tagged w/ Current News US
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According to new research conducted by MSN, that studied the online habits of 20,000 14-19-year-olds, over 50% of Europe's teens surf the web without any parental supervision.
They found that 51% of those surveyed had complete free reign over what they looked at on the interwebs, with 29% of those surveyed also claiming that they've suffered 'bullying' online.
And all this just as the EU marks 'Safer Internet Day' with agreements from nearly twenty 'social sites' who are to do more to protect their younger users.According to new research conducted by MSN, that studied the online habits of 20,000... more
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Writing in an academic journal, Professor David Nutt said taking ecstasy was no worse than the risks of "equasy", a term he invented to describe people's addiction to horse-riding.
Prof Nutt is the chairman of the Home Office's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs which next week is likely to say that ecstasy should be downgraded to a Class B drug.Writing in an academic journal, Professor David Nutt said taking ecstasy was no worse... more
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People unwilling to quit smoking to improve their own health may consider giving up cigarettes to spare their pets the harmful effects of secondhand smoke, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
Twenty-eight percent of pet owners who smoke said in a survey they would try to quit based on knowledge that secondhand smoke could harm their dogs, cats and other pets, the researchers wrote in the journal Tobacco Control.
Another 11 percent said they would think about quitting.
"It's not necessarily that people love their pets more than they love themselves or their children, it's just another motivational factor for people to consider quitting smoking," Sharon Milberger of the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, who led the research, said in a telephone interview.
Milberger said asking smokers to quit for the sake of their pets may be an appealing new way to get them to throw away their cigarettes. Of the 71 million pet owners in the United States, about a fifth are smokers, Milberger estimated.
Just under 20 percent of Americans smoke, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Just as secondhand smoke can harm people, studies indicate it can raise a pet's risk of lung cancer and other forms of cancer, allergies, eye and skin diseases and respiratory problems, the researchers said.
The findings were based on a Web-based survey of 3,293 U.S. pet owners, mostly from Michigan.
Among the nonsmokers who owned pets and lived with someone who did smoke, 16 percent said they would ask that person to quit and 24 percent said they would tell the smoker to light up outside instead of indoors, the study found.
"It would be hard to believe that there's any smoker out there now who doesn't know that smoking is bad for them and the people around them," Milberger said.
"For tobacco control advocates, on our team we can now have vets and kennels and pet supply stores. So, for example, when someone takes Fluffy in to the vet, the vet can ask them about their smoking behavior and whether they allow smoking in their home," added Milberger, a nonsmoker with a 1-year-old cat...People unwilling to quit smoking to improve their own health may consider giving up... more
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WASHINGTON (AP) - The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is proposing a "truth commission" to investigate abuses of detainees, politically inspired moves at the Justice Department, and whole range of decisions made during the Bush administration.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said the primary goal of the commission would be to learn the truth rather than prosecute former officials, but said the inquiry should reach far beyond misdeeds at the Justice Department under Bush to include matters of Iraq prewar intelligence and the Defense Department.
Leahy outlined his suggestion for a "truth and reconciliation" commission during a speech at Georgetown University Monday.
"I'm doing this not to humiliate people or punish people but to get the truth out," he said.
The panel he envisions would be modeled after one that investigated the apartheid regime in South Africa. It would have subpoena power but would not bring criminal charges, he said.
Among the matters Leahy wants investigated by such a commission are: the firings of U.S. attorneys, treatment and torture of terror suspect detainees, and the authorization of warrantless wiretapping.
"Rather than vengeance, we need a fair-minded pursuit of what actually happened" during the Bush administration, Leahy said.
Some Democrats have called for criminal investigations of those who authorized certain controversial tactics in the war on terror. Republicans have countered that such decisions made in the wake of the 2001 terror attacks should not be second-guessed.
"We need to be able to read the page before we turn the page," Leahy said. "We need to come to a shared understanding of the failures of the recent past."
After the Sept. 11 attacks, the government created a 9/11 commission to examine failures within government anti-terror efforts.
Leahy said that commission was hampered by a lack of cooperation from the administration, and would like a new commission to have access to everything they needed.
He said he was offering the idea to see how much support it had.
"We need to see whether the American people are ready to take this path," he said, adding that he did not have anyone in particular in mind to lead the commission, but wanted "people with real credibility."WASHINGTON (AP) - The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is proposing a... more
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A special panel of federal judges has tentatively ruled that California must release tens of thousands of inmates to relieve overcrowding.
The judges say no other solution will improve conditions so poor that inmates die regularly of suicides or lack of proper care.
They say the state can cut the population of its 33 adult prisons through changes in parole and other policies without endangering public safety.SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A special panel of federal judges has tentatively ruled that... more
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gooma2
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3 years ago
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A vaginal gel which can kill the HIV virus during sexual intercourse was hailed Monday for showing it was somewhat effective in preventing infection and for holding promise as another weapon in the arsenal against the deadly disease.
The gel, PRO2000 produced by Indevus Pharmaceuticals, was 30 per cent effective in reducing the incidence of AIDS during four years of trials in Africa and the United States, according to research revealed at an AIDS conference in Montreal, Canada.A vaginal gel which can kill the HIV virus during sexual intercourse was hailed Monday... more
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The active ingredient in marijuana cuts tumor growth in common lung cancer in half and significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread, say researchers at Harvard University who tested the chemical in both lab and mouse studies.
They say this is the first set of experiments to show that the compound, Delta-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), inhibits EGF-induced growth and migration in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expressing non-small cell lung cancer cell lines. Lung cancers that over-express EGFR are usually highly aggressive and resistant to chemotherapy.
THC that targets cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 is similar in function to endocannabinoids, which are cannabinoids that are naturally produced in the body and activate these receptors. The researchers suggest that THC or other designer agents that activate these receptors might be used in a targeted fashion to treat lung cancer.The active ingredient in marijuana cuts tumor growth in common lung cancer in half and... more
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The economic stimulus bill backed by the President and key Democrats survived a test vote in the Senate today despite strong opposition by Republicans.
The 61-36 vote, received one more vote than the 60 needed to advance the measure toward Senate passage on Tuesday.The economic stimulus bill backed by the President and key Democrats survived a test... more
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Story Highlights
Villagers paying up to $1,500 to heat homes for a month, $400 for groceries a week
Some families say they have run out of food, others eat only one meal a day
Resident: "We have remained quiet, cried and suffered in silence"
Early winter, devastating fishing season, high fuel prices crippling economy
Emmonak resident Nicholas Tucker wondered if others were feeling the impact, so he broadcast an inquiry via VHF radio, one of the common ways to communicate in the village.
Tucker said many residents sobbed as they radioed him back.
"His family has been out of food for quite some time now," Tucker wrote about one resident in a letter sent to legislators and the media. "Their 1-year-old child is out of milk, [he] can't get it and he has no idea when he will be able to get the next can."
"There are days without food in his house," Tucker wrote.
A single father with five children choked back tears as he told Tucker of his struggle to help his kids.
"Right now, we can't eat during the day, only at supper time," Tucker wrote of the man. "If there had been no school lunch our kids would be starving."
Many of the tribal leaders said they are begging the state and federal governments to do something to help.
George Lamont, tribal administrator in Tuluksak, Alaska, said because of the crisis and villagers' inability to pay their utility bills, he fears many may have their electricity shut off.Story Highlights
Villagers paying up to $1,500 to heat homes for a month, $400 for... more
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mik661
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WASHINGTON — A massive effort to fix public works destroyed more than three years ago by the Gulf Coast hurricanes remains largely stalled, leaving more than $3.9 billion in federal aid unspent and key repairs far from complete.
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The scale of that job is enormous. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has promised $5.8 billion to repair everything from flooded libraries and schools to sewer systems and roads that were ruined when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita obliterated huge sections of coastal Louisiana and Mississippi in 2005.
This is shameful.WASHINGTON — A massive effort to fix public works destroyed more than three... more
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And no, not just for porn stars... apparently women who have healthy sex lives and who climax regularly are more likely to be successful at work. "Experts" say that orgasms make women think more clearly and feel empowered, and then ladies bring these positive aspects to their performance at work. Well, ladies... let's hear it. Do you agree with these experts?And no, not just for porn stars... apparently women who have healthy sex lives and who... more
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Is that all?
Research conducted by OnePoll has discovered that UK teenagers spend on average 87 hours a year watching online smut.
OnePoll conducted the survey of 1000 UK teens aged only between 13 and 15, and rather unshockingly found that they spend an average of 31 hours a week surfing online.
I'd be tempted to say that had the poll included all teens, then that number could have been even higher.
Here's the breakdown of how the survey categorised its results;
* Downloading music 1 hour 40 minutes
* YouTube 2 hours 2 minutes
* MSN 3 hours 29 minutes
* Chatrooms 2 hours 5 minutes
* Virtual World sites 1 hour 55 minutes
* Homework/research 3 hours 10 minutes
* Shopping 1 hour 49 minutes
* Auction sites 1 hour 28 minutes
* Cosmetic surgery 1 hour 8 minutes
* Soft porn 1 hour 40 minutes
* Dieting/weight loss 1 hour 35 minutes
* Family planning/pregnancy 1 hour 32 minutes
* NHS Direct/Health 1 hour 22 minutes
* Samaritans 1 hour 1 minute
* Dating 1 hour 15 minutes
* Social networking 3 hours 47 minutesIs that all?
Research conducted by OnePoll has discovered that UK teenagers spend... more
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This coming Monday will see the start of one of the most important court cases in the history of P2P filesharing, if not the whole internet. Infamous torrent website, The Pirate Bay, will be standing in the dock of Stockholm's District Court facing trial for their involvement in distributing illegal media.
The Pirate Bay have been gearing up heavily for the trial, but aren't best pleased with the court's choice of location for the hearing, demanding that the room be moved to one that can hold more than 35-40 people, as that's not even enough for the four defendant's families.
The Pirate Bay want the whole world to be able to watch the trial, saying that the seats in the courtroom shouldn't just go to the mainstream media, but that bloggers should be given an opportunity to sit in on the hearing. Peter Sunde (aka Brokep) claimed:
“Traditional media is 90% owned by the opposition in this case and that is something that really must be taken into account.”
The court have apparently set up a second room, which will run an audio feed from the courtroom, but he doesn't think that's enough either, saying:
“I NEED a room for at least 150 people, 20 reserved for the family and 80 to 100 reserved for the press and public. It need not be in the same room, but we need several rooms REQUIRING video too, not just sound.”
And, most notably there's still discussions about the concept of doing a live webcast of the court case, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
“We want to show how it works. Cards on the table, everything should be transparent!”
I kinda agree that everything should be transparent, i mean why shouldn't they have a live (or even slightly delayed) webcast of the court case?This coming Monday will see the start of one of the most important court cases in the... more
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Rumor has it, Chris Brown may have physically hit Rihanna a day before the Grammy's. Chris Brown was not permitted to perform and Rihanna dropped out an hour before the show. Domestic violence at such a young age...Rumor has it, Chris Brown may have physically hit Rihanna a day before the... more
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"Why is it so hard for some to realize that jobs in the arts support millions of Americans and are no less worthy than any other job that puts food on the table? Economic studies indicate that 2.98 million Americans are employed in the arts or in arts-centric businesses. Each dollar allocated to the arts not only supports those individuals; the benefits flow outward to their communities and to other businesses. Movie production doesn't require only actors and directors. Stay for the credits after a film ends and you can't help but notice the incredible army of workers required to bring a story to the screen. In turn, each of those individuals and businesses spends money and pays taxes in their communities. The economic returns and stimulative effects are clear.
Beyond the finances, though, investing in the arts during these tough times can ensure that America doesn't lose a generation of creative talent to our temporary economic woes. Somewhere in America today, there are individuals with the potential of Orson Welles and the artistic gifts of Mark Rothko. It is foolhardy to attempt to save our economy by ignoring our talent.""Why is it so hard for some to realize that jobs in the arts support millions of... more
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Seth shares his thoughts on Michael Phelps.
Please make a quick phone call to Kellogg's at 800-962-1413
Let the company know that as long as they treat Michael Phelps like a criminal, you will
not spend your money on their products.Seth shares his thoughts on Michael Phelps.
Please make a quick phone call to... more
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MUNICH — Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said Saturday that the United States will pursue a missile defense plan that has angered the Kremlin, but he also left open the possibility of compromise on the issue and struck a more conciliatory tone than the Bush administration on relations with Russia.
“It is time to press the reset button and to revisit the many areas where we can and should be working together with Russia,” Mr. Biden said in a speech at a security conference here attended by global leaders and diplomats.
Deputy Prime Minister Sergei B. Ivanov of Russia on Sunday said that Mr. Biden’s remarks were “very positive,” Reuters reported.
End of excerpt
Source: The New York Times
This is what you call progress.MUNICH — Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said Saturday that the United States... more
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Engdahl: The danger is the US may turn to military might as their financial power weakens.
Discussing the global economic crisis, the context, and the history of the U.S. financial meltdown, Paul Jay continues our interview with William Engdahl, political economist and author. “I think it’s a symptom but not a fundamental cause of the crisis,” says Engdahl of the stagnation in wage increases in the United States. He continues to explain that, “if you go back to August 1971, when Nixon decoupled the dollar from gold, the United States went into what’s called in the Banking world ‘a Fiat Money System.’ Initially, after the decoupling, the U.S. dollar was backed by oil, but over the years, the United States became “increasingly dependent on the dollar being backed by the U.S. military power projection in the world. F16s and Abraham tanks instead of gold.” Engdahl continues to explain that, “this allowed the U.S. administrations to run deficits like no other nation in the world was able to. I think that is what now is reaching its limits.” As the U.S. financial dominance in the world comes to an end, Engdahl says he fears that, “certain powerful actors will turn to the U.S. military power projection around the world,” and that, “this is the real danger of a World War III.” He points out that the team Obama has brought into his administration is a, “really hawkish continuation of the old [Bush] team.”
F William Engdahl is an economist and author and the writer of the best selling book "A Century of War: Anglo-American Oil Politics and the New World Order." Mr Engdhahl has written on issues of energy, politics and economics for more than 30 years, beginning with the first oil shock in the early 1970s. Mr. Engdahl contributes regularly to a number of publications including Asia Times Online, Asia, Inc, Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Foresight magazine; Freitag and ZeitFragen newspapers in Germany and Switzerland respectively. He is based in Germany.
See Part 1 at:
http://current.com/items/89796259/two_years_recession_or_ten_years_of_hell_part_1.htm
See Part 2 at:
http://current.com/items/89796275/two_years_recession_or_ten_years_of_hell_part_2.htm
See Part 4 at:
http://current.com/items/89807549/two_years_recession_or_ten_years_of_hell_part_4.htm
.Engdahl: The danger is the US may turn to military might as their financial power... more
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**Sen. Ben Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat involved in the compromise negotiations with Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, posted a breakdown on his Web site showing that the compromise cuts all $16 billion from the original bill for K-12 school construction, trims more than $1 billion from Head Start programs for youngsters and cuts $40 billion from a $79 billion proposal to help states pay education costs while trying to balance their own budgets.
Some $3.5 billion would be cut for work on higher education facilities as well.**Sen. Ben Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat involved in the compromise negotiations with... more
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The Pentagon has been making an increased investment in winning YOU over to their cause.
"As it fights two wars, the Pentagon is steadily and dramatically increasing the money it spends to win what it calls "the human terrain" of world public opinion. In the process, it is raising concerns of spreading propaganda at home in violation of federal law.
An Associated Press investigation found that over the past five years, the money the military spends on winning hearts and minds at home and abroad has grown by 63 percent, to at least $4.7 billion this year, according to Department of Defense budgets and other documents. That's almost as much as it spent on body armor for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2004 and 2006.
This year, the Pentagon will employ 27,000 people just for recruitment, advertising and public relations -- almost as many as the total 30,000-person work force in the State Department."The Pentagon has been making an increased investment in winning YOU over to their... more
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