THE HEAD of MI6 told Tony Blair that the case for war against Iraq was being “fixed” by the Americans to suit the policy, according to a BBC documentary that will reignite its battle with the government.
Blair followed the US lead by failing to reveal publicly doubts about the quality of intelligence that he had requested to support the case for war, the programme claims.
Sir Richard Dearlove, head of MI6, briefed Blair and a select group of ministers on America’s determination to press ahead with the war nine months before hostilities began.
After attending a briefing in Washington, he told the meeting that war was “inevitable”. Dearlove said “the facts and intelligence” were being “fixed round the policy” by George W Bush’s administration.
The allegations against Blair just weeks before a general election are likely to reopen the feud between the government and the BBC that came to a head over the death of Dr David Kelly, the former weapons inspector. It led to the resignations of Gavyn Davies, its chairman, and Greg Dyke, its director-general.
The documentary — to be shown on BBC1’s Panorama tonight — reveals that Britain and America were anxious to present a united front on Iraq despite a paucity of new data on Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
22.3.05
Independent News
Independent News: "Specialists have just met in Perth to discuss the secrets of rock dust, a quarrying by-product that is at the heart of government-sponsored scientific trials and which, it is claimed, could revitalise barren soil and reverse climate change.
The recognition of the healing powers of rock dust comes after a 20-year campaign by two former schoolteachers, Cameron and Moira Thomson. They have been battling to prove that rock dust can replace the minerals that have been lost to the earth over the past 10,000 years and, as a result, rejuvenate the land and halt climate change.
To prove their point, the couple have converted six acres of open, infertile land in the Grampian foothills near Pitlochry into a modern Eden. Using little more than rock dust mixed with compost, they have created rich, deep soils capable of producing cabbages the size of footballs, onions bigger than coconuts and gooseberries as big as plums."
The recognition of the healing powers of rock dust comes after a 20-year campaign by two former schoolteachers, Cameron and Moira Thomson. They have been battling to prove that rock dust can replace the minerals that have been lost to the earth over the past 10,000 years and, as a result, rejuvenate the land and halt climate change.
To prove their point, the couple have converted six acres of open, infertile land in the Grampian foothills near Pitlochry into a modern Eden. Using little more than rock dust mixed with compost, they have created rich, deep soils capable of producing cabbages the size of footballs, onions bigger than coconuts and gooseberries as big as plums."
: Thai monks protest listing of brewery on bourse
: Thai monks protest listing of brewery on bourse: "Thousands of chanting Buddhist monks assembled outside Thailand's stock market headquarters to protest the planned public listing of the brewer of the country's best-selling beer.
The 2,000 monks, draped in orange and brown robes, submitted a letter to the Stock Exchange of Thailand opposing the listing of Thai Beverages Ltd, which produces Chang Beer and Mekhong Whisky among other products.
The letter lamented the ill effects that alcohol has on society, in particular the surging number of alcohol-related deaths from road accidents and the rising trend of under-age drinking, Thai television reported."
The 2,000 monks, draped in orange and brown robes, submitted a letter to the Stock Exchange of Thailand opposing the listing of Thai Beverages Ltd, which produces Chang Beer and Mekhong Whisky among other products.
The letter lamented the ill effects that alcohol has on society, in particular the surging number of alcohol-related deaths from road accidents and the rising trend of under-age drinking, Thai television reported."
20.3.05
Vivre dans une maison �cologique!
LCN - R�gional - Vivre dans une maison �cologique!: "Michel Mass� et sa famille passent leur premier hiver dans la maison construite l'�t� dernier. Les 12 panneaux solaires fournissent jusqu'� 1800 wattheures quand le soleil brille; c'est donc beaucoup plus que ce que la maison peut consommer le jour. La nuit et les jours tr�s sombres, ce sont les batteries qui prennent la rel�ve.
Son installation est un prototype qui demande encore quelques ajustements. Le syst�me �lectronique qui g�re le d�placement des panneaux pour les garder constamment face au soleil n'est pas encore tout � fait au point.
Cette r�sidence est non seulement compl�tement ind�pendante en mati�re d'�nergie, c'est aussi un b�timent construit avec des mat�riaux recycl�s en grande partie, une maison dite �verte�.
La famille profite bien des p�riodes de soleil, sans regretter d'avoir eu l'audace de vouloir vivre sans avoir besoin des services d'Hydro-Qu�bec."
Son installation est un prototype qui demande encore quelques ajustements. Le syst�me �lectronique qui g�re le d�placement des panneaux pour les garder constamment face au soleil n'est pas encore tout � fait au point.
Cette r�sidence est non seulement compl�tement ind�pendante en mati�re d'�nergie, c'est aussi un b�timent construit avec des mat�riaux recycl�s en grande partie, une maison dite �verte�.
La famille profite bien des p�riodes de soleil, sans regretter d'avoir eu l'audace de vouloir vivre sans avoir besoin des services d'Hydro-Qu�bec."
19.3.05
US troops shoot Iraqi general dead: police. 16/03/2005. ABC News Online
US troops shoot Iraqi general dead: police. 16/03/2005. ABC News Online: "The deputy commander of the Iraqi army in western Al-Anbar province was shot dead by US troops at a checkpoint Tuesday night, a police officer said.
'The US forces opened fire at 8:00 pm on Brigadier General Ismail Swayed al-Obeid, who had left his base in Baghdadi to head home,' police Captain Amin al-Hitti said.
'They spotted him on the road after the curfew, which goes into effect at 6pm,' the officer said in Baghdadi, 185 kilometres west of the capital."
'The US forces opened fire at 8:00 pm on Brigadier General Ismail Swayed al-Obeid, who had left his base in Baghdadi to head home,' police Captain Amin al-Hitti said.
'They spotted him on the road after the curfew, which goes into effect at 6pm,' the officer said in Baghdadi, 185 kilometres west of the capital."
End Of The Snow On Mount Kilimanjaro
Sky News : End Of The Snow On Mount Kilimanjaro: "The snow-capped summit of Mount Kilimanjaro has melted away to reveal the tip of the African peak for the first time in 11,000 years.
The glaciers and snow which kept the summit white have almost completely disappeared.
Although scientists had predicted the melt would happen, it is 15 years sooner than they had predicted."
The glaciers and snow which kept the summit white have almost completely disappeared.
Although scientists had predicted the melt would happen, it is 15 years sooner than they had predicted."
18.3.05
Yahoo! News - Filmmakers Hawk New 3-D Technology
Yahoo! News - Filmmakers Hawk New 3-D Technology: "LAS VEGAS - After a brief incarnation in the early 1950s and a short-lived revival in the 1980s, 3-D movies are now getting serious consideration among filmmakers who want to send images leaping off the movie screen and into the audience.
'Star Wars' creator George Lucas and 'Titanic' director James Cameron were among those promoting a new digital alteration that converts two-dimensional movies into 3-D.
Theatergoers still have to wear those familiar cardboard glasses with red-and-blue cellophane, although backers of the new technology say it doesn't cause the eyestrain common with past 3-D efforts.
Lucas said he hopes eventually to release all six of his 'Star Wars' movies in 3-D format that can be shown in regular moviehouses, not specialty theaters such as IMAX."
'Star Wars' creator George Lucas and 'Titanic' director James Cameron were among those promoting a new digital alteration that converts two-dimensional movies into 3-D.
Theatergoers still have to wear those familiar cardboard glasses with red-and-blue cellophane, although backers of the new technology say it doesn't cause the eyestrain common with past 3-D efforts.
Lucas said he hopes eventually to release all six of his 'Star Wars' movies in 3-D format that can be shown in regular moviehouses, not specialty theaters such as IMAX."
TheNewOrleansChannel.com - Entertainment - Stolen Top Hat Returned To Guitarist Slash
TheNewOrleansChannel.com - Entertainment - Stolen Top Hat Returned To Guitarist Slash: "LOS ANGELES -- Slash has his top hat back -- four weeks after it was stolen from a limo after the Grammys.
AP
Slash
The metal guitarist said the Los Angeles Police Department recovered it.
Slash said it was 'a trip' to go sit in a room at the police station and they came in with the hat in a box so he could identify it."
AP
Slash
The metal guitarist said the Los Angeles Police Department recovered it.
Slash said it was 'a trip' to go sit in a room at the police station and they came in with the hat in a box so he could identify it."
17.3.05
BBC NEWS | Europe | Revolutionary bike 'too quiet'
BBC NEWS | Europe | Revolutionary bike 'too quiet': "The world's first purpose-built hydrogen-powered bike could be fitted with an artificial 'vroom' because of worries its silence might be dangerous.
A prototype of the motorbike, which could cost more than $8,300 (�4,500), was unveiled in London on Tuesday.
The problem with the 'fuel cell' bike, which produces no polluting emissions, is that it is too quiet."
A prototype of the motorbike, which could cost more than $8,300 (�4,500), was unveiled in London on Tuesday.
The problem with the 'fuel cell' bike, which produces no polluting emissions, is that it is too quiet."
16.3.05
India hopes to wean citizens from gold
India hopes to wean citizens from gold: "MUMBAI, India The Indian government is placing a long-range wager that an increasingly prosperous population can be coaxed to part - at least physically - with its boundless hoards of gold.
.
A policy floated recently would allow Indians to buy virtual, or 'paper,' gold in denominations as low as $2, instead of investing in necklaces, bangles and coins. It is a step, analysts say, toward bringing millions of poor Indians into the banking system and unlocking the untapped investment potential of more than $200 billion worth of privately held gold in India.
Indians are the world's biggest gold consumers, with more than half the country's savings tied up in physical assets. Particularly among the very poorest, Indians are prone to spending much of their income to acquire the metal, locking up their assets in the resulting hoards."
.
A policy floated recently would allow Indians to buy virtual, or 'paper,' gold in denominations as low as $2, instead of investing in necklaces, bangles and coins. It is a step, analysts say, toward bringing millions of poor Indians into the banking system and unlocking the untapped investment potential of more than $200 billion worth of privately held gold in India.
Indians are the world's biggest gold consumers, with more than half the country's savings tied up in physical assets. Particularly among the very poorest, Indians are prone to spending much of their income to acquire the metal, locking up their assets in the resulting hoards."
Boston.com / News / Local / Study faults treatment of juvenile offenders
Boston.com / News / Local / Study faults treatment of juvenile offenders: "Tough-on-crime laws that have made it easier to try juvenile offenders as adults have resulted in thousands of youths being sent to prison for nonviolent crimes, increasing the likelihood they will commit more serious crimes upon release, according to a national study to be released today at Northeastern University."
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Hitler 'tested small atom bomb'
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Hitler 'tested small atom bomb': "A German historian has claimed in a new book presented on Monday that Nazi scientists successfully tested a tactical nuclear weapon in the last months of World War II."
15.3.05
New Scientist Breaking News - Why it is hard to share the wealth
New Scientist Breaking News - Why it is hard to share the wealth: "The rich are getting richer while the poor remain poor. If you doubt it, ponder these numbers from the US, a country widely considered meritocratic, where talent and hard work are thought to be enough to propel anyone through the ranks of the rich. In 1979, the top 1% of the US population earned, on average, 33.1 times as much as the lowest 20%. In 2000, this multiplier had grown to 88.5. If inequality is growing in the US, what does this mean for other countries?"
13.3.05
New Scientist Features - Psychedelic medicine: Mind bending, health giving
New Scientist Features - Psychedelic medicine: Mind bending, health giving: "JOHN HALPERN clearly remembers what made him change his mind about psychedelic drugs. It was the early 1990s and the young medical student at a hospital in Brooklyn, New York, was getting frustrated that he could not do more to help the alcoholics and addicts in his care. He sounded off to an older psychiatrist, who mentioned that LSD and related drugs had once been considered promising treatments for addiction. 'I was so fascinated that I did all this research,' Halpern recalls. 'I was reading all these papers from the 60s and going, whoa, wait a minute! How come nobody's talking about this?'
More than a decade later, Halpern is now an associate director of substance abuse research at Harvard University's McLean Hospital and is at the forefront of a revival of research into psychedelic medicine. He recently received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to give late-stage cancer patients the psychedelic drug MDMA, also known as ecstasy. He is also laying the groundwork for testing LSD as a treatment for dreaded super-migraines known as cluster headaches.
And Halpern is not alone. Clinical trials of psychedelic drugs are planned or under way at numerous centres around the world for conditions ranging from anxiety to alcoholism. It may not be long before doctors are legally prescribing hallucinogens for the first time in decades. 'There are medicines here that have been overlooked, that are fundamentally valuable,' says Halpern."
More than a decade later, Halpern is now an associate director of substance abuse research at Harvard University's McLean Hospital and is at the forefront of a revival of research into psychedelic medicine. He recently received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to give late-stage cancer patients the psychedelic drug MDMA, also known as ecstasy. He is also laying the groundwork for testing LSD as a treatment for dreaded super-migraines known as cluster headaches.
And Halpern is not alone. Clinical trials of psychedelic drugs are planned or under way at numerous centres around the world for conditions ranging from anxiety to alcoholism. It may not be long before doctors are legally prescribing hallucinogens for the first time in decades. 'There are medicines here that have been overlooked, that are fundamentally valuable,' says Halpern."
BBC NEWS | Europe | French court bans Christ advert
BBC NEWS | Europe | French court bans Christ advert: "France's Catholic Church has won a court injunction to ban a clothing advertisement based on Leonardo da Vinci's Christ's Last Supper."
Mass extinction comes every 62 million years, UC physicists discover
Mass extinction comes every 62 million years, UC physicists discover: "With surprising and mysterious regularity, life on Earth has flourished and vanished in cycles of mass extinction every 62 million years, say two UC Berkeley scientists who discovered the pattern after a painstaking computer study of fossil records going back for more than 500 million years."
11.3.05
Sympatico / MSN News : Unusual News : Internet casino buys Virgin Mary pretzel for $10,600 US
Sympatico / MSN News : Unusual News : Internet casino buys Virgin Mary pretzel for $10,600 US: "GoldenPalace.com has been an active eBay bidder.
Last month the casino paid $4,500 to an obese South Carolina man to tattoo advertising on his stomach. The casino also bid $35,099 to put its name on the FleetCenter in Boston for one day.
In December the casino paid $65,000 for a metal walking cane known as the 'ghost cane.'
In November the casino shelled out $28,000 to a Florida woman for the grilled-cheese sandwich thought to be embedded with the image of the Virgin Mary.
The casino put the cane and sandwich on a world tour and Machelle Naylor said she expects the same thing to happen with the pretzel.
The Naylors have decided to divide most of the $10,600 between their two churches, United Methodist of Alliance and United Methodist of St. Paul."
Last month the casino paid $4,500 to an obese South Carolina man to tattoo advertising on his stomach. The casino also bid $35,099 to put its name on the FleetCenter in Boston for one day.
In December the casino paid $65,000 for a metal walking cane known as the 'ghost cane.'
In November the casino shelled out $28,000 to a Florida woman for the grilled-cheese sandwich thought to be embedded with the image of the Virgin Mary.
The casino put the cane and sandwich on a world tour and Machelle Naylor said she expects the same thing to happen with the pretzel.
The Naylors have decided to divide most of the $10,600 between their two churches, United Methodist of Alliance and United Methodist of St. Paul."
BBC NEWS | Health | How tunes get stuck in your head
BBC NEWS | Health | How tunes get stuck in your head: "Scientists may have found what makes a tune catchy, after locating the brain area where a song's 'hook' gets caught."
10.3.05
CNN.com - Dime minted in 1894 auctioned for $1.3 million - Mar 8, 2005
CNN.com - Dime minted in 1894 auctioned for $1.3 million - Mar 8, 2005: "BALTIMORE, Maryland (AP) -- A dime struck in 1894 at the San Francisco mint was auctioned Monday for $1,322,500, the most ever paid for a United States dime, experts said."
Ynetnews - News - Army frowns on Dungeons and Dragons
Ynetnews - News - Army frowns on Dungeons and DragonsDoes the Israel Defense Forces believe incoming recruits and soldiers who play Dungeons and Dragons are unfit for elite units? Ynet has learned that 18-year-olds who tell recruiters they play the popular fantasy game are automatically given low security clearance.
“They're detached from reality and suscepitble to influence,” the army says.
“They're detached from reality and suscepitble to influence,” the army says.
Local10.com - News - Police Investigate Use Of Taser In Hospital
Local10.com - News - Police Investigate Use Of Taser In Hospital: "ORLANDO, Fla. -- A police officer twice used a Taser stun device on a drug suspect who was restrained to a hospital bed because the man refused to give a urine sample to medical staff, authorities said."
9.3.05
US troops get training to avoid friendly-fire attacks on British - World - Times Online
US troops get training to avoid friendly-fire attacks on British - World - Times OnlineAMERICAN soldiers in Iraq are being given “anti-fratricide” training to reduce the number of friendly fire attacks against British and other coalition troops, The Times has learnt.
Thirty-two “blue-on-blue” attacks on British and other coalition vehicles have been logged in the past twelve months in southern Iraq, Britain’s area of responsibility.
Thirty-two “blue-on-blue” attacks on British and other coalition vehicles have been logged in the past twelve months in southern Iraq, Britain’s area of responsibility.
13WHAM-TV ROCHESTER || NEWS
13WHAM-TV ROCHESTER || NEWS: "A former U.S. Marine who participated in capturing ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said the public version of his capture was fabricated.
Ex-Sgt. Nadim Abou Rabeh, of Lebanese descent, was quoted in the Saudi daily al-Medina Wednesday as saying Saddam was actually captured Friday, Dec. 12, 2003, and not the day after, as announced by the U.S. Army."
Ex-Sgt. Nadim Abou Rabeh, of Lebanese descent, was quoted in the Saudi daily al-Medina Wednesday as saying Saddam was actually captured Friday, Dec. 12, 2003, and not the day after, as announced by the U.S. Army."
Sympatico / MSN Health & Fitness : News : Laughter is Healthy: Blood flow increases when folks watch funny movies
Sympatico / MSN Health & Fitness : News : Laughter is Healthy: Blood flow increases when folks watch funny movies: "'I think it would be reasonable for everybody to loosen up, and spend about 15 to 20 minutes a day laughing,' said lead researcher Dr. Michael Miller, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center."
8.3.05
Ex-Korn Guitarist Baptized in Jordan River
RedNova News - Oddities - Ex-Korn Guitarist Baptized in Jordan River: "KIBBUTZ KINNERET, Israel -- Former Korn guitarist Brian 'Head' Welch was baptized Saturday in the Jordan River, just weeks after quitting his band, drug habits and rock-and-roll lifestyle for religion.
Welch, a founding member of the multi-platinum band, and about 20 other white-robed Christian pilgrims from a Bakersfield, Calif., church were immersed by their pastor, Ron Vietti.
Welch said the ritual baptism had washed away his anger. 'You know when you get angry and it builds up? I felt like hurting someone before, now I feel like hugging people,' he said."
Welch, a founding member of the multi-platinum band, and about 20 other white-robed Christian pilgrims from a Bakersfield, Calif., church were immersed by their pastor, Ron Vietti.
Welch said the ritual baptism had washed away his anger. 'You know when you get angry and it builds up? I felt like hurting someone before, now I feel like hugging people,' he said."
WFTV.com - News - Stun Gun Used On Handcuffed, 65-Pound, 13-Year-Old Girl
WFTV.com - News - Stun Gun Used On Handcuffed, 65-Pound, 13-Year-Old Girl: "JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- State Attorney Harry Shorstein said Wednesday that excessive force may have been used by police officers who used a stun gun on a 13-year-old girl who was being uncooperative after they took her into custody for fighting with her mother.
The 65-pound girl was handcuffed in the back of a patrol car Feb. 7 when she was shocked twice with a 50,000-volt Taser, according to a Sheriff's Office report. Police departments in Florida and nationwide have been criticized for their use of Taser guns, which some say have caused deaths."
The 65-pound girl was handcuffed in the back of a patrol car Feb. 7 when she was shocked twice with a 50,000-volt Taser, according to a Sheriff's Office report. Police departments in Florida and nationwide have been criticized for their use of Taser guns, which some say have caused deaths."
4.3.05
Townsville Bulletin: 'Da Vinci Code' threats [ 04mar05 ]
Townsville Bulletin: 'Da Vinci Code' threats [ 04mar05 ]: "AN extortionist who threatened to kill building workers unless a $50 million ransom was received from construction giant Multiplex used a 400-year-old code to communicate with the company.
The Vigenere Code - made famous recently by best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code - was invented in 1586 and not broken until 1860.
The Daily Telegraph yesterday cracked a version of the code the blackmailer used in his threats to the company.
The extortionist has been communicating with Multiplex via newspaper ads."
The Vigenere Code - made famous recently by best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code - was invented in 1586 and not broken until 1860.
The Daily Telegraph yesterday cracked a version of the code the blackmailer used in his threats to the company.
The extortionist has been communicating with Multiplex via newspaper ads."
3.3.05
Yahoo! News - All members of primitive tribe survived tsunami
Yahoo! News - All members of primitive tribe survived tsunami: "HUT BAY, India - When the water in the creek suddenly ran out to sea on the morning of Dec. 26, the aboriginal Onge tribe knew the evil spirits were up to no good. They scattered pig and turtle skulls around their settlement and hurled stones toward the ocean. Hurriedly gathering their baskets, bows and arrows, they then fled into the jungle, bearing amulets of ancestral bones for protection.
Minutes later, the tsunami that left nearly 300,000 people dead or missing in the Indian Ocean region slammed into their tribal reserve in India's remote Andaman islands. All 96 Onge survived, even as residents of the nearby town of Hut Bay perished."
Minutes later, the tsunami that left nearly 300,000 people dead or missing in the Indian Ocean region slammed into their tribal reserve in India's remote Andaman islands. All 96 Onge survived, even as residents of the nearby town of Hut Bay perished."
Guardian Unlimited | Life | German discovers longest prime number
Guardian Unlimited | Life | German discovers longest prime number: "
A German eye specialist with a keen amateur interest in mathematics has discovered the world's largest prime number after a 50-day search using his personal computer.
Dr Martin Nowak, who has his own practice in the south German town of Michelfeld, stumbled upon the number last week, breaking the previous record for a prime number by half a million digits."
A German eye specialist with a keen amateur interest in mathematics has discovered the world's largest prime number after a 50-day search using his personal computer.
Dr Martin Nowak, who has his own practice in the south German town of Michelfeld, stumbled upon the number last week, breaking the previous record for a prime number by half a million digits."
America No. 1?
City Pages - No. 1?: "No concept lies more firmly embedded in our national character than the notion that the USA is 'No. 1,' 'the greatest.' Our broadcast media are, in essence, continuous advertisements for the brand name 'America Is No. 1.' Any office seeker saying otherwise would be committing political suicide. In fact, anyone saying otherwise will be labeled 'un-American.' We're an 'empire,' ain't we? Sure we are. An empire without a manufacturing base. An empire that must borrow $2 billion a day from its competitors in order to function. Yet the delusion is ineradicable."
2.3.05
Having sex results in babies? : HTTabloid.com
Having sex results in babies? : HTTabloid.com: "As many as 30 per cent of couples in the Philippines are unaware that having sex can result in babies, Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit said on Tuesday.
'They do not know how pregnancy happens,' even though some of them have had numerous children already, Dayrit remarked."
'They do not know how pregnancy happens,' even though some of them have had numerous children already, Dayrit remarked."
1.3.05
24.2.05
Chocolate-fed women have better sex lives
Chocolate-fed women have better sex lives: "Is chocolate better than sex? While some may argue yes, it turns out you may not have to make the call. Chocolate may just be good -- both to eat and for sex, according to a recent study.
Italian researchers found that women who ate chocolate on a daily basis had higher libidos than those who didn't. They also found that chocolate-fed women had better sexual arousal and more sexual satisfaction. Their scientific conclusion: The craving of choice for many women has some real benefits for our sex lives."
Italian researchers found that women who ate chocolate on a daily basis had higher libidos than those who didn't. They also found that chocolate-fed women had better sexual arousal and more sexual satisfaction. Their scientific conclusion: The craving of choice for many women has some real benefits for our sex lives."
BBC NEWS | South Asia | Fasting fakir flummoxes physicians
BBC NEWS | South Asia | Fasting fakir flummoxes physicians: "Doctors and experts are baffled by an Indian hermit who claims not to have eaten or drunk anything for several decades - but is still in perfect health.
Prahlad Jani, a holy man, or fakir, who is over 70 years old, has just spent 10 days under constant observation in Sterling Hospital, in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad.
During that time, he did not consume anything and 'neither did he pass urine or stool', according to the hospital's deputy superintendent, Dr Dinesh Desai."
Prahlad Jani, a holy man, or fakir, who is over 70 years old, has just spent 10 days under constant observation in Sterling Hospital, in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad.
During that time, he did not consume anything and 'neither did he pass urine or stool', according to the hospital's deputy superintendent, Dr Dinesh Desai."
23.2.05
BBC NEWS | Health | Marijuana may block Alzheimer's
BBC NEWS | Health | Marijuana may block Alzheimer's: "The active ingredient in marijuana may stall decline from Alzheimer's disease, research suggests.
Scientists showed a synthetic version of the compound may reduce inflammation associated with Alzheimer's and thus help to prevent mental decline.
They hope the cannabinoid may be used to developed new drug therapies."
Scientists showed a synthetic version of the compound may reduce inflammation associated with Alzheimer's and thus help to prevent mental decline.
They hope the cannabinoid may be used to developed new drug therapies."
22.2.05
Navy signals for help to recruit gay sailors
Times Online - Sunday TimesTHE Royal Navy has turned to Stonewall, the gay lobby group, for advice on how to recruit and retain homosexual sailors.
Senior officers want to encourage more gay and lesbian sailors, estimated at 2,100, to “come out”, paving the way for the first openly gay admiral.
The partnership, to be announced tomorrow, will provide the template for a wider change in the culture of the armed forces. Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall, said: “We hope that the RAF and the army will be following shortly.”
Senior officers want to encourage more gay and lesbian sailors, estimated at 2,100, to “come out”, paving the way for the first openly gay admiral.
The partnership, to be announced tomorrow, will provide the template for a wider change in the culture of the armed forces. Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall, said: “We hope that the RAF and the army will be following shortly.”
21.2.05
Top News Article | Reuters.co.uk
Top News Article | Reuters.co.uk: "MBABANE (Reuters) - Swaziland's King Mswati has barred photographers from taking pictures of his growing fleet of royal limousines amid criticism that the luxury car purchases are an embarrassment to one of Africa's poorest countries.
Mswati stirred up a storm in December when he bought a new $500,000 (264,000 pounds) DaimlerChrysler Maybach 62 -- one of the most expensive cars in the world -- and recently hit the headlines again when he splashed out for new BMWs for each of his 10 wives.
The royal edict barring photos of the cars came after Mswati appeared in an even newer and more expensive stretch Mercedes S600 limousine for the opening of parliament on Friday."
Mswati stirred up a storm in December when he bought a new $500,000 (264,000 pounds) DaimlerChrysler Maybach 62 -- one of the most expensive cars in the world -- and recently hit the headlines again when he splashed out for new BMWs for each of his 10 wives.
The royal edict barring photos of the cars came after Mswati appeared in an even newer and more expensive stretch Mercedes S600 limousine for the opening of parliament on Friday."
Times Online - World
Times Online - WorldSIX reputed mobsters from New York’s Gambino crime family have pleaded guilty to using internet porn sites and “free” sex lines to cheat users across the globe out of $650 million (£344 million) in one of the biggest consumer frauds in American history.
One of the charges involved an extortion attempt against the former porn publisher Richard Desmond, the proprietor of the Daily Express. One of his executives was beaten by the gang.
An alleged Gambino captain, a soldier and four associates admitted their involvement on Monday just before the start of their trial in Brooklyn. Prosecutors said that they advertised “free” phone numbers offering adult entertainment, horoscope readings and telephone dating and then billed callers $40 (£22) a month for “voice mail” — a practice known as phone “cramming”.
One of the charges involved an extortion attempt against the former porn publisher Richard Desmond, the proprietor of the Daily Express. One of his executives was beaten by the gang.
An alleged Gambino captain, a soldier and four associates admitted their involvement on Monday just before the start of their trial in Brooklyn. Prosecutors said that they advertised “free” phone numbers offering adult entertainment, horoscope readings and telephone dating and then billed callers $40 (£22) a month for “voice mail” — a practice known as phone “cramming”.
Telegraph | News | Russian scientists who invented hangover cure make pill that keeps you drunk
Telegraph | News | Russian scientists who invented hangover cure make pill that keeps you drunk: "The makers of RU-21, the 'miracle' hangover cure reputedly developed for Soviet spies, have developed a product to keep you drunk.
Spirit Sciences, which is based in California but has research facilities in Russia employing scientists who once worked on secret programmes for the Kremlin, have christened the new product RU-21 Red.
If you take a tablet you need less alcohol to stay drunk, they claim."
Spirit Sciences, which is based in California but has research facilities in Russia employing scientists who once worked on secret programmes for the Kremlin, have christened the new product RU-21 Red.
If you take a tablet you need less alcohol to stay drunk, they claim."
Politics News Article | Reuters.com
Politics News Article | Reuters.com: "President Bush indicated in interviews secretly taped by a friend before he became president that he had used marijuana but would not admit it for fear of setting a bad example for children.
Portions of the tapes, recorded from 1998 to 2000 by author Doug Wead without Bush's knowledge, were aired on ABC News on Sunday and published by The New York Times. Their authenticity was verified by the media outlets but has not been independently checked by Reuters.
'I wouldn't answer the marijuana question. You know why? Because I don't want some little kid doing what I tried,' Bush purportedly says on the tape.
He added: 'But you got to understand, I want to be president. I want to lead. I want to set -- Do you want your little kid say, 'Hey, Daddy, President Bush tried marijuana, I think I will?''"
Portions of the tapes, recorded from 1998 to 2000 by author Doug Wead without Bush's knowledge, were aired on ABC News on Sunday and published by The New York Times. Their authenticity was verified by the media outlets but has not been independently checked by Reuters.
'I wouldn't answer the marijuana question. You know why? Because I don't want some little kid doing what I tried,' Bush purportedly says on the tape.
He added: 'But you got to understand, I want to be president. I want to lead. I want to set -- Do you want your little kid say, 'Hey, Daddy, President Bush tried marijuana, I think I will?''"
18.2.05
MSNBC - U.S. contractors in Iraq allege abuses
MSNBC - U.S. contractors in Iraq allege abuses: "They worked for an American company named Custer Battles, hired by the Pentagon to conduct dangerous missions guarding supply convoys. They were so upset by what they saw, three quit after only one or two missions.
'What we saw, I know the American population wouldn't stand for,' says Craun."
'What we saw, I know the American population wouldn't stand for,' says Craun."
CNN.com - Hitler's retreat to�host luxury hotel - Feb 17, 2005
CNN.com - Hitler's retreat to�host luxury hotel - Feb 17, 2005: "The new hotel, the Intercontinental Resort Berchtesgaden, will open on the Obersalzberg mountaintop to guests on March 1, the Bavarian Finance Ministry said Thursday.
The decision to build a hotel on the site above the German Alp town of Berchtesgaden angered many Jewish groups."
The decision to build a hotel on the site above the German Alp town of Berchtesgaden angered many Jewish groups."
17.2.05
BBC NEWS | England | Cambridgeshire | Serial burglar caught on webcam
BBC NEWS | England | Cambridgeshire | Serial burglar caught on webcam: "A house burglar was caught after a webcam on the owner's computer recorded images of him carrying out the raid.
Stills of serial raider Benjamin Park, 19, of Cambridge, were sent to an email address so even when he stole the computer, the images could be found.
Police said it was a 'brilliant idea' of software engineer Duncan Grisby, who set it after a previous burglary."
Stills of serial raider Benjamin Park, 19, of Cambridge, were sent to an email address so even when he stole the computer, the images could be found.
Police said it was a 'brilliant idea' of software engineer Duncan Grisby, who set it after a previous burglary."
16.2.05
CBC News: 1,000-year lifespan a possibility, geneticist says
CBC News: 1,000-year lifespan a possibility, geneticist says: "EDMONTON - Most people accept dying of old age as a natural part of life, but some scientists insist we could be living much longer.
Geneticist Aubrey de Grey of Cambridge University figures humans could live to 1,000 years with the help of biotechnology and various therapies.
Reaching that goal, however, will take at least 10 years of mouse trials and another 15 on humans."
Geneticist Aubrey de Grey of Cambridge University figures humans could live to 1,000 years with the help of biotechnology and various therapies.
Reaching that goal, however, will take at least 10 years of mouse trials and another 15 on humans."
Robotic ball that chases burglars
Telegraph | News | Robotic ball that chases burglars: "A large black ball, originally designed by Swedish scientists for use on Mars, could be the latest weapon in the war against burglars.
The device, developed at the University of Uppsala, acts as a high-tech security guard capable of detecting an intruder thanks to either radar or infra-red sensors. Once alerted, it can summon help, sound an alarm or pursue the intruders, taking pictures.
It is capable of travelling at 20mph, somewhat faster than a human being. Even worse for intruders, the robot ball can still give chase over mud, snow and water."
The device, developed at the University of Uppsala, acts as a high-tech security guard capable of detecting an intruder thanks to either radar or infra-red sensors. Once alerted, it can summon help, sound an alarm or pursue the intruders, taking pictures.
It is capable of travelling at 20mph, somewhat faster than a human being. Even worse for intruders, the robot ball can still give chase over mud, snow and water."
15.2.05
US News Article | Reuters.com
US News Article | Reuters.com: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Sen. John Kerry, whose baffling explanation of votes on Iraq war funding hurt his 2004 White House bid, said on Tuesday he would back President Bush's new $81.9 billion request for Iraq and Afghanistan.
'I think we're in a very different situation,' Kerry told reporters. 'I'm going to vote for this ... I think this money is important to our being successful and to the completion of the process.'
The Massachusetts senator, who failed in his bid to unseat Bush last November in an election focused on national security, defended his decision to not back the president's previous request to fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
'Mine was the right vote at the time and I wouldn't change it if we went back to that point in time because it was the right vote,' Kerry said. 'We didn't have a plan and they didn't spend the money correctly.'"
'I think we're in a very different situation,' Kerry told reporters. 'I'm going to vote for this ... I think this money is important to our being successful and to the completion of the process.'
The Massachusetts senator, who failed in his bid to unseat Bush last November in an election focused on national security, defended his decision to not back the president's previous request to fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
'Mine was the right vote at the time and I wouldn't change it if we went back to that point in time because it was the right vote,' Kerry said. 'We didn't have a plan and they didn't spend the money correctly.'"
Herald Sun: Is this Jesus?
Herald Sun: Is this Jesus? [13feb05]: "IS this what Jesus of Nazareth looked like as a boy?
Forensic experts in Italy have come up with this computer-generated sketch of a fair-skinned young Jesus with wavy hair and dark eyes, based on historical data and images from the controversial Shroud of Turin."
Forensic experts in Italy have come up with this computer-generated sketch of a fair-skinned young Jesus with wavy hair and dark eyes, based on historical data and images from the controversial Shroud of Turin."
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Women 'need longer to learn to drive'
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Women 'need longer to learn to drive': "While a certain type of stand-up comic insists that women make the poorer drivers, few expected the government's chief driving examiner to say the same.
But yesterday Roger Cummins fired a shot in this particular battle of the sexes by releasing the Driving Standards Agency's pass rates, which apparently show that women need more time and attempts to pass the driving test."
But yesterday Roger Cummins fired a shot in this particular battle of the sexes by releasing the Driving Standards Agency's pass rates, which apparently show that women need more time and attempts to pass the driving test."
14.2.05
Backpage Article Display
Backpage Article Display: "Ukraine - A 63-year-old man who hasn't slept for more than two decades has been told there is nothing wrong with him.
Ukrainian Fyodor Nesterchuk from the town of Kamen-Kashirsky said the last time he managed to doze off was more than 20 years ago."
Ukrainian Fyodor Nesterchuk from the town of Kamen-Kashirsky said the last time he managed to doze off was more than 20 years ago."
Finally - why women can't read maps
News.com.au | Finally - why women can't read maps (24-01-2005): "MEN frequently despair at women's map-reading skills - or rather their lack of them. Now scientists believe they have pinpointed the reason for this conflict between the sexes.
Researchers say it is all down to differences in the reliance of the sexes on either grey matter or white matter in their brains to solve problems.
They found that in intelligence tests men use 6.5 times as much grey matter as women, but women use nine times as much white matter.
Grey matter is brain tissue crucial to processing information and plays a vital role in aiding skills such as mathematics, map-reading and intellectual thought."
Researchers say it is all down to differences in the reliance of the sexes on either grey matter or white matter in their brains to solve problems.
They found that in intelligence tests men use 6.5 times as much grey matter as women, but women use nine times as much white matter.
Grey matter is brain tissue crucial to processing information and plays a vital role in aiding skills such as mathematics, map-reading and intellectual thought."
law.com - Article
law.com - Article: "As often happens in the hip-hop world, two rappers became embroiled in a dispute over who owned the rights to a song that utilized a popular phrase. And it took the musical ear of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to settle the matter. "
Ananova - Man peed way out of avalanche
Ananova - Man peed way out of avalanche: "A Slovak man trapped in his car under an avalanche freed himself by drinking 60 bottles of beer and urinating on the snow to melt it."
Excessive medical expenses / Study finds that half of health care dollars are wasted
Excessive medical expenses / Study finds that half of health care dollars are wasted: "About 50 percent of health care spending is eaten up by waste, excessive prices and fraud, according to a report set for release today by Boston University researchers.
Major sources of unnecessary spending include administrative costs and profit in the insurance industry, high prices of prescription drugs and health services and, to a smaller extent, theft and fraud, according to the study."
Major sources of unnecessary spending include administrative costs and profit in the insurance industry, high prices of prescription drugs and health services and, to a smaller extent, theft and fraud, according to the study."
Sharon Osbourne: Ozzys Drug Laced Stew Turn Sharon Osbourne Into Sex Mad Hulk!
Sharon Osbourne: Ozzys Drug Laced Stew Turn Sharon Osbourne Into Sex Mad Hulk!: "SHARON OSBOURNE eyes her husband OZZY's cooking suspiciously these days, after he put drugs in a stew he cooked for her."
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | A genius explains
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | A genius explains: "Daniel Tammet is an autistic savant. He can perform mind-boggling mathematical calculations at breakneck speeds. But unlike other savants, who can perform similar feats, Tammet can describe how he does it. He speaks seven languages and is even devising his own language. Now scientists are asking whether his exceptional abilities are the key to unlock the secrets of autism."
13.2.05
Véhicules hybrides - un peu d'histoire
"La technologie et la puissance électronique modernes ont ressuscité les véhicules à groupe propulseur hybride 'essence-électrique', et plusieurs modèles de ce type sont actuellement en vente au Canada. "
12.2.05
RedNova News - Can This Black Box See Into the Future?
RedNova News - Can This Black Box See Into the Future?: "During the late 1970s, Prof Jahn decided to investigate whether the power of human thought alone could interfere in some way with the machine's usual readings. He hauled strangers off the street and asked them to concentrate their minds on his number generator. In effect, he was asking them to try to make it flip more heads than tails.
It was a preposterous idea at the time. The results, however, were stunning and have never been satisfactorily explained.
Again and again, entirely ordinary people proved that their minds could influence the machine and produce significant fluctuations on the graph, 'forcing it' to produce unequal numbers of 'heads' or 'tails'.
According to all of the known laws of science, this should not have happened - but it did. And it kept on happening.
Dr Nelson, also working at Princeton University, then extended Prof Jahn's work by taking random number machines to group meditations, which were very popular in America at the time. Again, the results were eyepopping. The groups were collectively able to cause dramatic shifts in the patterns of numbers."
It was a preposterous idea at the time. The results, however, were stunning and have never been satisfactorily explained.
Again and again, entirely ordinary people proved that their minds could influence the machine and produce significant fluctuations on the graph, 'forcing it' to produce unequal numbers of 'heads' or 'tails'.
According to all of the known laws of science, this should not have happened - but it did. And it kept on happening.
Dr Nelson, also working at Princeton University, then extended Prof Jahn's work by taking random number machines to group meditations, which were very popular in America at the time. Again, the results were eyepopping. The groups were collectively able to cause dramatic shifts in the patterns of numbers."
11.2.05
Hitler Still Getting Post In Berlin
Hitler Still Getting Post In Berlin: "German postal services are still delivering post for Adolf Hitler, even though the Nazi dictator has been dead almost 60 years. "
10.2.05
BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | N Korea's statement in full
BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | N Korea's statement in full: "It is the spirit of the Korean people true to the Songun politics to respond to good faith and the use of force in kind.
We had already taken the resolute action of pulling out of the NPT and have manufactured nukes for self-defence to cope with the Bush administration's evermore undisguised policy to isolate and stifle the DPRK.
Its nuclear weapons will remain nuclear deterrent for self-defence under any circumstances.
The present reality proves that only powerful strength can protect justice and truth."
We had already taken the resolute action of pulling out of the NPT and have manufactured nukes for self-defence to cope with the Bush administration's evermore undisguised policy to isolate and stifle the DPRK.
Its nuclear weapons will remain nuclear deterrent for self-defence under any circumstances.
The present reality proves that only powerful strength can protect justice and truth."
8.2.05
6.2.05
News
News: "Falling in love used to be fun. Now doctors are warning that the throes of passion should be seen as a potentially fatal medical disorder.
Psychologists say that 'lovesickness' is a genuine disease that needs more awareness and diagnosis.
And those little actions that are normally seen as symptoms of the first flush of love - buying presents, waiting by the phone for a call or making a bit of an effort before a date - may actually be signs of deep-rooted problems to come."
Psychologists say that 'lovesickness' is a genuine disease that needs more awareness and diagnosis.
And those little actions that are normally seen as symptoms of the first flush of love - buying presents, waiting by the phone for a call or making a bit of an effort before a date - may actually be signs of deep-rooted problems to come."
Yahoo! News - Music Industry Sues 83-Year-Old Dead Woman
Yahoo! News - Music Industry Sues 83-Year-Old Dead Woman: "CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Gertrude Walton was recently targeted by the recording industry in a lawsuit that accused her of illegally trading music over the Internet. But Walton died in December after a long illness, and according to her daughter, the 83-year-old hated computers.
More than a month after Walton was buried in Beckley, a group of record companies named her as the sole defendant in a federal lawsuit, claiming she made more than 700 pop, rock and rap songs available for free on the Internet under the screen name 'smittenedkitten.'
Walton's daughter, Robin Chianumba, lived with her mother for the last 17 years and said her mother objected to having a computer in the house.
'My mother was computer illiterate. She hated a computer,' Chianumba said. 'My mother wouldn't know how to turn on a computer.'"
More than a month after Walton was buried in Beckley, a group of record companies named her as the sole defendant in a federal lawsuit, claiming she made more than 700 pop, rock and rap songs available for free on the Internet under the screen name 'smittenedkitten.'
Walton's daughter, Robin Chianumba, lived with her mother for the last 17 years and said her mother objected to having a computer in the house.
'My mother was computer illiterate. She hated a computer,' Chianumba said. 'My mother wouldn't know how to turn on a computer.'"
4.2.05
BBC NEWS | UK | Antarctic's ice 'melting faster'
BBC NEWS | UK | Antarctic's ice 'melting faster': "A team of UK researchers claims to have new evidence that global warming is melting the ice in Antarctica faster than had previously been thought."
3.2.05
t r u t h o u t - Dahr Jamail | Living Under the Bombs
t r u t h o u t - Dahr Jamail | Living Under the Bombs: "One of the least reported aspects of the U.S. occupation of Iraq is the oftentimes indiscriminate use of air power by the American military. The Western mainstream media has generally failed to attend to the F-16 warplanes dropping their payloads of 500, 1,000, and 2,000-pound bombs on Iraqi cities -? or to the results of these attacks. While some of the bombs and missiles fall on resistance fighters, the majority of the casualties are civilian ?- mothers, children, the elderly, and other unarmed civilians."
Bloomberg Printer-Friendly Page
Bloomberg Printer-Friendly Page: "Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corp., left no doubt of that, telling television host Charlie Rose ``I'm short the dollar.'' The world's wealthiest man called the record $7.62 trillion federal debt ``a bit scary'' and lamented that the U.S. is in ``uncharted territory'' fiscally.
And he's right. Just ask Warren Buffett, the world's No. 2 moneyman, who has been buying foreign currencies since 2002, citing concerns about the U.S. deficit. The bet is paying off, too. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reaped a $412 million pretax gain on the trade in the third quarter of 2004.
Gates and Buffett may not be reading from the same playbook as George Soros, though their investments bear some similarities. Financier Soros has long since given up on the world's reserve currency, and U.S. President George W. Bush's competence on economic matters."
And he's right. Just ask Warren Buffett, the world's No. 2 moneyman, who has been buying foreign currencies since 2002, citing concerns about the U.S. deficit. The bet is paying off, too. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reaped a $412 million pretax gain on the trade in the third quarter of 2004.
Gates and Buffett may not be reading from the same playbook as George Soros, though their investments bear some similarities. Financier Soros has long since given up on the world's reserve currency, and U.S. President George W. Bush's competence on economic matters."
2.2.05
Yahoo! News - Co. to Advertise on Neb. Man's Forehead
Yahoo! News - Co. to Advertise on Neb. Man's Forehead: "OMAHA, Neb. - A Web-page designer who auctioned off the use of his forehead for advertising space is letting it go to his head. Andrew Fischer, 20, of Omaha, who put his forehead for sale on eBay as advertising space, received $37,375 on Friday to advertise the snoring remedy, SnoreStop."
31.1.05
Boing Boing: More Googleable unsecured webcams
Boing Boing: More Googleable unsecured webcams: "More Googleable unsecured webcams "
Technology News: Plastic solar cell breakthrough
Technology News: Plastic solar cell breakthrough: "Jan 15, 2005 (AXcess News) Toronto - Scientists at the University of Toronto have invented a solar cell that's made of plastic which can be sprayed on and harnesses infrared light so it even works on cloudy days."
5.1.05
Dec 31 America's Creativity Crisis John Mauldin 321gold
Dec 31 America's Creativity Crisis John Mauldin 321gold: "'Students are a leading indicator of global talent flows. The countries that attract them often retain them. For decades, international students have flocked to the U.S. to take advantage of its world-class education. Recently, however, a report by the Council for Graduate Schools found that international student applications for fall 2004 admission had dropped sharply at 90 percent of the schools in its survey. The total decline was 32 percent.
'It is not just students who are affected. The Homeland Security Dept.'s annual report on immigration released in September shows the total number of immigrants - those granted the right to stay in the U.S. permanently - declined 34 percent in 2003. More importantly, the immigrants with the most to offer seem to be having the hardest time getting in. The number of workers with advanced degrees or exceptional skills who were admitted to the U.S. fell 65 percent last year. For the first time in modern history, top scientists and intellectuals are choosing not to come to the U.S."
'It is not just students who are affected. The Homeland Security Dept.'s annual report on immigration released in September shows the total number of immigrants - those granted the right to stay in the U.S. permanently - declined 34 percent in 2003. More importantly, the immigrants with the most to offer seem to be having the hardest time getting in. The number of workers with advanced degrees or exceptional skills who were admitted to the U.S. fell 65 percent last year. For the first time in modern history, top scientists and intellectuals are choosing not to come to the U.S."
4.1.05
Top News Article | Reuters.com
Top News Article | Reuters.com: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration is preparing plans for possible lifetime detention of suspected terrorists, including hundreds whom the government does not have enough evidence to charge in courts, The Washington Post reported Sunday.
Citing intelligence, defense and diplomatic officials, the newspaper said the Pentagon and the CIA had asked the White House to decide on a more permanent approach for those it would not set free or turn over to courts at home or abroad.
As part of a solution, the Defense Department, which holds 500 prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, plans to ask the U.S. Congress for $25 million to build a 200-bed prison to hold detainees who are unlikely to ever go through a military tribunal for lack of evidence, defense officials told the newspaper.
The new prison, dubbed Camp 6, would allow inmates more comfort and freedom than they have now, and would be designed for prisoners the government believes have no more intelligence to share, The Post said."
Citing intelligence, defense and diplomatic officials, the newspaper said the Pentagon and the CIA had asked the White House to decide on a more permanent approach for those it would not set free or turn over to courts at home or abroad.
As part of a solution, the Defense Department, which holds 500 prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, plans to ask the U.S. Congress for $25 million to build a 200-bed prison to hold detainees who are unlikely to ever go through a military tribunal for lack of evidence, defense officials told the newspaper.
The new prison, dubbed Camp 6, would allow inmates more comfort and freedom than they have now, and would be designed for prisoners the government believes have no more intelligence to share, The Post said."
Oddly Enough News Article | Reuters.com
Oddly Enough News Article | Reuters.com: "KHAO LAK, Thailand (Reuters) - Agitated elephants felt the tsunami coming, and their sensitivity saved about a dozen foreign tourists from the fate of thousands killed by the giant waves.
'I was surprised because the elephants had never cried before,' mahout Dang Salangam said on Sunday on Khao Lak beach at the eight-elephant business offering rides to tourists.
The elephants started trumpeting -- in a way Dang, 36, and his wife Kulada, 24, said could only be described as crying -- at first light, about the time an earthquake measured at a magnitude of 9.0 cracked open the sea bed off Indonesia's Sumatra island.
The elephants soon calmed down. But they started wailing again about an hour later and this time they could not be comforted despite their mahouts' attempts at reassurance."
'I was surprised because the elephants had never cried before,' mahout Dang Salangam said on Sunday on Khao Lak beach at the eight-elephant business offering rides to tourists.
The elephants started trumpeting -- in a way Dang, 36, and his wife Kulada, 24, said could only be described as crying -- at first light, about the time an earthquake measured at a magnitude of 9.0 cracked open the sea bed off Indonesia's Sumatra island.
The elephants soon calmed down. But they started wailing again about an hour later and this time they could not be comforted despite their mahouts' attempts at reassurance."
31.12.04
Warren Buffett Warns of Financial 'Chaos'
Warren Buffett Warns of Financial 'Chaos' The Sage of Omaha has real worries about the U.S. dollar.
It is no surprise that billionaire stock investor Warren Buffett continues to flee the U.S. dollar as he pours billions into foreign currencies.
Story Continues Below
Last year Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett’s holding company, reported it had placed some $12 billion in foreign currencies.
Now Forbes reports that Buffett continues to exit dollar investments, and Berkshire Hathaway holds some $20 billion in foreign currencies.
Buffett has used foreign currencies as a hedge against his weakly performing U.S. portfolio.
According to the New York Times, the firm reversed a second quarter loss and gained $412 million between July and September, after increasing its share of foreign currency contracts from $12 billion at the close of 2003 to $20 billion now.
Buffett managed to do that by betting the dollar would decline, and it has.
In fact, it has recently hit record lows against the euro, and experts who spoke to the Times believe the decline will continue, possibly for years.
"In 2002, we entered the foreign currency market for the first time in my life, and in 2003 we enlarged our position as I became increasingly bearish on the dollar," Buffett told investors in a letter in last year's annual report.
He remains bearish on the dollar even now.
It is no surprise that billionaire stock investor Warren Buffett continues to flee the U.S. dollar as he pours billions into foreign currencies.
Story Continues Below
Last year Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett’s holding company, reported it had placed some $12 billion in foreign currencies.
Now Forbes reports that Buffett continues to exit dollar investments, and Berkshire Hathaway holds some $20 billion in foreign currencies.
Buffett has used foreign currencies as a hedge against his weakly performing U.S. portfolio.
According to the New York Times, the firm reversed a second quarter loss and gained $412 million between July and September, after increasing its share of foreign currency contracts from $12 billion at the close of 2003 to $20 billion now.
Buffett managed to do that by betting the dollar would decline, and it has.
In fact, it has recently hit record lows against the euro, and experts who spoke to the Times believe the decline will continue, possibly for years.
"In 2002, we entered the foreign currency market for the first time in my life, and in 2003 we enlarged our position as I became increasingly bearish on the dollar," Buffett told investors in a letter in last year's annual report.
He remains bearish on the dollar even now.
30.12.04
CNN.com - Fly-eating robot powers itself - Dec 29, 2004
CNN.com - Fly-eating robot powers itself - Dec 29, 2004: "(CNN) -- Scientists at the University of the West of England (UWE) have designed a robot that does not require batteries or electricity to power itself.
Instead, it generates energy by catching and eating houseflies.
Dr Chris Melhuish and his Bristol-based team hope the robot, called EcoBot II, will one day be sent into zones too dangerous for humans, potentially proving invaluable in military, security and industrial areas."
Instead, it generates energy by catching and eating houseflies.
Dr Chris Melhuish and his Bristol-based team hope the robot, called EcoBot II, will one day be sent into zones too dangerous for humans, potentially proving invaluable in military, security and industrial areas."
Yahoo! News - FBI Probes Laser Beam Directed at Cockpit
Yahoo! News - FBI Probes Laser Beam Directed at Cockpit: "The beam appeared Monday when the plane was about 15 miles from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, the FBI (news - web sites) said.
'It was in there for several seconds like (the plane) was being tracked,' FBI agent Robert Hawk said."
'It was in there for several seconds like (the plane) was being tracked,' FBI agent Robert Hawk said."
cooltech.iafrica.com | coolscience Quake rattled Earth orbit - geophysicist
cooltech.iafrica.com | coolscience Quake rattled Earth orbit - geophysicist: "An earthquake that unleashed deadly tidal waves on Asia was so powerful it made the Earth wobble on its axis and permanently altered the regional map, US geophysicists said on Monday.
The 9.0-magnitude temblor that struck 250km southeast of Sumatra island on Sunday may have moved small islands as much as 20m, according to one expert."
The 9.0-magnitude temblor that struck 250km southeast of Sumatra island on Sunday may have moved small islands as much as 20m, according to one expert."
29.12.04
Forbes.com: The Paper Standard
Forbes.com: The Paper Standard: " "a deputy governor of the People's Bank of China, Li Ruogu, can upbraid the U.S. for financial mismanagement and lay fair claim to some of the facts. 'The savings rate in China is more than 40%,' Li told the Financial Times in November. 'In the U.S. it is less than 2%. So the problem is that they spend too much and save too little.'"
WorldNetDaily: Death count up to 68,000
WorldNetDaily: Death count up to 68,000: "African nation of Somalia, 3,000 miles from the quake's epicenter, reported at least 110 deaths in coastal villages hit by waves."
WorldNetDaily: Arab astrologer predicts Bush assassination
WorldNetDaily: Arab astrologer predicts Bush assassination: "A Tunisian astrologer who reportedly predicted the deaths of Princess Diana, Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Yasser Arafat says President Bush will be killed by an assassin's bullet in 2005.
So seriously are Hassan al-Sharibi's predictions taken in the Arab world that a similar prophecy about Palestinian Liberation Organization leader Mahmoud Abbas has resulted in increased security around the candidate to replace Arafat as president of the Palestinian Authority."
So seriously are Hassan al-Sharibi's predictions taken in the Arab world that a similar prophecy about Palestinian Liberation Organization leader Mahmoud Abbas has resulted in increased security around the candidate to replace Arafat as president of the Palestinian Authority."
Ananova - Top doc backs picking your nose and eating it
Ananova - Top doc backs picking your nose and eating it: "Picking your nose and eating it is one of the best ways to stay healthy, according to a top Austrian doctor.
Innsbruck-based lung specialist Prof Dr Friedrich Bischinger said people who pick their noses with their fingers were healthy, happier and probably better in tune with their bodies.
He says society should adopt a new approach to nose-picking and encourage children to take it up.
Dr Bischinger said: 'With the finger you can get to places you just can't reach with a handkerchief, keeping your nose far cleaner.
'And eating the dry remains of what you pull out is a great way of strengthening the body's immune system."
Innsbruck-based lung specialist Prof Dr Friedrich Bischinger said people who pick their noses with their fingers were healthy, happier and probably better in tune with their bodies.
He says society should adopt a new approach to nose-picking and encourage children to take it up.
Dr Bischinger said: 'With the finger you can get to places you just can't reach with a handkerchief, keeping your nose far cleaner.
'And eating the dry remains of what you pull out is a great way of strengthening the body's immune system."
WorldNetDaily: Rumsfeld says 9-11 plane 'shot down' in Pennsylvania
WorldNetDaily: Rumsfeld says 9-11 plane 'shot down' in Pennsylvania Rumsfeld says 9-11 plane 'shot down' in Pennsylvania. During surprise Christmas Eve trip, defense secretary contradicts official story
The End of Warfare
The End of Warfare: "'Against the most heavily armed opponent in the history of War, Fallujah has still not let itself be 'taken' to date. The mightiest military machine in history has met its match. A turning point in military affairs? The end of warfare, as practiced by the Americans - the application of overwhelming force to obtain a victory?'"
28.12.04
Walmart.com - How Walmart Is Destroying America And The World: And What You Can Do About It
Walmart.com - How Walmart Is Destroying America And The World: And What You Can Do About It Ils vendent le livre en question chez Wal Mart!
entertainment.iafrica.com | news Stars show more skin than ever
entertainment.iafrica.com | news Stars show more skin than ever Stars are showing 59 percent of their naked bodies, more skin than ever, as they step out at premieres, according to Ananova.com.
Researchers from an Odeon survey have scanned through the years to see how much nudity has been on show over the decades. In 1994 — the year that Liz Hurley famously upped the ante in a safety pin Versace creation at the opening of 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' — the average bare skin quota was just 39 percent. Hurley's flesh flash amounted to about triple that.
Since the 1950s, the most prudish decade was, interestingly, the 70s when stars like Carrie Fisher and Goldie Hawn showed just 7 percent of their bods.
Researchers say that if trends continue, stars with be showing off three-quarters of their bods by 2010.
Researchers from an Odeon survey have scanned through the years to see how much nudity has been on show over the decades. In 1994 — the year that Liz Hurley famously upped the ante in a safety pin Versace creation at the opening of 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' — the average bare skin quota was just 39 percent. Hurley's flesh flash amounted to about triple that.
Since the 1950s, the most prudish decade was, interestingly, the 70s when stars like Carrie Fisher and Goldie Hawn showed just 7 percent of their bods.
Researchers say that if trends continue, stars with be showing off three-quarters of their bods by 2010.
Rumsfeld says Flight 93 was ’shot down’
By John Byrne | RAW STORY Editor
In either a gargantuan slip of the tongue or a momentous gaffe departing from the Bush Administration-approved timeline, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld told troops in Iraq that the Sept. 11 flight over Pennsylvania was “shot down,” RAW STORY has discovered.
The quote was found in CNN’s transcript of a video of the Secretary’s visit to Camp Victory in Baghdad. The audio is available from National Public Radio (skip to 3:30) here.
Rumsfeld appears to suggest that terrorists shot down Flight 93, the flight immortalized with the possibly inaccurate “let’s roll” tale in which passengers struggled to retake the plane, driving it into the ground.
Others, however, who have long taken issue with the events as reported, believe the United States shot down the airliner. No doubt Rumsfeld’s remarks will fuel a new controversy among those who find serious flaws in the historical timeline.
By John Byrne | RAW STORY Editor
In either a gargantuan slip of the tongue or a momentous gaffe departing from the Bush Administration-approved timeline, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld told troops in Iraq that the Sept. 11 flight over Pennsylvania was “shot down,” RAW STORY has discovered.
The quote was found in CNN’s transcript of a video of the Secretary’s visit to Camp Victory in Baghdad. The audio is available from National Public Radio (skip to 3:30) here.
Rumsfeld appears to suggest that terrorists shot down Flight 93, the flight immortalized with the possibly inaccurate “let’s roll” tale in which passengers struggled to retake the plane, driving it into the ground.
Others, however, who have long taken issue with the events as reported, believe the United States shot down the airliner. No doubt Rumsfeld’s remarks will fuel a new controversy among those who find serious flaws in the historical timeline.
26.12.04
Jerusalem Post | Breaking News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World
Jerusalem Post | Breaking News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World: "Some 600 prominent Palestinians, including top officials, cabinet ministers, legislators, intellectuals and poets, have called for an end to armed attacks on Israel and urged the Palestinian Authority to push for democratic reforms."
Bush aims high, faces more foes | csmonitor.com
Bush aims high, faces more foes | csmonitor.comWASHINGTON – Lest there was any doubt, events of the past week have reinforced the image of a president heading into a new term with all the markings of a high-wire act.
President Bush has carved out a second-term domestic agenda as ambitious as any - beginning with fundamental change to the $500 billion-a-year Social Security program - while acknowledging that the deep challenges in Iraq will continue long after the Jan. 30 elections there. Even before an insurgent attack on US forces in Mosul Dec. 21 killed at least 24 people, Bush had adopted a more sober tone in assessing mixed progress toward a stable, democratic Iraq.
A majority of the American public - 56 percent - now says the Iraq war was not worth fighting, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, and Bush's overall job-approval rating hangs just below 50 percent in several polls, right where it was on the eve of his reelection. The president is now playing for the history books, not a third term, while the Congress he needs to carry through his reforms has, as always, reelection in mind. In growing numbers, congressional Republicans are raising questions, if not outright dissent, about Bush's plans at home and abroad.
President Bush has carved out a second-term domestic agenda as ambitious as any - beginning with fundamental change to the $500 billion-a-year Social Security program - while acknowledging that the deep challenges in Iraq will continue long after the Jan. 30 elections there. Even before an insurgent attack on US forces in Mosul Dec. 21 killed at least 24 people, Bush had adopted a more sober tone in assessing mixed progress toward a stable, democratic Iraq.
A majority of the American public - 56 percent - now says the Iraq war was not worth fighting, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, and Bush's overall job-approval rating hangs just below 50 percent in several polls, right where it was on the eve of his reelection. The president is now playing for the history books, not a third term, while the Congress he needs to carry through his reforms has, as always, reelection in mind. In growing numbers, congressional Republicans are raising questions, if not outright dissent, about Bush's plans at home and abroad.
24.12.04
CANOE Money: - Investing in gold bullion made easier with new gold ETF listed on the NYSE
CANOE Money: - Investing in gold bullion made easier with new gold ETF listed on the NYSE(Special) - With the recent listing of a new exchange traded fund (ETF) for gold on the New York Stock Exchange, Canadian investors now have an easy way to invest in gold bullion – inside or outside of their RRSPs.
RRSP rules prohibit the direct holding of gold bullion. But since the gold EFT is traded like a company stock on a recognized North American exchange, Canadian investors can tuck away as many of the gold ETF shares as they want in their self-directed RRSPs, subject to the 30-per-cent limit on foreign holdings.
All it takes to own gold bullion in this way is a call to your full-service or discount broker (or a click of a computer mouse if you are set up for Internet trading).
Each share of the new gold ETF (symbol GLD on the NYSE) represents one-tenth of an ounce of gold and the ETF is properly structured to ensure the price of the shares closely tracks the price of gold bullion with no significant discount or premium.
If the spot price of gold is US$450 per ounce, each GLD share will be US$45 (possibly give or take a few cents for a few minutes until the arbitragers narrow in the difference).
The gold ETF is formally known as Streettracks Gold Trust (details at www.streettracksgoldshares.com). The main custodian holding the gold is HSBC Bank, one of the world's largest banks.
The gold ETF is a great trading vehicle for those interested in speculating on short-term swings in the price of gold, or it can be used for long-term investing.
With the annual management fees for the ETF only around 0.4 per cent, investors would actually be saving on the insurance and storage costs of holding gold bullion directly.
RRSP rules prohibit the direct holding of gold bullion. But since the gold EFT is traded like a company stock on a recognized North American exchange, Canadian investors can tuck away as many of the gold ETF shares as they want in their self-directed RRSPs, subject to the 30-per-cent limit on foreign holdings.
All it takes to own gold bullion in this way is a call to your full-service or discount broker (or a click of a computer mouse if you are set up for Internet trading).
Each share of the new gold ETF (symbol GLD on the NYSE) represents one-tenth of an ounce of gold and the ETF is properly structured to ensure the price of the shares closely tracks the price of gold bullion with no significant discount or premium.
If the spot price of gold is US$450 per ounce, each GLD share will be US$45 (possibly give or take a few cents for a few minutes until the arbitragers narrow in the difference).
The gold ETF is formally known as Streettracks Gold Trust (details at www.streettracksgoldshares.com). The main custodian holding the gold is HSBC Bank, one of the world's largest banks.
The gold ETF is a great trading vehicle for those interested in speculating on short-term swings in the price of gold, or it can be used for long-term investing.
With the annual management fees for the ETF only around 0.4 per cent, investors would actually be saving on the insurance and storage costs of holding gold bullion directly.
NORML Home / News Archive / 2004 / Canada Set To Authorize Prescription Use Of First-Ever Medical Cannabis Spray
NORML Home / News Archive / 2004 / Canada Set To Authorize Prescription Use Of First-Ever Medical Cannabis Spray: "Ottawa, Ontario: Health Canada has issued a 'Qualifying Notice' for the approval of Sativex, an oral spray consisting of natural cannabis extracts, for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Health Canada is expected to finalize marketing authorization for Sativex by early 2005.
Produced by the British biotechnology firm GW Pharmaceuticals, Sativex is a whole plant medicinal cannabis extract containing precise doses of the cannabinoids THC and cannabidiol (CBD). In clinical trials, Sativex has been demonstrated to alleviate numerous MS-associated symptoms compared to placebo, including pain, muscle spasms, and bladder incontinence."
Produced by the British biotechnology firm GW Pharmaceuticals, Sativex is a whole plant medicinal cannabis extract containing precise doses of the cannabinoids THC and cannabidiol (CBD). In clinical trials, Sativex has been demonstrated to alleviate numerous MS-associated symptoms compared to placebo, including pain, muscle spasms, and bladder incontinence."
23.12.04
New Rules Issued for National Forests (washingtonpost.com)
New Rules Issued for National Forests (washingtonpost.com) The Bush administration issued comprehensive new rules yesterday for managing the national forests, jettisoning some environmental protections that date to Ronald Reagan's administration and putting in place the biggest change in forest-use policies in nearly three decades.
The regulations affect recreation, endangered-species protections and livestock grazing, among other things, on all 192 million acres of the country's 155 national forests. Sally Collins, associate chief of the U.S. Forest Service, said the changes will replace a bureaucratic planning process with a more corporate management approach that will allow officials to respond to changing ecological and social conditions.
The regulations affect recreation, endangered-species protections and livestock grazing, among other things, on all 192 million acres of the country's 155 national forests. Sally Collins, associate chief of the U.S. Forest Service, said the changes will replace a bureaucratic planning process with a more corporate management approach that will allow officials to respond to changing ecological and social conditions.
21.12.04
Reuters News Article
Reuters News Article: "Mobile Phone Radiation Harms DNA, New Study Finds
Mon Dec 20, 2004 04:38 PM ET
MUNICH/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Radio waves from mobile phones harm body cells and damage DNA in laboratory conditions, according to a new study majority-funded by the European Union, researchers said on Monday.
The so-called Reflex study, conducted by 12 research groups in seven European countries, did not prove that mobile phones are a risk to health but concluded that more research is needed to see if effects can also be found outside a lab.
The $100 billion a year mobile phone industry asserts that there is no conclusive evidence of harmful effects as a result of electromagnetic radiation.
About 650 million mobile phones are expected to be sold to consumers this year, and over 1.5 billion people around the world use one.
The research project, which took four years and which was coordinated by the German research group Verum, studied the effect of radiation on human and animal cells in a laboratory.
After being exposed to electromagnetic fields that are typical for mobile phones, the cells showed a significant increase in single and double-strand DNA breaks. The damage could not always be repaired by the cell. DNA carries the genetic material of an organism and its different cells."
Mon Dec 20, 2004 04:38 PM ET
MUNICH/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Radio waves from mobile phones harm body cells and damage DNA in laboratory conditions, according to a new study majority-funded by the European Union, researchers said on Monday.
The so-called Reflex study, conducted by 12 research groups in seven European countries, did not prove that mobile phones are a risk to health but concluded that more research is needed to see if effects can also be found outside a lab.
The $100 billion a year mobile phone industry asserts that there is no conclusive evidence of harmful effects as a result of electromagnetic radiation.
About 650 million mobile phones are expected to be sold to consumers this year, and over 1.5 billion people around the world use one.
The research project, which took four years and which was coordinated by the German research group Verum, studied the effect of radiation on human and animal cells in a laboratory.
After being exposed to electromagnetic fields that are typical for mobile phones, the cells showed a significant increase in single and double-strand DNA breaks. The damage could not always be repaired by the cell. DNA carries the genetic material of an organism and its different cells."
20.12.04
Wine and chocolate help you live longer and better
Wine and chocolate help you live longer and better: "A Dutch researchers has found that wine, fish, dark chocolate, fruit and vegetables, garlic and almonds eaten regularly can lower your chances of developing heart disease later in life by 76%.
Results of dining on the Polymeal were most dramatic for men, who were projected to live on average 6.6 years longer in total than those not eating the meal. Men will also live for nine years longer without succumbing to heart disease, and those that do will suffer it for less years of their lives. "
Results of dining on the Polymeal were most dramatic for men, who were projected to live on average 6.6 years longer in total than those not eating the meal. Men will also live for nine years longer without succumbing to heart disease, and those that do will suffer it for less years of their lives. "
19.12.04
ABC News: In U.S., 44 Percent Say Restrict Muslims
ABC News: In U.S., 44 Percent Say Restrict MuslimsITHACA, N.Y. Dec 17, 2004 — Nearly half of all Americans believe the U.S. government should restrict the civil liberties of Muslim Americans, according to a nationwide poll.
The survey conducted by Cornell University also found that Republicans and people who described themselves as highly religious were more apt to support curtailing Muslims' civil liberties than Democrats or people who are less religious.
Researchers also found that respondents who paid more attention to television news were more likely to fear terrorist attacks and support limiting the rights of Muslim Americans.
"It's sad news. It's disturbing news. But it's not unpredictable," said Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American Society. "The nation is at war, even if it's not a traditional war. We just have to remain vigilant and continue to interface."
The survey conducted by Cornell University also found that Republicans and people who described themselves as highly religious were more apt to support curtailing Muslims' civil liberties than Democrats or people who are less religious.
Researchers also found that respondents who paid more attention to television news were more likely to fear terrorist attacks and support limiting the rights of Muslim Americans.
"It's sad news. It's disturbing news. But it's not unpredictable," said Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American Society. "The nation is at war, even if it's not a traditional war. We just have to remain vigilant and continue to interface."
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