Wednesday, June 28, 2006
FT.com / World - House vote lifts India nuclear deal hopes
The Bush administration scored a key victory in securing congressional support for its historic agreement to allow civil nuclear co-operation with India when the House foreign relations committee voted 37 to five on Tuesday to allow it to proceed with legislation.
The vote came after months of negotiations between administration officials and legislators. The agreement had triggered fears that it could undermine the nuclear non-proliferation pact and had caused discontent that Congress had been side-stepped in the way that Bush officials chose to negotiate the deal with India.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
U.S. should destroy N. Korean missile
A successful launch would embolden our foe and spur creation of more missiles capable of nuclear strikes on us
The last time North Korea tested such a missile, in 1998, the firing sent a shock wave around the world, but especially in the United States and Japan, both of which North Korea regards as archenemies. The United States and Japan recognized immediately that a missile of this type makes no sense as a weapon unless it is intended for delivery of a nuclear warhead. [read more]
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Monday, June 26, 2006
'Mind-reading' computers next | Business Breaking News | Breaking News 24/7 - NEWS.com.au (26-06-2006)
A RAISED eyebrow, quizzical look or a nod of the head are just a few of the facial expressions computers could soon be using to guess people's minds.An "emotionally aware" computer being developed by British and US scientists will be able to estimate an individual's thoughts by analysing a combination of facial movements that represent underlying feelings.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Star-Telegram | 06/25/2006 | Dude, where's my superhero?
Dude, where's my superhero?
'Superman Returns' to theaters this week. But will the Man of Steel fly with teens, tweens and 20-somethings, or will they avoid him like kryptonite?
David James
Friday, June 23, 2006
The Michigan teen who flew to the Mideast in hopes of meeting a guy she found on the Internet insists she'll marry him.
Katherine Lester, who turned 17 this week, was found in Jordan earlier this month and sent home. She was planning to be with a 20-year-old high school dropout who lives with his parents in the West Bank and works as a delivery man.
Lester appeared on A-B-C today, along with a tape of the young man insisting they "can't live without each other." That prompted Lester to get teary-eyed and declare her love.
The pair hooked up on the Web site My Space-dot-com. They never did meet, but have since resumed chatting online.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
US authorities have arrested seven people suspected of planning attacks on FBI offices and Chicago's Sears Tower, the nation's tallest building.
A law enforcement source said the suspects, mostly Americans and thought to be Muslims, were caught in a sting operation focused on a Miami warehouse. The suspects had thought they were dealing with al-Qaeda but had been infiltrated and tricked by a US Government informant.
"In the past couple of days the US Government has taken into custody seven people who were conspiring to conduct jihad in the United States," the source said.
The source also said the suspects had been trying to buy weapons and other equipment needed to carry out attacks. [read more]
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
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The incident happened just hours after grieving and angry Palestinians buried three children killed in a botched attack the day before.
The attack has sparked a debate in Israel as to the effectiveness of air strikes that target militants but are taking a mounting toll on innocent Palestinians. [read more]
Published: Wednesday, June 21, 2006
zaman.com
The European Union called on North Korea to suspend all long range missile testing.
“We must say that what they are trying to do ... will have consequences,” EU foreign and security affairs chief Javier Solana said in Vienna, where Bush was meeting with European officials.
Solana also said the international community must be firm with North Korea and persuade it to cancel apparent plans for test firing a long-range ballistic missile believed capable of reaching United States territory; a threat that preoccupied Bush during the talks.
The issue was not on the agenda, but officials said it could be discussed.
North Korea had informed the United States that it was prepared to discuss with them the long range missile it is readying for testing.
My Comments and Doubts: (1) How can Bush discuss anything with a nation he has included in 'axis of evil'? (2) What does North Korea want? American funds? Money to keep quiet? Money to become a slave of United States? Or money to make more weapons? (3) When will US define the abstraction 'axis of evil'? A definition has to be concrete and not abstract.
Dressed in chic black attire and face covered with a trendy mask, he runs like the wind, leaps over treetops and skyscrapers and fights evil forces with the help of his supernatural powers. He is Bollywood's very own superhero, in the film Krrish which will hit Indian screens a week before Hollywood's Superman Returns makes its debut. | ||
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
As they began the closing phase of an often-troubled trial, Iraqi prosecutors Monday called for death sentences against Saddam Hussein and three former aides for crimes against humanity that "spread corruption on earth and where not even the trees escape their oppression."
Chief Judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman held firm control of a court that has sunk into disarray and farce at times during the eight months it has heard the case of Dujail, where 148 people were killed after a 1982 assassination attempt against Mr. Hussein. [read more]
3 U.S. Soldiers Charged With Murder
The U.S. Army has charged three soldiers in connection with the murders of three Iraqi men who were in military custody in Iraq in early May, the military said Monday.The Multinational Corps-Iraq said three members of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division have been charged in connection with the deaths of three male detainees during an operation near Thar Thar Canal in southern Salahuddin province on May 9. [read more]
KFC's Big Fat Problem
In the latest salvo against fast-food chains, KFC is being sued for frying its chicken in cooking oils that contain trans fats, which can contribute to heart disease and diabetes. Here's the skinny on the fat fight:Why doesn't KFC use a healthier oil? Like most fast-food chains, KFC cooks with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, which doesn't turn rancid as quickly as healthier, nonhydrogenated oils. "Extra crispy" chicken may also taste better when fried in this oil. "The flavor is crunchier, and you don't get that feeling of fat coating your mouth," says Ted Labuza, a food scientist at the University of Minnesota. But the oil does have dangerous trans-fatty acids. [read similar]
Monday, June 19, 2006
Books - Best-Seller Lists - New York Times
HARDCOVER FICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. THE HUSBAND, by Dean Koontz
2. BEACH ROAD, by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge
3. AT RISK, by Patricia Cornwell
4. THE RAPTURE, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
5. THE BOOK OF THE DEAD, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Complete Hardcover Fiction List »
HARDCOVER NONFICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. GODLESS, by Ann Coulter
2. DISPATCHES FROM THE EDGE, by Anderson Cooper
3. WISDOM OF OUR FATHERS, by Tim Russert
4. MARLEY & ME, by John Grogan
5. THE WORLD IS FLAT, by Thomas L. Friedman
Complete Hardcover Nonfiction List »
HARDCOVER ADVICE
Top 5 at a Glance
1. CESAR'S WAY, by Cesar Millan with Melissa Jo Peltier
2. THE ALPHABET OF MANLINESS, by Maddox
3. LIES AT THE ALTAR, by Robin L. Smith
4. YOUR BEST LIFE NOW, by Joel Osteen
5. THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE, by Rick Warren
Complete Hardcover Advice List »
CHILDREN'S BOOKS
Top 5 at a Glance
1. PIRATES, by John Matthews
2. OWEN AND MZEE, by Isabella and Craig Hatkoff with Paula Kahumbus
3. ENCYCLOPEDIA PREHISTORICA: SHARKS AND OTHER SEA MONSTERS, by Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart
4. FANCY NANCY, by Jane O'Connor
5. LILLY'S BIG DAY, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes
All Children's Books Lists »
PAPERBACK FICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. THE DA VINCI CODE, by Dan Brown
2. 4TH OF JULY, by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
3. BLUE SMOKE, by Nora Roberts
4. THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, by Lauren Weisberger
5. BLACK WIND, by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler
Complete Paperback Fiction List »
PAPERBACK NONFICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. NIGHT, by Elie Wiesel
2. AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, by Al Gore
3. IN COLD BLOOD, by Truman Capote
4. THE TIPPING POINT, by Malcolm Gladwell
5. THE GLASS CASTLE, by Jeannette Walls
Complete Paperback Nonfiction List »
PAPERBACK ADVICE
Top 5 at a Glance
1. RICH DAD, POOR DAD, by Robert T. Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter
2. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING, by Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg and Sandee Hathaway
3. SOUL MIND BODY MEDICINE, by Zhi Gang Sha
4. EXPRESS LANE MEALS, by Rachael Ray
5. THE SOUTH BEACH DIET, by Arthur Agatston
North Korea has apparently finished loading fuel into a long-range ballistic missile, Bush administration officials said today as signs continued that the reclusive communist state will soon test a weapon that could reach the US.
US intelligence indicates that the long-range missile, believed to be a Taepodong-2, is assembled and fully fuelled, said two officials. [read more]
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Microsoft is laying the groundwork to compete against Apple's iPod and iTunes service, sources familiar with the discussions and plans said on Friday.
Microsoft has held licensing discussions with the music industry to create its own music service, they said.
The developer of software that runs most of the world's PCs is also demonstrating an entertainment device that plays videos and music, the sources said. It is unclear when Microsoft plans to launch, they said.
Itunes anxiety: European competition officials are wary of proposals to crack open Apple's iTunes web store to other music players, despite concerns shown by consumer advocates. The French parliament is debating a new copyright bill that would require Apple to permit iTunes music to play on devices other than its iPod. [read more]
Friday, June 16, 2006
REDMOND, Wash.--Bill Gates leaves some pretty big shoes to fill.
Think of Ray Ozzie as the left shoe and Craig Mundie as the right one.
As Gates announced his plans Thursday to begin the process that will see him eventually cease full-time work at Microsoft, he also announced that he was dividing much of his technical leadership responsibility among the two software veterans, both of whom have been serving as chief technical officers. [read more]
N.Y. OKs $1.6B in Bonds for 3 WTC Towers
NEW YORK -- A state agency on Wednesday approved using $1.6 billion in tax-exempt bonds to build three office towers at the World Trade Center site.
The Empire State Development Corp. approved use of the Liberty Bonds for towers that are under private developer Larry Silverstein's control. Silverstein retained control of those towers after his lease was renegotiated earlier this year. [read more]
Thursday, June 15, 2006
June 15 (Bloomberg) -- The military death toll in Iraq has reached 2,500, a U.S. Defense Department spokesman said.
The number of U.S. military personnel killed in action in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion was 1,972 as of 9 a.m. today New York time, Army Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Martin said. Including members of the U.S. military who have died from other causes, such illness or accidents, the total death toll is 2,500, Martin said. [read more]
Coffee defends liver against booze | The Register
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
I was kicked after being shot, says terror raid Muslim
A young Muslim shot by police during a dawn terror raid on a suspected bomb factory in east London broke down today as he described the moment anti-terrorist officers stormed his house. [read more]
iTWire - Yahoo email worm can infect without clicking attachments
Security vendor Symantec has identified a new JavaScript worm that exploits an unpatched vulnerability in Yahoo!'s web-based e-mail program. The worm can infect users' machines merely by opening a rogue email message - users do not even have to open an attachment for their system to get infected.
Monday, June 12, 2006
cbs4.com - Zarqawi's Replacement Named
Al Qaeda in Iraq announced in a Web statement posted Monday that a militant named Abu Hamza al-Muhajer was appointed the group's new leader to succeed the slain Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. His real name was not immediately known. The name al-Muhajer, Arabic for "immigrant," suggested he was not Iraqi.
Zarqawi's Replacement Named
Al Qaeda in Iraq announced in a Web statement posted Monday that a militant named Abu Hamza al-Muhajer was appointed the group's new leader to succeed the slain Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
His real name was not immediately known. The name al-Muhajer, Arabic for "immigrant," suggested he was not Iraqi. [read more]
In Search
Of The Big Bang
What is Crack Cocaine?
Cocaine is an alkaloid found in leaves of the South American shrub Erythroxylon coca. It is a powerfully reinforcing psychostimulant. The drug induces a sense of exhilaration in the user primarily by blocking the reuptake of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the midbrain. If the predictions of The Hedonistic Imperative are vindicated, then future millennia will witness what Robert Anton Wilson once called "hedonic engineering". Mature enhancements of currently drug-induced states of euphoria will be transformed into a absolute presupposition of sentient existence. Life-long happiness will be genetically pre-programmed. "Peak experiences" will become a natural part of everyday mental health. Cocaine, alas, offers only a tragically delusive short-cut. [read more]
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Politics, Entertainment and Art
After asking tennis pinup Sania Mirza to get rid of her signature T-shirts and short skirts, Muslim clerics in Hyderabad have turned their attention to the National Song Vande Mataram.
They have issued a fatwa (religious edict) against the Song, and have asked Muslim parents inthe city not to send their children to schools where they are required to recite the Bankim Chandra Chatterjee composition. [read more]
'Cars' Pushes Limits of Computer Animation
A talented young race car learns what is important in life when he gets stuck in a small town in the new feature from Pixar, the animation studio with a history of family hits including Toy Story, Monsters, Incorporated and Finding Nemo. Alan Silverman spoke with director John Lasseter and his star-studded voice cast for this look at Cars, a film in which all the characters are Cars. [read more]
Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House must be one of the most recognisable images of the modern world - up there with the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building - and one of the most photographed.
Not only is it recognisable, it has come to represent 'Australia'.
Although only having been open since 1973, it is as representative of Australia as the pyramids are of Egypt and the Coliseum of Rome.
The Opera House is situated on Bennelong Point, which reaches out into the harbour. The skyline of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the blue water of the harbour and the Sydney Opera House, viewed from a ferry or from the air, is dramatic and unforgettable. [read more]
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Teen sneaks to Mideast to meet MySpace palDETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- A 16-year-old girl who flew to the Middle East to see a man she met on MySpace.com was detained in Jordan and was headed home Friday, an FBI spokesman said. [read more] | ||
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He confesses to having murdered 16 people over the years. He wears his filthy attire around his village in the Indian state of Bihar as a way of atoning for his criminal past. Sharma, better known now as Dayasagar (Ocean of Pity), has been out on bail for the past two years. | ||
Take Mohammad Shahabuddin, an MP of the state's ruling Rastriya Janata Dal party, an ally of the Congress Party. He is running his election campaign from a hospital-turned-prison in the dusty town of Siwan, the constituency he is defending. | |||
Friday, June 09, 2006
Sears Tower
Sears Tower stands tall, over 1700ft aloft, overlooking the west side of Chicago's downtown Loop. Clad in bronze-tinted glass and stainless aluminum, rising with determination yet elegance from the depths of its grand foundations to the tips of its massive spires, luring tourists in daze, housing a workforce of thousands, Sears Tower represents an era in Chicago of optimism and opportunity that will not be forgotten. [read more]
How Zarqawi was found and killed
Zarqawi's body was identified by fingerprints and bodily featuresA man described as Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's "spiritual adviser" inadvertently led US forces to the spot where the militant leader was finally located and killed, the US military says. [read more]
Iran Starts 2nd Round of EnrichmentThe IAEA says the uranium processing began the day six nations offered Tehran economic incentives to give up nuclear activity.
By Alissa J. Rubin, Times Staff Writer [read]
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Washington's Failed War in Afghanistan
By Elan Journo
Unlike the seemingly endless war in Iraq, America's campaign in Afghanistan is widely considered a success in the "war on terror." We have nothing more to fear from Afghanistan, our policy makers tell us, because the war accomplished its two main goals: al Qaeda and its sponsoring regime, the Taliban, are long gone, and the country has a new, pro-Western government. But as the daily news from Afghanistan shows, in reality the war has been a drastic failure. [read more]
Copyrights reserved for Ayn Rand Institute
Apples and Sardars
June 6, 2006 1:55PM
So far, there is no news of any other famous rock bands planning to partner with Apple on cobranded iPods. "I think that this U2 iPod is probably a one-off, but Apple may do one more at some point in the future," said Van Baker, Gartner's vice president of research for the media industry. [read more]
NEW DELHI: Committing itself to help in economic reconstruction and political stabilisation of Nepal, India has decided to provide a grant of Rs 100 crore to the neighbouring country to meet its immediate needs and expressed willingness to resume military aid if sought.After talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his [read more]
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
News
Proposals from world powers to end a nuclear stand-off have "positive steps" and "ambiguities", Iran says. read more (click here)
IBM Plans Big Investment in India
Computer giant IBM will invest nearly $6bn in India over three years, the company chairman announces. read more (click here)
CNN.com QUICKVOTE
Do you think something bad will happen on 6-6-06?
Yes
8%
3587 votes
No
92%
40688 votes
Total: 44275 votes
These were the results at 6:21 pm IST
Facts About AIDS
Dear Friends!!!
It’s good to be well informed about HIV. There was a story some time before where it is said that a boy got infected by HIV virus by eating pani-puri. And there have also been rumors where people are affected by the HIV virus when they got pricked by an HIV infected needle in theaters which is rubbish.
The mail below is by a Brand Manager (Product Manager) handling anti HIV/AIDS portfolio (called as Antiretroviral Drugs) in Ranbaxy.
Dear colleagues,
I have seen this below mentioned mail floating across group email & I feel its my moral responsibility to correct all misconceptions regarding HIV / AIDS. I can do this because I am educated enough to comment on this. Please read following points carefully & don't send such emails related to medical ailments without having complete knowledge about it (even partial knowledge could be grossly dangerous).
* HIV (virus) requires *ONLY* *Blood or Semen* as medium to transmit from one body to another *
HIV *can not* transmit even through *Saliva* (mucous) i.e. even if HIV-infected patient coughs and another person is exposed to his sputum (cough), the virus still can not transmit because concentration of virus particles in sputum is almost NIL & exposure to air anyway kills virus in fraction of seconds *
In case HIV-infected person got an injury (like the cut in below mentioned story) and he is bleeding, the virus can transmit to another person only if another person has a cut/wound in his body & that too when *blood from both person comes in contact with each other* (this is also very very rare unless bleeding is very high) and not otherwise *
HIV can *never survive in any other liquid* medium also other than blood or semen (& please for God sake ... never in Pani Puri wala pani) *
Even if one drinks an HIV infected blood (or semen) of someone (ingest through Gastro Intestinal track), the virus *can not survive in the acidic pH of stomach*. Highest extent of acidity is 0 (practically not possible) so imagine 1 as pH which is in our stomach. (This pH can burn your own finger in less than a second if you dip in that acid). *
*Exposure of less than 1 second in AIR KILLS the HIV virus* (hence story of needle pricks in Cinema theatres is a crap). Even if blood from a wound (of infected person) dries up (*blood clot*), *the virus dies* and can not infect anyone else *
HIV transmission is *ONLY* an *INFECTION* i.e. entrance of virus in one's body. It *DOES NOT MEAN AIDS*. *
An HIV-infected person (after entrance of virus) can progress to condition of AIDS only after *8 to 10 YEARS *(not in 15 days as in below mentioned story) *
It is *not HIV (virus) that kills a human* ... the virus attacks immune cells (cells that fight against foreign pathogens/antigens) and hence a person's ability to fight against infections & diseases slowly diminishes and person ultimately dies of a disease which could be as simple as TB *
Most importantly, HIV is no longer dreadful disease ... it is "*CHRONIC MANAGEABLE DISEASE*" just like Diabetes or Hypertension. If there is anything you need to be careful from to prevent HIV is *Unsafe sex*, *Blood transfusion* (check before taking) / Blood donation (use sterilized needles only) and any *blood contact during an accident *or so where amount of bleeding is very high.
*If anyone has anymore doubts or need clarifications, please feel free to talk to me but plleeeeeeeeezzzzzz don't pass such mails which will create only non-sense panic.*
*No offence to those who forwarded this mail as your intentions were great to alert people but dear, please clarify with a Dr or someone who has knowledge in that arena, before sending such alerts.*
