US officials say Iran nuclear weapons program stopped in 2003, but capability remains - International Herald Tribune

US officials say Iran nuclear weapons program stopped in 2003, but capability remains - International Herald Tribune: "WASHINGTON: Iran halted its nuclear weapons development program in the fall of 2003 under international pressure but is continuing to enrich uranium, which means it may still be able to develop a weapon between 2010 and 2015, according to a new U.S. intelligence assessment released Monday. That finding, part of a new National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, is a sharp turnaround from two years ago when U.S. intelligence agencies believed Tehran was determined to develop a nuclear weapons capability and was continuing its weapons development program. It suggests that Iran's decisions are rational and pragmatic, and that Tehran is more susceptible to diplomatic and financial pressure than previously thought, the document concluded. 'Tehran's decision to halt its nuclear weapons program suggests it is less determined to develop nuclear weapons than we have been judging since 2005,' says the unclassified summary of the secret report."

Young Chimps Top Adult Humans In Numerical Memory

Young Chimps Top Adult Humans In Numerical Memory: "'There are still many people, including many biologists, who believe that humans are superior to chimpanzees in all cognitive functions,' said Tetsuro Matsuzawa of Kyoto University. 'No one can imagine that chimpanzees--young chimpanzees at the age of five--have a better performance in a memory task than humans. Here we show for the first time that young chimpanzees have an extraordinary working memory capability for numerical recollection--better than that of human adults tested in the same apparatus, following the same procedure.'"

War critics astonished as US hawk admits invasion was illegal | Iraq | Guardian Unlimited

War critics astonished as US hawk admits invasion was illegal | Iraq | Guardian Unlimited: "International lawyers and anti-war campaigners reacted with astonishment yesterday after the influential Pentagon hawk Richard Perle conceded that the invasion of Iraq had been illegal. In a startling break with the official White House and Downing Street lines, Mr Perle told an audience in London: 'I think in this case international law stood in the way of doing the right thing.'"

Toddler fools the art world into buying his tomato ketchup paintings | the Daily Mail

Toddler fools the art world into buying his tomato ketchup paintings | the Daily Mail: "To the untrained eye, they appear to be simple daubs that could have been created by a two year old. Which is precisely what they are."

Russia pulls out of Nato arms pact | Russia | Guardian Unlimited

Russia pulls out of Nato arms pact | Russia | Guardian Unlimited: "President Vladimir Putin has withdrawn Russia from a key post-cold war international arms treaty, paving the way for the deployment of Russian forces closer to Europe. The withdrawal of Russian participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty was signed into law today. The United States, the European Union and Nato had urged Putin not to suspend the treaty, seen as a cornerstone of European security. Russia says Nato members have not ratified an amended version of the pact and accuses it of flexing its muscles near Russia's borders."

The truth about global warming - it's the Sun that's to blame - Telegraph

The truth about global warming - it's the Sun that's to blame - Telegraph: "'The Sun's radiance may well have an impact on climate change but it needs to be looked at in conjunction with other factors such as greenhouse gases, sulphate aerosols and volcano activity,' he said. The research adds weight to the views of David Bellamy, the conservationist. 'Global warming - at least the modern nightmare version - is a myth,' he said. 'I am sure of it and so are a growing number of scientists. But what is really worrying is that the world's politicians and policy-makers are not. 'Instead, they have an unshakeable faith in what has, unfortunately, become one of the central credos of the environmental movement: humans burn fossil fuels, which release increased levels of carbon dioxide - the principal so-called greenhouse gas - into the atmosphere, causing the atmosphere to heat up. They say this is global warming: I say this is poppycock.'"

High-Tech Drones Joining Miami Police Force - Miami News Story - WPLG Miami

High-Tech Drones Joining Miami Police Force - Miami News Story - WPLG Miami: "MIAMI -- The Miami-Dade police department will begin experimenting with high-tech drones as law enforcement tools beginning next year. Although the military has been using unmanned aircraft systems for years, this will be the first time they are used in law enforcement."

The Raw Story | Posthumous book claims Ford knew of CIA coverup in Kennedy assassination

The Raw Story | Posthumous book claims Ford knew of CIA coverup in Kennedy assassination: "According to the publisher of a new book, who appeared on Fox News Wednesday morning, the last living words of former President Gerald Ford fingered the CIA in the orchestration a cover-up of Kennedy's assassination."

kdka.com - Military Asks Wounded Soldiers To Return Portions Of Signing Bonuses

kdka.com - Military Asks Wounded Soldiers To Return Portions Of Signing Bonuses: "PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The U.S. Military is demanding that thousands of wounded service personnel give back signing bonuses because they are unable to serve out their commitments. To get people to sign up, the military gives enlistment bonuses up to $30,000 in some cases. Now men and women who have lost arms, legs, eyesight, hearing and can no longer serve are being ordered to pay some of that money back."

In Basra, violence is a tenth of what it was before British pullback, general says - International Herald Tribune

In Basra, violence is a tenth of what it was before British pullback, general says - International Herald Tribune: "BAGHDAD: Attacks against British and Iraqi forces have plunged by 90 percent in southern Iraq since London withdrew its troops from the main city of Basra, the commander of British forces there said Thursday. The presence of British forces in downtown Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, was the single largest instigator of violence, Maj. Gen. Graham Binns told reporters Thursday on a visit to Baghdad's Green Zone. 'We thought, 'If 90 percent of the violence is directed at us, what would happen if we stepped back?'' Binns said."

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med -- Abstract: Some Go Without a Cigarette: Characteristics of Cannabis Users Who Have Never Smoked Tobacco, November 2007, Sur

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med -- Abstract: Some Go Without a Cigarette: Characteristics of Cannabis Users Who Have Never Smoked Tobacco, November 2007, Suris et al. 161 (11): 1042: "Conclusions: Cannabis-only adolescents show better functioning than those who also use tobacco. Compared with abstainers, they are more socially driven and do not seem to have psychosocial problems at a higher rate."

Gold, silver hit multi-year highs

Gold, silver hit multi-year highs: "LONDON -- Precious metals zoomed higher on Wednesday on a tumbling dollar and record high oil, with gold trading near its all-time peak, platinum setting a record and silver touching its highest level in 27 years."

Everex Plans Sub-$300 Linux Laptop - Yahoo! News

Everex Plans Sub-$300 Linux Laptop - Yahoo! News: "Everex, which recently announced a Linux-based desktop computer for under $200, is now planning to release a sub-$300 laptop, according to news reports."

Police: Jewish GW Student Admits Putting Swastikas On Her Door - News Story - WRC | Washington

Police: Jewish GW Student Admits Putting Swastikas On Her Door - News Story - WRC | Washington: "WASHINGTON -- George Washington University officials said a Jewish student who complained about swastikas showing up on her door put them there herself."

The deceit behind global warming - Telegraph

The deceit behind global warming - Telegraph: "It was a telling moment when, in August, Gore's closest scientific ally, James Hansen of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, was forced to revise his influential record of US surface temperatures showing that the past decade has seen the hottest years on record. His graph now concedes that the hottest year of the 20th century was not 1998 but 1934, and that four of the 10 warmest years in the past 100 were in the 1930s. Furthermore, scientists and academics have recently been queuing up to point out that fluctuations in global temperatures correlate more consistently with patterns of radiation from the sun than with any rise in CO2 levels, and that after a century of high solar activity, the sun's effect is now weakening, presaging a likely drop in temperatures. If global warming does turn out to have been a scare like all the others, it will certainly represent as great a collective flight from reality as history has ever recorded. The evidence of the next 10 years will be very interesting."

Climate shift 'poles apart' - Telegraph

Climate shift 'poles apart' - Telegraph: "In contrast to earlier fears that ice around the South Pole will suffer widespread melting, the United Nations intergovernmental panel on climate change says that Antarctica's ice sheets will remain too cold for widespread melting before the end of the century and are expected to get bigger as more snow falls."

Giuliani Faces Investigation Of 9/11 Radios - Politics on The Huffington Post

Giuliani Faces Investigation Of 9/11 Radios - Politics on The Huffington Post: "Calls for an investigation were first proposed by filmmaker Robert Greenwald who has documented Giuliani's handling of 9/11 in a series of shorts for Brave New Films. In The Real Rudy: Radios, Greenwald documents how radios used by the FDNY on 9/11 were the same ones that malfunctioned during the 1993 attack on the Twin Towers. When - eight years later - Giuliani finally purchased new communications equipment for $14 million from Motorola, it was never field-tested. A week later, the equipment was recalled after a firefighter's mayday went un-heard. Giuliani reissued the old batch of radios. And on 9/11 when a police helicopter warned that the North Tower could collapse, more than 120 firefighters remained inside."

ARGENT - Virage vert pour l’industrie foresti�re canadienne

ARGENT - Virage vert pour l’industrie foresti�re canadienne: "L’Association des produits forestiers du Canada (APFC) annonce vouloir devenir, d’ici 2015, la premi�re industrie foresti�re � �tre neutre en carbone, sans acheter de cr�dits compensatoires."

Stay trim and stop eating bacon, cancer report declares | Society | The Guardian

Stay trim and stop eating bacon, cancer report declares | Society | The Guardian: "Eating mostly plant-based foods, such as fruit and vegetables, reduced cancer risk, but too much red meat raised it. The panel recommended no more than 500g a week."

Was Bin Laden's last video faked? - Nightly News with Brian Williams - MSNBC.com

Was Bin Laden's last video faked? - Nightly News with Brian Williams - MSNBC.com: "“Here is Bin Laden in the same clothing, same studio, same studio setup, and same desk THREE YEARS LATER,” wrote Krawetz in his blog, hackerfactor.org, and in an interview with NBC News. “In fact, his stack of papers that he reads are moved between the exact same stacks. If you overlay the 2007 video with the 2004 video, his face has not changed in three years -- only his beard is darker.”"

U.S. promised Blackwater guards immunity, officials say - CNN.com

U.S. promised Blackwater guards immunity, officials say - CNN.com: "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- State Department investigators promised Blackwater guards immunity from prosecution for last month's deadly shooting of 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad, according to officials familiar with the matter."

Is Bush Administration Planning Martial Law? Congressman DeFazio Denied Access to Government Documents

Is Bush Administration Planning Martial Law? Congressman DeFazio Denied Access to Government Documents: "'Maybe the people who think there's a conspiracy out there are right,' he said."

Saudi King Criticizes UK on Terror - washingtonpost.com

Saudi King Criticizes UK on Terror - washingtonpost.com: "LONDON -- King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia accused Britain on Monday of failing to act on information the Saudis provided that might have averted London's deadly July 7, 2005, suicide bombings."

My Way News - Much of U.S. Could See a Water Shortage

My Way News - Much of U.S. Could See a Water Shortage: "The government projects that at least 36 states will face water shortages within five years because of a combination of rising temperatures, drought, population growth, urban sprawl, waste and excess."

Jesus was Jewish | Jerusalem Post

Jesus was Jewish | Jerusalem Post: "Ann Coulter's stomach-turning comments about how Jews 'needed to be perfected' by becoming Christian demonstrates not only her own bigotry but her abysmal ignorance of the teachings of Jesus. Judaism was the faith practiced by Jesus for his entire life, and from which he never wavered."

Afghanistan is lost, says Lord Ashdown - Telegraph

Afghanistan is lost, says Lord Ashdown - Telegraph: "Nato has 'lost in Afghanistan' and its failure to bring stability there could provoke a regional sectarian war 'on a grand scale', according to Lord Ashdown."

Jefferson Morley: 'Denied in Full': Federal Judges Grill CIA Lawyers on JFK Secrets - Politics on The Huffington Post

Jefferson Morley: 'Denied in Full': Federal Judges Grill CIA Lawyers on JFK Secrets - Politics on The Huffington Post: "Lawyers for the Central Intelligence Agency faced pointed questions in a federal court hearing Monday morning about the agency's efforts to block disclosure of long-secret records about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy."

Human waste can help save planet: Indian expert - Yahoo! News

Human waste can help save planet: Indian expert - Yahoo! News: "NEW DELHI (AFP) - A cheap system to recycle human waste into biogas and fertiliser may allow 2.6 billion people in the world access to toilets and reduce global warming, an Indian environmental expert said Tuesday."

Ecuador wants military base in Miami | Editor's Choice | Reuters

Ecuador wants military base in Miami | Editor's Choice | Reuters: "NAPLES (Reuters) - Ecuador's leftist President Rafael Correa said Washington must let him open a military base in Miami if the United States wants to keep using an air base on Ecuador's Pacific coast."

Researchers Knock Out HIV

Researchers Knock Out HIV: "ScienceDaily (Oct. 21, 2007) — With the latest advances in treatment, doctors have discovered that they can successfully neutralise the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The so-called ‘combination therapy’ prevents HIV from mutating and spreading, allowing patients to rebuild their immune system to the same levels as the rest of the population."

Ecuador wants military base in Miami | Editor's Choice | Reuters

Ecuador wants military base in Miami | Editor's Choice | Reuters: "'We'll renew the base on one condition: that they let us put a base in Miami -- an Ecuadorean base,' Correa said in an interview during a trip to Italy."

SAS raiders enter Iran to kill gunrunners - Times Online

SAS raiders enter Iran to kill gunrunners - Times Online: "BRITISH special forces have crossed into Iran several times in recent months as part of a secret border war against the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s Al-Quds special forces, defence sources have disclosed."

On Faith: Guest Voices: The Dalai Lama Goes to Washington

On Faith: Guest Voices: The Dalai Lama Goes to Washington: "'So I – of course now, this is none my business, I think your business. I think America, American foreign policy, I think number two; and the number one, I think, should keep your ancestors because of the principles: democracy, liberty, freedom, rule of law. I think these are very, very important."

Clinton bucks the trend and rakes in cash from the US weapons industry - Independent Online Edition > Americas

Clinton bucks the trend and rakes in cash from the US weapons industry - Independent Online Edition > Americas: "The US arms industry is backing Hillary Clinton for President and has all but abandoned its traditional allies in the Republican party. Mrs Clinton has also emerged as Wall Street's favourite. Investment bankers have opened their wallets in unprecedented numbers for the New York senator over the past three months"

Sex every day is prescription for improving sperm quality - Times Online

Sex every day is prescription for improving sperm quality - Times Online: "Men who suffer fertility problems because of low sperm quality may be able to improve their chances of fatherhood by having sex every day, research has suggested. While those trying for a baby are often told to refrain from ejaculating too often to protect their sperm count, Australian scientists have shown that this can be counterproductive and may lower male fertility."

ABC News: Atlanta Drought: 3 Months of Water Left

ABC News: Atlanta Drought: 3 Months of Water Left: "An unprecedented drought stretching across the southeastern United States has forced some of the region's largest cities to declare water emergencies. The situation has become so serious that officials in Atlanta, where rainfall totals are more than 16 inches below normal, said they could run out of drinking water in a matter of weeks."

� Perceived Quality of Life Influenced by Height - Psych Central News

Perceived Quality of Life Influenced by Height - Psych Central News: "A new study suggests adult height influences quality of life as researchers discover short people report worse physical and mental health than people of normal height. The large peer reviewed study which shows that short people judge their state of health to be significantly lower than their normal height peers do, is found in the journal Clinical Endocrinology."

Fury at DNA pioneer's theory: Africans are less intelligent than Westerners - Independent Online Edition > Science & Tech

Fury at DNA pioneer's theory: Africans are less intelligent than Westerners - Independent Online Edition > Science & Tech: "Celebrated scientist attacked for race comments: 'All our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours - whereas all the testing says not really'"

The Blotter: After Comments, U.S. Terror Chief Resigns

The Blotter: After Comments, U.S. Terror Chief Resigns: "Three days after Americans saw the Bush administration's counterterrorism chief say the Iraq war has likely not made the United States safer from terrorism, the official announced his resignation, citing health reasons."

Press TV

Press TV: "Turkey is to defy international pressure on Wednesday and grant its troops permission to enter northern Iraq to crush Kurdish rebels. "

The Raw Story | Army ex-captains want US out of Iraq or a new military draft

The Raw Story | Army ex-captains want US out of Iraq or a new military draft: "Twelve former US army captains Tuesday urged Washington to either abandon Iraq or dramatically increase its military presence there by reinstating mandatory military service."

Putin warns US against attacking Iran - Yahoo! News

Putin warns US against attacking Iran - Yahoo! News: "TEHRAN, Iran - Russian leader Vladimir Putin met his Iranian counterpart Tuesday and implicitly warned the U.S. not to use a former Soviet republic to stage an attack on Iran."

Radiohead's warm glow: Rutland Herald Online

Radiohead's warm glow: Rutland Herald Online: "After Radiohead announced it would allow fans to download its album for whatever price they chose, about a third of the first million or so downloads paid nothing, according to a British survey. But many paid more than $20. The average price was about $8. That is, people paid for something they could get for free."

Police could not find any fingerprints on Dr Kelly's 'suicide' knife | the Daily Mail

Police could not find any fingerprints on Dr Kelly's 'suicide' knife | the Daily Mail: "Fresh doubts were raised over the suicide of Dr David Kelly after it emerged that no fingerprints were found on the knife he supposedly used to kill himself. The Hutton Inquiry into the death of the Ministry of Defence weapons expert ruled that he slashed one of his wrists with a blunt garden knife and took an overdose of pills. But the campaigning Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker has carried out his own investigation after forensic experts questioned the official version of events. David Kelly: Fresh doubts over his death David Kelly: Fresh doubts over his death He has called for the case to be re-opened after Thames Valley Police revealed that no fingerprints were found on the knife."

Former CEO Says U.S. Punished Phone Firm - washingtonpost.com

Former CEO Says U.S. Punished Phone Firm - washingtonpost.com: "Former chief executive Joseph P. Nacchio, convicted in April of 19 counts of insider trading, said the NSA approached Qwest more than six months before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, according to court documents unsealed in Denver this week."

Gore gets a cold shoulder - Environment - smh.com.au

Gore gets a cold shoulder - Environment - smh.com.au: "ONE of the world's foremost meteorologists has called the theory that helped Al Gore share the Nobel Peace Prize 'ridiculous' and the product of 'people who don't understand how the atmosphere works'. Dr William Gray, a pioneer in the science of seasonal hurricane forecasts, told a packed lecture hall at the University of North Carolina that humans were not responsible for the warming of the earth. His comments came on the same day that the Nobel committee honoured Mr Gore for his work in support of the link between humans and global warming."

Joe Conason: Wesley Clark's memoir and the neocon strategy for a wider Mideast war | Salon.com

Joe Conason: Wesley Clark's memoir and the neocon strategy for a wider Mideast war | Salon.com: "Oct. 12, 2007 | While the Bush White House promotes the possibility of armed conflict with Iran, a tantalizing passage in Wesley Clark's new memoir suggests that another war is part of a long-planned Department of Defense strategy that anticipated 'regime change' by force in no fewer than seven Mideast states."

Nintendo to launch Wii workout board - Game Articles | Digital Life

Nintendo to launch Wii workout board - Game Articles | Digital Life: "Couch potatoes beware: Wii owners will be able to get an even more vigorous workout from December when Nintendo launches a new fitness balance board for its hit video game console."

Turkey escalates action near Iraq border - Yahoo! News

Turkey escalates action near Iraq border - Yahoo! News: "SIRNAK, Turkey - Turkish warplanes and helicopter gunships attacked suspected positions of Kurdish rebels near Iraq on Wednesday, a possible prelude to a cross-border operation that would likely raise tensions with Washington. "

Vicente Fox admits that he and George W. Bush have ’agreed’ on common currency, North American Union

Vicente Fox admits that he and George W. Bush have ’agreed’ on common currency, North American Union: "Los Angeles, CA (Oct. 10, 2007) -- Speaking on the Larry King show, former Mexican President Vicente Fox confirmed every assertion made by Jerome Corsi in his new book, NY Times bestseller 'The Late Great U.S.A: The Coming Merger with Mexico and Canada' (WND Books, ISBNs 0-9790451-4-2, $25.95, July 2007). Not only did Fox admit that he and George W. Bush have 'agreed' to create a common currency, the Amero, he contended that a North American Union is 'inevitable' "

Jimmy Carter calls Cheney a disaster for U.S | Politics | Reuters

Jimmy Carter calls Cheney a disaster for U.S | Politics | Reuters: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on Wednesday denounced Vice President Dick Cheney as a 'disaster' for the country and a 'militant' who has had an excessive influence in setting foreign policy."

Golden retriever nurses stray kitten

Golden retriever nurses stray kitten: "STEPHENS CITY, Va. -- A stray kitten has found a new mother in a golden retriever, who began producing milk for the gray tabby after hearing its cries."

Ron Paul's Fund Raising Doubled in Quarter - WSJ.com

Ron Paul's Fund Raising Doubled in Quarter - WSJ.com: "WASHINGTON -- Rep. Ron Paul disclosed more than $5 million in third-quarter fund raising for his insurgent Republican presidential bid, the only Republican in the field so far to report increased donations. While the Texas lawmaker remains a second-tier candidate in a party field dominated by the likes of Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney, his grass-roots campaign continues to build steam, thanks to thousands of small donors over the Internet. Campaign spokesman Jesse Benton estimates that as much as 80% of the campaign's donations are received online. In the final week of the third quarter, Dr. Paul, a licensed obstetrician, raised $1.2 million in Internet donations alone. The $5 million haul more than doubles his $2.4 million showing in the second quarter."

Is your make-up killing you? | the Daily Mail

Is your make-up killing you? | the Daily Mail: "Last year, Britons spent �6.4billion on cosmetics and grooming products, with the average woman applying 12 toiletries every day. But here's the rub - these toiletries can bring with them at least 175 chemical compounds. A recent study found that British women are one of the heaviest users of cosmetics in Europe and, as a result, we ingest through our skin, and occasionally through the mouth, up to 5lb of chemicals a year."

Technology Review: Gibson's Self-Tuning Guitar

Technology Review: Gibson's Self-Tuning Guitar: "It's every guitar player's nightmare: you step onstage, strike your rock-god pose, triumphantly strum the first chord of a song--and discover that your guitar is out of tune. A new line of instruments from Gibson Guitar now promises to banish this scenario to the dark ages with high-tech self-tuning technology built into the company's flagship electric-guitar models. "

Technology Review: Gibson's Self-Tuning Guitar

Technology Review: Gibson's Self-Tuning Guitar: "It's every guitar player's nightmare: you step onstage, strike your rock-god pose, triumphantly strum the first chord of a song--and discover that your guitar is out of tune. A new line of instruments from Gibson Guitar now promises to banish this scenario to the dark ages with high-tech self-tuning technology built into the company's flagship electric-guitar models. "

Chemical that gives chilli its bite is hot stuff at killing pain without numbness - Times Online

Chemical that gives chilli its bite is hot stuff at killing pain without numbness - Times Online: "An anaesthetic that can block pain without impairing movement, touch or mental awareness has been developed using the chemical that gives chilli peppers their kick."

Iraqis say Basra quieter after British troop pullout | Reuters

Iraqis say Basra quieter after British troop pullout | Reuters: "BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Residents of Iraq's southern city of Basra have begun strolling riverfront streets again after four years of fear, their city much quieter since British troops withdrew from the grand Saddam Hussein-era Basra Palace."

Acupuncture 'provides twice the pain relief of standard medicine' | the Daily Mail

Acupuncture 'provides twice the pain relief of standard medicine' | the Daily Mail: "Acupuncture is twice as effective at reducing lower back pain than conventional medicines, according to researchers. But pretend acupuncture, where the needles are inserted less deeply, has also been found to have a similar effect, suggesting that the pain relief could be psychological."

Parallel universes exist - study

Parallel universes exist - study: "Parallel universes really do exist, according to a mathematical discovery by Oxford scientists described by one expert as 'one of the most important developments in the history of science'."

Cancer cure 'may be available in two years' - Telegraph

Cancer cure 'may be available in two years' - Telegraph: "Prof Cui injected granulocytes from immune mice into ordinary mice, and found it was possible to give them protection from cancer. Even more excitingly he found the transfusions caused existing cancers to go into remission and to clear them completely within weeks. A single dose of the cells appeared to give many of the mice resistance to cancer for the rest of their lives. "

War means a windfall for CEOs - MSN Money

War means a windfall for CEOs - MSN Money: "While policymakers in Washington wrangle over how much progress we've made in Iraq, one thing is clear: The war on terror is making some people rich. President Bush's military buildup has caused defense-contractor revenue to double, triple and even more during the past five years, and their executives have reaped huge bonuses and stock windfalls as the companies' share prices have jumped."

United States Forest Service Purchases 700 TASER X26 Electronic Control Devices

United States Forest Service Purchases 700 TASER X26 Electronic Control Devices: "SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 19, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- TASER International, Inc. (Nasdaq:TASR), a market leader in advanced electronic control devices, today announced that it received an order from the United States Forest Service for 700 TASER(r) X26 electronic control devices and related accessories. 'We are excited about this new additional federal agency purchasing TASER technology to protect life,' said Tom Smith, Chairman and Founder of TASER international. 'Traditionally, we have focused law enforcement sales at the local and state level, but we are now seeing acceptance of TASER technology at various federal law enforcement agencies.'"

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan - Iran cuts foreign dollar assets to 30 percent

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan - Iran cuts foreign dollar assets to 30 percent: "“After the strong fall in the dollar and the decision to transfer our foreign currency reserves into euros, we have taken measures and now 70 percent of Iranian assets are in euros, other currencies or gold,” said Deputy Economy Minister Mohammad Zahedi Vafa."

Iran to use "all means" to defend itself if attacked - Yahoo! News

Iran to use "all means" to defend itself if attacked - Yahoo! News: "TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said on Wednesday it would use 'all our means' to defend itself if attacked by the West, three days after France's foreign minister publicly raised the possibility of war over Tehran's disputed nuclear activities."

BBspot - Microsoft Reveals Windows Vista SP1 Will Install XP

BBspot - Microsoft Reveals Windows Vista SP1 Will Install XP: "Redmond, WA – In response to customer demands Microsoft announced that instead of patching bugs and improving features of Windows Vista in the next service pack release, they would just install XP. 'We're focused on giving the customer what they want, and want they want is to just go back to XP,' said Microsoft Development Chief Greg Elston."

Vista attacked by 13-year-old virus | The Register

Vista attacked by 13-year-old virus | The Register

It is the death of history - Independent Online Edition > Robert Fisk

It is the death of history - Independent Online Edition > Robert Fisk: "'Quite apart from this, military operations are damaging these sites forever. There's been a US base in Ur for five years and the walls are cracking because of the weight of military vehicles. It's like putting an archaeological site under a continuous earthquake.' Of all the ancient cities of present-day Iraq, Ur is regarded as the most important in the history of man-kind. Mentioned in the Old Testament – and believed by many to be the home of the Prophet Abraham – it also features in the works of Arab historians and geographers where its name is Qamirnah, The City of the Moon."

The Sun Online - News: OAPs say nurse, I need a Wii

The Sun Online - News: OAPs say nurse, I need a Wii: "OAPs say nurse, I need a Wii By ANDREW PARKER September 14, 2007 COMMENT ON THIS STORY THESE pensioners are livening up their retirement home — by competing with each other on the Nan-tendo Wii. Consol-ation prize ... resident Barrie Edgar, 88 Consol-ation prize ... resident Barrie Edgar, 88 Residents as old as 103 have ditched knitting and bridge after getting hooked on the console. Barrie Edgar, 88, said: “It’s great fun. We’ve only had it a few days but we can’t put it down.”"

Alan Greenspan claims Iraq war was really for oil - Times Online

Alan Greenspan claims Iraq war was really for oil - Times Online: "AMERICA’s elder statesman of finance, Alan Greenspan, has shaken the White House by declaring that the prime motive for the war in Iraq was oil."

Comment is free: 9/11 - the big cover-up?

9/11 - the big cover-up?

Why engineers yawn less than psychologists | Science | The Guardian

Why engineers yawn less than psychologists | Science | The Guardian: "Psychologists have shown that a phenomenon called 'contagious yawning' is strongest in people who are more empathetic and have a more developed sense of social awareness. Researchers at the University of Leeds covertly watched 40 psychology students and 40 engineering students yawning contagiously. The students thought they were sitting in a waiting room before an experiment, but in reality their reactions were being observed while someone else in the room yawned 10 times. On average, the engineering students yawned 1.5 times in response, while the psychology students yawned 5.5 times. The two groups also differed in how well developed their 'theory of mind' was - that is, their ability to appreciate the mental state of others."

RIA Novosti - Russia - Russia tests world's most powerful vacuum bomb - TV 1

RIA Novosti - Russia - Russia tests world's most powerful vacuum bomb - TV 1: "MOSCOW, September 11 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has tested a thermobaric bomb that is the most powerful in the world, a top military official said Tuesday."

Bloomberg Printer-Friendly Page

Bloomberg: "Iran isn't alone in wanting to drop the dollar for pricing oil. Russia has been examining plans to price the Urals oil export blend in rubles to curb currency risks. The nation plans to open the Energy Stock Exchange in St. Petersburg in the first half of next year to trade oil in rubles, UBS AG reported June 14."

Entire 6,000 page Diana dossier 'disappears' from Paris archives | the Daily Mail

Entire 6,000 page Diana dossier 'disappears' from Paris archives | the Daily Mail: "The entire 6,000-page French legal dossier into the death of Princess Diana has vanished from the court archives in Paris, a lawyer claimed last night. The mass of official documents - which stand one metre tall - was stored at the Palais de Justice central court building in the French capital. It was compiled over three years during the official investigation in crash by French investigating magistrate Judge Herve Stephan. But lawyer Jean-Louis Pelletier - who represents Paris paparazzi Fabrice Chassery - said when he asked to view the dossier, he was told it had disappeared."

Poll: 71% of Israelis want U.S. to strike Iran if talks fail - Haaretz - Israel News

Poll: 71% of Israelis want U.S. to strike Iran if talks fail - Haaretz - Israel News: "Fully 71 percent of Israelis believe that the United States should launch a military attack on Iran if diplomatic efforts fail to halt Tehran's nuclear program, according to a new poll. The survey, commissioned by Bar-Ilan University's BESA Center and the Anti-Defamation League, found that 59 percent of Israelis still believe the war in Iraq was justified, while 36 percent take the opposite view. "

Scotsman.com News - Police chief- Lockerbie evidence was faked

Scotsman.com News - Police chief- Lockerbie evidence was faked: "A FORMER Scottish police chief has given lawyers a signed statement claiming that key evidence in the Lockerbie bombing trial was fabricated."

IOL: Man claims key Lockerbie evidence was faked

IOL: Man claims key Lockerbie evidence was faked: "Zurich - A Swiss businessman on Monday claimed that a key piece of evidence in the Lockerbie trial was faked, following a French press report that one of his employees had lied to Scottish investigators."

The Canadian National Newspaper: German scientist Von Braun was at Roswell during UFO crash

The Canadian National Newspaper: German scientist Von Braun was at Roswell during UFO crash

Science of forgetting - Boing Boing

Science of forgetting - Boing Boing: "A new study suggests that there is a benefit to forgetting irrelevant or similar but less useful memories. According to Stanford University neuroscientist Brice Kuhl and his colleagues, suppressing certain memories reduces the cognitive load of remembering something else later on. "

U.S. most armed country with 90 guns per 100 people - Yahoo! News

U.S. most armed country with 90 guns per 100 people - Yahoo! News: "GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States has 90 guns for every 100 citizens, making it the most heavily armed society in the world, a report released on Tuesday said."

Inside DCSNet, the FBI's Nationwide Eavesdropping Network

Inside DCSNet, the FBI's Nationwide Eavesdropping Network: "It's a 'comprehensive wiretap system that intercepts wire-line phones, cellular phones, SMS and push-to-talk systems,' says Steven Bellovin, a Columbia University computer science professor and longtime surveillance expert."

news @ nature.com�-�Smoking stays in your genes after you quit�-�Cigarette habit may leave a molecular mark.

news@nature.com - Smoking stays in your genes after you quit - Cigarette habit may leave a molecular mark.: "'Cells in the airway appear to have changes at a molecular level that persist many years after quitting'"

Spy report on Iraq has stark conclusion - Los Angeles Times

Spy report on Iraq has stark conclusion - Los Angeles Times: "WASHINGTON -- Despite some military progress, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki is unable to govern his country effectively and the political situation is likely to become even more precarious in the next six to 12 months, the nation's intelligence agencies concluded in a new assessment released Thursday. The document, an update of a National Intelligence Estimate delivered in January, represents the view of all 16 U.S. spy agencies."

Santa Barbara News-Press

Santa Barbara News-Press: "One after another, the men and women who have stepped forward to report corruption in the massive effort to rebuild Iraq have been vilified, fired and demoted. Or worse."

Local Troops Deploy To Nation's Capital - News Story - WESH Orlando

Local Troops Deploy To Nation's Capital - News Story - WESH Orlando: "DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Members of the 1st Battalion 265 Air Defense Artillery have mobilized and are on a plane headed first to Ft. Bliss, then for federal active duty in the capital region. The troops will be deployed for a year."

World | Africa - Reuters.com

World | Africa - Reuters.com: "Despite having the four men in custody, police were unable to locate the uranium."

Scientists recreate out-of-body experiences (no drugs) - Yahoo! News

Scientists recreate out-of-body experiences (no drugs) - Yahoo! News: "Now neuroscientists have manipulated a group of perfectly healthy volunteers into thinking they had moved outside their bodies by distorting their perception of reality. Using virtual reality goggles to mix up the sensory signals reaching the brain, they induced the volunteers into projecting their awareness into a virtual body. Participants confirmed they had experienced sitting behind their physical body and looking at it. The illusion was so strong that the volunteers reacted with a palpable sense of fear when their virtual selves were threatened with physical force. The findings suggest there may be a scientific explanation for these types of out-of-body experiences, which are often thought of as delusional or paranormal, and the scientists believe their research could have important applications."

Quebec police says masked protesters were cops : Top Stories : News : Sympatico / MSN

Quebec police says masked protesters were cops : Top Stories : News : Sympatico / MSN: "The Quebec police force admits that three masked protesters at the Montebello summit were undercover officers -- the same men accused of trying to incite violence. "

Biofuels switch a mistake, say researchers | Environment | The Guardian

Biofuels switch a mistake, say researchers | Environment | The Guardian: "Increasing production of biofuels to combat climate change will release between two and nine times more carbon gases over the next 30 years than fossil fuels, according to the first comprehensive analysis of emissions from biofuels."

Syrian-Saudi war of words bodes ill for troubled region - International Herald Tribune

Syrian-Saudi war of words bodes ill for troubled region - International Herald Tribune: "BEIRUT, Lebanon: A new war of words has erupted between Syria and Saudi Arabia, signaling a further low in relations between the Mideast's two key regional players — one of them aligned with Washington and the other with Tehran."

Pentagon to suspend anti-terror database - Yahoo! News

Pentagon to suspend anti-terror database - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON - The Pentagon said Tuesday that it will shut down an anti-terror database that has been criticized for improperly storing information on peace activists and others whose actions posed no threat. It will be closed on Sept. 17 and information collected subsequently on potential terror or security threats to Defense Department facilities or personnel will be sent by Pentagon officials to an FBI database known as Guardian, according to Army Col. Gary Keck, a Pentagon spokesman. Keck said the Pentagon database is being shut down because 'the analytical value had declined,' but not because of public criticism of how it was used."

The Raw Story | Former CIA officer: US to attack Iran within 6 months

The Raw Story | Former CIA officer: US to attack Iran within 6 months: "Fox News asked former CIA field officer Bob Baer on Tuesday whether the US is 'gearing up for a military strike on Iran.' Baer has written a column for Time indicating that Washington officials expect an attack within the next six months."

PeoplePC - News

PeoplePC - News: "FRANKFURT, Germany - A two-day outage that left millions of Skype users unable to use the popular Internet phone service was caused by an abnormally high number of restarts after people had downloaded a Windows security update, the company said Monday. The worldwide outage, which began on Thursday and ended on Saturday, left millions of Skype users unable to log on to make phone calls or send instant messages."

WestEnder - Top Stories

WestEnder - Top Stories: "The Turks have never been happy about America’s closeness to the Kurds who helped the United States bring down Saddam Hussein. But, they are more concerned about those Iraqi Kurds sitting on huge oil reserves around Kirkuk. Therefore, if Iraq descended into all-out civil war, Kurdistan in northern Iraq could become a totally separate and very rich entity on Turkey’s border."

GoldMoney - Founder's Commentary

GoldMoney - Founder's Commentary: "Is a German-style hyperinflation really our future? Central banks in the past week created 1/3rd of a trillion dollars out of thin air in the blink of an eye. Does that sit right with you?"

Putin revives long-range bomber patrols | Russia | Guardian Unlimited

Putin revives long-range bomber patrols | Russia | Guardian Unlimited: "The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, yesterday announced Russia had resumed long-range flights of strategic bombers capable of striking targets deep inside the United States with nuclear weapons. Mr Putin said Russia had restarted the Soviet-era practice of sending bomber aircraft on regular patrols beyond its borders. Speaking after Russian and Chinese forces completed a day of war games in Russia's Urals, Mr Putin said 14 Russian bombers had taken off simultaneously yesterday on long-range missions."

San Jose Mercury News - Skype struggles to return to full service

San Jose Mercury News - Skype struggles to return to full service: "del.icio.usdel.icio.usDiggDiggRedditRedditYahooMyWebYahooMyWebGoogleGoogleThese icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.What's this? RePrintPrint Email Skype struggles to return to full service By Sarah Jane Tribble Mercury News Article Launched: 08/18/2007 01:41:12 AM PDT As users of Skype - the world's most popular Internet telephone service - struggled to get online Friday, the company continued to ask for patience. Skype, which is owned by eBay, first reported outages Thursday, blaming a software glitch. By Friday morning, Skype had updated its Web page to tell users it was 'on the road to recovery.' 'Skype is stabilizing, but this process may continue throughout the day,' the heartbeat.skype.com blog stated. 'An encouraging number of users can now use Skype once again. We know we're not out of the woods yet, but we are in better shape now than we were yesterday.'"

Jeremy Scahill: The Mercenary Revolution

Jeremy Scahill: The Mercenary Revolution: "If you think the U.S. has only 160,000 troops in Iraq, think again. With almost no congressional oversight and even less public awareness, the Bush administration has more than doubled the size of the U.S. occupation through the use of private war companies. There are now almost 200,000 private 'contractors' deployed in Iraq by Washington. This means that U.S. military forces in Iraq are now outsized by a coalition of billing corporations whose actions go largely unmonitored and whose crimes are virtually unpunished."

Iraq bombs: 500 die in worst terror attack - Telegraph

Iraq bombs: 500 die in worst terror attack - Telegraph: "The death toll in the co-ordinated suicide bomb attack on the minority Yazidi sect in northern Iraq could be as high as 500, medics have said."