News and Opinions

Why Apple's iPhone is Not the Next iPod

2007-06-06T12:45:00.000-07:00

By Saabira Chaudhuri
Provided by FastCompany.com

It would take a pretty technologically insular personality to be oblivious of the fact that Apple's long awaited iPhone is to be released this month. Ever since the release of the iPod six years ago, Apple's best advertising has come free of charge. It's not surprising then that nowadays just about everyone seems to be talking about the company's latest creation.

http://www.wboc.com/Global/story.asp?S=6592658&nav=menu222_12_15_2

Perspectives : Tales from the Crypt, do we have the bones of Jesus

2007-03-01T10:16:00.000-08:00

The last week in February started out with an incredible announcement. James Cameron (director of the film Titanic) and Simcha Jacobovici announced that they have found the bones of Jesus ! At their news conference, they promoted their Discovery Channel special The Lost Tomb of Jesus that will air on March 4th and also promoted the book by Simcha Jacobovici and Charles Pellegrino entitled The Jesus Family Tomb : The Discovery, the Investigation, and the Evidence That Could Change History released by Harper-Collins.

The foundational claim is that they have discovered the family tomb of Jesus Christ. But is this really the tomb of Jesus or his family ? There are many good reasons to believe this tomb has no relationship at all to Jesus and his family. Many are asking what to think about these claims.

source: http://www.spcm.org/Journal/spip.php?article6981

Japan launches its fourth spy satellite

2007-02-25T10:32:00.000-08:00

TOKYO: Japan launched its fourth spy satellite on Saturday, improving its ability to monitor potential threats including North Korea, whose missile and nuclear tests have spooked the region.

Japan's spy satellite programme was initiated after North Korea launched a ballistic missile in 1998 that flew over Japan.

The programme was delayed in 2003 when a rocket carrying two satellites veered off course and had to be destroyed in a spectacular fireball.

http://dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1081785

What Happened to Osama?

2006-09-25T10:25:00.000-07:00

There was a news 'created' that Osama Bin Laden could well be dead now. Today when I opened Google News I found not even a single mention of that on it's home page. There wasn't even a mention that the news was faked by the French News paper.

This is not just the first time that we are seeing something like this. We have seen things coming up and dying down with nobody paying any attention to it. It's just a cheap gimmick played by som sections of media to gain popularity.

We as responsible citizens and educated human beings have the right to strike back. The least we can do is not to believe in anyting unless we see it with our own eyes or hear if from a source on which we can trust our life on. Isn't that simple? Is saves our ears from believing in rumors and also our mouth in spreading them.

But do we still know if the most wanted terrorist is alive or dead? Even if he is dead, the United States won't let us know. He is the reason it can use to keep itself in Afghanistan.

SportingNews.com Blogs

2006-09-05T13:08:00.000-07:00

SportingNews.com Blogs

Steve Irwin 1962-2006

Yeah, I'm a thrill seeker, but crikey, education's the most important thing. -Steve Irwin

True to his words, Steve Irwin sought thrills and in the process educated many. By now, most have heard of the passing of Steve Irwin at the age of 44. Best known by the moniker 'The Crocodile Hunter'; Irwin was not just a lover of snakes and reptiles. He was a lover of nature and all of wildlife's inhabitants.

I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity. -Gilda Radner

2006-08-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

Earth's moon could become a planet

Is the moon a planet?

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Many people say the sentence (called a mnemonic) "My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nine Planets" as a way to remember the order of the planets.

Starting from the sun the planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.

If 2003 UB313, Ceres and Charon are dubbed planets, what new sentence will we use to remember them?

Source: NASA

(SPACE.com) -- If astronomers approve a newly proposed planet definition next week, things could get really strange. Sure, asteroid Ceres will become a planet. Pluto's moon Charon will become a planet.

But we're talking really strange.

Eventually, if Earth and its moon survive long enough, the moon will have to be reclassified as a planet, said Gregory Laughlin, an extrasolar planet researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/08/18/moon.planet/

TheStar.com - Evergeek - Yahoo and MSN merge Messengers

2006-08-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

TheStar.com - Evergeek - Yahoo and MSN merge Messengers

In what amounts to a meeting of the messaging services, Yahoo Inc. and Microsoft Corp. recently revealed that Canadian users of their respective instant messaging (IM) software packages will soon be able to correspond across both platforms.An interoperability feature between the latest iteration of MSN Messenger – dubbed Windows Live Messenger – and Yahoo Messenger with Voice is now in beta testing in Canada, in both official languages.

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide

2006-08-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide

July 31 (Bloomberg) -- The United Nations Security Council voted 14-1 to give Iran until Aug. 31 to accept a multinational incentives package aimed at suspending its nuclear program, or face the threat of economic sanctions.

Qatar, the only Muslim nation on the council, voted against the resolution, which expressed ``serious concern'' about Iran's failure to halt the enrichment of uranium in the face of International Atomic Energy Agency demands.

2006-07-29T11:41:00.000-07:00

Israel Rejects U.N. Cease-Fire Request

(CBS News) JERUSALEM Israel on Saturday rejected a request by the United Nations for a three-day cease-fire in Lebanon to get in supplies and allow civilians to leave the war zone.

Avi Pazner, a government spokesman, said Israel already has opened safe corridors across Lebanon for such shipments and that Hezbollah guerrillas were blocking them to create a humanitarian crisis.

Unfettered Letters

2006-07-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

Unfettered Letters

It has been impossible to turn on TV or read your newspaper without seeing pictures of innocent Lebanese civilians being wounded, killed or made refugees by the war.

The media has gone a long way to make Hezbollah the victim and Israel the perpetrator.

The fact that Hezbollah invaded Israel, killing eight soldiers and kidnapping two, meant that Israel had to respond and that war was inevitable.

The whole scene was scripted by Syria and Iran to get their lackey Hezbollah to do their dirty work. The total destruction of Israel has been the aim of Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran.

PC World's Techlog - Intel's Fast Core 2 Duo is Officially Official

2006-07-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

PC World's Techlog - Intel's Fast Core 2 Duo is Officially Official

2006-07-24T09:23:00.000-07:00

Why Bush is opposed to stem cell research

On Wednesday, US president George W Bush vetoed a bill — passed the previous day by the Senate — that would have greatly expanded government funding for stem cell research. The reactions were mixed but in every case sharp. Bill Frist, the Republican majority leader, said history would liken Bush to those who had imprisoned Galileo and scoffed at the idea of electricity. Others, mainly the ultra-conservative, praised him; ‘Must we kill to advance medicine?’, read one newspaper headline.

IndianExpress.com :: Why Bush is opposed to stem cell research

2006-07-24T09:21:00.000-07:00

IndianExpress.com :: Why Bush is opposed to stem cell research

On Wednesday, US president George W Bush vetoed a bill — passed the previous day by the Senate — that would have greatly expanded government funding for stem cell research. The reactions were mixed but in every case sharp. Bill Frist, the Republican majority leader, said history would liken Bush to those who had imprisoned Galileo and scoffed at the idea of electricity. Others, mainly the ultra-conservative, praised him; ‘Must we kill to advance medicine?’, read one newspaper headline.

2006-07-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

Microsoft won't see Zune zoom up the charts

By Stan Beer
Saturday, 22 July 2006
Coming from a base of zero against a 80% market share holder such as iPod was always going to be a monumental task. Microsoft's strategy of pitting like against like will make it an impossible one. The so-called iPod killer, code-named Zune, looks to be simply a me too effort from an IT company that is flailing in all directions trying to find ways to spend its huge pile of excess cash to buy itself into new markets. Noting that Apple's formula for success appears to be working very well these days, Microsoft is spending resources on developing its own hardware division. Instead of just mouses and keyboards, Microsoft now produces games consoles, web cams and soon Wi-Fi music players.

2006-07-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

Travel agency offering spacewalk for $15 million

Business has already sent a trio of voyagers into space as tourists

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

It's all about the view.

Space Adventures Ltd., the Virginia-based travel agency that arranged for the first spaceflight by a paying tourist, made a new offering Friday to its well-heeled clients: a spacewalk.

2006-07-22T01:47:00.000-07:00

Zidane Headbutt Video’ tops Google Search

The World Cup is over, but Zinedine Zidane’s head butt in the final between France and Italy continues to make headlines around the world.

Not only did Zidane win the player of the tournament award, he also topped the Google Zeitgeist search list last week with the term ‘Zidane Headbutt Video’.

Zidane’s infamous head butt beat other popular search terms like ‘xbox’, ‘israel news’ and Lebanon as last week’s biggest gainers.

2006-07-22T01:44:00.000-07:00

Microsoft confirms its rival to iPod

Microsoft confirmed Friday that it will sell a music and entertainment product later this year under the brand name "Zune," the first of a family of devices designed to compete head-to-head with the dominant Apple iPod.

Bloggers on the Mid-East crisis | The Sunday Telegraph

2006-07-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

Bloggers on the Mid-East crisis The Sunday Telegraph

AS Israel launches major offensives and goes toe to toe with militants on two fronts the conflict inevitably has spilled into the blogosphere.Bloggers, some of them posting from the affected areas, have captured the panic, anger and sorrow that the violence has unleashed.

2006-07-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

Analysis: Peace process under threat?

By Sanjoy Majumder
BBC News, Delhi

The mood against Pakistan is hardening in India

The statement by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the peace process between India and Pakistan cannot progress unless Islamabad cracks down on terrorism represents a hardening of Delhi's position.

For the first time since Tuesday's serial bombings in Mumbai, the Indian government has pointed a finger at its long-time rival.

BetaNews | Microsoft, Yahoo Bridge IM Networks

2006-07-13T12:52:00.000-07:00

BetaNews Microsoft, Yahoo Bridge IM Networks

Microsoft and Yahoo have followed through on a promise made nine months ago to enable interoperability between the companies' instant messaging networks. Beginning late Wednesday, customers will be able to beta test the functionality by registering their accounts.

The effort, announced in October, was expected to be complete last quarter, but Microsoft developers said they had to try a number of different technical methods to make it work. The Redmond company still considers the interoperability to be in beta, and adjustments will be made before the feature is available to all users.

2006-07-12T09:59:00.000-07:00

Computer crowd awaits Firefox 2.0 beta

-- Mozilla was poised Wednesday to release the anxiously awaited beta test version of its Firefox 2.0 Web browser.

Mozilla said in a written statement Tuesday that some patience might be required due to last-minute tweaking; however, the tech media was abuzz with tidbits about the system that is a major competitor with Microsoft's ubiquitous Explorer.

Firefox 2.0 is said to have enhanced security features, Web-page recovery and spell check for various Web forms.

2006-07-08T01:16:00.000-07:00

N.Y. tunnel plot foiled

A terrorist plot to attack New York train tunnels was thwarted before the men, one believed to be Canadian, could travel to the U.S., authorities said yesterday.

Eight suspects, including an al-Qaida loyalist arrested in Lebanon and two others in custody elsewhere, had hoped to pull off the attack in October or November, U.S. federal officials said.

"It was never a concern that this would actually be executed," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "We were, as I say, all over this." [read more]

2006-07-07T12:09:00.000-07:00

Bush Asserts Shield Could've Blocked Missile

WASHINGTON, July 7 — President Bush said again today that North Korea should renounce its missile ambitions, and he said he was fairly confident the United States could have intercepted a North Korean rocket if it had been headed for America.

2006-07-07T11:59:00.000-07:00

’Google,’ ’unibrow’ added to dictionary

"Google is definitely a verb," said Dan Reynolds, a 35-year-old salesman at YES Computers in Northampton. "Google has become like a secondary brain for a lot of people. If you want quick info on something, that’s what you do. You google it." [read more]

2006-07-07T03:06:00.000-07:00

$145 billion tobacco suit reversed

The Florida Supreme Court overturned an unprecedented $145 billion class-action punitive damages award against tobacco companies Thursday but upheld many of the jury's factual findings, leaving the door open for plaintiffs to sue again.

"We unanimously conclude that the punitive damages award is excessive as a matter of law," the court concluded in its 79-page opinion. [read more]

2006-07-06T01:01:00.000-07:00

North Korea defends missile tests, vows to continue the launches

North Korea on Thursday acknowledged that it had test-fired missiles and vowed to launch more, threatening to take even stronger action if opponents of the tests put pressure on the country.

The further show of defiance by Pyongyang came amid intense diplomatic jockeying by the United States and its allies to prod the U.N. Security Council to take stern action against the North's seven missile tests on Wednesday.

The North Korean Foreign Ministry, in a statement made through the state-run Korean Central News Agency, insisted that the communist state had the right to test its missiles and argued the weapons were needed for defense. [read more]

2006-07-06T00:38:00.000-07:00

India, China reopen historic border pass after 44 years

NATHU LA, ON THE INDIA-CHINA BORDER --

Indian and Chinese officials officially opened a high Himalayan border pass linking the two countries Thursday, 44 years after it was shut by a brief war between the two Asian giants.

The opening of the Nathu La pass was the latest in a string of measures India and China have taken in recent years to improve ties and end decades of mutual suspicion rooted in a 1962 border war.

The 4,300 meter-high (14,000-foot) mountain pass, once part of the famed Silk Road, lies between India's northeastern state of Sikkim and China's Tibet region.

Sikkim's chief minister, Pawan Kumar Chamling, and the Chinese-appointed leader of Tibet Champa Phuntsok cut the ribbon opening the pass to the cheers of the gathered dignitaries, soldiers and traders from both sides. [read more]

USATODAY.com - N. Korean missile launch 'huge bad news' in Asia

2006-07-05T13:11:00.000-07:00

USATODAY.com - N. Korean missile launch 'huge bad news' in Asia

SEOUL — North Korea's defiant launch of missiles Wednesday rattled its neighbors in northeast Asia, dismayed sympathetic governments in China and South Korea and strengthened the hand of a hard-liner seeking to become Japan's next prime minister.

VOA News - Brain-Damaged Victim Regains Speech After Almost 20 Years

2006-07-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

VOA News - Brain-Damaged Victim Regains Speech After Almost 20 Years

He has been called a 'medical miracle.' A 42-year-old man from the southern state of Arkansas has regained some ability to speak and move after 19 years of being in what doctors call a state of 'minimal consciousness'.

2006-07-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

China's 1st train from Beijing to Lhasa completes 4,000-km journey

President Hu Jintao called the railway a "miracle" of engineering, but it has drawn criticism from advocates of Tibetan autonomy who say the train will bring tourists and migrants who threaten Tibet's cultural integrity.

China's first train from Beijing to Lhasa completed its 4,000-km (2,500-mile) journey on Monday (July 3) evening - capping three days of official propaganda about the rail link binding isolated Tibet to the rest of China.

2006-07-04T04:29:00.000-07:00

Oil Trades Near Eight-Week High After Iran Rejects Nuclear Halt

July 4 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil traded near an eight-week high in London after Iran rejected U.S. and European demands to suspend nuclear research and U.S. gasoline prices rose on holiday demand.

Western calls for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment are unreasonable, said Ali Larijani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, according to Agence France-Presse. Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil producer, has until July 12 to stop the work or face United Nations sanctions, the Associated Press reported yesterday, citing diplomats it didn't identify.

``I would be surprised if anybody is expecting a resolution'' by that date, said Gerard Burg, a minerals and energy economist with National Australia Bank Ltd. in Melbourne. ``That, combined with the peak demand in the U.S.,'' may be enough to send prices higher. [read more]

2006-07-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

Asteroid to make close encounter with Earth

AN ASTEROID up to half a mile wide was due to have brushed past the Earth early today, approaching almost as close as the Moon. [read more]

2006-07-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

'Superman' soars, but
'Devil' dressed for success

'Superman' flew to the top of the box office, but got a run for its money from 'The Devil Wears Prada.'

Once again, the villain stole some of the glory from the hero at the movies this weekend.

While the much-hyped "Superman Returns" led the holiday pack with $52.2 million from Friday to yesterday, Meryl Streep's "The Devil Wears Prada" finished an unexpectedly strong second with $27 million.

"Prada," in which Streep plays a wickedly villainous and abusive fashion editor, was widely expected to earn only half that much.

But the story struck a chord - particularly with women, who comprised 80% of the audience. [read more]

FT.com / World - House vote lifts India nuclear deal hopes

2006-06-28T01:42:00.000-07:00

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.

2006-06-27T04:55:00.000-07:00

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

North Korean technicians are reportedly in the final stages of fueling a long-range ballistic missile that some experts believe could deliver a deadly payload to the United States.

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]

2006-06-27T04:49:00.000-07:00

Rowling hints at the death of Harry

J K Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter, yesterday gave the clearest indication yet that she might kill off the hero of her best-selling books.

She said that two main characters would die in the final book but that she had reprieved a third. She has always said that the series would last for only seven novels but it has not been clear whether Harry would survive. Rowling wrote the much awaited final chapter in 1990 but, speaking on the Richard and Judy show on Channel 4, she said it had been rewritten. [read more]

'Mind-reading' computers next | Business Breaking News | Breaking News 24/7 - NEWS.com.au (26-06-2006)

2006-06-26T02:21:00.000-07:00

'Mind-reading' computers next

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.

Star-Telegram | 06/25/2006 | Dude, where's my superhero?

2006-06-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

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

2006-06-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

Teen who ran to Mideast vows to marry West Bank man she met on the Web

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.

2006-06-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

Chicago tower on attack list

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]

2006-06-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

ISRAEL BUNGLES GAZA AIRSTRIKE

Israel has bungled a second airstrike in Gaza in two days, killing two civilians and wounding 13 others including several children when a missile hit a house in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.

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]

2006-06-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

N. Korea Withdraws Missile Testing Plan

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.

2006-06-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

Bollywood launches its superhero

Krrish features an Indian-style action hero

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.

2006-06-20T01:08:00.000-07:00

Arduous Hussein trial winding up

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]

Books - Best-Seller Lists - New York Times

2006-06-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

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

2006-06-19T11:15:00.000-07:00

US: North Korea has fully fueled long-range missile for test

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]

2006-06-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Takes Aim at ITunes

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]

Forbes' 100 Top Celebrities

The rich and famous have had a great year -- and a terrible one. Movie attendance dropped 8 percent last year as fans retreated to their home theaters, complaining of, among other things, high ticket prices. Can-do-no-wrong actors such as Nicole Kidman delivered the year's biggest turkeys (Bewitched, anyone?). As a result, box office receipts fell 5 percent to $8.9 billion. [read more]

2006-06-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

Newsmaker: Ozzie, Mundie pick up tech mantle at Microsoft

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]

2006-06-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

Iraq Deaths Reach 2,500 U.S. Military, Pentagon Says

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

2006-06-15T03:12:00.000-07:00

Coffee defends liver against booze The Register

Mixing your drinks can be good for you, then?

2006-06-13T04:44:00.000-07:00

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]

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.

Mohammed Abdul Kahar, 23, choked back tears as he recalled the 4am raid.

Mr Kahar told a packed press conference how he was woken by the screams of his younger brother.

"From my room I could hear this screaming so I got out of bed," he said.

He said he was clad only in boxer shorts and a t-shirt.

"I assumed a robbery was happening," he said.

He told how he edged down the stairs before suddenly seeing a spark and hearing a big bang.

"I fell on the wall," he said. "I was on the floor, I looked at my chest and I saw bleeding coming down my chest and I saw the hole in my chest.

"At that moment I knew I was shot."

Speaking publicly about the controversial raid for the first time, he said as he lay on the stairs bleeding and fearing for his family he was kicked in the face by a police officer and told to "shut the f*** up."

Mr Kahar told how he put his hand over his chest and saw two officers walking towards him. He then described feeling the shotgun against his chest.

He said: "I was begging 'please, please, I cannot move'."

He claimed that as he pleaded with them, the officers told him to 'shut the f*** up, stay here, stay here'.

"At that moment I thought they were going to shoot me again or shoot my brother," he said.

"I heard them shouting 'secure the room'.

"At that moment I still did not know they were the police, they never said a word about the police."

Mr Kahar claimed he was grabbed and dragged down the stairs and then thrown on the pavement outside.

He added: "I just thought 'they're going to kill us'."

He told reporters he did not realise the raid was a police operation until he was lying on the street.

He also said he did not support terrorism.

"Violence is not in my nature. It's not in my religion," he said.

Abul Koyair, 20, who like his brother was shaven-headed with a beard, told the press conference the police raid had been "like a dream".

He recalled being woken up by an alarm which appeared to be coming from inside their house.

He said his elder brother emerged from his own bedroom and started going downstairs before suddenly being shot.

He said: "After that it was all quiet. No one said anything. I thought it was like a dream.

"After about one or two minutes I realised that this was not a dream. I realised that my own brother had got shot for no reason. They tried to murder my brother."

He then saw the police officers dragging his brother downstairs, hitting him as they went.

He said: "I kept thinking to myself, 'why didn't they shoot me instead?'."

He was taken outside, handcuffed and told to look at the ground.

He said: "At that time I kept saying to the officer, 'please tell me, is my brother ok? Is my brother ok?'.

"They told me, 'just shut up, don't say a word, look down on the floor'."

Mr Kahar said he was in great pain when he was taken to the hospital, adding: "It seemed like fire. I was burning."

He said he had pleaded with the doctor not to allow him to be taken away to be interviewed, but he had seen police officers asking the doctor to release him early.

He said while he was being interrogated officers repeatedly asked him if he was a member of an extremist group, including at one point the Ku Klux Klan.

His brother told the press conference that before the raid in Forest Gate, east London, he had applied to be a community police officer.

He said he no longer wanted to join the force after the events of June 2.

iTWire - Yahoo email worm can infect without clicking attachments

2006-06-13T02:07:00.000-07:00

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.

cbs4.com - Zarqawi's Replacement Named

2006-06-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

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.

2006-06-12T09:21:00.000-07:00

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]

Politics, Entertainment and Art

2006-06-11T07:55:00.000-07:00

Fatwa against Vande Mataram

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]

2006-06-10T02:33:00.000-07:00

Teen sneaks to Mideast to meet MySpace pal

DETROIT, 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]

Mass killer atones for his sins

Sharma says he committed 16 murders [Photos: Prashant Ravi]

Shyam Narayan Sharma is a bedraggled man noticeable for his garland of old shoes and for wearing sandals and clothes made out of torn jute bags.

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.

[read more]

Jail no bar for Bihar candidates

Candidate Brahmeshwar Singh says he is a victim of a corrupt state

In India's most notoriously lawless state, Bihar, running for office and running to keep out of the way of the police are equally valuable skills for aspiring politicians.

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.

[read more]

Sears Tower

2006-06-09T02:45:00.000-07:00

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]

2006-06-09T02:11:00.000-07:00

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 Enrichment

The 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]

Washington's Failed War in Afghanistan

2006-06-07T22:22:00.000-07:00

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

2006-06-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

Apple Relaunches U2 Special Edition iPod

By Robin Arnfield
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]

India to give Rs 100 cr to Nepal

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]

News

2006-06-06T05:47:00.000-07:00

Iran 'positive' on Nuclear Offer

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

2006-06-06T05:40:00.000-07:00

I got this as an e-mail

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.*

Bush and Blair

2006-05-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

A couple of days back I was reminded of a joke - "There is no such thing as love that exists. Even if it does then its only between Bush and Blair". The bottom line is that these 2 guys are after power to rule the world and they will do anything to get it.

On Thursday night (May 25th) President Bush and Prime Minister Blair admitted to having made mistakes in Iraq but were totally confident that the invasion was justified. The mistake they spoke is the events at Abu Ghraib prison and they made the so called confession as though they have been hurt. The confession was more a show of pride rather than serious grief and shame. With popularity ratings of both these guys falling down, they must have thought of generating a little sympathy from their citizens by giving such crazy speeches.

Bush wants Blair to be the Prime Minister untill he departs from his office. Is this not love? Or somewhat more than just love?

2006-05-26T13:04:00.000-07:00

I got this message as an offliner

It is really hard to believe but Dr. Manmohan Singh government has become too inhuman and hit a new low standard. Government had shamelessly directed media not to give coverage to the hunger strike by doctors at AIIMS supported by IITians. Doctors are on hunger strike at AIIMS for last 135 hrs. Yesterday more than 90 medicos collapsed of hunger. But nothing was allowed in the media, which is covering more of Cannes, ODI in WI, Da vicni nautanki etc. The new is being spread by emails and sms. Though some details have been published in mid pages of few newspapers. Here are few links of the same. http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1701205,001302220000.htm http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=60331

Under Construction

2006-05-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

Please come back again ... I have to get this thing start working.

News and Opinions

Why Apple's iPhone is Not the Next iPod

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Japan launches its fourth spy satellite

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TheStar.com - Evergeek - Yahoo and MSN merge Messengers

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide

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PC World's Techlog - Intel's Fast Core 2 Duo is Officially Official

IndianExpress.com :: Why Bush is opposed to stem cell research

Bloggers on the Mid-East crisis | The Sunday Telegraph

BetaNews | Microsoft, Yahoo Bridge IM Networks

USATODAY.com - N. Korean missile launch 'huge bad news' in Asia

VOA News - Brain-Damaged Victim Regains Speech After Almost 20 Years

China's 1st train from Beijing to Lhasa completes 4,000-km journey

President Hu Jintao called the railway a "miracle" of engineering, but it has drawn criticism from advocates of Tibetan autonomy who say the train will bring tourists and migrants who threaten Tibet's cultural integrity.

FT.com / World - House vote lifts India nuclear deal hopes

U.S. should destroy N. Korean missile

'Mind-reading' computers next | Business Breaking News | Breaking News 24/7 - NEWS.com.au (26-06-2006)

Star-Telegram | 06/25/2006 | Dude, where's my superhero?

Books - Best-Seller Lists - New York Times

Coffee defends liver against booze | The Register

iTWire - Yahoo email worm can infect without clicking attachments

cbs4.com - Zarqawi's Replacement Named

In SearchOf The Big Bang

Politics, Entertainment and Art

Sears Tower

Washington's Failed War in Afghanistan

Apples and Sardars

News

Facts About AIDS

Bush and Blair

Under Construction

In Search
Of The Big Bang