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"Thomas Sohmers, 17, of Hudson, Mass., has been working at a research lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology since he was 13, developing projects ranging from augmented reality eyewear to laser communications systems. This spring, his mom, Penny Mills, let him drop out of 11th grade. She says she "could see how much of the work he was doing at school wasn't relevant to what he wanted to learn." On Monday, Thomas and his mom learned that he is in esteemed company as a high-school dropout with a knack for computers: David Karp, 26, sold Tumblr, the online blogging forum he created, to Yahoo for $1.1 billion. Examples of tech geniuses who lack college degrees are well-known — Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg among them. But Karp left high school after his freshman year, with his mother's blessing, at the tender age of 14. Critics say dropping out of school to pursue a dream is a terrible idea. Vivek Wadhwa, a fellow at Stanford Law School who teaches and advises... more... - Anne Bouey from Bookmarklet

I feel like I'm missing something - didn't he homeschool for two years before fully "dropping out?" Apparently self-guided, but responsible for proving learning, was just as limiting as his elite high school. There are always going to be some people who chafe against requirements, and it isn't a mark for or against genius. - Jennifer Dittrich

Now I'm singing, "Thou Canst Feeleth This." - Anika

:) - LB: #TeamMonique from Android

"A rare and tiny island fox is on the verge of making a comeback from near-extinction in the Channel Islands, a rugged and wind-swept chain off Southern California, officials said Monday. The population of the fox dropped to an all-time low of just 70 animals on Santa Cruz Island in 2000 before rebounding to 1,300 foxes now, said Yvonne Menard, a spokeswoman for the National Park Service. Santa Cruz is the largest island. Populations on nearby San Miguel and Santa Rosa islands have also bounced back into the hundreds after dropping in 1999 to just 15 of the cat-sized animals on each island. The island fox is only found on six of the Channel Islands, a chain of eight islands, five of which form a national park. Each of the six islands has its own unique fox subspecies because of generations of genetic isolation. In a five-year period in the 1990s, fox populations plummeted more than 90 percent on the rugged and mountainous islands due to an influx of golden eagles, which preyed on... more... - Anne Bouey from Bookmarklet

:-| - Halil

*bump* because... - Halil

"“Why is Alice Eve in her underwear, gratuitously and unnecessarily, without any real effort made as to why in God’s name she would undress in that circumstance? Well there’s a very good answer for that. But I’m not telling you what it is. Because… uh… MYSTERY?” - Star Trek Into Darkness writer Damon Lindelof writing probably the most idiotic thing he could write in a letter to MTV. They had asked, “I feel like I have to start with the biggest mystery/conversation that’s surrounded the film from the get go. Why is Alice Eve in her underwear at one point?” Because, well, that is an incredibly relavent question to ask. I mentioned it briefly in my non-TMS review but really, I could have gone on for pages about it. Eve’s character of Dr. Carol Marcus was touted to have incredible intelligence, though instead of allowing her to use it to effect the plot, she was used as the most blatant eye-candy I’ve seen in a long time. We see this kind of thing a lot in Hollywood, sure, but the scene... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

:( those pictures... - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

I know, heartbreaking but some show, once again, the best of humanity. - Eric - seven eleven from iPhone

"For Brampton actor Rob Stewart, the chance at redemption arrived unexpectedly, and at a time when he needed it most. It was early 2009, several years after Stewart's sputtering career forced him to move back in with his parents, teenage son in tow. Out of curiosity, he searched Facebook one evening for the early-'90s Canadian TV show Tropical Heat (a.k.a. Sweating Bullets), in which he'd starred as lothario detective Nick Slaughter." - Andrew C (✓) from Bookmarklet

"To his amazement, he discovered a fan page dedicated to Slaughter, with thousands of members based in Serbia. "I was astounded -- a bit shocked," said Stewart, 52. To Stewart, his role as the ponytailed, Miami Vice-like womanizer had become a source of embarrassment, an example of the disappointing trajectory of his career. But as he would soon learn, in Serbia, under the thumb of former dictator Slobodan Milosevic, Slaughter was upheld as a symbol of freedom and hope. " - Andrew C (✓)

""There was sort of an absolution of the meaninglessness of my so-called career," said Stewart, who used to lie about his profession to avoid being asked to rattle off his meager credits. Everywhere he went, grown men would tear up when they recalled how Tropical Heat was an escape from the devastating news and state propaganda that dominated broadcasts in the war-torn country. "It's... more... - Andrew C (✓)

"A coyote puppy suffered what would have been a deadly encounter with a cholla cactus on Tuesday. Thankfully, three good Samaritans came to its rescue and their story is now going viral." - Kristin from Bookmarklet

"The pup then crawled onto the nearby Pebblebrook Golf Course, with Maxwell trailing behind and calling for help. A golf course maintenance worker, Jose Soto, and assistant superintendent Shawn Bordine came to the puppy's aid, the news site reports. According to CBS Atlanta, the pair used pliers to remove the cholla cactus spines, which AZ Central reports were embedded at least a... more... - Kristin

"The puppy's mother hovered close by the whole while but miraculously didn't interfere while the men were treating him. "She knew what was going on,” Maxwell told a local ABC affiliate, "They were trying to save her baby." The coyote was soon reunited with his mother and four siblings thanks to Soto and Bordine, who ABC reports also rescued a young hawk last year when it fell from its nest." - Kristin

"The majority of our species are suffering from habitat loss and climate change; species such as willow warbler, nightingale, wheatear and nightjar will be adversely affected by the massive catch in Egypt." - Halil from Bookmarklet

this isn't the 1st time Egypt has come under scrutiny for it's poor animal welfare news, last year there was a scandel with the ship full of cows, the AC had broken and the ship was also broke down off shore and the poor cows were suffocating and dying, then there was the slaughter house scandel. Either Egypt is particularly bad, or they are getting all the attention, while other nations go unnoticed. - Halil

:( - Kelli H. from Android

Congratulations! - Anne Bouey

I moved out today. :( - Colette

""Part of me resents them because they'll go to restaurants and say everything has to be gluten-free, then nibble on their friends' bread," says Blymire, whose condition means she needs to avoid using even a shared microwave oven. "I've gotten accidentally 'glutened' six or seven times, and it's excruciating." Nonetheless, consumer desires, and dollars, mean that the list of gluten-free foods, which include quinoa pasta, brown rice cereals and mung bean noodles, continues to grow. Evol makes burritos and other frozen entrees without gluten. Blue Diamond makes rice-and-almond crackers. Way Better Snacks produces chips with corn, flax and chia seeds." - SteVe C from Bookmarklet

"As the guitarist strums and softly sings a lullaby in Spanish, tiny Augustin Morales stops squirming in his hospital crib and closes his eyes. This is therapy in a newborn intensive care unit, and research suggests that music may help those born way too soon adapt to life outside the womb. Some tiny preemies are too small and fragile to be held and comforted by human touch, and many are often fussy and show other signs of stress. Other common complications include immature lungs, eye disease, problems with sucking, and sleeping and alertness difficulties. Recent studies and anecdotal reports suggest the vibrations and soothing rhythms of music, especially performed live in the hospital, might benefit preemies and other sick babies. Many insurers won't pay for music therapy because of doubts that it results in any lasting medical improvement. Some doctors say the music works best at relieving babies' stress and helping parents bond with infants too sick to go home. But amid beeping... more... - Anne Bouey from Bookmarklet

So, what we need is a huge playlist of appropriate songs and a whole lot of musicians willing to volunteer some of their time and talents to play in newborn intensive care units, till the insurance companies get a clue. - April Russo

"Finals week was dangerous for Thomas Saenz. The Navy lieutenant needed armed guards and an armored car to get to an exam site, in Kabul, Afghanistan. A deadly bomb attack also caused him to his miss classes — transmitted live via the Internet — but he persevered and earned a master's degree in engineering from the University of Southern California while commanding a top security team. His class graduated on Friday, as he joins a growing number of service members earning college degrees while deployed in a war zone. "Not only was he out there living on the edge, but he had to get his homework done," USC professor Frank Alvidrez said. The Obama administration is pushing universities to find creative ways to help service members complete their degrees as it tracks the success of its post 9/11 GI Bill, which is designed to be the most comprehensive education benefit for veterans since World War II. Enrollments for the new GI Bill number more than 480,000, according to the Veteran's... more... - Anne Bouey from Bookmarklet

THAT is fortitude. - Micah

"Staffers at a zoological conservation center in Greenwich, Conn., are very confused — as are the rest of us — because their female giant anteater, Armani, has managed to conceive a baby, apparently without the presence of a male anteater." - SteVe C from Bookmarklet

Jesus has returned and the ants of the world are scared as hell about it. - SteVe C

Hitherto unknown powers of parthenogenesis in anteaters? - Spidra Webster

To be fair it also looks like Steph Curry is entering the 6th grade. - SteVe C

Lmao! I'm reading this from my phone, and I had to click your name to see who you were (even though I had a feeling this was you). He does look like a baby. - Monique the crochet freak from Android

:( So sorry LB. - Me

I'm sorry :[ - esther

"1. The classic Bikini Armor. If you're lucky you might get an actual shoulder-pad! If the designers even bother doing something more than just a regular bikini, you might get some accessories with stilettos! Exactly what I want in battle. For a extra nice touch; cameltoe." - Andrew C (✓) from Bookmarklet

I dunno. I don't play MMOs, but a friend on FB who plays MMOs so much that she went to work at Riot (they make League of Legends) forwarded the link, so I assumed it was accurate enough. It does track with some of Bioware's questionable character design choices in Bioware's single-player games. - Andrew C (✓)

"CHICAGO -- In the new psychiatric manual of mental disorders, grief soon after a loved one's death can be considered major depression. Extreme childhood temper tantrums get a fancy name. And certain "senior moments" are called "mild neurocognitive disorder." Those changes are just some of the reasons prominent critics say the American Psychiatric Association is out of control, turning common human problems into mental illnesses in a trend they say will just make the "pop-a-pill" culture worse. Says a former leader of the group: "Normal needs to be saved from powerful forces trying to convince us that we are all sick." At issue is the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, widely known as the DSM-5. The DSM has long been considered the authoritative source for diagnosing mental problems. The psychiatric association formally introduces the nearly 1,000-page revised version this weekend in San Francisco. It's the manual's first major update in nearly 20 years, and a backlash has taken shape in recent weeks:" - Anne Bouey from Bookmarklet

Yeah... - Stephen Mack #TeamMomo

"Hero knows over forty commands to assist me! He loves to retrieve objects for my like envelopes, pens, my crutches, etc. He also turns off the lights, opens doors, and he pulls me in my wheelchair up ramps! I couldn’t have gone to college without him!" - SteVe C from Bookmarklet

"In this case, Disney (DIS -1.54%) has listened to the more than 210,000 petitioners who complained about the sexy makeover given to the fiery-haired Merida, heroine of "Brave." The media giant on Wednesday restored the original, more realistic version (pictured, left) to its official princess Website, although it hasn't yet released a statement about whether it will keep the original depiction for the long term." - SteVe C from Bookmarklet

Still, not everyone is convinced that Disney will stay loyal to the original Merida. The character's creator, Brenda Chapman, told the San Jose Mercury News that she's waiting for final word from Disney. "I will stay dubious until they give an official statement about changing the image to match the original version of Merida," she said. Chapman had earlier given a stinging rebuke about the makeover, calling it a "blatantly sexist marketing move based on money." - SteVe C

"Witnessing whales as they break water surfaces (aka breaching) is an enthralling experience in the wild. From a chin slap to a full-body aerial, this lunging behavior displays the impressive power and imposing size of these marine behemoths. Seasickness, extreme patience, luck, timing, balance — all factors in seizing moments to shoot exciting whale shots like the ones featured here. See more photos in the Whale Breaches gallery. Photos from Justin Hart, Lacewing!, EricOPhotos, evanffitzer, and Tom Clifton" - John (bird whisperer) from Bookmarklet

beautiful photoshoot ! http://bit.ly/LhxGQi - SchoolandUniversity.com

"Sutton Hoo, near Woodbridge, in the English county of Suffolk, is the site of two 6th- and early 7th-century cemeteries. One contained an undisturbed ship burial including a wealth of Anglo-Saxon artefacts of outstanding art-historical and archaeological significance, now held in the British Museum in London." - Brent Schaus from Bookmarklet

From http://ff.im/1fpryY (I did skim through some of the gem-bits) - Brent Schaus

"To attempt to have intercourse with a hornet's nest is a very bad idea." Yes. Yes, it is. - Victor Ganata

I seem to remember IBT falling for hoaxes before. - John (bird whisperer)

The young version of Al Bundy from "Married with Children" ... #howcoolisthat - WarLord

Cute! - Anne Bouey

Thank you, Anne! - Monique the crochet freak

"You might not think it to look at them, but prairie dogs and humans actually share an important commonality -- and it's not just their complex social structures, or their habit of standing up on two feet (aww, like people). As it turns out, prairie dogs actually have one of the most sophisticated forms of vocal communication in the natural world, really not so unlike our own." - esther from Bookmarklet

After more than 25 years of studying the calls of prairie dog in the field, one researcher managed to decode just what these animals are saying. And the results show that praire dogs aren't only extremely effective communicators, they also pay close attention to detail. - esther

Lucky bastard got to play w/one of these for half a year. Excellent review and great shots too. "I just love this lens. As you have seen above, I have really used it hard in a variety of situations during the 6 months I have had it, and it has simply done everything that I have asked. No failures. Nothing to complain about. I have inspected all of the images that I have taken for any distortion, chromatic aberration or lick marks and I can say, hand on one of my two Vulcan hearts, that I did not find any. And remember I have been using a prototype, your production ones will be mint." - ronin from Bookmarklet

"Zooey Deschanel was nearly unrecognizable at Monday's 2013 Met Gala, where she hit the red carpet without her trademark bangs. Though she looked stunning in her seersucker Tommy Hilfiger gown, it was her hair that made us do a serious double-take, as she looked like a total, ahem, New Girl with her signature blunt bangs styled to the side." - SteVe C from Bookmarklet

She looks like Sarah Jessica horse face, I mean Parker. Bangs worked in Zoey's favor. Yikes. - Zulema ❧ spicy cocoa tart from Android

"A 75-year-old resident of a New Jersey senior citizen housing complex is suspected of running a prostitution ring that employed some elderly residents as sex workers, NBC 4 New York has learned. The suspect, James Parham, 75, was also accused, along with Cheryl Chaney, 66, of allowing residents and visitors to use crack in their apartments, police said." - SteVe C from Bookmarklet

What?! - Anika