5.4.05
Google Satellite Maps
Google Blog: "Now when you type an address into Google Maps, you can click the 'Satellite' link and see a view of the area. You can zoom, move the view by dragging, and even resize the window just like the normal 'Maps' view"
4.4.05
Herald Sun: Judas to tell his story [31mar05]
Herald Sun: Judas to tell his story [31mar05]: "ABOUT 2000 years after the Gospel according to Judas sowed discord among early Christians, a Swiss foundation is translating the controversial text named after the apostle, said to have betrayed Jesus."
New Hampshire Gazette I National News I Bush - Nazi Link Confirmed
New Hampshire Gazette I National News I Bush - Nazi Link Confirmed: "WASHINGTON - After 60 years of inattention and even denial by the U.S. media, newly-uncovered government documents in The National Archives and Library of Congress reveal that Prescott Bush, the grandfather of President George W. Bush, served as a business partner of and U.S. banking operative for the financial architect of the Nazi war machine from 1926 until 1942, when Congress took aggressive action against Bush and his 'enemy national' partners.
The documents also show that Bush and his colleagues, according to reports from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and FBI, tried to conceal their financial alliance with German industrialist Fritz Thyssen, a steel and coal baron who, beginning in the mid-1920s, personally funded Adolf Hitler's rise to power by the subversion of democratic principle and German law.
Furthermore, the declassified records demonstrate that Bush and his associates, who included E. Roland Harriman, younger brother of American icon W. Averell Harriman, and George Herbert Walker, President Bush's maternal great-grandfather, continued their dealings with the German industrial baron for nearly eight months after the U.S. entered the war.
No Story?
For six decades these historical facts have gone unreported by the mainstream U.S. media. The essential facts have appeared on the Internet and in relatively obscure books, but were dismissed by the media and Bush family as undocumented diatribes. This story has also escaped the attention of 'official' Bush biographers, Presidential historians and publishers of U.S. history books covering World War II and its aftermath."
The documents also show that Bush and his colleagues, according to reports from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and FBI, tried to conceal their financial alliance with German industrialist Fritz Thyssen, a steel and coal baron who, beginning in the mid-1920s, personally funded Adolf Hitler's rise to power by the subversion of democratic principle and German law.
Furthermore, the declassified records demonstrate that Bush and his associates, who included E. Roland Harriman, younger brother of American icon W. Averell Harriman, and George Herbert Walker, President Bush's maternal great-grandfather, continued their dealings with the German industrial baron for nearly eight months after the U.S. entered the war.
No Story?
For six decades these historical facts have gone unreported by the mainstream U.S. media. The essential facts have appeared on the Internet and in relatively obscure books, but were dismissed by the media and Bush family as undocumented diatribes. This story has also escaped the attention of 'official' Bush biographers, Presidential historians and publishers of U.S. history books covering World War II and its aftermath."
Steve Quayle News Alerts
Steve Quayle News Alerts: "According to the method, when two or more planets, Sun and the Moon get aligned more or less in line (0 to 180 degree) with the earth it could affect the angular momentum of the earth and decrease the speed of rotation of the earth which could trigger an earthquake.
But in order to trigger an earthquake in one particular place, two conditions should be taken into consideration, said Venkatanathan. One is the distance of the planetary configurations and two the directions of force acting at the possible epicenter.
Venkatanathan also clarified that by analysing the earthquakes that had occurred over the last 100 years, it was inferred that there was a role of planetary configurations in triggering earthquakes.
He added that the team had earlier predicted possibility of earthquake occurrences at 27 places, among which Assam was one, and presented a report at the International Conference of 'Hazards 2004' held at National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad.
He said the success of the prediction rate achieved so far was around 75 to 80 per cent within a time-frame of plus or minus three to four days.
Rajeshwara Rao said, 'we are in the process of refining the technique so as to achieve a better success rate for which we should have a network of inputs from various international research organisations. For this to happen there was a need for large-scale funding, which could be done through the Government. He said with these things in mind, the department had already submitted a proposal to the Tamilnadu government to establish a Centre for Earthquake and Natural Hazards Studies (CENHAS)."
But in order to trigger an earthquake in one particular place, two conditions should be taken into consideration, said Venkatanathan. One is the distance of the planetary configurations and two the directions of force acting at the possible epicenter.
Venkatanathan also clarified that by analysing the earthquakes that had occurred over the last 100 years, it was inferred that there was a role of planetary configurations in triggering earthquakes.
He added that the team had earlier predicted possibility of earthquake occurrences at 27 places, among which Assam was one, and presented a report at the International Conference of 'Hazards 2004' held at National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad.
He said the success of the prediction rate achieved so far was around 75 to 80 per cent within a time-frame of plus or minus three to four days.
Rajeshwara Rao said, 'we are in the process of refining the technique so as to achieve a better success rate for which we should have a network of inputs from various international research organisations. For this to happen there was a need for large-scale funding, which could be done through the Government. He said with these things in mind, the department had already submitted a proposal to the Tamilnadu government to establish a Centre for Earthquake and Natural Hazards Studies (CENHAS)."
3.4.05
The Telegraph - Calcutta : Nation
The Telegraph - Calcutta : NationN.Venkatanathan - Chennai, Dec. 26: As India mourned, a group of people at Madras University’s Applied Geology department could barely hide their glee.
December 26, Sumatra, 03.54 degrees latitude and 097.17 degrees longitude — a team of seismologists led by Dr N. Rajeshwara Rao and N. Venkatanathan had predicted. The forecast was near perfect.
Flaunting the relevant information downloaded from the site of the World Data Center for Seismology, Denver, Venkatanathan said the data put out by the US Geological Survey read: “December 26, 2004, off the West Coast of Northern Sumatra, 03.298 degrees latitude and 095.779 degrees longitude.”
December 26, Sumatra, 03.54 degrees latitude and 097.17 degrees longitude — a team of seismologists led by Dr N. Rajeshwara Rao and N. Venkatanathan had predicted. The forecast was near perfect.
Flaunting the relevant information downloaded from the site of the World Data Center for Seismology, Denver, Venkatanathan said the data put out by the US Geological Survey read: “December 26, 2004, off the West Coast of Northern Sumatra, 03.298 degrees latitude and 095.779 degrees longitude.”
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | 'One huge US jail'
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | 'One huge US jail': "Kabul was a grim, monastic place in the days of the Taliban; today it's a chaotic gathering point for every kind of prospector and carpetbagger. Foreign bidders vying for billions of dollars of telecoms, irrigation and construction contracts have sparked a property boom that has forced up rental prices in the Afghan capital to match those in London, Tokyo and Manhattan. Four years ago, the Ministry of Vice and Virtue in Kabul was a tool of the Taliban inquisition, a drab office building where heretics were locked up for such crimes as humming a popular love song. Now it's owned by an American entrepreneur who hopes its bitter associations won't scare away his new friends.
Outside Kabul, Afghanistan is bleaker, its provinces more inaccessible and lawless, than it was under the Taliban. If anyone leaves town, they do so in convoys. Afghanistan is a place where it is easy for people to disappear and perilous for anyone to investigate their fate. Even a seasoned aid agency such as M�d�cins Sans Fronti�res was forced to quit after five staff members were murdered last June. Only the 17,000-strong US forces, with their all-terrain Humvees and Apache attack helicopters, have the run of the land, and they have used the haze of fear and uncertainty that has engulfed the country to advance a draconian phase in the war against terror. Afghanistan has become the new Guant�namo Bay."
Outside Kabul, Afghanistan is bleaker, its provinces more inaccessible and lawless, than it was under the Taliban. If anyone leaves town, they do so in convoys. Afghanistan is a place where it is easy for people to disappear and perilous for anyone to investigate their fate. Even a seasoned aid agency such as M�d�cins Sans Fronti�res was forced to quit after five staff members were murdered last June. Only the 17,000-strong US forces, with their all-terrain Humvees and Apache attack helicopters, have the run of the land, and they have used the haze of fear and uncertainty that has engulfed the country to advance a draconian phase in the war against terror. Afghanistan has become the new Guant�namo Bay."
Yahoo! News - "Super volcano" could dwarf Indonesia's earthquake catastrophes: expert
Yahoo! News - "Super volcano" could dwarf Indonesia's earthquake catastrophes: expert: "SYDNEY (AFP) - As Indonesians struggled to recover from the second deadly earthquake to strike them in three months, an Australian expert warned the country faced the prospect of a 'super volcano' eruption that would dwarf all previous catastrophes.
Professor Ray Cas of Monash University's School of Geosciences said the world's biggest super volcano was Lake Toba, on Indonesia's island of Sumatra, site of both the recent massive earthquakes."
Professor Ray Cas of Monash University's School of Geosciences said the world's biggest super volcano was Lake Toba, on Indonesia's island of Sumatra, site of both the recent massive earthquakes."
News
News: "Most Europeans, including almost all British citizens, will need a visa to visit America later this year after the US Congress said that there was little chance of postponing a deadline for the introduction of biometric passports.
The EU has asked for more time to meet new American standards under which travellers will be able to enter the US without visas only if they hold a passport with a digitalised photo stored on a chip."
The EU has asked for more time to meet new American standards under which travellers will be able to enter the US without visas only if they hold a passport with a digitalised photo stored on a chip."
Telegraph | News | Jesus might have been homosexual, says the first openly gay bishop
Telegraph | News | Jesus might have been homosexual, says the first openly gay bishop: "The first openly gay Anglican bishop has sparked outrage for suggesting that Jesus might have been homosexual.
The Rt Rev Gene Robinson, the Bishop of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church of the United States, said that Jesus was an unmarried, 'non-traditional man' who did not uphold family values, 'travelled with a bunch of men' and enjoyed an especially close relationship with one of his disciples."
The Rt Rev Gene Robinson, the Bishop of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church of the United States, said that Jesus was an unmarried, 'non-traditional man' who did not uphold family values, 'travelled with a bunch of men' and enjoyed an especially close relationship with one of his disciples."
1.4.05
BBC NEWS | Health | Viagra linked to blindness risk
BBC NEWS | Health | Viagra linked to blindness risk: "Anti-impotence drug Viagra increases the risk of blindness, doctors believe.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School in the US identified seven men who developed vision problems after taking Viagra.
The team, writing in the Journal of Neuro-ophthalmology,said it brought the total number of reported cases to 14.
But Pfizer, the makers of the drug which has been used by more than 20m men since its launch in 1998, said the cases were a coincidence."
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School in the US identified seven men who developed vision problems after taking Viagra.
The team, writing in the Journal of Neuro-ophthalmology,said it brought the total number of reported cases to 14.
But Pfizer, the makers of the drug which has been used by more than 20m men since its launch in 1998, said the cases were a coincidence."
31.3.05
Yahoo! News - The unsung role of Kung Fu in the Kyrgyz revolution
Yahoo! News - The unsung role of Kung Fu in the Kyrgyz revolution: "KARA SUU, Kyrgyzstan (AFP) - Many say people power brought down the regime in Kyrgyzstan last week. But Bayaman Erkinbayev, a lawmaker, martial arts champ and one of the Central Asian nation's richest men, says it was his small army of Kung Fu-style fighters."
ABC News: Mega-Churches Offer Prayer, Play, Shopping
ABC News: Mega-Churches Offer Prayer, Play, ShoppingAmericans are known for their love of "super-sizing" — from French fries to cars to houses — and on this Easter Sunday, many Americans are celebrating on a much larger scale, in huge congregations known as "mega-churches," where people can do much more than just worship.
These mega-churches are places where members can not only pray, but work out in a gym, eat at a food court or browse in a bookstore. And they are becoming more popular across the country.
These mega-churches are places where members can not only pray, but work out in a gym, eat at a food court or browse in a bookstore. And they are becoming more popular across the country.
30.3.05
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Two-thirds of world's resources 'used up'
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Two-thirds of world's resources 'used up': "The human race is living beyond its means. A report backed by 1,360 scientists from 95 countries - some of them world leaders in their fields - today warns that the almost two-thirds of the natural machinery that supports life on Earth is being degraded by human pressure.
The study contains what its authors call 'a stark warning' for the entire world. The wetlands, forests, savannahs, estuaries, coastal fisheries and other habitats that recycle air, water and nutrients for all living creatures are being irretrievably damaged. In effect, one species is now a hazard to the other 10 million or so on the planet, and to itself."
The study contains what its authors call 'a stark warning' for the entire world. The wetlands, forests, savannahs, estuaries, coastal fisheries and other habitats that recycle air, water and nutrients for all living creatures are being irretrievably damaged. In effect, one species is now a hazard to the other 10 million or so on the planet, and to itself."
29.3.05
Curing Obesity through Sterility: California 's Controversial Program Under the Microscope
Curing Obesity through Sterility: California 's Controversial Program Under the Microscope: "Beginning last November, the city of San Francisco began a program whereupon clinically obese men between the ages of 18 and 55 could undergo a procedure whereupon approximately 1/2 an inch is removed from each vas and the ends are sealed - commonly referred to as a vasectomy - completely free of charge. The overwhelming turnout led the State of California to follow suit, and now California is the first state in the Union to offer state-funded vasectomies to men who have been diagnosed as obese.
Why would a state adopt such a controversial program? The basis is simple: vasectomy is a popular method of birth control (in 1983, figures showed that approximately 10 million men had been sterilized in the U.S. since 1969). By offering such a highly effective form of birth control freely to men who, by clinical diagnosis, have been deemed genetically inferior to the normalized median of homo sapien development, such a gene line would effectively be eliminated.
The program's roots began in countries such as India and China , where the respective governments of those countries are attempting to stem the tide of overpopulation. Sums of money are paid to men who submit to voluntary vasectomy."
Why would a state adopt such a controversial program? The basis is simple: vasectomy is a popular method of birth control (in 1983, figures showed that approximately 10 million men had been sterilized in the U.S. since 1969). By offering such a highly effective form of birth control freely to men who, by clinical diagnosis, have been deemed genetically inferior to the normalized median of homo sapien development, such a gene line would effectively be eliminated.
The program's roots began in countries such as India and China , where the respective governments of those countries are attempting to stem the tide of overpopulation. Sums of money are paid to men who submit to voluntary vasectomy."
27.3.05
Oddly Enough News Article | Reuters.co.uk
Oddly Enough News Article | Reuters.co.uk: "Nearly a quarter of western Germans and 12 percent of easterners want the Berlin Wall back -- more than 15 years after the fall of the barrier that split Germany during the Cold War, according to a survey."
25.3.05
Daily Times - Site Edition
Daily Times - Site EditionSwiss authorities are planning to wrap mountain glaciers with tin foil this summer in an effort to stop them melting.
Carlo Danioth, head of mountain rescue services in Andermatt, said: “We will initially cover around 30,000 square feet on the upper Gurschen glacier at the beginning of May as a test.”
Carlo Danioth, head of mountain rescue services in Andermatt, said: “We will initially cover around 30,000 square feet on the upper Gurschen glacier at the beginning of May as a test.”
GOP adviser died of overdose - The Washington Times: Nation/Politics - March 23, 2005
GOP adviser died of overdose - The Washington Times: Nation/Politics - March 23, 2005: "Republican media adviser R. Gregory Stevens, who was found dead in the Beverly Hills, Calif., home of actress Carrie Fisher on Feb. 26, died of an overdose of cocaine and the painkiller OxyContin, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office... Mr. Stevens, with strong ties to the Hollywood entertainment community, served as the head of the Bush-Cheney Entertainment Task Force for President Bush's recent inaugural. Barbour Griffith & Rogers, one of the co-founders of which was chairman of the Republican National Committee, held a memorial service for Mr. Stevens earlier this month. "
24.3.05
Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Fake Lawyer Sentenced to 12 Years
Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Fake Lawyer Sentenced to 12 Years: "SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - A convicted felon who posed as a lawyer and represented hundreds of clients has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Harold David Goldstein told the federal judge at his sentencing hearing Wednesday that he made sincere efforts to represent his clients despite his lack of a law license.
Goldstein, 59, told U.S. District Judge David Carter that he won 25 cases in the eight months that he operated a busy Newport Beach law practice.
``I lied about being a lawyer but other than the lie, everything else was totally legit,'' Goldstein said."
Harold David Goldstein told the federal judge at his sentencing hearing Wednesday that he made sincere efforts to represent his clients despite his lack of a law license.
Goldstein, 59, told U.S. District Judge David Carter that he won 25 cases in the eight months that he operated a busy Newport Beach law practice.
``I lied about being a lawyer but other than the lie, everything else was totally legit,'' Goldstein said."
23.3.05
Technology News Article | Reuters.com
Technology News Article | Reuters.com: "SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Hacker attacks on Apple Computer Inc.'s (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) Macintosh OS X operating system, thought by many who use the Mac to be virtually immune to attack, are on the rise, according to a report from anti-virus software vendor Symantec Corp (SYMC.O: Quote, Profile, Research) .
'Contrary to popular belief, the Macintosh operating system has not always been a safe haven from malicious code,' said the report, which was issued on Monday.
'It is now clear that the Mac OS is increasingly becoming a target for the malicious activity that is more commonly associated with Microsoft and various Unix-based operating systems.'"
'Contrary to popular belief, the Macintosh operating system has not always been a safe haven from malicious code,' said the report, which was issued on Monday.
'It is now clear that the Mac OS is increasingly becoming a target for the malicious activity that is more commonly associated with Microsoft and various Unix-based operating systems.'"
22.3.05
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).
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).
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."
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