27.3.07
BBC NEWS | Health | Aspirin 'aids women's hearts'
BBC NEWS | Health | Aspirin 'aids women's hearts': "Healthy women who take a low to moderate dose of aspirin could reduce their risk of dying early, particularly from heart disease, a study suggests."
Blair escalates pressure on Iran to release sailors - Los Angeles Times
Blair escalates pressure on Iran to release sailors - Los Angeles Times: "LONDON -- British prime minister Tony Blair today warned that Britain is prepared to move to 'a different phase' if Iran does not quickly release 15 British sailors being held for an alleged incursion into Iranian waterways."
Sewage 'tsunami' kills four in Gaza
Sewage 'tsunami' kills four in Gaza: "At least four Palestinians drowned in a tsunami of raw sewage on Tuesday when a water treatment reservoir burst, flooding a village in the northern Gaza Strip."
26.3.07
Wired News: Pentagon Preps Mind Fields
Wired News: Pentagon Preps Mind Fields: "The U.S. military is working on computers than can scan your mind and adapt to what you're thinking."
25.3.07
23.3.07
Scientists Say UK Drug Classification System Is Flawed
Scientists Say UK Drug Classification System Is Flawed: "A new UK study suggests that the current UK drug classification system of A, B, and C of the Misuse of Drugs Act is flawed and should be replaced by an evidence-based system of potential harm that would place alcohol and tobacco higher than cannabis and ecstasy."
Study: Alcohol, Tobacco Worse Than Drugs - washingtonpost.com
Study: Alcohol, Tobacco Worse Than Drugs - washingtonpost.com: "LONDON -- New 'landmark' research finds that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than some illegal drugs like marijuana or Ecstasy and should be classified as such in legal systems, according to a new British study."
Navy Lacks Plan to Defend Against `Carrier-Destroying' Missile - Yahoo! News
Navy Lacks Plan to Defend Against `Carrier-Destroying' Missile - Yahoo! News: "March 23 (Bloomberg) -- The
U.S. Navy, after nearly six years of warnings from
Pentagon testers, still lacks a plan for defending aircraft carriers against a supersonic Russian-built missile, according to current and former officials and Defense Department documents.
The missile, known in the West as the ''Sizzler,'' has been deployed by China and may be purchased by Iran."
U.S. Navy, after nearly six years of warnings from
Pentagon testers, still lacks a plan for defending aircraft carriers against a supersonic Russian-built missile, according to current and former officials and Defense Department documents.
The missile, known in the West as the ''Sizzler,'' has been deployed by China and may be purchased by Iran."
21.3.07
Independent Online Edition > Americas
Independent Online Edition > Americas: "Marilyn Monroe may have been tricked into killing herself as part of a plot hatched with the knowledge of the former US attorney general, Robert Kennedy, according to a secret FBI file.
The document, uncovered by an Australian film director, Philippe Mora, suggests Monroe was 'induced' to make a suicide attempt, in the belief she would be found in time, and her stomach pumped. Instead, it suggests, she was left to die by staff and friends, including the actor Peter Lawford, who was married to Kennedy's sister, Patricia."
The document, uncovered by an Australian film director, Philippe Mora, suggests Monroe was 'induced' to make a suicide attempt, in the belief she would be found in time, and her stomach pumped. Instead, it suggests, she was left to die by staff and friends, including the actor Peter Lawford, who was married to Kennedy's sister, Patricia."
16.3.07
His energy bill is $0.00 - Yahoo! News
His energy bill is $0.00 - Yahoo! News: "EAST AMWELL, N.J. - Mike Strizki lives in the nation's first solar-hydrogen house. The technology this civil engineer has been able to string together – solar panels, a hydrogen fuel cell, storage tanks, and a piece of equipment called an electrolyzer – provides electricity to his home year-round, even on the cloudiest of winter days."
13.3.07
Revoking The F�hrer's Passport: Hitler May Be Stripped of German Citizenship - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News
Revoking The F�hrer's Passport: Hitler May Be Stripped of German Citizenship - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News: "Almost 62 years after his death, Adolf Hitler could lose his German citizenship. A German politician from Braunschweig wants to revoke the Nazi leader's 1932 naturalization -- as a 'symbolic step.'"
7.3.07
Stenop, Low Cost Glasses by Nacho Marti
Stenop, Low Cost Glasses by Nacho Marti: "Stenop are correcting glasses designed to poor people around the world with vision problems that can't afford expensive crystal glasses."
FOXNews.com - Wassup! Princes Pull Phone Prank on Queen Elizabeth II - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News
FOXNews.com - Wassup! Princes Pull Phone Prank on Queen Elizabeth II - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News: "LONDON — Princely pranksters William and Harry have been accused of recording a bogus message on Queen Elizabeth II's answering machine.
The pair were asked for help by their regal gran when she was baffled by the technology.
But she was reported to be mortified when she heard the end result.
'Hey wassup!' their message said. 'This is Liz. Sorry I'm away from the throne.'"
The pair were asked for help by their regal gran when she was baffled by the technology.
But she was reported to be mortified when she heard the end result.
'Hey wassup!' their message said. 'This is Liz. Sorry I'm away from the throne.'"
BBC NEWS | Health | Coffee 'no boost in the morning'
BBC NEWS | Health | Coffee 'no boost in the morning': "That morning latte or espresso may not be the pick-me-up people think it is, a study has revealed.
University of Bristol researchers say the caffeine eases withdrawal symptoms which build up overnight, but does not make people more alert than normal."
University of Bristol researchers say the caffeine eases withdrawal symptoms which build up overnight, but does not make people more alert than normal."
Alcohol and tobacco are deadlier than ecstasy, report warns | UK News | The Observer
Alcohol and tobacco are deadlier than ecstasy, report warns | UK News | The Observer: "The government is to be urged to consider a controversial plan to reclassify drugs according to the harm they do. The new ranking system would see alcohol placed high on the scale because of its links to violence and car accidents. Tobacco, estimated to cause 40 per cent of all hospital illnesses, would also come before the class-A drug ecstasy."
6.3.07
Scientists break speed of light
Scientists break speed of light: "Scientists have finally exceeded the speed of light, causing a light pulse to travel hundreds of times faster than normal.
It raced so fast the pulse exited a specially-prepared chamber before it even finished entering it."
It raced so fast the pulse exited a specially-prepared chamber before it even finished entering it."
5.3.07
Researchers surprised to find no link between marijuana, lung cancer / Study's findings apply even to heavy pot smokers
Researchers surprised to find no link between marijuana, lung cancer / Study's findings apply even to heavy pot smokers: "The largest study of its kind has unexpectedly concluded that smoking marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung cancer.
The new findings 'were against our expectations,' said Dr. Donald Tashkin, a UCLA pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years.
'We hypothesized that there would be a positive association between marijuana use and lung cancer and that the association would be more positive with heavier use,' he said. 'What we found instead was no association at all, and even a suggestion of some protective effect.'"
The new findings 'were against our expectations,' said Dr. Donald Tashkin, a UCLA pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years.
'We hypothesized that there would be a positive association between marijuana use and lung cancer and that the association would be more positive with heavier use,' he said. 'What we found instead was no association at all, and even a suggestion of some protective effect.'"
4.3.07
1.3.07
UFO science key to halting climate change: former Canadian defense minister - Yahoo! News
UFO science key to halting climate change: former Canadian defense minister - Yahoo! News: "OTTAWA (AFP) - A former Canadian defense minister is demanding governments worldwide disclose and use secret alien technologies obtained in alleged UFO crashes to stem climate change, a local paper said Wednesday."
28.2.07
Chinese Scientists Control Pigeons
Chinese Scientists Control Pigeons: "Chinese scientists have succeeded in implanting electrodes in the brain of a pigeon to remotely control the bird's flight, state media said."
Vitamins A and E shorten, not lengthen life, review suggests
Vitamins A and E shorten, not lengthen life, review suggests: "The antioxidant supplements beta carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E may increase the risk of death rather than helping health, a new review suggests.
In Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers in Denmark concluded some of the most common antioxidants increase the risk of dying, based on their analysis of 68 studies on more than 25,000 people."
In Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers in Denmark concluded some of the most common antioxidants increase the risk of dying, based on their analysis of 68 studies on more than 25,000 people."
26.2.07
Tennessee Center for Policy Research
Tennessee Center for Policy Research: "Gore’s mansion, located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES).
In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home.
The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average."
In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home.
The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average."
25.2.07
Jesus: Tales from the Crypt - The Middle East Blog - TIME
Jesus: Tales from the Crypt - The Middle East Blog - TIME: "Brace yourself. James Cameron, the man who brought you 'The Titanic' is back with another blockbuster. This time, the ship he's sinking is Christianity.
In a new documentary, Producer Cameron and his director, Simcha Jacobovici, make the starting claim that Jesus wasn't resurrected --the cornerstone of Christian faith-- and that his burial cave was discovered near Jerusalem. And, get this, Jesus sired a son with Mary Magdelene."
In a new documentary, Producer Cameron and his director, Simcha Jacobovici, make the starting claim that Jesus wasn't resurrected --the cornerstone of Christian faith-- and that his burial cave was discovered near Jerusalem. And, get this, Jesus sired a son with Mary Magdelene."
23.2.07
For First Time, Chimps Seen Making Weapons for Hunting - washingtonpost.com
For First Time, Chimps Seen Making Weapons for Hunting - washingtonpost.com: "Chimpanzees living in the West African savannah have been observed fashioning deadly spears from sticks and using the tools to hunt small mammals -- the first routine production of deadly weapons ever observed in animals other than humans."
21.2.07
Independent Online Edition > Health Medical
Independent Online Edition > Health Medical: "Campaigners against genetically modified crops in Britain last are calling for trials of GM potatoes this spring to be halted after releasing more evidence of links with cancers in laboratory rats."
20.2.07
Australia says lights out to incandescent bulbs
Australia says lights out to incandescent bulbs: "Australia has announced it will ban incandescent light bulbs in three years in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, becoming the first country to do away with this technology, which has been in use for more than a century."
19.2.07
CNN - Asteroid on course for near-collision with Earth - March 11, 1998
CNN - Asteroid on course for near-collision with Earth - March 11, 1998: "CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Astronomers say a mile-wide asteroid described as 'the most dangerous one we've found so far' may be on course for a near-miss -- or even a collision -- with Earth in the year 2028.
Some astronomers say the asteroid will come within 30,000 miles of the Earth, and they agree with Dr. Brian Marsden of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) who says, 'Chances are it will miss' Earth.
'The chance of an actual collision is small, but one is not entirely out of the question,' says a notice filed by the IAU."
Some astronomers say the asteroid will come within 30,000 miles of the Earth, and they agree with Dr. Brian Marsden of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) who says, 'Chances are it will miss' Earth.
'The chance of an actual collision is small, but one is not entirely out of the question,' says a notice filed by the IAU."
17.2.07
Paraglider survives high-flying ordeal - Yahoo! News
Paraglider survives high-flying ordeal - Yahoo! News: "CANBERRA, Australia - A champion German paraglider said Friday she did not believe she would survive when she was lifted higher than
Mount Everest by a thunderstorm in eastern Australia."
Mount Everest by a thunderstorm in eastern Australia."
Scotsman.com News - Sci-Tech - Implant to 'cure' blindness within 2 years
Scotsman.com News - Sci-Tech - Implant to 'cure' blindness within 2 years: "A 'MIRACLE' implant that restores partial sight to the blind could be commercially available in just two years.
Trials are soon to begin on the latest version of the Argus retinal prosthesis system which allows patients to distinguish different shapes and detect movement."
Trials are soon to begin on the latest version of the Argus retinal prosthesis system which allows patients to distinguish different shapes and detect movement."
16.2.07
LiveScience.com - Scary Small: New Tracking Chip Size of a Dust Grain
LiveScience.com - Scary Small: New Tracking Chip Size of a Dust Grain: "The world's smallest and thinnest RFID tags were introduced Tuesday by Hitachi. Tiny miracles of miniaturization, these RFID chips (Radio Frequency IDentification chips) measure just 0.05 x 0.05 millimeters. 'RFID' refers to small electronic devices that use a tiny antenna to transfer small amounts of data for identification purposes."
14.2.07
Barbers receive beard threat | NEWS.com.au
Barbers receive beard threat | NEWS.com.au: "BARBERS in a Pakistani tribal region have received Taliban-style warnings from religious zealots warning them against cutting or shaving beards."
Stem cell technique helps women grow their own implants | the Daily Mail
Stem cell technique helps women grow their own implants | the Daily Mail: "Women have grown their own breast implants through pioneering stem cell treatment, it emerged yesterday.
Scientists harvested the stem cells from the women's own fat and encouraged them to form breast tissue.
They say the result gives a more natural look than many of the synthetic implants used by showbusiness stars like Pamela Anderson."
Scientists harvested the stem cells from the women's own fat and encouraged them to form breast tissue.
They say the result gives a more natural look than many of the synthetic implants used by showbusiness stars like Pamela Anderson."
12.2.07
Reuters AlertNet - Some advice to take to heart -- take a nap
Reuters AlertNet - Some advice to take to heart -- take a nap: "CHICAGO, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Regular naps are good for your heart, researchers said on Monday.
A six-year study of nearly 24,000 Greek adults found those who regularly took midday naps lowered their risk of dying from heart disease by more than a third."
A six-year study of nearly 24,000 Greek adults found those who regularly took midday naps lowered their risk of dying from heart disease by more than a third."
9.2.07
Business Intelligence Lowdown: Top 10 Big Brother Companies: Ranking the Worst Consumer Privacy Infringers
Business Intelligence Lowdown: Top 10 Big Brother Companies: Ranking the Worst Consumer Privacy Infringers: "Top 10 Big Brother Companies: Ranking the Worst Consumer Privacy Infringers"
Harvard Gazette: Researchers now able to stop, restart light
Harvard Gazette: Researchers now able to stop, restart light: "'Two years ago we slowed it down to 38 miles an hour; now we've been able to park it then bring it back up to full speed.' Lene Hau isn't talking about a used motorbike, but about light – that ethereal, life-sustaining stuff that normally travels 93 million miles from the sun in about eight minutes.
Less than five years ago, the speed of light was considered one of the universe's great constants. Albert Einstein theorized that light cannot travel faster than 186,282 miles per second. No one has proved him wrong, but he never said that it couldn't go slower."
Less than five years ago, the speed of light was considered one of the universe's great constants. Albert Einstein theorized that light cannot travel faster than 186,282 miles per second. No one has proved him wrong, but he never said that it couldn't go slower."
7.2.07
University of Rochester Press Releases
University of Rochester Press Releases: "Video games that contain high levels of action, such as Unreal Tournament, can actually improve your vision.
Researchers at the University of Rochester have shown that people who played action video games for a few hours a day over the course of a month improved by about 20 percent in their ability to identify letters presented in clutter—a visual acuity test similar to ones used in regular ophthalmology clinics."
Researchers at the University of Rochester have shown that people who played action video games for a few hours a day over the course of a month improved by about 20 percent in their ability to identify letters presented in clutter—a visual acuity test similar to ones used in regular ophthalmology clinics."
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: A Kirkland cafe with no prices
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: A Kirkland cafe with no prices: "With its blood-red walls and black leather sofas, Kirkland's Terra Bite Lounge looks like any other coffee shop — until you get to the menu. There are no prices listed. Terra Bite doesn't have them.
You read that right: No prices. Customers pay what and when they like, or not at all — it makes no difference to the cafe employees, who are instructed not to peek when people put money in the metal lock box.
'Does it really matter to any of our patrons ... whether they pay a dollar or three dollars or five dollars?' said Terra Bite founder Ervin Peretz, a 37-year-old Google programmer."
You read that right: No prices. Customers pay what and when they like, or not at all — it makes no difference to the cafe employees, who are instructed not to peek when people put money in the metal lock box.
'Does it really matter to any of our patrons ... whether they pay a dollar or three dollars or five dollars?' said Terra Bite founder Ervin Peretz, a 37-year-old Google programmer."
4.2.07
1.2.07
UK retailer stops stocking floppy disks
UK retailer stops stocking floppy disks: "PC World, Britain's largest chain of computer superstores, will say goodbye to floppy disks once the current stash is gone.
The retailer said Wednesday it opted not to reorder any more disks because they do not hold enough data and better alternatives exist.
PC World has about 10,000 disks in stock. With 155 stores across Britain and nearly 50 more elsewhere in Europe, spokesman Hamish Thompson said the final stock of floppies will be gone 'in weeks, if not days.'"
The retailer said Wednesday it opted not to reorder any more disks because they do not hold enough data and better alternatives exist.
PC World has about 10,000 disks in stock. With 155 stores across Britain and nearly 50 more elsewhere in Europe, spokesman Hamish Thompson said the final stock of floppies will be gone 'in weeks, if not days.'"
Jason Leopold and Marc Ash | Cheney's Handwritten Notes Implicate Bush in Plame Affair
Jason Leopold and Marc Ash | Cheney's Handwritten Notes Implicate Bush in Plame Affair: "Copies of handwritten notes by Vice President Dick Cheney, introduced at trial by defense attorneys for former White House staffer I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, would appear to implicate George W. Bush in the Plame CIA Leak case."
31.1.07
The Hindu : Sci Tech / Information Technology : Triple fillip for Moore 's Law
The Hindu : Sci Tech / Information Technology : Triple fillip for Moore 's Law: "IN A week of extraordinary developments, three American technology players, have made separate but complementary announcements of research breakthroughs that could ultimately lead to a new generation of silicon semiconductors chips — smaller, faster, cooler and cheaper than anything the world has known so far."
30.1.07
Air Force pursuing antimatter weapons / Program was touted publicly, then came official gag order
Air Force pursuing antimatter weapons / Program was touted publicly, then came official gag order: "During the Cold War, the Air Force funded numerous scientific studies of the basic physics of antimatter. With the knowledge gained, some Air Force insiders are beginning to think seriously about potential military uses -- for example, antimatter bombs small enough to hold in one's hand, and antimatter engines for 24/7 surveillance aircraft."
29.1.07
LiveScience.com - Amnesia Victim Wandered for 25 Days
LiveScience.com - Amnesia Victim Wandered for 25 Days: "DALLAS (AP)—Joe Bieger walked out his front door with his two dogs one morning last fall a beloved husband, father, grandfather and assistant high school athletic director. Minutes later, all of that, indeed, his very identity, would seemingly be wiped from his brain's hard drive.
For 25 days, he wandered the streets of Dallas and its environs a lost soul, unable to remember his name, what he did for a living, or where he lived, until, finally, a contractor who was building a new house for Bieger and his wife happened to recognize him.
By that point, Bieger had somehow made his way to a suburb about 20 miles from his Dallas home, holes worn in the rubber soles of his canvas shoes. He had lost 25 pounds, and a full white beard covered the normally clean-shaven educator's face.
Bieger, 59, says he was diagnosed afterward as suffering from psychogenic fugue, an extremely rare form of amnesia."
For 25 days, he wandered the streets of Dallas and its environs a lost soul, unable to remember his name, what he did for a living, or where he lived, until, finally, a contractor who was building a new house for Bieger and his wife happened to recognize him.
By that point, Bieger had somehow made his way to a suburb about 20 miles from his Dallas home, holes worn in the rubber soles of his canvas shoes. He had lost 25 pounds, and a full white beard covered the normally clean-shaven educator's face.
Bieger, 59, says he was diagnosed afterward as suffering from psychogenic fugue, an extremely rare form of amnesia."
27.1.07
Chip companies entering their metal period | Tech News on ZDNet
Chip companies entering their metal period | Tech News on ZDNet: "For almost 40 years, chipmakers have been building transistor gates--the basic switch in a transistor--out of silicon. But Intel, IBM and Advanced Micro Devices now plan to introduce new materials for transistor gates that significantly cut power leakage while dramatically improving performance, company executives said this week in separate announcements."
25.1.07
Military to beam in nonlethal ray guns - Los Angeles Times
Military to beam in nonlethal ray guns - Los Angeles Times: "MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, GA. — The military calls its new weapon an 'active denial system,' but that's an understatement. It's a ray gun that shoots a beam that makes people feel as if they are about to catch fire.
The technology is supposed to be harmless — a nonlethal way to get enemies to drop their weapons. Military officials say it could save the lives of civilians and service members in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan. "
The technology is supposed to be harmless — a nonlethal way to get enemies to drop their weapons. Military officials say it could save the lives of civilians and service members in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan. "
BBC NEWS | Americas | US military unveils heat-ray gun
BBC NEWS | Americas | US military unveils heat-ray gun: "The US military has given the first public display of what it says is a revolutionary heat-ray weapon to repel enemies or disperse hostile crowds.
Called the Active Denial System, it projects an invisible high energy beam that produces a sudden burning feeling, but is said to be harmless."
Called the Active Denial System, it projects an invisible high energy beam that produces a sudden burning feeling, but is said to be harmless."
FBI taps cell phone mic as eavesdropping tool | CNET News.com
FBI taps cell phone mic as eavesdropping tool | CNET News.com: "The FBI appears to have begun using a novel form of electronic surveillance in criminal investigations: remotely activating a mobile phone's microphone and using it to eavesdrop on nearby conversations.
The technique is called a 'roving bug,' and was approved by top U.S. Department of Justice officials for use against members of a New York organized crime family who were wary of conventional surveillance techniques such as tailing a suspect or wiretapping him."
The technique is called a 'roving bug,' and was approved by top U.S. Department of Justice officials for use against members of a New York organized crime family who were wary of conventional surveillance techniques such as tailing a suspect or wiretapping him."
18.1.07
Fredericksburg.com - A missile punch at bullet prices
Fredericksburg.com - A missile punch at bullet prices: "A demonstration of the futuristic and comparatively inexpensive weapon yesterday at the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Dahlgren had Navy brass smiling.
The weapon, which was successfully tested in October at the King George County base, fires nonexplosive projectiles at incredible speeds, using electricity rather than gun powder."
The weapon, which was successfully tested in October at the King George County base, fires nonexplosive projectiles at incredible speeds, using electricity rather than gun powder."
10.1.07
Canadian coins bugged, U.S. security agency says
Canadian coins bugged, U.S. security agency says: "Canadian coins containing tiny transmitters have mysteriously turned up in the pockets of at least three American contractors who visited Canada, says a branch of the U.S. Department of Defence."
The Eyes of Honesty - New York Times
The Eyes of Honesty - New York Times: "For 10 weeks this spring, they alternately taped two posters over the coffee station. During one week, it was a picture of flowers; during the other, it was a pair of staring eyes. Then they sat back to watch what would happen."
9.1.07
For sale: World's smallest country with sea view�|�Oddly Enough�|�Reuters.com
For sale: World's smallest country with sea view�|�Oddly Enough�|�Reuters.com: "LONDON, Jan 8 (Reuters Life!) - For sale: the world's smallest country with its own flag, stamps, currency and passports."
7.1.07
Electricity building | Chicago Tribune
Electricity building | Chicago Tribune: "DETROIT -- If the Chevrolet Volt works as advertised, you could travel for weeks, if not months, without a drop of gasoline.
You can expect from 50 to 525 m.p.g., so get ready to thumb your nose at the gas pumps--at any price.
General Motors unveiled the high-mileage concept at a media preview of the Detroit Auto Show. The electric, powered by lithium ion batteries, is designed to go up to 40 miles before the need to recharge 6 to 6.5 hours in any 110-volt outlet.
After 40 miles, a 1-liter, turbo 3-cylinder gas engine fuels a generator to recharge the batteries. It also goes 600 miles before having to refill the 12-gallon gas tank.
That's 640 miles of driving range and better than 50 m.p.g. in fuel economy with regular unleaded or up to 525 m.p.g. with the E85 ethanol blend, GM estimates."
You can expect from 50 to 525 m.p.g., so get ready to thumb your nose at the gas pumps--at any price.
General Motors unveiled the high-mileage concept at a media preview of the Detroit Auto Show. The electric, powered by lithium ion batteries, is designed to go up to 40 miles before the need to recharge 6 to 6.5 hours in any 110-volt outlet.
After 40 miles, a 1-liter, turbo 3-cylinder gas engine fuels a generator to recharge the batteries. It also goes 600 miles before having to refill the 12-gallon gas tank.
That's 640 miles of driving range and better than 50 m.p.g. in fuel economy with regular unleaded or up to 525 m.p.g. with the E85 ethanol blend, GM estimates."
3.1.07
Gas cooker blows up island | Metro.co.uk
Gas cooker blows up island | Metro.co.uk: "This was the staggering scene after a faulty gas cooker exploded in a timber-framed shack – and devastated a tiny Caribbean island.
The blast caused an inferno that leapt from hut to hut, taking less than ten minutes to sweep across Soledad Miria.
Many of the 1,014 inhabitants dived into the sea or took to fishing boats to escape. More than a third – 348 – were injured but, amazingly, no one died."
The blast caused an inferno that leapt from hut to hut, taking less than ten minutes to sweep across Soledad Miria.
Many of the 1,014 inhabitants dived into the sea or took to fishing boats to escape. More than a third – 348 – were injured but, amazingly, no one died."
2006: The year in environment - earth - 28 December 2006 - New Scientist Environment
2006: The year in environment - earth - 28 December 2006 - New Scientist Environment: "Despite a growing global awareness of the threat we face from climate change, humans have continued to have a massive effect on the atmosphere during 2006. In fact, NASA reported evidence in September that global temperatures are very nearly the warmest they have been for a million years."
Le Cnes va publier trente ann�es d'archives sur les ovnis
Le Cnes va publier trente ann�es d'archives sur les ovnis: "Le Centre national d'�tudes spatiales (Cnes) va mettre progressivement en ligne �partir de f�vrier et mars ses �archives sur les ph�nom�nes �a�rospatiaux non identifi�s, un terme officiel synonyme d'ovnis (objets volants non identifi�s)."
FAA blames UFO report on weird weather - CNN.com
FAA blames UFO report on weird weather - CNN.com: "CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- -- Federal officials say it was probably just some weird weather phenomenon, but a group of United Airlines employees swear they saw a mysterious, saucer-shaped craft hovering over O'Hare Airport in November."
31.12.06
BBC NEWS | Health | Housework cuts breast cancer risk
BBC NEWS | Health | Housework cuts breast cancer risk: "Women who exercise by doing the housework can reduce their risk of breast cancer, a study suggests.
The research on more than 200,000 women from nine European countries found doing household chores was far more cancer protective than playing sport.
Dusting, mopping and vacuuming was also better than having a physical job.
The women in the Cancer Research UK-funded study spent an average of 16 to 17 hours a week cooking, cleaning and doing the washing."
The research on more than 200,000 women from nine European countries found doing household chores was far more cancer protective than playing sport.
Dusting, mopping and vacuuming was also better than having a physical job.
The women in the Cancer Research UK-funded study spent an average of 16 to 17 hours a week cooking, cleaning and doing the washing."
George Lucas plans to shoot fourth "Indiana Jones" movie in 2007
George Lucas plans to shoot fourth "Indiana Jones" movie in 2007: "Director George Lucas said Friday filming for the much-anticipated 'Indiana Jones' movie will begin next year and he promised it will be 'the best one yet.'
Lucas said he and director Steven Spielberg recently finalized the script, which stars Harrison Ford, who appeared in the three earlier flicks."
Lucas said he and director Steven Spielberg recently finalized the script, which stars Harrison Ford, who appeared in the three earlier flicks."
29.12.06
Men face jail for rape if women are 'too drunk' to consent in bed to boost convictions | News | This is London
Men face jail for rape if women are 'too drunk' to consent in bed to boost convictions | News | This is London: "Men who have sex with drunken women will be at risk of being convicted of rape under new laws to be considered by ministers.
The legal shake-up would mean a woman would be considered incapable of giving consent to sex if she had been drinking heavily."
The legal shake-up would mean a woman would be considered incapable of giving consent to sex if she had been drinking heavily."
28.12.06
Parasite 'turns women into sex kittens' | NEWS.com.au
Parasite 'turns women into sex kittens' | NEWS.com.au: "A COMMON parasite can increase a women's attractiveness to the opposite sex but also make men more stupid, an Australian researcher says."
21.12.06
Most Americans have had premarital sex - Yahoo! News
Most Americans have had premarital sex - Yahoo! News: "NEW YORK - More than nine out of 10 Americans, men and women alike, have had premarital sex, according to a new study. The high rates extend even to women born in the 1940s, challenging perceptions that people were more chaste in the past."
20.12.06
Protective effect from alcohol seen in head injury - Yahoo! News
Protective effect from alcohol seen in head injury - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Alcohol is to blame in many accidents that cause major head injuries, but it also might help people survive after they get hurt, researchers said on Monday.
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Researchers examined data on 1,158 patients treated at a Toronto hospital for severe brain injury due to blunt trauma from 1988 and 2003.
Those with blood-alcohol levels up to 0.23 percent -- nearly three times the common legal limit of 0.08 percent -- were 24 percent more likely to survive their injuries than patients entering the hospital with no alcohol in their bloodstream, the study found."
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Researchers examined data on 1,158 patients treated at a Toronto hospital for severe brain injury due to blunt trauma from 1988 and 2003.
Those with blood-alcohol levels up to 0.23 percent -- nearly three times the common legal limit of 0.08 percent -- were 24 percent more likely to survive their injuries than patients entering the hospital with no alcohol in their bloodstream, the study found."
Olive oil may hinder cancer process - Yahoo! News
Olive oil may hinder cancer process - Yahoo! News: "NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who use plenty of olive oil in their diets may be helping to prevent damage to body cells that can eventually lead to cancer, new research suggests.
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In a study of 182 European men, researchers found evidence that olive oil can reduce oxidative damage to cells' genetic material, a process that can initiate cancer development."
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In a study of 182 European men, researchers found evidence that olive oil can reduce oxidative damage to cells' genetic material, a process that can initiate cancer development."
19.12.06
Diabetes breakthrough
Diabetes breakthrough: "In a discovery that has stunned even those behind it, scientists at a Toronto hospital say they have proof the body's nervous system helps trigger diabetes, opening the door to a potential near-cure of the disease that affects millions of Canadians.
Diabetic mice became healthy virtually overnight after researchers injected a substance to counteract the effect of malfunctioning pain neurons in the pancreas.
'I couldn't believe it,' said Dr. Michael Salter, a pain expert at the Hospital for Sick Children and one of the scientists. 'Mice with diabetes suddenly didn't have diabetes any more.'"
Diabetic mice became healthy virtually overnight after researchers injected a substance to counteract the effect of malfunctioning pain neurons in the pancreas.
'I couldn't believe it,' said Dr. Michael Salter, a pain expert at the Hospital for Sick Children and one of the scientists. 'Mice with diabetes suddenly didn't have diabetes any more.'"
Technology Review: Printing Muscle and Bone
Technology Review: Printing Muscle and Bone: "Ink-jet printers allow tissue engineers to control cell development and could one day be used to construct complex cellular structures."
ABC News: Dutch Pull Plug on Analog Television
ABC News: Dutch Pull Plug on Analog Television
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands Dec 11, 2006 (AP)— The Netherlands ended transmission of "free to air" analog television Monday, becoming the first nation to switch completely to digital signals.
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands Dec 11, 2006 (AP)— The Netherlands ended transmission of "free to air" analog television Monday, becoming the first nation to switch completely to digital signals.
8.12.06
EPA May Drop Lead Air Pollution Limits - washingtonpost.com
EPA May Drop Lead Air Pollution Limits - washingtonpost.com: "WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is considering doing away with health standards that cut lead from gasoline, widely regarded as one of the nation's biggest clean-air accomplishments.
Battery makers, lead smelters, refiners all have lobbied the administration to do away with the Clean Air Act limits."
Battery makers, lead smelters, refiners all have lobbied the administration to do away with the Clean Air Act limits."
6.12.06
Sensible Erection | What Statistics on U.S. Home Sales Aren’t Saying
Sensible Erection | What Statistics on U.S. Home Sales Aren’t Saying: "In reality, homes across much of Florida, California and the Northeast are worth a lot less than they were a year ago. The auction in Naples may have exaggerated the downturn in the market there, but not by much. Tom Doyle, a Naples real estate agent, estimated that a typical house there, sold in the normal way, would go for about 20 percent less than it did the previous fall.
In the Boston area, prices have fallen about 10 to 15 percent since the middle of 2005, estimated Chobee Hoy, who owns a real estate brokerage firm in Brookline."
In the Boston area, prices have fallen about 10 to 15 percent since the middle of 2005, estimated Chobee Hoy, who owns a real estate brokerage firm in Brookline."
Link Between Cell Phones And Cancer Not Proven
Link Between Cell Phones And Cancer Not Proven: "A 20-year study of Danish cell phone users shows short or long term use of cell phones is not linked to increased risk of brain cancer.
The study conducted by the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark, involved over 400 thousand Danish cell phone users who were tested for cancer up to 21 years after first starting to use cell phones between 1982 and 1995. The cancers investigated were tumours in the brain, salivary glands, and the eyes. Acoustic neuroma (a benign slow growing tumour in the brain's hearing and balance nerve) and leukemia were also covered in the study."
The study conducted by the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark, involved over 400 thousand Danish cell phone users who were tested for cancer up to 21 years after first starting to use cell phones between 1982 and 1995. The cancers investigated were tumours in the brain, salivary glands, and the eyes. Acoustic neuroma (a benign slow growing tumour in the brain's hearing and balance nerve) and leukemia were also covered in the study."
ACS :: Study: No Evidence Cell Phones Cause Cancer
ACS :: Study: No Evidence Cell Phones Cause Cancer: "Summary: Using cell phones, even over a long period of time, does not appear to raise a person's risk for cancer, Danish researchers report. Their study, which appears in today's Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is the first to include people who had used cell phones for as long as 21 years."
NY bans most trans fats from restaurants�|�US News�|�Reuters.com
NY bans most trans fats from restaurants�|�US News�|�Reuters.com: "NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City banned most artificial trans fats from restaurants on Tuesday, forcing national fast-food chains and mom-and-pop diners alike to phase out artery-clogging oils from their cooking.
The law is believed to be the first of its kind in the United States and will require restaurants including McDonald's Corp. to eliminate trans fats by July 2007."
The law is believed to be the first of its kind in the United States and will require restaurants including McDonald's Corp. to eliminate trans fats by July 2007."
Richest tenth own 85% of world's assets - World - Times Online
Richest tenth own 85% of world's assets - World - Times Online: "Where the wealth is
The richest 2 per cent of adults own more than half the world’s wealth, according to the most comprehensive study of personal assets.
Among the largest economies, Britain boasted the third-highest average wealth of $126,832 (�64,172) per adult, after the United States and Japan, a United Nations development research institute found.
Those with assets of $500,000 could consider themselves to be among the richest 1 per cent in the world. Those with net assets of $2,200 per adult were in the top half of the wealth distribution. "
The richest 2 per cent of adults own more than half the world’s wealth, according to the most comprehensive study of personal assets.
Among the largest economies, Britain boasted the third-highest average wealth of $126,832 (�64,172) per adult, after the United States and Japan, a United Nations development research institute found.
Those with assets of $500,000 could consider themselves to be among the richest 1 per cent in the world. Those with net assets of $2,200 per adult were in the top half of the wealth distribution. "
5.12.06
2.12.06
Ancient Egyptians built Pyramids with concrete blocks, scientists say - World - Times Online
Ancient Egyptians built Pyramids with concrete blocks, scientists say - World - Times Online: "Pyramids were built with concrete rather than rocks, scientists claim
Charles Bremner, Paris
# Method used only at higher levels
# Blocks set using a limestone slurry
How the Egyptians really built a Pyramid
The Ancient Egyptians built their great Pyramids by pouring concrete into blocks high on the site rather than hauling up giant stones, according to a new Franco-American study."
Charles Bremner, Paris
# Method used only at higher levels
# Blocks set using a limestone slurry
How the Egyptians really built a Pyramid
The Ancient Egyptians built their great Pyramids by pouring concrete into blocks high on the site rather than hauling up giant stones, according to a new Franco-American study."
1.12.06
Nintendo says Wii on track to meet targets�|�Tech&Sci�|�Technology�|�Reuters.com
Nintendo says Wii on track to meet targets�|�Tech&Sci�|�Technology�|�Reuters.com: "NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nintendo Co. Ltd. is on track to meet its target of selling 4 million units of its Wii game console globally by the end of the year, with the potential for exceeding that goal limited only by manufacturing constraints, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said on Wednesday.
'All systems are go for reaching the 4-million target we have in our financials by December 31,' he said at the Reuters Media Summit in New York. 'We will sell everything we make so now it's simply a manufacturing thing.'"
'All systems are go for reaching the 4-million target we have in our financials by December 31,' he said at the Reuters Media Summit in New York. 'We will sell everything we make so now it's simply a manufacturing thing.'"
Wired News: Nike IPod = Surveillance
Wired News: Nike IPod = Surveillance: "The Nike iPod gives runners real-time updates about the speed and length of their workouts via a small RFID device that fits into the soles of Nike shoes, and broadcasts workout data to a small receiver plugged into an iPod Nano.
While this setup sounds convenient and cool, it didn't sit well with Scott Saponas, a computer science graduate student at the University of Washington in Seattle. After enjoying his Nike iPod for a few months, Saponas began to suspect there might be other, more nefarious uses for the gear.
He brought his concerns to University of Washington computer science professor Yoshi Kohno and fellow graduate students Carl Hartung and Jonathan Lester. After just a few weeks of tinkering, the four researchers discovered that the Nike iPod is, as Kohno put it, 'an easy surveillance device.'"
While this setup sounds convenient and cool, it didn't sit well with Scott Saponas, a computer science graduate student at the University of Washington in Seattle. After enjoying his Nike iPod for a few months, Saponas began to suspect there might be other, more nefarious uses for the gear.
He brought his concerns to University of Washington computer science professor Yoshi Kohno and fellow graduate students Carl Hartung and Jonathan Lester. After just a few weeks of tinkering, the four researchers discovered that the Nike iPod is, as Kohno put it, 'an easy surveillance device.'"
30.11.06
RIAA wants the Internet shut down
RIAA wants the Internet shut down: "ONE OF THE lawyers involved in defending cases bought against people by the RIAA claims that if the music industry wins a crucial case, the Internet will have to be switched off."
29.11.06
Brain takes less effort to recognize strong brands�|�Tech&Sci�|�Science�|�Reuters.com
Brain takes less effort to recognize strong brands - Reuters.com: "NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People's brains respond more easily to well-recognized brands, and have a tougher time reacting to less famous ones, regardless of the product involved, German researchers report."
Women talk three times as much as men, says study | the Daily Mail
Women talk three times as much as men, says study | the Daily Mail: "It is something one half of the population has long suspected - and the other half always vocally denied. Women really do talk more than men.
In fact, women talk almost three times as much as men, with the average woman chalking up 20,000 words in a day - 13,000 more than the average man."
In fact, women talk almost three times as much as men, with the average woman chalking up 20,000 words in a day - 13,000 more than the average man."
BBspot - MPAA Lobbying for Home Theater Regulations
BBspot - MPAA Lobbying for Home Theater Regulations: "'Just because you buy a DVD to watch at home doesn't give you the right to invite friends over to watch it too. That's a violation of copyright and denies us the revenue that would be generated from DVD sales to your friends,' said Glickman. 'Ideally we expect each viewer to have their own copy of the DVD, but we realize that isn't always feasible. "
EETimes.com - Emerging technology sees through clothing
EETimes.com - Emerging technology sees through clothing: "SAN FRANCISCO — Security in airports and other sensitive areas may get a huge boost, thanks to a technology under development that is straight out of science fiction, said to be capable of looking through clothing to detect weapons and other dangerous items. But privacy advocates—and shy people—may have cause for alarm."
Battle of the boxes: PlayStation 3 vs Wii : Moneyweb
Battle of the boxes: PlayStation 3 vs Wii : Moneyweb: "Test of new game systems finds cheaper, simpler Wii to be more exciting and fun."
1.5.06
The Seattle Times: Microsoft's one-day stock plunge: enough to buy all of Costco
The Seattle Times: Microsoft's one-day stock plunge: enough to buy all of Costco: "Microsoft's stock took its biggest one-day fall in more than five years Friday, shaving about $32 billion off the company's market value."
Colbert Lampoons Bush at White House Correspondents Dinner-- President Not Amused?
Colbert Lampoons Bush at White House Correspondents Dinner-- President Not Amused?: "WASHINGTON A blistering comedy “tribute” to President Bush by Comedy Central’s faux talk show host Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondent Dinner Saturday night left George and Laura Bush unsmiling at its close.
Earlier, the president had delivered his talk to the 2700 attendees, including many celebrities and top officials, with the help of a Bush impersonator.
Colbert, who spoke in the guise of his talk show character, who ostensibly supports the president strongly, urged Bush to ignore his low approval ratings, saying they were based on reality, “and reality has a well-known liberal bias.”
He attacked those in the press who claim that the shake-up at the White House was merely re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. “This administration is soaring, not sinking,” he said. “If anything, they are re-arranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg.”
Colbert told Bush he could end the problem of protests by retired generals by refusing to let them retire. He compared Bush to Rocky Balboa in the “Rocky” movies, always getting punched in the face—“and Apollo Creed is everything else in the world.”
Turning to the war, he declared, 'I believe that the government that governs best is a government that governs least, and by these standards we have set up a fabulous government in Iraq.'
He noted former Ambassador Joseph Wilson in the crowd, just three tables away from Karl Rove, and that he had brought ' Valerie Plame.' Then, worried that he had named her, he corrected himself, as Bush aides might do, 'Uh, I mean... he brought Joseph Wilson's wife.' He might have 'dodged the bullet,' he said, as prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald wasn't there.
Colbert also made biting cracks about missing WMDs, “photo ops” on aircraft carriers and at hurricane disasters, melting glaciers and Vice President Cheney shooting people in the face. He advised the crowd, 'if anybody needs anything at their tables, speak slowly and clearly into your table numbers and somebody from the N.S.A. will be right over with a cocktail. '
Observing that Bush sticks to his principles, he said, 'When the president decides something on Monday, he still believes it on Wednesday - no matter what happened Tuesday.'
Also lampooning the press, Colbert complained that he was “surrounded by the liberal media who are destroying this country, except for Fox News. Fox believes in presenting both sides of the story — the president’s side and the vice president’s side.' In another slap at the news channel, he said: 'I give people the truth, unfiltered by rational argument. I call it the No Fact Zone. Fox News, I own the copyright on that term.'
He also reflected on the alleged good old days for the president, when the media was still swallowing the WMD story.
Addressing the reporters, he said, 'Let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The president makes decisions, he’s the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Put them through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know--fiction.'
He claimed that the Secret Service name for Bush's new press secretary is 'Snow Job.'
Colbert closed his routine with a video fantasy where he gets to be White House Press Secretary, complete with a special “Gannon” button on his podium. By the end, he had to run from Helen Thomas and her questions about why the U.S. really invaded Iraq and killed all those people.
As Colbert walked from the podium, when it was over, the president and First Lady gave him quick nods, unsmiling. The president shook his hand and tapped his elbow, and left immediately. "
Earlier, the president had delivered his talk to the 2700 attendees, including many celebrities and top officials, with the help of a Bush impersonator.
Colbert, who spoke in the guise of his talk show character, who ostensibly supports the president strongly, urged Bush to ignore his low approval ratings, saying they were based on reality, “and reality has a well-known liberal bias.”
He attacked those in the press who claim that the shake-up at the White House was merely re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. “This administration is soaring, not sinking,” he said. “If anything, they are re-arranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg.”
Colbert told Bush he could end the problem of protests by retired generals by refusing to let them retire. He compared Bush to Rocky Balboa in the “Rocky” movies, always getting punched in the face—“and Apollo Creed is everything else in the world.”
Turning to the war, he declared, 'I believe that the government that governs best is a government that governs least, and by these standards we have set up a fabulous government in Iraq.'
He noted former Ambassador Joseph Wilson in the crowd, just three tables away from Karl Rove, and that he had brought ' Valerie Plame.' Then, worried that he had named her, he corrected himself, as Bush aides might do, 'Uh, I mean... he brought Joseph Wilson's wife.' He might have 'dodged the bullet,' he said, as prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald wasn't there.
Colbert also made biting cracks about missing WMDs, “photo ops” on aircraft carriers and at hurricane disasters, melting glaciers and Vice President Cheney shooting people in the face. He advised the crowd, 'if anybody needs anything at their tables, speak slowly and clearly into your table numbers and somebody from the N.S.A. will be right over with a cocktail. '
Observing that Bush sticks to his principles, he said, 'When the president decides something on Monday, he still believes it on Wednesday - no matter what happened Tuesday.'
Also lampooning the press, Colbert complained that he was “surrounded by the liberal media who are destroying this country, except for Fox News. Fox believes in presenting both sides of the story — the president’s side and the vice president’s side.' In another slap at the news channel, he said: 'I give people the truth, unfiltered by rational argument. I call it the No Fact Zone. Fox News, I own the copyright on that term.'
He also reflected on the alleged good old days for the president, when the media was still swallowing the WMD story.
Addressing the reporters, he said, 'Let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The president makes decisions, he’s the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Put them through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know--fiction.'
He claimed that the Secret Service name for Bush's new press secretary is 'Snow Job.'
Colbert closed his routine with a video fantasy where he gets to be White House Press Secretary, complete with a special “Gannon” button on his podium. By the end, he had to run from Helen Thomas and her questions about why the U.S. really invaded Iraq and killed all those people.
As Colbert walked from the podium, when it was over, the president and First Lady gave him quick nods, unsmiling. The president shook his hand and tapped his elbow, and left immediately. "
29.4.06
CNN.com - FDA says no�to medical marijuana - Apr 21, 2006
CNN.com - FDA says no�to medical marijuana - Apr 21, 2006: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it does not support the use of marijuana for medical purposes."
CNN.com - Mexico set to legalize personal amounts of pot, cocaine, heroin - Apr 28, 2006
CNN.com - Mexico set to legalize personal amounts of pot, cocaine, heroin - Apr 28, 2006: "Excerpts from changes approved Friday by Mexico's Senate to the country's Federal Penal Code:
Article 478: No criminal prosecution will be brought against:
I. Any person in possession of medications which contain substances classified as narcotics ... when these medications, in their nature and amounts, are those necessary for the treatment of the individual or persons in his custody or care.
II. Any drug addict or consumer who is found in possession of a narcotic for personal use.
Article 474: (Defines a 'consumer' as):
Any person who consumes or uses psychotropic or narcotic substances, and who does not exhibit any symptoms of addiction."
Article 478: No criminal prosecution will be brought against:
I. Any person in possession of medications which contain substances classified as narcotics ... when these medications, in their nature and amounts, are those necessary for the treatment of the individual or persons in his custody or care.
II. Any drug addict or consumer who is found in possession of a narcotic for personal use.
Article 474: (Defines a 'consumer' as):
Any person who consumes or uses psychotropic or narcotic substances, and who does not exhibit any symptoms of addiction."
27.4.06
Technology Review: Emerging Technologies and their Impact
Technology Review: Emerging Technologies and their Impact: "Now Prism Solar Technologies of Stone Ridge, NY, has developed a proof-of-concept solar module that uses holograms to concentrate light, possibly cutting the cost of solar modules by as much as 75 percent, making them competitive with electricity generated from fossil fuels."
Copperfield fools robbers - People - Entertainment - smh.com.au
Copperfield fools robbers - People - Entertainment - smh.com.au: "Illusionist David Copperfield has magically escaped getting robbed.
After his show at a West Palm Beach, Florida, performing arts centre on Sunday Copperfield was walking with two female assistants back to their tour bus when four armed teenagers pulled up in a black car and demanded the group's belongings, according to police.
An assistant handed over $US400 from her pockets while the other gave up her purse with euro200, $US100, her passport, plane tickets and a mobile phone.
Copperfield said he turned his pockets inside out to reveal nothing in them, even though he was carrying his passport, wallet and mobile phone.
'Call it reverse pick-pocketing,' Copperfield told The Palm Beach Post."
After his show at a West Palm Beach, Florida, performing arts centre on Sunday Copperfield was walking with two female assistants back to their tour bus when four armed teenagers pulled up in a black car and demanded the group's belongings, according to police.
An assistant handed over $US400 from her pockets while the other gave up her purse with euro200, $US100, her passport, plane tickets and a mobile phone.
Copperfield said he turned his pockets inside out to reveal nothing in them, even though he was carrying his passport, wallet and mobile phone.
'Call it reverse pick-pocketing,' Copperfield told The Palm Beach Post."
26.4.06
Telegraph | News | Bach works were written by his second wife, claims academic
Telegraph | News | Bach works were written by his second wife, claims academic: "Bach works were written by his second wife, claims academic
Famous works attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach were not penned by the great composer but by his second wife, researchers believe.
A study by an academic who has spent more than 30 years looking at Bach's work claims that Anna Magdalena Bach, traditionally believed to be Bach's musical copyist, actually wrote some of his best-loved works, including his Six Cello Suites.
Martin Jarvis, a professor at Charles Darwin University School of Music in Darwin and the conductor of the city's symphony orchestra, said that 'a number of books would need to be rewritten' after presenting his findings to a Bach symposium last week.
The findings have been described as 'highly important' by Bach scholars and will be published in a doctorate, later this year.
Prof Jarvis, who is originally from Wales, used police forensic science techniques to scrutinise manuscripts he believed to be written by Anna Magdalena."
Famous works attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach were not penned by the great composer but by his second wife, researchers believe.
A study by an academic who has spent more than 30 years looking at Bach's work claims that Anna Magdalena Bach, traditionally believed to be Bach's musical copyist, actually wrote some of his best-loved works, including his Six Cello Suites.
Martin Jarvis, a professor at Charles Darwin University School of Music in Darwin and the conductor of the city's symphony orchestra, said that 'a number of books would need to be rewritten' after presenting his findings to a Bach symposium last week.
The findings have been described as 'highly important' by Bach scholars and will be published in a doctorate, later this year.
Prof Jarvis, who is originally from Wales, used police forensic science techniques to scrutinise manuscripts he believed to be written by Anna Magdalena."
25.4.06
Newsvine - Iran to Let Women Go to Soccer Games
Newsvine - Iran to Let Women Go to Soccer Games: "TEHRAN, IRAN — Iranian women will be allowed to attend soccer matches for first time since the country's 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran's president said in a decree posted on his Web site Monday.
Women would sit in separate section of the stands, away from the usually raucous male fans.
'The presence of families and women will improve soccer-watching manners, and promote a healthy atmosphere,' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said. 'They will be allocated some of the best stands in stadiums,' he added."
Women would sit in separate section of the stands, away from the usually raucous male fans.
'The presence of families and women will improve soccer-watching manners, and promote a healthy atmosphere,' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said. 'They will be allocated some of the best stands in stadiums,' he added."
Comic book gives graphic account of 9/11 atrocities - World - Times Online
Comic book gives graphic account of 9/11 atrocities - World - Times Online: "THE official report on the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, already a surprise bestseller, is to burst into colour as a comic book.
Two veteran American comic-book artists, who are more accustomed to working with superheroes, have turned the meticulously detailed 500-page bestselling government document into 144 pages of cartoons. The book, due out in September, illustrates the fate of the four hijacked planes, according to the timeline laid out by the 9/11 commission set up by Congress."
Two veteran American comic-book artists, who are more accustomed to working with superheroes, have turned the meticulously detailed 500-page bestselling government document into 144 pages of cartoons. The book, due out in September, illustrates the fate of the four hijacked planes, according to the timeline laid out by the 9/11 commission set up by Congress."
22.4.06
Iran, Russia reach 'basic' uranium deal - Mideast/N. Africa - MSNBC.com
Iran, Russia reach 'basic' uranium deal - Mideast/N. Africa - MSNBC.com: "TEHRAN, Iran - Iran’s envoy to the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Saturday the Islamic republic had reached a “basic deal” with the Kremlin to form a joint uranium enrichment venture on Russian territory, state-run television reported."
18.4.06
CEOs say how you treat a waiter can predict a lot about character - Yahoo! News
CEOs say how you treat a waiter can predict a lot about character - Yahoo! News: "Office Depot CEO Steve Odland remembers like it was yesterday working in an upscale French restaurant in Denver.
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The purple sorbet in cut glass he was serving tumbled onto the expensive white gown of an obviously rich and important woman. 'I watched in slow motion ruining her dress for the evening,' Odland says. 'I thought I would be shot on sight.'
Thirty years have passed, but Odland can't get the stain out of his mind, nor the woman's kind reaction. She was startled, regained composure and, in a reassuring voice, told the teenage Odland, 'It's OK. It wasn't your fault.' When she left the restaurant, she also left the future Fortune 500 CEO with a life lesson: You can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she treats the waiter.
Odland isn't the only CEO to have made this discovery. Rather, it seems to be one of those rare laws of the land that every CEO learns on the way up. It's hard to get a dozen CEOs to agree about anything, but all interviewed agree with the Waiter Rule.
They acknowledge that CEOs live in a Lake Wobegon world where every dinner or lunch partner is above average in their deference. How others treat the CEO says nothing, they say. But how others treat the waiter is like a magical window into the soul.
And beware of anyone who pulls out the power card to say something like, 'I could buy this place and fire you,' or 'I know the owner and I could have you fired.' Those who say such things have revealed more about their character than about their wealth and power.
Whoever came up with the waiter observation 'is bang spot on,' says BMW North America President Tom Purves, a native of Scotland, a citizen of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, who lives in New York City with his Norwegian wife, Hilde, and works for a German company. That makes him qualified to speak on different cultures, and he says the waiter theory is true everywhere.
The CEO who came up with it, or at least first wrote it down, is Raytheon CEO Bill Swanson. He wrote a booklet of 33 short leadership observations called Swanson's Unwritten Rules of Management. Raytheon has given away 250,000 of the books.
Among those 33 rules is only one that Swanson says never fails: 'A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, or to others, is not a nice person.'"
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The purple sorbet in cut glass he was serving tumbled onto the expensive white gown of an obviously rich and important woman. 'I watched in slow motion ruining her dress for the evening,' Odland says. 'I thought I would be shot on sight.'
Thirty years have passed, but Odland can't get the stain out of his mind, nor the woman's kind reaction. She was startled, regained composure and, in a reassuring voice, told the teenage Odland, 'It's OK. It wasn't your fault.' When she left the restaurant, she also left the future Fortune 500 CEO with a life lesson: You can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she treats the waiter.
Odland isn't the only CEO to have made this discovery. Rather, it seems to be one of those rare laws of the land that every CEO learns on the way up. It's hard to get a dozen CEOs to agree about anything, but all interviewed agree with the Waiter Rule.
They acknowledge that CEOs live in a Lake Wobegon world where every dinner or lunch partner is above average in their deference. How others treat the CEO says nothing, they say. But how others treat the waiter is like a magical window into the soul.
And beware of anyone who pulls out the power card to say something like, 'I could buy this place and fire you,' or 'I know the owner and I could have you fired.' Those who say such things have revealed more about their character than about their wealth and power.
Whoever came up with the waiter observation 'is bang spot on,' says BMW North America President Tom Purves, a native of Scotland, a citizen of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, who lives in New York City with his Norwegian wife, Hilde, and works for a German company. That makes him qualified to speak on different cultures, and he says the waiter theory is true everywhere.
The CEO who came up with it, or at least first wrote it down, is Raytheon CEO Bill Swanson. He wrote a booklet of 33 short leadership observations called Swanson's Unwritten Rules of Management. Raytheon has given away 250,000 of the books.
Among those 33 rules is only one that Swanson says never fails: 'A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, or to others, is not a nice person.'"
17.4.06
ABC News: Exxon Chairman Gets $400 Million Retirement Package Amid Soaring Gas Prices
ABC News: Exxon Chairman Gets $400 Million Retirement Package Amid Soaring Gas Prices: "Last year, Exxon made the biggest profit of any company ever, $36 billion, and its retiring chairman appears to be reaping the benefits."
15.4.06
NATIONAL JOURNAL: Cheney Authorized Leak Of CIA Report, Libby Says (04/14/2006)
NATIONAL JOURNAL: Cheney Authorized Leak Of CIA Report, Libby Says (04/14/2006): "Vice President Dick Cheney directed his then-chief of staff, I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, on July 12, 2003 to leak to the media portions of a then-highly classified CIA report that Cheney hoped would undermine the credibility of former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson, a critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policy, according to Libby's grand jury testimony in the CIA leak case and sources who have read the classified report."
14.4.06
Apple - Boot Camp
Apple - Boot Camp: "More and more people are buying and loving Macs. To make this choice simply irresistible, Apple will include technology in the next major release of Mac OS X, Leopard, that lets you install and run the Windows XP operating system on your Mac. Called Boot Camp (for now), you can download a public beta today.
As elegant as it gets
Boot Camp lets you install Windows XP without moving your Mac data, though you will need to bring your own copy to the table, as Apple Computer does not sell or support Microsoft Windows.(1) Boot Camp will burn a CD of all the required drivers for Windows so you don't have to scrounge around the Internet looking for them.
System Manager
Optional alt. At startup, hold down the option key (alt) to choose between Mac OS X and Windows.
Run XP natively
Once you’ve completed Boot Camp, simply hold down the option key at startup to choose between Mac OS X and Windows. (That’s the “alt” key for you longtime Windows users.) After starting up, your Mac runs Windows completely natively. Simply restart to come back to Mac."
As elegant as it gets
Boot Camp lets you install Windows XP without moving your Mac data, though you will need to bring your own copy to the table, as Apple Computer does not sell or support Microsoft Windows.(1) Boot Camp will burn a CD of all the required drivers for Windows so you don't have to scrounge around the Internet looking for them.
System Manager
Optional alt. At startup, hold down the option key (alt) to choose between Mac OS X and Windows.
Run XP natively
Once you’ve completed Boot Camp, simply hold down the option key at startup to choose between Mac OS X and Windows. (That’s the “alt” key for you longtime Windows users.) After starting up, your Mac runs Windows completely natively. Simply restart to come back to Mac."
13.4.06
deseretnews.com | Physicist says heat substance felled WTC
deseretnews.com | Physicist says heat substance felled WTC: "EPHRAIM — A Brigham Young University physicist said he now believes an incendiary substance called thermite, bolstered by sulfur, was used to generate exceptionally hot fires at the World Trade Center on 9/11, causing the structural steel to fail and the buildings to collapse.
'It looks like thermite with sulfur added, which really is a very clever idea,' Steven Jones, professor of physics at BYU, told a meeting of the Utah Academy of Science, Arts and Letters at Snow College Friday.
The government requires standard explosives to contain tag elements enabling them to be traced back to their manufacturers. But no tags are required in aluminum and iron oxide, the materials used to make thermite, he said. Nor, he said, are tags required in sulfur.
Jones is co-chairman, with James H. Fetzer, a distinguished professor of philosophy at the University of Minnesota of Scholars for 9/11 Truth, a group of college faculty members who believe conspirators other than pilots of the planes were directly involved in bringing down New York's Trade Towers."
'It looks like thermite with sulfur added, which really is a very clever idea,' Steven Jones, professor of physics at BYU, told a meeting of the Utah Academy of Science, Arts and Letters at Snow College Friday.
The government requires standard explosives to contain tag elements enabling them to be traced back to their manufacturers. But no tags are required in aluminum and iron oxide, the materials used to make thermite, he said. Nor, he said, are tags required in sulfur.
Jones is co-chairman, with James H. Fetzer, a distinguished professor of philosophy at the University of Minnesota of Scholars for 9/11 Truth, a group of college faculty members who believe conspirators other than pilots of the planes were directly involved in bringing down New York's Trade Towers."
12.4.06
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Hamas in call to end suicide bombings
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Hamas in call to end suicide bombings: "Hamas is to abandon its use of suicide bombers, who have killed almost 300 Israelis, in any future confrontations with Israel, its activists have told The Observer.
The Islamic group, which leads the Palestinian Authority, says, however, that it may resort to other forms of violence if there is no progress towards Palestinian statehood.
Yihiyeh Musa, a Hamas member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, said Hamas had moved into a 'new era' which did not require suicide attacks.
'The suicide bombings happened in an exceptional period and they have now stopped,' he said. 'They came to an end as a change of belief.'"
The Islamic group, which leads the Palestinian Authority, says, however, that it may resort to other forms of violence if there is no progress towards Palestinian statehood.
Yihiyeh Musa, a Hamas member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, said Hamas had moved into a 'new era' which did not require suicide attacks.
'The suicide bombings happened in an exceptional period and they have now stopped,' he said. 'They came to an end as a change of belief.'"
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