Is Wasted Food the Key to Clean Energy? [Infographic]

Food waste is a nearly unlimited resource generated by our global food system. Humans have mastered the plow and modified every aspect of our food supply -- and the effects aren't all good. Now most of the developed world struggles with obesity, not starvation. In the process of feeding ourselves we've created a gigantic global waste stream -- dumping nearly 70% of the world's food waste into landfills.

What if we used discarded food waste to produce fuel and electricity?

Over the next 25 years global energy demands will increase by 50% while global oil supply dwindles. Waste-to-energy could be the key to a more sustainable future.

This infographic illustrates just how much food is being wasted across the globe -- from farm to fork, and everywhere in between -- and how that waste can be harnessed for energy, specifically biofuels that can be used to replace the oil-based fuels we use every day.

Book Tour: 'The Devil Knows' by K.C. Cavanaugh [Giveaway Included]

The Book Tour stop we're hosting today is for 'The Devil Knows', a Paranormal Romance-Drama with a possible special guest appearance from none other than Old Nick himself.

"Never trust the guy," I always say, "and, definitely never make a deal with him." But, of course, if people had never made (or considered making) a deal with him, books like today's one would not have been written and that would have been a shame...

Plus, we would not have been able to host its Book Tour stop and there would not have been an excerpt available for you guys to read and, even worse, there would not have been a Giveaway at the end of this post. Yikes!

So, yeah, perhaps it's a Good Thing that nobody listens to me after all...

Enjoy!

Loup Dargent

Rolling Stones To Head Glastonbury 2013

After a two-year gap, Glastonbury is revving up to rock with an impressive line-up of iconic acts and emerging new talent. Two hundred acts are already confirmed but there are only three words on most people’s minds – The Rolling Stones.

As the ancient proverb goes, a rolling stone gathers no moss. So despite time not being on their sides, festival goer’s should expect a fresh, reinvented sound from Ronnie, Keith and co, right?

Israel airport security allowed to read tourists' emails

Israel airport security 'allowed to read tourists' email' (via AFP)

Israeli security officials at Ben Gurion airport are legally allowed to demand access to tourists' email accounts and deny them entry if they refuse, the country's top legal official said on Wednesday. Details of the policy were laid out by Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein in a written response to…

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5 Amazing Rube Goldberg Machines

People find strange and amazing ways to spend their time. Concocting Rube Goldberg machines is one brilliant example of just how humans choose to express brilliance and wackiness simultaneously. A Rube Goldberg machine is a device that goes to extraordinary and often comic lengths to create a complex machine that performs the most mundane tasks. The challenge is often in the flawless execution of the machine due to the fact that its complexity can cause it to fail nine out of ten times. Indulge your need for the extemporaneous by checking out just a few of these feats of ridiculous engineering.

Book Tour: 'The Bloody Sinful Original Legacy... Tour'

The Book Tour stop we're hosting today is actually a 'Books Tour' as it's not just for one book, or two, or three, but for... four books! 

Yep, today's Book/Books Tour stop is for the whole Skye Morrison Vampire Series, which means that there is four books excerpts available for you to read in this post... "Bloody excellent!" as Mr Burns would say (if he was a vampire, that is...).

There is a synopsis/blurb for each book from the Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance series and, of course, a bit of info about the author, J. L. McCoy. Quite a mega-packed post today. Wow!

Oh, and, I might have to make a point of mentioning that you may find some cursing words in the excerpts. Just in case, you know...

Enjoy!

Loup Dargent

Protesters in final bid to block France gay marriage law

Protesters in final bid to block France gay marriage law (via AFP)

Tens of thousands of opponents of a gay marriage bill thronged the streets of Paris Sunday in a last-ditch bid to block the legislation, under the watchful eye of police after recent violence over the divisive issue. Paris police estimated the march attracted 45,000 people but organisers said 270,000…

Book Tour: 'Legally Undercover' by Rachell Kall [Giveaway + Freebie Included]

As you already know from reading the title of this post, the Book Tour stop we're hosting today includes a giveaway (with a chance for some of you to win an eBook copy of 'Legally Undercover') and a freebie ( the prequel to Legally Undercover, 'Pure Deception', available free of charge)... but, it's not all it has to offer.

There is also an excerpt from the book ( it's a Romantic Suspense novel, so make sure your heart can take it before reading it though... I'm not getting sued because some of you became a bit too much excited!) and (that's my favourite part), a Book Trailer. "Books can have trailers too, you know..."

Oh, and, of course, there are some bits of info about the book and its author, Rachel Kall...

Phew! It's quite a Book Tour stop there, isn't it?

Enjoy!

Loup Dargent

World Bank, IMF endorse bold poverty agenda

World Bank, IMF endorse bold poverty agenda (via AFP)

The IMF and World Bank on Saturday backed a bold Bank goal to eradicate extreme poverty within a generation and raise the shared prosperity of their 188 member countries. The Development Committee, representing the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank on development issues, said it had endorsed…

Gabon girl's death sparks fears of ritual killings

Gabon girl's death sparks fears of ritual killings (via AFP)

The discovery of a young girl's body on a Libreville beach last month shocked the city and reignited the debate over ritual killings in Gabon, sparking outrage on social media sites and forcing President Ali Bongo Ondimba to react. The young girl disappeared after going swimming. Her battered body…

Book Tour: 'Elsker' by ST Bende

Today we're hosting another Book Tour stop that I do believe you'll enjoy having a look at... 

Not only we have the usual bits of info about the Paranormal Romance novel itself and its author, ST Bende, as well as a book excerpt, but we also have a book trailer for it. Cool, isn't it? 

I definitely like the idea of book trailers. That's a brilliant use of YouTube (or any other video sharing site, for that matter) that I hope more writers and publishers will make the most of in future. 

Enjoy!

Loup Dargent

Hats of Mad Men [Infographic]

Mad Men took America by storm in the summer of 2007, putting AMC on the map for television drama and making an instant star of Jon Hamm. While movies like Forrest Gump tell the story of Vietnam and the hippie movement in America, Mad Men shows the other side of the 1960's, focusing on on the greed and fast lives of advertising executives in Manhattan. And as iconic as the characters of the show is the 1960's fashion. Every season, we fashionistas love to debate what changes we will see in wardrobe as the show approaches the 1970's. 

To celebrate season 6 of Mad Men, which premiered on April 7th, we present this infographic of the hats that make the characters. Whether it's Don Draper's high quality fur felt fedora or Lane Pryce's awkward Russian fur hat, the hat makes the man (or woman)! So pour yourself an old fashioned, put on your favorite headwear, and get ready for season 6 of the best drama on television!