Bigger Digger News

Spartans To Play BC In Champs Sports Bowl

2007-12-04T11:13:00.000-08:00

Spartans To Play BC In Champs Sports Bowl

Whenever the subject of bowl games came up, players on Michigan State’s Spartans football team insisted that they did not care what bowl game they played in, so long as they got a chance to play. Regardless of those previous statements, players could not contain their excitement Sunday night when they received the official word that they will be facing off against Boston College in the Champs Sports Bowl later this month.

As the news spread through the Michigan State campus, Spartans were overjoyed at knowing they would be facing off against #14 Boston College in the bowl game. The Spartans closed out the regular season of college football with a 7-5 record, while Boston College faired slightly better with a record of 10-3.

Read the full story here

Street Hoops - Kickin It Freestyle

2007-08-24T21:01:00.001-07:00

X-Games Wipe Out

2007-08-20T15:16:00.000-07:00

A lot of people get knocked out on UFC

2007-08-12T18:28:00.001-07:00

Clinton Sets New Fundraising Records

2007-04-02T04:55:00.000-07:00

Clinton Staff Reports Highest First Quarter Fundraising

By Jerry Garner

Although results from the first quarter of campaign fundraising are not due yet, some campaigns are already reporting their results, and the Clinton campaign appears to be breaking new ground. The Clinton campaign is reporting record shattering fundraising activities for the first quarter. If the results are indicative of the Presidential race to come, this will prove to be a very exciting and expensive campaign.

Fundraising results for the first quarter, which ended March 31, must be reported to the Federal Election Committee no later than April 15th. However, some campaign headquarters are reporting their results early as a show of strength. With the amount of money being raised, the Democratic primary elections looks to be a highly competitive race that will likely consist of record spending.

Clinton’s campaign is leading the pack in terms of fundraising receipts. The Senator’s bid for the Democratic nomination has reported a record breaking $26 Million in donations to her campaign during the first quarter. Clinton has also transferred over $10 Million left over from her Senate Campaign, giving her a total of $36 Million for the first quarter fundraising efforts.

Ex-Senator John Edwards comes in a close second with $14 Million raised for his campaign. This is double the amount raised for the same period during his 2004 bid for the Presidency. By comparison, John Kerry had boasted fundraising receipts of just over $10 Million during his run in the primaries.

The world now has their eye on Senator Barack Obama, who is the only Democratic candidate to not report their fundraising results early. It seems the world will have to wait until after the April 15th deadline to know just how much money the Obama campaign has raised, but the Presidential hopeful remained confident during recent press conferences.

"I think we'll do well," Obama said. "I think that we should meet people's expectations. More importantly, I think we will have raised enough money to make sure we can compete for the next quarter and beyond. I think we'll do pretty well."

Early reports hint that the Obama campaign has taken donations from 83,000 people. The Clinton campaign reported that over 50,000 people from all 50 states contributed to Senator Clinton’s campaign, with 80 percent of donations being less than $100 each.

Senator Clinton has repeatedly expressed gratitude at the grass roots efforts that have propelled her campaign forward. Clinton’s campaign boasted over $4.2 Million in campaign contributions that came through the internet, and another $1.8 million that were the results of volunteer telemarketing efforts.

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Taliban Hang 3 Accused of Being NATO Spies

2007-04-01T11:43:00.000-07:00

Taliban Commanders Hang Three In Southern Afghanistan

By Jerry Garner

Taliban forces hanged three men in the Southern Afghan province of Helmand Sunday. A Taliban commander claiming responsibility for the executions said the men were found guilty in Taliban courts of spying for NATO and the Western-backed Government of Afghanistan.

The executions occurred in the town of Musa Qala, in the Southern province of Afghanistan called Helmand. The region filled headlines last September when a controversial truce was reached between the British-led NATO forces in the area and the Taliban rebels they were fighting. As the truce fell apart, the Taliban moved into the area and have been firmly in control of the Helmand region since February.

A Taliban Commander who identified himself as Mullah Nizamuddin spoke to reporters from Reuters and the Associated Press by telephone. During these conversations, Nizamuddin claimed responsibility for the three killings, saying that the men were found guilty of spying in a Taliban court and that they admitted to the charges against them.

"They were spying for the British troops and had tipped them off about the location of one of our commanders who was killed by an air strike," Nizamuddin, told Reuters, "They confessed they were spying for the government and foreign forces. We hanged them to set an example for others not to spy on us."

Nizamuddin claimed that the three men were guilty of spying on the late Taliban Commander, Mullah Abdul Manan. Manan’s forces had taken over the Helmand province in early February, but an anonymous tip from locals led to a precision air strike that killed the Taliban leader on February 11th. Remaining Taliban insurgence have continued to thrive in the opium rich region of Afghanistan, turning Musa Qala, in particular, into a Taliban stronghold.

Two of the men were hanged outside of Musa Qala along roads that lead into the town. The third was hanged in the center of town. Namatullah Khan, a villager from Musa Qala, told the Associated Press that the body remained hanging in the town square for hours before the townspeople were courageous enough to take it down for burial.

"The Taliban told the other people of Musa Qala that whoever gives information to the government and our enemies will be punished in the same way as this informer," Khan said.

NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has remained out of Musa Qala, leaving the fighting to be done outside of the town. This was done at the request of local tribal elders who said they were keeping the Taliban in check. The executions of these three men have left many to wonder exactly who is in charge in Musal Qala, and what should be done about it.

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ICANN Rejects .XXX Porn Domain Extension

2007-03-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

Porn Sites Don’t Get .XXX Web Addresses

By Jerry Garner

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has ruled against opening “.xxx” (dot xxx) domain names for use by pornographic web site. This is the third time ICANN has rejected the idea of using “.xxx” domain names, which are widely criticized by both religious groups and those who work in the adult entertainment industry.

For almost seven years, Stewart Lawley and his Florida based company, ICM Registry LLC, has petitioned ICANN to develop a “.xxx” domain extension. Lawley envisioned his company has overseeing all web sites that used the pornographic extension, creating a virtual red light district on the internet. Lawley’s proposal, however, met stiff criticism by religious groups and the adult industry alike.

Adult entertainment web sites, while split on the issue, managed to muster strong opposition to the idea of a “.xxx” domain extension. While the proposal was purely a voluntary alternative, web site operators feared that it could open the door for some countries to force adult web sites to use the extension. Preferring to use a traditional “.com” web address, these companies expressed concerns about being cast into a wasteland if they were forced to use “.xxx” instead.

In contrast, religious groups were extremely vocal in their opposition to offering “.xxx” domains. However, the opposition from this community was based on fears that using “.xxx” domains could bring a degree of legitimacy to the adult entertainment industry.

ICANN voted 9-5 on Friday to deny the application that Lawley and his company had presented. Lawley’s petition had been twice revised since it’s original filing in 2000. His company boasts more than 76,000 pre-registrations for the domains, which Lawley sites as evidence that the internet supports the concepts, but opponents state is evidence of Lawley’s financial motivation.

"We are extremely disappointed by the board's action today," said Lawley, ICM's president and chief executive. "It is not supportable for any of the reasons articulated by the board, ignores the rules ICANN itself adopted for (new domains) and makes a mockery of ICANN bylaws' prohibition of unjustifiable discriminatory treatment."

After the vote was complete, ICANN members who voted against the “.xxx” domains said that one of the chief reasons why the application was declined was because it could have led to ICANN being put in a position of regulating content on the internet, which is a role ICANN does not wish to assume.

"I believe we have to guard very carefully against ICANN ever becoming a regulator in that sense," said board member Steve Goldstein.

Is this the end for the “.xxx” domain extension? Perhaps, but only time will tell. Having been denied three times now, Lawley has at least shown that he is persistent in his belief of creating a voluntary red light district on the internet.

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Pacman Jones Could Face NFL Suspension

2007-03-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

Titans Cornerback Pacman Jones May Be Disciplined

By Jerry Garner

Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones, the Cornerback of the Tennessee Titans NFL team, could face disciplinary action. This action could include fines, suspension or even loss of their NFL draft pick. Pacman Jones has faced a series of legal troubles that tarnish the image of both the Titans and the NFL as a whole, and now NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is poised to clean up that image.

Pacman Jones has had to speak to police in reference to 10 separate incidents since he was drafted by the NFL in April 2005. Of those incidents, five resulted in the professional football player’s arrest. The charges against Pacman Jones, which span three states, involve excessive drinking and disorderly conduct. However, the football player is alleged to have been involved in more serious criminal acts, including a shooting at a Las Vegas topless club.

On February 19th, Pacman Jones was involved in a drunken fight at the Crazy Horse Too strip club in Las Vegas. The disturbance later resulted in two bouncers at the strip club being shot in the parking lot of the topless dance clubs. Pacman Jones originally reported himself as being a witness to the shooting, but later reports showed that the gunman was part of the football player’s entourage that night.

Although Pacman was not the gunman in that incident, Las Vegas Police issued a recommendation to prosecutors on Monday that the NFL player be officially charged with a felony count of Coercion. Police also recommended that Pacman Jones be charged with misdemeanor charges of battery and threat as a result of the strip club altercation.

If prosecutors in Nevada do file charges against Pacman Jones, the Titan’s Cornerback could also face charges in Tennessee from an earlier event in January. At that time Jones was arrested on charges of being drunk and disorderly. The football player made a deal with Tennessee prosecutors that charges would be dropped as long as he could stay out of trouble until July 5th.

The NFL player also faces unrelated charges in the State of Georgia. With so many repeated incidents in the players private life, the off-field activities have actually drawn the light away from the Titan’s turnaround season and have given both the team and the NFL a black eye in the public view. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell seeks to remedy that situation.

It has been reported by the Associated Press that Goodell has called for hearings with Pacman Jones for April 3rd to discuss the football player’s conduct off the field. Goodell is not expected to make an official ruling on the case for at least 10 days after the hearing, but the NFL Commissioner could impose stiff fines, lengthy suspensions or entirely revoke the player’s NFL draft.

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Oral Vaccine For Alzheimer’s Works In Mice

2007-03-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

Alzheimer’s Vaccine Will Move To Clinical Trials

By Jerry Garner

Scientists in Japan have developed a vaccine that targets Alzheimer’s disease. The vaccination, which is taken orally, has proven to be safe and effective in studies with mice. Scientists and drug manufacturers are hoping to move the vaccine into early stage clinical trials for human Alzheimer’s patients.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disease that is most widely known for destroying one’s ability to remember. Lesser-known effects of Alzheimer’s disease include reductions in a person’s ability to learn, reason, make judgements or communicate. Alzheimer’s also impedes the ability to carry out daily life functions. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than five million are afflicted with the disease in the United States alone.

Alzheimer’s is a disease has proven to be incurable thus far. The new vaccine provides hope that the disease can be effectively reversed if caught in the early stages. When the Alzheimer’s vaccine was administered to mice suffering from the disease, the Alzheimer’s vaccine was proven to reduce the amount of amyloid plaques in the brain while increasing mental functions.

Scientists believe the amyloid plaques are the basic cause of Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s vaccine works by bonding amyloid plaques with a non-harmful virus. When the virus is ingested orally, the body’s immune system is stimulated and begins to attack the amyloid plaques. This attack carries over to the amyloid’s in the brain that cause Alzheimer’s disease.

The initial tests cleared up Alzheimer’s disease in mice, without causing any inflammation or bleeding in the brain. The scientists conducting the tests did note, however, that it is easier for animals to recover brain functions after being afflicted with the disease, so the vaccine may only work on humans who are in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

“Animals are able to recover their functions after developing symptoms, but humans are less able to do so. It may be that this only works in the early stages of the disease, when symptoms are light” said Takeshi Tabira, director of the National Institute for Longevity Sciences in Aichi in central Japan.

Tabira and the drug makers that sponsored the tests are hoping to move the Alzheimer’s vaccine, referred to as ACC-001, to early stage human trials. The initial research was conducted in conjunction with scientists at Nagoya University. The research is set to be published by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. The published version is expected to be released in July.

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Cassini Shows Bizarre Hexagon On Saturn

2007-03-29T09:58:00.000-07:00

Geometric Wonder Appears To Be Permanent

By Jerry Garner

The Cassini space probe has beamed back some unusual images from the planet Saturn. The planet’s North Pole is covered by an enormous hexagon four times the size of Earth. Saturn’s South Pole contains a giant hurricane in the shape of a human eye.

The odd hexagon shape was first photographed on Saturn 26 years ago by the Voyager One space probe, and again later by the Voyager Two. Because the hexagon shaped storm has been seen so many years apart, it is a long lasting storm at the very least, but some scientist have began speculating that the hexagon may actually be a permanent feature on Saturn.

Kevin Baines, an atmospheric expert and member of Cassini's visual and infrared mapping spectrometer team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California marveled at the hexagon shape. Baines pointed out that strange planetary feature was laid out in a precise geometric fashion, with six sides that were straight and nearly equal in length.

"We've never seen anything like this on any other planet. Indeed, Saturn's thick atmosphere, where circularly-shaped waves and convective cells dominate, is perhaps the last place you'd expect to see such a six-sided geometric figure, yet there it is." Baines said in a public press conference.

The size of Saturn’s hexagon is enormous. The hexagon is nearly 15,000 miles (25,000 kilometers) across at it’s widest point. It is so large, in fact, that the planet Earth could fit inside it almost four times. A thermal imaging study of the hexagon estimates that it extends some 60 miles (100 kilometers) down into Saturn’s cloud cover.

The Cassini space probe also showcased another geometric oddity on Saturn’s South Pole. While the North is dominated by an enormous hexagon, Saturn’s South Pole is covered by a giant hurricane. What makes this storm system so unique is that rather than being circular like hurricanes on Earth, this one is oblong and shaped like a human eye.

"It's amazing to see such striking differences on opposite ends of Saturn's poles," said Bob Brown, team leader of the Cassini visual and infrared mapping spectrometer at the University of Arizona.

When comparing images of Saturn’s hexagon that were taken by the voyager space probes to those taken by Cassini, scientists have speculated that the hexagon seems to be fixed and in sync with the planet’s rotation. Scientists have never known how long a day on Saturn is because it is difficult to measure Saturn’s rotation. Analyzing the spinning motion of the hexagon could finally crack the code and reveal how long a day on Saturn is in comparison to an Earth day.

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British Sailors Taken Prisoner By Iran

2007-03-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

British Troops In Iraqi Waters Captured By Iranian Navy

By Jerry Garner

The Iranian Navy has captured at least 15 British sailors and marines. The men were abducted while conducting inspections of ships passing through Iraqi waters. The unlawful attack comes as tensions mount over Iran’s uranium enrichment program, creating a very complicated situation for the two nations.

According to the British Defense Ministry in London, the attack occurred at 10:30am Iraqi time. The sailors, who are all stationed on the Royal Navy’s HMS Cornwall, were conducting routine inspections of merchant vessels passing through Iraqi waters. The men had just completed their inspection, according to the Defense Ministry, when they were surrounded and captured by ships from the Iranian Navy.

Margaret Beckett, Britain’s Foreign Secretary, has summoned the Iranian Ambassador to the Foreign Affairs Office in an effort to gain clarification on the situation and the well being of the British troops.

"We are urgently pursuing this matter with the Iranian authorities at the highest level and on the instructions of the Foreign Secretary, the Iranian ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Office. The British government is demanding the immediate and safe return of our people and equipment," Beckett said in a written statement to the press.

There have been reports of an independent witness to the attacks. The witness is an Iraqi fisherman who was traveling with a group of Iraqis near the Northern area of the Gulf. The fisherman wished to remain anonymous for security reasons, but recounted what he witnessed to reporters from the Associated Press.

"Two boats, each with a crew of six to eight multinational forces, were searching Iraqi and Iranian boats Friday morning in Ras al-Beesha area in the northern entrance of the Arab Gulf, but big Iranian boats came and took the two boats with their crews to the Iranian waters," said the fisherman.

Early reports hinted that US Troops may have also been seized during the brazen move by the Iranian military. A spokesman for the US Naval Central Command stated that it has been confirmed that no US military personnel were involved in the incident.

The attack by the Iranian Navy reminds many of a similar incident that occurred in 2004. At that time, six British marines and two sailors were seized in an area between Iraq and Iran. The troops were broadcast on Iranian television, bound and blindfolded, and forced to state that they had entered Iranian waters illegally.

In the 2004 incident, the captured troops were released after three days of intense discussions. The stakes are much higher in the present situation, due to increased pressure by the West for Iran to halt it’s uranium enrichment program.

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Official Report Says Cricket Coach Was Murdered

2007-03-23T06:21:00.000-07:00

Pakistan’s Cricket Coach Was Strangled To Death

By Jerry Garner

The world of cricket was shaken when the 58 year old coach of the Pakistan cricket team, Bob Woolmer, was found dead in his hotel room following a St Patrick’s Day loss to the Irish cricket team. Authorities initially refused to speculate as to the cause of death, but official reports now state that the cricket coach was murdered. This has opened the door for speculation about everything from angry fans to organized crime and match fixing.

Cricket is generally thought of as being a slow paced, gentlemanly sport. The game, which takes breaks for tea and socializing, makes other sports seem fast paced by comparison. But the gentle nature of the game can be deceptively misleading as tensions flare during the Cricket World Cup championship games. This was evidenced in India earlier in the week, as protestors burned effigies of their players, and even burned one player’s home to the ground, after the team suffered a loss to Bangladesh.

Despite high tensions during the world cup championships, Woolmer’s death caught many by surprise, and shocked the nation of Pakistan, who’s team Woolmer coached. Early reports of Woolmer’s death indicated that he was discovered in his hotel room, which was splattered with blood and vomit. Rumors have also circulated that strange marks were found on Woolmer’s body, but those reports have not been confirmed.

Although no cause of death was officially announced, authorities have now released details from a pathologists report that stated the official cause of death was “asphyxia as a result of manual strangulation.” Because of Woolmer’s large size, authorities suspect that multiple people were involved in his homicide.

There have been fingerprints found in Woolmer’s hotel room that have been proven to not belong to Woolmer or hotel staff. Police have fingerprinted associates and team members as part of the process of eliminating suspects. At this time the team has no restrictions of movement. The team is expected to return to Pakistan soon.

While the investigation into the cricket coach’s death is still early, a number of rumors have cropped up among those who have followed the case. In addition to being murdered by angry fans, other speculation includes the possibility that Woolmer could have been murdered by organized crime figures who were angry over failed attempts to fix the cricket match.

This rumor is largely the result of Woolmer’s coaching activities in South Africa during the 1990s. During that time, Woolmer’s Team Captain was admitted that he had been paid to fix matches. Although Woolmer was never implicated in the case, it has left many to wonder if organized crime connections could have led to his ultimate demise.

With speculation and conjecture aside, the reality is that many are in a state of shock and mourning over the untimely passing of Bob Woolmer. Woolmer was an Indian-born Brit who started his career as a player and grew to be the coach of multiple cricket teams. Pakistan’s President General Pervez Musharraf will be presenting Woolmer’s wife with the Star of Excellence in honor of her husband’s contribution to the sport.

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Alaska Pays Bounty To Kill Wolves

2007-03-22T04:33:00.000-07:00

Gunmen Paid To Shoot Wolves From The Air

By Jerry Garner

The Alaskan wolf cull has always been a controversial topic. Opponents describe it as savage and brutal, while proponents say it is necessary for the protection of other species. Alaska has upped the ante once more by offering to pay $150 for every wolf killed in the Alaska interior.

Mankind has always had a fear of the wolf, which often times resulted in hatred. This sparked the species of being hunted to near extinction in Europe, and aroused outspoken protests from ranchers when wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone. Alaska is one of the few places on Earth where wolves have flourished, but that livelihood is in jeopardy as the Government pays hunters to kill the animals from the air.

Shooting wolves from the air has always sparked heated debates in Alaska. It was first put to a public vote in 2000, when the citizens of Alaska gathered around a public referendum to ban the aerial hunting of wolves. Discouraged by the public view, then-Governor Frank Murkowski bypassed the aerial hunting ban by still allowing pilots to participate in land-and-shoot practices.

While the practice outraged many of the State’s residents, who often have a love of Alaska’s wildlife, the land-and-shoot wolf hunts continued for years. In 2003, Governor Murkowski opened the door for aerial wolf hunting, which he called the Predator Control Program. This program has been continued, and now expanded, by Murkowski’s successor, Governor Sarah Palin, despite numerous ballots and petitions to stop the killing of wolves.

Under the revised Predator Control Program, the 180 pilots and gunners who have received permits to shoot wolves from the air will now be paid a bounty of $150 for each wolf they kill. The bounty will be collected when the hunter turns in the left front leg of the wolf, which will be used for scientific study by State biologists.

According to Denby Lloyd, commissioner for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the left foreleg of the wolf can be used to determine the age of the wolf that was killed. This information will help the State adjust the program in future years.

The State estimates that there are 7,000 to 11,000 wolves living in the Alaska interior. The cull on wolves has been implemented to protect Moose and Caribou, by reducing the number of their natural predators. The plan has outraged many Alaskans.

"What the state is involved in here has more to do with animal husbandry than science, the elimination of one species to artificially inflate another." said John Toppenberg, director of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance.

The state was hoping to kill 382 to 664 wolves this Winter, but only 114 have been reported dead so far. With the end of the wolf killing season drawing near, authorities have offered the reward as an incentive for pilots, who have reported difficult times in wolf hunts due to escalating fuel prices and bad weather.

The Department of Fish and Game seems to have taken a “whatever it takes” approach to reaching their annual goal in the wolf cull. The Department stated that it will increase the number of aerial wolf hunter permits if necessary, and even fly in biologists to help pilots track the wolves. The Department even went on to say that, as a last resort effort, State employees may be used to track and kill wolves by helicopter.

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Woody Harrelson’s Father Dies In Prison

2007-03-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

Charles Harrelson was Convicted of Two Murders

By Jerry Garner

Charles Harrelson, father of famous actor Woody Harrelson, has passed away in his cell in the SuperMax prison. Harrelson is believed to have died in his sleep as the result of Coronary Artery Disease. He was 69 years old.

Charles Harrelson has been in prison for murder for most of his famous son’s life. Woody Harrelson was just 7 years old when his father was first convicted for murdering a Texas businessman. The elder Harrelson was later convicted of an unrelated murder of a federal judge.

Harrelson, 69, was found “unresponsive” in his prison cell last Thursday. Authorities did not make news of the death public until the medical examiner completed a formal investigation into the cause of death. Freemont County Coroner Dorothy Twellman issued a formal announcement, stating that an autopsy revealed the official cause of death to be advanced coronary artery disease.

Harrelson was serving a sentence in federal prison for his 1979 conviction of murdering U.S. District Court Judge John Wood Jr. outside his home in San Antonio, Texas. Wood was known as “Maximum John” for the sentences he imposed against drug offenders. In one instance, he sentenced an elderly man to 20 years in prison for possession of 30 grams of marijuana. When the man said he did not think he would live that long, Wood reportedly told him to do his best.

Prosecutors contend that Harrelson was hired to kill the federal judge by a drug dealer who did not want the judge to preside over an upcoming trial. Harrelson has maintained to the end that he was innocent of the charges, stating that he was 270 miles away in Dallas, Texas at the time of the assassination. Wood’s case marked the first time in the 20th century that a federal judge was murdered.

Harrelson was originally serving his sentence at the federal prison in Atlanta, Georgia. After an attempted escape in 1995, he was transferred to the SuperMax outside of Denver, Colorado. The SuperMax is the highest security federal prison in the country.

Harrelson shared his home with such infamous criminals as the “unibomber”, Ted Kaczynski, the “Olympic Park Bomber”, Eric Rudolph, and Terry Nichols, a conspirator of the Oklahoma City bombing.

In stark contrast to his father’s life, Woody Harrelson first gained fame in the public spotlight in 1985 when he played a lovable bartender on the television series “Cheers”. He went on to greater success as he landed leading roles in movies such as “Natural Born Killers”, “White Men Can’t Jump” and “The People vs Larry Flynt”.

Harrelson has not yet issued a statement regarding his father’s passing.

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Lost Chopin Piano Discovered in Britain

2007-03-21T10:09:00.000-07:00

Chopin's Piano Located After 150 Years

By Jerry Garner

The piano used by the composer Frederic Chopin during his final concert tour was lost after the tour and faded into obscurity. After more than 150 years the famed piano has resurfaced, being found by a musical scholar in a countryside home in Surrey, UK.

The Polish-born pianist and composer, Frederic Chopin had lived in Paris since 1831. In 1848 he moved to London to avoid the French Revolution, taking with him his prize piano. The piano was manufactured by Chopin's close friend, Camille Pleyel.

With the exception of a Broadwood piano Chopin used on a couple of occasions in the United Kingdom, Chopin would use Pleyel pianos exclusively. It was stated that the composer and the piano maker had a verbal agreement. Under the agreement, the French piano maker would supply Chopin with pianos free of charge. In exchange, the composer would endorse the product to his students and fans.

Chopin once remarked that, "Pleyel pianos are the last word in perfection."

After touring Britain and Scotland, Chopin returned to London in November 1848. At that time, the composer played a charity recital at Guildhall to benefit Polish refugees. This was the last public performance of Chopin's life, making the missing piano even more special in terms of it's musical history.

Chopin sold the piano to Lady Trotter, who's daughter Margaret was a pupil of the composer, for £80 before returning to France at the end of the month. The piano used for Chopin's final performance lay forgotten in the Trotter home for years. Margaret Trotter, who never married and had no children of her own, is believed to have left the piano to her grand-niece.

Eventually the piano was auctioned off to a music dealer, who sold the Chopin piano to Alec Cobbe for £2000 in 1988. Neither party realized that the Pleyel piano was the one used by Chopin. Mr. Cobbe purchased the piano to include with his collection of antique musical instruments.

Cobbe's collection of antique instruments is considered to be one of the finest in the world. It includes instruments that were owned or played by famous composers, including Purcell, Bach, Mozart and Mahler. As it turns out, the collection also boasted a Chopin piano without even realizing it.

The piano was eventually tracked down by one of the world's leading Chopin scholars, Professor Jean-Jacques Eigeldinger. Eigeldinger tracked the Chopin piano by tracing the ledgers of Camille Pleyel. Professor Eigeldinger was able to identify the piano owned by Mr Cobbe, no 13819, as the one Chopin had brought to England in 1848.

Cobbe, who was astonished by the discovery that he owned the famous Chopin piano that had been missing for over 150 years, was thrilled that perhaps the world can once again hear Chopin's music the way the composer played it. The sound could never be duplicated due to the signature sound of the Pleyel piano.

"The pianos of today produce lone, sustaining, liquid notes, whereas with the Pleyel the notes die away much more quickly and this gives a completely different texture to the music," Cobbe said in an interview with The Times of London.

Cobbe also said that, "There are only three other pianos known to have been possessed by Chopin. One is in Paris and one is in Majorca and neither of those work. The last is in Warsaw."

Cobbe stated that his Chopin piano plays beautifully.

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Masked Men Steal 221 Pounds of Gold

2007-03-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

Museum Heist of a Solid Gold Block

By Jerry Garner

Three masked men entered a small museum in central Japan on Sunday and stole a solid gold block weighing 221 pounds. The gold, valued at up to $2 Million US Dollars, had very little protection or security because the museum wanted the treasure to be open to the public.

Located in central Japan is the quiet town of Takyama, which is home to the Ohashi Collection Kan Museum. The museum prides itself on providing education and cultural awareness to residents of Takyama and surrounding areas.

Among the many crafts and artifacts on display at the museum is a treasure that the Ohashi Collection Kan Museum acquired in 1994. This unique treasure is a solid block of gold weighing 221 pounds. Experts estimate the value at between $1.7 Million and $2 Million US Dollars. Suffice it to say, this is an enormous block of gold that is both heavy and highly valuable.

That value makes it surprising that the museum provided relaxed security for the gold, and that this decision was intentional. Museum curators wanted visitors to have the unique opportunity to actually touch the enormous block of gold. As such, there was virtually no security to protect the gold.

Motion sensors were out of the question, since people were constantly walking up to the display, and pressure sensors could not be used since the heavy block was constantly touched and rubbed. The display even lacked a basic glass display case, which would have prevented museum patrons from having direct access to the precious metal.

There were security cameras, but not on the floor the gold was located on, and the only security offered was the weight of the gold block. It seems that museum curators felt that the gold block was too heavy to be carried away from the museum, but that is exactly what happened when a group of masked men visited the property on Sunday.

Three men ran up to the museum, with one standing guard outside as the other two headed for the gold. A female museum employee noticed the masked me when she heard running footsteps. She attempted to intervene, but was easily pushed aside as the two men gathered up the gold and departed the museum. Police suspect that a fourth bandit may have been driving a get away car.

"We were very shocked ... but of course this was a big block of gold, and there was no security," the female employee, named Kurake said. "I suppose they could have been a little more careful."

The museum was closed on Monday citing an “emergency holiday” as authorities and museum staff try to make sense of what has happened. No arrests have been made in the case.

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Corpse Flies First Class on British Airways

2007-03-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

Elderly Woman Passed Away After Take Off

By Jerry Garner

First Class passengers on a British Airways flight between New Delhi and London were in for a surprise on Monday, as the body of an expired passenger was moved from the Economy Class to an available seat in First Class. According to statistics provided by the airline, this happens more often than you would expect.

British Airways is the third largest air carrier in Europe, and the leading airline in the United Kingdom. The company was officially formed in 1935 as several smaller carriers merged into one company. The precursor airlines dated back to as early as 1919. The airline flies more than 35 million passengers per year to destinations around the world.

The flight was all but routine for an elderly passenger who was flying from the Indian capitol of New Delhi to London’s Heathrow airport. The flight began late Sunday night and arrived in the United Kingdom Monday morning. Three hours into the flight, the 70 year old woman passed away on the aircraft.

The company’s official “Corpse Policy” is to cover the deceased with a blanket and, if an empty seat is available, to relocate the body to a First Class seat where there are fewer people to be disturbed by the passenger’s untimely demise. The airline acted in a consistent manner last November when an American man passed away during the six hour flight from London to Boston.

What complicated Monday morning’s flight was that the body of the deceased was seated next to a sleeping passenger who closed his eyes to an empty seat and awoke to a corpse being buckled into the seat next to him.

Paul Trinder, a 54 year old British Airways Gold Card holder, awoke at 30,000 feet to see the flight crew moving the woman to the seat next to him.

"I woke to see cabin crew maneuvering what looked like a sack of potatoes into the seat. Slowly, through the darkness, I realized it was a body. At first, I thought I was dreaming.” Trinder said in an interview with the UK Daily Mirror.

"The corpse was strapped into the seat but because of turbulence it kept slipping down on to the floor. It was horrific. The body had to be wedged in place with lots of pillows,” Trinder continued.

Trinder, who had paid £4,000 for the Delhi-Heathrow flight, was seated next to the corpse for the remaining five hours of the trip, along with mourning family members who were “moaning and wailing” hysterically.

Trinder reported that he did not realize that the elderly woman was deceased at first. When he told the flight crew that she did not look so good, the flight attendants replied that they had called for a doctor, but that it was too late and the passenger had expired. Trinder then asked if they knew why she had passed away, noting that she could have some form of infectious disease.

"You could see they'd never thought of it. They looked at each other open-mouthed. It was surreal.” Trinder said.

When Trinder complained that he was seated next to a corpse, he was told to “get over it”. He was informed that the airline’s “Corpse Policy” would be followed.

Trinder and others were shocked that the event happens frequently enough for the airline to actually write a policy for how to handle corpses. Statistics released by the airline report that, on average, one person dies on a British Airways flight each month.

In a public press announcement, the company apologized for the incident, saying, " "We apologize, but our crew were working in difficult circumstances and chose the option they thought would cause least disruption."

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Thousands Of Protestors March On The Pentagon

2007-03-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

Protestors Clash With Counter-Demonstrators Twice

By Jerry Garner

For most of the world, Saturday was St. Patrick’s Day, a day for wearing green, embracing Irish tradition, and perhaps sipping a few suds. For others, it was a day of protest against the war in Iraq and against President Bush in general. While demonstrations were staged around the world, the most notable was a group of 20,000 demonstrators that targeted the Pentagon in Washington, DC.

March 17 was not simply a day where the luck of the Irish touches us all. Saturday was also a day of anniversaries. It was the 4th year anniversary of the war in Iraq, a war that becomes increasingly unpopular as time wears on. Saturday also marked the 40th anniversary of an epic demonstration that protested the Vietnam war in 1967. The Vietnam protest is most memorable from images of hippies putting flowers into the barrels of soldiers’ rifles.

The two anniversaries, combined with escalating tensions about the war in Iraq, culminated in the large scale demonstration, which began at the National Cathedral and ended with a march to the Pentagon, headquarters of the US Military. The protest was noticeably smaller than January’s demonstration of 100,000 people, which included speeches by Congressmen and celebrities. Saturday’s war protest did muster 20,000 participants, however, making them a force that could have been difficult to control if tensions became too high.

As the anti-war protestors began their march from the cathedral to the Pentagon, they were initially confronted by a group of approximately 200 counter-demonstrators, who have been described as wearing “biker jackets” and shouting obscenities. The counter-protestors were Vietnam veterans who were merely protecting the Vietnam War Memorial, following rumors that protestors planned to vandalize the memorial with spray paint and water balloons filled with urine.

After passing the first group of counter-demonstrators with nothing other than harsh words exchanged, the anti-war protestors continued on to cross the Memorial Bridge, which would take the group past Arlington National Cemetery on the way to the Pentagon. At the cemetery a smaller group of around 50 counter-demonstrators greeted the protestors with a banner that read, “Go to hell, traitors. You dishonor our dead on hallowed ground."

The second group, although smaller in size, was certainly more aggressive than the group protecting the Vietnam War Memorial. Mounted police managed to keep the two groups separated, except for one girl who found herself in the midst of the counter-demonstrators and emerged in tears with her peace sign placard ripped to pieces.

Upon reaching the Pentagon, protestors were met by police wearing full riot gear and gas masks. It appeared that the protestors came prepared for action, as many gripped homemade plastic shields and some wearing gas masks of their own. As the two squared off, the police formed a shoulder to shoulder blockade across the street blocking the protestors from moving closer, and ordered the protestors to keep back.

Five of the protestors were arrested by the Pentagon Force Protection Agency for failure to obey a lawful order, after attempting to break through the police line. Across the city, an additional 200 protestors were arrested during a prayer vigil at the White House. No further arrests or injuries have been reported.

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Authorities Raid Drug Cartel In Mexico

2007-03-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

More Than $206 Million In Drug Money Seized

By Jerry Garner

Authorities in Mexico raided a home in one of the wealthiest areas of Mexico City. The raid, carried out against a known drug cartel, resulted in the arrests of seven individuals on the property, and seized more than $206 Million in US bank notes.

After taking office last December, President Felipe Calderón proclaimed a nation-wide crack down on the Mexican drug trade, and so far the President has lived up to that promise. In addition to the current raid on a drug cartel residence in Mexico City, the President has also dispatched thousands of federal troops to some of the highest crime areas of the country in an effort to stamp out illegal drug trafficking in Mexico. The President has also extradited Osiel Cardenas, boss of the Gulf Cartel, to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.

The most recent raid began late Thursday night and carried well into Friday morning, as federal authorities raided the private mansion of one of the largest drug lords in Mexico. The raid was conducted in the Lomas de Chapultepec district of Mexico City. This affluent, upscale area consists of secure compounds that are home to Ambassadors and multi-national business owners.

During the course of the raid, authorities arrested seven people found at the residence, and seized a large amount of property that was purchased with profits from the illegal drug trade. Among the items seized in the drug raid were eight luxury cars, a number of automatic weapons and specialized machinery for turning powder into pill form.

The largest prize of the drug raid was an unprecedented amount of cash. More that $206 Million of US bank notes was seized in the raid, found stuffed into suitcases, filling closets all the way up to the ceiling, and even hidden inside walls. Also found was more than 200,000 Euros and more than 157,000 Pesos. The funds, which represented the largest seizure of drug money in Mexico’s history, was transported to a secure location in a van that was guarded by two dozen police cars.

"This is the biggest seizure, not just in Mexico but perhaps in the world," said President Calderón.

In a public press conference, the President continued on to say, “"I don't want to think about how many young people this gang was poisoning with its drugs, but I can promise them they won't do it any more."

The drug gang that the President spoke of was one of the largest distributors of methamphetamines in the Western Hemisphere. The gang operated behind the front of a pharmaceutical company titled Unimed Pharm Chem de Mexico SA.

In December, authorities seized a large shipment including 19.5 tons pseudoephedrine in the Pacific port of Lazaro Cardenas, which was ordered by the drug cartel’s pharmaceutical company. Because pseudoephedrine is one of the base ingredients for manufacturing methamphetamine, often referred to as crystal meth, authorities launched a large scale investigation that ultimately led them to the drug cartel in Mexico City.

It is believed that the drug was being manufactured, possibly pressed into pill form, and smuggled into the United States for distribution. A recent report by the US Justice Department's National Drug Intelligence Center stated that methamphetamine producers in Mexico are attempting to muscle into the US market, after police in the United States began cracking down on illegal drug labs.

Mexico’s Federal Attorney General, Medina Mora, said that Mexican drug cartels smuggle tons of methamphetamine into the United States, but that investigators were unsure of what drug gangs the cartel sold to.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Mora stated that the cartel that was raided in Mexico City was operated by a native of China who had gained Mexican nationality. Authorities are presently searching for this individual, who has gone into hiding and suspected of leaving the country entirely.

"This organization had been introducing the illegally imported product to our country and maybe to the United States," Medina Mora said during the interview. "There is certainly connections between this group and methamphetamine producers."

There are currently three drug cartels that dominate the illegal drug trade in Mexico. The Tijuana Cartel, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Gulf Cartel that stretches along the border between Mexico and Texas. Because of the activities of these three drug cartels, Mexico has become one of the world’s largest producers of methamphetamine.

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Wikipedia Hoax Falsely Reports Sinbad’s Death

2007-03-16T03:55:00.000-07:00

Famous Comic Sinbad Returns From The Dead

By Jerry Garner

The online encyclopedia Wikipedia comes under fire once more after an entry falsely reported the death of Actor-Comedian Sinbad. The report falsely stated that the comic passed away on the morning of March 14 due to heart failure, but the comic was found laughing about the instance the following day.

Wikipedia is the world’s leading online encyclopedia. The web site is edited by it’s users, not only allowing any user to contribute information on a topic, but relying on other users to correct errors found on the site. This process, which many say is flawed by design, has opened the door for a number of mistakes, misreported news and deliberate hoaxes, which Wikipedia refers to as vandalism.

Along with factual errors and deliberate hoaxes, Wikipedia recently became the subject of scrutiny as it was found that Wiki-insiders obtained their position with false credentials. This led to further speculation about just how credible Wikipedia is as a source of information, and the web site quickly went into damage control mode to assert itself as a legitimate online encyclopedia.

"The accuracy varies from article to article," said Mark Pelligrini of the Wikipedia press committee. "Some articles are highly accurate because people keep it up. For the computer science field, there is a high level of accuracy."

That damage control may have very well been for nothing, as Wikipedia is once again used as a platform to propel a hoax across the internet. This time the subject of the hoax was actor and comedian David Adkins, who is best known simply by the name Sinbad.

Sinbad, who has appeared on many television sit-coms, as well as in movies like “Houseguest” and “Jingle All The Way”, was falsely reported as being deceased. The Wikipedia page about the comedian reported that Sinbad had passed away Wednesday morning. According to Wikipedia, the 50 year old entertainer had suffered from a massive heart attack.

The news was picked up by an internet user who is a fan of Sinbad, who then forwarded the announcement to other fans of the comedian. A cascade of emails followed, which were accompanied by web site entries and links back to the Wikipedia article about the death. The internet was soon in a state of wide-spread mourning for the comedian, who was not only alive and well, but actually on a comedy tour in the United States.

Sinbad first learned about the Wikipedia rumor from his daughter, who encountered the false posting through an internet web site. Soon after, the comedian was bombarded with phone calls, emails and text messages by the hundreds. Sinbad, ever the comic, seems to be taking the incident in stride, and just laughed when he was asked if he was upset.

"It's gonna be more commonplace as the Internet opens up more and more. It's not that strange," the Los Angeles-based entertainer told the Associated Press in a phone interview.

Wikipedia is taking the issue more seriously. Shortly after news of the false report broke, the comedian’s page on Wikipedia was locked down to prevent further editing, and carried a message that editing was not possible to prevent further vandalism.

"We are currently looking into who made this edit, and have protected the page. We regret any confusion or distress this may have caused Sinbad and his fans everywhere,” said Sandra Ordonez, a spokeswoman for Wikipedia, in an interview with Reuters.

While Wikipedia prepares to deal with more negative publicity from the hoax, fans of the comedian Sinbad can at least breath a sigh of relief in knowing that the comic is ok. More than ok, Sinbad is actually laughing over the matter, giving him the last laugh over the unknown prankster’s Wikipedia hoax.

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How Chiquita Banana Funded Terrorism

2007-03-15T03:44:00.000-07:00

By Jerry Garner

Chiquita Brands International has reached an agreement with the US Department of Justice to pay a fine of $25 Million, according to a press statement issued by the company on Wednesday. The company is receiving the fine after paying millions of dollars to two terror groups based in the South American country of Columbia.

The company has also agreed to assist the Justice Department with any “continuing investigation into the matter”, according to a statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As a company that is traded publicly under the symbol CQB, Chiquita is required to disclose all legal actions to the SEC.

According to one Justice Department spokesman, the agreement to cooperate with ongoing investigations is significant. Particularly since the Department is still investigating whether or not Chiquita’s corporate officers, both present and past, knowingly engaged in the act to fund terrorism.

From 1997 to 2004, the company made payments of $1.7 Million to the United Self Defense Forces of Columbia, known as AUC for the initials of the group’s Spanish name. The AUC is a right-wing paramilitary group that has been responsible for some of the most horrific massacres in Columbia’s history. The group also has a sizable stake in the Columbian drug trade.

According to federal prosecutors, senior officials of Chiquita made similar payments to Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia. Known as FARC, this is a leftist guerilla group has been in a war with AUC for years, battling over turf in Columbia.

The United States Government officially designated both AUC and FARC as terrorist groups in September 2001. Authorities have stated that the Chiquita case is the most prominent, perhaps even the only, case since 2001, in which a US company has been linked to financial support for foreign terrorists. On several occasions, President Bush has stated that anyone providing financial support to a terrorist group will be prosecuted just as severely as the terror operatives themselves.

The plea agreement to pay a fine in the amount of $25 Million has been described as "a reasoned solution to the dilemma the company faced several years ago” by Chiquita’s Chairman and CEO, Fernando Aguirre.

The official position of the company is that the payments, which were made by Chiquita’s Columbian subsidiary, were a necessary part of doing business in a volatile region. The payments, according to the company, were made as protection, so that the militant groups would not target Chiquita facilities or employees.

"The payments made by the company were always motivated by our good-faith concern for the safety of our employees," Aguirre said.

While this may appear innocent enough at first glance, it should also be considered that the company has an extensive history of controversial activities in Latin America. In 1954, Chiquita’s predecessor, the United Fruit Company, allegedly worked with the CIA to overthrow the government in Guatemala. It is said that the company feared that the anti-capitalist regime was a threat to their banana growing enterprise.

In 1975 the company became involved in a scandal that the press dubbed Bananagate, after a Department of Justice investigation revealed that the company had bribed the President of Honduras. Later, in 1998, the Cincinnati Enquirer ran an 18-page featured story that accused the company of a number of questionable business practices. Chiquita won a $10 Million legal judgement from the newspaper following the expose’.

In April 2002, Chiquita appointed a new Board of Directors as the company emerged from bankruptcy. According to court documents, the new Board learned that the company had been paying an undisclosed amount of money to FARC since the early 1990s, and also began payments to AUC in 1997, after Chiquita officials met with the militant group’s leader, Carlos Casta-o.

In 2003, outside attorneys for Chiquita notified that company that the payments were in violation of US law and should not continue. The news provoked mixed reactions from the Board. One member wanted to pull out of Columbia entirely, while others wanted to continue business as usual. It should be noted that the company did eventually sell the Columbian subsidiary in 2004, but payments to the terror groups continued up until that time.

In April 2003, just one year after the appointment of the new Board of Directors, members of the Board met with Justice Department lawyers to disclose information about the payments. The Department of Justice acknowledged that it was a complicated issue, but the ultimate ruling was that the payments are illegal and must stop immediately.

That could have been the end of the matter. But in less than two weeks, the criminal filing states, the Board of Directors at Chiquita issued an order for the payments to the terrorists to continue. Because of such acts, the Justice Department briefly considered filing a more serious charge of providing Material Support for terror, but ultimately opted to charge the company with a lesser count.

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US Troops Returning With Psychosocial Behavior

2007-03-13T03:40:00.000-07:00

One-Third of Vets Studied Have Mental Illness

By Jerry Garner

A new US study states that more than 1/3 of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from forms of mental illness, including psychosocial behavior. The study, commissioned by the Department of Veterans Affairs, examined returning veterans who visited a VA Hospital between September 2001 and September 2005.

Throughout history, veterans of wars have suffered from various forms of stress disorders and mental illness. From World War II to the present, the subject of mental illness becomes a topic for debate whenever our troops begin to return home from conflict.

These illnesses are often thought to exist only in extreme cases, but a new study suggests that a significant percentage of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from mental illness. The March 12 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine included a report titled “Bringing the War Back Home”, which studied more than 100,000 US troops who had participated in the nation’s war on terror.

The study was conducted as a collective endeavor that was carried out by the University of California at San Francisco and the VA Medical Center in San Francisco. Conducted by Dr. Karen Seal and 4 of her colleagues, the study looked at 103,788 veterans who visited VA facilities between September 30, 2001 and September 30, 2005.

The study consisted of veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Veterans of both operations had endured high combat stress and were eligible for free medical care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Little was known about the clinical circumstances of mental health diagnosis given to these veterans, which is where the current study comes into the picture.

Of those included in the study, a total of 25,658 vets (25%) were diagnosed as having at least one form of mental illness. An astonishing 56% of those were diagnosed with multiple mental illnesses. When the scope of the study was broadened to also include psychosocial behavioral issues, the number of afflicted troops jumped 32,010 veterans (31%).

"The youngest group of active duty veterans (age, 18 to 24 years) had a significantly higher risk of receiving one or more mental health diagnoses and posttraumatic stress disorder compared with active duty veterans 40 years or older," the study notes.

The most common affliction was Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which occurred in 52% of troops that were diagnosed with a mental illness (13% of all veterans studied). PTSD occurs when someone experiences or witnesses life-threatening traumatic events for prolonged periods of time.

PTSD is often characterized by extreme symptoms, which may include flashbacks, insomnia, nightmares, hypervigilance and a lack of feeling or emotion. Some veterans will also suffer from delayed-PTSD, which may not appear until years after the traumatic event. If not properly treated, the disorder can also lead to other forms of mental illness.

Although Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was the most common illness diagnosed, a number of others were revealed in the study. Many troops were diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder, Depression, Substance Use Disorder, and a number of other behavioral or psychological afflictions.

It should be noted, however, that the study only consists of those who visited a VA Medical Center during the prescribed period, so the figures presented in the study may not be reflective of all soldiers who served in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

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Hundreds Evacuated Because Of California Wildfire

2007-03-12T04:26:00.000-07:00

Stolen Vehicle Suspected As The Cause of the Blaze

By Jerry Garner

What started with an abandoned car in a Southern California canyon quickly turned into a blazing wild fire that threatened the lives of many. Orange County fire fighters have been battling the blaze for two days. The fire scorched more than 2,000 acres of land and forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes.

The fire began Sunday morning when an abandoned car erupted into flames in the area of Windy Ridge. It is not yet known how or why the car burst into flames, but many authorities have began to speculate that it could have been a stolen vehicle that was intentionally set on fire to destroy evidence.

The location of the abandoned car resulted in flames from the vehicle being dispersed wildly around the area, due in part to the high winds of the Windy Ridge area. Windy Ridge is located at the base of Fremont Canyon, which features geographic formations that turn the canyon into a natural wind tunnel. The unseasonable Santa Ana winds gusted to as much as 48mph in the Canyon, considerably higher than the 35mph winds felt by surrounding areas.

"Fremont Canyon is the king of gusts; the Santa Anas usually blow faster there than anywhere," said Steve Vanderburg, a weather service forecaster, in an interview with the Orange County Register. "So Windy Ridge is a bad place to have an open fire."

The high winds, combined with dry fuel from drought, made the area a tender box that was primed for disaster. So far in this ‘rain year’, which started last July, the area has received only 2.5 inches of rain, compared to the normal annual rainfall of 11.5 inches. The Orange County Area has dried out significantly, placing the entire area on a constant ‘red flag’ watch for wild fires.

The blaze, which began Sunday morning, quickly spread through the area, burning three homes along the way. The path of the blaze put many multi-million dollar homes at risk in the Anaheim area, prompting police and fire officials to instate a mandatory evacuation of more than 500 homes. Police went door to door in neighborhoods where the fires raged just half a mile away.

By late Sunday evening, winds had subsided and fire fighters had contained as much as 30 percent of the blaze. The outlook was optimistic that the fire would be under control by the same time Monday, prompting officials to change the evacuation from mandatory to voluntary. Emergency shelters have been set up in area schools and community centers for those who prefer to wait until the fire is extinguished.

More than 1,000 fire fighters have been involved with fighting the fire, which has consumed more than 2,000 acres so far. In addition to fire fighters on the ground, the Orange County Fire Department has also utilized helicopters and airplanes to bombard the blaze with water and flame retardant.

The high winds carried ash from the blaze as far as 80 miles out to sea, with sizable amounts of ash raining onto the city of Anaheim along the way. The ash was thick enough to break apart the rays of the sun, creating a vibrant red sunset in the backdrop of the flames. Other areas were consumed with plumes of black smoke that could be seen from miles away.

California’s wild fire season typically peaks from June to October, but the unseasonable conditions have led to earlier outbreaks. A smaller fire consumed 25 acres in neighboring Riverside County. The early eruptions of these blazes have left many to wonder what the area will be facing when the really dry summer months approach.

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Could We Be On The Brink Of Extinction?

2007-03-11T05:04:00.000-07:00

Climate Change Study Suggests Things Are Worse Than We Thought

By Jerry Garner

The results of a new climate change study will be presented in Belgium next month. These results are expected to shock and horrify even those who had envisioned the worst scenario for global warming. Humans, along with other plant and animal species, are expected to be pushed to the brink of extinction, and it’s expected to happen much sooner than anyone thought.

We are all familiar with a multitude of doomsday scenarios. Epic events that will, at best, disrupt human civilization, or at worst, bring about the extinction of our species or maybe even the destruction of the entire planet. With causes ranging from volcanoes to meteors to extraterrestrials, these scenarios have plagued the imagination of mankind throughout history.

These end of the world scenarios have often been chalked up to delusions of paranoia, an assumption that is often times very fitting to the scenario that is in question. However, an international panel studying the effects of climate change now believe that such an epic event is not only possible, but that it is probably going to occur within the next few decades.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was formed in 1988. The group was commissioned by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to assess the scientific and technical information required to study human induced climate change. The chief concern of this network of over 2000 scientists is to study the potential impacts of climate change, and to present options of adapting to the changes, or mitigating them entirely.

As much as 90% of the scientists involved with the IPCC agree that the harmful effects of global warming are already present in our daily lives. More shocking is the report to be issued in Belgium next month. Preliminary drafts of this report indicate that hundreds of millions, perhaps billions, of humans will die from climate change in coming decades, and that survivors are likely to suffer life-altering hardships.

One of the many contributors to the report is Patricia Lankao, who works for the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Lankao states that things are going to happen much faster than anyone has ever expected.

Initial changes will not appear to be negative. Within the next couple of years, growth of food will actually increase. Specifics noted in the report are that soybean and rice production will increase noticeably Latin America. Areas to the North of the tropics will also initially see larger food production, due to shorter winters and longer growing seasons.

These benefits are only short-term, however, and just a short time later hundreds of millions will suffer and die from the effects of starvation induced by massive drought. Hundreds of millions of Africans and tens of millions of Latin Americans are projected to suffer from extreme water shortages in less than 20 years.

It is predicted that as many as 1 Billion people will suffer in Asia as a result of water shortages. By 2080, these water shortages, due to drought, an increase in greenhouse gases, and increased amounts of water supplies becoming acidic, could cause as many as 3.2 Billion to suffer.

At the same time, tens of millions of people each year will fall victim to massive flooding as the world’s sea levels rise at an unprecedented rate. At the broad end of the predictions is the possibility that as many as 100 million people per year could suffer as a result of this flooding.

The report concludes that by 2030 there will be a significant increase in deaths from climate change related illnesses, including malnutrition and diarrhea. Tropical illnesses like Malaria are predicted to spread like wildfire by 2050, eliminating even more of the Earth’s population.

The warning of the report is clear, that the dangers of climate change are not only a reality, but that they are a reality that could very well push our species to the brink of extinction within the next few decades. The good news of the report is that most of the damage can still be prevented. The report concludes that if this generation substantially reduces the amount of CO2 emissions, and if the volume of greenhouse gases in the air stabilizes, then most of the major impacts can be avoided, but that some are still likely to occur.

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Infidelity of Newt Gingrich Forgiven By Falwell

2007-03-10T09:31:00.000-08:00

Falwell Compares Gingrich To Ronald Reagan

By Jerry Garner

In a televised interview on Friday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich admitted to having an extramarital affair. The affair had taken place during the time he was leading the charge against Clinton’s affair. Reverend Jerry Falwell has praised Gingrich for admitting his sin, and compared him to Ronald Reagan.

The former Speaker of the House appeared on the evangelical television program “Focus on the Family” on Friday. During the program, Gingrich admitted to the show’s founder, James Dobson, that he had an extensive affair during the 1990s with a congressional aide. Gingrich, now 63, is 20 years older than the former aide.

The controversy surrounding this revelation stems from the fact that, during the same period as his own affair, Gingrich was leading the charge against then-President Bill Clinton for his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Anticipating that he would be labeled a hypocrite, Gingrich attacked this point head-on and stated that he should not be considered a hypocrite because he was just doing his job in the Clinton impeachment case. He also pointed out that Clinton was facing charges for not telling the truth to a federal judge, not for the affair itself.

"The president of the United States got in trouble for committing a felony in front of a sitting federal judge," Gingrich said during the televised interview.

Opponents of Newt Gingrich, who could very well be a 2008 presidential candidate, are already stating that this is nothing more than a thinly veiled excuse. Critics of the former House Speaker point out that it was entirely hypocritical of Gingrich to appropriate more than $40 Million to Ken Starr’s investigation prior to Clinton’s appearance before a federal judge.

Gingrich, who is often presented as a champion of family values, ultimately divorced his wife at the time, and opted to enter into marriage with the aide he was having an affair with. His marriage to the aide, Callista Bisek, is Gingrich’s third marriage. His first wife states that Gingrich presented her with divorce while she was in recovery from cancer surgery. Gingrich has used the Oliver North defense on this topic, stating that he simply does not remember.

Despite the sharp criticism one would expect from a confession of this magnitude, Gingrich has gained the favor of at least one outspoken fan. The Reverend Jerry Falwell has come out to praise Gengrich for having the courage to go public with the truth of his past misdeeds. Falwell even went so far as to compare the infidelity of the former speaker with former President Ronald Reagan’s status as the first divorcee to run for the office.

"I well remember the challenge we evangelicals faced in 1980 when our candidate, Ronald Reagan , was the first presidential candidate who had gone through a divorce. We wisely made allowance for God‘s forgiveness and America was the beneficiary of this historic champion," Falwell stated.

The admission has left many to wonder if Gingrich is beginning to make serious plans for a 2008 presidential race, and is admitting his wrongdoing now as a form of damage control. Even though he has no firm campaign plans, Gingrich continues to rank high in conservative presidential polls. Gingrich served as Speaker of the House under the republican congress. He resigned his post in 1998 after being reprimanded by the House Ethics Committee.

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Newt Gingrich Admits To Having Affair While Leading Clinton Probe

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Falwell praises Gingrich admission

Lead Singer Of Boston Passes Away

2007-03-10T02:05:00.000-08:00

Brad Delp Passed Away In His New Hampshire Home

By Jerry Garner

Rock fans from around the world find themselves in a state of mourning as news circulates that Brad Delp, lead singer of the band Boston, passed away Friday afternoon. A single black page that simply reads “We’ve just lost the nicest guy in rock and roll” has replaced the band’s official web site

For decades, the band Boston has inspired and captivated fans of rock and roll music, capturing an audience that spans multiple generations. Tom Scholz, an MIT graduate who had a passion for developing experimental recording equipment, formed the group in the 1970s.

The group started out as a simple experiment conducted in Scholz’s basement. He recorded guitarist Barry Goudreau and drummer Jim Masdea to test new recording equipment he had invented.

The result was a demo tape that was rejected by studio executives. Scholz tried once more, featuring his own guitar playing skills, as well as adding vocal tracks by Brad Delp. The second attempt was a success, capturing the attention of executives at Epic Records, although Mansea was replaced on drums at the request of the label.

The record label also placed conditions on the contract that all of the tracks should be re-recorded in a professional studio. The group complied with the song “Let Me Take You Home Tonight”, which was recorded in the California studio. However, the group tricked the record company with all other songs on the first album, which were re-recorded in Scholz’s basement using his home-engineered recording equipment.

The band’s initial album, self-titled “Boston”, enjoyed immense success. The unique sound engineered by the band created a revived interest in rock and roll music, at a time when disco music was rapidly taking control of the music industry. The distinctive style of the band propelled the band’s first album to becoming the largest selling debut album in the history of recorded music, boasting more than 17 million copies.

The group continued to enjoy successes spanning several albums. Although the largest part of their success was in the first decade of their music recordings, they survived on beyond this. The group played together most recently in November 2006, when they packed the Boston Symphony Hall. The band also enjoys a seasonal tour across the United States each Summer.

All of that has now been dwarfed by the tragic and untimely loss of singer Brad Delp, who passed away at the age of 55 Friday afternoon. Local police responded to a call for help at 1:20pm and discovered Delp alone in his home shortly after. Police Lt. William Baldwin said that there is no indication of foul play.

Delp sang lead vocals on the Boston hits “More Than A Feeling” and “Longtime”, and again in 2002 when he performed for the band’s latest album, “Corporate America”.

After seeing the Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show, Delp purchased his first guitar in 1970. In addition to his performances with the band Boston, he also sang vocals for the band Return To Zero (RTZ), which was founded by former Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau.

Delp is survived by two children, which he fathered with former wife Micki Delp. He had announced plans to marry his present girlfriend, Pamela Sullivan, later this Summer. The two were to be wed during a two day break of the Boston 2007 Summer Tour.

Related News Stories:

Lead Singer Of Boston Dies

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Official Boston Web Site

Report Says FBI Misused Patriot Act

2007-03-09T09:53:00.000-08:00

Records were falsified to hide the problem

By Jerry Garner

The US Patriot Act, signed into law in October 2001, was meant to provide critical tools to both intercept and obstruct acts of domestic terrorism in the United States. New reports by the US Department of Justice show that the FBI not only overstepped their authority in this regard, but even went so far as to falsify records to hide their snooping against private citizens.

The Patriot Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001. This followed a landslide vote in the House of Representatives of 357 to 66, and a near unanimous vote of 98 to 1 in the US Senate. The law was passed in reference to the September 11 terror attacks on the United States, and was meant to give authorities broad-sweeping powers to identify and combat future acts of terror.

Unfortunately, it seems that the old saying of absolute power corrupting absolutely has proven true in this instance, at least according to the US Department of Justice audit released on Friday. The 126-page audit, conducted by Justice Department Inspector General Glen Fine, not only revealed an overuse of these new powers, but also proved that the FBI had under-reported their activities to Congress.

The audit charges that FBI agents sometimes demanded sensitive information without proper authorization, as well as improperly obtaining telephone records in non-emergency circumstances. Agent error and bad record keeping practices are blamed for the majority of these mistakes, and the audit claims to have found no indication of criminal activity. Opponents to the act may disagree.

"We believe the improper or illegal uses we found involve serious misuses of national security letter authorities," the audit concludes.

At the heart of the controversy are FBI “Security Letters”, which are one of the powers outlined in the Patriot Act. These letters, otherwise referred to as “Administrative Subpoenas”, are suppose to only be used in case of suspected terrorism or espionage. The subpoenas grant the FBI the authority to procure sensitive data from telephone companies, banks, credit bureaus, internet service providers and other businesses, without a warrant or without a judge even knowing that the act is carried out.

The audit reveals that the number of security letters issued by the FBI skyrocketed after the passage of the Patriot Act. An estimated 8,500 letters were issued by the Bureau in 2000. By 2003 the number had climbed to over 39,000 letters, and to more than 56,000 the following year.

The problem, and perhaps even criminal endeavor, is that the FBI vastly underestimated the number of letters issued in their reports to the US Congress. Official reports by the FBI told Congress that only 9,254 letters were issued in the years 2003 and 2004 combined. The reports deliberately underestimated the number of records seized by more than 85,000 instances, leaving many to question exactly why the authorities were not truthful with their reporting, as well as who should be held accountable for the deception.

FBI Director Robert Mueller stated that Fine’s audit was a fair and objective review, and continued on to describe the deficiencies outlined in the report as being unacceptable.

"We strive to exercise our authorities consistent with the privacy protections and civil liberties that we are sworn to uphold," Mueller said. "Anything less will not be tolerated. While we've already taken some steps to address these shortcomings, I am ordering additional corrective measures to be taken immediately."

The audit also cited instances of the FBI using “Exigent Letters” in an inappropriate manner. Exigent letters are signed by FBI officials who are not authorized to sign a Security Letter. In at least 700 instances, these exigent letters were used to obtain telephone information and email records. The letters were sent out with the false statement that the FBI had requested subpoenas for the requested information, when in fact, they had not.

Several US Senators have already expressed outrage over the findings of the audit, which is required to be carried out annually, and have vowed the strengthen oversight of the FBI in reference to these matters. A spokesperson for the office of US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales commended the office of the Inspector General for uncovering the very serious problems surrounding the FBI’s use of National Security Letters.

Related News Stories:

Justice Dept.: FBI misused Patriot Act

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Digg Report: FBI Misused Patriot Act

Rare Coins Put Into Circulation

2007-03-08T06:57:00.000-08:00

One-Dollar Coins Lack ‘In God We Trust’

By Jerry Garner

The United States Mint has announced that an unknown number of defective coins have been released into general circulation. The faulty coins have already appeared on the internet auction site ebay.com, selling for as much as $600 per coin.

An error made during the minting process caused a number of coins to be manufactured without the words “In God We Trust” to not be stamped onto the new George Washington One-Dollar coins. The new George Washington dollars, which are slightly larger and thicker than a Quarter, are the first in a series of Presidential coins.

The coins that were manufactured correctly bear the likeness of George Washington, along with the inscriptions “In God We Trust” and “E Pluribus Unum”. The year and mint mark are also inscribed along the edge of the coin. The defective coins fail to carry the “In God We Trust” slogan that appears on all US currency.

Having gone into circulation on February 15th, many of the 300 million coins manufactured have already found their way into the hands of coin collectors, who are attracted to the golden color of the new coin. While no official tally has been released, it appears that the coins were evenly minted in Philadelphia and Denver. Although each location produced roughly the same number of one dollar coins, the defective coins found so far have all been made at the Philadelphia mint.

While officials from the US Mint have stated that it is not known how many faulty coins were released into the market, other industry experts have released ballpark figures on the subject. Ron Guth, President of one of the world’s largest coin authentication companies, Professional Coin Grading Service, estimates that as many as 50,000 defective coins have been released.

"The first one sold for $600 before everyone knew how common they actually were," Guth said. "They're going for around $40 to $60 on eBay now, and they'll probably settle in the $50 range."

Of course, that value could increase as time goes by, as have other mistakes made by the US Mint in the past. One example pointed out by many collectors is the 1965 Roosevelt Dime. The US Mint officially stopped producing silver coins in 1964, but a number of dimes produced the following year were mistakenly minted of 90% silver. These 10-cent pieces are commonly sold for more than $20,000 today.

The “Double Die” is a more common minting error, and happens quite frequently as high speed machinery stamps a coin twice. Although this occurs more often than one would assume, the most famous double die is the 1972 Lincoln Penny. This 1-cent piece is commonly sold for as much as $600, depending on the quality of the coin.

While the value of the George Washington dollar is still uncertain, it is certain that it is worth more than the one dollar face value. Many Americans could have already won the coin lottery without even realizing it. Anyone in possession of the new dollars should analyze their pocket change carefully, because this mistake is not likely to be repeated any time soon.

According to a written statement issued by the Mint, production of the new Presidential coins required a “new, complex, high-volume manufacturing system”. There was apparently not just a failure in the new machinery, but also in the Mint’s quality control staff, who somehow allowed the coins to slip by undetected.

"We take this matter seriously. We also consider quality control a high priority. The agency is looking into the matter to determine a possible cause in the manufacturing process," the statement said.

Becky Bailey, a spokeswoman for the US Mint, said that production of the series will continue as scheduled. The next coin in the series, issued in honor of President John Adams, is scheduled to begin in May.

"We are adjusting the manufacturing process to try to eliminate the problems," Bailey said.

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Some coins lack 'In God We Trust'

12 Year-Old Dies from Lack of Dental Insurance

2007-03-03T08:18:00.000-08:00

By Jerry Garner

The nation was shocked this week when it was announced that a 12 year-old boy had passed away in Prince George’s County, Maryland, as a result of not having adequate dental care. The tragedy has prompted House Democrats to address the lack of affordable health insurance, and to push forward plans that will provide dental care to the poor at an unprecedented rate.

Deamonte Driver was like many urban youths in the DC Metropolitan area. Struggling against many economic factors, the young boy did not have sufficient insurance coverage to provide quality health care, and the Medicaid coverage provided by the State of Maryland fell far short of providing even a basic level of coverage.

Deamonte’s mother, Alyce Driver, had no idea that her son suffered from an abscessed tooth. She took the youth to a hospital in January after he had complained of repeated chronic headaches. By that time, the infection associated with sceptisemia had traveled from the boy’s tooth to his brain. The result of the infection was a brain tumor that required two surgeries at the local Children’s Hospital, followed by extensive rehabilitation at another facility. Sadly, this was not enough to save young Deamonte’s life.

Driver’s other son, 10 year-old DaShawn Driver, had noticeable tooth problems, as he had a swollen cheek on one side of his face, and openly complained about tooth pain. Unfortunately, the only insurance coverage the family had was Medicaid supplimental insurance from the State of Maryland. Driver said it took her weeks to locate a dentist who would even accept the Medicaid card.

Of the 5,500 licensed dentists in Maryland, less than 20 percent will accept Medicaid. There are various reasons for why dental offices report that they will not accept the coverage. The top of the list is financial, with most dentists stating that reimbursements from the government are just too low to make it worthwhile. Those who are not concerned with the money point out extensive bureaucratic hurdles, mountains of paperwork, and even plain frustrations that are associated with accepting indigent families.

When driver finally located an oral surgeon in November, DaShawn was diagnosed with having as many as six abscessed teeth. An appointment was schedule to begin extracting the infected teeth. The appointment was set for January, but by then the family’s Medicaid coverage had lapsed, apparently because forms were inadvertently mailed to the wrong address.

Since that time, the coverage has been reinstated and young DaShawn has had two of the six teeth removed. However, the coverage comes too late to save the life of his older brother, Deamonte. We can only hope that the tragic loss of Deamonte’s life can save other children who are at risk of suffering a similar fate.

"It is outrageous today that in America, a young boy can die because his family can't find a dentist to remove an infected tooth," said U.S. Senator. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.), “Anytime we lose a child, it is a tragedy. But Deamonte Driver's death is particularly devastating because it was easily preventable."

Cardin, together with Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), brought attention to Deamonte’s case on the Senate floor as they introduced a bill aimed at providing more extensive dental coverage for children who lack insurance and rely on State aid, which has a history of failing those who need it most.

Officially titled the Children’s Dental Health Improvement Act of 2007, the bill will authorize Congress to spend an additional $40 Million to help community health centers and state health departments hire dental professionals to provide care for those in need. The bill also provides grants and incentives for states to improve their Medicaid reimbursement rates, which is listed as the number one cause for dentists failing to accept the coverage.

"It is not enough simply to mourn Deamonte's death. We must learn from this failure of our health-care system and take action to make sure it never happens again. Congress must act to make sure every child in America has access to quality dental care." Cardin said in his speech to the US Senate.

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Death Toll Rises From Tornadoes In Southern States

2007-03-02T06:58:00.000-08:00

By Jerry Garner

Initial estimates for the death toll from Thursday’s outbreak of deadly tornadoes were sketchy. Initial reports claimed that 17 had died as a result of the storms. That figure was later dropped to 11 across the states of Alabama, Georgia and Missouri. There are presently 20 confirmed fatalities, with more expected to be discovered as rescue workers sift through the rubble of damaged buildings.

Worst hit by the series of storms was the state of Alabama, where Governor Bob Riley declared a state of emergency and dispatched as many as 100 National Guard troops. The National Guard troops were sent to assist rescue workers in the town of Enterprise, which was the worst hit area of the state.

National Guard helicopters were seen touching down on the football field of Enterprise High School, which suffered a direct hit from the twister. As many as 4 students and 1 teacher have been confirmed to have died at the high school, where the roof collapsed as a result of the strong winds associated with the storm.

Most schools in the state had been closed by 12:30 that day, but Enterprise failed to take action fast enough. At 11:00 AM school officials ordered students to take cover in the hallways of the building as a measure for their own safety. By 1:00 PM officials wanted to send students home, but by that time the weather had grown too dangerous to allow anyone outside the building. A short time later the twister hit.

“All schools in Alabama dismissed at 12:30,” said survivor Joe Sinclair, in an interview with reporters from Alabama television station WKRN. “I don't know why they kept those kids in school.”

Although schools are typically safe places during such storms, they are not designed for the direct impact suffered as part of Thursday’s storms. The most violent tornadoes can generate wind speeds of up to 250 mph (400 kph). Although the damage page can be more than a mile wide and as much as 50 miles long, a direct impact with a populous building, such as the impact with Enterprise High School, are actually rare.

Elsewhere in the country, storm cells in Georgia are reported to have killed at least three people and caused an unknown number of injuries. In Missouri, a 7 year-old girl died when the mobile home she was in fell victim to a tornado. Rescue workers in all states said that the death toll is expected to continue rising as officials sift through debris and wreckage left behind in the aftermath of these storms.

According to a White House spokesperson, President George Bush telephoned the Governors of Alabama and Missouri, the hardest hit areas of the outbreak, to extend his condolences and to offer aid.

The outbreak of deadly storms came just one month after a similar series of storms killed 20 people in Central Florida. Each year, and average of 1,000 tornadoes are reported in the United States, which cause around 80 deaths and around 1,500 reported injuries.

According to the U.S. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, the deadliest outbreak on record occurred on March 18, 1925. That twister killed 695 people and caused more than 2,000 injuries across Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.

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Could Jacko Become Mr. Las Vegas?

2007-03-01T05:37:00.000-08:00

By Jerry Garner

According to a written press statement issued yesterday by a spokeswoman for Michael Jackson, the “King of Pop” has received multiple offers to perform in Las Vegas, where Jackson now resides. Details are still sketchy at this time, but one has to wonder if Jackson could replace Wayne Newton as Mr. Las Vegas.

The press statement, issued by Jackson spokesperson Raymone Bain, clarified several key points about the Jackster’s private life, as well as announcing that the pop icon has received several unsolicited proposals from some of the largest resorts on the Las Vegas strip.

The statement issued by Bain stated that Michael Jackson is “reviewing and evaluating” multiple proposals for his future, which include proposals from several Vegas resorts. She said that the Las Vegas proposals were not solicited by Michael Jackson, but were presented to him voluntarily by a number of resorts that are competing for his attention.

The announcement did not say which resorts have issued proposals, but mentioned that Jackson is not feeling any pressure to make a decision quickly.

"He does not believe that he is under any time constraint for making his decisions." Bain’s announcement said.

More interesting was other news that was clarified as part of the announcement, such as officially dispelling rumors that Jackson is not having difficulty in finding employment in a Las Vegas resort. In fact, the announcement says he has not been seeking such opportunities and is merely evaluating the ones that were brought to him voluntarily.

"Mr. Jackson has been presented numerous proposals -- proposals which he has not solicited, but were presented to him, several of which include performing in Las Vegas" the announcement read.

The press statement also confirmed that Michael Jackson is now living in Las Vegas full time. This follows extensive overseas travels in Europe. Jackson has also recently resided in both Bahrain and Ireland. Although he still maintains the famous Neverland Ranch in California, he has not resided at that location since he was acquitted of child molestation charges in 2005.

Jackson moved to Las Vegas a few months ago, prompting rumors that the entertainer had relocated to the area to seek employment in a Las Vegas resort, similar to the deal Celine Dion had struck with Caesars Palace. Yesterday’s announcement sought to clarify these rumors, stating that the reasons for selecting Las Vegas had nothing to do with casinos.

"Mr. Jackson did not move to Las Vegas to shop a Vegas show," Bain says, but "likes the city and found it a convenient location to record with the artists, songwriters and producers who are working with him in the studio."

Bain also stated that Jackson had never maintained any deal to sing on the popular television show “American Idol”, despite the flood of rumors to the contrary.

The ultimate end to the news release will not be known for several weeks. Fans of the pop star wait with eager anticipation to see if the legend could be the next mainstream act to fill a private stadium night after night, or if Jackson will stick to his reclusive tendencies and avoid the limelight for a while longer.

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Pirates Attack Humanitarian Relief Vessel In Somalia

2007-02-26T10:08:00.000-08:00

By Jerry Garner

Pirates off the coast of Somalia have hijacked a cargo ship conducting a humanitarian mission for the United Nations. The United States is reported to have dispatched a war ship to protect other humanitarian vessels after this latest pirate attack.

Sea pirates hijacked the freighter, MV Rozen, Sunday morning. Reports state that the vessel was boarded off the coast of North-Eastern Somalia, by an organized gang of pirates brandishing AK-47s. The attack has caused many to fear a resurgence of the piracy that was once widespread and rampant in the area.

According to a spokesperson for the UN World Food Program, the vessel had just completed delivery of 1,800 tons of food aid to the towns of Bosasso and Berbera. Having unloaded the cargo, the ship was on it’s return voyage to vessel’s home port in Mombasa, Kenya.

"It was hijacked this morning at about 9.30am near the town of Bargal," said Stephanie Savariaud, a spokesperson for the United Nations.

The attack followed warnings from Kenya that there could possibly be a resurgence of piracy off the Horn of Africa.

Andrew Mwangura, a representative of the International Seafarers Assistance Program, said, “As it was heading home, the heavily-armed pirates emerged from a motorboat, they jumped in the ship and seized it.”

The identity of the pirates is not known at this time. In the past, similar attacks have been carried out by a well-organized cartel of Somalis. The pirates typically use speed boats mounted with machine guns to catch up to the slower moving ocean liners, and then board the vessel with automatic weapons.

Somali pirates are once again becoming a well-known problem along the shipping corridors of Eastern Africa. By some accounts, their attacks even rival those of the armed gangs who plague the Malacca Straight in the South China Sea.

The Kenyan company that operates the MV Rozen, Motaku Shipping, has had a particularly difficult time with the pirates. Following this recent attack on the Rozen, the company said that all four vessels under it’s command have suffered from piracy in the last two years.

The MV Torgelo, also operated by Motaku Shipping, fell victim to pirates in October 2005 as she came to the aid of her sister vessel, the Semlow. The Semlow had been hijacked by pirates more than three months earlier while delivering aid to Somalia’s tsunami victims, and both she ship and the crew were held captive for 100 days before being released.

Only a week after the Torgelo hijacking, the company’s other vessel, the Miltzow, was hijacked and held by pirates for two days before being released. The company now instructs it’s vessels to remain at least 200 miles away from the coast of Somalia to avoid attacks by pirates, but this is an impossible task when you are delivering foreign aid to cities in that country.

At this time, both the Rozen and it’s crew of 12 men are still missing. The crew of comprised of six Kenyans and six Sri Lankans, including the Captain. The few details that are available were relayed by the Captain of the vessel before the pirates finally gained entry to the ship’s control room.

"I do not know what I will tell the relatives of the crew when they start camping outside my office tomorrow," said Karim Kudrath in an open press statement. Kudrath is the General Manager of Motaku Shipping in Mombasa, Kenya.

The same vessel under attack in this instance narrowly escaped an attack by pirates last March when making another humanitarian delivery. The problem of piracy has become so bad that shipping in the area has slowed to a crawl.

“We are the only shipping company that has agreed to take food to Somalia," Kudrath said.

He continued to say, "I am very doubtful if we will continue to offer our services to Somalia. It is getting very difficult for us."

Said Warsame, a World Food Program spokeswoman, has stated that a US War Ship has been dispatched to confront sea pirates. Warsame stated that the war ship is still in international waters, but is heading towards the area. US officials in Nairobi have not yet confirmed these reports.

Related News Links:

US warship tackles Somali pirates

Pirates hijack UN ship near Somalia

Off Somalia, There Be (Lots of) Pirates

--

Jerry Garner, a resident of Las Vegas, covers a diverse array of current events and world news topics. He is most notable for his expertise in casino gambling, which is showcased at his web site, GlobalGamingNews.com.

Fishermen Catch Colossal Squid Weighing Half A Ton

2007-02-22T08:39:00.000-08:00

By Jerry Garner

For as long as man has sailed the seas, there have been reports of sea monsters that would attack even the largest of man’s ships. The giant squid has always been one of the most widely known of these sea monsters. Fishermen in New Zealand have now caught a colossal squid weighing half a ton, making it the largest specimen ever caught.

Reports of giant squid have circulated since the 18th century. Often depicted in mammoth proportions, these sea monsters were often reported to have pulled entire ships to the ocean floor. Sailors would often treat tales of these creatures with respect and fear, while others regarded them as myth and fantasy.

In 1861, rumors circulated about an encounter between the French Navy and a giant squid. The story fueled the imagination of Jules Verne, resulting in Captain Nemo’s encounter with a colossal squid in Verne’s famous novel, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea.

Over time, evidence began to surface to demonstrate that the giant squid is a sea monster that truly does exist. Confirming that the creatures were real forever changed our view of them, even if very little is actually known of the creatures. One of the few facts about giant squid that is known is that the creatures are hunted by sperm whales, a fact that was revealed when enormous squid beaks were found in sperm whale stomachs.

While we are not certain of exactly how big these creatures can be, we now have a new benchmark after a fishing crew caught a record setting giant squid off the South of New Zealand today. The squid measured in at 39 feet long, and weighs 990 pounds, and is the largest squid specimen ever landed.

It should be noted that these are estimates made by the crew and the fisheries official on board the vessel. Official, detailed figures have not yet been released. If the initial estimates prove correct, it would make this squid 330 pounds heavier than the next biggest specimen to have every been found.

The men were fishing for Patagonian toothfish, which is sold under the name Chilean Sea Bass. According to Jim Anderton, the New Zealand Fisheries Minister, the squid began eating on of the toothfish that had been hooked. After a two hour struggle the creature was finally captured and brought on board.

"I can assure you that this is going to draw phenomenal interest. It is truly amazing," said Dr. Steve O'Shea, a squid expert at the Auckland University of Technology.

O’Shea went on to say that if calamari rings were to be made from this squid, they would be the size of tractor tires.

Colossal squid are known by the scientific name of Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni. They are estimated to grow up to 46 feet in length, and can descend to 6,500 feet below the surface of the ocean. They are believed to be very aggressive hunters.

While colossal squid are native to Antarctic waters, they have a close cousin known as the giant squid. The giant squid are native to waters just off the coast of New Zealand, and are known to be up to 39 feet in length. Aside from being slightly longer, the colossal squid is also generally heavier than the giant squid..

Related News Links:

New Zealand fishermen catch rare squid

Public Alarmed By More Tainted Food Recalls

2007-02-20T07:26:00.000-08:00

By Jerry Garner

In the past week alone, we have seen recalls of peanut butter, fruit and baby food. Now pre-cooked chicken breasts have joined the list of contaminated products, leaving the public to wonder exact what is safe to eat and what isn’t.

The scare began last week when two ConAgra Foods products, Peter Pan peanut butter and Great Value peanut butter, were recalled and pulled from shelves. The products had been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella that caused nearly 300 people in 39 States to fall ill. Of those, 46 were hospitalized for serious conditions.

The Salmonella outbreak came on the heels of a similar outbreak last November in which tomatoes were linked to the illness. It not only resulted in multiple lawsuits being filed against ConAgra Foods, but also left Congress wondering if the US food supply is vulnerable to terror attacks.

The food scare was intensified on Friday when Dole Fresh Fruit Company recalled more than 6,100 cartons of Cantaloupes. The fruit, which was imported from Costa Rica, was also infected with a strain of Salmonella. Although there have been no reports of illness linked to the fruit, the Associated Press reported that it had been distributed to wholesale outlets in Quebec and in the Eastern United States.

The same day, Earth’s Best Organic recalled a large amount of baby food with fears that it may have been contaminated with Clostridium Botulinum, a life threatening bacteria more commonly known as Botulism.

The manufacturer or Earth’s Best Organic voluntarily recalled more than 4,000 cases of individual jars and more than 38,000 variety packs, according to a prepared statement released by the FDA. Production of the baby food has been suspended until the company and the FDA can determine, and eliminate, the source of the problem.

The baby food that was recalled is part of the company’s “2nd Vegetables, Fruits and Blends” product line, and is intended for infants 6 months and up. The jars were distributed through retail outlets and also sold on the Earth’s Best web site, according to the FDA.

The publicity surrounding such a large amount of contaminated food products in such a short period of time has left the public wondering what is safe to eat.

"Our country has pretty good food regulation standards so the fact that we've had a lot of incidents lately is pretty shocking," says Matt Wolf, a shopper from Illinois.

To add to the ever-growing list of tainted food products, we are now being told that more than 26 tons of pre-cooked chicken breasts have been recalled after the meat was confirmed to be contaminated with Listeria Monocytogenes. If ingested, this contamination could develop into Listeriosis, an infection that is rare, but very serious.

The recall was issued by Carolina Culinary Foods of South Carolina. The company recalled more than 52,000 pounds of fully cooked chicken breasts that were produced on February 9th and distributed to retailers nationwide.

The recalled product are labeled “OSCAR MAYER/LOUIS RICH CHICKEN BREAST STRIPS WITH RIB MEAT, GRILLED, FULLY COOKED -- READY TO EAT.” Each 6-ounce package contains the number “P-19676” inside the USDA inspection mark on the front, and a use-by date of “19 Apr 2007” on the back.

Consumers with questions about the chicken recall should contact Kraft Consumer Response at 800-871-7117.

The latest event has left many wondering about the inspection process of the food that finds it’s way to our kitchen.

"I don't know if it's under-funding that we don't have the inspectors that we need to go out into the fields and make sure the companies are abiding by the rules that are set down," says shopper Mike Luke.

Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done on an individual level short of growing your own food, an option that is not realistic for the majority of the population. This leaves most consumers with no option other than to simply hope that the food they are eating isn’t poisoning them.

"You can't grow things in your home to the amount that there is out there to get so I don't know, you know, what are you gonna do?" Luke continued.

The unusually high volume of contaminated food products has left some members of Congress wondering if the US food supply is vulnerable to attacks from terrorists.

"If we cannot protect the nation's supply of peanut butter, one must ask how prepared we are for a terrorist attack on our nation's food supply," Michigan Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak said on Friday in response to the contaminated jars of Peter Pan peanut butter.

Consumer protection groups are also outraged and filing official complaints with the Federal Government. The groups charge that the agencies in charge of protecting the nations food supplies are all but negligent due to improper coordination. Complaints reference the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the US Department of Agriculture.

Related News Links:

Cooked Chicken Breasts Join Tainted-Food Recalls

More Recalled Foods

Illinois Republicans Push For Expanded Gambling

2007-02-20T04:20:00.000-08:00

By Jerry Garner

Illinois House Republicans have proposed a $5 Billion budget for roads, schools and mass transportation. The money to cover the budget will come from an expansion of Illinois' casinos.

Expanding gambling in the State has not been a popular option in the past. But when compared to other options, such as increase sales tax or an increase on State income tax, offering more gambling in the State may be viewed as the most favorable option available.

House Republican Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) remains hopeful about the proposal's odds of approval. The State has been in desperate need for a Capital Construction Plan for years, to repair aging roads and bridges. Adding to his hopes are that both parties have already mentioned using more gambling to cover the costs of these projects.

"We haven't done an infrastructure bill in seven years," Cross said. "When you look at roads, schools and higher education issues, it's time to quit talking about it."

Cross continued on to explain that while not everyone has embraced the idea, nearly everyone is in agreement on the need for a capital plan, and that the money for this plan has to come from somewhere.

The last Capital Budget was the "Illinois FIRST" plan, which was passed in 1999 during the early days of Gov. George Ryan's term. More recently, Gov. Rod Blagojevich has proposed multiple Capital Plans; all of which have failed to gain the approval of State Lawmakers.

A spokesperson for Governor Blagojevich, Abby Ottenhoff, stated that the Governor is open to considering any proposal put forth by the State Legislation.

"But it's ironic that these are the very legislators who stopped the governor from passing any capital plans for the last four years," Ottenhoff continued.

Throughout his first term, Governor Blagojevich has pushed several plans to fund school construction and various public works projects. None of these plans received proper support to be passed. House Republicans held up his most recent proposal, stating that there was not adequate funding to complete it. The Governor suggested that the State could add a keno lottery game to pay for the plan, but was ultimately forced to drop the idea.

The new plan proposed by the GOP would provide a budget of $3 Billion for purposes of road construction and mass transit projects. An additional $1.5 Billion would be applied to construction costs for schools in the State, and another $500 Million would go to various Universities and Community Colleges. The money required to pay for this plan would be derived purely from an expansion of available gambling at the casinos in Illinois.

"I understand that this does not expand gambling locations, but it would expand the positions," said Rep. Jil Tracy (R-Mount Sterling).

Tracy said that the plan is both vital and long overdue, even if an expansion of gambling is not her favorite source of funding.

Under the plan, casinos in Illinois can expand capacity on their gaming floors to include 6,000 new gaming positions, in addition to the 10,000 positions currently used at Illinois casinos. Casinos would pay $500 Million in up-front fees for the expanded capacity. Taxes and fees would continue to generate $450 Million per year from the expansion. Under the GOP Plan, casinos would need to supply the state with an additional $400 Million per year for 20 years in order to pay off construction loans for the projects.

Contaminated Peanut Butter Triggers Terror Concerns

2007-02-19T05:30:00.000-08:00

"If we cannot protect the nation's supply of peanut butter, one must ask how prepared we are for a terrorist attack on our nation's food supply," Michigan Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak said on Friday.

"As chairman of the House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, I have already been working with Commerce Committee chairman (John) Dingell to open an investigation into the adequacy of the FDA's efforts to protect our nation's food supply."

These concerns stem from the total recall of all Peter Pan Peanut Butter products purchased since May 2006. The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that all Peter Pan brand peanut butter purchased during this period should be discarded. This decision follows reports of more than 290 people in 39 states falling ill after consuming the peanut butter, 46 of which were hospitalized.

Also recalled is all Great Value brand peanut butter purchased during the same time period. Great Value is the Wal-Mart brand of the peanut butter. Although none of the salmonella outbreaks have been linked to the Great Value brand, it is manufactured at the same ConAgra Foods facility. As such, the CDC feels that discarding this product is a precautionary measure in the interest of public safety.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Wednesday that all contaminated jars of the product can be identified by the product code 2111. This product code is the first four digits of the number printed on the lid of the jar for both Peter Pan and Great Value. Anyone possessing one of these jars is advised to discard the product or return it to the place of purchase.

The CDC has identified the specific strain of bacteria as Salmonella Tennessee. This is one of many salmonella strains. The bacteria can cause nausea, diarrhea and other ill effects. Symptoms generally clear up on their own within a week.

"FDA laboratory personnel will analyze samples collected from the manufacturing plant," the agency said.

In addition to national distribution in the United States, the 2111 coded jars have also found their way around the world. Citizens in the Philippines have expressed concerns after finding potentially contaminated peanut butter in their pantry. Similarly, the United Arab Emirates has now announced that they are returning jars of the product as well.

The contamination has also resulted in a series of lawsuits filed against ConAgra Foods. The first of these, filed by Susanna and Brian Cox of St. Joseph, Missouri, alleges that the family became extremely ill in October after eating Great Value peanut butter. The FDA, however, maintains that Great Value has not been linked to the salmonella outbreak.

The same Seattle based attorney handling the Cox case has also filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York on behalf of a family with a 2 year old child. The lawsuit alleges that the child became ill in the past week after eating Peter Pan peanut butter. A Texas couple has also filed suit against ConAgra Foods. More lawsuits are expected to follow in coming weeks.

Of course, stomach nausea and lawsuits aren’t the extent of the concerns circulating in Washington. This salmonella outbreak, combined with another last November that was linked to tomato crops, has many on Capital Hill speculating as to how well protected our food supply is. The House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee has already launched an investigation into the FDA’s ability to protect the nation’s food supply, particularly in terms of protecting it from potential terror attacks.

Many consumer protection groups have lodged complaints in reference to the Government’s food safety efforts. These complaints charge that the various agencies involved with this effort, including the FDA, CDC and the US Department of Agriculture, do not communicate with each other effectively.

Approximately 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported in the United States each year. Around 600 of these are fatal.

Atlantic City Casinos Face Financial Crisis

2007-02-19T01:11:00.000-08:00

By Jerry Garner

Since gambling was first legalized in New Jersey in 1978, the casinos of Atlantic City have faced more than their fair share of obstacles. They have endured hurricanes, blizzards, and the collapse of a parking garage. Last year the casinos were even closed due to a State budget crisis, and more recently the city has been plagued by a serial killer targeting prostitutes. Despite all of this, gaming revenues at the casinos have always skyrocketed, increasing each year, until now.

Annual revenues for Atlantic City’s casinos is projected to decline in 2007, for the first time ever. A number of factors play into this expected decline in revenues. Atlantic City currently faces increased competition from slot parlors in neighboring states, such as Delaware and Pennsylvania, as well as the closing of one of the city’s casinos. It is also uncertain how much the new smoking ban will impact gaming revenues in Atlantic City.

Revenue figures released for the month of January are already down from 2006, triggering concerns that this could be the start of a trend that would carry forward through the rest of the year. If revenues do face a long-term decline, it would have negative consequences for both Atlantic City casinos and the State of New Jersey, which depends on taxes from casino revenues to support State budgets.

Carlos Tolosa, the Eastern Division President for Harrahs Entertainment said, “There will be an impact, no doubt. The Pennsylvania slots parlors will certainly cause competition. In the past, people just came to Atlantic City. That’s the part that always scares you. Atlantic City relies on high frequency customers.”

The new slot parlors in Pennsylvania have already begun to cut into Atlantic City’s casino revenues. Atlantic City went head-to-head against two new Philadelphia area slot parlors in January. Financial figures for this period showed Atlantic City’s overall revenues declining 2.9 percent from a year ago, with slot machine revenues specifically facing an even bigger 7.2 percent drop.

Philadelphia Park, located about 20 miles North of Philadelphia, opened it’s doors to the public on December 19. This was followed by the opening of Harrah’s Chester Casino and Racetrack on January 22. Both locations admitted that their target audience was comprised of customers who would have otherwise gone to Atlantic City.

While this may be bad news for Atlantic City Casinos and the taxes they generate for the State of New Jersey, it is not necessarily bad for the casino customers. Increased competition is generally good for consumers, and many industry insiders expect that the casinos will have to offer more financial incentives to keep players coming back. These incentives will likely result in a lot of free rooms, meals and show tickets up for grabs to anyone who will choose Atlantic City over the neighboring States’ alternatives. It is also likely to lead the city to expand revenues that are not associated with gambling.

"Clearly, Atlantic City recognizes that for its overall revenue to grow, it has to become less gaming-centric," said Joseph Weinert, Vice President of Spectrum Gaming Group, a casino consulting firm. "A majority of Atlantic City's customers will be able to play slots somewhere closer to home. Atlantic City has to give them a compelling reason to drive farther, stay longer and spend more."

“It’s difficult to spend time on the gambling floor morning to night,” said Barbara Sieminski, a retiree from Mountaintop, Pennsylvania, who comes to the Borgata at least once a month for amenities like the manicure she treated herself to last week. "I come for the total package. Coming to Atlantic City is like a vacation for us."

Even if revenues do continue to decline for 2007, it is not a trend that will be irreversible. Harrahs executives noted that the casinos shut down last July during a State budget crisis, which is an event that is not likely to repeat itself in the future. It should also be noted that Three new casinos will be adding more than 2,500 new hotel rooms to the city, which more than compensates for the closure of the Sands Casino and Hotel last November.

"I don't think anybody doubts that long-term, Atlantic City is going to remain a powerhouse," said Frank Fantini, publisher of The Gaming Morning Report.

10 Tips To Stop Smoking

2007-02-08T04:31:00.000-08:00

By Jerry Garner

Cigarette smoking is the world’s leading cause of preventable death. Tobacco related illnesses kill 438,000 people per year in the United States alone, and costs the U.S. economy over $167 Billion per year in health care related costs. The effects of cigarette smoke can be avoided entirely.

As shocking as these figures are, they are only a glimpse into the true figures of those afflicted with smoking related illness. 438,000 people per year die as a result of smoke related illness. That number is only reflective of actual death, and only in the United States. It is estimated that 8.6 million people in the United States suffer from a smoke related illness, meaning that for each death, there are 20 other people still suffering from the effects of cigarette smoke.

Even more shocking is the amount of poison contained in each cigarette. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,800 chemicals, of which at least 69 have been proven to cause cancer. As a result, cigarette smoke is directly responsible for 90% of all lung cancer deaths in the United States, and as much as 90% of emphysema related death.

In addition to chronic lung disease, cigarette smoke is also known to be a major cause of both coronary heart disease and stroke. It is also attributed to a number of other conditions and disorders, ranging from slow healing wounds to infertility.

Aside from the obvious health benefits to quitting a smoking habit, there are a number of other benefits as well. One of these is financial. With an average price of $4.00 per pack in the United States, a pack-a-day smoker will instantly save $1,460 per year just by not buying cigarettes.

Ex-smokers also report an increase in stamina almost instantly after they stop smoking, and nearly all smokers who quit report breathing easier and having a stronger sense of taste and smell as soon as one day after quitting. The following figures released by the Center for Disease Control show the reasonable timeline for recovering from a smoking habit.

--

20 Minutes after you stop smoking: Your heart rate drops

12 Hours after quitting: Carbon Monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

2 Weeks to 3 Months after quitting: Your risk of heart attack begins to drop and lung function begins to improve.

1 to 9 Months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease.

1 Year after quitting: Risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.

5 Years after quitting: Stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker.

10 Years after quitting: Lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker. Also, the risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases.

15 Years after quitting: Risk of coronary heart disease is back to that of a non-smoker.

--

Once you’ve made the decision to stop smoking, the next step is to come up with a plan to help you not only quit smoking, but to remain a non-smoker. The following tips have been used widely by others to make the transition from smoker to non-smoker a smoother and easier process.

Tip 1 – Prepare In Advance

Rather than quitting cold turkey, try to pick a date 30 to 45 days ahead of time. Set a firm date, and more importantly, make sure everyone you know is aware that this is your quitting date. Remind them repeatedly. This not only helps them prepare for a change in mood during your initial quitting, but will also make you feel obligated to quit on that date, helping to release the cigarette’s psychological hold on you.

It is also recommended that you reduce your nicotine intake during this period. When you smoke a cigarette, wait a few extra minutes before you light it. If you smoke full strength cigarettes, reduce to lights, or if you smoke light cigarettes reduce to ultra-lights. It may seem like a difficult change, but it will make it easier for you to stop smoking entirely.

Tip 2 – Quit With A Buddy

Most smokers find it easier to quit if they have the support of a fellow smoker who is quitting with them. Since smokers tend to associate with other smokers, and since studies show that 4 out of 5 smokers find the habit disgusting, you should have little problem with finding a quitting buddy. This will give you someone to share tips with, and to generally talk to when you are faced with the urge to light up.

Tip 3 – Don’t Taper Off

Many smokers hold onto a myth that it is easier to quit smoking if you taper off instead of going cold turkey. Studies have proven this to be untrue. The habit of smoking cigarettes is a combination of physical and psychological addiction. When you taper off the number of cigarettes you smoke in a day, what you are actually doing is making those remaining cigarettes even more important, strengthening the psychological addiction. Those who attempt to taper off will rarely quit entirely, and the vast majority relapse into full smoking after a short time.

Tip 4 – Change Your Routine

Smoking cigarettes is largely based on habit, and changing those habits can often make it easier to stop smoking. If you always eat breakfast at the same time every day, try to change that time, or to sit in a different location while eating. Many people also find it easier if they eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, stating that it gives them an overall healthier feeling, which helps them to maintain a positive outlook about quitting.

Tip 5 – Stop Smoking Aids

If you feel that you need help to kick the habit, try one of the many stop smoking aids that are available at most any pharmacy. Nicotine gum, patches and inhalers have made a lot of progressive developments in recent years. Most physicians approve of the use of these products, because nicotine (the addictive narcotic in tobacco) does not contain any when used alone, and can help to satisfy the physical addition until the psychological addition has been conquered.

Tip 6 – Keep Busy

If you begin to feel tense or anxious, find something to keep busy. Providing a distraction to keep your mind occupied is often all it takes for the anxiety to pass before you realize it. This is a good time to start a hobby, or maybe to complete some of those household repairs that you’ve been putting off.

Tip 7 – Money Jar

A lot of people like to start a money jar at the time that they quit smoking, and to fill it each day (or week) with the money that they would have normally spent to buy cigarettes. This quickly adds up to show the true financial incentive to stop smoking. Set a target amount and when it is reached, buy something nice to reward yourself for being smoke free.

Tip 8 – Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise is not only good for you, but will have an immediate psychological benefit. When you exercise you feel healthy and good about yourself. You are less likely to want to revert back to a non-healthy activity like smoking. Try to go for a walk or a bike ride when you can.

Tip 9 – Let Others Know

Tell others that you have quit smoking. This has many benefits. They will probably try to refrain from smoking around you, making it easier for you to stay off the habit. Many smokers will also want to know how you quit, giving you an opportunity to talk about the methods you used. Talking about it somehow removes much of the pressure and makes it easier to stay quit, and if you inspire someone else to try quitting it is a very gratifying feeling.

Tip 10 – Remember That Cravings Will Pass

When you are faced with a craving to smoke a cigarette, just remind yourself that the craving will pass whether you have a cigarette or not, so you may as well make the healthy, responsible decision, and not smoke. Cravings will soon be less intense and less frequent, and each time you refuse to light up it will be easier than the time before.

Should you slip and find yourself lighting a cigarette, don’t get discouraged or be hard on yourself. Nearly all former smokers tried to quit several times before they finally quit for good. Don’t be discouraged, just quit again.

Related Links:

Smoking 101 Fact Sheet - American Lung Association

Facts About Smoking

Iran Blames U.S. For Diplomatic Kidnapping

2007-02-07T02:59:00.000-08:00

By Jerry Garner

Iran accused the United States on Tuesday, of coordinating the abduction of an Iranian Diplomat conducting business in Iraq. U.S. Officials have denied any direct or indirect involvement in the kidnapping, as tensions between the two nations continue to escalate.

Shortly after sunset on Sunday, a car transporting Jalal Sharafi, second secretary to the Iranian Embassy in Iraq, was travelling through the streets of a Shiite neighborhood. Sharafi had just left a branch of the state-owned Iranian bank in the Karradah district, when his car was blocked by gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms.

Sharafi was forced into one of two vehicles that began to speed away from the scene. Suspicious of what was happening, Iraqi police opened fire on the vehicles, disabling one of them. Sharafi was not in the vehicle that was stopped, but four gunmen found inside were arrested and interrogated.

The following day, uniformed Iraqis appeared at the police station, presented proper identification badges, and demanded custody of the four gunmen for transfer to another detention facility, an official stated.

The authorities complied with the seemingly legitimate order, and the gunmen disappeared. Neither the Interior Ministry nor the Defense Ministry, who collectively control the Iraqi Security Forces, had any information as to what happened to the gunmen when they left the police station.

The Iranian Government and some Shiite lawmakers in Iraq believe that Sharafi was detained as part of an intelligence gathering operation carried out by the Iraqi Special Operations Command, under the direct supervision of U.S. Forces.

"They acted under U.S. supervision," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Ali Hosseini said in a statement released in Tehran. Al Hosseini described the incident as a "terrorist attack."

"Based on reliable information, certain agents behind the terrorist act have been arrested. They acted under U.S. supervision," Hosseini said. "The Islamic Republic of Iran considers it a responsibility of U.S. forces in Iraq to protect members of the diplomatic community, including Iranian diplomats, and will hold them responsible for obtaining the release of the abducted Iranian diplomat."

At the same time, the Bush administration has accused Iran of fueling sectarian violence in Iraq by providing Shiite extremists with weapons and explosives that are being used to attack both U.S. Forces and Sunni Arab targets. U.S. Forces have been holding five Iranians in custody for the past month following a raid carried out in the Northern city of Irbil, and accuses the Iranian Government of plans to attack Americans in the region.

An official at the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad states that Shafari’s abduction is just the latest case of heavy handedness under the orders of U.S. officials. "They should release our colleague as soon as possible," he said angrily.

The United States remains firm in it’s position that neither U.S. Forces, or Iraqi troops under their command, had any involvement with the abduction.

"In all of our research we have found no unit within Multi-National Force-Iraq or that we are associated with that has conducted any operation that remotely resembles this," said U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Garver. "We're continuing to research based on the seriousness of this. However, at this time, there is no evidence that any MNF-I unit participated in this event."

Although the United States has received the blame for the kidnapping, there is little or no evidence to support the allegation, and there are many alternatives to consider. Kidnappings are common in Baghdad, where merchants and high ranking local officials are often kidnapped by criminals who wish to command a large ransom for their release. Other suspects include rogue elements of the Iraqi Security Forces, or even Sunni insurgents.

Iran officials, however, refuse to consider the possibility that Shafari’s kidnapping was anything less than an attempt by Washington to exert control over Tehran.

"This is not the first time such a thing has happened," the Iranian Embassy official said of Sharafi's alleged abduction. "Normally, the United States is responsible."

American officials remain firm that there is no involvement from their forces. "We don't really know a whole lot about it at this point," White House spokesman Tony Snow said. "We know that the Iraqi government is investigating."

At this time, details are incomplete at best according to Iraqi Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari. "We are working very hard and the Prime Minister is working very hard to get to the bottom of this," Zebari said. "This is unacceptable. It's our responsibility to protect diplomats in this country."

The one thing that is absolutely certain in all of this is that an already tense situation has been further intensified by the abduction of Jalal Sharafi.

Related News Links:

Iraqi government embarrassed by the seizure of Iranian diplomat

Iran blames U.S. for kidnapping of its diplomat in Iraq

U.S. orchestrated seizure of Baghdad envoy, Iran alleges

Demand Weakens For U.S. Business Loans

2007-02-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

By Jerry Garner

A Government report released on Monday provided a bleak outlook for 2007 in reference to most types of loans, including citing a weakening demand for small business loans and other commercial development loans. The report, released by the U.S. Federal Reserve, also hinted that credit quality is likely to suffer for both businesses and consumers.

The Fed study was based on a survey of 57 domestic banks, and 22 foreign banks with U.S. branch offices. One of the banks included in the study is Ashwaubenon-based Associated Bank.

"It's a tight credit cycle right now," stated Gordy King, Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer for Associated Bank. "There is a general slowdown in lot and lot development loans," King continued.

In reference to the outlook for credit quality in 2007, the Fed said, “Considerable net percentages of both foreign and domestic institutions reportedly expect credit quality on loans to businesses and households to deteriorate somewhat in 2007.”

The Fed continued to comment that the percentage of banks expecting a deterioration in credit quality had increased from the numbers quoted in the 2006 survey.

Of those surveyed, 45% expect to see a decline in the quality of loans to business clients, whether it is for real estate or other business loans. A total of 35% of the domestic banks expect to see a decline in the quality of consumer loans, including credit card debt.

U.S. banks also indicated that demand for mortgage loans continued to weaken over the past three months. At least 15% of U.S. banks have tightened credit criteria for residential mortgages as a result of the weaker demand. This is the largest percentage of banks to tighten credit terms for these types of loans since the early 1990s.

However, the Fed loan study may not be an entirely accurate representation of what to expect for 2007. The economic figures for the fourth quarter show that the U.S. economy grew by 3.4 percent during that period. This exceeded analysts predictions, and a continued trend could lead to larger demand for various types of bank loans.

Related Links

Demand Weakens For Most Loans

Banks say U.S. demand for most loan types is weakening, Fed survey shows

Insurance Company Dumps Florida Insurance Policies

2007-02-04T06:02:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, Florida Governor Charlie Crist signed an emergency rule to freeze insurance rates and enact a moratorium on nonrenewals for 90 days and prevents cancellations through the end of the hurricane season, Nov. 30. The move was designed to lock in insurance rates until after Hurricane season has passed, but it seems to have backfired. Insurance companies are now looking away from Florida, and more than 38,000 residents will have their policies cancelled.

The move came following a special session for the Florida Legislature that was called on January 16-22. The session included an expansion of the State’s catastrophe fund, which would provide insurance company’s cheaper reinsurance than they could obtain through ordinary channels. The provision made the process cheaper for insurance agencies, provided that they pass those savings on to their customers. The measure should have been a boon to insurance companies, but when combined with the emergency rule implemented by the Governor, it has caused several insurance brokers to take a step back to re-evaluate whether or not they want to offer insurance to Florida residents.

"The irony here is prior to the legislative session, we were actually opening up a matrix to allow more new business," said Don Matz, President of Tower Hill Insurance Group. "We were being very bullish, but now we are taking a step back and reassessing our strategy."

Matz’s company announced on Friday that they would cease writing new insurance policies for 16 Florida counties, including Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco. The company firmly states that they are not ‘pulling out’ of the State, but it is clear that they are firmly restricting their insurance business in Florida.

The largest shake up has come from the Hartford Financial Services Group. In a move that appears to be leading towards a complete evacuation of the Florida insurance market, Hartford announced that they will be canceling more than 38,000 insurance policies in Florida. This accounts for more than 1/3 of the company’s personal and corporate insurance accounts in Florida. Hartford customers who are having their insurance policies cancelled will receive notice by mail over the next 18-30 months.

The 80,000 participants in the company’s special insurance agreement with AARP will not be affected by the company’s decision to reduce it’s Florida property insurance exposure, said Joe Loparco, a spokesman at The Hartford's Connecticut headquarters.

"The Legislature is going to reconvene in March, and they're probably going to debate this issue further," said Ramani Ayer, chairman, president and chief executive of The Hartford.

Florida State law does not require insurance companies to inform regulators of their intention to cease writing new policies, said Jonathon Kees, a communications assistant with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. However, there is little doubt that there is an insurance crisis under way in the state, and it has left many policy holders wondering if their insurance policy will be cancelled in coming months, and if so, if there will be any insurance companies left to get new insurance policies with.

Related News:

Hartford Financial will drop 38,000 Florida property policies

Insurers Re-Evaluating In Face Of Reform Law

Online Banking Reaches New Highs

2007-02-03T09:20:00.000-08:00

It has been an interesting week in online banking, as internet banks around the world released a series of banking advancements, extended services and record setting interest rates to make using the internet for banking applications easier and more profitable for anyone who wishes to open a checking or savings account.

The most recent of the new online banking advancements has been modifications to the internet banking software used by Bank of America. BoA’s new internet banking system allows their online banking customers to have access to new tools that assist with automatically tracking expenses, setting and managing budgets, and monitoring the performance of all financial instruments in real time. These tools are all free of charge, and available through the “My Portfolio” section of Bank of America’s web banking web site.

"The combination of My Portfolio and these new money management tools gives consumers a comprehensive picture of their income and expenses at one convenient site," says Sanjay Gupta, e-commerce executive for Charlotte-based BofA (NYSE: BAC). "This is a simple and easy way for consumers to get more control over their finances without manually transferring or downloading information to financial management software programs."

Meanwhile, Landmark Bank has added a deeper level of internet security to their online banking security platform. The new security system, branded ICON, allows users to select a graphic icon, to write a brief phrase, and to choose three challenge questions. This information can then be transmitted back and forth between the online bank and the customer as an additional method for each to verify the other’s identity.

"Our new security features will provide customers confidence when they login to our online banking system that they are accessing a legitimate bank site and not an imposter," said Patrick L. Alexander, Landmark National Bank President and CEO. "As more and more customers choose to use our online banking services, providing a more secure site is of the utmost importance."

But when it comes to the bottom line, it is the online banking system provided by HSBC that will catch the eye of most customers. The online bank of HSBC’s Malta branch is offering some of the highest interest rates available at any internet bank in the world. As part of a promotion to advertise their new Online Banking Current Account, customers who open an internet bank account will receive an interest rate of 2.5% until August 31, 2007, and an interest rate of 1.5% after this date. That is better than most mutual funds are paying.

New customers can apply online by visiting the bank’s website hsbc.com.mt while existing HSBC customers can upgrade their current or savings account through the same site.

From new features, to new security methods, to record setting interest rates, customers of online banks have plenty of reasons to be happy this week, and plenty of options when searching for a new internet bank that meets their needs.

Was Apple iPhone Worth The Hype?

2007-01-10T03:55:00.000-08:00

It's been over 2 years since Jobs deciples first began to await the release of the iPhone, and by the time the product is released in June it will be over 3 years of waiting. What makes iPhone worth the wait and worth the hype? The answers depend on who you ask, and some of them may surprise you.

At the MacWorld Expo, Steve Jobs officially announced the launch of the iPhone, slated for June 2007, with an anticipated world-wide sales of 10,000,000 units by the end of the year. What was surprising to most Apple enthusiasts wasn't the news of the product release, so much as the name iPhone, following earlier reports that the name was owned by a third party who would not deal with Apple.

But what's in a name anyway? Well, quite a lot if you were to ask Phil Schiller, Apple's Director of World Wide Marketing. Schiller is smart enough to know that the brand begins with the name and how it syncs up to other brands in the family. The second step in the process is to generate a lot of media hype, which Schiller has done extraordinarily well. But does the hype really live up to the product?

To begin with, the phone isn't even complete and isn't expected to be complete for another 6 months, putting the total development time for the product at over 3 years. With a 3 year wait for a mobile phone, one would expect it to have the most revolutionary features available, particularly when the developers are the creative minds behind the Mac and iPod. But is this really the case with the iPhone? Actually, initial assessments are that it leaves a bit to be desired.

David Pogue, one of the few people to use an iPhone hands on, openly admits that typing is incredibly difficult to accomplish on the touch screen provided, and admits that Blackberry users will most likely prefer to stay with their current systems. While the web browsing is said to be great on the 3.5 inch screen, Pogue stated that the speed was incredibly slow, and remarked that he couldn't help but wonder how much slower it will be when users are connecting to the net over Cingular's notoriously slow Edge network.

But aside from it's shortcomings, you have to consider what the iPhone offers that other phone's do not. If you listen to Apple marketing, the iPhone brings a world of new features to the users that were never before capable on any mobile phone. However, I have found this to be entirely untrue. In fact, there is not one single feature performed by the $500 iPhone that can not be done on my $60 Nokia, other than seeing the same internet on a larger screen.

The iPhone browses the internet, as does 90% of other mobile phones on the market. It also acts as a digital camera, as do 80% of competing phones. Oh, but the iPhone will play iTunes. Sorry, but I've been playing both MP3, Video and FM Radio on my phone for over two years, so you'll forgive me if iTunes doesn't excite me. But wait, the Apple marketers say, our phone has an actual computer operating system so that you can edit word processing or spreadsheets. Well, not that I care to use my phone for hammering out excel formulas, but I've had Windows operating system on my phone for quite some time. So what does iPhone offer me that I don't already have? The short answer - nothing, except for perhaps a larger price tag.

So the real question is, was iPhone worth all the media hype? Well, the answer depends on who you ask.

If you ask a hard core Apple fanatik, then yes, by all means it was worth the hype, as is anything Steve Jobs will ever release, no matter how uninspired. Probably those that like to jump onto trends for the latest expensive gadgets will also fall into this category, although most of them will never use more than half the features.

If you ask a savvy consumer who wants to get his (/her) money's worth from a product, then the answer will most likely be no, what's the point behind this overpriced phone.

LasVegas.net Named World's Worst Web Host

2006-12-20T11:07:00.000-08:00

We've all heard the horror stories of what can happen when your site is hosted at the wrong company. Some of us have been unfortunate enough to have used one of these companies in the past, or maybe you're still with one now. Even if not, anyone who's ever spent an hour on the phone to reach a clueless customer service rep can appreciate this situation. We've scoured the virtual universe and have uncovered the single worst web host in the world.

You would expect such horrible service to be located in Dominica, or India, or some third world sesspool that just wants to take the money and run. To our surprise, the world's worst web host is actually located right here in the good ol' U.S of A, in sin city itself, Las Vegas, Nevada. In fact, the web host, which also provides local internet access, is actually using the name LasVegas.net.

Owned by Las Vegas resident Marty Mizrahi, LasVegas.net provides local dsl service to residents of the city, and hosting services to many local area businesses. The company is also heavily involved in the internet porn industry, as our research has uncovered, providing design and modeling services for web sites such as girlfriendfilms.com. We wonder what other clients, such as Las Vegas Fox 5, would think if they were aware that their site was being hosted on porn servers.

It didn't take much digging to find out just how disreputable this porn host is. A quick look at their profile on Alexa Web Rankings reveals the following comment:

I have spent over 14 hours over five days waiting for them to finish an installation with a guarrentee that it will be working after the first 13 hours.

Day 1 seven hours, (The service worked at a under 350kBaud for a day then died.) Day 2 six hours, Day 3 "no show" called at time of appointment to cancel, Day 4 "new guy" did new roof install, Day 5 one hour wait "new guy" was a "no show, no call". When I unplugged the equipment the crimp connection to the modem FELL-APART!!! You can never get someone on the phone and a REALLY irritating "no satisfaction" remix plays until the voicemail picks up.

My advice: Look at the website closely and don't trust a company that has to diversify so much to make money. Companies should be REALLY good at what they do before they diversify.

After running a classified ad in the Las Vegas Review Journal, we were contacted by a number of other dissatisfied clients of LasVegas.net. One of these, Global Gaming News, revealed that when they first transferred their sites to LasVegas.net, it took them more than two months to complete the job, and when it was time to transfer away, it took weeks to do the job.

"I had already paid for a year in advance", states GGN President, Jerry Garner, "There wasn't much I could do"

Mr Garner had no idea about the porn servers until we notified him, but another former client was aware. Dennis Tobler, owner of Gaming Broadcast had no problems with that aspect of the business. In fact, he professes to be an amateur pornographer as a hobby. However, he did have a problem with the services provided compared to what competitors provide at a lower cost. Like Garner, Mr Tobler had also paid for a year in advance.

"He already had my money, and getting money back from a jew is like getting weed back from a hippy", Tobler stated in a telephone interview.

Mr Mazrahi could not be reached for comment, although we did enjoy that remix of "No Satisfaction" while waiting.