The largest spider fossil ever found has been uncovered by researchers in China.

The spider, a member of a species called Nephila jurassica, reached a size of about two inches from end to end. It was discovered in northeastern China, in a rock formation near Daohugou village.

The fossil dates back to approximately 165 million years ago, the period known as the Middle Jurassic.

“Compared to all other spider fossils, this one is huge,” researcher ChungKun Shih told National Geographic. “When I first saw it, I immediately realized that it was very unique not only because of its size, but also because the preservation was excellent.”

Spiders from the same family are still around today. The female giant golden orb-weaver spiders can be as large as 4 or 5 inches in diameter – although males the males of the species average less than a quarter of that size. These spiders are famous for their enormous webs of golden silk, webs so large and so strong that they can actually catch bats and small birds.

There are few fossil records of Nephila. Before this latest discovery, the oldest Nephila fossil found dated back to 34 million years ago. The freshly uncovered fossil tells scientists that this family of spiders originated over 35 million years earlier than had previously been believed, and the genus Nephila dates back 130 million years earlier.

Scientists believe that the ancient spider likely originated on Pangaea, the supercontinent that eventually broke apart to form the seven continents we know today. The modern golden orb spider typically is found in tropical climates, so the new fossil suggests that ancient Daohugou was much warmer than it is now.

The new fossil is only the second female Nephila fossil that’s ever been discovered. Researchers suspect that the ancient male N. jurassica were much smaller than the females, just as their descendants are today, but the researchers won’t be sure of this until a fossil is found.

WASHINGTON – Michelle Obama wants kids to get out and play, but how? By turning off the internet!

Americans are without a doubt addicted to the internet. US citizens spend, on average, close to 65 hours a month, per person, surfing the web. Some case studies have shown that certain regions of the US spend as much as 10 hours a day online and that usage is not work related.

With childhood obesity steadily on the rise and Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! program gaining little traction, the White House had decided to kick their efforts up a notch by turning off the internet. The information super-highway will not be shut of permanently, only on Sundays. The switch will be flipped at midnight on Sunday and be turned back on at midnight on Monday.

The First Lady came up with the idea after hearing that Egypt had turned the internet off nationwide earlier today. The Egyptians took this dramatic action not in order to get their children off of their behinds but rather in an attempt to silence the protests and demonstrations calling for the end of President Hosni Mubarak’s rule. Other countries such as China and Iran have made similar efforts to silence the voices of the internet as well, but Egypt is the first to successfully shut down all of the country’s connections.

The White House is assuring the American public that the once a week shut down will not have a negative effect on the country’s struggling economy as most businesses are closed on Sundays anyway.

“We have done extensive research on the matter and have concluded that the majority of businesses are closed on Sundays because people are attending church in the morning, grocery shopping the afternoon, and watching TV in the evening. No one is going to miss the internet on Sundays. The majority of Americans will not even realize that it is turned off,” said a White House representative at a press conference this morning.

However, many internet retailers are outraged over the news.

“This is completely un-American,” said Brian Fellow, owner of an Etsy shop that sells hand made Amish swimwear.

Internet retail giant Amazon.com is already filing a law suite against the US government, citing that the government is unjustly restricting their ability to do business.

The youth of America is dumb struck by the news as well.

“First Facebook now the entire internet, my life is going to pieces,” said Tammy Swanson, a sophomore at McCaskey East High School.

White house representatives have not given a specific date for the first internet free Sunday but sources believe that it will be within the next 6 months.

SEATTLE , WA – Amazon has come under fire again for its decision to carry yet another controversial book.

In recent news, the internet retail powerhouse was scrutinized for its decision to carry, The Pedophile’s Guide to Love and Pleasure: A Child-Lover’s Code of Conduct, by Philip R. Greaves II. Now they are pushing the limits even farther with a new children’s book that has been penned by none other than one of the 20th century’s most notorious criminals, Charles Manson. Manson, now 76, has been incarcerated for the past 41 years for convincing his followers to commit murder in the famous Hinman, Tate, and LaBianca killings of the late 1960s.

The book titled, The Trials of Timmy Travis, is about a young 11 year old boy who is misunderstood by his peers and how he feels ostracized from the neighborhood kids. The story explores how Timmy copes with his loneliness and his many failed attempts to fit in. It chronicles Timmy’s life as he becomes the guru of a renegade group that develops its own ranch style community on the outskirts of his home town. Ultimately, the community flourishes and prospers bringing new hope into a downtrodden world.

Parents groups around the nation are outraged over the news and are calling for the immediate ban on the sale of the book, not only on Amazon but everywhere.

“How does a book like this even become published?” asked Susan Powell, founder of Stability, Togetherness and Family Unity (STFU), “Who in their right mind could have thought that a book like this, by such an awful man, was a good idea?”

In December of last year, Manson was found to have been making phone calls and sending text messages from prison. It has now been revealed that the communications were with Children’s Freedom Press (CFP), the British Columbia based independent publishing company that produced the controversial book. Evidently, Manson wrote the entire book through thousands of text messages sent to the publisher.

“We feel that this story will help children throughout the world to better understand how to deal with feelings of ostracization and ‘outsiderness’. We truly feel that the notoriety of the author will only aid in getting the message out faster,” explained CFP in a statement to the press, “We’re hoping that the book can help to create a dialogue between children and parents about the issues involving being different, fitting in and the bad feelings that can result from being shunned by peers.”

By now I’m sure that this book has already been pulled from the retailer’s website due to the controversy. But I cannot image that you won’t find it on the days to come throughout the listings of eBay and other internet auction sites.

CHICAGO, IL – With the economy continuing its roller-coaster ride this week, retailers are expecting a different type of crowd.

Interplanetary shoppers are anticipated to make up as much as 74% of Black Friday shoppers.  Americans are tightening their belts and keeping their wallets pocketed this holiday season as bonuses are cut and lay-offs looming right around the corner.

“Typically we have a good amount of shoppers the week leading up to Thanksgiving,” Wal-Mart manager Susiana Thornward told reporters.  “But this year we haven’t noticed a dramatic spike in sales in November.  We’re a little worried about Friday.”

Experts don’t share Thornward’s skepticism.  Although big box retailers like Wal-Mart and Best Buy have not seen significant growth during the financial crisis, online retailers of those same companies, as well as Amazon.com have noted that interplanetary and intergalactic sales are booming.

Brian Dipther, consumer trend specialist for Newsweek Online said, “Since Black Friday deals are only available in stores, we expect to see large numbers of aliens flocking to stores to snatch up the incredible deals being offered by big box retailers.”

“If you thought it got ugly when hundreds of mid-westerners rush around a store trying to grab up sale items, just wait until six-armed, three-headed, slime-covered 14-foot tall aliens are fighting over a Tickle-Me Elmo.”