Matthew Shepherd Died Almost Ten Years Ago, Has Anything Changed?

Almost ten years ago a young man was beaten and left to die lashed to a fence in Laramie, Wyoming because he was gay.

On Saturday his mother was in the city again this time watching as the University of Wyoming dedicated a bench to her son.

The two men that killed Matthew Shepherd are in prison. Has the nation changed in those ten years?

MSNBC reports

“We’ve learned a lot, we’ve talked a lot; we do it in public forums now,” Judy Shepard said at a ceremony dedicating a bench to her son, Matthew Shepard. “So it’s a wonderful tribute to Matt that these kinds of things are discussed.”

For five days after being beaten Matthew Shepherd clung to life. On October 12, 1998 he lost his battle. He was just 21. He was as a friend said a young man that stood up for the acceptance of people’s differences.

In the United States those of alternative sexual orientation still face homophobic people who wish them harm.

In March a 17-year-old in Athens, Georgia was beaten and verbally gay-bashed by boys that he knew. A young boy was assassinated in his school’s cafeteria for being gay this year. He was an eighth grader and declared brain dead on Feb. 13..

The Washington Blade reports:

“I think if you ask the average American, they think Matthew Shepard was the last person killed in this country for being gay,” said Kevin Jennings, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), a national group that focuses on gay issues in schools. “Unfortunately, that’s not the case.”

Elke Kennedy knows that. Her 20-year-old son Sean was attacked on May 16, 2007 was attacked by a man calling him a “faggot.” That man beat Kennedy’s son so badly that his brain separated from the brain stem.

“California has hate crimes laws, but that’s still not going to prevent this from happening because people are still taught to hate and that it’s OK,” Kennedy said. “I want parents to know that they’re the ones that are responsible for teaching their children to hate. I believe it starts at home.”

In the 10 years that have passed since Shepherd died over 50 young people have by murdered because they were gay. Still the FBI does not track those murders. While some of these act are classified as hate crimes most are not. Over 54 per cent of these murders remain unsolved as compared with 31 per cent of homicides nationally.

Aggression and violence have become acceptable ways of policing gender performance and punishing the transgression of gender boundaries in American culture,” states Michael Kimmel, professor of sociology at Stony Brook (N.Y.) University. “These deaths were often the result of young men using lethal violence to enforce standards of masculinity on other young males who didn’t meet cultural expectations of masculinity–especially when they were transgender or gay”

Some things though have changed. The University of Wyoming took to heart the task of changing attitudes after Matthew Shepherd’s death. They have established an annual social justice symposium named after the slain man. There is now a resource center to support gays, lesbians, bisexuals and others. It’s a start.

“Through our actions, we will continue to demonstrate that diversity and inclusion are core values at UW,” Buchanan said. “Just as we live with the loss of Matt, we live every day at UW committed to the ideal that we treat all with dignity and respect. A memorial bench can serve as a reminder of that commitment, but we must continue to work hard to make it a reality.”

The bench sits outside the arts and sciences building. Hopefully the words etched on the structure will stay with those who sit there and enjoy the peace of the moment.

“Matthew Wayne Shepard Dec. 1, 1976-Oct. 12, 1998. Beloved son, brother, and friend. He continues to make a difference. Peace be with him and all who sit here.”

Coffee With Extra Kick For Iowa Woman Now Undergoing Rabies Treatment

An Iowa woman is undergoing rabies treatment after drinking her morning coffee with a little extra kick. The woman from Cedar Rapids drank coffee and cooked bat.

The woman had reported a bat in her house but wasn’t that worried about it. She went to bed after turning on the coffee maker. The next morning she drank her coffee like any other morning. It wasn’t until getting ready for bed that night did she discover her morning brew cooked the bat. Cleaning out the filter she discovered the dead flying rodent.

Health officials say that because of being cooked in hot water they were unable to tell if the bat was rabid. The woman is now undergoing treatment for a possible rabies infection.

Japan’s Breweries Decline As Business People Get Younger And Healthier

Brewers in Japan are feeling the health craze. More young people in that nation have cut back on their drinking to help their wallets and improve their overall health. That healthy lifestyle has cut beer sales down 5 percent this year.

Since the peak of beer drinkers in 1994 the industry’s alcohol sales have fallen 10 percent by 2006.

Consumers are more likely to drink a less fattening canned cocktail drink based on shochu than beer today.

IHT.com reports:

“Beer has been walloped by cheaper and perceivably healthier alcohol drinks,” said Tokushi Yamasaki, an analyst at Daiwa Institute of Research. “Over all, Japanese do not drink as much as they used to.`

As the culture gets healthier they are less likely to do late night benders with their co-workers before heading home. Today`s business person is also more cautious about their spending habits. The the fate of the United States economy being watched that thrifty nature may increase even more.

“Drinking in Japan was about bonding with your colleagues,” said Ron Carr, a professor at the Japan campus of Temple University in Philadelphia. “But Japan’s declining economy shifted corporate structure and it doesn’t require workers to drink together any more.

“When I first came here in the early ’90s there were still so many drunken salarymen at the end of the year, drinking beer and spilling out on the streets. I’ve seen a huge decline in all that.”

As the nation ages brewers Asahi, Kirin, Suntory and Sapporo are working harder at attracting their declining market. Because of that Japanese breweries will spend upwards of $2.7 billion to increase their sales market overseas.

Alternative beers may be the saving grace of these breweries for their homeland though. That market showed an increase of 17 percent in the first half of this year.

Users Are Getting Free Access To Movies Due To Hole In Adobe Software

There’s a black hole in Adobe Systems software security that is allowing users to get free access to record and copy movies and TV shows from Amazon.com.

Just like music piracy this problem lets Adobe users steal from movie studios and television networks.

MSNBC reports:

“It’s a fundamental flaw in the Adobe design. This was designed stupidly,” said Bruce Schneier, a security expert who is also the chief security technology officer at British Telecom.

The problem is that the software doesn’t encrypt online content but only the basic orders for online content. Those orders are the stop and play button that is sent to a viewers video player. It would take a simple security feature to make sure online video feed wasn’t able to be recorded. That feature was dropped though to boost the speed of downloads.

Earlier this month Adobe sent out a bulletin about the best ways to protect users online content. They asked their users to add a feature that verifies the validity of their video player.

Amazon says that the content on their company’s Video On Demand service cannot be pirated using video stream catching software.

Reuters, however was able to use at least one program to record online video from Amazon. The Replay Media Catcher from Applian Technologies was able to capture the frames from the site and other sites that use Adobe’s encryption technology.

Can You Afford McCain’s Health Plan?

How much money can you afford to insure your family’s health? The McCain health plan will cost you more unless you live in Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota or Tennessee. The national average of increased costs is $1,100. That is if you are healthy.

The health plan that McCain has proposed for the American people would replace employer-based health insurance for private insurance. That may sound okay to start with unless you’re one of those with a chronic disease.

Employers don’t charge different premiums based on their age, gender, health status, or health history. Most employer plans offer a choice of plans.

Individual insurers play by a different rule system. They can exclude those with pre-existing conditions outright or charge such high fees that the average family can’t afford to be insured.

When you consider that 56 million non-elderly adults with employer-sponsored insurance has a chronic disease McCain’s health plan could raise the number of Americans who face financial disaster because of medical bills.

Who are at risk under McCain’s plan?

* 21.2 million with hypertension
* 18.5 million with arthritis
* 7.8 million with asthma
* 6.3 million with diabetes
* 5.5 million with cancer
* 4.5 million who experience disruptive anxiety or depression

If employer-sponsored insurance is taken away those Americans may not be able to get new coverage. Research shows that over 70 percent of Americans in poor health found it very difficult or completely impossible to find affordable health insurance.

State by state the proposed plan will rack up higher costs to the American tax payer. That is the ones that will be able to be insured. There will be 56 million hoping that they don’t get sick again because they are no longer able to find coverage.

That’s 21 million who will have unchecked high blood pressure.

18 million who hold back tears as their joints ache.

7 million who struggle to breath.

6 million who will wonder how to get insulin.

5 million who should be getting cancer treatments.

4.5 million who sit at home to depressed to function.

McCain has proposed tax credits for high-risk people but that still will not eliminate the problem. Should those who need health insurance the most be put in this risk group?

Beautiful Music Comes Once More From Violins Abandoned During WWII

Sixteen violins found in Nazi concentration camps and abandoned Jewish communities after WWII are again making music in Jerusalem. Israeli violin maker Ammon Weinstein was behind the repairs of the violins left behind when Jews were taken by the Nazis.

On Wednesday evening the strings played again outside the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City. It was the first time that all 16 restored violins joined in perfect unity in public.

The Wednesday night concert began as Weinstein handed each of the restored instruments to the violinist that would be making it sing. The violinist were joined by the Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra of Raanana, Israel.

The centerpiece of the event was one of the violins that was owned by 12-year-old Motele, a hero of the war. Montele is said to have hidden his violin in a German compound and used the case to smuggle in explosives that allowed Russian Jewish irregular forces take back their town from the Nazis.

Motele’s violin ended the concert with a 12-year-old playing the Israeli national anthem.

The 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team Has New Mission; The US

Starting October 1 the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team has a new post, the United States of America. They will be the ones on call to deal with natural or man made emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.

The Brigade is used to hostile lands, they have been restoring essential services and escorting supply convoys for the past 60 months in Iraq.

Army Times discusses the new mission saying that it will be a permanent one.

“Right now, the response force requirement will be an enduring mission. How the [Defense Department] chooses to source that and whether or not they continue to assign them to NorthCom, that could change in the future,” said Army Col. Louis Vogler, chief of NorthCom future operations. “Now, the plan is to assign a force every year.”

The soldiers will be operating out of Fort Stewart, Georgia. There they will be allowed to go to school, take time to be with their families and train for their homeland mission as well as the counterinsurgency in war zone areas.

The soldiers are not scheduled to be sent to either Iraq or Afghanistan until 2010, that gives them 20 months to work with Homeland Security.

Their new mission is bringing to the table a different element, how to subdue without killing.

The 1st BCT’s soldiers also will learn how to use “the first ever nonlethal package that the Army has fielded,” 1st BCT commander Col. Roger Cloutier said, referring to crowd and traffic control equipment and nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them.

“It’s a new modular package of nonlethal capabilities that they’re fielding. They’ve been using pieces of it in Iraq, but this is the first time that these modules were consolidated and this package fielded, and because of this mission we’re undertaking we were the first to get it.”

Other branches of the armed forces will be working on the NorthCom and DOD mission. The team will be composed of an Air Force engineer and medical units, the Marine Corps Chemical, Biological Initial Reaction Force, a Navy weather team and members of the Defense Logistics Agency and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

Communications between the services is one of the areas Vogler will be addressing.

“I don’t know what America’s overall plan is — I just know that 24 hours a day, seven days a week, there are soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines that are standing by to come and help if they’re called,” Cloutier said. “It makes me feel good as an American to know that my country has dedicated a force to come in and help the people at home.”

Cut The Cheese And Go Directly To Jail

Jose A. Cruz, 34, of Clarksburg, West Virginia decided to pass and direct wind at the officer who was preparing a breathalyzer test on Tuesday. That act got the man another charge added to him.

Tuesday night Cruz was stopped for driving without his lights. Noticing that Cruz smelled like he had been drinking the police had him attempt a field sobiety test. He failed, three times. After the third try he was taken to the station for a breathalyzer test.

Patrolman T.E. Parsons was the unlucky officer to prepare the machine when Cruz scooted his chair towards him and sent of a whiff of colon cologne. Cruz then fanned the odor towards the officer.

The San Francisco Gate reports:

“The gas was very odorous and created contact of an insulting or provoking nature with Patrolman Parsons,” the complaint alleged.

In addition of the charge of passing gas Cruz faces charges of driving under the influence, driving without headlights and two counts of obstruction.

Cruz denies that he scooted towards Parson but does admit to the gassy passage but says that police denied his requests to use the washroom when he got to the station.

“I couldn’t hold it no more,” he said.

Cruz is also saying that he wasn’t drunk and that he cooperated with the police. He says that while the police were preparing the breath test he was having an asthma attack.

Police say that Cruz resisted being secured for the ride to the hospital after the man requested asthma treatment.

Cruz isn’t laughing about passing wind like he says he and the police were that night. Now he is afraid that his booty bomb will land him in jail.

“This is ridiculous,” he said. “I could be facing time.”

Election 2008 Canada: What Do The Parties Want For Your Children And Your Health?

Social issues will be a large focus on the election October 14. From getting a family doctor to making sure their children’s education is top notch some will base their votes on who they believe will best serve the people of Canada.

Conservatives

Stephen Harper wants you to remember what has already been achieved since he became Prime Minister. Families with children under six are getting a $1,200
Universal Child Care Benefit each year to help with child care costs. The government is providing provinces with $250 million to create more spaces for children care services.

As to health care the Harper Government has provided funding to reduce patient wait times and to address the shortage of medical personnel. The fight against cancer has been a focus with $300 million going to protect women from cancer of the cervix and establishing the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. Better record filing is being developed by using electronic health records. There is also the 10-Year $41.3 billion Federal/Provincial Plan to Strengthen Health Care being implemented.

Liberal Party

Dion’s party aims to decrease poverty by 30 percent in the first term. The plan to do that with giving each child in the nation a tax benefit of $300. They will introduce the choice of a shorter parental leave at a higher benefit level or a longer time period with a reduced benefit level.

The Liberals will reinstate the Canadian Health Network website to provide up-to-date information on healthy living and disease prevention. They will fund the safe needle sites that have lacked funding. They will acquire more data on health issues so that the best solutions can be made.

The need for doctors is dire with the average physician close to 50-years-old. To help increase doctors and nurses in Canada they propose to increase the number of residency positions and shorten the process of licensing new health care workers. They will forgive $10,000 per year of student debt to those who agree to set up practices in under-served communities for at least five years.

They plan to make a new plan for catastrophic drug coverage nationwide.

NDP

Jack Layton has successfully passed the Early Learning & Child Care Act to establish child care as a national program governed by the same principles that health care is. He passed a motion for “Jordan’s Principle” which makes sure that First Nations children are not denied medical care while governments fight over who pays the bills. Has worked to make sure that children in Canada are eating healthier with the Children’s Health and Nutrition Initiative.

Layton tabled legislative to push the minimum wage to $10 an hour. He has exposed price gouging from unfair ATM fees, credit card rates, gas gouging, cell phones charges and rising prescription prices. Helped pressure Harper into abandoning cuts to homelessness and housing initiatives. He redirected $1.6-billion out of corporate tax cuts to building affordable housing.

Layton has launched a plan to phase in universal prescription drug coverage. He has pressed Ottawa to work with all the provinces to create more training space for medical personnel. He challenged Harper’s push to privatizing health care like in the United States. He has been an advocate for seniors, working to make more spaces in long-tern care facilities and thus freeing up much needed hospital beds.

The Green Party

Elizabeth May’s party aims to achieve a universal child care programme in Canada. They will make sure that those who aim advertising at children do not benefit from corporate tax write offs.

The Green Party wants to make sure that each Canadian child at some point during their schooling is given access to Roots of Empathy Programme.

Seniors will not have to retire until they wish if the Green party has their way. Make sure that seniors know all benefits that are available to them.

The Green Party wants to address the cost crisis that is plaguing the health care in Canada. By providing more funding they hope to open currently closed beds, fully utilize existing operating rooms in hospitals and purchase new diagnostic equipment. Make more funds available to train doctors and nurses. Provide more nursing home beds. Add dental care to medical coverage.

xxx

These are just summaries of the many policy promises that are coming from each party. The links provided will direct you to the full platforms that the partys are endorsing.

Election 2008 Canada: Where Do The Candidates Stand On Economy, Trade and Finance

Looking at the Party websites, Canadians can start to get a basic idea of what each candidate is aiming for if their party wins the election.

Conservatives

If Harper remains in office his party will cut taxes. The following is a list of Harper’s record at this time:

GST cut from 7% to 6%, and now to 5% – that’s a tax cut for all Canadians.

Created the new Working Income Tax Benefit to help 1.2 million people over the “welfare wall”.

Increased the amount all Canadians can earn without paying federal income tax to $9,600 in 2007 and 2008 and to $10,100 in 2009.

Delivered new tax credits for public transit, kid’s sports, textbooks, tools, and apprentices.

Eliminated the job-killing corporate capital tax.

Eliminated income tax on student scholarships, fellowships and bursaries.

Liberals

The Liberal approach will put a $10 price per tonne on greenhouse gas emissions, raising that price $10 a year for 4 years. This will not effect the already high tax on gasoline which is being taxed at $42 per tonne of carbon.

Personal income taxes will be reduced to 13.5 percent from the current 15 percent. Within four years there will be an annual child tax credit for $350 per child.

For low income Canadians the child tax credit will be fully refundable. The Liberals plan to raise the working income tax benefit on the first dollar earned. Disability Tax Credits will be refundable.

Northern and rural Canadians will be given help to deal with the higher fuel prices they deal with.

Tax cuts will be given to corporations by an additional 1 percent within 4 years. The plan that they propose will make Canada one of the most competitive tax jurisdictions in the world.

Small business that lead the way in making green products will receive tax deductions making it possible to employee more people.

Those companies that reduce greenhouse emissions will be given credits. Individuals who go green will also be given more tax credits.

NDP

Jack Layton wants Canadians to know that he will do what has said can’t be done. So far he has promoted an active federal role to secure manufacturing in Canada.

Since 2003 Layton has worked with labour and environmental groups to change the car industry. The Green Car Strategy is helping to make more fuel-efficient cars in Canada.

The Green-Collar Jobs Strategy will employ tens of thousands to manufacture renewable energy systems and high-efficiency building materials.

(Lack of information is due to the web site being down at times)

The Green Party

The Green Party approach is to think holistically. They plan to eliminate large corporate subsidies and grant programmes. They also plan to reduce taxes on income and employment. Greenhouse gases and pollution makers will see higher taxes.

They plan to make the rules clear for Canadian businesses so that the playing field is level and decision making is coherent.

It’s time to deal with the fact that energy is not cheap. A carbon tax will help generate the money that can cut income taxes, allow “income splitting” and fund the anti-poverty policy that is part of their vision.

They plan to make businesses more environmentally linked.

The party intends to introduce legislation to establish a Canadian Index of Well-being.

Taxes are always a concern. The Green Party states they will eliminate income tax for those who fall below the low-income cut-off. Make it is the rick are taxed at the same levels as those in the middle classes. Increase the taxes on tobacco and alcohol. Give those who use a paperless tax refund an instant $10 credit and give those who donate to charity an increased tax break.

The Green Party wants to balance the budget so that outside lenders are not needed. To pay down the debt while still giving Canadians the a good value of social services for their tax dollar.

These are the policies according to their web sites. The issues of course are much broader than quick bits but this a basic primer on where the parties stand at this time.

From the Arts To Afghanstan The Canadian Issues That Will Steer This Election

What are the major issues that will decide who will reside at 24 Sussex Avenue? Which issues mean the most to you? Which issues are missing from the table?

The following issues will all play a factor in the upcoming Canadian election. As the week goes on more detailed reports will follow on each of the issues. This is an overview of what will decide the election on October 14.

Economy, Trade & Finance

From the Alberta Oil Sands to the state of the United States financial crisis this is a huge issue for Canadian politics. World economic issues will be a guiding force on those in Canada.

The need for Canada to become more self sustaining energy wise and at the same time be able to keep the environment in check are also concerns of the Canadian people.

The small business man of Canada is also a concern. Farmers are scraping by. Housing costs are rising. These issues have to be addressed as well as those of big business.

Health, Education & Social Welfare

More and more Canadians are finding themselves without a family doctor. Many are also concerned about the waiting times that they have to deal with when presented with an illness.

Finding child care that is within a family’s budget is always a concern. School violence and funding will be questions raised to the parties as well. French Immersion is another hot topic for some with cuts in many provinces for that program.

Immigrant issues are another hot topic. Bringing in enough qualified professionals to deal with the medical field and others has been tossed about this year. Allowing immigrants to work in their fields instead of having to do menial labour is another issue.

Military & Security

The peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan is a key issue. As the death toll to Canadian troops presses close to 100 many are questioning if Canada should leave that hot zone or if they need to continue helping.

National security risks are on many people’s minds. Making sure that Canadians are safe at home and aboard have some voters wondering where their party stands.

Society, Culture & Communities

The Arts have taken some serious hits in the past year with funding. Those hits have angered many.

City infrastructure is a huge topic. As cities struggle to pay for needed improvements they look to the federal government for help. Transportation issues in Toronto alone have many wondering where the funding for the next wave of the future will come from, their pockets or other sources.

Each of these issues are important to the people of Canada. They will all be looked at in depth. This week’s series of articles will help prepare voters to know what will be on the debate table next week as the candidates take to the stage.

Which issues most interest you? Are there issues that you believe are getting too much focus on instead of the ones that matter?

As you may have noticed there are no links in this article. There’s a reason, the issues are well known and have not been delved into as of yet. Each article that follows this one in the series will be filled with links however.

Bush Administration Changes Ruling to Allow U.S. Border Agents Even More Authority

A 22-year-old policy has been overturned by the Bush administration to allow customs agents to seize, read and copy documents from those traveling into the United States at border stops and airports.

The new ruling gives these agents free rein without the risk of wrongdoing.

Records show that in addition to being able to go through documents agents are now allowed to ask travelers about their religious beliefs and how they feel politically.

The San Francisco Gate reports:

“We’re concerned that people of South Asian or Muslim-looking background are being targeted inappropriately” for questioning and searches, said Asian Law Caucus attorney Shirin Sinnar.

The courts have given more leeway to agents working at borders and airports than elsewhere. Kudwa, spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, stated that customs agents have the right to ask questions that “may be relevant to admissibility determinations that relate to an alien’s purpose for entering the United States” under certain types of visas.

Those rights are being challenged by Bay Area groups who filed a Freedom of Information Act suit against the government in February. The law suit wants to have documentation of the policies that concern searches and questioning of international travelers.

In the past year the organizations have had more than 20 complaints from travelers, most of whom are of South Asian or Muslim heritage. These travelers state that they were singled out and asked questions about their trips including if they attended mosques and if they hated the U.S. government. Their documents and laptop computers were also looked at.

Homeland Security provided 661 pages of documents in response to the suit. Many of the records though were blacked out. The legal groups are planning to return to court for more documents.

Prior to the new rules agents could look at documents if they had grounds
to do so. Those grounds included probable cause of smuggling or other wrong doing, not the colour of a person’s skin or religious background.

“For more than 20 years, the government implicitly recognized that reading and copying the letters, diaries, and personal papers of travelers without reason would chill Americans’ right to free speech and free expression,” Sinnar said. “But now customs officials can probe into the thoughts and lives of ordinary travelers without any suspicion at all.”

Report: McCain Campaign Manager Received $15,000 a Month From Freddie Mac

John McCain’s campaign manager Rick Davis is one of those who benefited from Freddie Mac. McCain announced on Sunday that Rick Davis had no involvement in the company for years, but if that was true, why was he being paid $15,000 a month by the firm?

Davis received a monthly dividend from the end of 2005 until last month when the government took over. Davis also didn’t do much substantive work for the money, two sources told the New York Times.

In October 2006, he spoke to high-ranking employees about the upcoming Congressional elections. He was kept on the payroll through Mr. Davis’s firm, Davis Manafort because of his close ties to McCain who even in 2006 was expected to be running again for President of the United States.

When Davis started working for the McCain campaign he took a leave of absence from Davis Manafort. He was the only member of the firm involved with Freddie Mac in the firm was getting a payout for them. Davis was still being paid as an equity holder.

There is no comment on the matter coming from Freddie Mac.

Jill Hazelbaker, a spokeswoman for the McCain campaign did not dispute the claims that Davis benefited from Freddie Mac. She stated that Davis stopped taking a salary from his firm at the end of 2006 and that his work did not affect Mr. McCain.

As the NYTimes reports:

“Senator McCain’s positions on policy matters are based upon what he believes to be in the public interest,” Ms. Hazelbaker said in a written statement.

Freddie Mac’s payments to Davis Manafort of about $500,000 began in late 2005. This timing of when Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae disbanded an advocacy coalition that they had set up and hired Mr. Davis to run.

The New York Times reported on Monday that Davis made almost $2 million as president of the Homeownership Alliance. The Alliance was made up of companies created to oppose new regulation and protect their status as federally chartered companies with government backing. They were able to borrow cheaply, something that allowed for the rapid growth and increased to odds of risky mortgage securities.

That report came just one day after McCain stated that Davis “has had nothing to do with it since, and I’ll be glad to have his record examined by anybody who wants to look at it.”

The monthly pay check that Davis got from that group was $30,000 to $35,000. As mounting accounting scandals came up the group disbanded in 2005.

The NY Times report was blasted by the McCain campaign on Monday saying the paper was “150 per cent in the tank” for Mr. Obama. Davis at that time stated that he hadn’t worked for the advocacy group and that it was focused only on promoting homeownership.

The McCain campaign has been attacking the Obama campaign because of Obama’s links to the companies through donations from their employees.

Preventable Accident Cause Behind Alzheimer’s Patient Death In Edmonton

An Alzheimer’s patient at Kipnes Centre for Veterans in Edmonton died September 16 after drinking industrial dish washing liquid. The liquid contained lye which burnt his mouth, vocal cords and esophagus.

Floyd Taylor, 86, was seen on September 12 spitting liquid into a sink in the communal kitchen at the facility. It is thought that he believed he was drinking juice. His family think that his death was an accident.

The man lingered on for four days in agony from an accident that was completely prevented.

The family has issued a statement.

“Dad inadvertently swallowed industrial liquid dish washing detergent with lye and was severely burned as a result. Given his age and condition there was very little that the hospital could do to relieve Dad’s pain and suffering. Dad spent the last four days of his life in agony as the result of a preventable accident,” the release said.

“We, Floyd Taylor’s family, cannot change the past; however, we hope and pray that this tragedy will result in improvements made to the care and safety of seniors everywhere.”

The centre told CBC that they are making it their number one priority that this type of incident does not happen again.

It will take about a month to complete a report on Taylor’s death according to Rob Stevenson, a spokesman for Alberta Health Services.

Mr. Taylor served in the Navy during WWII. He was an estates officer for Alberta’s Attorney General and a senior investigator for the Ombudsman of Alberta.

He leaves behind his wife, three children, and four children.

Non-shocker of the week: Clay is gay

Clay Aiken has confirmed that he is gay on the cover of the latest People magazine. Posing with newborn son Parker, Aiken says that he can’t raise his child living a lie.

Aiken was the runner up on American Idol in 2003. He has since gone on to record several CDs that have become platinum. He also has appeared on Broadway in “Monty Python’s Spamalot.”

The mother of Aiken’s child is close friend music producer Jaymes Foster.

The 29-year-old has spent years dodging questions of his sexuality. His general answer has been that it’s no one’s business other than his own.

Yahoo quotes Aiken from an interview with the Associated Press from 2006:

“I don’t really feel like I have anybody to answer to but myself and God and the people I love.”

Ahmadinejad Speaks To the UN, Says American empire is ‘reaching the end of its road’

With only a note taker at the United States table Iran’s leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke to the United Nations. His speech was not kind when it came to the US.

Ahmadinejad insisted that Iran’s nuclear issues are peaceful as he complained about the pressures his nation has faced politically and economically from the International Atomic Energy Agency.

He also claimed that the United States were oppressing Iraqis and attempting to solidify their position to dominate oil resources.

He also had words about the problems that the Palestinians have had with Israel.

As CNN reports:

Meanwhile, he said, Palestinians have undergone “60 years of carnage and invasion … at the hands of some criminal and occupying Zionists.”

He said Zionists in Israel “have forged a regime through collecting people from various parts of the world and bringing them to other people’s land, by displacing, detaining and killing the true owners of that land.”

Prior to the show the Iranian president appeared on the Larry King Live show. During the taping that will appear later Tuesday evening he said he was willing to meet with the presidential candidates to discuss world issues and debate. He says he has no preference between Obama and McCain.

Ahmadinejad spoke at length of his nation’s support for Palestinians. He also spoke about his questions on if the Holocaust actually happened.

“We have no problems with Jewish people,” he said. “There are many Jews who live in Iran today … but please pay attention to the fact that the Zionists are not Jews. They have no religion … they just have — wear masks of religiosity. How can you possibly be religious and occupy the land of other people?”

The Larry King interview also has Ahmadinejad claiming that there are no homosexuals in Iran.

I said it is not the way it is here. In Iran this is considered a very — obviously, most people dislike it. And we have, actually, a law regarding it and the law is enforced.”

However, he said, “we do pay attention that in Iran nobody interferes in the private lives of individuals. We have nothing to do with the private realm of people. This is at the — non-private, public morality. In their own house, nobody ever interferes.”

If the World Voted, Who Would Win the U.S. Election?

Who would win the United States election if the world was the decider? That was a question three friends in Iceland asked and then put into place as a Facebook Group and then a web site survey.

The survey is a representation of 155 countries and a total of 56,209 votes at this time. Barack Obama is in the lead with 85.5% of the online votes. The Facebook Group claims 755 members.

McCain has 100% of the voters in Azerbaijan, but that is the only nation that backs him completely.

The most surprising lead of this survey is in the United States at 79.9% for Obama and only 14.8% for McCain. That rating widely differs from more main stream polling figures. According to Rasmussen Reports Obama has 48% of the vote. At CNN Obama is at 49% and McCain is at 44%.

The goal of the Iceland poll is to have more people vote on it than vote in the last United States election. The three wanted to also see if the entire world was in charge of picking the next president who they would pick as a whole.

There is only one vote allowed per computer.

There is no political agenda behind these young men’s survey, just a curious nation. The site is independent of all political parties, companies or hidden agendas. They also do not think that the world should be the ones to elect the leader of the United states.

The site is worth checking out. It is rather interesting to see what other people in the world think voting wise when it comes to Obama and McCain.

Designer Vagina Trend Troubling to Doctor

Everyone wants to be perfect nowadays, and that includes their most private parts. Professor Linda Cardozo of King’s College Hospital in London is troubled by the trend of women opting for cosmetic vaginal surgery. The practice is unregulated.

Dr. Cardozo is concerned because the surgery to repair vaginal laxity has little evidence backing it. Non-surgical pelvic floor muscle exercises can often do the same thing without a surgeon’s knife.

The basic surgery costs about 2,000 pound done at a private clinic. There are three types of cosmetic vaginal surgery; Labioplasty which makes the labia smaller, Vaginal rejuvenation to make the vagina tighter and Hymenoplasty, an operation that restores the hymen making it appear a woman is a virgin.

In the past five years the number of labial reductions have doubled on the NHS. That number though doesn’t take into account those women going to a private clinic and not included on the listings.

The BBC report quotes Professor Cardozo:

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 7th International Scientific Meeting, Professor Cardozo said: “Cosmetic vaginal procedures raise a number of serious ethical questions.

“Women are paying large sums of money for this type of surgery which may improve the appearance of their genitalia but there is no evidence that it improves function.”

Breaking News: McCain Asks To Delay Debate To Focus On Economy

John McCain is asking to delay Friday’s debate with Democratic rival Barack Obama, instead he wants to work with Obama to resolve the financial crisis. This comes after Obama asked for a meeting to discuss the crisis.

McCain has said he will head to Washington to focus on the nation’s financial problems after addressing former President Clinton’s Global Initiative session in New York.

Yahoo quotes McCain:

“It has become clear that no consensus has developed to support the administration’s proposal,” McCain said. “I do not believe that the plan on the table will pass as it currently stands, and we are running out of time.”

Obama’s campaign said that he called McCain at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday to issue a joint statement of support to help fix the economy.

McCain then beat Obama to the punch by issuing his statement.

“We must meet as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans, and we must meet until this crisis is resolved,” McCain said. “I am confident that before the markets open on Monday we can achieve consensus on legislation that will stabilize our financial markets, protect taxpayers and homeowners, and earn the confidence of the American people. All we must do to achieve this is temporarily set politics aside, and I am committed to doing so.”

Florida’s Polk Community College Closes After Threat Reported

Polk Community College in Polk County, Florida closed down their campuses on Monday because of a credible threat of a shooter that had been let go because of a sexual harassment charge.

Randy M. Thurston, 39, of Lakeland has been taken into custody by the Zephrills police after the Polk County Sheriff’s Office issued a statewide alert for his capture. He is being held under the Baker’s Act.

The Baker’s Act is used to detain a person thought to be a threat to either themselves or others. He was a work-study student at the college.

Classes will resume on Tuesday morning.

The campuses were closed on Monday after Thurston’s therapist called the Sheriff’s Office when Thurston threatened to shoot a person who had filed a sexual harassment charge against him at the college. The Lakeland, Florida man had been suspended from his duties at the college because of harassment charges that had been filed by both students and staff at the school.

Polk Community College has several campuses. That Winter Haven campus was the first to close, followed by all of the other campuses.

The person that the threat was against works at the Winter Haven campas. The other campuses were closed as a precaution.

The Lakeland Ledger reports:

“We had very credible information this morning that a student made a threat against an employee on the Winter Haven campus,” PCC President Eileen Holden said.

“The Winter Haven police have come to the campus. We’re doing an orderly evacuation of the campus,” Holden said at the time.

“The student is a student at PCC and is familiar with the Lakeland campus, although the threat was made (involving) the Winter Haven campus,” she said.

The PCC campuses are closely put together. The Winter Haven campus is off of Lake Gem.

article imageMcCain Ordered By Fox News To Remove Ad Featuring Major Garrett’s Voice

The McCain campaign has been accused of using two news media personalities as voices in television ads. The ads are no longer available on YouTube.

The latest controversy involves the use of Major Garrett’s voice in an ad focusing on the government bailout of AIG. The ad included audio of Garret reporting Obama would not say if he supported or opposed the bailout.

Fox News sent the McCain campaign a cease and detest letter over this issue.

Huffington Post reports that the letter states:

“It has come to the attention of Fox News this morning that an ad for the McCain campaign uses the voice of our Correspondent, Major Garrett. We demand that you immediately remove Mr. Garrett’s voice from this ad. As Mr. Garrett is a non-partisan news correspondent covering the Obama campaign for Fox News, it is highly inappropriate, among other things, of your campaign to use him in your ad. Please confirm to me in writing that you have removed Mr. Garrett’s voice from your ad.”

Last week McCain’s campaign had to remove a video of Katie Couric that the network labeled as ‘misleading.’

Couric was quoted as to saying, “One of the great lessons of that campaign is the continued and accepted role of sexism in American life.” While it is true that the words were unaltered the woman whom say was speaking about was Democrat Hillary Clinton and not Sarah Palin as the ad implied.

The Man Who Hugs, Juan Mann, To Give Stranger A Kidney

Juan Mann started the Free Hugs campaign is donating one of his own kidneys to a complete stranger a Yahoo report stated Sunday.

Mann, 26, of Sydney, Australia plans on having the surgery next year to donate a kidney to a stranger.

Mann, which is not his real man, faces both physical and psychiatric testing in hospital before he will be allowed to undergo the donation. The process will be filned and broadcast at a later date online.

Mann is quoted on Yahoo as to his reasoning for such a bold statement;

“I will never meet the (recipient); I will never know if the transplant is a success or a failure; I will never know if my kidney kills the person,” Mann said.

“Apparently once you give your kidney you will never feel whole.

“(But) I’ll get a cool scar and apparently chicks dig scars.”

This is one man who walks the walk of his personal values.

Alaska Mythbusters Or The Truth Squad, Who Will Reporters Turn To Concerning Palin

Reporters are having a harder time getting news about Alaska’s government records as all inquiries not from state based journalists are being handed over to the McCain team to limit any embarrassing disclosures as the election draws near.

Keeping Palin’s image in shape is the goal.

The Troopergate fiasco is now getting additional help with a former top U.S. terrorism prosecutor from New York, Ed O’Callaghan working along side Palin’s personal attorney. The team is working on derailing or if that can’t be done at least delaying the ethics investigation until a better political time.

Now as the campaign is in the final stretch for the run to the White House it seems Alaska is being whited out for some reporters. All information about the past 20 months of Alaskan government operations are being coordinated by the McCain campaign.

The Anchorage Daily News reports:

Carefully coordinate any information that’s released. The McCain campaign is demanding that it becomes the de facto source for answers about the operations of Alaska’s government during the past 20 months.

One reporter for the AP asked for information about the Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services about lawsuits involving state health policies. that inquiry was directed to Meg Stapleton. Stapleton is a former spokeswoman for Palin who now works with John McCain.

“In general the state is sending media inquiries this way because we’re just inundated with hundreds and hundreds of phone calls,” Stapleton said. “It provides for the most expeditious channel to get stuff out there.”

McCain’s campaign now has a ‘truth squad’ ready for journalists. They are using this ’squad’ to fight the smears they claim have been used against Palin. The ‘truth squad’ is headed by Mark Paoletta and O’Callaghan, both Republican lawyers, and Brian Jones, a former communications director for McCain.

Democrats are now relying on the “Alaska Mythbusters,” a group of mostly elected officials how have opposed Sarah Palin or have criticized her work.

Opinion: Reporters Arrested During RNC Have Charges Dropped

St. Paul officials are saying that they are dropping criminal charges against the slew of journalists that were arrested during the Republican National Convention’s protests Friday.

The Huffington Post quotes Mayor Chris Coleman:

“This decision reflects the values we have in St. Paul to protect and promote our First Amendment rights to freedom of the press,” Coleman said in a prepared statement.

He added, “At the scene, the police did their duty in protecting public safety. In this decision, we are serving the public’s interest to maintain the integrity of our democracy, system of justice and freedom of the press.”

The city isn’t sure yet how many cases will be affected by the choice to let the reporters off the hook. They plan to use a ‘broad defination’ of journalist. That could mean bloggers who were put in plastic cuffs will be among those whose First Amendment rights will be valued.

More than 800 people were arrested during the convention for protesting.

Amy Goodman is one of those who was busted along with staffers. She is the host of Democracy Now!

It’s all well and good to drop the charges and cite the First Amendment but where the heck was it when it mattered? When journalists are locked up instead of being allowed to cover the day to day happenings of the news it sends out a strong message.

The Latest Gospel Today Magazine Under The Counter At Lifeway Christian Bookstores

The cover of the latest issue of Gospel Today features five female pastors. Those pretty ladies have gotten the magazine put under the counter and out of view at Lifeway Christian bookstores.

The bookstores owners are Southern Baptist Convention and they have a problem with those smiling ladies. The belief of the sect is that only men are good enough to preach the gospel from the pulpit.

The Atlanta Journal quotes Teresa Hairston, owner of Gospel Living:

It’s really kind of sad when you have people like [Gov.] Sarah Palin and [Sen.] Hillary Clinton providing encouragement and being role models for women around the world that we have such a divergent opinion about women who are able to be leaders in the church,” Hairston said. “I was pretty shocked.”

Lifeway Resource spokesman Chris Turner said, “It is contrary to what we believe.”

The magazine does not turn up on their website when searched. Instead books of the gospel are offered to site guests.

Female pastors are in a new age of preaching in the United States. Southern Baptist churches by and large have not embraced a lady leading a congregation but there are exceptions. Decatur First Baptist is headed by Rev. Julie Pennington-Russell.

Catholics also do not allow for women to head their churches. Some conservative evangelical groups, such as the Presbyterian Church in America, still are old school when it comes to women preachers, they aren’t able to preach to the flocks either.

Toronto’s The Score Channel Launches Their New HD Studio

When King Street West in downtown Toronto closes down for a street party you know something big is happening. Today that was the launching of the new Score HD studio.As music filled the air the street was filled with sports fans and band followers.

Featuring Canada’s hottest bands The Trews, Inner City Surfers and Kardinal Offishall on an outside staff the Score gave downtown Toronto a free party to rock out. Those unable to trek downtown had the chance to watch at home on The Score or online at www.thescore.com.

KJ/momentsintime The Score

The Score is viewed in more than 6.2 million Canadian homes. The figure is growing as more tune in to get the latest on sports and sporting news.

On the vendor lined streets people weren’t sure exactly what was going on. The event was sponsored by Score though had the crowds bopping in the street.

A popular stop for many was the beer tents. The mostly male sports crowd moved between the vendors and the stage area throughout the day.

Many of the ladies in the crowd weren’t very aware of what Score was. Cat from Berry had come to the event to watch The Trews. She had heard about the party on Facebook.

KJ/momentsintime Amber who loves football and watching it on The Score.

One exception was Amber who watches football on Score. She was enjoying the day but wasn’t sure what the street party was about.

KJ/momentsintime Aaron

Aaron, one of the cheerleaders had heard of Score but he admitted he wasn’t much of a sports fan.

Chris from Toronto was one of the few I interviewed in the crowd who wasn’t a fan of the station finding the anchors to arrogant.

That wasn’t the sentiment of Toronto’s Rob who liked the fact the anchors didn’t pretend to be comedians and are all sports. He added that the station really knows their stuff.

Steve of Mississauga loves Score. He was enjoying seeing his favorite anchors as well as the entertainment. He was also enjoying the beer tent.

The first concert to start the crowds off was

KJ/momentsintime Inner City Surfers

Inner City Surfers and start the day off they did. From the beginning to the last song, I Wear My Sunglasses at Night the band energized the crowd. Their last guitar riff had to have the Guitar Gods smiling down on them.

KJ/momentsintime Inner City Surfers and really nice guys.

Many of the younger women in the crowd had traveled to watch Canada’s own The Trews. They were not disappointed with the free concert. The entire street was rocking.

KJ/momentsintime The Trews

KJ/momentsintime The Trews

Not only was the street party a treat for sports fans and those lucky enough to be in the area local restaurants were enjoying the fest. Dakshu Subhas was enjoying the music from the doorway of his Aromatic Spices. He smiled when asked if he was enjoying the day adding that the party was great for his business.

KJ/momentsintime Aromatic Spices

Overall the event looks like a success. More people in the area now know what the Score is all about and as the on air launch happened at 7 p.m. sharp the crowd went wild. What more could any sports channel ask for.

KJ/momentsintime crowd at The Score’s HD studio launch

KJ/momentsintime

crowd at The Score’s HD studio launch

Terrorist Attack At Marriott Hotel In Islamabad

A truck bomb has devastated the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad Saturday killing at least 40 people. Officials fear that the death toll will rise within the burning structure. There are at least 100 people wounded.

The Marriott is a favorite of foreigners and Pakistani politicians and business people staying in the country`s capital. It has been the scene of repeated militant attacks. No group has claimed responsibility as of yet to today`s attack.

The truck bombing is the largest terrorist attack within Pakistan. A crater 30 feet deep in the front of the main building was created when the bomb exploded. Flames snaked out of windows as rescue workers raced to the bloodied bodies inside.

Witnesses have been quoted as saying another smaller explosion took place after the initial blast.

One of those seen exiting the chaos was a U.S. State Department official who led three others from the rubble. One of those only identified as `Tony`said that the had been moving toward the rear of the Chinese restaurant when a second blast threw them against the back wall.

McCain Mailing Confusing Some Democrats In Florida

A mailing from the Republican National Committee and the McCain campaign to Florida voters has some Democrats angry wondering why a mailing was sent out to confuse voters.

The mailing consists of a voter card with the person`s name and address. It also states that their party is Republican. The registration number on these cards are not the same as a person`s real voter registration number as Marilyn DiMauro of Naples discovered when she received the letter from John McCain.

“I thought, well that’s strange, because I’m a Democrat. And when I opened the envelope, there was a card that said I was listed as a Republican with my registration number. So I immediately got my Democratic card, and the registration number was not the same,” she says.

DiMauro asked around and found that two of her Democratic friends had also gotten the mailing while a Republican friend had not.

Jim Reynolds, formerly of Iowa, also got the McCain mailing. Reynolds is a former U.S. attorney who believes that the letter was sent to confuse Democratic voters into thinking something is wrong with their registrations. He has filed a mail-fraud complaint with the postal service.

Reynolds is quoted by NPR:

“They’re just doing everything to try to suppress a certain segment that they feel are not going to be favorable to them,” he says.

Florida election officials are reporting dozens of calls from voters with just that concern. The card in the mailing looks official. The tip off though is McCain`s attached letter asking for money.

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At first it appeared that the mailings were targeting the elderly but further research shows that Democrats in all age groups have been sent the mailing.

Republican supervisor of elections in Duval County, Jerry Holland released a statement last week to voters letting them know that a voter is the only one who can change their registration.

“Whoever designed the piece obviously created something, knowingly or unknowingly, confusing to some voters, because obviously they were concerned that maybe someone had changed their party,” says Holland.

Jewel Vs. NSA Aims To Stop Illegal Surveillance

Jewel vs. NSA (National Security Agency), a new lawsuit filed on Thursday by the Electronic Frontier Foundation hopes to stop the government from spying on ordinary citizens of the United States.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has filed a lawsuit against President George W. Bush and members of his administration for the illegal surveillance of emails and telephone calls without a warrant that have been allowed through the passing of the Patriot Act.

Aslo named in the lawsuit are the National Security Agency (NSA), Vice President Dick Cheney, Cheney’s chief of staff David Addington, and former Attorney General and White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales.

The evidence in the case stems from documents that were provided by former AT&T employee Mark Klein. Those documents show that AT&T routed copies of Internet traffic to a secret room in San Francisco that is under NSA control.

The original lawsuit was filed by EFF lawyers in 2006 against AT&T alleging the the telecoms company had opened its networks to the NSA without warrants. Because Congress passed legislation giving telecommunications companies immunity that lawsuit has been stalled in federal court.

Web Pro News reports:

“In addition to suing AT&T, we’ve now opened a second front in the battle to stop the NSA’s illegal surveillance of millions of ordinary Americans and hold personally responsible those who authorized or participated in the spying program,” said Senior Staff Attorney Kevin Bankston.

“For years, the NSA has been engaged in a massive and massively illegal fishing expedition through AT&T’s domestic networks and databases of customer records. Our goal in this new case against the government, as in our case against AT&T, is to dismantle this dragnet surveillance program as soon as possible.”

Opinion: Media Bias And Political Leanings

Journalists are more prone to being liberal when it comes to politics. Although political orientation in the news media doesn’t vary much across the field it is more likely that editorial writers are conservative. Does that mean all media is biased?

Media Research reports:

Policymakers were also found to be less liberal than journalists. According to Edsall, “These areas of divergence between the public and the press lend themselves to conflict, both with the consumers and the makers of news, and threaten to diminish the legitimacy of American journalism.”

Those statements were written prior to this election year. It seems the tide has turned and the pen is taking a more conservative approach. Obama bashing is now more likely by opposition in the media to McCain.

This year’s election the media also includes bloggers. Bloggers are decidedly biased. They have their favorites which is the basis of much of those who are blogging political blogs.

Even with the negative press that the Democrats are facing these time around money may speak volumes. Major news sources have given more to Democrats than to Republicans.

“Most of the newsroom checkbooks leaned to the left.”

The claim of political bias by the public tends to fall more with the Republicans. When presented with the question of if news media politically is biased against people with ‘your’ beliefs an Ohio State University study showed that Republicans that often discuss politics believe that “liberal media” is biased against them. The study also showed that Democrats didn’t feel the same.

“When we judge whether news coverage is biased, we must have some kind of baseline in mind — a perception of what is fair and balanced coverage. This study shows that our conversational contacts influence our baseline,” said William P. Eveland, co-author of the study and assistant professor of journalism and communication at Ohio State.

The more committed to one side of the political spectrum a person is the more they will tend to believe the media is biased, regardless of their leanings.

So how do you tell if your news source is biased? First understand that each journalist you read has a political leaning. That reporter is generally a bit biased. It’s not one journalist though that causes a source to be biased but the overall range of articles and stories that a source has.

If a news source only favors one side that is biased. If the top stories and the editors placements of those stories all lean one way or another you can speculate a bias. Allowing negative words in articles can also be a means of allowing political bias.

If you want to only read positive words about your ’side’ it’s best to stick to a blog that is aligned to your way of thinking. The news within will likely be what you want to hear. If you want to claim a bias go to blogs that lean the other way.

If you are looking for bias stick to the larger news media source. Each time an article appears for the ‘other guy’ then scream loudly that the source is only promoting that side. Most news sources will lean slightly one way or another. A news source that aims to give the best over-all news coverage though will strive to not show favoritism by giving equal press time to both sides, both positive and negative.

If you’re not sure if your favorite source is being biased look to the editorial page, is there an even representation of both sides? If not you know which way the source leans.

FEMA Nixes Ice For Hurricane Survivors

FEMA has said no to ice for those dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Stating that ice can’t be brought into Texas because of new rules FEMA is taking a risk with the lives of those in the hot climate state.

New rules revised by FEMA makes it the responsibility of state and local governments to buy, deliver and store ice for its residents. The federal agency is taking a cold heart approach to the states that need ice the most.

ABC News reports:

“It’s frustrating that the government can deliver $85 billion to bail out AIG, and they can’t deliver ice in Texas,” said Ben Smilowitz, executive director of the Disaster Accountability Project (DAP), a nonpartisan organization that monitors the nation’s disaster response system.

Ice is an important tool when disaster strikes. Food can be preserved until electricity is back on. For temperature-sensitive medicine, feeding formulas and cooling people ice is the easiest and most cost effective way to deal with this type of crisis.

Last year in July though FEMA revised its policy for ice. In April FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison told those attending the National Hurricane Conference in Florida that ice would only be supplied in medical emergencies or life-threatening situations. It was the first time support workers, watchdogs and local officials heard about the revisions.

ABC reports:

“I would be thinking that [FEMA] would be communicating through emergency management officials to volunteer citizens that this is how ice is going to be handled in the case of an emergency, but I haven’t heard anything,” said Annie Anthony, executive director of the Cape Fear Volunteer Center in Wilmington, NC.

According to FEMA the policy change stems from ice being left over during the 2005 and 2006 hurricane seasons. The agency says that storing the ice and then destroying it cost millions.

Considering that when FEMA is called it a disaster is already out of control, states are left holding an empty ice chest.

In Texas the need for ice is reaching a desperate level. Babies and the elderly need the frozen water to not only keep their food and medicine cool but also so they do not become over heated.

Texas though seems to have a hero in Sam’s Club.

ABC reports:

Sam’s Club President Doug McMillon responded Wed. to a plea from Houston Mayor Bill White for donations of ice in case rations run out this week.

McMillon said, “‘Where do you want it, and how much?’” said White’s Director of Communications Frank Michel. “Anywhere we can get ice, we’re making that appeal.”

Hurricane Ike is proving that expecting a state that is already dealing with overwhelming disaster to store and provide ice is not a wise move.

Over Two Thirds of Nashville, Tennessee Gas Stations Are Out of Gas

Nashville’s gas stations are reeling from the high costs. At least 85 per cent of stations in the Nashville area were out of gas.

This morning regular unleaded gas was selling for $4.084 a gallon in Nashville, if you could find it according to AAA.

Hurricane Ike is to blame for the shortage of fuel in Nashville. Many of the gas stations in the western Tennessee city come from Texas and Louisiana. Fourteen of those refineries are still not back up and running after last weeks storm. They supply 20 per cent of the United States with gasoline.

Nashville should be back at full service next week when the state is scheduled to receive 1.42 million barrels of gasoline. A typical week for the state is 1.44 million barrels.

Canadian Chinese Supermarket Chain Pulls Two Yogurt Drink Brands From The Shelves

Canadian Chinese supermarket chain T&T Foods is pulling yogurt drinks off of the shelves in B.C., Alberta and Ontario. The two yogurt drink brands are Mengniu and Yila.

The supermarket chain is pulling the drinks out of concern for it’s customers even though there haven’t been any illnesses in Canada. The two brands are part of the recall in China.

T&T Supermarket is based in Vancouver with 16 locations across the country including Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

Canada.com reports quotes Stephen Pang, a spokesman with the supermarket in Toronto:

“We wanted to play it safely to protect the consumer,” said Stephen Pang, a spokesman for the supermarket in Toronto. “I think we did the right thing.”

Sarah Palin Uninvited From Iran Rally

A rally against Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had two key guests yesterday, Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. When Clinton discovered that Palin was attending she cancelled. Now Palin has been uninvited.

According to the CNN Political Ticker:

“In order to keep the focus on Iranian threats and to ensure that this critical message not be obscured, the organizers of the rally have decided not to have any American political personalities appear,” the organizers, which include several Jewish groups, said in a statement.

Spokesman Geln Rosencrantz would not confirm that a Politico report from high-profile Jewish Democrats pressured the group about Palin attending the event.

Ira Forman, , the Executive Director of the National Jewish Democratic Council, did tell reporters that his group did not approve of Palin being at the event.

{quote]“We have a presidential election where the McCain-Palin ticket want to use what’s supposed to be a very, very bipartisan-type of operation to, again, use it as a campaign event,” he said.

Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel will be one of the keynote speakers at the rally. Clinton and Palin were both to speak but Clinton bowed out after finding out Palin would attend.

McCain issued a statement expressing his disappoint in the decision to nix Palin.

“Governor Palin was pleased to accept an invitation to address this rally and show her resolve on this grave national security issue, regrettably that invitation has since been withdrawn under pressure from Democratic partisans,” he said. “We stand shoulder to shoulder with Republicans, Democrats and independents alike to oppose Ahmadinejad’s goal of a nuclear armed Iran. Senator Obama’s campaign had the opportunity to join us. Senator Obama chose politics rather than the national interest.”

Opinion: Sarah Palin’s Firing Record In Alaska

Sarah Palin looks like an experienced politician who gets what she wants. She also seems to know how to fire those who disagree with her. Just ask those in Wasilla.

Reporter Barbara Koepple of The Nation spoke to many of those who work for the Alaskan governor. Of those she spoke to only one would allow the reporter to state their name. Everyone else was afraid of the one signing their checks.

“It’s Sarah’s way or the highway.”

That’s the overall sentiment of those that are closest to Palin.

Wasilla
Palin’s heavy handed firing abilities started when she was mayor of Wasilla in 1996. The police chief, Irl Stambaugh, didn’t agree with allowing concealed guns, something against her NRA-backed plan. He also wanted the bars closed at 2 a.m. because of alcohol related road accidents. Palin though was backed by the NRA and local bar owners who wanted to be open all night. Good-bye Irl Stambaugh.

Her new man decided that rape victims should pay for medical tests at the tune of $300 to $1,200. This was one policy that didn’t last. Then Democratic Governor Tony Knowles passed a bill that banned those fees.

Why the fees in the first place? It is speculated that because the medical staff offered the morning-after pill to the victims of rape. Palin is pro-life.

Most already know about the Wasilla librarian, Mary Ellen Baker, who refused to ban books that Palin were offended by. She was reinstated after being fired because several hundred residents protested. In a town with a population of 5,469 people, several hundred ticked off residents can easily vote you out of office. Still that didn’t stop Palin from going to the library enough to pressure her about banning certain books. Finally in 1999 Baker had enough. She resigned and moved out of town.

Dr. Susan Lamgie delivered Track and Bristol Palin. She also performed abortions at Valley Hospital. Lamagie’s office was picketed by the Wasilla Assembly of God, and its minister. That’s the same church that Palin is a member of. The doctor wasn’t bullied, she continued her practice. Palin at that time was on the Wasilla City Council. In no time flat the hospital board was ousted. With a new board in the first matter of business was a ban on abortions.

It’s a good thing for Wasilla that Lamagie doesn’t take bullying well. She and Howard Bess (he wrote one of the books that Palin tried to ban, by the way.)sued the hospital. The case ended up in Alaska’s Supreme Court. The hospital now performs abortions.

Alaska

Palin states she’s a cost cutter. She’s right on that one. She cut funds all over the state. Those funds though were helping people.

She vetoed $150,000 for the Fairbanks Catholic Community Counseling and Adoption Services, $3.5 million to build a daycare facility and student housing for unemployed Alaska Natives, $500,000 for the Safe Harbor Muldoon Housing for Homeless Families and People with Disabilities, and eliminated funds for the Fairbanks Community Food Bank.

That’s not all, she cut out funding for a substance abuse facility and an education and prevention program for youths in a northwest Alaska village. Nicely done in a state that has one of the nation’s highest drug and alcohol rates.

Just think how much fun Ms. Palin will have in Washington.

article imageOpinion: Meet Jane Doe, The Final Decider Of Who Will Be President

The election in the United States will continue to play out until the polling gates close in November. The candidates know who will be making that final decision deciding the winner. They are both gunning for Jane Doe.

The upper middle class white man used to decide who would rule the United States every four years. He’s been replaced by a woman. Meet Jane Doe, the lady McCain and Obama both want to be best friends with.

Jane looks like your best friend. She’s making due on what she has, hoping that her kids turn out alright. She is also hoping that a scholarship comes through for the kids, they really should have a college education but it will be hard to swing those costs. She talked to her father earlier this week and is worried that he is taking half pills instead of the full dose his doctor prescribed. Her dad is cutting corners to make ends meet. She’s taking the bus to work, not so much to help the economy but rather because her husband works farther away from home. They can only afford gas for one car nowadays. Last month she had to use Visa to cover the water bill. She scrimps where she can but manages to buy concealer to hide the fact she only slept 5 hours last night. Laundry was the last thing to be completed and she didn’t hit the pillows until after midnight.

I’m sure you know her. Obama and McCain both want to know her. They want her to like them better than the other guy. She’s not yet decided who she is going to vote for. She’s the deciding factor.

Jane Doe isn’t that up to date with politics. There are only so many hours in the day. She catches the ads when she takes a break watching her favorite shows at night. She’s not sure if Obama is Muslim but figures McCain’s more for the upper class. She’s not clear as to who deserves her vote. Chances are she’ll decide the last week before the polls open.

Jane’s friends like what Obama says but are concerned he’s just too good to be real. McCain’s choice of Palin looks pretty nice too, but is she really a religious nut? And really does the it matter who the vice president is, they aren’t the one in the Oval Office.

In November the Janes of the nation will march into their polling booths and help elect a man to lead the country. It will come down to which man presents a better case in the end. The final outcome of this year’s race will hinge on the last minute choice.

As Yahoo reports Deb Anderson of Urbandale, Iowa saying:

“I’m going to keep watching and just see what happens,” Anderson says. “Things change so much.”

Opinion: Medical Insurance Will Likely Remain Status Quo No Matter Who Becomes President

Medical reform in a nation that doesn’t have a national health plan is a hot topic during election years. The United States have few health plans in place for those on the edge of poverty. Most without insurance pray that an illness doesn’t come.

To be covered most Americans pay out of their own pockets for medical insurance that varies greatly as to what is covered. In the United States the poor have a health plan called Medicaid and the elderly have Medicare, both with limits as to the kind of care one can receive.

Private insurance seems to be a decent principle, unless you have a pre-existing condition. You wouldn’t bet on a limping horse in a horse race because you know you will lose. The same applies to those who are already sick, insurance companies aren’t in the market to lose money.

The cost to insure an average family of four is $12,000 a year. Many families simply don’t have the money to afford that cost. They go without and hope that an illness isn’t around the corner taking aim to knock them out.

The truth is those without medical coverage generally aren’t in as good shape as those with it. If you have to spend $100 a pop to see the doctor well care visits aren’t going to happen. The doctor visits are only for the times in which you are very sick, otherwise you tough it out and hope you’re doing the right thing.

Both candidates have a plan. Both will increase the amount of paperwork for doctors.

Obama’s plan is to create a taxpayer-funded national health insurance program like the ones in Congress already have. Those who can’t afford the plan but make too much income for Medicaid will be given subsidy to buy into the plan or private insurance.

McCain’s plan will give tax credits of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families to buy their own insurance plan. He doesn’t have a national insurance plan.

Neither candidate’s plan will cover everyone. The working poor will most likely remain uncovered.

The chances that the United States medical insurance system will change is unlikely. The costs to keep it out of government control are simply too high for those working pay check to pay check to afford an additional hit to the pocketbook. The is no light at the end of the tunnel for them. Will there ever be?

Girl, 14, Gives Birth at School Then Discards Infant in Trash

A newborn baby was found alive this morning at Osborn Middle School in a trash can. The principal heard the infant, quickly calling the Phoenix Fire Department.

It is now known that the baby was born on the campus. The child still had his umbilical cord attached when he was removed from the trash can. He is now at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center.

The 14-year-old mother gave birth to the baby boy inside the administration building on Wednesday. She was found at a nearby apartment and taken to hospital in good condition.

Because the mother did not use the Safe Haven Law this will become a child abuse case. Child Protective Services are involved.

The Safe Haven law allows for unwanted newborns to be dropped off within 72 hours at a fire station, police station, hospital or church. Those that do so can be sure that there will be no questions asked.

Science Fiction Desk May Be In Schools In The Near Future

When our grandkids hit the school trails they may be seating at desks that would look right in a Star Trek movie. The interactive multi-touch desk is designed to look and work like an Apple iPhone.

Designed by Durham University the desks will change the educational experience for the kids using them. All of the classroom desks are networked to the teacher’s console. Using infrared light the desk is able to recognise multiple touches. This enables several children to work together.

One impressive feature is the desk can tolerate grubby fingers, a plus in the primary school setting.

The Guardian reports:

The system of interactive classrooms, SynergyNet, will boost equal access in schools, Dr Liz Burd, who led the university’s Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL) group claimed. “In IT, we have found that males have been the dominant actors. Interactive classrooms will encourage more females to take part in lessons.

“It will also enable more disabled students to participate in lessons and allow personalised learning.”

At this time the cost of the desks are holding school systems back from being able to use them. At 8000 pound they are simply to expensive to make it into a classroom near you. In the future though as they move into general manufacture they the cost will decrease to about 1,000 pound.

The software needed for the consoles and desks will be available to schools for free.

Over the next four years Durham will be testing their design in primary and secondary schools. Tests are also planned at the university level.

Opinion: Drug Czar Needs To Check Out All The Unicorns In Jail

Maybe Drug Czar John Walters should do a little online searching before he opens his mouth. He’s sadly misinformed about how high the arrest record is when it comes to marijuana.

“The fact is today, people don’t go to jail for the possession of marijuana,” Walters alleged on C-Span. “Finding somebody in jail or prison for possession of marijuana is like finding a unicorn. It doesn’t exist.”

Early this month Walters told viewers of C-Span that 800,000 Americans had not been arrested on marijuana charges. Is he just uninformed or telling a lie to make things look better?

“We didn’t arrest 800,000 marijuana users,” Walters proclaimed. “That’s [a] lie.”

The figures though are easy to prove that in 2007 police arrested 872,000 US citizens for weed. Those arrests were mostly young people carrying a small amount of weed for personal use. Three out of four arrested were under the age of 30.

Unicorns are becoming more common in the prison systems. There are now 33,655 state inmates and 10,785 federal inmates behind bars for marijuana offenses. That’s a heck of a lot of unicorns.

It takes an average reader about a minute to read an article. While you were reading this post, two folks toking a joint were busted. That’s just a guess, but with 738,915 Americans getting arrested in 2006 for possession only it comes down to about two arrests a minute. That leaves 90,710 arrested for sale and manufacture of marijuana. Looking deeper into the sale though some of those include people who have a plant or two for their own use or for medical use.

The United States could be making a fortune instead of spending one housing offenders in jail. As Newsli.com reports:

Most Americans have no idea of the massive effort going into a war on marijuana users that has completely failed to curb marijuana use,” said Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. “Just this summer a new World Health Organization study of 17 countries found that we have the highest rate of marijuana use, despite some of the strictest marijuana laws and hyper-aggressive enforcement.

“With government at all levels awash in debt, this is an insane waste of resources. If we regulated and taxed marijuana as we do beer, wine, and cigarettes, we could save tens of billions of dollars, better control marijuana’s production and distribution, and cut off a huge source of funding to criminal gangs.”

So what’s the real deal? Is Walters watering down figures or is the FBI reporting more arrests than there really were? I think on this one, I am leaning with the FBI.

Celebrity Searches Are Source Of Viruses

He may have the face of an angel but if you want Brad Pitt staring at you as your PC wallpaper, he may just infect your computer.

Those lovely little viruses that can hijack your PC can come attached to Brad Pitt wallpaper, screen savers and pictures. Searching for some of the most sought after celebs online comes with a very high price. Those searches bring along an 18 per cent chance of spyware, spam, phishing, adware, viruses and other malware being installed on your computer.

The hottest names in the hacker game currently include Brad Pitt, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and Heidi Montag.

Other names that carry a risk for a sick machine include Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan, Cameron Diaz, George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Katie Holmes and Katherine Heigl. Also, beware of wallpaper showcasing singers Mariah Carey, Rihanna and Fergie, and soccer star David Beckham.

Texas School Tell Teen To Remove Rosary Because Of Gang Connection

The latest forbidden fashion item at Seagoville High School in Dallas is being called a gang symbol. Tabitha Ruiz found out she isn’t allowed to wear the rosary her mother gave her.

Taire Ferguson and her daughter had no clue that a silver and ruby beaded rosary is now considered to be a gang symbol. Police in Dallas though have been aware of gangs donning religious jewelry for a while according to Fox News.

“Lately they’ve been seen wearing religious jewelry such as the rosary worn by gang members, so it is a factor,” Sr. Cpl Kevin Janse of the Dallas Police Department told the FOX affiliate.

Not every school in Dallas has put the Catholic prayer beads on a forbidden to wear list. Each school in the district can ban rosaries if the principal so chooses.

Ms. Ruiz was stopped last week and told to take off the beads. She wore them again on Monday and again was told to remove them.

Ruiz and her mother have said that they will go to court if they have to so that Tabitha can wear the beads. What do you think they should do?

Opinion: Welcome Viewers To Spin That Guy

Welcome players to the latest version of Spin That Guy. In this corner is old time favorite McCain and his lovely assistant Sarah Palin. In corner number two is the new model Barrick Obama and his partner in this game Joe Biden.

This game has been around a long time. Played once every 4 years by whatever media is in vague at the time. Long ago it was in the newspapers this year that new fangled machine the computer is having a blast with the side line betting.

Now viewers, I am letting you in on a little secret neither side would like you to grasp, it’s a game. Now, now I know what you’re thinking, this could be life and death but in truth isn’t life a big game of risk.

Shoot you caught me there, yes I said truth. I know that word is pretty much an oxymoron in this little slight of hand but listen my children and you shall hear….

I’m am to tell you about a little ride children, one that each and every one of you are being taken on. It’s the same one that your pappy and grandma saw in their own time just with a little different window dressing.

Once upon a time before the land of the United States a little thing called tax reared it’s ugly head. The brave people of the new land said NO Way Jose (okay it was more like no way King George) WE’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE. These spirited people threw little tea socials and sharpened their spears. Long story short, the United States was born.

Same story, different verse.

The latest version of the game includes the spinning of that good ole tyme religion, the tax dollar. Each player in the fray has his own set of pie charts and snazzy ads telling you what you want to hear. There’s more verses of course; little bits about how to get your younguns smarter, keep your granny healthier, keep the guns firing. I could go on, there are endless verses to the game. It’s a bit of a song and dance.

In the end it all boils down to one deciding thing. Who do you like? Which mug on the ad makes you smile a little broader? Which clown makes you swear a little louder?

It’s a game children. High stakes of course, but it is still a game. In the end it takes a couple of years to know if you made the right choice and can continue to keep going on. Kind of like life.

Toronto School Shooting, Teen In Critical Condition

A school shooting at an east-end Toronto school has a young man fighting for his life in hospital. Schools locked down in the area, some for two and a half hours.

The shooting happened at Bendale Business and Technical Institute Tuesday during an altercation outside of the building. The victim is a 17-year-old student. He is in critical condition at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. His parents are with him.

Police are looking for at least four suspects. One of the suspects has been described as a male, black, in his late teens, five-foot-eight to five-foot-10, and wearing a cloth hat.

A witness who was at his home during the shooting heard three shots fired.

Yahoo reports:

“One individual discharged a firearm, but there were at least three other young men that were at that location at that time and certainly were witnesses to the altercation and the firearm discharge,” said Toronto police Chief Bill Blair.

Who Is The Pantie Rapist?

Seven months ago 19-year-old college student, Brianna Denison was found murdered in Reno, Nevada while visiting friends at the University of Nevada, Reno. Three weeks after being abducted her body was found with the calling card of a serial rapist. Who is he?
The ‘calling card’ left with Denison was a pair of blank thong panties. Those panties are connecting the dots to other victims of a serial rapist. He takes the panties his victim is wearing leaving the previous victim’s in their place.

There’s a mystery though with the panties left with Denison, who owned them? DNA found on the ‘calling card’ connects another victim but they did not own the black thong panties, size small, with a Pink Panther cartoon and heart design.

These connections lead police to believe the killer is a serial rapist who has attacked several women in the area. Because of the timing and locations of the attacks police think the rapist lives or works in the area.

Some of the earlier attacks left behind women who have described their attacker. The assailant is described as a white male, 28 to 40 years old, square chin, brown hair, about 5-foot-6, strong but not muscular, a small pot belly and short beard. He drove a small truck with an extended cab. One of the victims said there was a baby shoe in the front passenger floorboard.

Now police are asking for the public’s help. Who is the owner of the black thongs? That victim could help police put away a killer and stop a reign of terror in Reno.

Please call the the Reno Police Hot Line at 775-745-3521 or the Secret Witness Line at 775-322-4900. Secret Witness is offering a $2,500 reward for anonymous tips that lead to an arrest and prosecution.

Prince William Slated To Become Rescue Pilot

Prince William announced on Monday that his stint in the Royal Air Force is not ending at the end of the year. He plans to become a full-time search and rescue pilot.

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The prince will begin an 18-month training program that will enable him to fly the RAF’s Seas King rescue helicopters.

Prince William is not allowed to serve on the front lines. Younger brother Prince Harry was in Afghanistan earlier this year serving in Helmand province. After media coverage Harry had to be removed from service out of concern for his safety and that of his comrades.

The career choice that Prince William has made may be a concession influenced by safety issues. The Sea King helicopters are primarily used for civilian rescues and not in war operations.

Yahoo News reports:

“It has been a real privilege to have spent the past year understanding and experiencing all aspects of the British armed forces,” William said in a statement. “I now want to build on the experience and training I have received to serve operationally – especially because, for good reasons, I was not able to deploy to Afghanistan this year.”

During William’s time with the RAF this spring he learned how to fly. He will continue to increase this skill when his training begins next year.

Perhaps the future will have stories of hero Prince William charging in on his metal mount to rescue a damsel in distress.

Obama’s Tax Cut Could Finance A Month’s Rent To Those Making Less Money

McCain has been saying that Obama’s tax cuts will actually raise taxes. The truth though is if you’re in the lowest tax bracket McCain’s plan will put $19 back in your pocket. Obama’s plan could almost pay for a month of rent at $567 for the poor.
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It is true that Obama’s plan will have some taxpayers paying more. The top 1 per cent of the population would have a large increase when it rolls around tax time. That same group would be smiling with McCain’s plan.

Looking at a breakdown between the tax plans from the Washington Post it’s clear that those in the lowest economic tax brackets will be benefiting more from Obama’s proposals. If you break it down Obama’s plan saves the tax payer one month of rent. Those in most need under McCain’s plan could buy a pair of shoes at Payless Shoes Store or put a few more items in their grocery cart.

As to helping the nation get out of debt neither plan would stop deficit spending. That is if you only look at this as the be all end all model.

Considering other means of balancing the budget, military spending for example isn’t factored into this proposed budget. Those cuts though aren’t factored into the tax cuts that are being discussed.

When it comes to Obama and McCain’s tax cuts those who most need help in the pocketbook benefit from Obama’s model.

It depends where you sit on the tax bracket scale as to which candidate helps you out most. For the majority though it is clear that Obama’s plan would see more money back in the pockets that need it most.

Can Torontonians Survive if Paper Cups Are Banned?

In just two years Toronto aims to reduce the amount of garbage sent to landfills by 70 per cent. To achieve that goal Tim Horton’s and other coffee vendors may have to get involved. Plastic bags, Styrofoam cartons and yes, even the daily paper coffee cup add up when it comes to garbage.

One of the proposals on the table include adding a levy to coffee cups, another is to ban them altogether.

If the ban goes into effect will Toronto come to a stand still as residents stare at an empty hand that used to be attached to its morning coffee? Of course not. A city with at least one coffee shop on each corner could not exist without its morning cup of Java. The difference will be residents handing over their own mugs for a cup of java.

Starbucks is already doing it’s part for the city. Customers who bring in their own mug get a discounted price for their morning brew.

Donkey Sanctuary Receives More Donations Than Domestic Abuse In UK

British donkey sanctuary is receiving more from the public in donations than charities that battle violence against women according to New Philanthropy Capital (NPC).

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The Donkey Sanctuary in Devon tends to 12,000 of the animals. In 2006 it was been to collect 20 million pounds through charitable donations.

Donation dollars dramatically differ when one compares Refuge, the Women’s Aid Federation and Eaves Housing for Women to the donkey haven. The combined annual income for Refuge is just 17 million pounds.

NPC has estimated that the cost dealing with domestic abuse, sexual violence, forced marriage, trafficking and honour crimes has reached over 40 billion pounds a year. That is more than the country spends on defense.

As the Guardian reports:

“As a society we are not spending enough on this issue whether through charities or the government,” said Justine Järvinen, the author of the report. “Violence against women appears regularly as the subject of media reports and in the storylines of soap operas but rarely does it come up in normal conversation, which suggests there is a stigma around it. The truth is it is very common.”

Each year in the UK 1.5 million women come face to face with domestic violence. Other types of violence towards women in addition to domestic violence add up to a staggering cost on society.

The media is filled with stories of abuse, yet when the population reaches into its pockets it does not appear to be getting through.

The Guardian showed that the hidden costs of domestic violence can quickly add up.

“The government has a responsibility to change attitudes and prevent abuse from happening in the first place,” said Järvinen. “A third of men think that domestic violence is acceptable if their partner has been nagging them.”

Riot At Soccer Match Leaves 13 Dead, Many Just Young Teens, In The Congo

A soccer player was accused of using witchcraft during a match sparking a riot on Sunday. In the end thirteen laid dead. Most of the victims were just teens between the ages of 11 and 16.

The crowd in Butembo in eastern Congo’s North Kivu province ran for exits as the riot intensified people fell and were suffocated.

Socozaki and Nyuki System were the two soccer clubs involved in the riot.

Police tried to control the violence according to Radio Okapi by firing into the air. The police commander was hit in the head and wounded by fans.

On Monday local teens marched through dirt streets in protest. Regional governor, Julien Mpaluku visited those injured in hospital. Mpaluku has stated that the government is investigating the incident.

The police’s action of shooting into the air had meant to calm an angry mob. Instead the action resulted in panic as the hoards of people all attempted to exit at the same time.

A Mother’s Tale; Tara Jones Is Dying Because Of A Medical Mistake

Tara Jones is the beautiful Welsh mother of Tyler, six, and Lowis, three. Because of a medical error the young mother, 26, from Treorchy, Rhondda, South Wales will not be able to watch them grow. She hopes to survive until Christmas this year.

December though is a long time away for a mother who is on the verge of death.

‘I don’t want to go to heaven and watch over them – I want to be here with them.”
Tara Jones as quoted by the Daily Mail.

In 2005 when Tara gave birth to Lowis doctors noticed a mole on her face. She had it biopsied at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital and was given the all-clear.
Still she watched her health take a nose dive. She lost weight. She was passing out. Doctors told her she was depressed and put her on medicine. She was told she was anorexia and that was the reason behind her weight loss.

That was three years ago.

After a friend recognized some of her symptoms she went back this year for a second opinion. What she received was a death sentence. That mole from 2005 was cancerous and the cancer had been going strong ever since. The cancer is now in her bones.

As the Daily Mail reports:

I will never see my children grow up – their first day at comprehensive school, their first boyfriends and girlfriends,’ Tara said.

‘Because of a basic medical mistake I am dying. I am going to miss it all. It’s just too unbearable to think about.

‘I am living day-to-day – I just don’t know how long I’ve got.

A doctor came to her home to tell her the bad news. She only had a few more months to live because of a terrible mistake. A letter sent by Dr. I Back tells the sad tale of a medical mistake that will rob this young woman of mothering her children.

The family will be receiving financial compensation but how much money can a mother’s life be worth?

Survey: Bible Not Being Read As Much As Before

The Bible used to be the most read book. But today’s churchgoers aren’t reading the book that their own faith revolves around. In a study of Australians that go to church, only 21 percent read their Bibles daily.

The study showed that only 24 per cent read their Bibles occasionally. Around 35 per cent hardly ever or never read their Bibles. The survey was based on questions to 500,000 people who make up 22 Christian sects and was conducted by the 2006 National Church Life Survey.

Those in Pentecostal sects are the most diligent when it comes to reading the Bible. Seventy two per cent crack the religious book at least a few times a week if not more. The Catholics that were surveyed were the sect that rarely opened up their Bibles; 59 percent say they rarely consult the holy book.

SMH.com reports:

“This is a private devotional activity that some faith traditions strongly affirm,” said the survey’s director, Ruth Powell. “Personal Bible reading is seen by many churchgoers, particularly Protestants, as part of a core set of devotional practices including prayer and personal reflection … The Catholic Church traditionally has had a greater role in interpreting the scriptures for individual believers.”

Because of the results of the survey The Jesus, All about Life campaign will be trying to focus on getting people back into reading their bibles.

Hilter Is Back In Berlin

The Hitler wax figure at Madame Tussaud’s in Berlin has been restored and returned to its display. On opening day the figure had been decapitated by a former policeman who faces charges of causing criminal damage.

The show went on when on Saturday the wax figure was put back in his Berlin bunker display.

Visitors are no longer able to enter the bunker area.

There has been controversy since the museum announced that Hitler would be a feature at the Berlin site. Jewish groups thought that displaying the man behind the murder of six million Jews was in bad taste. The museum would not then nor now bow to pressure to change their plans.

The 41-year-old who cut the head off of the Hitler figure on opening day is facing charges of causing criminal damage and bodily harm for injuring a security guard.

White Ink, The New Vague Tattoos

The ink used is thick, the procedure is more painful and you can barely see them unless you are looking for them; white ink tattoos are the latest craze to hit the Hollywood scene.

Celebs are sporting this new fad, applied like any other tattoo but with a high quality ink that causes the finished design to stand out on the body.

One selling point for these tats is that unless you’re looking for it they are barely visible.

Already Kate Moss and Lindsay Lohan have jumped on the band wagon. To be hip you have to have the newest fad out there after all.

According to the Daily Mail Jasmine Lennard, 22, is one of the young hot stars to have hit a tattoo parlor for the white ink.

She said: ‘Everyone in LA is having the tattoos so I just had to have one. I saw Lindsay Lohan had one and it looked so pretty I asked her where she got it. She told me to go to the Shamrock. At first I was terrified to go because I thought it looked like a branding rather than a tattoo.

‘The tattoo was red after it was done but I love the design because it’s subtle and you don’t really see it unless you are looking for it, which is the charm of the whole thing.

‘Lots of stars have them. I was told Kate Moss has white ink hearts all up the side of her body.’

These new tattoos have one drawback. don’t expose them to sunlight or they may just fade away. If you’re pale to begin with they also may look more like scar tissue than a cool new fad.

Salvia, Legal And Tripping In Canada

Imagine buying a drug at your local convenience store, going home to smoke it and enjoying hallucinations without fearing being arrested. That is the real scenario for those in Canada who buy Salvia. It’s legal and teens are buying it.

Because Salvia is an herb anyone can purchase it in Ontario. There are no age limits nor safety precautions to a herb that can produce up to 20 minutes of powerful hallucinations.

The plant Salvia divinorum grows naturally in the Sierra Mazateca region of Mexico. For centuries the natives have used the herb in healing ceremonies and vision quests. Now though it has headed to the North as a way for people to get high without breaking the law.

While at this time there haven’t been any documented fatalities from the drug the medical community believes that could be because they have gone unnoticed. The long term effects are unknown. That concerns doctors as the herb gains popularity among the young.

The herb affects the kappa-opiod receptor in the brain. That is the key receptor associated with depression. While under the herbs effects users have a confusion of the senses where they can believe that they see sound or taste lights according to Dr.Kavita Babu, a professor in medical toxicology at Brown University in Providence, R.I.

In Toronto the head shop Higher Grounds sells the herb but it is labelled “Natural Incense — not for human consumption.” The packaging also gives buyers this message: “This sacred plant can become a wonderfully helpful tool for anyone searching for a deeper understanding of one’s self.” Owner Joe Puglisi says he does not sell the herb to anyone under the age of 18 and warns buyers not to smoke the drug alone for safety reasons.

The Heroes’ Hero; The Wildland Firefighter Foundation

When a wildfire firefighter is knocked down by the flames they have a secret angel in their corner. Since 1999 The Wildland Firefighter Foundation has been helping those hurt in the line of duty get back on their feet.

The Gift :: I have a gift, I did not want this gift; it meant suffering and pain. The pain came because of love, A love which had maifested itself in a child. The child brought its love to me and and asked for my love. Sometimes I did not understand this. Sometimes I did not appreciate it. Sometimes I was too busy to listen quietly to this love. But the love presisted; it was always there. One day the child died. The love remained. This time the love came in other forms. This time there were memories; there was sadness and anguish. And unbelieveable pain. One day a stranger said, “I understand,” and did. You see, the stranger had also been this way. We talked a cried together. The stranger became my friend as no other had. My friend said, “I am always here,” and was. One day I lifted my head. I noticed another grieving, gray and drawn with pain. I approached and spoke. I touched and comforted. I said “I will walk with you,” and did. I also had the gift.

Submitted by Kathy Brinkley (Mother of Levi Brinkley, Fallen Firefighter-1994 Storm King)

Firefighter Jonathan Frohreich found out about the foundation the hard way. He was injured last month fighting a wildfire that took the lives of nine of his comrades.

In 1994 a group of volunteers came together to form a foundation after the Storm King tragedy that took place on July 2, 1994. On Colorado’s Storm King Mountain a bolt of lightning hit a lone pine tree. That was enough to create a huge wildfire. By the time the blaze had been put out with the help of dedicated firefighters fourteen people had died.

The members of the foundation realized that there was a need for emergency support services for the families of fallen firefighters. Since 1999 the Foundation has quietly been providing just that for the families of injured and killed firefighters. When a family finds themselves with few resources the foundation is there.

Vicki Minor, the Executive Director and founder of the Wildland Firefighter Foundation oversees the daily activities. She also is one to be at the bedside of an injured firefighter giving hope and encouragement. Her son Burk is the he Director of Public Relations for the Foundation. During the summer he is often the one pulling the WFF trailer to each fire camp.

Since 1999 the foundation has spent over $1.5 million providing emergency funds and services to those in need. Those services include something as simple as a phone call to long term services. The provide emotional and benefit counseling.

As CNN reports:

Minor says she hopes the wildland firefighters know “we have their back.”

“I hope that they feel they can go on and fight that fire and know that we’ll take care of their family and their friends.”

“Infinite Jester” Authot Found Dead From Apparent Suicide

David Foster Wallace, 46, was found dead in his Claremont, California home on Friday. His wife called the police at 9:30 p.m. when she found her husband had hung himself.

We’re not keen on the idea of the story sharing its valence with the reader. But the reader’s own life “outside” the story changes the story.
David Foster Wallace

Wallace’s work showed dark humour and ironic wit. In 1997 he was awarded a MacArthur “genius” grant. That was the same year he penned “Infinite Jest.” Other favorites that the novelist wrote are “Girl with Curious Hair” and “Brief Interviews with Hideous Men.”

Wallace was teaching writing at Pomona College.

He was born in Ithaca, New York.

Mother Wanted To Redo High School, Stole Daughter’s Identity

A young looking 33-year-old mother wanted to go back to the past, stealing her daughter’s identity so she could join the cheer leading squad at Ashwaubenon High School in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Her daughter lives in Nevada with her grandmother.

Wendy Brown almost looks young enough to be the older sister of her 15-year-old daughter. She’s facing felony identity theft charges for attempting to redo high school.

As The NY Daily News reports:

“The defendant stated she wanted to get her high school degree and be a cheerleader because she had no childhood and was trying to regain a part of her life she missed,” according to the complaint.

Ms. Brown attended cheer leading practices before school started and had a coveted cheerleader’s locker. She even was able to attend a pool party at the coach’s home.

Kim Demeny, a high school employee, thought that Brown looked older than a student but said that her demeanor was consistent of a high school girl.

Had Brown not played hooky she may have been able to get away with her alleged identity swap. A school liaison officer began investigating her absences this past Monday after Brown only attended the first day of school.

It was later revealed that Brown has a past history of taking on other’s identities.

Brown could face six years in jail and a $10,000 fine for her latest switch-a-roo. She had her first court appearance on Friday by video-conference. Her bond has been set at $8,000.

Down And Out Beverly Hills Style

Homelessness is a problem everywhere even in Beverly Hills. The difference is the way the homeless are treated in the 90210 area. Instead of lounging in rotting clothes the rich tend to make sure their bums look good.

In Los Angeles County there are 74,000 homeless people. It is the nation’s capital of homelessness. A few of those are lucky enough to be living on the easy streets of Beverly Hills though, where the rich pull up to panhandlers with trays of cooked food, designer clothes and odd jobs.

Reports say about 30 people live on the street in the land of movie stars and mansions. It seems that many of those also have a big heart when it comes to those without a roof to call their own.

As Yahoo reports:

“They have a sympathetic thing for us and we’re grateful for it,” said a man with grizzled hair pulling a train of wheeled suitcases, an office chair and a stroller piled high with a motley bunch of items found in the trash. He would only identify himself as “Bond.”

Issac Young is another who hopes to be lifted out of the reins of poverty. For the past six months he has been living rent free in a Benedict Canyon home after a benefactor decided to give him a hand up. He has another six months to go before he will be cut loose and he thinks he will be able to save up for an apartment by then. His place is furnished because of the big hearts of another Manhattan Beach couple who have befriended him. He still panhandles, but he has a goal to stay off of the street.

You’d think that every homeless person in Los Angeles County would be trekking it to Beverly Hills. The truth is the super rich will call the police if the bum on the corner is being a jerk. The homeless that call the park benches of Beverly Hills are a special breed.

As Yahoo reports:

“A lot of homeless don’t want to be with snooty, rich people,” he said. “You have to be respectful and not act like an idiot. If you’re a derelict, they’re going to call the cops on you. We’re the upscale bums.”

Man Claims Police Took A Pound Of Catnip, Not Pot

Roy McInnes of Orilla, Ontario recently got busted for a bag of pot. McInnes, a marijuana activist says the pound that police seized is catnap not cannabis.

From a Canoe News report:

“It’s a simple mistake. It looks like good stuff,” said Ron McInnes, 60, owner of The Pot Shop in Orillia, which sells pipes, bongs and flavoured rolling papers.

McInnes was set to be defending himself in the trial but the case was adjourned when the court ran out of time.

He planned to show that catnip will test positive for THC even though it is free of the chemical.

Since he didn’t have a chance in the court room McInnes showed reporters the test in the back of his Orilla shop. He took a handful of catnip and dipped it into water then shook it up. Using a MP Rapid test kit he then tested the cat happy herb. Sure enough it indicted that it was positive for THC. Catnip does not contain the chemical.

McInnes’ yard has the catnip growing in it. he told Canoe reporters:

“My cats get the best,” he quipped. “In pet stores they grind up the stock with it, but I just use the leaves and the buds. It’s good stuff.”

There isn’t a new date set for the man’s trial.

Two Trains Collided Friday In California, 10 Confirmed Dead

An unknown number of people are trapped in a passenger car after a tragic train wreck Friday afternoon in the Chatsworth area of the San Fernando Valley killing at least 10. A freight train collided head on with a passenger train carrying 222 people.

A Metrolink commuter car has been destroyed by fire. Firefighters have been able to extinguish the blaze. They worked for hours to free people from the car left toppled on its side. The engine was shoved back into the passenger area.

Two of the other passenger cars remained upright.

The freight train’s engine was also turned onto its side, the rest of the train toppled.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has told reporters that 10 people have been confirmed dead and that toll could rise. There are more than 100 passengers that were injured in the crash.

Fire Chief Dennis Barry stated that the victims are piled on top of each other.

Surgeons have been sent to the scene. Area hospitals have started to receive the injured and are prepped for more.

One of those that has been confirmed dead is a Los Angeles police officer.

As Yahoo reports:

A male passenger told KNBC-TV he boarded the Metrolink train in suburban Burbank and was talking with a fellow passenger when the crash occurred.

“Within an instant I was in my friend’s lap. It was so quick. It was devastating,” he said. The man was visibly injured, but able to walk with the aid of firefighters. The man said he was involved in a devastating 2005 Metrolink crash in Glendale and was talking about it with the other passenger when Friday’s crash occurred.

The spokeswoman for Metrolink, Denise Tyrrell broke down while speaking to the press about the disaster. She stated that she was not sure what caused the wreck.

The condition of the two two crew members on the freight train are not known at this time.

The passenger train had left Union Station in downtown Los Angeles and was headed northwest to Moorpark in Ventura County. The area where the crash occurred has been the scene of numerous accidents in the past 10 years. There is a 18-mile stretch that has a reputation for being trouble.

The accident will be investigated by the Federal Railroad Administration.

Iraqi Refugees Will Be Coming To The US In The Thousands

The United States is getting ready for tens of thousands Iraqi refugees to flood the shores. In 2009 a minimum of 17,000 refugees will be coming to America.

The United States began interviewing refugees in Baghdad last year.

The first wave of refugees have already made their way to the US. 12,118 have landed while another 1,000 have their bookings to travel by the end of this month.

Last year only 1,600 Iraqi refugees were admitted to the US. That small number drew criticism from the international community who thought that the US should be doing more. The Iraqi refugee crisis begun in March 2003 when the US invaded Iraq.

Since 2003 Sweden has welcomed over 40,000 refugees.

This year the United States has spent over $318 million helping to take care of the Iraqi refugees.

As Yahoo reports:

Foley said he was grateful that Syria, a country with which the United States has strained relations, had agreed to a new facility for refugee processing, which would enable Washington to handle larger numbers of refugees.

“Despite the vagaries in our bilateral relationship which all are familiar with, I think we have managed to agree that for humanitarian purposes we will together make this happen for the sake of the Iraqi refugees,” he said.

Hackers Attack Large Hadron Collider

With the equipment at CERN days ahead of schedule with the Large Hadron Collider news has come that a bunch claiming to be from Greece hacked into the facility. This could be a warning about the weaknesses in the infrastructure.

Calling themselves the Greek Security Team they stated that the IT department that was in charge of security were a “bunch of school kids.”

As the Telegraph reports:

However, despite an ominous warning “don’t mess with us,” the hackers said they had no intention of disrupting the work of the atom smasher.

“We’re pulling your pants down because we don’t want to see you running around naked looking to hide yourselves when the panic comes,” they wrote in Greek in a rambling note posted on the LHC’s network.

Because of the nature of the work scientists behind the “Big Bang” machine have had to deal with death threats by e-mail. They also have had numerous calls from a worried public about the safety issues that had been raised. One such is that some speculated that black holes could open up and swallow the Earth.

Because of the hacker attack one website is no longer accessible to the public.

The hackers have gotten the scientists involved in the experiment worried because they were one step away from the control system of one of the detectors of the machine. That section weighs 12500 tons.

As The Telegraph reports:

If they had hacked into a second computer network, they could have turned off parts of the vast detector and, said the insider, “it is hard enough to make these things work if no one is messing with it.”

Fortunately, only one file was damaged but one of the scientists firing off emails as the CMS team fought off the hackers said it was a “scary experience”.

The CMS team spent Wednesday afternoon scouring the computers for a half a dozen files uploaded by the hackers on September 9 and 10. After studying the files to ensure that a backdoor had not been installed they were deleted.

As The Telegraph reports:

“We think that someone from Fermilab’s Tevatron (the competing atom smasher in America) had their access details compromised,” said one of the scientists working on the machine. “What happened wasn’t a big deal, just goes to show people are out there always on the prowl.”

Druggie Sweets Shop Busted In Berlin

A sweet shop in Berlin was offering their customers a lot more than standard issue sweets. Swirled into the chocolates and lollipops were magic mushrooms and marijuana.

The 23-year-old owner has been taken into custody. The shop was in Prenzlauer Berg. The trendy area in Berlin is known for it’s colourful nightlife.

Reuters reports:

“In the shop we found 120 pieces of magic mushroom chocolate and countless cannabis lollipops,” said police.

Police bagged up 70 sachets containing various drugs, about 20 marijuana joints and a range of pills. They also took with them a pot of honey that Winnie the Pooh would have enjoyed, it was laced with drugs.

One customer, who appeared to be stoned, was busted when he tried to get an officer to sell him some magic mushrooms.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Tells U.S. Ambassador To Get Out Of His Country

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is backing Bolivian President Evo Morales by expelling U.S. Ambassador Patrick Duddy from his country. This move is to be viewed as a means of showing solidarity with Bolivia’s Morales.

Chavez announced his decision during a televised speech within hours of the government detaining a group of alleged conspirators plotting to overthrow his government.

Without evidence Chavez has accused the United States of supporting the group of current and former military officer’s attempt to assassinate him. The United States has denied these allegations and others ones saying that Washington has plotted against him.

Bolivia has expelled U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg after he was accused of inciting anti-government protesters. Morales has offered no specific evidence of this.

Washington has ordered Gustavo Guzman, Bolivia’s ambassador to the United States to leave the country.

Morales has plans to overhaul Bolivia’s constitution and redirect gas revenues. Those plans have had some in the nation protesting for the past two weeks. Those protests have turned violent as protesters fought with Morales’ backers in eastern Bolivia. Some of the protesters have seized natural gas fields.

Morales aims to have royalties from the nation’s petroleum and mineral wealth distributed more evenly among the population of his nation.

22-Year-Old Selling Her Virginity to Pay For School

Paying for grad school can break the bank. One Sacramento State grad is hoping to use her body to pay off the debt and finance her master’s degree. Natalie Dylan has her virginity up for bid.

Using the alias Natalie Dylan for safety reason, the 22-year-old is going through the Bunny Ranch in Carson City, Nevada. So far the bidding war is up to $250,000.

As CBS 13 reports:

“The main purpose of this is to finance a couple things in my life,” Dylan told CBS13. “I think empowerment of women is picking yourself up and doing something on your own to better yourself.”

The future psychologist has taken a polygraph test to prove that she’s still innocent in the bedroom and is willing to have a medical exam.

The Bunny Ranch’s owner Dennis Hof is handling the bidding on his own after eBay rejected an auction. Hof thinks that the young lady is bright and beautiful.

As CBS 13 reports:

“Natalie is a very smart girl. All she wants to do is get her master’s degree in family and marriage counseling and be a psychologist. She’s selling her virginity to accomplish that,” Hof told CBS13. “She’s smart enough to sell it. This is empowering her.”

The highest bidder may not win the bedding of Natalie though. The winner will also have to be intelligent and an overall nice person. After all your first sexual encounter should be a pleasant one even if there is money on the line.

Part of the reason Ms. Dylan claims she is in a financial bind is because of her stepfather. She alleges that he used her college status to fraudulently apply for student loans and then took off with that money.

As CBS 13 reports:

“When I was younger, I wanted 100% romance, possibly even wait for marriage. But as I grew up, reality kinda hit. And I think its a capitalistic society and I want to capitalize on this,” explained Dylan.

Opinion: Are We In A New Age Of Feminism?

I’m not a hockey mom. Does that make me less of a woman? I believe in pro-choice. Does that make me on the wrong side? I think all women have the right to choose between work, home or both. I work mostly in. Does that take me out of the feminism movement?

Sarah Palin is not challenging the ideals of being a feminist out loud but public perspective seems to be changing.

As a whole Republicans haven’t been pro woman. Could they still be the party that puts a woman into a top position?

Editorials are springing up all over the World Wide Web on the matter of feminism. More to the point on if Sarah Palin is or isn’t and if in the last couple of weeks everything we knew has changed.

Is the new feminist a woman with traditional leanings? One who doesn’t believe in the freedom of choice? Palin is anti-abortion. Her daughter is pregnant. She’s 17. Palin says she’s proud of her daughter’s choice to keep the baby and marry the father. But in reality if McCain-Palin win the election will other teen mothers have a choice? Will they have to have a baby and find a way to support that child without a safety net of wealth from their families?

Jessica Valenti writes in The Guardian:

Ann Friedman, deputy editor of the American Prospect, wrote: “In picking Palin, Republicans are lending credence to the sexist assumption that women voters are too stupid to investigate or care about the issues, and merely want to vote for someone who looks like them … McCain has turned the idea of the first woman in the White House from a true moment of change to an empty pander.”

Is the underlining tone of this campaign sexist from here on in? Does that over rule the need for the public to understand the issues?

As the SF Gate reports:

Camposano said women need to stay with issues and not get distracted by such media-created controversies.

“We’re going to quickly grow weary of the accusations of sexism,” she said. “Women know when they’ve been attacked … and when it was questioned if (Palin) could be a good mother, that was sexism.

“But is it sexism to use these kinds of stupid phrases? It’s troubling we’re talking about ‘lipstick on a pig’ over whether Sarah Palin has any capability to bring wage equality and in ensuring health care for children and child care programs for women who work.

“It’s about where she stands on the issues,” said Camposano. “There, we have a real opportunity to debate.”

Is Palin right for America? It depends on where you stand on women’s rights issues, gun laws, the environment, the war and all of the other serious issues of this campaign. But for the time being we will be having to hear about feminism and sexism. Hopefully by the time the election gets here we can get down to the meat of the matter. If the ball is batted to Palin could she take the helm of the nation? Is the McCain-Palin ticket better for the American people than the Obama-Biden ticket?

Tokey The Bear Destroys Marijuana Farm

In Utah police have been having a field day with marijuana seizures. They have a new helper in their goal to stop production of the plant. On Tuesday a large bear in Garfield County decided to help out.

The U.S Forest Service and sheriff deputies in Garfield County were the second to raid a pot plot on the east side of Durfey Creek on Boulder Mountain. a giant bear beat law enforcement to the action and appears to have had some fun tearing the place apart.

When deputies arrived they found pipes chewed in half, food containers ripped to shreds and giant paw prints marking the bears find in a tree.

The Rocky Mountain News reports:

“This bear is definitely law-enforcement minded,” Garfield County Sheriff Danny Perkins said. “If I can find this bear, I’m going to deputize him.”

The bear seems to have run off the farmers after repeated appearances. The police found chemical plant food and 888 young plants. They also retrieved 4,000 starter sacks of marijuana (small plastic bags with seeds, some chemical plant food and dirt).

The police will finish the bear’s job and destroy the plants.

Business Could Learn From Politicians How To Spin Their Products In The Best Light

Businesses can learn from politicians when it comes to controlling your online story. Politicians are the masters of marketing. If a negative story comes out, the spin doctors are ready to prescribe a new set of stories to right the ‘infection.’

Businesses that are hit by a scandal can also get their spin doctors out in force with the magic of the Internet.

In a perfect world the Internet would only feature the truth. This is not a perfect world.

The Internet can be used to smear a good name just as it can raise up wrongs that look right with enough spin.

In recent days we have seen lipstick spun in two different directions. On a hockey mom it’s good, on a pig it’s bad. Palin’s spin makes her look tough enough to handle the big boys and still go home and tend to her family. Obama’s spin has been made to look like he’s a sexist.

In business do you want your product to be the hockey mom or the pig? The way a product is spun on the web is the way the public perceives it.

Politicians have learned to use the Internet and its features such as Digg, Twitter, YouTube and Wikipedia to their advantage. In May Obama hired a Web marketer to make sure all was going well. Both candidates have Web sites that are professional and spin ready.

In big business not hiring a Web marketer can be viewed as being behind the times. The right marketing plan will increase your net intake. The right marketing department overseeing your web site means more dollars in your bank account.

Years ago the marketing departments focused on print and television ads. That was yesterday. Today the public is more likely to get their news online. They want more information and appear to be more informed. The spin doctors work hard to ensure their clients are seen in the best light.

Business like politics is competition. The best appearing candidate wins. It’s no holds barred. Tooth and nail and a spin cycle wins the game.

Are you playing yet?

Opinion: Where Were You on Sept. 11, 2001? How Fear Changes Us

There’s generally a defining moment for each generation. In the United States this generation’s moment took place on this date in 2001. People will still ask and remember vividly where they were when the towers were hit.

At the time the first tower was hit I was resting in bed. My kids had been up late the night before doing some school thing and I was planning on getting up in an hour. My oldest was studying current events that term which meant his first assignment of the day was to watch the Today Show and report on what was new in the world. He was watching when It happened. He woke me up. I called my ex-husband at work to tell him what was going on when I saw that second plane.

Everything changed in that instant. One plane is an accident. The second plane meant an attack. The United States was being attacked on her own soil.

Who? Why? What had we missed?

If you were old enough to have been aware of the news on 9/11/01 you know what I am writing about.

The planes. The Tower. The field. The pentagon.

You don’t need to hear anything else. You just know. In a few hours the ‘innocence’ was gone. Fear had come and taken it’s place.

I remember a few weeks after a small plane was circling Winter Haven, Florida. It was just some guy who was flying his own plane having some fun. It had already been ingrained in the public to be ‘aware’ of everything. Anything could be an act of terrorism. I called the local airport and asked what he was doing. The plane was ordered back to the airstrip and the pilot was questioned.

Weeks before I would never have thought twice about that plane.

Do you remember the local news anchors telling us to watch for tankers, to notice the colour of the driver’s skin?

The fear Muslim people must have had just walking on their own blocks. The American people on a whole were sure that skin colour made a person a terrorist. They had to be watched, observed. Anything they did could be an act of terrorism.

Do you remember not questioning the President when it was time to go attack Afghanistan?

I moved to Canada a few years later. I remember the first air show during the CNE. I thought we were under attack. My friends and neighbours were amused. My youngest son and I weren’t.

Fear has a way of changing you.

I was proud of myself this year. The planes roared over our co-op and I didn’t miss a beat. After the first few. It takes a bit of time.

So where were you? Did you sit glued to the TV praying that it was over? That no one else would die a senseless death that day? Did you have pride for those men on Flight 93? Did you understand fear? Has it changed your world view?

Seven years ago today 2,974 souls were lost forever. They were innocents in a horrible plot to instill fear. Men, women, children all bound together in just moments, split seconds for some, that changed our world forever.

Where were you?

Young Drivers Will Be Facing Tougher Rules In Ontario

This fall one issue on the table for lawmakers in Ontario will be the 14-year-old graduated licensing system and young drivers. New legislation could change the wait time for a full license and tighten rules about carrying passengers.

The Star reports:

“It’s not that we’re trying to pick on young people but that’s where we see accidents happening over the years,” Transportation Minister Jim Bradley said.

“There’s a feeling that young people are more easily influenced by outside circumstances than others are.”

Looking at statistics these issues are wise to be addressed. New drivers are more prone to being in an accident. That was the reasoning in 1994 when the current graduated licensing rules came into effect.

As it stands now to obtain a full driver’s license in Ontario a driver has to have 20 months of experience, there are limits to how many passengers they may carry and they have to stay off of certain major highways.

If Tim Mulcahy got his way these rules will also include the revoking of a license for young drivers who are caught either speeding or drinking for between three months and a year. Mulcahy’s son Tyler and two friends died after drinking and driving in July. The car they were in plunged into Lake Joseph. Speed and alcohol were both factors in the crash.

Tim Mulcahy has written Premier Dalton McGuinty asking for much tougher rules for the youngest of the provision’s drivers.

“The dad is taking inspiration from the death of his son to look for a public policy change which he believes would make the roads for all our kids,” McGuinty said.

“He may be onto something.”

Mother and Three Children Found Dead, Teen Being Held For Murder and Arson

A teenager has been arrested Wednesday for investigation of four counts of murder and arson in Lancaster, California. The teen is said to have killed a mother and her three daughters before setting the home on fire.

All of the victims appeared to have been killed before the house was set ablaze. The remains all showed signed of trauma not associated with a fire. Firefighters found the bodies in separate rooms Tuesday while attempting to put out the engulfed home.

Three bodies were burned beyond recognition and will take days to positively identify. One of the victims has been positively identified according to coroner’s investigators.

The woman’s car was found at a near-by Wal-Mart with a smashed window. It is believed that the parking lot it was found is a secondary crime connected with the murders.

Corey King, 18, was an associate of the victims. He was taken to the police department on Tuesday for questioning. His bail is set at one million dollars.

Investigation Finds Government Department Too Raunchy For T.V.

An investigation of government officials found 13 former and current Interior Department employees in Denver and Washington engaging in sex and gifts improperly with energy companies.

The investigation found a shady underbelly of substance abuse and promiscuity concerning the thirteen individuals in the department. The office of Inspector General Earl E. Devaney spent $5.3 million in a two year probe concerning this case.

From 2002 and 2005 almost a third of the 55 members in the Denver office were getting gifts and tips from energy companies including Chevron, Shell, Hess Corp. and Denver-based Gary-Williams Energy Corp. Chevron has been singled out as not helping with the investigation. Two other companies felt no remorse for giving kick backs to members of the government.

Yahoo reports:

House Natural Resources Chairman Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., said “this whole IG report reads like a script from a television miniseries and one that cannot air during family viewing time. It is no wonder that the office was doing such a lousy job of overseeing the RIK program; clearly the employees had ‘other’ priorities in that office.”

The investigation shows how far energy companies will go to get members in government to vote their way.

“This all shows the oil industry holds shocking sway over the administration and even key federal employees,” said Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. “This is why we must not allow Big Oil’s agenda to be jammed through Congress.”

What’s more both Obama and McCain want to give oil companies more access to federal lands. Could they also be getting generous kick backs to fund their campaigns?

The investigation came when an unknown whistle blower made a phone call saying their were ethical lapses in the Denver office.

Opinion: It’s Time For The Spin Doctor, Election Time Canada Style

At one time voters wanted to know who was the best man for the job. Nowadays the best man means the guy with the best marketing staff. Policies aren’t as important as who is the better family man.

Entry one in this year’s model is Stephen Harper. Harper is an outdoors man and loves his kids. He is clean cut. He doesn’t punch out George Bush’s
lights when referred to as Steve because he is a polite man. He can be seen wearing knitted sweaters that set off his blue eyes.

Entry number two is Stephane Dion. This guy is smart because he used to be a professor. He too likes the outdoors like every good Canadian should. He has a dog that he walks with his beautiful wife and daughter. Alas, according to the Harper marketing department he’s just not as macho as the man that resides in Ottawa at this time.

Don’t worry they have some policies that they will be out to pitch before the election takes place. There is plenty of time for getting down to the issues at hand. But first, don’t forget to check out the marketing of who could be setting the Canadian tone to the world. Because after all the world is ruled by how you appear and not how well you do your job.

Virginia Building Collapses, A Dozen May Be Buried In The Rubble

A building collapsed in Virgina leaving up to a dozen trapped in the rubble beneath it. The retail and residential building that was under construction caved in. Authorities are searching for trapped workers in chester, about 15 miles south of Richmond.

Around noon Wednesday calls came into the 911 dispatch service in Chesterfield County saying that a dozen workers were trapped inside a collapsed building after a 60-foot section crashed.

One drywall worker has said that other employees were at lunch at the time of the collapse. Authorities at the scene have said it will take hours to search the building.

According to a CNN report:

“We cannot just go into a building that has collapsed because of the inherent hazards that are there,” Coffin said. “We’re going to take a very slow approach to this to protect our folks that are involved.”

At this time workers are attempting to stabilize the rubble. Sound-sensitive equipment has been brought in to detect any signs of life. People on the scene have been asked to remain quiet while the process is underway.

At this time it is not known why the building came crashing down.

Women’s Ability To Orgasm Can Be Viewed In Their Strut

Trained sexologists can tell how orgasmic a lady is just by the way she walks down the street. Could it be women who are able to have orgasms strut their stuff?

A study led by Stuart Brody of University of the West of Scotland and colleagues used 16 female Belgian university students. The students were video taped walking from a distance after they completed a questionnaire on sexual behaviour.

Without knowing the sexual behavior of the women they were viewing two professors of sexology and two research assistants rated the videos. By watching the stride of the test subjects the researchers were dead on about orgasmic ability 80 percent of the time.

Times Of India reports;

According to Brody, “blocked pelvic muscles, which might be associated with psycho-sexual impairments, could both impair vaginal orgasmic response and gait.”

The authors of the study also believe that women who are orgasmic are also more confident about their sexuality.

“Such confidence might also be related to the relationship(s) that a woman has had, given the finding that specifically penile-vaginal orgasm is associated with indices of better relationship quality,” the authors stated.

The study was published in the September issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine.

He Was Just Trying To Relax

When Chiu Yu kit of Hong Kong was trying to ‘ease his stress’ by masturbating he picked the wrong place. Getting naked on a double decker bus was the wrong choice for this former Asia Television journalist.

Now granted Chiu, 31, was alone on the tip top of the bus when he stripped down to ease his tensions but he was still spotted by an off-duty cop jogging by the bus.

Principal magistrate Josiah Lam went soft on the television reporter giving him a one-year good behaviour bond for one count of indecency in public. Lam advised Chiu to take up another way of easing the pressure like exercising or talking to others instead of manhandling himself.

Chiu resigned his ATV position shortly after he was nabbed naked as a bird.

Fired Coach Busted For Trying To Burning Down The Gym

When Brian Butcher, 34, got dismissed from his assistant coaching job he got even. The California man was arrested for trying to burn down the school he was canned from.

Using a shot put Butcher shattered a glass door at the school to get into the gym. The police got to the scene of the crime before the former coach was able to turn Los Gatos High School into a bonfire.

Butcher is now sitting in a cell pending $30,000 bail on possible charges of burglary, vandalism and attempted arson.

And if you were wondering, it appears Butcher was stone cold sober when he did all of this. Makes you wonder why he was fired in the first place.

Family Practise Doctors Becoming Rare Breed

Getting a General Practitioner in the United States may become even harder in the years to come with only 2 percent of graduating med students planning to work in primary care.

Who will be taking care of the sick if all doctors go for specialties in order to afford their med school debts?

Almost 1,200 fourth year medical students were surveyed to see who will be going into family practice. Only 2 percent of those have that goal in mind according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. That’s 7 percent less than in 1990.

New doctors are wary of the paperwork and demands of chronically sick patient. As Yahoo reports the lure of bigger salaries and huge schooling debts is taking the family doctor away.

“I didn’t want to fight the insurance companies,” said Dr. Jason Shipman, 36, a radiology resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., who is carrying $150,000 in student debt.

Primary care doctors he met as a student had to “speed to see enough patients to make a reasonable living,” Shipman said.

Family doctors can expect to make about $186,00
but an Orthopedic surgeon can expect to bring home $436K. That huge difference in salary is cheating the public out of new doctors that could help ease the drought of family practice.

“Primary care is holding steady but only because of international medical school graduates,” said Edward Salsberg of the Association of American Medical Colleges, a co-author of the study. “And holding steady in numbers is probably not sufficient when the population is growing and aging.”

The Web-based survey was done at 11 medical schools that had similar demographics and training choices of most medical students.

Stealing Your Money Without A Gun, What A Security Research Company Found At The Bank

How hard is it to walk out of a bank carrying the information it would take to steal a couple of million? Surprisingly it’s not as hard as it should be according to researchers from TraceSecurity Inc.

Security researchers disguised as fire inspectors, exterminators or government safety monitors were almost always successful when it came to slipping past bank tellers and stealing confidential data about customers.

The study made public on Tuesday by researchers from Baton Rouge, La.-based TraceSecurity Inc. showed just how trusting bank personnel are. If that shocks you image the surprise of the banks that hired the security team to find holes in their branches.

The researchers visited almost 1,000 branches between 2003 and 2008. During that time they were able to walk out the doors with loan applications, laptops, backup tapes of customer databases and even big computer servers by using easily obtained items to disguise themselves.

What is most shocking is the fact that only 6 times were they questioned for something as dumb as wearing the wrong colour shirt. There were only 31 times that they were not able to steal sensitive information.

Employees almost always allowed the researchers to wander through the banks alone.

This study makes one wonder how safe their information honestly is sitting at a bank.

New Website Sniffs Out Spin in News Stories; Truth Is Back In Town

A new Web application launched on Monday to sniff out the spin in news stories. Its motto is that spin doesn’t belong in the news. The goal is to expose media stories that show bias, misuse of sources, and suspect factual support.

The new site is located at spinspotter.com. They offer a downloadable toolbar called Spinoculars. The program spots potential indicators of bias on Web pages. It also allow its users to flag phrases in news stories and talk about them to other Spinspotter users.

The application works off of the six key tenets of spin and bias that were derived from both journalism luminaries and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code Of Ethics.

The application requires you to have Firefox 3. At some point it hopes to be able to operate on Internet Explorer 7.

It will be interesting to see how much spin is detected in the coming months. After all, election years are the God children of spin.

The Blumberg Family Relocation Fund Is Offering 50K To Move To Alabama Town

Want to live in Dothan, Alabama? If you are Jewish and wish to settle in the southern town businessman Larry Blumberg will give you up to $50,000 to move there.

Dotham is a town of 58,000 mostly Christian residents. The Blumberg Family Relocation Fund would like to change that figure for the Peanut Capital of the World.

To get the funding to move down there are some requirements. One is being involved at Temple Emanu-El and staying for five years. If you do though that money that got to town is yours and does not have to be repaid.

There are more Jews down south but they tend to live in the bigger cities like Atlanta and Birmingham. Those that grew up in the smaller towns move to the big city, so many in fact that small town synagogues have had to close their doors in the American Bible Belt.

Temple Emanu-El itself is facing harder time. It’s down to only about 50 families. The hopes of those remaining is that families will seek the money and fall in love with the small town.

Blumberg has put ads in Jewish newspapers in Boston, Miami, Providence, Rhode Island, and Washington, and it plans to expand the campaign.

As the NY Daily News reports:

“I think it’s important that we try to find young people that we could use in our religious school, our Sunday school and help in the way of trying to create more of a family-type atmosphere in our temple,” Blumberg said.

So why would you want to move to this small town? The beach is only 80 miles away. It has a low cost of living. The traffic never gets too heavy.

And best of all there is no snow.

Shark Gives Surfer A Free Ride Tuesday In Australia

John Morgan of Bryon Bay, Australia claims that a shark towed his surfboard out to sea when it got entangled in his surfer’s leg rope. The 51-year-old surf shop owner compared the 170-foot ride to being towed by a jet ski.

Luckily for Morgan the shark was able to free himself and disappear in the sea. His board and rope were not damaged in the incident.

Morgan isn’t sure what kind of shark gave him the free ride but believes that it was as freaked out as he was.

SIFY.com reports:

“It freaked me out,” Morgan said. “It bumped my leg rope and next thing it tangled itself in the leg rope and started charging out to sea with me in tow.”

“To say it was like being towed by a jet ski might be an exaggeration, but it was really fast,” he added.

Scottish Highland Village Opens Playground For Seniors

Cromaty on the Black Isle in Scotland has just opened a new special playground but not for the local kiddies. The playpark is just the latest European park designed with senior citizens in mind.

The outdoor xerscape fitness suite is a free gym made just for senior citizens equipped with a skiing machine, space walker, body twister, a chest press, a leg press and a pull-down exerciser.

Jean Newall, 100, was the first to try out the body twister after she cut the ribbon yesterday during the opening ceremony.

The outdoor park is the brainchild of Anne Short. After spotting a television piece on the first OAP playpark in Blackley, Manchester Short presented the idea to the Cromaty Community Council. She is a chairwoman for the Council.

Local companies, the council and fund-raising events covered the 15,000 pound cost of the OAP playpark.

Last May the very first European playpark opened in Berlin. Renate Zeumer designed that one after observing older people in China using government-provided exercise equipment in parks, on the street and at subway stations.

It’s an idea that is catching on in Europe.

Scotsman.com reports:

Dr John Mathers, sports psychologist at the department of sport at Stirling University, said: “Exercise is well-known to enhance physical, social and emotional wellbeing.

“Elderly people taking exercise can slow their rate of physiological decline which will benefit their joints, ligaments and cognitive functions.

Robin Gargrave, director of YMCA fit, which runs exercise courses for older people, said: “Rediscovering your inner child and having fun is incredibly beneficial, physically, emotionally and psychologically.”

An Age Concern Scotland spokesman said: “A fitness park for older people similar to the one opened today would enable older people to use affordable facilities that are designed to improve physical and mental well-being.

“We believe that older people should exercise regularly to help promote good health in later life.”

Not only does the equipment in the Scottish park aim to provide enjoyment it has a health purpose. The main goal is to build muscle strength and stamina.

Oasis Singer Noel Gallagher In Hospital After Being Attacked On Toronto Stage

Oasis singer Noel Gallagher was attacked Sunday night in Toronto while on stage. A man ran across the stage in front of 40,000 fans knocking the singer from behind while the band played “Morning Glory.”

Gallagher, 41, landed into the speakers possibly breaking a rib. He is in hospital.

Liam Gallagher, brother of Noel, ran to punch the man but failed to connect before security removed him from the stage.

The brothers left the stage for a moment before returning and finishing their set at the Virgin Festival. Oasis was the headliners for the concert.

Police say that the 47-year-old Toronto man has been charged with assault. He was released without bail and will appear in court next month.

Mother Arrested After Two-Year-Old Found In Car Trunk

The body of a two-year-old has been found in the trunk of his mother’s car after it had been in a wrecking yard for six weeks. It is possible the woman drove around with the body in the trunk for months.

Summer ManyWhiteHorses was arrested for the deliberate homicide of her son James on Monday. An autopsy is being conducted at this time.

ManyWhiteHorses has told police that James’ death was an accident. She placed his body in the car on May 29.

The woman’s has a $250,000 bail. She will be represented by a public defender.

Six weeks ago on July 21 ManyWhiteHorses was arrested for driving erratically. She crashed into a parked car after driving through several red lights when the police attempted to stop her. Her 11-year-old daughter was in the back seat of the car at that time. Her son was in the trunk at that time also, undiscovered.

The car was then towed and put into a storage facility.

Her daughter was placed into custody in August. Child welfare workers at that time begun to search for the boy.

Detective Bruce McDermott has stated that the woman’s story changed depending on who she spoke to. She finally admitted that the child who had autism died in late May and she wrapped his body in a blanket before placing it in a plastic bag.

ManyWhiteHorses’ aunt Ernestine Small had taken care of the children in the past when their mother was in trouble with police. She had hoped to tend to them this summer but her niece said that the toddler had been placed in foster care.

As Yahoo reports:

“Nobody expected this,” Small said in an interview at the courthouse. “I know she gets violent, but never thought she would do this to her baby.”

Police say that there was no reason at the time of ManyWhiteHorses arrest to search the trunk of the car. At the time there was no legal reason to do so and would have required a search warrant.

Opinion: Does It Matter Which Side Is More Of A Terrorist Risk?

There’s a lot of talk about Obama’s Muslim heritage and Palin’s Christianity. When it comes to which is more of a danger for the United States what should you believe? The truth is they both are just as dangerous but perhaps in different ways.

Because Obama was born into a Muslim family there is a danger that his converting to Christianity would enrage extremist groups. Yes, those groups may attack the United States because of that issue. Of course as most people know, unless they have been hiding under a rock for eight years, they already have attacked. Still there would be a slight danger.

Next we look at Sarah Palin’s religion. Although the church she now attends is nondenominational she was raised Assemblies of God. Her religion is Pentecostal. She has made statements that it’s God’s Will that we are at war in Iraq. Those kind of statements may equally rile up extremist Muslims.

Here’s the bottom line. Both sides, both parties, when dealing with people that want to attack, have a risk. Those who want to rage attacks on the American people can use whoever is in office as their reasoning.

The personal beliefs of a candidate only matters if they aim to make it governmental policy for the rest of the nation. That’s where past performances come into order. And personal choice.

The educated voter already knows that the nation is at risk of terrorist attack. It’s the way this modern world is. So should we can hung up on what church someone in office goes to or does not go it? Does being in church every Sunday make someone more moral than someone who skips the pew?

In the end, when it comes down to brass tacks the one sitting in the Oval Office has to be for all the people. Not just the ones who count on rosary beads, speak in tongues, pray to nature or pray to no one at all. The Oval Office isn’t a religion. It’s government. Church and state don’t mix. At least they aren’t supposed to.

Assault By Sausage, Burglar Uses Spices And Sausage To Assault Victims

Did you hear the one where the burglar hit a sleeping man with a sausage?

In Fresno, California this Saturday a burglar rubbed spices over the body of one man in the home he broke into and hit another with a big sausage.

Sometimes the truth is much stranger than fiction. Fresno County police officer Lieutenant Ian Burrimond told reporters that the suspect threw away the assault weapon and a dog ate it.

The suspect was found a short time after he ran out of the home of two farm workers wearing only a T-shirt, boxer shorts and socks. He wasn’t so bright as he left behind his wallet and ID.

The burglar had found the sausage and spices in the kitchen of his victims. He also found cash that he took with him when he ran out of the house.

The Australian reports that police were able to recover the money but the assault weapon was another matter:

“That’s right, the dog ate the weapon,” Lt Burrimond said.

“I tell you, this was one weird case.”

Afghan Air-strike, Do Pictures Lie?

No matter what the United States says the cell phone images coming out of Afghanistan shows the truth of how many civilians were killed by a mistake air-strike or do they? Whatever the truth is death totals don’t equal up between UN and Pentagon figures.

The UN, Afghan government and other reports coming from the region say that as many as 90 civilians were killed when an air-strike went terribly wrong in Afghanistan on August 24.

The Pentagon is denying the death toll.

A US military official talking to CNN who is not authorized to speak to the media said that he saw about 30 bodies some of which were covered and some in blankets. He also said that several children were pulled out of the rubble.

CNN has viewed cell phone video showing rows of blankets and quilts inside a building. The video shows the blankets being lifted so viewers can see the heads of the dead.

Though CNN has confirmed the military is reviewing the video, CNN has not independently verified the authenticity of the imagery.

Using satellite imagery the US has only viewed 18 new plots in the village area. Military patrols went to the village on August 26 and found no additional graves.

NATO officials said that there were a number of villagers still buried in the rubble when the troops were searching the compound. After the troops left the villagers then buried the bodies. Locals took cell phone images that they showed to UN investigators.

“In light of emerging evidence pertaining to civilian casualties in the August 22 counter-insurgency operation in the Shindand District, Herat province, I feel it is prudent to request that U.S. Central Command send a general officer to review the U.S. investigation and its findings with respect to this new evidence,” McKiernan said Sunday in statement.

“The people of Afghanistan have our commitment to get to the truth,” he said.

There is enough evidence that UNAMA believes the actual death toll is 60 children, 15 women and 15 men.

The US version is that there were 30 to 35 Taliban militants and five to seven civilians.

The attack took place after taking fire from Taliban militants on August 22.

“The intensity of the enemy fire justified use of well-aimed small-arms fire and close-air support to defend the combined force,” the coalition said in a statement released shortly after the strike. “The type and application of fires were used in accordance with existing rules of engagement.”

The US is disputing that most of those killed were children saying that there were not 50 children to begin with in the village. According to a U.S. military official there is firm evidence that the militants had planned to attack a nearby coalition base. The air-strike disrupted that planned attack.

Who is telling the truth? Is there a way for the video to have been forged? And if so who are the bodies that are in the ‘faked’ video?

Is Marijuana A Miracle Plant? Another Medical Find Shows THC Fights Bacteria

Researchers in Italy and Britain have found another medical use of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. That lovely chemical in marijuana that gets tokers high may also fight super bugs.

Since the 1950’s it’s been known that Cannabis sativa has chemical properties that act as antibacterial. The researchers just didn’t understand how the plant’s chemical makeup worked. That is rapidly changing as researched delve into research of the chemicals that make up the plant.

Giovanni Appendino of the University of the Eastern Piedmont and colleague’s research has been published in The Journal of Natural Products. The researchers have been studying the antibacterial activity of the five most common cannbinoids. Their research shows promise that in the future these compounds will be able to be used against common multi-resistant bacterial strains.

Researchers are still uncertain as to how cannabinoids work. There will be future trials to see if they can be used assystemic antibiotics.

The best news from this research is that they may be used even sooner against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA as a topical agent.

Bubble Kits Sold At Toronto’s CNE May Cause Health Risks

Health Canada is warning caregivers that bubble kits sold at this year’s Canadian National Exhibition may be posing serious health risks to the children who bought them.

The kits were sold in the International Pavilion at three booths before the federal department removed 1,574 on August 20.

CBC reports:

“Children’s balloon-blowing kits have been banned in Canada since 1973,” Health Canada said in a release issued Wednesday.

“These toys typically consist of a solvent mixture in a tube and one or more plastic straws for blowing. Children can form balloons or bubbles by dipping the short straw into the solvent and blowing through the straw.”

The solvents in the kits may effect the central nervous system. Symptoms include euphoria, hallucinations, dizziness, difficulty with co-ordination, muscular twitching, unconsciousness and coma.

There have not been any reports of adverse health effects.

If you did purchase one of these kits for your children Health Canada advises throwing them in the trash and making sure the children don’t retrieve them before the trash man comes.

Opinion: Using Mickey Mouse To Cut To The Chase, Evolution In One Florida Classroom

This is the first year in Florida where science teachers can touch on the theory of evolution. One such teacher, David Campbell understands the thin line he has to walk in a classroom taught for years that evolution is wrong.

Campbell teaches at a high school in Jacksonville, Florida. Most of his students attend one of the many neighbourhood churches that take the Bible at it’s word, God created the Earth in seven days. This is not a group that will readily embrace a theory that is foreign to the teachings that they have had since they were old enough to attend Sunday School.

The Florida Department of Education calls evolution “the organizing principle of life science.”

Science teachers are not just dealing with bored students when it comes to the topic of evolution. They are also dealing with religion vs. science. The battlefield includes students showing up to class with a document, “Ten questions to ask your biology teacher about evolution,” that shows the weaknesses in evolutionary theory. Some kids write their oppositions to the scientific theory on their homework assignments. Some don’t even bother to listen.

Campbell’s class began with the basics. Mickey Mouse. In the land of sun and tourism Mickey is a well known figure.

As the Lakeland Ledger reports Campbell’s first lesson used slides of the mouse on his overhead projector starting with one from 1928 and two more showing his changes over the years.

“How,” he asked his students, “has Mickey changed?”

Natives of Walt Disney World’s home state, they waved their hands and called out answers.

“His tail gets shorter,” Bryce volunteered.

“Bigger eyes!” someone else shouted.

“He looks happier,” one girl observed. “And cuter.”

Campbell smiled. “Mickey evolved,” he said. “And Mickey gets cuter because Walt Disney makes more money that way. That is ’selection.’

Campbell started teaching science in 1996. When he first studied the science standards after taking the job he was shocked at what wasn’t being taught. Evolution. The theory was not mentioned although the concept that biological “changes over time” occur. That was it.

Campbell taught the theory anyway, just not in as much detail as he would have liked.

Campbell knows what a fine line he walks. Keeping students interested in a course that often goes against belief systems is a tough call.

He has used a bouncing ball to make his point. When the ball bounced its gravity. It will bounce and one can assume that it will work the same every time. Asking the class what happens when natural laws are suspended, like when water turns into wine which happens in a New Testament story one student knows the answer. It’s a miracle.

The ball hit the floor again.

“Science explores nature by testing and gathering data,” he said. “It can’t tell you what’s right and wrong. It doesn’t address ethics. But it is not anti-religion. Science and religion just ask different questions.”

He grabbed the ball and held it still.

“Can anybody think of a question science can’t answer?”

“Is there a God?” shot back a boy near the window.

“Good,” said Campbell, an Anglican who attends church most Sundays. “Can’t test it. Can’t prove it, can’t disprove it. It’s not a question for science.”

And that is the one answer that will remain as true as gravity and a bouncing ball. Religion doesn’t belong in the science classroom. Theories, concepts and research do.

Let’s hope the kids get the message this year.

Wasilla Bible Church Believes In Converting Homosexuals Through Prayer

The church where Sarah Palin is a member believes that homosexuals can be turned straight through prayer. Those views reflect the believes of who could be the next vice president of the United States.

The Huffington Post reports:

“You’ll be encouraged by the power of God’s love and His desire to transform the lives of those impacted by homosexuality,” according to the insert in the bulletin of the Wasilla Bible Church, where Palin has prayed for about six years.

Palin’s religious views are a reflection on how she sides with human rights issues. The Alaska governor is anti-abortion, opposing exceptions for rape and incest, and opposes gay marriage and spousal rights for gay couples.

In the beginning days of her administration she supported a bill that would overrule a court decision to block state benefits for gay partners of public employees. She vetoed the bill only after the state attorney general said that it was unconstitutional. That was the beginning of losing fans in Alaska’s gay population.

On the issue of Wasilla Bible Church’s being part of the “Love Won Out” Conference in Anchorage Palin has yet to comment.

Canada’s Election Will Take Place Before The US, Harper Set It Up For October 14

On Sunday Stephen Harper made it official, the Canadian election will take place on October 14. Harper was tired of waiting for the opposition to bring down the minority government and took matters into his own hands.

The October election will be the third one in four years.

Harper asked Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean to dissolve Canada’s 39th Parliament. The vote will take place the day after Thanksgiving.

Yahoo reports:

“Between now and Oct. 14, Canadians will choose a government to look out for their interests at a time of global economic trouble,” Harper said after meeting with Jean.

“They will choose between direction or uncertainty; between common sense or risky experiments; between steadiness or recklessness.”

So who will Canadians be voting for? Stephen Harper will be the lead for the Conservative Party, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion will be going to bat and Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe is already campaigning. The Green Party’s Elizabeth may is appealing to voters to reclaim democracy and get tougher on climate issues.

In the coming weeks the different parties will be out in force trying to convince Canadians that their way is the better one.

Canada.com quotes Harper;

“This Parliament is at its useful end,” Harper said. “Canadians have to give somebody a mandate.”

What do you think? Is Harper being premature in calling for an early election or is it about time?

Cuba Declines US Offer Of Help

The United States offered to send a disaster assessment to Cuba after Hurricane Gustav. The island nation declined saying thanks but no thanks.

Cuba said that instead of sending the disaster
team they would rather the US lift restrictions on travel and the sale of food that will help the county recover.

The press release comes as Cuba begins the process of preparing for Hurricane Ike. Ike is expected to hit the island early in the week.

MSNBC reports:

“Today when the country’s east already is under storm alert with the threat of Hurricane Ike, just as powerful as Gustav, Cuba affirms that in reality the only correct, ethical (action) … would be the total and definitive elimination of the harsh and cruel economic, commercial and financial blockade applied over nearly a half century against our nation,” the statement said.

Barack Obama has called for a temporary suspension on restrictions on family travel and remittances to the island while Cuba recovers. McCain on the other hand believes in easing restrictions already in place only when the transition to a democracy is under way.

Those living in the United States who are of Cuban origin are only allowed one visit to Cuba every three years. They are restricted to only sending money to immediate family members not to cousins, aunts or uncles.

Plumber Wanted, Must Be Willing To Relocate For A Year And A Half

The British Antarctic Survey needs a new plumber at their Bird Island station near South Georgia. The pay is less than the standard rate in England but you do get free room and board plus a heck of a view.

There’s no television so if you’re a TV fanatic this isn’t the job for you. If winter sports are your cup of tea though pack up your skis and enjoy your time in the sun.

The pay cheque is 22,340 pounds a year and there’s room for an electrician too.

Oh and if you are selected you may want to bone up on your cooking skills. Staff on the island take turns serving up meals.

During summer months there are 10 staff members researching the island’s seals, penguins and albatross.

If this is the job for you hurry with your application, the deadline is Friday.

Peacekeepers Struggle To Feed Haitians Hungry From Hurricane Hanna As Ike Nears

Hurricane Hanna has devastated parts of Haiti. Aid workers are struggling to feed thousands left hungry by the powerful storm with Hurricane Ike ready to hit the island Saturday.

More than 163 could have died during the storm. Those left behind are dealing with severe hunger.

The UN World Food Program is handing out water and high energy biscuits but more help is needed to met the demand.

Hurricane Ike is expected to hit parts of the already soaked island by Saturday. While the storm appears to be lessening it is still packing winds near 110 mph.

At least 40,000 are living in shelters with little food or supplies. Peacekeepers are having trouble making sure those in most need receive biscuits. People have been seen knocking the biscuits out of others hands to retrieve them on the floor.

All peacekeeping operations are being suspended when the sun goes down because of the danger to workers.

The Widow Of Benazir Bhutto Elected President Of Pakistan

The new president of Pakistan is Asif Ali Zardari, capturing 458 out of 702 electoral college votes, including over 280 votes in the parliament.

The widow of assassinated former prime minister, Benazir Bhuttto, Zardari won parliamentary elections in February. He appointed Yusuf Paza Gilani as prime minister.

In August he was behind the move to start impeachment proceedings against Musharraf that lead to the leader’s resignation.

The presidential candidates were Zardari, Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, a former judge and Mushahid Hussain Sayed.

Zardari has his work cut out as his country is dealing with surging militant violence and an economy in crisis. That’s not mention that Pakistan is dealing with assassination attempts on government officials.

Earthquake Hits San Francisco

A 4.9 magnitude earthquake has hit San Francisco Bay. The tremor hit just after 9 p.m. It was felt throughout the region.

The epicenter was located 2 miles ENE of Alamo, California. The quake was felt during the San Francisco Giants’ waterfront ballpark game against Pittsburgh Pirates. In true California fashion the players carried on without missing a beat.

There are no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

Being Helpful Nabs Man In The Nation’s Capital

Capitol Police were being helpful when they were asked for directions two blocks from the Capitol building until the noticed a rifle in a man’s car.

Friday Christopher Shelton Timmons, 27, was arrested with carrying a deadly weapon, having an unregistered firearm and having unregistered ammunition after he asked directions to the Capitol Building.

Timmons appears to have come armed to the gills; police found a grenade, a pistol, ammunition, loaded magazines “and several other items of concern to the police” when they searched his Jeep Cherokee.

This is not the first time Timmons has been in trouble for carrying a concealed weapon. In March he served a month for that offense in Albemarle County, Virginia. At that time Timmons was packing two grenades with the pins removed.

An adhesive on top kept those weapons, filled with powder, from exploding. They had a firecracker as a fuse.

A similar device was in the jeep when police searched it on Friday. That device is now at the FBI facility in Quantico, Virginia.

Jilted Boyfriend Camping Outside Convent To Win Back Heart Of Old Girlfriend

When Patrizia Masoero, 21, dumped Daniel Briatore, 21, she made sure that going back to him would not happen. She joined a nunnery. Briatore is now camping outside the gates to win her back.

Nine months ago Patrizia took religious vows at the Franciscan convent at Montecassino Abbey, south of Rome.

The heartbroken man has put a banner on the walls reading: “I didn’t want to take you away, just talk to you, because I love you” after she refused to talk to him. The banner was quickly removed by the nuns.

Local villagers have decided to back Daniel and his quest to do whatever he has to to re-win the love of his life’s heart back.

The couple had been together for several years before Patrizia told her family that she was leaving Daniel for the life of religion.

A nun who answered the telephone at the convent told the Telegraph:”Our sister has chosen the path she wants, there is no point in him staying here.

“At the moment she isn’t even here, she is in Rome on a pilgrimage with her fellow sisters and is due back here at the convent this weekend – we just want all this attention to go away.

“We took the banner down but now the whole place is swarming with TV crews and photographers when I tried to leave the convent it was impossible because i had microphones and cameras pushed into me.”

Leader Of San Francisco Hell’s Angel Shot Down On The Street

Leader of the Hell’s Angels in San Francisco was shot down in the street Tuesday night. The suspect who had been fighting prior to the shooting fled on a motorcycle.

No arrests have been made by the San Francisco Police Department who are investigating.

The NY Daily News reports:

“It is an open and active investigation at this point,” says San Francisco Police Department Sgt. Wilfred Williams.

“There was a description of a suspect fleeing the scene, and though we have no strong leads right now, we are dealing with what we have and continuing to follow it.”

45-year-old Guardado was the president of the famed motorcycle club. The club is often the target investigations being carried out by law enforcement.

‘Loving Gesture’ Church Sign Angers Some In Ohio

A church in Blacklick, Ohio let their town know how they felt about Katy Perry’s video “I Kissed A Girl” this week with a church sign stating: “I Kissed A Girl, And I Liked It, Then I Went To Hell.”

The sign is now gone from the Havens Corners Church, 6696 Havens Corner Road but the controversially lingers on.

Pastor David Allison denies that the sign was put up to draw attention to the church as NBC 4 reports:

“We didn’t intend to get into all this, but it’s become a bigger thing,” Allison said.

The pastor says that the video is so suggestive that it borders on pornography and that is a concern to him.

Allison thought the sign would be a “loving” way to remind teens that the Bible has a negative stand when it comes to homosexuality.

The sign went down on Thursday. Allison says removing the sign had nothing to do with the outrage that it spurned, including the viewer who alerted the news station with the caption “Worst Church Sign Ever.”

Allison says that his reason for removing the sign stems from the fact many were unaware of the song.

Equality Ohio was not impressed with the Pastor’s ‘loving’ gesture.

“It was a little jaw-dropping. But it happens and we want people to know there are more than 300 welcoming and affirming churches across Ohio,” said Kim Welter, of Equality Ohio.

Allison says that those who are homosexual will be welcomed into his church. They will however hear that who they are is a sin.

FDA Publishes Potential Risk Drug List Viewable By The General Public

The Federal Drug Administration has posted a list of prescription drugs that are possible safety risks and under investigation. This has been done in an effort to not only inform doctors of risks but also the general population.

The list is new in the fact that it is alerting the public to drugs that they may be taking that have a potential risk they were unaware of. In the past only doctors were notified.

Even if you see your medication on the list don’t assume you have to stop taking the drug. Instead notify your doctor on what is the best course of action.

As Yahoo reports:

“My message to patients is this: Don’t stop taking your medicine,” said Dr. Janet Woodcock, who heads the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “If your doctor has prescribed a drug that appears on this list, you should continue taking it unless your doctor advises you differently.”

The List:

January – March 2008

Arginine Hydrochloride Injection (R-Gene 10) Pediatric overdose due to labeling / packaging confusion

Desflurane (Suprane) Cardiac arrest

Duloxetine (Cymbalta) Urinary retention

Etravirine (Intelence) Hemarthrosis

Fluorouracil Cream (Carac) and Ketoconazole Cream (Kuric) Adverse events due to name confusion

Heparin Anaphylactic-type reactions

Icodextrin (Extraneal) Hypoglycemia

Insulin U-500 (Humulin R) Dosing confusion

Ivermectin (Stromectol) and Warfarin Drug interaction

Lapatinib (Tykerb) Hepatotoxicity

Lenalidomide (Revlimid) Stevens Johnson Syndrome

Natalizumab (Tysabri) Skin melanomas

Nitroglycerin (Nitrostat) Overdose due to labeling confusion

Octreotide Acetate Depot (Sandostatin LAR) Ileus

Oxycodone Hydrochloride Controlled-Release (Oxycontin) Drug misuse, abuse and overdose

Perflutren Lipid Microsphere (Definity) Cardiopulmonary reactions

Phenytoin Injection (Dilantin) Purple Glove Syndrome

Quetiapine (Seroquel) Overdose due to sample pack labeling confusion

Telbivudine (Tyzeka) Peripheral neuropathy

Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Blockers Cancers in children and young adults

The list is to be updated each quarter.

Palin And Special Needs Education

In Sarah Palin’s speech she pledged to make America a more welcoming place for children with special needs. Parents in Alaska may just have had a fit when she said that. Funding in Alaska has been slashed by 62% since she got in office.

Palin: “To the families of special-needs children all across this country, I have a message: For years, you sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters. I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House.”

So how are the special needs students in Alaska faring? If you look at the school system in Alaska the answer is not well. Alaska has the lowest rate of high school completion in the nation. In the town that Palin was mayor, Wasilla, the average student makes it to the 10th grade before dropping out. That makes Palin unusual, she went to university.

We already know that she has cut funding for teen moms in her state. She also has cut sex education programs.

What has she done that was for the good in terms of education? One she raised per student funding by $100.00 to the current $5,380. The national average of $8,973. Still that’s $100 less than what educators had been asking for.

Quietly in March 2008 Palin signed the biggest rewrite of the state’s education funding system in a decade.

In the next five years an extra $180 million will be going to school districts.

Like George Bush’s Texas, homeschooling is considered the way to go in Alaska if you want an educated child. It’s something that Palin knows about since her own children are enrolled in that venue.

Now to be fair Alaska has a very small population compared to the mainland. But does her record stand up for what you want for your children?

Opinion: Sarah Palin Says Democrats Are Lying About Her

Sarah Palin is accusing the Democrats of spreading misinformation and lies about her and her family. Well Hon, welcome to the world of big time politics. What goes around comes around.

Oh wait, even her spokeswoman says Obama isn’t the one doing it. No, that top dog Dem is actually being kind of supportive of her.

Palin spokeswoman Maria Comella said: “We appreciate the fact that he came out and condemned this kind of personal attack.” Asked whether Palin thought Obama or his running mate, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, were personally responsible for the attacks mentioned in the letter, Comella said, “No.”

Could it be the media? Could these lies and rumours have any truth in them? Could this possibly be a whine? Gee, Sarah isn’t that what you were blasting Hillary for when she was running for President?

Now Obama has raised questions about your qualifications to handle the job.

Let me get this straight. It’s okay for you to ask those questions and yet when the kettle you called black asks the same ones you get all riled up. Uh- oh. Honey, that sounds a little like a whine. Remember we don’t like whiners. Whining women take feminism back steps.

Oh wait, who said that? Oops, sorry Sarah I don’t want to toss your words back at you in reverse. That may come out like a bit of misinformation.

Honey, this is the big leagues. The press and Washington, D.C. don’t play nice. They never have. If you have stinky laundry it’s going to come out and not with spray and wash. If there’s a hint of a stain it’s going to be explored.

And Sarah, it’s kind of the American public’s right to know who and what you are. Because if your ticket wins, well you’re one of the top dogs that makes big decisions that will affect the population.

Pass Sarah a box of tissues please, i think she just may need them.

Could A Small Group Of Kenyan Hookers Be A Key To A HIV Vaccine

Canadian researchers have discovered unusual proteins that are in a small group of sex workers from Kenya. The prostitutes appear to be resistant to the HIV virus.

The discovery of these proteins could ultimately lead to an improved design of vaccines and drugs to treat the virus.

When researcher Adam Burgener and colleagues were studying 2,000 sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya they found that 140 of the women appeared to be resistant to the virus that has infected an estimated 40 million people worldwide.

There was some evidence that these women have certain biological factors in their vaginal fluid that plays a role in resisting the virus. It is not clear yet though as to the exact identity of what these substances are.

The researchers tested the vaginal fluids of the 2,000 women using a high-tech analytical method to compare differences among proteins. The 140 women that were HIV-resistant all had higher levels of proteins with anti-viral and anti-inflammatory actions.

Scientists believe that these proteins could be used as a base of new medications that could prevent infection.

Animator Bill Melendez Died Tuesday At The Age Of 91

The man who animated the “Peanuts” gang has passed away. Bill Melendez died Tuesday at the age of 91 at St. John’s Health Center in California from natural causes.

The native Mexican started his career in 1938 when he was hired by Walt Disney Studios. There he worked on Mickey Mouse cartoons and animated features including “Pinocchio” and “Fantasia.”

He went on to become an animator for TV specials such as “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Melendez was born in 1916 in Hermosillo, Mexico. His family moved to Arizona in 1928. In the 1930’s Melendez moved to Los Angeles to attend Chouinard Art Institute.

Melendez’s wife Helen survives him. He also leaves behind sons Steven Melendez and (Ret.) Navy Rear Adm. Rodrigo Melendez, six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

E-Mail Screw Up Shows The Prep Staging Of A Company About To Do A Major Layoff

It looks like media agency Carat made a big boo-boo when an e-mail meant for senior managers was sent around to the entire agency. The e-mail was an early announcement that a major restructuring of its U.S. operations and layoffs are planned.

The e-mail was a rare look into the way senior management runs in the face of prepping for layoffs. The e-mail told how employees would learn their fate and what should be said to those who remained. Also their what to tell vendors and clients were detailed. When the mistake was discovered the IT department pulled it back but not before a copy was obtained by Advertising Age.

Carat President Scott Sorokin depicted the coming moves as being in the best interest of the companies clients and was a response to “client needs.”

Sorokin nor a company spokeswoman would comment on if any disciplinary action would be forthcoming from this goof up.

Last week Aegis Group, the parent company of Carat, had indicated that layoffs were coming. At that time the scope of the terminations were not revealed.

The e-mail also did not reveal the names of those to be let go. It did however state that the buying team in New York was to be consolidated and those announcements were go out later this month. The offices affected will be New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The agency has recently lost accounts for Hyundai and New Line Cinema.

One of the scripts for the layoffs is as follows:

“If you would like to go home today and come back tomorrow to clean out your desk or office, you are free to do so. We would like you to meet with your manager following our meeting to transition your work. We will be communicating to your team today. Your manager will be contacting clients. We ask that you do not contact your clients to discuss this situation.”

The proposed script for clients:

“Mary Smith will be moving off your business. Now that we understand your business better, we are replacing her with someone whom we feel will be a better partner for you.” The document offered an alternative for times when the “staffing change” affected a longer-standing relationship with the client: “Mary Smith will not (sic) longer be working on your business. In order to serve you better and provide greater innovation we have made a staffing change to your business.”

The inside look of how layoff preparations take place is interesting. Still, those with the company are sure to be wondering if they will be among the ones given a pink slip when the axe falls.

Taliban Claims Credit For Today’s Attempted Assassination On Yousuf Gilani

Today’s assassination attempt on Yousuf Gilani, Pakistan’s prime minister has been claimed by the Pakistani Taliban. The group has said that they will continue these attacks on governmental officials and installations.

Al Jazeera English is reporting that the Taliban is claiming credit on the sniper attack of the motorcade that services Gilani. Gilani’s son and Qamar Zaman Kaira, the federal minister for Kashmir and Northern affairs, were in the motorcade at the time of the attack.

There are now questions regarding the possibility of a lapse in security that lead to the attack.

Kamal Hyder, Al Jazeera’s correspondent, who was at the scene of the assassination attempt, said questions would be asked about the lack of security.

“The question is how the sniper was able to conceal himself and how he was able to make his escape,” he said.

“Reports suggest the sniper perched himself on a hilltop on the Islamabad highway from where he would have had a considerable vantage point on the convoy.”

Opinion: A Little Thing To Know About The Chrome Browser Before You Use It

Ready to use the new Google Chrome? If you are a writer, developer, musician or anyone who posts creative works beware. Post on Chrome and your work becomes part of the Google network. Fellows, Google isn’t going to pay you a dime for your genius.

It always pays to read the fine print. Tap The Hive reports:

11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the Services and may be revoked for certain Services as defined in the Additional Terms of those Services.

Let’s say you have an up and coming band. You use your new nifty Chrome Browser to upload a video of your new song to your own blog. Someone at Chrome (aka Google) sees that video and loves your song so much that they decide to use it for a promotional campaign. Don’t think you will get a royalty. They own the material. You already gave it to them.

Isn’t big business special? I thought you’d think so.

So boys and girls are you all ready to jump on the Chrome bandwagon now?

Opinion: Could McCain Be Using Bristol As A Means Of Avoiding Issues?

In light of the recent all consuming news over the fact that Sarah Palin’s daughter is in the family way and the fact that John McCain knew about before naming Palin as his VP candidate was this a ploy? McCain isn’t a dummy.

Smart move.

The issues aren’t the issue anymore.

The world loves a good scandal. It’s why tabloids do such a brisk business. Give us the dirt and we’ll come running. Palin sure has brought in a bit of dirt to this presidential campaign. Perhaps just in the nick of time.

The McCain-Palin team is not shying away from teenage pregnancy. It’s front and center. A teenage mother who is marrying the boy, pro-life all the way.

Is it the most important issue though for the United States?

While I was scanning the headlines it does appear to be. The issues are taking a back seat to a family situation. And for McCain that’s pretty good news. His girl is on the front of every paper. Is Obama’s team slings any trash that is going to make the American public side with poor little Bristol. Dang, McCain was a genius.

What’s more Bristol will be almost ready to pop out that baby right in time for the election. Wonderful news when it comes to gossip and headlines.

Some have questioned if Palin was properly vetted. The answer is for getting the focus off of what is really wrong with America she was superb.

So will it work? It will be interesting to see if little scandals that could be in any American home will keep the newspapers going until November. If they do, who cares about the issues. The dirty news will decide the vote.

E.Coli Outbreak Kills One In Oklahoma

An E. Coli outbreak has killed one in Oklahoma and sickened an additional 200 people. The Country Cottage restaurant in Locust Grove seems to be the link in this case.

Oklahoma state epidemiologist Dr. Kristy Bradley said that the exact source of contamination has not been pinpointed.

ABC News reports:

“The complexity of this outbreak and the necessity to be extremely thorough in our investigation means we still have more questions than answers,” she said.

The restaurant closed voluntarily more than a week ago. The state is currently testing serving surfaces at the Country Cottage. Interviews are also being conducted on those who have become ill.

The outbreak was first reported on August 25. As of Tuesday there have been 206 people reported ill, 53 of those are children.

Chad Ingle of Pryor died on August 24. His death has been blamed on the outbreak.

There has been criticism of health officials for not shutting the restaurant down after the first illnesses were reported on August 22.

Sheila Beaver’s 19-month-old daughter is one of the victims.

“Once there were so many people who were sick that had eaten at Country Cottage, I think they should have at least shut it down,” Beaver said. “When it’s people’s lives at stake, they should shut things down. This is a serious disease.”

Eight Men In Mexico Arrested For Tunneling To California

On Monday afternoon police arrested eight men who were digging a tunnel under the border of Mexico and the United States. The eight Mexican men were arrested at a home just two blocks south of Calexico, California.

In a scene that could be on the TV show “Weeds” the men had built a tunnel that featured air conditioning, light and an elevator at a home in Mexicali, Mexico..

KSWT reports:

The director of the Policia Estatal Preventiva, Juan Manuel Guillen gave a brief press conference. “We discovered a tunnel in which it’s diameter is one meter and a half. It’s 6 meters in depth, it measures 120 meters from the home to its end point. The tunnel was 60 meters from the border. We also found the tunnel had light, an elevator and it was air conditioned,” says Guillen.

A concerned citizen had called the police on Monday about suspicious activity at the home. When the police arrived they found the eight men busy tunneling towards the border. The police also found a 38 special revolver, digging tools and a F-350 truck that appears to have been used in carting away the piles of dirt.

The men arrested ranged in age from 27 to 52. They are from Sinaloa and Guadalajara.

The home was sold several months ago to Carlos Silva Lepe. It isn’t clear if the police have yet to be in contact with him.

Gilberto Llorenz who still lives in the neighbourhood once owned the house.

“My conscious is clear…but it’s worry some that my children have to see this, when the property we sold we never know who the owner was and we never saw people at the house,” says Gilberto Llorenz.

The Mexican Federal Police (Procuraduría General de la República ) are investigating the case. The eight men remain behind bars.

Singer, Songwriter, Actor Jerry Reed Dead At 71

Jerry Reed has died from complications from emphysema at 71. The country singer rose to fame as the good old boy side kick of Burt Reynolds in “Smokey and the Bandit.”

As a singer Reed had several hits during the 1970’s and early 1980’s. Most of his songs were of the South like the good ol’ boy that he was. I grew up in a house where “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot,” “East Bound and Down” and “The Bird” played on the radio.

Reed took that good ol’ boy role to the silver screen with friend Burt Reynolds in “Smokey and the Bandit.” He also acted in “Gator” and the Adam Sandler film “The Waterboy.”

Jerry Reed was born in Atlanta. At the age of eight his mother bought him a $2 guitar and showed him how to play a G-chord. From there young Reed taught himself the rest of the chords.

Young Reed had a troubled childhood growing up in foster homes and orphanages after his parents separated for his first 7 years of life. He was reunited with his mother and step-father at the age of seven.

He never finished high school, dropping out to tour with Ernest Tubb and Faron Young. Capitol Records signed in at the age of 17.

In the mid-1960’s he moved to Nashville. During this time he was known as a songwriter, penning for the likes of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Nat King Cole.

In 1970 he was voted instrumentalist of the year by the Country Music Association. He also won a Grammy shared with Chet Atkins for their collaboration, “Me and Jerry.” The next year he won a Grammy Award for the song “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot.” The Atkins and Reed team won again in 1992 for “Sneakin’ Around.”

Reed performed throughout the 1990’s with about 80 shows a year.

In a 1998 interview with The Tennessean, he admitted that his acting ability was questionable.

“I used to watch people like Richard Burton and Mel Gibson and think, ‘I could never do that.’

“When people ask me what my motivation is, I have a simple answer: Money.”

Reed leaves behind wife Priscilla Mitchell, who he married in 1959 and their two daughters Charlotte Elaine “Lottie” Reed Stewart, and Seidina Ann Reed Hinesley, born April 2, 1960.

Police Now Say Christopher Foster Staged The Murder Of His Family And Himself

Police are now saying that millionaire Christopher Foster killed his wife and daughter before turning the gun on his own self. Within an hour Foster last Tuesday killed everyone that resided at Osbaston House, the family’s mansion a week ago today.

Police were able to piece together the time line of the crime by watching footage from security cameras located on the property located in Maesbrook, England.

Foster made sure that help would not arrive in time by shooting out the tires on the front gates.

Foster’s company Ulva Ltd. had collapsed. It is thought that that caused a breakdown in the man. Instead of allowing creditors to take his home he attempted to destroy it and everything in it.

Earlier in the day no one would have guessed that Foster could have killed his family. He, wife Jill and daughter Kirstie, 15, had enjoyed a barbecue at a friend’s home. When they arrived home Kirstie spent time chatting to friends on-line before she went to bed around the same time her mother did.

Foster though is thought have stayed awake upset about his company’s failure.

In the middle of the night, around 4 a.m. Foster took his .22 calibre rifle and shot both his wife and daughter. He then went to the stables killing the family’s three horses and four dogs. He positioned the horsebox across the gates before spraying gas around the stables and outbuildings. After he set fire to those buildings with gun in hand Foster returned to his house.

Foster then set fire to the house. By around 4:45 a.m. Foster was finished, ending his life with a bullet.

At 4:50 a.m. neighbours begun to call for help hearing the family’s cars explode.

Foster and his wife were the first to be found last Friday. They have both been formally identified using dental records.

On Sunday another body was found in the charred home. That body is suspected to be Kirstie’s although it has yet to be formally identified.

Bailiffs were due to arrive at the home on August 26. It is believed they had planned on repossessing it.

Foster left behind no suicide note, or if he did it has yet to be found.

Seven-Year-old Takes Four Viagra A Day To Stay Alive

Four-year-old Natalie Archibald collapsed two years ago Christmas Day. At first medics thought the child, now seven was over excited. Sadly it was much worse. She was suffering from primary pulmonary hypertension.

Natalie was treated for the lung condition at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. The child now takes four Viagra a day.

The transformation after treatment with the drug more commonly used for treating male impotence is amazing.

Natalie’s mother Janis spoke to the Telegraph about her daughter’s unusual treatment.

She added: “I’ve never seen her so happy. She can run, jump, skip, all the things her friends do. We have a wheelchair for her if she gets exhausted, but we’ve never had to use it, and I hope she grows out of it before we need to.”

The condition primary pulmonary hypertension is a progressive disorder that causes high blood pressure that affects the lung’s artries. It is rarely seen in children.

Bristol Palin Is Pregnant, Trig Is Sarah’s Son

Some of the rumours may have a foundation about Sarah Palin’s daughter. The Republican vice presidential candidate has just announced that her seventeen year old daughter is indeed pregnant but she is the mother of four month old Trig.

Bristol Palin is five months pregnant. She is keeping the baby and marrying the father.

Yahoo reports:

“We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us,” the Palins’ statement said.

“Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support,” the Palins said.

The Palin’s are asking the media to respect the young couple’s privacy on the matter.

McCain is reported to have known about Bristol Palin last week.

Georgia Admits it Dropped Cluster Bombs in Ongoing Fight With Russia

Georgia has now admitted to dropping cluster bombs that killed at least 11 civilians and injured dozens. Human Rights Watch says that the bombing took place in populated areas.

Human Rights Watch said that a letter from the Georgian defense ministry admitted that M85 cluster bombs were used near the Roki tunnel. The tunnel connects South Ossetia with Russia.

The group based out of New York also alleges that Russia used cluster bombs.

Russia is one of the nations that did not sign on the recent ban of using this type of weapon. 100 other nations have signed on pledging to rid their nations of the deadly ammo.

“Cluster bombs are indiscriminate killers that most nations have agreed to outlaw. Russia’s use of this weapon is not only deadly to civilians, but also an insult to international efforts to avoid a global humanitarian disaster of the kind caused by landmines,” Marc Garlasco, a senior military analyst at Human Rights Watch, said recently.

Some Scientists Fear The End Of The World Could Begin In Nine Days

In nine days the Large Hadron Collider will be switched on. Some scientists fear that will be the end of the world. They believe that the world’s biggest experiment will create a black hole and swallow the Earth.

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has cost 4.4 billion pounds. When it is turned on it could unlock the secrets behind the Big Bang or just give the globe a huge bye-bye.

The LHC’s goal is to smash sub-atomic particles together at close to the speed of light. It’s believed that this could for a fraction of a second recreate the conditions that existed after the birth of the universe.

The LHC i housed 300 foot beneath the French-Swiss border near Geneva at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, or CERN. It is there in nine days that the experiment will begin unless critics get their way in stopping it.

The concern is that by recreating the Big Bang mini black holes will also be created. Within just four years those mini black holes could swell big enough to suck the Earth inside out. These critics claim that the experiments are a direct violation of the right to life under the European Convention of Human Rights. The European Court of Human Rights is not expected to delay the experiment.

Professor Rossler, a German chemist, said that CERN has admitted that the project will create black holes. These black holes are not being considered to be a risk.

As the Daily Mail reports:

Rossler warned: ‘My own calculations have shown it is quite plausible that these little black holes survive and will grow exponentially and eat the planet from the inside. I have been calling for CERN to hold a safety conference to prove my conclusions wrong but they have not been willing.’

CERN says that large particle colliders have been around for 30 years. If there was a danger they would have already happened.

He told the Sunday Telegraph: ‘The Large Hadron Collider will not be producing anything that does not happen routinely in nature due to cosmic rays. If they were dangerous we would know about it already.’

So will the experiment be a Big Bang or a Black Hole Maker? Only the future knows that answer.