News -- August 8, 2006

Israel drops warnings on Tyre - "The Israeli military dropped leaflets Tuesday over the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, warning of stepped-up operations and urging people to stay off the roads or risk being a target."

Chilling threat as Syria offer to join with Hezbollah - "SYRIA'S foreign minister yesterday offered to join militant group Hezbollah in its fight against Israel and said a regional war would be "most welcome" as more than 30 people in Israel and Lebanon were killed on one of the worst days since the conflict began."

U.S. sells surplus military hardware over the net to the highest bidder (no questions asked) - "AMERICAN defence chiefs are selling millions of dollars worth of military hardware from Iraq and Afghanistan to the highest bidder over the internet. The items - which include rocket launchers and guided missile radar - can easily be used or adapted by criminals and terrorists. ... Within minutes, our registration was accepted without question and we were sent a list of items for sale - many of which were surplus from Afghanistan and Iraq. These items included: Launcher mounts for anti-tank missiles. Full military uniforms, including hi-tech, bullet-proof body armour. Radar sets for guided missile systems and all-band antennae radios which can track enemy aircraft. Small invasion landing craft. Surveillance equipment, including global satellite positioning systems. Grenade vests, ammunition belts, James Bond-style shoulder harnesses for revolvers - and even unused medals."

Video cameras on the lookout for terrorists - "It sounds like something out of science fiction. Researchers at General Electric Co.'s sprawling research center, are creating new "smart video surveillance" systems that can detect explosives by recognizing the electromagnetic waves given off by objects, even under clothing. Scientist Peter Tu and his team are also developing programs that can recognize faces, pinpoint distress in a crowd by honing in on erratic body movements and synthesize the views of several cameras into one bird's eye view, as part of a growing effort to thwart terrorism."

Newt Gingrich Considers Political Opposition, American Citizens, to be an ''Insurgency'' - "Some have expressed concern over Newt Gingrich's use of the term "insurgency", while referring to Ned Lamont supporters in Connecticut. From a personal perspective, Gingrich was correct in obliquely referring to America's blogosphere and directly Lamont supporters, as being an "insurgency". Gingrich, of course, meant the term to be derogatory and a means of linking those that oppose Bush's war follies with terrorists. Still, Crazy Newt the serial divorcer was correct in more ways than he fully understands and, too, revealed the Neo-Conservative agenda in a clear and yet, unintended way. That Gingrich would openly refer to those who oppose Bush-Republican Neo-Conservative madness as being an "insurgency" is, in a very real sense, the first public admission that the Bush regime and Republicans are at war with the American people."

C'mon kids, let's go to Army World! - "The Army is considering a proposal to allow a private developer to build a military-themed park that would include Cobra Gunship rides and bars including a "1st Division Lounge." -- If this goes forward and is a success, then I will be truly "a man without a country."

Brutal US attack on unarmed Afghans captured by photos - "Claims that US troops shot dead up to six unarmed Afghan civilians two months ago in Kabul have been given added credibility with a series of photographs offering visual evidence of military misconduct."

Biggest Oil Field in U.S. Is Forced to Stop Pumping - "Prices at the gas pump began to rise as much as 5 cents a gallon in some cities. Analysts predicted an additional rise of at least another 5 cents in the coming days, particularly on the West Coast."

Big Oil reinvests big profits to tap costlier reserves - "Big Oil's record profits attract attention and outrage, but an independent study has found that oil companies do exactly what economic textbooks say they should do with all that money: They invest it in oil exploration and development efforts that eventually should relieve pressure on prices."

A barbaric kind of beauty - "She has been given the final go-ahead to travel abroad for a cutting edge nonsurgical treatment that promises to make her look ten years younger. She doesn't care if the treatment is expensive, involves babies and is so controversial that it is not allowed to be performed in this country - among her well-heeled friends, this is the ultimate new elixir of youth. The attractive brunette has opted for a controversial stem- cell therapy where umbilical cord tissue from new-born babies will be injected into her body. ... So what is it about stem cells that has set tongues wagging in the beauty world? They are the building blocks of every human body but are far more plentiful in embryos, which are still growing, human foetuses, or newborn babies, than in adults."

Skin Disease Has Doctors Scratching Their Heads - "It's called "Morgellons Disease,'' and it's caused by mysterious fibers that have no DNA or living cells but supposedly poke through wounds in the skin. It's been the subject of debate between skin doctors, many of whom can't find any scientific basis for the ailment."

Mysterious skin ailment surfaces here - "Now the 55-year-old woman's body is plagued with a type of stringy-grayish parasite that continues to multiply within her body. The woman's husband and family dogs also exhibit the same signs. Pulling "worms" out of her head, face, body and even the bottom of her feet has become a daily, mind-maddening and traumatic experience, she said. "You can feel them in your lips. They get in your nose. It drives you up a wall. You can see it if I pull it. You think you've got thin gray hair then you look at it closely. One end is thick and the tail is skinny," she said."

The Better Bitch: Condi or Hillary? - "While Rice is incompetent and thus dangerous, Clinton is dangerous because she is competent but even more devoid of ethics."

House Incumbents at Risk, Poll Finds - "Most Americans describe themselves as being in an anti-incumbent mood heading into this fall's midterm congressional elections, and the percentage of people who approve of their own representative's performance is at the lowest level since 1994, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll."

Legalizing Marijuana - A New Republican Strategy? - "As I’m filling out my name and address on the petition I notice that the young lady is filling out a very official looking form. Probably just the ballot initiative form, I think to myself. Then, she says "is it OK if I register you as a Republican?" "What?!?" I say "yes, I do mind! What are you doing?" She says that if I register Republican she will get an extra 10 cents. But, I complain, "I don’t want to re-register." She explains that this is just to update the records for the County Clerks office. I repeat that "I do not want or need to update my records." I am repeatedly told that it is OK and that they just want to update my voter registration records. She also tells me that she is working for the Republican party, being paid hourly, and that the ploy about the "10 cent bonus" was not accurate. This Republican party employee goes on to tell me that she is there to attract people to the table that is set up in Fresno’s Courthouse Park, and that the legalize marijuana petition is just a prop. She confirmed that there is no ballot initiative to legalize marijuana. She said that the petition will be given to an elected official in Sacramento. I have my doubts about that."

As Data Point to Slowdown, Housing Market May Land Harder Than Economists Predict - "Home prices in some parts of the country are falling. Builders are scaling back. Bubble or not, the biggest housing boom in recent U.S. history is coming to an end."

15 States Expand Right to Shoot in Self-Defense - "In the last year, 15 states have enacted laws that expand the right of self-defense, allowing crime victims to use deadly force in situations that might formerly have subjected them to prosecution for murder. Supporters call them “stand your ground” laws. Opponents call them “shoot first” laws."

Megachurches Court Cool to Attract Teens - "You can't buy "cool" -- teenagers know that all to well. They respect a big brother-figure who is giving them the straight dope that you can't buy "glory" either. And what's more, this is action-oriented. Pastor Ross warned that "you never know what blessing you might miss" if you sit idly by. This God -- albeit a definitively Republican, homo-hating, pro-life God -- wants you to stop talking and start doing."

A New Kind of Bigotry - "The questions, natural and obvious, point up the problem: a hidden religious prejudice. It has less to do with bigotry than with simple historic and religious illiteracy among Americans. The impact on me grows because I was born and raised in this country as a Greek Orthodox Christian. I left the institutional church because of its patriarchal prejudices. I've come to recognize something even more destructive common to almost all faith-based sects: the belief they are god's chosen people-- having a direct line to what "god" tells them (or that they tell him?) is the truth. Few in the evangelical church are free of such misconceptions. If they choose to be what I view as delusional, that's their privilege in free societies. When it is forced on others, it becomes dangerous and unjust."

Holy Shrimp: Man Sees Jesus In Dinner - "A California man believes he has seen the face of Jesus Christ on a shrimp tail." -- Check out the 6 pictures.

Newfound Book of Psalms Doesn't Predict Doom, Experts Say - "It's not the end of the world, experts announced today. The opening passage of a thousand-year-old Christian prayer book discovered in Ireland does not say that doomsday is near."

Lost document reveals Columbus as tyrant of the Caribbean - "Christopher Columbus, the man credited with discovering the Americas, was a greedy and vindictive tyrant who saved some of his most violent punishments for his own followers, according to a document uncovered by Spanish historians."

Computer hackers get lesson on cloning passport, cash card tags - "High-tech passports touted as advances in national security can be spied on remotely and their identifying radio signals cloned, computers hackers were shown at a conference."

Safety a concern as drones catch on - "Crashes of drone planes flying over the USA are worrying pilots and lawmakers who fear that a surge in interest by federal and local agencies to use the unmanned aircraft could lead to danger in the skies."

Extinction: Bye Bye, Birdie ... - "... and thousands of other creatures. Prominent biologists say we're on par with the five previous mass extinctions in the history of life on earth."

Evolution reversed in mice - "US researchers have taken a mouse back in time some 500 million years by reversing the process of evolution."

Forecasters Lower Hurricane Predictions - "Forecasters now expect there to be 12 to 15 named storms and seven to nine hurricanes."

U.S. HAS ITS SECOND-HOTTEST JULY ON RECORD - "The hottest July on record occurred in 1936, and the third hottest was 1934."

Man Run Over By 3 Vehicles, No One Stops To Help - ""The impact left the victim's body in pieces," Local 6's Jacquie Sosa said."

Dakota Fanning 'raped' in new film - "Prosecutors in Wilmington, N.C., "are aware" of a scene for the movie "Hounddog" in which the character played by 12-year-old actress Dakota Fanning reportedly is violently raped, and say if an investigation is launched, authorities could consider sexual exploitation charges."

Hugging can expose infants to smoking health risk - "BABIES can absorb nicotine and other chemicals from cigarettes just by hugging their smoker parents, according to United States researchers. Scientists also found that infants can be exposed to "third-hand smoke" just from touching furniture and other objects in the home."

Ultrasound scans can affect brain development - "The latest concern comes from a study that suggests, in mice at least, that ultrasound can affect the development of the fetal brain. Even so, researchers say the findings should not keep pregnant women from having ultrasound scans when needed for medical reasons."

San Antonio joins hybrid-incentive trend - "Environmentally aware San Antonians are getting the last laugh under a new program allowing drivers of hybrid vehicles to park for free at city meters, while the drivers of Hummers, SUVs and trucks still have to dig around for change. Park your hybrid at a one-hour meter? Save a buck. Stop at an all-day meter? That's $2 left in your coin purse." -- Kind of like "White's only" restrooms.

The perfume that smells of cheese - "But an emerging trend is seeing perfumers break with tradition, as they look to diversify in an over-flooded market. Cheese, cars and the smell of sweat are just some of the latest scents to be captured and bottled for a market eager to try unique and individual new perfumes."

Bedbugs' Bite Back In U.S. - "Absent from the United States for so long that some thought they were a myth, bedbugs are back. Entomologists and pest control professionals are reporting a dramatic increase in infestations throughout the country, and no one knows exactly why."

Allergies linked to Parkinson's disease - "MILLIONS of people who suffer from chronic allergies to pets, dust and spores are up to three times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease later in life, research suggests."

Futuristic dish to reveal distant past - ""With Alma we will be able to see these early galaxies as they form. It will allow us to put together a picture of how we got from the Big Bang to the galaxies, stars and planets we have today."

You know anybody who needs an "anti-stupid" pill? - ""With mice and fruit flies we were able to eliminate the loss of short-term memory," Ropers, 62, is quoted saying in the German newspaper, which has dubbed it the "world's first anti-stupidity pill.""

Designer creates floating bed - "A young Dutch architect has created a floating bed which hovers above the ground through magnetic force and comes with a price tag of 1.2 million euros ($1.54 million)."




Quote of the Day
"I hope I live to see the day, when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!"
~ Jerry Falwell