News and Politics
Former Lehman Brothers CEO Richard Fuld spoke to a House panel to explain his involvement in the former investment banks demise. Fuld, who admitted to taking over $300 million in compensation while at the company stated that he was willing to take "full responsibility" for his actions at Lehman Brothers. Decisions he said were "prudent and appropriate" based on the information available to him.
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McCain refers to Americans as 'my fellow prisoners'
The headline tells you everything you need to know. Check out the video. Oops!
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Martial Law Quietly Being Implemented in United States
Enter the Age of US Occupation. Beginning in October the US Army will have an active unit inside our own borders, for the first time in history, to control "Civil Unrest, Crowds, and Unruly Individuals." If that isn't scary as hell, I don't know what is. Just last year you might remember the lack of debate of HR. 1955 (Homegrown Terrorism) and now this new US Army Occupation will be used to enforce HR. 1955 and ensure that the government is able to maintain a strangle-hold on the people. Enter the Age of US Occupation. Beginning in October the US Army will have an active unit inside our own borders, for the first time i... more
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New York Teachers Sue Over Ban On Campaign Buttons
NEW YORK - The teachers' union for the nation's largest public school system accused the city on Friday of banning political campaign buttons and sued to reverse the policy, declaring that free speech rights were violated.
United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten announced at a news conference that a lawsuit had been filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan to challenge the enforcement of the policy.
"We couldn't believe it," said Weingarten, who wore a Barack Obama lapel button. The American Federation of Teachers, including its UFT delegates, voted over the summer to endorse Obama's presidential candidacy.
Weingarten said schools Chancellor Joel Klein urged principals more than two weeks ago to enforce a Department of Education policy requiring complete political neutrality.
City lawyer Paul Marks said officials were still evaluating the lawsuit. NEW YORK - The teachers' union for the nation's largest public school system accused the city on Friday of banning political... more -
Fresh appeal over fatal shooting
Police investigating the murder of George Redmond have renewed their appeal for witnesses to come forward.
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Car bomb hero in intensive care
Glasgow Airport car bomb hero John Smeaton remains in intensive care in hospital after suffering a serious asthma attack.
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Red carpet welcomes 'Ember' stars
Belfast city centre got a little red carpet glamour on Thursday night, when it hosted the European premiere of big budget movie City of Ember Belfast city centre got a little red carpet glamour on Thursday night, when it hosted the European premiere of big budget movie City o... more
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Teacher jailed over child images
A Belfast teacher who admitted downloading more than 500 images of children being sexually abused has been jailed for 15 months.
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Father's grief over flood deaths
A British man who lost his wife and one of his twin daughters in flash floods in Spain has spoken about the tragedy.
Mark Cullen said Lorraine, 47, and Lauren, 14, died trying to cross a ravine with fellow twin Samantha and the girls' Spanish friend Gemma.
He said the swollen river was only up to their knees but "one of them slipped and the others came crashing down".
Samantha grabbed hold of a tree and pulled Gemma to safety but "Lorraine and Lauren were gone", he added.
The incident happened as the group attempted to walk across the ravine to their holiday home in L'Olleria, in the Valencia region, on Thursday evening. A British man who lost his wife and one of his twin daughters in flash floods in Spain has spoken about the tragedy. ... more -
Cambodian couple cut home in half
An estranged couple in Cambodia have sawn their house in half to avoid the country's convoluted divorce process.
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New Kim Jong-il images released
North Korea has released several pictures of its reclusive leader Kim Jong-il apparently looking well, despite reports he has been ill. North Korea has released several pictures of its reclusive leader Kim Jong-il apparently looking well, despite reports he has been ill... more
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The Last Days Of Health Freedom
International award-winning filmmaker Kevin P. Miller of Well TV announced the release of a new documentary about the threat to medical freedom of choice. 'We Become Silent: The Last Days of Health Freedom' details the ongoing attempts by multinational pharmaceutical interests and giant food companies — in concert with the WTO, the WHO and others — to limit the public’s access to herbs, vitamins and other therapies. 'We Become Silent’ is narrated by Dame Judi Dench, the noted UK actress who has won multiple Golden Globe awards, an Oscar, and a Tony for her on-stage work, in addition to dozens of other honors throughout her prestigious career.
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=45109735... International award-winning filmmaker Kevin P. Miller of Well TV announced the release of a new documentary about the threat to medica... more -
Barack 'Osama' on Rensselaer County ballots
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's last name is spelled "Osama" on hundreds of absentee ballots mailed out this week to voters in Rensselaer County. The misspelling, which elections officials on both sides of the aisle insist was simply a typo, is causing embarrassment for the county.
''No question this is an honest mistake innocently done,'' said Edward McDonough, the Democratic commissioner. ''We catch almost everything.''
''This was a typo,'' said Republican Commissioner Larry Bugbee. ''We have three different staff members who proof these things and somehow the typo got by us.''
Officials say the flawed ballots were sent to approximately 300 voters. On row 1A Barack Obama's name is spelled Barack Osama. Is it a Freudian slip, intentional act or a mistake? Voters are sure to have opinions, and one pol pointed out that the letters 's' and 'b' are not exactly keyboard neighbors.
But even the county Democratic election commissioner is apologizing for what he calls a terrible mistake.
McDonough said the absentee ballots went out to voters in Brunswick, Nassau, Sand Lake, Schaghticoke and Schodack with the error.
So far three people have called to point it out, he said. Those people will get new ballots sent to them.
One Sand Lake resident who caught the misspelling, and who asked to remain anonymous, was skeptical.
''It's a little suspicious and at least grossly incompetent,'' the voter said, wondering ''if I crossed out the name and wrote in the right spelling my ballot would be invalid?" Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's last name is spelled "Osama" on hundreds of absentee ballots mailed ou... more -
This weekend could potentially be a historical one in the development of artificia...
(Not AI the film... but real artificial intelligence...)
This weekend could potentially be a historical one in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) as the tech world gears up for the latest annual Loebner Prize contest.
The prize was founded in 1990 by academic Hugh Loebner and this year's challenge - to be held at the University of Reading on Sunday 12 October - is the 18th annual contest.
silicon.com caught up with Loebner, who was recently voted into silicon.com's Agenda Setters 2008 list, to find out why he has been backing the prize for so many years and what the future might hold for AI.
A former academic, with a career that included stints as director of computing at the University of Maryland and a consultant to the State of Massachusetts Department of Employment Security, Loebner has little to do with AI research these days but remains a keen champion of its development.
Loebner's set up the prize as a result of a life-long interest in AI but also due to a desire to use technology to achieve a world where no human needs to work any longer.
Loebner has been backing the contest since the inaugural event in 1990 and remains firmly behind the cause. "I know it's kind of quaint nowadays not to give up easily. I guess I'm somewhat obsessive compulsive but I'm committed to my word," he told silicon.com.
The prize uses the Turing Test to determine whether a computer is able to demonstrate human-like intelligence during five minutes of questioning from a number of judges.
The prize is judged by a panel that includes a journalist, a professor of computer science, a psychologist and a philosopher.
The Turing Test originates from a 1950 paper written by computing pioneer and World War II code-breaking genius, Alan Turing, in which he suggested machines are capable of thought.
Turing came up with the idea that if a computer can respond in a way that is indistinguishable from a human - as examined in the Turing Test - it can be said to be intelligent.
Although the $100,000 Loebner Prize gold medal for the machine that can fool judges into thinking it's human hasn't yet been won, the device that most closely replicates a human response wins a $2,000 cash prize and a bronze medal each year.
Asked whether the Turing Test might ever be passed, Loebner said: "Oh I think so - I don't know about the timescale."
Although Loebner is convinced there will be a time when we have robots with artificial intelligence in our homes, he remains concerned such technology may not be distributed as fairly as it could be, much in the same way as global wealth is concentrated on a tiny percentage of individuals.
Of the prize's contribution to the AI cause, Loebner said: "I would like to see it advance artificial intelligence. I'm not sure it has particularly but that wasn't my criteria."
However, Loebner feels AI is already being applied in many areas including the "miraculous things" Google is doing with its search technology as well as the Darpa Urban Grand Challenge in which driverless cars race each other.
He also believes there could be much more advanced AI technology being developed behind closed doors. "There are possible examples of AI that aren't publically publicised that are being kept under wraps," he said.
Loebner was voted into silicon.com's Agenda Setters list for the first time this year. Among the Agenda Setters judges was the University of Reading's professor of cybernetics, Kevin Warwick, who is working with Loebner to run this year's prize. (Not AI the film... but real artificial intelligence...) ... more -
Cambodian Couple Divorce
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - A couple in rural Cambodia has terminated their 18-year marriage with a divorce settlement that entailed sawing in two the wooden house they once shared, villagers said Friday. The husband, 42-year-old Moeun Sarim, has taken away with him all the bits and pieces of his half a house, said his 35-year-old wife, Vat Navy. PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - A couple in rural Cambodia has terminated their 18-year marriage with a divorce settlement that entailed sawing... more
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Teen robbed by topless blondes
A Florida teenager claims he was attacked and robbed by four topless blonde women on his way to work.
Olmer Morales, 18, told police the attack happened as he rode his bike to work one morning in Stuart, Martin County.
A heavy-set blonde woman wearing a white long sleeved shirt and overalls stopped him by grabbing his handle bars, according to the police report.
Four thinner blonde-haired women, all wearing overalls with no shirts and no bras, then surrounded him and stole the $100 (£56) in his back pocket, Mr Morales told deputies.
Authorities searched the area but didn't find any of the suspects, reports TC Palm. A Florida teenager claims he was attacked and robbed by four topless blonde women on his way to work. ... more -
US to delist N. Korea
The Associated Press has learned the Bush administration plans to remove North Korea from a terrorism blacklist on Saturday after getting assurances the Stalinist nation has agreed to a plan to inspect its nuclear facilities.
Diplomats briefed on the matter say President Bush signed off on the move on Friday in a bid to salvage a faltering disarmament accord aimed at getting North Korea to abandon atomic weapons. But they say North Korea will be put back on the list if it doesn't comply with the inspections.
The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because the State Department has not yet announced the step. It comes as North Korea moves to restart a disabled nuclear reactor and takes other actions that threaten the agreement. The Associated Press has learned the Bush administration plans to remove North Korea from a terrorism blacklist on Saturday after gett... more -
Ananova: Virgin at 105
A Cornish woman says she is still a virgin - at the age of 105.
Clara Meadmore says she decided as a child never to wed or have sex - and insists she has never missed it.
She told the Daily Mirror: "I've just never been interested in or fancied having sex. I imagine there is a lot of hassle involved and I have always been busy doing other things.
"I made my mind up at 12 never to marry and I've not gone back on that."
Clara, born in 1903, instead spent her youth in Egypt, Canada and New Zealand before coming home in her 20s to become a secretary.
She added: "I've never had a boyfriend or been bothered about relationships. When I was a girl you had sex only with your husband.
"I've had lots of platonic friendships with men but never felt the need to go further."
Clara now lives in a nursing home in Perranporth, Cornwall, and spends most of her time glued to Radio 4.
Best pal Josie Harvey, 72, who visits daily, said: "You're as young as you feel. Clara is by no means 105 in many ways.
"Maybe never having a man under her feet has kept her young all these years." A Cornish woman says she is still a virgin - at the age of 105. ... more -
Women arrested for wearing tight trousers
More than 30 women have been arrested in Sudan for wearing tight trousers or short skirts.
South Sudan's government has expressed outrage over the police clampdown in the capital, Juba, reports the BBC.
Gender Minister Mary Kinden Kimbo said police had exceeded their authority and violated the women's human rights. More than 30 women have been arrested in Sudan for wearing tight trousers or short skirts. ... more -
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_3043659.html
A gardener who put up barbed wire to protect his allotment from thieves has been ordered to take it down in case intruders hurt themselves.
Bill Malcolm, 61, was told to "remove it on health and safety grounds" by the local council which owns the allotments in Marlbrook, Worcestershire. A gardener who put up barbed wire to protect his allotment from thieves has been ordered to take it down in case intruders hurt themse... more -
Couple had sex outside police station
A US couple have been arrested after having sex in their car - in a disabled space outside a police station.
The couple told officers they were unaware where they had parked, reports the Morning Call newspaper.
They hadn't noticed several marked police cars in the other parking spaces nearby. A US couple have been arrested after having sex in their car - in a disabled space outside a police station. ... more
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