News -- May 24, 2006

The War in Iraq Costs - "Below is a running total of the U.S. taxpayer cost of the Iraq War."

Iraq doctor brings evidence of US napalm at Fallujah - "EVIDENCE to support controversial claims that napalm has been used by US forces in Iraq has been brought to Australia by an Iraqi doctor."

Iran Requests Direct Talks on Nuclear Program - "Iran has followed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent letter to President Bush with explicit requests for direct talks on its nuclear program, according to U.S. officials, Iranian analysts and foreign diplomats. The eagerness for talks demonstrates a profound change in Iran's political orthodoxy, emphatically erasing a taboo against contact with Washington that has both defined and confined Tehran's public foreign policy for more than a quarter-century, they said."

Crying for a Horse - "Now the nation waits with bated breath to find out if Barbaro will even survive his broken ankle. For horse racing fanatics like Judi Hunt of Aberdeen, Washington, who has listened to or seen each and every Triple Crown race since 1948, the reaction was as expected. The New York Times reported Ms. Hunt as saying, "I cried yesterday when the horse came up lame. I just want to know how the horse is going to do." Such empathy and pity are both predictable and natural in such a heartrending circumstance. However if Americans cared as much about people as they do about horses, Sunday night’s presentation of the HBO documentary Baghdad ER might have actually awoken the somnolent majority of our citizenry who are as indifferent to the carnage in Iraq as they are to tax rates in Tanzania." -- Too much to post here. Check it out.

Vladimir Putin and the rise of the petro-ruble - "On May 10, Russian President Vladimir Putin ignited a firestorm that is bound to sweep across the global economy. In his State of the Nation speech to parliament,, he announced that Russia was planning to make the ruble “internationally convertible” so that it could be used in oil and natural gas transactions. Presently, oil is denominated exclusively in dollars and sold through the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMX) or the London Petroleum Exchange (LPE) both owned by American investors. If Russia proceeds with its plan, the ruble will go nose to nose with the dollar on the open market sending several billions of surplus greenbacks back to the United States. This could potentially send the American economy into freefall; triggering a deep recession and an extended period of hyper-inflation."

ACLU Launching Don't Spy on Me Campaign - "A civil rights group was launching a nationwide Don't Spy On Me campaign Wednesday to urge the public to demand that the Federal Communications Commission and state utility commissions probe whether phone companies broke laws by sharing customer records with the government's biggest spy agency."

Web inventor warns of 'dark' net - "The web should remain neutral and resist attempts to fragment it into different services, web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee has said. Recent attempts in the US to try to charge for different levels of online access web were not "part of the internet model," he said in Edinburgh. He warned that if the US decided to go ahead with a two-tier internet, the network would enter "a dark period"."

A Nation in Chains - "Beneath the thunder of the mighty cataclysms unleashed by the Bush Administration – the war crime in Iraq, the global torture gulag, the epic corruption, the gutting of the Constitution, the open embrace of presidential tyranny – a quieter degradation of American society has continued apace. And this slow descent into barbarism didn't begin with George W. Bush – although his illicit regime certainly represents the apotheosis of the dark forces driving the decay. ... Earlier this month, the International Centre for Prison Studies at King's College London released its annual World Prison Population List. And there, standing proudly at the head of the line, towering far above all others, is that shining city on the hill, the United States of America. But strangely enough, the Bush gang and its many media sycophants failed to celebrate – or even note – yet another instance where a triumphant America leads the world. Where are the cheering hordes shouting "USA! USA!" at the news that the land of the free imprisons more people than any other country in the world – both in raw numbers and as a percentage of its population?"

Feedback Loops In Global Climate Change Point To A Very Hot 21st Century - "Studies have shown that global climate change can set-off positive feedback loops in nature which amplify warming and cooling trends. Now, researchers with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California at Berkeley have been able to quantify the feedback implied by past increases in natural carbon dioxide and methane gas levels. Their results point to global temperatures at the end of this century that may be significantly higher than current climate models are predicting."

By 2020, kiss the snows of Kilimanjaro goodbye - "There are a lot of projections about global warming, and almost all of them are scary."

McGavick would bar Iran from soccer's World Cup - ""This is not a trivial matter," McGavick said in an interview. "The world needs to use all the tools at its disposal against Iran. It needs to see that it's an outlaw state."" -- Idiot.

Jeb Bush Approached About Running NFL - "Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said he was privately approached about his interest in becoming the NFL's next commissioner."

Googling America's Brain - "I spend a lot of time at a computer trying to avoid writing, which means that I make extensive recreational use of Google. For me, Google is a toy with which to tap into the written word of the American people -- and thus to plumb the psyche of the nation. Google turns out to be a septic cesspool in which deviant idiots splash around." -- Pretty funny.

A car that slows you down - "Vehicles in London could soon be fitted with technology that would automatically slow them down if they break the speed limit."

Doctor, did you warm up with 'Grand Theft Auto'? - "Surgeons who warmed up by playing video games like "Super Monkey Ball" for 20 minutes immediately prior to performing surgical drills were faster and made fewer errors than those who did not, said Dr. James "Butch" Rosser, lead investigator on the study, slated for release Wednesday."




Quote of the Day
"How many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see?"
~ Bob Dylan, (Blowin' In The Wind)

News -- May 23, 2006

Murtha on Iraq: ‘There’s Not Only No Progress, It’s Worse Than It Was Prewar’ - "[T]here’s not only no progress, it’s worse than it was prewar. this thing has been mishandled so badly. The American people needed to hear. we’re spending $450 billion on this war by the end of the year, $9 billion a month, and so we need to change course. The facts appear to back Murtha up."

President grabs power while Congress sleeps - "But the changes that George W. Bush has made to our nation's constitutional firmament may not depart with the first family's bags. His disregard for the separation of powers has so dramatically distorted the office of the president that he may have engineered a turning point in American history. Bush represents the flag-wavers who are long on enthusiasm but don't have any real appreciation for the nobility of America. It isn't our big, expensive military or our big, expensive economy that bestows greatness. It is our modesty. America's magnificence lies in its grounding principle that power must be diffuse. We built a system based on the assessed fallibility of man, where a president is limited by Congress, the courts and the Constitution. ... Bush has taught tomorrow's leaders that, if there are no consequences for ignoring legal constraints on power and if no one stops you from conducting the nation's business in secret, you don't have to be accountable. He is ruling through the tautological doctrine of Richard Nixon, who told interviewer David Frost that as long as the president's doing it "that means it is not illegal.'' ... "Power Surge: The Constitutional Record of George W. Bush" is an unblinking 28-page analysis of our slow devolution into autocracy. Its message can be summed up with this quote: "Under (the president's) sweeping theory of executive power, the liberty of every American rests on nothing more than the grace of the White House.""

Top Ten Signs of the Impending U.S. Police State - "Hey America! Freedom is just around the corner…behind you." -- A good list. If you are unaware of the "Signing Statements" then you should at least read that entry.

Bush governs in dictator style - "President Bush's approval of domestic surveillance is just the tip of the iceberg. The Boston Globe on April 30 (and the New York Times on May 12) reported that President Bush claims authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office." -- Yes, you read that correctly: "more than 750."

Few Americans Expect Bush Impeachment - "Many adults in the United States believe their president should not face legal charges over his decision to launch the coalition effort, according to a poll by Opinion Dynamics released by Fox News. 62 per cent of respondents think it would be wrong for lawmakers to try to impeach George W. Bush over the Iraq war and weapons of mass destruction." -- Who are these people?

What People Believe - "The answer lies in the nature of the human being. We are mind-directed creatures. We act on the basis of our beliefs. Therefore, if you can control what people believe, you can control what they do. That's the whole purpose of advertising, for example – to instill in people's minds the belief that a product or service will be beneficial to them. ... Millions of men have gone to war because, as Americans or British or French or Germans or Russians or Japanese, they believed it was their duty. The danger lies in the fact that unscrupulous men, through misrepresentation and propaganda, can motivate people to go to war even though it is not in their country's interest, much less their own. Unless there is an invader threatening one's home and hearth, it is never in the interest of an individual to go war – unless he decides to be a mercenary. It is an evil paradox that men with the lowest motives can launch wars by appealing to the highest ideals of better men."

North American Union to Replace USA? - "The blueprint President Bush is following was laid out in a 2005 report entitled "Building a North American Community" published by the left-of-center Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). The CFR report connects the dots between the Bush administration's actual policy on illegal immigration and the drive to create the North American Union:"

Panic builds up behind America's Great Wall - "And yet there’s something else at work here: an unease, a panic, a sense of helplessness and being beleaguered that has plagued the American psyche since 9/11. On that day, the pristine separation between America and the rest of the world was abolished. The continent was no longer immune to the terror that all other countries had grown used to. ... Then there is genuine cultural discomfort. Census statistics last week showed that, for the first time, almost half of Americans under five years of age are now non-white. The reason? Hispanics accounted for half the population growth in America from 2004-05; and 70% of the growth in the population under the age of five. Project that into the future and America becomes a majority coffee-coloured country in a generation. When the disproportionately white baby-boomer generation dies off, the ethnic demographic shift could be dramatic. There’s a reason that people are not proposing a wall to cordon off Canada."

An illegal alien who can legally sue - "To put it another way: Victor Caballero may not have the legal right to actually live in New Jersey, but New Jersey says he has the legal right to receive generous benefits for being here. Go figure."

Google dumps news sites that criticize radical Islam - "Search giant axes another news page, calls terrorism discussion 'hate content'"

Collapse of the Petrodollar Looming - "The announcement by President Putin of a Russian bourse trading oil and gas in Roubles threatens the stability of the US Dollar far more than Iran's bourse alone would do, and continues the slide in relations between the old Cold War foes."

Country radio nixes Dixie Chicks - "It appears the war U.S. country radio stations mounted against the politically outspoken Dixie Chicks has not abated in the least."




Quote of the Day
"I don't know what's going on in the scenes behind. I worry about it some of the time."
~ Matthew Sweet (Holy War)

News -- May 22, 2006

Israel: Iran 'months' from making nukes - "Asked whether he believes Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would halt his nation's nuclear-enrichment program under international pressure, Olmert said, "I prefer to take the necessary measures to stop it, rather than to find out later that my indifference was so dangerous." Some observers disagree with Israel's characterization, saying Iran is five to 10 years away from being able to make a nuclear weapon."

Illinois Legislators Introduce Bill for Bush Impeachment - "Three members of the Illinois General Assembly have introduced a bill that urges the General Assembly to submit charges to the U. S. House of Representatives to initiate impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States, George W. Bush, for willfully violating his Oath of Office to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and if found guilty urges his removal from office and disqualification to hold any other office in the United States."

Ex -US soldier: 'If he didn't answer the way we liked, we would shoot his youngest kid in the head' - ""When we were doing the night raids in the houses, we would pull people out and have them all on their knees and zip-tied. We would ask the man of the house questions. If he didn't answer the way we liked, we would shoot his youngest kid in the head. We would keep going, this was our interrogation. He could be innocent. He could be just an average Joe trying to support his family. If he didn't give us a satisfactory answer, we'd start killing off his family until he told us something. If he didn't know anything, I guess he was SOL."" -- There is a video.

Attorney Gen.: Reporters Can Be Prosecuted - "Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Sunday he believes journalists can be prosecuted for publishing classified information, citing an obligation to national security. The nation's top law enforcer also said the government will not hesitate to track telephone calls made by reporters as part of a criminal leak investigation, but officials would not do so routinely and randomly."

KILLER BUG AIR SCARE - "A WOMAN who arrived in London on a flight from Africa yesterday is reported to have died from the deadly and contagious ebola virus. ... Virgin Atlantic cabin crew who came into contact with the woman have been told to monitor their health. One said: "We are now terrified what we may have caught.""

Rough Summer Is on the Way for Air Travel - "Planes are expected to be packed fuller than at anytime since World War II, when the airlines helped transport troops. Fares are rising. Service frills are disappearing."

Pope says low birth rates in Canada due to 'pervasive effects of secularism' - "Pope Benedict said Saturday that low birth rates in Canada are the result of the "pervasive effects of secularism" and asked the country's bishops to counter the trend by preaching "with passion" the truth of Christ." -- No comment.

Summer tours offered to site of 'Noah's Ark' - "A new travel website is now promoting summer tours to a Turkish site near Mount Ararat believed by many to be the fossilized remains of Noah's Ark."

1 in 136 U.S. Residents Behind Bars - "Prisons and jails added more than 1,000 inmates each week for a year, putting almost 2.2 million people, or one in every 136 U.S. residents, behind bars by last summer."

The gangs busing sex slaves between towns - "Hundreds of sex slaves from Eastern Europe are being shuttled between different towns and cities, often several times a week, by criminal gangs determined to cash in on multiple "markets"."

Despite Pledge, Taxes Increase for Teenagers - "The $69 billion tax cut bill that President Bush signed this week tripled tax rates for teenagers with college savings funds, despite Mr. Bush's 1999 pledge to veto any tax increase. Under the new law, teenagers age 14 to 17 with investment income will now be taxed at the same rate as their parents, not at their own rates. Long-term capital gains and dividends that had been taxed at 5 percent will now be taxed at 15 percent. Interest that had been taxed at 10 percent will now be taxed at as much as 35 percent."

Menstruation Is Fast Becoming Optional - "Thanks to birth control pills and other hormonal contraceptives, a growing number of women are taking the path chosen by 22-year-old Stephanie Sardinha. She hasn't had a period since she was 17."

Where have all the icebergs gone? - "The British-funded Ice Patrol is usually busy in May, protecting shipping from rogue bergs. But it's all gone alarmingly quiet this year, as Michael Park discovers."

Studios finding it's cheaper to use special effects - "Unknown to most moviegoers, special-effects innovations have reached the point where a filmmaker can set a $100 million summer blockbuster in an exotic locale without sending the usual fleet of actors, makeup artists, cinematographers and key grips there." -- I'm thinking of more devious reasons to use this technology.

World's Largest Digging Machine - "This is the largest digging machine (or trencher or rotating shovel) in the world." -- Check out the pictures. This thing is huge.




Quote of the Day
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
~ Mahatma Ghandi

News - May 20, 2006

You got your damn war and it looks like "a mother and young child bent over as if in prayer, shot dead" - "A Pentagon probe into the death of Iraqi civilians last November in the Iraqi city of Haditha will show that U.S. Marines "killed innocent civilians in cold blood," a U.S. lawmaker said Wednesday. From the beginning, Iraqis in the town of Haditha said U.S. Marines deliberately killed 15 unarmed Iraqi civilians, including seven women and three children. One young Iraqi girl said the Marines killed six members of her family, including her parents. "The Americans came into the room where my father was praying," she said, "and shot him." On Wednesday, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., said the accounts are true. Military officials told NBC News that the Marine Corps' own evidence appears to show Murtha is right."

Space Aliens From Luxembourg: A Horror Story - "Let us imagine that tomorrow morning, when you flip on CNN, you see Wolf Blitzer being jostled by surging crowds. Everyone is running, staring at the sky in fear. "Space aliens have landed in Luxembourg!" cries Wolf, wide-eyed and almost hysterical, "and they have a message for all mankind!" There is a burst of static, and then you see a drooling, bulging-eyed monstrosity gripping prepared notes in its slimy sea-green tentacles. "Citizens of Earth!" it gurgles, "We bring good news! We see that, all over the world, citizens live under the slavery of what you call ‘governments.’ Millions of you are unjustly imprisoned, billions are stolen from you through taxation, and government-owned WMDs threaten the very survival of the planet! This is a moral abomination, and we have come to put a stop to it!"" -- A pretty good read.

Spying on America - "The truth is, we’re reliving the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s relentless search for “communists” and now calling them “terrorists,” the uber enemy we created to feed the military industrial complex Dwight Eisenhower so aptly warned us about after WW II. The same complex that got in bed with the surviving fascists of post-war Europe, England and America, looking for an enemy to cover their new/old ambitions of global power, so aptly re-expressed in the Project for the New American Century’s need for a “New Pearl Harbor” to stir the natives into a frenzy of war and death still one more time, i.e., 9/11, to guarantee a “New World Order,” which is in total chaos. The need for this fascist, corporate-profit-at-all-costs driven dominance seems embedded in the psyche of these barely human beings. The same who have created vast amounts of wealth, like the Bush family, the Rockefellers, the Rothschilds, the Fords, and now the Buffets, the Gates, the Corporatos, the “Economic Hitmen” of the world. Their War on Terror will never end. It’s an incredible cash cow, generating billions in military and defense appropriations and natural resources, wherever they can be stolen. They’re getting richer than ever on those three little words: War on Terror."

The Snooping Goes Beyond Phone Calls - "The Departments of Justice, State, and Homeland Security spend millions annually to buy commercial databases that track Americans' finances, phone numbers, and biographical information, according to a report last month by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress. Often, the agencies and their contractors don't ensure the data's accuracy, the GAO found. Buying commercially collected data allows the government to dodge certain privacy rules. The Privacy Act of 1974 restricts how federal agencies may use such information and requires disclosure of what the government is doing with it. But the law applies only when the government is doing the data collecting."

"When will they round up the Bloggers...?" - "Every day, it becomes a little clearer that the Bush administration is running roughshod over the civil rights and liberties of the American people. Cynically manipulating the events of 9/11 to crush any opposition, the Bush administration is engaged in an unprecedented effort to consolidate presidential power that threatens the very Democratic principals and institutions that have fostered a free America. What’s next, arresting journalists? When will they round up the Bloggers in their pajamas?"

Impossible to Prove a Falsehood True: Aircraft Parts as a Clue to their Identity - "Considering the catastrophic incidents of September 11 2001, certain troubling but irrefutable conclusions must be drawn from the known facts. I get no personal pleasure or satisfaction from reporting my own assessment of these facts."

White House waits on marriage - "President Bush's spokesman said the White House supports the constitutional amendment that passed a Senate committee Thursday to define marriage as between a man and a woman, but the spokesman would not call it a priority and said the administration is taking a wait-and-see approach to next month's full Senate vote."

Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism - "For many of them, daily life is but a patient waiting game for the resurrection of Christ (although there are difference beliefs as to how and when he will appear). They view the world differently because this life is just a right of passage to the splendors of meeting up with Christ in soulful bliss, as the expendable earth and our temporal bodies are left behind. This is the parallel universe that they inhabit, and they believe it is their duty to control the government. Rather chilling isn't it? ... Islamic fundamentalists and Christian fundamentalists are in broad agreement on many issues: sexual issues (anti-gay, pro-abstinence, anti-abortion); family issues (patriarchal structure); the role of women (anti-feminist); science (the explanation for life is in the holy book and nowhere else); and so on. The difference, in large part, is only in the God they worship. The values of their belief systems are really quite similar, particularly in believing that their belief system is the only one ordained by God."

Savage: "Jimmy Carter is like Hitler" - "On his radio show, Michael Savage declared that former President Jimmy Carter is a "Jew-hater" and a "war criminal" who "is like Hitler" because of his criticism of Israeli policies in the West Bank. Savage also called Carter a "communist, anti-American, anti-Semitic bastard.""

How Did Seven Family Members Get Infected With Bird Flu? - "We still don't know how seven members of the same family in Indonesia became infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus strain. Six of them have died. It is vital to know whether some of them infected each other. If they did, this would mean that the virus might be changing."

Town Cracks Down On Unwed Couples - "The city council in Black Jack, Mo., has rejected a measure allowing unmarried couples with multiple children to live together. The mayor said those who fall into that category could soon face eviction. ... The current ordinance prohibits more than three people from living together unless they are related by "blood, marriage or adoption."" -- Yes, this is the world we have created.

Report: Ozone Hole May Disappear by 2050 - "The ozone hole over the Antarctic is likely to begin contracting in the future and may disappear by 2050 because of a reduction in the release of chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-depleting gases, according to a team of Japanese scientists."

Women Get Drunk, High and Addicted Easier Than Men - "The study documents how women, pound-for-pound, not only get more drunk or higher faster then men, but also become addicted more easily. The research results are presented in a new book from CASA called "Women Under the Influence" (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006)."

Publishers fear drop in reading - "he publishing industry enjoyed a strong year in 2005, with increases in both revenue and the number of books sold. But projections for long-term growth remain limited because people increasingly don't read, according to a study released yesterday."




Quote of the Day
"Too graphic. Too overt. Not suitable for mass consumption."
~ Carrie Laughlin, Kalifornia

News -- May 19, 2006

US spells out plan to bomb Iran - "THE US is updating contingency plans for a non-nuclear strike to cripple Iran's atomic weapon programme if international diplomacy fails, Pentagon sources have confirmed."

Iran eyes badges for Jews - "Human rights groups are raising alarms over a new law passed by the Iranian parliament that would require the country's Jews and Christians to wear coloured badges to identify them and other religious minorities as non-Muslims."

The Neo-Monarchy of George W. Bush - "To underscore grounds for concern, the administration has pronounced a theory of presidential power that should alarm anyone who wants government power limited. Under the Unitary Executive doctrine of the Bush Justice Department and many conservative legal theorists, the executive branch has enough implied and inherent powers during wartime to negate the checks and balances ordinarily provided by Congress and the courts. Considering that the Bush administration’s “war on terror” is vague enough to last indefinitely and assumes a global battlefield, the Unitary Executive doctrine is a blueprint for despotism that Napoleon would have envied."

The Eternal Value of Privacy - "The most common retort against privacy advocates -- by those in favor of ID checks, cameras, databases, data mining and other wholesale surveillance measures -- is this line: "If you aren't doing anything wrong, what do you have to hide?" Some clever answers: "If I'm not doing anything wrong, then you have no cause to watch me." "Because the government gets to define what's wrong, and they keep changing the definition." "Because you might do something wrong with my information." My problem with quips like these -- as right as they are -- is that they accept the premise that privacy is about hiding a wrong. It's not. Privacy is an inherent human right, and a requirement for maintaining the human condition with dignity and respect."

No one in Baghdad wants to talk about U.S. Embassy project - "Don't ask about the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. It's a secret - security reasons. But it's hard keeping a 104-acre complex rising on the banks of the Tigris River hidden. Anyone who cares to know can easily see four giant construction cranes towering over the river at the largest such project ever undertaken by the United States - a symbol of American presence that will last well into the future."

Report Says FAA Got 52 Warnings Before 9/11 - "The Federal Aviation Administration received repeated warnings in the months before Sept. 11, 2001, that al Qaeda hoped to attack airlines, according to a previously undisclosed report by the commission that investigated the terrorist attacks."

Senate panel backs US gay marriage ban - "A Senate panel approved a controversial proposal to write a gay marriage ban into the US Constitution. The proposed amendment will go to the full Senate on June 5 for what is expected to be a heated debate on a ban backed by President George W. Bush." -- God damn this hypocritical country. Sure you have liberty, but only the liberty we say you can have. Sure you have the right to pursue happiness, but only what we deem happiness to be.

The Logic of 'Love It or Leave It' - "Any person who has strong sentiments against the way things are done in this country has probably heard "love it or leave it" at some point. What is the logic of this argument?"

The War On Sex - "They have a plan for you, and if you are anything like the 85 percent of American couples who have sex once a week, you're not going to like it. The pro-life groups who are the most committed to ending legal abortion -- and gotten the furthest in their goals -- are also leading campaigns against the only proven ways to prevent abortion: contraception. Shocking as it may be, there is not one pro-life organization in the United States that supports the use of contraception. Instead the pro-life movement is the constant opponent of every single effort to provide Americans with the ability to prevent unwanted pregnancies."

Happy Sex Is Healthy Sex - "And yet, "18 out of 25 students wrote papers that dealt with addiction or predators," she said. "Unfortunately, that image is very entrenched. It's what the media has latched onto. Anything that has to do with sex and the internet is (portrayed as) negative.""

Vaccine to halt cancer endorsed - "An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration yesterday recommended approval of a vaccine to protect women and girls as young as 9 years old against a sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer."

Final chromosome in human genome sequenced - "Scientists have reached a landmark point in one of the world's most important scientific projects by sequencing the last chromosome in the human genome, the so-called "book of life"."

Illegals granted Social Security - "The Senate voted yesterday to allow illegal aliens to collect Social Security benefits based on past illegal employment -- even if the job was obtained through forged or stolen documents."

Mexicans say nothing will halt illegal trips north - "Mexicans say it will take more than three layers of fence and 6,000 National Guard troops to keep them out of the United States."

'National' or 'common'? Senate ponders what to call English - "Whether English is America's "national language" or its national "common and unifying language" was a question dominating the Senate immigration debate."

Reid calls language proposal racist - "Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid called a proposal to make English the official language "racist" on the Senate floor yesterday."

US Proposes Ban on Nuclear Bomb-Making Material - "The United States has presented a draft treaty aimed at cutting off production of fissile material, the plutonium and uranium used in making nuclear weapons."

ISP snooping plans take backseat - "A prominent Republican in the U.S. Congress has backed away from plans to rewrite Internet privacy rules by requiring that logs of Americans' online activities be stored."

Couple Arrested For Asking For Directions - "WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team reporter David Collins said Joshua Kelly and Llara Brook, of Chantilly, Va., got lost leaving an Orioles game on Saturday. Collins reported a city officer arrested them for trespassing on a public street while they were asking for directions. "In jail for eight hours -- sleeping on a concrete floor next to a toilet," Kelly said."

'Da Vinci Code' Called 'Real Danger' to Christians' Faith - "Leaders of several religious organizations Wednesday urged filmgoers to boycott "The Da Vinci Code," which opens in theaters on Friday. While most speakers at the Washington, D.C., news conference condemned the film, the head of one group went further, calling the movie "a real, real danger" to the faith of Catholics and other Christians."

What Do You Think Of The Da Vinci Code? Who Cares? - "The Da Vinci code is the latest salvo in mass marketed conspiratorial junk that creates a counterfeit cultural zeitgeist and diverts focus from the real conspiratorial agendas that are unfolding before our own eyes not on a movie screen or a fictional paperback but in reality."

A fine romance: how humans and chimps just couldn't let go - "It could be the oldest, not to mention the messiest, break-up in history. When humans and chimpanzees split up along the path of evolution, they carried on having sex for as long as 4m years, geneticists claim today. The revelation suggests that the history of humanity may be far more complex than scientists appreciated."

Some apes, birds can think ahead, studies show - "Two carefully planned sets of experiments to be published on Friday in the journal Science show intelligent birds and great apes can plan into the future in a way that transcends simple food caching, as squirrels, foxes and other animals do. ... "Apes and jays can also anticipate future needs by remembering past events, contradicting the notion that such cognitive behavior only emerged in hominids.""




Quote of the Day
"Must be a yearning deep in human heart to stop other people from doing as they please."
~ Mannie, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein

News -- May 18, 2006

Israel 'Will Not Allow' Iran Nuclear Weapons - "The brother of newly-elected Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, said here on Monday that Israel "will not allow" Iran to acquire nuclear weapons capability, and will launch a unilateral military strike if necessary to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities." -- We are on the brink of WWIII.

Bad news, America: World doesn't like We the People - "While Europeans and Asians and Arabs increasingly have disliked U.S. policies or specific U.S. leaders in recent years, Americans were liked and admired. Polls show an ominous turn. Majorities around the world think Americans are greedy, violent and rude, and fewer than half in countries such as Poland, Spain, Canada, China and Russia think Americans are honest."

Legal loophole emerges in NSA spy program - "An AT&T attorney indicated in federal court on Wednesday that the Bush administration may have provided legal authorization for the telecommunications company to open its network to the National Security Agency."

WEATHER MODIFICATION BILL IN US CONGRESS - "U.S. Senate Bill 517 and U.S. House Bill 2995, a bill that would allow experimental weather modification by artificial methods and implement a national weather modification policy, does not include agriculture or public oversight, is on the “fast track” to be passed in 2006." -- Here is the Senate Bill.

Global Food Supply Near the Breaking Point - "The world is now eating more food than farmers grow, pushing global grain stocks to their lowest level in 30 years. "

Robertson: God Says Tsunami Possible For U.S. - "The Rev. Pat Robertson says God has told him that storms and possibly a tsunami will hit America's coastline this year."

Mexico wants your software work - "Mexico may not have as many engineers as India or China, but the country's a lot closer to the United States than either of them."

Human, Chimp Ancestors May Have Mated, DNA Suggests - "The study suggests that the human and chimp lineages initially split off from a single ape species about ten million years ago. Later, early chimps and early human ancestors may have begun interbreeding, creating hybrids—and complicating and prolonging the evolutionary separation of the two lineages."

Pyow pyow pyow . . . hack hack hack hack! Let's get out of here (in monkey talk) - "British scientists have discovered that the putty-nosed monkey in Nigeria pictured above sometimes communicates by combining sounds into a sequence that has a different meaning from any of its component calls, an ability that was thought to be uniquely human." -- That's because humans are not all that unique.

Student Faces Criminal Charges For Teacher Jokes - "A Henry County high school student is facing criminal charges after posting comments about his teacher on the Web site, MySpace.com, reported WSB-TV in Atlanta."

Colleges chase as cheats shift to higher tech - " With their arsenal of electronic gadgets, students these days find it easier to cheat. And so, faced with an array of inventive techniques in recent years, college officials find themselves in a new game of cat and mouse, trying to outwit would-be cheats this exam season with a range of strategies--cutting off Internet access from laptops, demanding the surrender of cell phones before tests or simply requiring that exams be taken the old-fashioned way, with pens and paper. ... In a survey of nearly 62,000 undergraduates on 96 campuses over the past four years, two-thirds of the students admitted to cheating."

Planet group similar to solar system found - "A team of European astronomers said Wednesday that they had found one of the closest analogues yet to our solar system: three planets and an asteroid belt circling a pale Sun-like star about 42 light-years away in the constellation Puppis. ... The third planet, about 18 times the mass of Earth, circles at a distance of about 60 million miles, within the star's so-called habitable zone, where the temperatures would allow the existence of liquid water, the authors said."

Smokeless rockets launching soon? - "Only time and money separate the current state of rocket propulsion science from the engine rooms of Star Trek's Starfleet, according to a university professor."




Quote of the Day
"And crawling on this planet's face, some insects called the human race. Lost in time. And lost in space... and meaning."
~ The Criminologist, The Rocky Horror Picture Show

News (Page 2) -- May 17, 2006

Is the Bush Administration Planning a Nuclear Holocaust? - "At no point since the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945, has humanity been closer to the unthinkable, a nuclear holocaust which could potentially spread, in terms of radioactive fallout, over a large part of the Middle East. All the safeguards of the Cold War era, which categorized the nuclear bomb as "a weapon of last resort" have been scrapped. "Offensive" military actions using nuclear warheads are now described as acts of "self-defense"."

U.S. stocks tumble; Nasdaq erases gain for year - "U.S. stocks plummeted, with the Nasdaq erasing its gains for the year, on Wednesday on increased concern about inflation and interest rates."

FBI Secret Probes: 3,501 Targets in the U.S. - "The letters require telephone companies to keep secret even the existence of the request for records."

Telephone Records are just the Tip of NSA's Iceberg - "These cutting edge tools -- some highly classified because of their functions and capabilities -- continually process hundreds of billions of what are called "structured" data records, including telephone call records and e-mail headers contained in information "feeds" that have been established to flow into the intelligence agencies."

New Presidential Memorandum Permits Intelligence Director To Authorize Telcos To Lie Without Violating Securities Law - "Ordinarily, a company that conceals their transactions and activities from the public would violate securities law. But a presidential memorandum signed by the President on May 5 allows the Director of National Intelligence, John Negroponte, to authorize a company to conceal activities related to national security. (See 15 U.S.C. 78m(b)(3)(A)) There is no evidence that this executive order has been used by John Negroponte with respect to the telcos. Of course, if it was used, we wouldn’t know about it."

Senate OKs Border Fence, Backs Citizenship - "The Senate endorsed a chance at citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants Wednesday but also voted to build 370 miles of triple- layered fencing along the Mexican border in increasingly emotional debate over election-year immigration legislation."

Study guide for U.S. citizenship test omits freedom of press - "A set of flashcards designed to help applicants for U.S. citizenship learn basic civics has become one of the most popular items sold by the Government Printing Office. But the $8.50 flashcards — which contain questions and answers from the actual citizenship exam — won't help immigrants learn much about the role of the press in American democracy. Question 80 asks, "Name one right or freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment." The answer lists freedom of speech, religion, assembly and the right to petition the government — but omits freedom of the press."

Youths torn from camps, forced to fight - "Children as young as 13 are being forced into combat by Sudanese rebels who take the youngsters from squalid refugee camps in neighboring Chad, CNN has learned."

INTEREST RATES CROSSING CRITICAL THRESHOLD - "We are crossing a critical threshold beyond which the U.S. government could begin to lose control over rising interest rates, and ultimately, the entire economy."

Bush Administration: Time to Face Traffic - "The transportation secretary unveiled a strategy to reduce congestion that included privatizing roads, putting tolls on busy roads and designating corridors for development to speed movement of truck and rail freight. ... Democrats criticized the plan's reliance on privatizing roads and charging tolls to use them."

Another Waco Brewing In Sleepy Texas Town Of Eldorado - "Mankin said the controversy surrounds the nation's largest polygamist sect and its leader, Warren Jeffs, who was recently put on the FBI's 10 most wanted list for allegedly abusing and raping a child." -- On the FBI's 10 most wanted list for allegedly abusing and raping a child? How many other people should then be placed on the FBI's 10 most wanted list? This seems far fetched to me.

White House Intern Needed, Must Have Skills - "Majority of American public seek intern to rescue future of American democracy."

Da Vinci Code Actor: Bible Should Have 'Fiction' Disclaimer - "If "The Da Vinci Code" was already feeding the flames of controversy with its challenge to the basic tenets of Christianity, actor Ian McKellen managed to pour a refinery tank's worth of gasoline on the fire on this morning's 'Today' show, asserting that the Bible should carry a disclaimer saying that it is "fiction.""

Judge Strikes Down Ga. Ban on Gay Marriage - "A judge has struck down Georgia's ban on same-sex marriages, saying a measure overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2004 violated a provision of the state constitution that limits ballot questions to a single subject."

Forever Pregnant - "New federal guidelines ask all females capable of conceiving a baby to treat themselves -- and to be treated by the health care system -- as pre-pregnant, regardless of whether they plan to get pregnant anytime soon. Among other things, this means all women between first menstrual period and menopause should take folic acid supplements, refrain from smoking, maintain a healthy weight and keep chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes under control."

Dying comet swings past Earth - "A comet that has broken up catastrophically will swing past Earth on Thursday. It will be the nearest approach by any comet in the past two decades."

Abstinence Greeting Cards - "Want to tell someone you care about that they're worth waiting for? Send one of these unique abstinence greeting cards. Available in notecard size, these cards will get your message across. Choose from three different designs."

News -- May 17, 2006

Russia, China: Don't use force in Iran - "In an outreach to Tehran, Lavrov also said that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will attend a summit meeting next month in Shanghai of leaders from Russia, China and four Central Asian nations."

Lack of Surprise Greets Word of U.S.-Libya Ties - "The normalization of U.S.-Libya relations is a natural marriage of an American administration desperate for friends and oil in the Middle East and a government that needs to open its economy to the outside world, Arab and exiled Libyan observers said Monday. The announcement was called proof that promotion of democracy is no longer a top priority of the Bush administration, which is grappling to hold Iraq together and has turned attention toward building alliances against a hostile Iran over its nuclear program."

FBI Acknowledges: Journalists' Phone Records are Fair Game - "The FBI acknowledged late Monday that it is increasingly seeking reporters' phone records in leak investigations. "It used to be very hard and complicated to do this, but it no longer is in the Bush administration," said a senior federal official."

Release Of Pentagon Images Direct Assault On 9/11 Truth Movement - "The release of new video images of Flight 77 hitting the Pentagon is both a direct assault against a 9/11 truth movement that has flourished in recent months and an attempt to reinforce the attendant propaganda of 9/11 in light of Bush's 29% approval rating."

Confidence In GOP Is At New Low in Poll - "Public confidence in GOP governance has plunged to the lowest levels of the Bush presidency, with Americans saying by wide margins that they now trust Democrats more than Republicans to deal with Iraq, the economy, immigration and other issues, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll that underscores the GOP's fragile grip on power six months before the midterm elections."

'Impeachment is too good for Bush' - "As Lindorff and Olshansky state: "The evidence of ... constitutional transgressions, violations of federal and international law, abuse of power, and criminal negligence as chief executive ... are so blatant one might think conviction would be a foregone conclusion." Well then, why stop there? "The call for impeachment trivializes the crimes," declares journalist Rosemarie Jackowski. "Where is the demand for war crimes trials?" Good question."

Pentagon plans cyber-insect army - "The Pentagon's defence scientists want to create an army of cyber-insects that can be remotely controlled to check out explosives and send transmissions. The idea is to insert micro-systems at the pupa stage, when the insects can integrate them into their body, so they can be remotely controlled later."

Venezuela Weighs Selling U.S. Jets to Iran - "Venezuela is considering selling its fleet of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to another country, perhaps Iran, in response to a U.S. ban on arms sales to President Hugo Chavez's government, a military official said Tuesday."

Chavez accused of ties to terrorists - "Venezuela has allowed its intelligence service to become a clone of Cuba's while it shelters groups with ties to Middle East terrorists and allows weapons from its official stockpiles to reach Colombian guerrillas, a senior U.S. official said yesterday."

Mexico Voters Fear Nation on Edge of Chaos - "Less than two months before Mexicans elect their next president, many fear the country is teetering on the edge of chaos - a perception that could hurt the ruling National Action Party's chances of keeping the presidency and benefit Mexico's once-powerful Institutional Revolutionary Party, whose candidate has been trailing badly."

U.S. Secretly Backing Warlords in Somalia - "More than a decade after U.S. troops withdrew from Somalia following a disastrous military intervention, officials of Somalia's interim government and some U.S. analysts of Africa policy say the United States has returned to the African country, secretly supporting secular warlords who have been waging fierce battles against Islamic groups for control of the capital, Mogadishu."

Police lab tailored tests to theories, report says - "Houston crime lab analysts skewed reports to fit police theories in several cases, ignoring results that conflicted with police expectations because of a lack of confidence in their own skills or a conscious effort to secure convictions, an independent investigator says in his latest report on the scandal."

Synthetic marijuana drug coming to chemo patients - "Seventeen years after it was withdrawn from U.S. markets, a synthetic version of the active ingredient in marijuana is going back on sale as a prescription treatment for the vomiting and nausea that often accompany chemotherapy, the drug's manufacturer said Tuesday."

Why do girls lose interest in math and science? - "Low participation in math and science activities by girls is keeping them from achieving their full potential and weakening the nation's ability to compete, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said Monday."

States starry-eyed over spaceports - "The promise of blasting thrill-seeking tourists into space is fueling an unprecedented rush to build snazzy commercial spaceports. The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing proposals from New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas to be gateways for private space travel. Depending on how environmental reviews and other requirements go, approval could come as early as this year and the sites could be ferrying space tourists soon after."

Space--the new summer vacation? - "Both men feel strongly that it will take corporate investments in order to further the space program during an era of transition for NASA. "The only way we are going to become a multiplanet species is through private enterprise," Musk said. "Governments are terrible about cost optimization.""




Quote of the Day
“This America is not the America that I bled for. This America is the aggressor, and this America is the type of nation that I risked my life to fight against."
~ Peter Fossel, Vietnam Veteran

News -- May 16, 2006

FBI Source Confirms ABC Report on Monitoring of Reporters' Calls - "Late Monday, the ABC reporters updated their account: "The FBI acknowledged late Monday that it is increasingly seeking reporters’ phone records in leak investigations. “It used to be very hard and complicated to do this, but it no longer is in the Bush administration,” said a senior federal official. He said it wasn't so much that the calls were being "tracked" as "backtracked.""

Negroponte Had Denied Domestic Call Monitoring - ""I wouldn't call it domestic spying," he told reporters. "This is about international terrorism and telephone calls between people thought to be working for international terrorism and people here in the United States." Three days later, USA Today divulged details of the NSA's effort to log a majority of the telephone calls made within the United States since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks -- amassing the domestic call records of tens of millions of U.S. households and businesses in an attempt to sift them for clues about terrorist threats."

Bush to Campaign Against Criticism of NSA Wiretap Program - "The administration argues that the president has the constitutional authority to let intelligence officials listen in on international phone calls of Americans with suspected ties to terrorists."

Congress may make ISPs snoop on you - "A prominent Republican on Capitol Hill has prepared legislation that would rewrite Internet privacy rules by requiring that logs of Americans' online activities be stored, CNET News.com has learned."

Reform bill to double immigration - "The immigration reform bill that the Senate takes up today would more than double the flow of legal immigration into the United States each year and dramatically lower the skill level of those immigrants."

A government out of control - ""THEY HATE our freedoms,'' is one of President Bush's favored rallying cries in the war on terrorism. More and more, the question is becoming: Which cherished freedoms, precisely, is Bush referring to? His administration's apparent disrespect for what most of us would regard as one of the most fundamental freedoms of all -- a right to privacy -- raises deep concerns about the self-inflicted erosion of our way of life by wide-scale government tracking of phone calls in the name of fighting terrorism. Once again, Bush has suggested that law-abiding Americans have nothing to worry about. But he's wrong. Voices in both parties in Washington are rightly furious over this latest overstepping of governmental limits."

God's own party - "Now that the GOP has been transformed by the rise of the South, the trauma of terrorism and George W. Bush's conviction that God wanted him to be president, a deeper conclusion can be drawn: The Republican Party has become the first religious party in U.S. history."

Battle Cry for theocracy - "If you’ve been waiting until the Christian fascist movement started filling stadiums with young people and hyping them up to do battle in “God’s army” to get alarmed, wait no longer. ... They claim their religion and values are under attack but, amidst spectacular lightshows, hummers, Navy Seals, and military imagery on stage, it is Battle Cry that has declared war on everyone else! Ron Luce, Battle Cry’s leader and Teen Mania president and founder, makes clear this is not mere metaphor: “This is war. And Jesus invites us to get into the action, telling us that the violent -- the ‘forceful’ ones -- will lay hold of the kingdom."" -- And this is one reason why I loathe organized religion. Read the rest, it's disgusting.

Bible Classes In Public Schools? - "The buzz results mostly from "The Bible and Its Influence," a glossy high school textbook with substantial interfaith and academic endorsements. It's available for the coming school year, and some 800 high schools are currently considering the course."

In Western Europe - ""In many European countries -- Switzerland in particular -- sexual intercourse, at least from the age of 15 or 16 years, is considered acceptable and even part of normative adolescent behavior." Switzerland, he noted, has one of the world's lowest rates of abortion and teen pregnancy. Teens there, like those in Sweden and the Netherlands, have easy access to contraceptives, confidential health care and comprehensive sex education."

MySpace.com hosts wannabe terrorists - "Popular site provides fertile ground for recruitment, glorification of jihad."

McCain hates bloggers - "Then there's the idea that bloggers are all young; as commenters on ThinkProgress quickly pointed out, the latest surveys show that most are over thirty. But most importantly, what a way to alienate and irritate a whole segment of folks; clearly, McCain's performance shows that the man just doesn't give a hoot about the emerging power of citizen media."

Nev. Study Links Casino Smoke, DNA Damage - "Five years of research led by a University of Nevada, Reno department head in Reno and Las Vegas casinos have concluded there is a direct correlation between exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace and damage to the employees' DNA. "The more they were exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, the more the DNA damage, and that's going to lead to a higher risk of heart disease and cancer down the road," said Chris Pritsos."

NZ firm makes bio-diesel from sewage in world first - "A New Zealand company has successfully turned sewage into modern-day gold. Marlborough-based Aquaflow Bionomic yesterday announced it had produced its first sample of bio-diesel fuel from algae in sewage ponds."

Baseball is about numbers, but whose? - "This relationship between players and numbers, so often romanticized, is now being stripped to its skeleton in a lawsuit with considerably wider ramifications. While the dispute focuses on fantasy baseball--in which millions of fans compete against one another by assembling rosters of real-life major leaguers with the best statistics--a real legal question has arisen: Who owns that connection of name and number when it is used for such a commercial purpose?"




Quote of the Day
"Welcome to the jungle, it gets worse here every day."
~ Guns 'n' Roses, (Welcome to the Jungle)

News -- May 15, 2006

Chavez warns US over Iran policy - "Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has warned the US that any attack on Iran will have devastating consequences and send oil prices soaring."

Oil for no one if Iran attacked - "Visiting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said here on Thursday in case of a military attack against Iran, no country in the world would have access to crude oil."

Chávez is a threat because he offers the alternative of a decent society - "Venezuela's president is using oil revenues to liberate the poor - no wonder his enemies want to overthrow him."

Film on U.S. military hospital 'extremely graphic' - "The Army is bracing for the release of a documentary film that promises a graphic and unflinching portrait of life in a U.S. military hospital in Iraq. ... A memo dated Tuesday from Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley, the Army's chief surgeon, warned medical staff at Army posts around the country to prepare for a possible influx of soldiers and families seeking comfort and counseling after watching the documentary, which airs May 21 on HBO."

Cheney Penned Note About Plame, Filing Shows - "The filing by special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald is the second that names Cheney as a key White House official who questioned the legitimacy of Wilson's examination of Iraqi nuclear ambitions. It further suggests that Cheney helped originate the idea in his office that Wilson's credibility was undermined by his link to Plame."

Cheney pushed to widen eavesdropping - "Vice President Dick Cheney argued in the weeks after the September 11 attacks that the National Security Agency should intercept domestic telephone calls and e-mails without warrants as part of its war on terrorism, The New York Times reported in Sunday editions."

The Times and USA Today have Missed the Bigger Story -- Again - " Worried about Dick Cheney listening in Sunday on your call to Mom? That ain't nothing. You should be more concerned that they are linking this info to your medical records, your bill purchases and your entire personal profile including, not incidentally, your voting registration. Five years ago, I discovered that ChoicePoint had already gathered 16 billion data files on Americans -- and I know they've expanded their ops at an explosive rate. They are paid to keep an eye on you -- because the FBI can't. For the government to collect this stuff is against the law unless you're suspected of a crime. (The law in question is the Constitution.) But ChoicePoint can collect if for "commercial" purchases -- and under the Bush Administration's suspect reading of the Patriot Act -- our domestic spying apparatchiks can then BUY the info from ChoicePoint."

BLOCKING JUSTICE - "Once rarely used, the "state secrets" privilege has over the past five years become a routine defense used by the U.S. Government to keep cases from being tried."

US Military Plans Joint Exercise in West Africa - "The U.S. military curently enjoys cooperation with a number of countries in West Africa, and Africa's growing oil industry, concentrated in West Africa's Gulf of Guinea, has also led to an increased U.S. military presence in the region."

Ohio losing faith with President - "President George W Bush's reshuffling of his White House team is part of an attempt to salvage a reputation which seems to be sinking fast. But Justin Webb in Washington says it is too late to be tinkering with the staff: most Americans have already consigned President Bush to history." -- And what a sad history.

The Freefalling Dollar and Bush’s war on the Middle Class - "Can’t the American people see what is happening to their future? In just 6 years Bush has taken the world’s strongest currency and chopped it into finally ground hash. By the time people rouse from their stupor, the greenback will be eye to eye with the peso."

Blacks see threat from Hispanic illegal aliens - "Blacks in the region are joining Minuteman militia groups opposed to illegal Hispanic aliens working in the United States, saying they take jobs from blacks and piggyback off the strides made during the civil rights movement."

Crossing the border in search of a cure - "It's no secret Americans cross the border into Mexico every day to take advantage of cheap medications, dental procedures, and even cosmetic surgery. However, Americans are going south of the border for another highly controversial procedure — stem cell transplants."

Designer babies? Couples flock to US to choose next baby's sex - "Parents from around the world are forking out around 19,000 dollars for a groundbreaking gender selection treatment offered by only a handful of US clinics but banned in most countries. The high-tech method of resolving the ancient question of "Would we prefer a boy or a girl?" has raised ethical concerns and fears that it could worsen an already worrying gender imbalance plaguing countries such as China and India. ... "Usually these couples have four of five children of one sex and desperately want one of the opposite sex, they want to balance their families in a way that works for them," Steinberg told AFP."

White Blood Cells From Cancer-resistant Mice Cure Cancers In Ordinary Mice - "White blood cells from a strain of cancer-resistant mice cured advanced cancers in ordinary laboratory mice, researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine reported today."

A new tactic to imtimidate women - "Once again, Right to Life has launched a false campaign designed to erect more hurdles for women attempting to exercise their constitutionally protected right to decide whether to bear children. New bills in the Michigan Legislature, called the Coercive Abortion Prevention Act, are the first in the country to attempt this particular strategy."


No bumper sticker today.


Quote of the day
"The fewer the facts, the stronger the opinion."
~ Arnold H. Glasow

News -- May 13, 2006

The Bush Administration is Trying to Link Hugo Chavez to Iran's Nuclear Program - "The only problem is that the basis for such a charge would be a complete concoction, more worthy to be put to work in Iraq, where anything goes, than in Latin America. Such a scenario would intimate that ties exist between alleged Venezuelan uranium supplies and the Iranian nuclear program. In other words, Caracas would be presented as a terrorist nation, illicitly involved in trafficking bootleg uranium to the pariah Iranian regime in exchange for nuclear devices and maybe other considerations."

NSA Whistleblower To Expose More Unlawful Activity: ‘People…Are Going To Be Shocked’ - "CongressDaily reports that former NSA staffer Russell Tice will testify to the Senate Armed Services Committee next week that not only do employees at the agency believe the activities they are being asked to perform are unlawful, but that what has been disclosed so far is only the tip of the iceberg. Tice will tell Congress that former NSA head Gen. Michael Hayden, Bush’s nominee to be the next CIA director, oversaw more illegal activity that has yet to be disclosed:"

Spy Agency Watching Americans From Space - "A little-known spy agency that analyzes imagery taken from the skies has been spending significantly more time watching U.S. soil."

An Easy Call: Lying - "At least now we know that the Bush administration's name for spying on Americans without first seeking court approval -- the "terrorist surveillance program" -- isn't an exercise in Orwellian doublespeak after all. It's just a bald-faced lie."

Rove Informs White House He Will Be Indicted - "Within the last week, Karl Rove told President Bush and Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten, as well as a few other high level administration officials, that he will be indicted in the CIA leak case and will immediately resign his White House job when the special counsel publicly announces the charges against him, according to sources."

First baby in Britain designed cancer-free - "A WOMAN is pregnant with Britain’s first designer baby selected to prevent an inherited cancer, The Times can reveal. Her decision to use controversial genetic-screening technology will ensure that she does not pass on to her child the hereditary form of eye cancer from which she suffers."

FOX News Doesn't Like The Fourth Amendment - "It was pretty clear last night (5/11/06) that when CEO Roger Ailes claims that what distinguishes FOX News is “we like America,” he doesn’t mean the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. First, FOX News buried a discussion about the uproar over the NSA’s secret collection of phone call records of tens of millions of Americans into the second half-hour of Hannity & Colmes (after a double segment about the Duke rape case). Then it provided conservative Republican Newt Gingrich as the only guest, with no civil liberties expert as balance. So when Gingrich, who also happens to be a FOX News employee, dismissed search warrants as legal technicalities – well, one began to get the message. And that’s not counting the false, misleading information given by Sean Hannity."

Alabama candidate for AG disputes Holocaust, is coming to NJ - "A Democratic candidate for Alabama attorney general denies the Holocaust occurred and said Friday he will speak this weekend in New Jersey to a "pro-white" organization that is widely viewed as being racist."

Bush Blames Polls on 'Battle Fatigue' - "President Bush yesterday blamed his dismal job-approval ratings not on anything he's done wrong, but on a nationwide case of "battle fatigue" over the war in Iraq, the standoff with Iran and high gas prices. Bush said he "understands" why Americans are feeling pessimistic about the future -- but he urged them to be patient and said the growing public disapproval over his policies isn't changing his mind about anything."

Experts see new Diebold flaw - ""On a scale of one to 10, if the problems we found before were a six, this is a 10. It's a totally different ballgame," he said. The new problem is being described as an intentional hole left in the system to allow elections workers to update voting software easily. Instead of using pass codes or other security protocols, anyone with access to a voting machine could install new software that could easily disable a precinct full of machines, Rubin said."

Stop ATT From Taking Your Web - "Until now, a basic principle of the Internet has been that the pipe companies can't discriminate among content providers. Everyone who puts stuff up on the Internet is treated exactly the same. The net is neutral. But now the pipe companies want to charge the content providers, depending on how fast and reliably the pipes deliver the content. Presumably, the biggest content providers would pay the most money, leaving the little content people in the slowest and least-reliable parts of the pipe. (It will take you five minutes to download my blog.) The pipe companies claim unless they start charge for speed and reliability, they won't have enough money to invest in the next generation of networks. This is an absurd argument. The pipes are already making lots of money off consumers who pay them for being connected to the Internet."

Education law leaves children behind - "Not a single state will have a highly qualified teacher in every core class this school year as promised by President Bush's education law. Nine states along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico face penalties. The Department of Education on Friday ordered every state to explain how it will have 100 percent of its core teachers qualified -- belatedly -- in the 2006-07 school year. In the meantime, some states face the loss of federal aid because they didn't make enough effort to comply on time, officials said. They are Alaska, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina and Washington, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico."

Damien's second coming is a bad omen for Church - "Thirty years after Gregory Peck and Lee Remick filmed the The Omen, Michael Gambon and Mia Farrow are starring in a remake by Twentieth Century Fox that links the biblical text’s prophecies on the beginning of Armageddon to modern-day disasters — notably September 11, the War on Terror and the tsunami."

God reigns at sporting events - "That scene before a recent Birmingham Steeldogs football game is one of a growing number of "Faith Nights" at sporting events around the country that mix religion and sports, praise and promotion."

Indonesia raises volcano alert - "Indonesian authorities have ordered the evacuation of thousands of residents near Mount Merapi, warning a deadly volcanic eruption could be imminent."

Doctors puzzled over bizarre infection surfacing in South Texas - "If diseases like AIDS and bird flu scare you, wait until you hear what's next. Doctors are trying to find out what is causing a bizarre and mysterious infection that's surfaced in South Texas. Morgellons disease is not yet known to kill, but if you were to get it, you might wish you were dead, as the symptoms are horrible." -- Strange.

Rising deadly infections puzzle experts - "Drug-resistant bugs increasingly killing otherwise healthy patients."

Union wants audit over tumours - "Seven RMIT University staff members working in the building in central Melbourne have been diagnosed with brain tumours over the past seven years. National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) Victorian secretary Matthew McGowan said five of the tumours had been diagnosed in the past month alone. Of the seven tumours, two are malignant. Concerns have been raised over a possible link between two mobile phone towers on the building's roof and staff members becoming ill."

Pollution 'could kill off human race' - "POLLUTION is far more damaging to humans than originally thought and is causing genetic mutations which could eventually wipe us from the face of the planet, according to a leading scientist."

Mega-Extinction? Blame the Weather - "Climate change, not human hunters, drove mammoths and horses to extinction in Alaska and the Yukon Territory almost 12,000 years ago, according to a study in this week's issue of Nature."

Light's Most Exotic Trick Yet: So Fast it Goes ... Backwards? - " In the past few years, scientists have found ways to make light go both faster and slower than its usual speed limit, but now researchers at the University of Rochester have published a paper today in Science on how they've gone one step further: pushing light into reverse. As if to defy common sense, the backward-moving pulse of light travels faster than light. Confused? You're not alone."




Quote of the Day
"If we can learn to read the code that programs life, we can surely learn to write that code; if we can program life, we can create life. Because anything we can make we can sell, and nearly always do, we'll need to get a patent on that sucker before someone else tries to sell it first. Welcome to the gene-patenting debate."
~ Jeff Howe

News -- May 12, 2006

Iranian nukes not the real issue - "But the history of the conflict and the private strategic thinking of both sides reveal that the dispute is really about the Bush administration's drive for greater dominance in the Middle East and Iran's demand for recognition as a regional power."

US military, intelligence officials raise concern about possible preparations for Iran strike - "Concern is building among the military and the intelligence community that the US may be preparing for a military strike on Iran, as military assets in key positions are approaching readiness."

US Army Troop Build up on Iraq-Iran Borders - "After the Tehran administration conducted operations against the terror network Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) by crossing the Iraqi border, the US Army in Iraq is claimed to have increased the military build up of US troops on the Iranian border."

Exodus of the Iraqi middle class - "COLLEAGUES were astonished when Hussain, a nurse at Kadimiyah Hospital in Baghdad, turned up for work in a new suit with a pistol strapped around his waist and announced that he was now in charge. A doctor who ridiculed the idea of this 34-year-old appointing himself administrator of the 700-bed hospital was slapped across the face by his new boss, who ordered armed security guards to escort the medic from the building. The expulsion was a brutal warning to other staff who might question the right of the al-Mahdi Army, a Shia militia, to install one of their own to run the hospital. The same is happening in schools and colleges, the Civil Service and government ministries and leading businesses as Baghdad’s middle classes are sacked to make way for militia apparatchiks. For many professionals this assault on their livelihoods and expertise is the final straw, and they are leaving Baghdad in droves."

Rape, Feces and Urine-Dipped Cloth Sacks - "With mounting evidence that a shadowy group of former Israeli Defense Force and General Security Service (Shin Bet) Arabic-speaking interrogators were hired by the Pentagon under a classified "carve out" sub-contract to brutally interrogate Iraqi prisoners at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison, one only needs to examine the record of abuse of Palestinian and Lebanese prisoners in Israel to understand what Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld meant, when referring to new, yet to be released photos and videos, he said, "if these images are released to the public, obviously its going to make matters worse."" -- Don't forget, there are pictures we haven't seen yet. Atrocities carried out in the name of the American people.

U.S. hits Chinese defense spending - "The Bush administration said yesterday it is more concerned with China's cloaked spending on arms and troops than it is about a warning Wednesday from Russian President Vladimir Putin to the United States that "it is premature to speak of the end of the arms race."" -- Ah, they hypocrisy.

Poll: Most Americans Support NSA's Efforts - "A majority of Americans initially support a controversial National Security Agency program to collect information on telephone calls made in the United States in an effort to identify and investigate potential terrorist threats, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll. The new survey found that 63 percent of Americans said they found the NSA program to be an acceptable way to investigate terrorism, including 44 percent who strongly endorsed the effort. Another 35 percent said the program was unacceptable, which included 24 percent who strongly objected to it. A slightly larger majority--66 percent--said they would not be bothered if NSA collected records of personal calls they had made, the poll found. Underlying those views is the belief that the need to investigate terrorism outweighs privacy concerns. According to the poll, 65 percent of those interviewed said it was more important to investigate potential terrorist threats "even if it intrudes on privacy." Three in 10--31 percent--said it was more important for the federal government not to intrude on personal privacy, even if that limits its ability to investigate possible terrorist threats. Half--51 percent--approved of the way President Bush was handling privacy matters." -- Disgusting.

Poll: Bush Lied About Iraq, Has No Right to Attack Iran - "By far the most dramatic determinant of belief that Bush lied was the respondent's most watched television network for news. Viewers of ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and MSNBC, ranged between 89.1% and 63.2% believing Bush lied. Among Fox viewers, a whopping 2.3% believe Bush lied. Those who listen to a lot of talk radio were also less likely to believe Bush lied than those who listen to little or none. Zogby also asked "Do you agree or disagree that the president has the right to use military force against Iran without the support of Congress?"62.5% disagreed32.1% agreed."

What Sort of (Hated) Nation Have We Become? - "As the planet's natural resources of petroleum, precious minerals and metals, water, and food become more and more scarce and objects of international competition, one solution would be to peacefully, cooperatively and collaboratively work with people of all nations to obtain and attain the resources needed for survival by all with fairness and altruism. Unfortunately, that is not and has never been the approach of the United States of America. America's motto is U.S. (US) First. We come first. We take what we want. We get the most of the best and the rest of the world can settle for crumbs. We have the biggest military budget in the world, outspending the rest of the world combined, for a reason. We see it, we want it, and we get it."

The Welfare Kings - "At a time when tens of millions of workers are struggling to pay for gas for their car, electricity for their home, and medical care for their families, the Republicans have stepped forward with a plan to help. They want to give another $20 to $30 billion in tax cuts to the rich."

Reading, Writing and Race - "Inside the walls of Brookland-Cayce High School, you expect students to be treated equally. But a viewer tip led News19 online where a teacher's comments left us asking questions. "These sorts of things are going to upset people, but the truth can be very upsetting," said Brookland-Cayce High School teacher Winston McCuen. That truth, at least according to McCuen, is that black people are inferior to whites. "Intellectually, yes they are," said McCuen. "This has been confirmed over and over, and this is a generalization. Again, there are some blacks who are more intelligent than individual whites. But as a rule, that is true. I-Q tests prove it over, and over and over.""

Pentagon eyes ways to use military for border security - "Faced with growing pressure from Southern states, the Bush administration wants the military to come up with ideas to help solve security problems along the U.S. border with Mexico."

U.S. Senate leaders clear path for immigration bill - "Republican and Democratic Senate leaders agreed on Thursday on a plan to revive a bill that would give millions of illegal immigrants a chance to earn U.S. citizenship." -- Is this a ploy to shore up millions of future votes for the Repbulican party?

Powerful Immigration Billboards To Address What Government Will Not - "Organizers say eventually the billboards will include the names of their opponents in the senate; those who support giving legal status to illegal aliens."

Congress may slap restrictions on SSN use - "Democratic and Republican politicians on Thursday both promised to enact new federal laws by the end of the year that would restrict some commercial uses of Social Security numbers, which are often implicated in identity fraud cases."

Bill would inform women of fetal pain before abortion - "A doctor would be required to tell a woman planning an abortion that the procedure causes pain to fetuses, even though medical experts disagree over whether fetuses can actually feel pain, a House committee decided on Wednesday."

Why Religion Must End: Interview with Sam Harris - "A leading atheist says people must embrace rationalism, not faith--or they will never overcome their differences."

FDA OKs Pfizer Anti-Smoking Pill - "A tablet shown to help more than one in five smokers quit joined the limited number of effective stop-smoking drugs on Thursday, approved by federal regulators."




Quote of the Day
"So that's how liberty dies. To thunderous applause."
~ Padme Amidala, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith