance can't top that kind of comedy. On the heels of these embarrassing revelations, Nature magazine...

He served two terms as vice president under a popular president. He then lost the presidency in a razor-thin election. After eight years, he repackaged himself and won the race for the White House and was re-elected in a major landslide. That person was Richard Nixon. What Nixon did in 1968, Al Gore could repeat in 2008. Like Nixon, Gore faces a nation divided by an unpopular war. And like Nixon, Gore could transform anti-war anger and general public malaise into votes. Moreover, Democrats, moderate Republicans and independents are eager for a change, and Gore could emerge as a central...