News (Page 2) -- May 8, 2006

The USDA on Iraq: Everything's Coming Up Rosy - "Career appointees at the Department of Agriculture were stunned last week to receive e-mailed instructions that include Bush administration "talking points" -- saying things such as "President Bush has a clear strategy for victory in Iraq" -- in every speech they give for the department. "The President has requested that all members of his cabinet and sub-cabinet incorporate message points on the Global War on Terror into speeches, including specific examples of what each agency is doing to aid the reconstruction of Iraq," the May 2 e-mail from USDA speechwriter Heather Vaughn began." -- Propaganda at its finest.

'Iran can also be wiped off the map' - "Vice Premier Shimon Peres said Monday that "the president of Iran should remember that Iran can also be wiped off the map."" -- This alpha male behavior is getting tiring.

US clamped down on prisoner abuse, officials tell UN - "US officials told the UN's anti-torture body that the United States had held 103 courts martial for mistreatment of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan under a broad clampdown against ill treatment."

Potential Evidence Surfaces of Bush's Illegal Spying - "An Oregon attorney may have proof of Bush's domestic spying operation -- which means the illegal program's days may be numbered."

Life in the Bush Economy: Fat, Drunk and Broke - "American consumers are heavily indebted. The growth of consumer debt is what has been fueling the economy. Social Security and Medicare are in financial trouble, as are many company pension plans. Decide for yourself--is this the economic picture of a superpower that can dictate to the world, or is it the picture of a second-rate country dependent on foreigners to finance its consumption and the operation of its government?"

THE UNITED STATES IS ILL-PREPARED TO WAGE A NEW COLD WAR - "It was just over five years ago when President George W. Bush said he looked into the "soul" of his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and pronounced that that their meeting was "the beginning of a very constructive relationship." Now, amid sharp geopolitical maneuvering in the Caucasus and Central Asia, the United States and Russia seem to be girding for Cold War II. Unlike the epic conflict during the last half of the 20th century, however, Washington is poorly positioned to defeat Russia in a new superpower standoff."

North Korea trying to weaponize bird flu - "Bio-warfare experts call it potentially 'greatest threat al-Qaida could unleash'."

Republicans Set Aside Middle-Income Tax Cuts to Focus on Rich - " Six months before elections that may return a Democratic majority in at least one house of Congress, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee and House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois are focusing on extending the 15 percent rate on investments and repealing the estate tax. They won't push extensions of lower rates for all taxpayers and expanded breaks for married couples and families with children, which expire after 2010." -- Trying to divide the masses even more.

Rats trained for front-line role in landmine search - "The pilot programme began with eight rats, although two have died during training. The six survivors live in a dedicated laboratory at the police academy and for two hours every day are put in a maze and set tracking down explosives. "The animals are conditioned to receive a prize, normally a sugar lump, when they track down any explosive material," said Luisa Fernanda Méndez, a veterinarian."

Children as young as three may already be racists - "Toddlers at nursery school must be encouraged to play with children of different ethnic backgrounds to help them "unlearn any racist attitudes and behaviour they may have already learnt", said Herman Ouseley, the former chairman of he Commission for Racial Equality."

Teens often break virginity pledges, study finds - "Virginity pledges, in which young people vow to abstain from sex until marriage, have little staying power among those who take them, a Harvard study found. In fact, more than half the adolescents who make such signed, public promises give up on their pledges within a year, according to the study released this week." -- This is because humans are supposed to have sex.

Chip to end lost luggage - "Technology used to monitor cars in cities is being adapted to track airline luggage."

Giant ozone hole may be forming over Tibet, experts warn - "While it does not yet qualify as a regular ozone hole, like the ones over the two poles, the area has seen a dramatic drop in ozone density in recent years, the Xinhua news agency said, citing China's Scientific Report journal. The decrease in ozone over the plateau was caused by atmospheric air movements rather than the global greenhouse effect, Xinhua quoted the journal as saying."

Lesbians' brains respond like straight men - "Lesbians' brains react differently to sex hormones than those of heterosexual women. An earlier study of gay men also showed their brain response was different from straight men -- an even stronger difference than has now been found in lesbians. ... In both cases the findings add weight to the idea that homosexuality has a physical basis and is not learned behavior."

Wal-Mart to own all smiley faces? - "In a battle that's sure to crack a smile on your face, Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, is looking to control the rights to the famous yellow smiley face, at least when it comes to the marketplace."