Delicious LiveJournal Links for 4-1-2009

The geekiest April Fool I've seen this year

(tags: AprilFool funny geeky)

(tags: bizarre funny news)

Children who live in homes with vinyl floors, which can emit chemicals called phthalates, are more likely to have autism, according to research by Swedish and U.S. scientists published Monday.

The study of Swedish children is among the first to find an apparent connection between an environmental chemical and autism.

The scientists were surprised by their finding, calling it "far from conclusive." Because their research was not designed to focus on autism, they recommend further study of larger numbers of children to see whether the link can be confirmed.

(tags: health autism environment science)

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest performing arts festival, has been cancelled for 2009, according to Kath M Mainland, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society.

Mainland cited the global economic downturn as the primary reason for the festival's cancellation, noting that hundreds of overseas performers had been forced to cancel their planned appearances. A further blow was dealt by the withdrawal of £30 million of promised funding from the Scottish Government.

(tags: Edinburgh fringe festival)

(tags: scotland economy politics poverty glasgow)

More than 400 of the 2,000 largest malls in the U.S. have closed in the past two years. The last new major mall in the U.S. opened in 2006, and only one big mall is scheduled to open this year.

(tags: economy business economics shopping usa)