IRIN Middle East | Middle East | IRAQ | IRAQ: Doctors warn of increasing deformities in newborn babies. | Children-Health | Breaking News: "BAGHDAD, 27 Apr 2005 (IRIN) - Doctors in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, have reported a significant increase in deformities among newborn babies.
Health officials and scientists said this could be due to radiation passed through mothers following years of conflict in the country.
The most affected regions are in the south of the country, particularly Basra and Najaf, according to experts. Weaponry used during the Gulf war in 1991 contained depleted uranium, which could be a primary source for the increase, scientists in Baghdad said.
'In my experiments we have found some cases where the mother or father were suffering from pollution from weapons used in the south and we believe that it is affecting newborn babies in the country,' Dr Ibraheem al-Jabouri, a scientist at Baghdad University, told IRIN.
According to Dr Nawar Ali, at the University of Baghdad, who works in the newborn babies research department, a significant number of cases of deformed babies had been reported since 2003.
“There have been 650 cases in total since August 2003 reported in government hospitals - that is a 20 percent increase from the previous regime. Private hospitals were not included in the study, so the number could be higher,” Ali warned.
The health expert said polluted water, which could contain radiation from weapons used in previous conflicts, was the main factor behind the increase.
The type of deformities found in newborn babies are characterised by multiple fingers, unusually large heads, unilateral lips or no arms or legs.
In addition, Dr Lamia'a Amran, a pediatrician at the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS) hospital in the capital, told IRIN that inter-marriages were also to blame and that most of cases of deformed babies were from poor families in the southern region.
'Most of the women who have deformed babies in our hospital are married to relatives and have no idea that a common blood factor can also cause such problems,' Amran added."
29.4.05
28.4.05
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Rice changed terrorism report
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Rice changed terrorism report: "A state department report which showed an increase in terrorism incidents around the world in 2004 was altered to strip it of its pessimistic statistics, it emerged yesterday.
The country-by-country report, Patterns of Global Terrorism, has come out every year since 1986, accompanied by statistical tables.
This year's edition showed a big increase, from 172 significant terrorist attacks in 2003 to 655 in 2004.
Much of the increase took place in Iraq, contradicting recent Pentagon claims that the insurgency there is waning."
The country-by-country report, Patterns of Global Terrorism, has come out every year since 1986, accompanied by statistical tables.
This year's edition showed a big increase, from 172 significant terrorist attacks in 2003 to 655 in 2004.
Much of the increase took place in Iraq, contradicting recent Pentagon claims that the insurgency there is waning."
Scientists Say Everyone Can Read Minds - Yahoo! News
Scientists Say Everyone Can Read Minds - Yahoo! News: "Empathy allows us to feel the emotions of others, to identify and understand their feelings and motives and see things from their perspective. How we generate empathy remains a subject of intense debate in cognitive science.
Some scientists now believe they may have finally discovered its root. We're all essentially mind readers, they say. The idea has been slow to gain acceptance, but evidence is mounting"
Some scientists now believe they may have finally discovered its root. We're all essentially mind readers, they say. The idea has been slow to gain acceptance, but evidence is mounting"
Gallup: 50% of Americans Now Say Bush Deliberately Misled Them on WMDs
Gallup: 50% of Americans Now Say Bush Deliberately Misled Them on WMDs: "NEW YORK Half of all Americans, exactly 50%, now say the Bush administration deliberately misled Americans about whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, the Gallup Organization reported this morning.
'This is the highest percentage that Gallup has found on this measure since the question was first asked in late May 2003,' the pollsters observed. 'At that time, 31% said the administration deliberately misled Americans. This sentiment has gradually increased over time, to 39% in July 2003, 43% in January/February 2004, and 47% in October 2004.'
Also, according to the latest poll, more than half of Americans, 54%, disapprove of the way President Bush is handling the situation in Iraq, while 43% approve. In early February, Americans were more evenly divided on the way Bush was handling the situation in Iraq, with 50% approving and 48% disapproving.
Last week Gallup reported that 53% now believe that the U.S. invasion of Iraq was 'not worth it.' But Frank Newport, editor in chief at Gallup, recalled today that although a majority of the public began to think the Vietnam war was a mistake in the summer of 1968, the United States did not pull out of Vietnam for more than five years, after thousands of more American lives were lost. "
'This is the highest percentage that Gallup has found on this measure since the question was first asked in late May 2003,' the pollsters observed. 'At that time, 31% said the administration deliberately misled Americans. This sentiment has gradually increased over time, to 39% in July 2003, 43% in January/February 2004, and 47% in October 2004.'
Also, according to the latest poll, more than half of Americans, 54%, disapprove of the way President Bush is handling the situation in Iraq, while 43% approve. In early February, Americans were more evenly divided on the way Bush was handling the situation in Iraq, with 50% approving and 48% disapproving.
Last week Gallup reported that 53% now believe that the U.S. invasion of Iraq was 'not worth it.' But Frank Newport, editor in chief at Gallup, recalled today that although a majority of the public began to think the Vietnam war was a mistake in the summer of 1968, the United States did not pull out of Vietnam for more than five years, after thousands of more American lives were lost. "
CNN.com - Study: Nuclear fusion created�in lab - Apr 27, 2005
CNN.com - Study: Nuclear fusion created in lab - Apr 27, 2005: "LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- In the latest attempt to create nuclear fusion under laboratory conditions, scientists reported they achieved it in an experiment that uses a strong electric field generated by a small crystal.
While the energy created was too small to harness cheap fusion power, this new way of making nuclear fusion could have potential uses in the oil drilling industry and homeland security, said Seth Putterman, a physicist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who conducted the study.
The experiment's results appear in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature."
While the energy created was too small to harness cheap fusion power, this new way of making nuclear fusion could have potential uses in the oil drilling industry and homeland security, said Seth Putterman, a physicist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who conducted the study.
The experiment's results appear in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature."
27.4.05
Yahoo! News - Time Warner's Turner to Launch Online Game Network
Yahoo! News - Time Warner's Turner to Launch Online Game Network: "LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Seeking to bring the television programming model to video games, the Turner Broadcasting unit of Time Warner Inc. on Wednesday said it would launch an online 'network' that will let subscribers play hundreds of classic video games.
Turner said GameTap would launch later this year with a library of more than 1,000 games from 17 different publishers, including Activision Inc. and Ubisoft."
Turner said GameTap would launch later this year with a library of more than 1,000 games from 17 different publishers, including Activision Inc. and Ubisoft."
CNN.com - Friends find treasure buried in backyard - Apr 27, 2005
CNN.com - Friends find treasure buried in backyard - Apr 27, 2005: "METHUEN, Massachusetts (AP) -- It's the stuff of fantasies, and Tim Crebase found it buried under two feet of earth in his own backyard.
There, he and friend Barry Villcliff found a box stuffed with cash and gold and silver certificates, some more than a century old.
The buried treasure is worth more than $100,000, according to a coin shop owner."
There, he and friend Barry Villcliff found a box stuffed with cash and gold and silver certificates, some more than a century old.
The buried treasure is worth more than $100,000, according to a coin shop owner."
Venezuela's Chavez detaining Americans, warns of U.S. invasion: South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Venezuela's Chavez detaining Americans, warns of U.S. invasion: South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez said a military exchange program with the United States was canceled because U.S. officers in Venezuela were spreading a negative image of his government to the soldiers they were training.
He also announced the detention of several Americans and said the United States might be planning to invade his country."
He also announced the detention of several Americans and said the United States might be planning to invade his country."
Apr 26 GOLD/SILVER Gold and Silver updates Clive Maund 321gold
Apr 26 GOLD/SILVER Gold and Silver updates Clive Maund 321gold: "Conclusion: we are at a great buy spot, not just for silver, but for gold and precious metals stocks generally. Upside is large, and risk at this juncture can be clearly defined and therefore limited. The time is right to buy across the board."
New Scientist Breaking News - Mind-reading machine knows what you see
New Scientist Breaking News - Mind-reading machine knows what you see: "It is possible to read someone’s mind by remotely measuring their brain activity, researchers have shown. The technique can even extract information from subjects that they are not aware of themselves.
So far, it has only been used to identify visual patterns a subject can see or has chosen to focus on. But the researchers speculate the approach might be extended to probe a person’s awareness, focus of attention, memory and movement intention. In the meantime, it could help doctors work out if patients apparently in a coma are actually conscious.
Scientists have already trained monkeys to move a robotic arm with the power of thought and to recreate scenes moving in front of cats by recording information directly from the feline’s neurons (New Scientist print edition, 2 October 1999). But these processes involve implanting electrodes into their brains to hook them up to a computer.
Now Yukiyasu Kamitani, at ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Kyoto, Japan, and Frank Tong at Princeton University in New Jersey, US, have achieved similar “mind reading” feats remotely using functional MRI scanning."
So far, it has only been used to identify visual patterns a subject can see or has chosen to focus on. But the researchers speculate the approach might be extended to probe a person’s awareness, focus of attention, memory and movement intention. In the meantime, it could help doctors work out if patients apparently in a coma are actually conscious.
Scientists have already trained monkeys to move a robotic arm with the power of thought and to recreate scenes moving in front of cats by recording information directly from the feline’s neurons (New Scientist print edition, 2 October 1999). But these processes involve implanting electrodes into their brains to hook them up to a computer.
Now Yukiyasu Kamitani, at ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Kyoto, Japan, and Frank Tong at Princeton University in New Jersey, US, have achieved similar “mind reading” feats remotely using functional MRI scanning."
25.4.05
New York Post Online Edition:
New York Post Online Edition:: "April 22, 2005 -- IN the past few days, Afghan istan's President Hamid Karzai has been the target of attacks in the media in Iran, Pakistan and a number of Arab countries for his demand that the United States forge a long-term defense relationship with his newly liberated nation. Yet Karzai's idea of a strategic alliance with America seems to enjoy massive support in Afghanistan itself.
Karzai first raised the issue in the spring of last year, generating a process of consultation with the country's ethnic, religious and linguistic communities. It soon became clear that, despite reservations from some former leftists, Karzai would encounter little opposition in seeking a long-term U.S. alliance.
Some critics claim Karzai's policy is a break with a two-century-old tradition of Afghan neutrality. But that stance was put to the test in 1979, when the Red Army marched into Kabul to support a puppet Communist regime installed in a coup d'etat two years earlier. The event dealt a blow to the idea of nonalignment in the Afghan consciousness.
The Soviet invasion was followed by two decades of suffering, as Afghanistan became the battleground for a proxy war between the Soviet and American blocs. After the fall of the Soviet empire, Afghanistan was ravaged by another proxy war, this time pitting the Khomeinist regime in Tehran against its Salafist rivals in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
But why a long-term military link with the United States? Because Afghanistan is located in a rough neighborhood where despotic regimes hold sway."
Karzai first raised the issue in the spring of last year, generating a process of consultation with the country's ethnic, religious and linguistic communities. It soon became clear that, despite reservations from some former leftists, Karzai would encounter little opposition in seeking a long-term U.S. alliance.
Some critics claim Karzai's policy is a break with a two-century-old tradition of Afghan neutrality. But that stance was put to the test in 1979, when the Red Army marched into Kabul to support a puppet Communist regime installed in a coup d'etat two years earlier. The event dealt a blow to the idea of nonalignment in the Afghan consciousness.
The Soviet invasion was followed by two decades of suffering, as Afghanistan became the battleground for a proxy war between the Soviet and American blocs. After the fall of the Soviet empire, Afghanistan was ravaged by another proxy war, this time pitting the Khomeinist regime in Tehran against its Salafist rivals in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
But why a long-term military link with the United States? Because Afghanistan is located in a rough neighborhood where despotic regimes hold sway."
CJR March/April 2005: Voices
CJR March/April 2005: Voices: "Last fall, a major public-health study appeared in The Lancet, a prestigious British medical journal, only to be missed or dismissed by the American press. To the extent it was covered at all, the reports were short and usually buried far from the front pages of major newspapers. The results of the study could have played an important role in future policy decisions, but the press’s near total silence allowed the issue to pass without debate.
The study, though scientifically robust, had several elements working against it. One was its subject matter: Researchers had done a door-to-door survey of nearly 8,000 people in thirty-three locations in Iraq to estimate how many people had died as a consequence of the U.S.-led invasion and occupation. Americans, and their media, were reluctant to accept the study’s conclusions — that the number was likely around 100,000; that violence had become the primary cause of death since the invasion; that more than half of those killed were women and children."
The study, though scientifically robust, had several elements working against it. One was its subject matter: Researchers had done a door-to-door survey of nearly 8,000 people in thirty-three locations in Iraq to estimate how many people had died as a consequence of the U.S.-led invasion and occupation. Americans, and their media, were reluctant to accept the study’s conclusions — that the number was likely around 100,000; that violence had become the primary cause of death since the invasion; that more than half of those killed were women and children."
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Rice changed terrorism report
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Rice changed terrorism report: "A state department report which showed an increase in terrorism incidents around the world in 2004 was altered to strip it of its pessimistic statistics, it emerged yesterday.
The country-by-country report, Patterns of Global Terrorism, has come out every year since 1986, accompanied by statistical tables.
This year's edition showed a big increase, from 172 significant terrorist attacks in 2003 to 655 in 2004.
Much of the increase took place in Iraq, contradicting recent Pentagon claims that the insurgency there is waning. Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, ordered the report to be withdrawn and a new one issued minus the statistics."
The country-by-country report, Patterns of Global Terrorism, has come out every year since 1986, accompanied by statistical tables.
This year's edition showed a big increase, from 172 significant terrorist attacks in 2003 to 655 in 2004.
Much of the increase took place in Iraq, contradicting recent Pentagon claims that the insurgency there is waning. Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, ordered the report to be withdrawn and a new one issued minus the statistics."
INTL News by Joe Broadhurst - Exploding Toads Baffle Germans
INTL News by Joe Broadhurst - Exploding Toads Baffle Germans: "HAMBURG — Hundreds of toads have met a bizarre and sinister end in Germany in recent days, it was reported: they exploded.
According to reports from animal welfare workers and veterinarians as many as a thousand of the amphibians have perished after their bodies swelled to bursting point and their entrails were propelled for up to a meter.
It is like 'a science fiction film', according to Werner Smolnik of a nature protection society in the northern city of Hamburg, where the phenomenon of the exploding toad has been observed.
'You see the animals crawling on the ground, swelling and then exploding.'"
According to reports from animal welfare workers and veterinarians as many as a thousand of the amphibians have perished after their bodies swelled to bursting point and their entrails were propelled for up to a meter.
It is like 'a science fiction film', according to Werner Smolnik of a nature protection society in the northern city of Hamburg, where the phenomenon of the exploding toad has been observed.
'You see the animals crawling on the ground, swelling and then exploding.'"
23.4.05
Schwinn Sting-Ray - Press Release - Electric Sting-Ray Launch
Schwinn Sting-Ray - Press Release - Electric Sting-Ray Launch: "MADISON, Wis. - April 2005 - How do you improve the fastest selling bicycle of all time? Schwinn's wildly popular 2004 Sting-Ray bicycle is getting a charge - literally - via an electric motor. In May 2005, Schwinn will launch the first electric version of the Sting-Ray.
'Sales to-date of our Schwinn Sting-Ray 'Street Series ' have been phenomenal,' said Pacific Cycle Inc.'s Founder and CEO, Chris Hornung. Pacific Cycle owns the Schwinn Bicycles brand. 'Consumers can't seem to get enough of this bike, and we've begun producing new models to complement the original, such as a three-speed version and various shapes, sizes and color schemes. This newest, electric model is one we're very excited about. We think it's going to be a huge success, and it opens the door of opportunity to new power assisted transportation, which we feel will be very popular in the near future.'
The new Sting-Ray Electric will be available at various Schwinn retailers beginning in late May 2005 at an MSRP of $399. It shares the original design characteristics of the Street Series Sting-Ray, but adds an electric motor and a battery pack in the form of a motorcycle engine casing. The Sting-Ray Electric will reach speeds up to 14 mph and a fully charged battery will last up to two hours."
'Sales to-date of our Schwinn Sting-Ray 'Street Series ' have been phenomenal,' said Pacific Cycle Inc.'s Founder and CEO, Chris Hornung. Pacific Cycle owns the Schwinn Bicycles brand. 'Consumers can't seem to get enough of this bike, and we've begun producing new models to complement the original, such as a three-speed version and various shapes, sizes and color schemes. This newest, electric model is one we're very excited about. We think it's going to be a huge success, and it opens the door of opportunity to new power assisted transportation, which we feel will be very popular in the near future.'
The new Sting-Ray Electric will be available at various Schwinn retailers beginning in late May 2005 at an MSRP of $399. It shares the original design characteristics of the Street Series Sting-Ray, but adds an electric motor and a battery pack in the form of a motorcycle engine casing. The Sting-Ray Electric will reach speeds up to 14 mph and a fully charged battery will last up to two hours."
Yahoo! News - L.A. Doctor to Get $1.35B in Settlement
Yahoo! News - L.A. Doctor to Get $1.35B in Settlement: "LOS ANGELES - Orthopedic surgeon Gary Michelson said Friday he is considering philanthropic alternatives for some of the $1.35 billion Medtronic Inc. plans to pay him to end a patent dispute."
22.4.05
Wired News: Cave Pharming Yields Big Crops
Wired News: Cave Pharming Yields Big Crops: "It's not the bucolic, sun-dappled landscape you might envision when picturing American farmland. But a chilly, damp cave with no natural light just may be the most productive agricultural environment around.
Purdue researchers and entrepreneur Doug Ausenbaugh didn't launch an underground farm because they thought it would yield more crops. They wanted to provide biotech companies a safe environment for growing crops containing pharmaceutical drugs for humans. But they were pleasantly surprised to find that not only did the former quarry apparently keep pollen from the corn, tobacco, soybeans, tomatoes and potatoes from escaping, but it also led to higher yields than greenhouses or outdoor fields."
Purdue researchers and entrepreneur Doug Ausenbaugh didn't launch an underground farm because they thought it would yield more crops. They wanted to provide biotech companies a safe environment for growing crops containing pharmaceutical drugs for humans. But they were pleasantly surprised to find that not only did the former quarry apparently keep pollen from the corn, tobacco, soybeans, tomatoes and potatoes from escaping, but it also led to higher yields than greenhouses or outdoor fields."
Email destroys the mind faster than marijuana - study | The Register
Email destroys the mind faster than marijuana - study | The Register: "Modern technology depletes human cognitive abilities more rapidly than drugs, according to a psychiatric study conducted at King's College, London. And the curse of 'messaging' is to blame.
Email users suffered a 10 per cent drop in IQ scores, more than twice the fall recorded by marijuana users, in a clinical trial of over a thousand participants. Doziness, lethargy and an inability to focus are classic characteristics of a spliffhead, but email users exhibited these particular symptoms to a 'startling' degree, according to Dr Glenn Wilson.
The deterioration in mental capacity was the direct result of the trialists' addiction to technology, researchers discovered."
Email users suffered a 10 per cent drop in IQ scores, more than twice the fall recorded by marijuana users, in a clinical trial of over a thousand participants. Doziness, lethargy and an inability to focus are classic characteristics of a spliffhead, but email users exhibited these particular symptoms to a 'startling' degree, according to Dr Glenn Wilson.
The deterioration in mental capacity was the direct result of the trialists' addiction to technology, researchers discovered."
New Scientist Breaking News - Stink bomb gas puts mice into suspended animation
New Scientist Breaking News - Stink bomb gas puts mice into suspended animation: "Suspended animation has been deliberately induced in a species of mouse which does not naturally hibernate. It is the first time such a feat has been achieved, say the procedure’s pioneers.
If a similar response could be triggered in humans, there would be major healthcare benefits and the futuristic idea of putting astronauts into suspended animation on long-haul space flights could move a step closer to reality.
The mice were induced to fall into their deep sleep after being exposed to hydrogen sulphide - the gas which gives rotten eggs and stink bombs their characteristic foul odour. The animals later revived in ordinary air."
If a similar response could be triggered in humans, there would be major healthcare benefits and the futuristic idea of putting astronauts into suspended animation on long-haul space flights could move a step closer to reality.
The mice were induced to fall into their deep sleep after being exposed to hydrogen sulphide - the gas which gives rotten eggs and stink bombs their characteristic foul odour. The animals later revived in ordinary air."
20.4.05
CNN.com - Some see Virgin Mary in underpass stain - Apr 20, 2005
CNN.com - Some see Virgin Mary in underpass stain - Apr 20, 2005: "CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- A steady stream of the faithful and the curious, many carrying flowers and candles, have flocked to an expressway underpass for a view of a yellow and white stain on a concrete wall that some believe is an image of the Virgin Mary."
The Sun Newspaper Online - UK's biggest selling newspaper
The Sun Newspaper Online - UK's biggest selling newspaper: "A THOUSAND Star Wars fans will watch all six films back-to-back — ending with the premiere of new episode Revenge Of The Sith."
Will a new gold coin make a mint? - Apr. 19, 2005
Will a new gold coin make a mint? - Apr. 19, 2005: "On Tuesday, officials in Washington announced the planned introduction of the first 24-karat gold coin in the nation's history. The piece, set to be rolled out sometime in 2006, will boast a 99.99 percent 'fineness' rating. In other words, it's almost perfectly pure gold.
When the Mint releases a coin into general circulation, such as the recently introduced five-cent piece, the purpose is simply to provide a medium for transactions -- a few nickels to rub together, as it were.
The new gold coins are different. They won't enter into general circulation, but will be sold instead to investors and collectors.
The purpose of rolling them out, the Mint is making clear, is to make money -- perhaps a lot of it."
When the Mint releases a coin into general circulation, such as the recently introduced five-cent piece, the purpose is simply to provide a medium for transactions -- a few nickels to rub together, as it were.
The new gold coins are different. They won't enter into general circulation, but will be sold instead to investors and collectors.
The purpose of rolling them out, the Mint is making clear, is to make money -- perhaps a lot of it."
19.4.05
Liquid Medical Marijuana Approved in Canada
Liquid Medical Marijuana Approved in Canada: "OTTAWA, CANADA -- The Canadian government today announced final approval of a natural marijuana extract, sold under the brand name Sativex, as a prescription drug. The action marks the first time a natural marijuana product has been approved for prescription sale anywhere in the Western Hemisphere since marijuana prohibition was instituted in the last century.
Sativex -- a liquid that is sprayed into the mouth -- has been initially approved for treatment of neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis patients."
Sativex -- a liquid that is sprayed into the mouth -- has been initially approved for treatment of neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis patients."
15.4.05
New Scientist Sony patent takes first step towards real-life Matrix - News
New Scientist Sony patent takes first step towards real-life Matrix - News: "IMAGINE movies and computer games in which you get to smell, taste and perhaps even feel things. That's the tantalising prospect raised by a patent on a device for transmitting sensory data directly into the human brain - granted to none other than the entertainment giant Sony.
The technique suggested in the patent is entirely non-invasive. It describes a device that fires pulses of ultrasound at the head to modify firing patterns in targeted parts of the brain, creating 'sensory experiences' ranging from moving images to tastes and sounds. This could give blind or deaf people the chance to see or hear, the patent claims."
The technique suggested in the patent is entirely non-invasive. It describes a device that fires pulses of ultrasound at the head to modify firing patterns in targeted parts of the brain, creating 'sensory experiences' ranging from moving images to tastes and sounds. This could give blind or deaf people the chance to see or hear, the patent claims."
14.4.05
Guardian Unlimited Politics | Comment | Terry Jones: Let them eat bombs
Guardian Unlimited Politics | Comment | Terry Jones: Let them eat bombs: "A report to the UN human rights commission in Geneva has concluded that Iraqi children were actually better off under Saddam Hussein than they are now."
t r u t h o u t - Cindy Sheehan | Casey's Story
t r u t h o u t - Cindy Sheehan | Casey's Story: "My son, Casey Austin Sheehan, was born on May 29, 1979. After a long labor, he was born on Memorial Day. I would look into his eyes and see a depth of wisdom there from the time he was born. He was born with an 'old soul.' As a proud mom, I knew, and I would tell everyone who would listen to me, that he was going to be a great man. I was right. I just didn't realize how great he was going to be ... or how much his moment of greatness was going to hurt me.
Casey was a very good baby. From the time he was about 7 months old and had gone into his own room, he would wake up in the morning and talk to himself and play with his crib gym. His dad and I would lie in our room and listen to him play. When he learned to walk, he would come up behind me when I would be doing the dishes and he would throw his arms around my legs, kiss me on the butt, and say: 'I wuv you mama.' He had a little teddy bear that he called 'Bear.' He ate all the fur off of it and he ate all the fuzz from the inside of it. He wouldn't go to bed without it though. I still have his bear and it is now sitting on the shelf by the flag that was draped over his coffin. "
Casey was a very good baby. From the time he was about 7 months old and had gone into his own room, he would wake up in the morning and talk to himself and play with his crib gym. His dad and I would lie in our room and listen to him play. When he learned to walk, he would come up behind me when I would be doing the dishes and he would throw his arms around my legs, kiss me on the butt, and say: 'I wuv you mama.' He had a little teddy bear that he called 'Bear.' He ate all the fur off of it and he ate all the fuzz from the inside of it. He wouldn't go to bed without it though. I still have his bear and it is now sitting on the shelf by the flag that was draped over his coffin. "
12.4.05
Reuters | Latest Financial News / Full News Coverage
Reuters | Latest Financial News / Full News Coverage: "SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China has said private investors may buy and sell gold through the Internet, its latest move to boost demand for the precious metal, industry sources said on Monday.
From late March, individuals have been able to buy gold for investment online from the Bank of China and other selected banks which are members of the Shanghai Gold Exchange, they said."
From late March, individuals have been able to buy gold for investment online from the Bank of China and other selected banks which are members of the Shanghai Gold Exchange, they said."
How computers make kids dumb | Channel Register
How computers make kids dumb | Channel Register: "A study of 100,000 pupils in 31 countries around the world has concluded that using computers makes kids dumb. Avoiding PCs in the classroom and at home improved the literacy and numeracy of the children studied"
11.4.05
Montana finally about to ban drinking while driving
Montana finally about to ban drinking while driving: "HELENA, Mont. - Some Montana motorists, the joke goes, measure distances driven by how many beers they can down along the way. But the long-cherished right to have a cold one behind the wheel is about to end.
State lawmakers passed an open-container ban Friday that makes Montana one of the last states to outlaw drinking while driving."
State lawmakers passed an open-container ban Friday that makes Montana one of the last states to outlaw drinking while driving."
Used Prius prices top list price for a new Prius - Apr. 11, 2005
Used Prius prices top list price for a new Prius - Apr. 11, 2005: "NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Demand for the gas-electric hybrid Prius is so great that some used Priuses are selling for more than the list price for a new one, a report said on Monday.
Buyers who want to avoid the typical two-month waiting period for the hot Toyota model are willing to pay the premium, according a study conducted by Kelly Blue Book and Harris Interactive.
Waits at some dealerships can be considerably longer. The market for the used Prius is so strong that some owners are trying to sell them for more than they paid for them.
The survey said that 8 percent of the consumers considered hybrid vehicles in March, twice as much as 4 percent in February. It also said if gas prices reach $3 per gallon 77 percent of car shoppers will seriously consider a more fuel efficient vehicle."
Buyers who want to avoid the typical two-month waiting period for the hot Toyota model are willing to pay the premium, according a study conducted by Kelly Blue Book and Harris Interactive.
Waits at some dealerships can be considerably longer. The market for the used Prius is so strong that some owners are trying to sell them for more than they paid for them.
The survey said that 8 percent of the consumers considered hybrid vehicles in March, twice as much as 4 percent in February. It also said if gas prices reach $3 per gallon 77 percent of car shoppers will seriously consider a more fuel efficient vehicle."
CNN.com - Mammoth remains unearthed at California construction site - Apr 8, 2005
CNN.com - Mammoth remains unearthed at California construction site - Apr 8, 2005: "MOORPARK, California (AP) -- The remarkably well-preserved remnants of an estimated half-million-year-old mammoth -- including both tusks -- were discovered at a new housing development in Southern California.
An onsite paleontologist found the remains, which include 50 percent to 70 percent of the Ice Age creature."
An onsite paleontologist found the remains, which include 50 percent to 70 percent of the Ice Age creature."
Unorthodox therapy gains local following | The San Diego Union-Tribune
Unorthodox therapy gains local following | The San Diego Union-Tribune
Un article sur l'EFT dans le journal!
VISTA – A once-dismissed therapy for mental disorders is gaining a following among San Diego medical experts who treat combat veterans.
Social workers, chaplains and psychiatrists from Naval Medical Center San Diego and Camp Pendleton are learning the Emotional Freedom Technique, an unorthodox method that even its creator can't explain precisely
Un article sur l'EFT dans le journal!
VISTA – A once-dismissed therapy for mental disorders is gaining a following among San Diego medical experts who treat combat veterans.
Social workers, chaplains and psychiatrists from Naval Medical Center San Diego and Camp Pendleton are learning the Emotional Freedom Technique, an unorthodox method that even its creator can't explain precisely
Trio of Google billionaires slashed salary - U.S. Business News - MSNBC.com
Trio of Google billionaires slashed salary - U.S. Business News - MSNBC.comThe trio of billionaires who run — and own much of — online search engine leader Google Inc. reduced their individual salaries to $1 last year and rejected a recent attempt to give them a raise, according to documents filed Friday.
10.4.05
Yahoo! News - Scientists Create Remote-Controlled Flies
Yahoo! News - Scientists Create Remote-Controlled Flies: "NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Yale University researchers say their study that used lasers to create remote-controlled fruit flies could lead to a better understanding of overeating and violence in humans.
Using the lasers to stimulate specific brain cells, researchers say they were able to make the flies jump, walk, flap their wings and fly.
Even headless flies took flight when researchers stimulated the correct neurons, according to the study, published in the April 7 issue of the journal Cell."
Using the lasers to stimulate specific brain cells, researchers say they were able to make the flies jump, walk, flap their wings and fly.
Even headless flies took flight when researchers stimulated the correct neurons, according to the study, published in the April 7 issue of the journal Cell."
9.4.05
Health News Article | Reuters.com
Health News Article | Reuters.com: "Sex, cryptic crosswords and a good run could help ward off dementia and other degenerative conditions by stimulating new brain cells, an Australian researcher said on Thursday."
7.4.05
Panic in Pakistan, World Next? :: Bull! Not bull :: The bull market is dead! Long live the bull market!
Panic in Pakistan, World Next? :: Bull! Not bull :: The bull market is dead! Long live the bull market!: "An article in the Pakistan Daily Times states that now that the market has peaked, a consensus has emerged in Pakistan that the KSE was the most manipulated stock market in the world, a gamblers' house rather than a place for investment. In a familiar echo of the NASDAQ bust of 2000, investors criticized big brokerage houses for not serving the interests of small shareholders. According to the article, up to 98% of investors are illiterate and totally dependant on the trends exhibited by large investors rather than calculating the risk factor on their own. Needless to say, the last place illiterate investors belong are in a speculative market, yet that is precisely the type of activity that attracts the uneducated masses, leading to just such a mania. "
CNN.com - MIT developing $100 laptops for children - Apr 4, 2005
CNN.com - MIT developing $100 laptops for children - Apr 4, 2005: "(AP) -- In a rural Cambodian village where the homes lack electricity, the nighttime darkness is pierced by the glow from laptops that children bring from school.
The students were equipped with notebook computers by a foundation run by MIT Media Lab founder Nicholas Negroponte and his wife Elaine.
'When the kids bring them home and open them up, it's the brightest light source in the home,' said Negroponte. 'Parents love it.'
Negroponte and some MIT colleagues are hard at work on a project they hope will brighten the lives and prospects of hundreds of millions of developing world kids."
The students were equipped with notebook computers by a foundation run by MIT Media Lab founder Nicholas Negroponte and his wife Elaine.
'When the kids bring them home and open them up, it's the brightest light source in the home,' said Negroponte. 'Parents love it.'
Negroponte and some MIT colleagues are hard at work on a project they hope will brighten the lives and prospects of hundreds of millions of developing world kids."
Yahoo! News - Root cause: French maths student sets world record
Yahoo! News - Root cause: French maths student sets world record: "PARIS (AFP) - A 24-year-old French student claimed a world record after he became the first person to figure out the 13th root of a 200-digit number by mental arithmetic alone.
Alexis Lemaire, who is studying for a master's degree in computer studies at the University of Reims, eastern France, took 48 minutes and 51 seconds to arrive at the 16-figure answer."
Alexis Lemaire, who is studying for a master's degree in computer studies at the University of Reims, eastern France, took 48 minutes and 51 seconds to arrive at the 16-figure answer."
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?''"
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