Friday, September 24, 2010

Pioneering black physician to be honored in NYC


AP – Antoinette Martignoni, left, and her granddaughter Greta Blau hold a family Bible that contains the name …

 NEW YORK – He couldn't go to medical school in New York, so James McCune Smith went to Scotland for his degree and returned home to treat the city's poor.

The degree he earned in 1837 made him the nation's first professionally trained African-American doctor. He set up a medical practice in lower Manhattan and became the resident physician at an orphanage.

Celebrated during his lifetime as a teacher, writer and anti-slavery leader, Smith fell into obscurity after his death in 1865 and was buried in an unmarked grave.

On Sunday, descendants who only recently learned they had a black ancestor, will honor Smith at his Brooklyn grave. It will be marked with a new tombstone.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100924/ap_on_re_us/us_first_black_doctor

Obama attacks 'hateful' 9/11 remark

Barack Obama
Barack Obama has called President Ahmadinejad's comments 'hateful'

President Barack Obama has condemned as "offensive" and "hateful" the suggestion of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that the September 11 attacks might have been orchestrated by the US government.

The US president's remarks in an interview with BBC Persian Television came a day after the Iranian leader included the incendiary comment in his speech to the UN General Assembly. It prompted a walkout by the US delegation and others.

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/obama-attacks-hateful-911-remark-14958030.html?r=RSS#ixzz10TKyhXIX

Lost World Series classic found in Bing Crosby's wine cellar

It is regarded as one of the greatest baseball games ever played, but one that was lost to history.

Mickey Mantle of the Yankees
Mickey Mantle of the Yankees singles in the 9th inning of the 7th game of the World Series, between Yankees and Pirates Photo: CORBIS

The decider of the 1960 World Series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Yankees ended with Bill Mazeroski's electrifying home run which won the game 10-9 and clinched the series for the Pirates.
It was believed that a grainy 40-second clip was all that survived of the match as television networks erased the tape, as was routine up until the 1970s.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/baseball/8023524/Lost-World-Series-classic-found-in-Bing-Crosbys-wine-cellar.html

Rains turn Minnesota fields to mud

ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Two days of heavy, steady rain saturated large parts of the Minnesota River Valley, closing bridges and schools, and placing southern Minnesota on flood alert.

Rainfall totals ranged from a few inches in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area to nearly a foot in some southeast Minnesota cities, as rivers and streams rose rapidly, swamping both streets and vehicles, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Friday.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/09/24/Rains-turn-Minnesota-fields-to-mud/UPI-54561285337529/

Woman kills family members 'for no reason'

SEATTLE, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- A woman opened fire on her family "for no reason," killing a son-in-law and two granddaughters before turning a gun on herself, Seattle police said.

The woman, Chhouy Harm, also fired at her daughter trying to flee from the family's West Seattle home Thursday before killing herself as police arrived, The Seattle Times reported.

"Grandma just shot them for no reason," said 17-year-old Tony Sun, a 17-year-old family member who arrived shortly after the shootings and saw police officers in front of the house.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/09/24/Woman-kills-family-members-for-no-reason/UPI-17621285334928/

Belgian skydiver 'murdered love rival in sabotage jump'

Els Clottemans
 
Els Clottemans in the Belgian court today, accused of killing fellow skydiver Els Van Doren. Photograph: Michel Krakowski/AFP/Getty Images
A skydiver has gone on trial in Belgium charged with murdering a love rival by sabotaging her parachute.
Els Clottemans is accused of killing Els van Doren, a skydiver who fell to her death in 2006 after her parachute and emergency parachute failed to open.



How to create videos the CNN way

Mark Biello and Chris Hrubesh cover a volleyball tournament in this CNN photo from 1995.
Mark Biello and Chris Hrubesh cover a volleyball tournament in this CNN photo from 1995.
 
Video, whether it's a natural sound package (see below, with editing tips from CNN's Merv Teo), an interview, "B-roll," or a simple sound bite, is the hallmark of multimedia production. Two veterans of CNN photojournalism, Mark Biello and Chris Hrubesh, share their tips below. After reading these, CNN iReport would like you to participate in this week's boot camp project, by profiling a person who works with his or her hands.
 
 
 
 
 

Thursday, September 23, 2010

New Book Reveals Disputes In Obama Administration Over Afghan War

U.S. President Barack Obama with General David Petraeus , the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan
U.S. President Barack Obama with General David Petraeus ,
the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan
September 23, 2010
 
"Obama's Wars," a new book by respected "Washington Post" journalist Bob Woodward, is not due to be released until September 27, but excerpts published in two U.S. newspapers are already fueling public debate in the United States with revelations about President Barack Obama's war effort in Afghanistan.

Published by "The Washington Post" and "The New York Times," the excerpts detail how Obama's initial attempts to take control of the war in Afghanistan resulted in a plan driven more by politics than U.S. national security.

The excerpts suggest that Obama became frustrated with the Pentagon last year as he sought to stop the Afghan war from consuming his young presidency and dictated his own six-page Afghanistan strategy -- including a 30,000 troop surge with a deadline of July 2011.
 
 
 

Two new horned dinosaurs discovered in western US

Two new horned dinosaurs discovered in western US 
AFP – This reconstruction provided
by the Utah Museum of Natural History
shows the Utahceratops, one of two …
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Two new species of large horned dinosaurs -- close cousins of the famous herbivorous Triceratops -- have been unearthed in the western desert of the United States, paleontologists have revealed.

The "remarkable" finds -- one of the dinosaurs had a massive seven-foot (2.3-meter) skull, the other with a head decorated with 15 horns -- were made in southern Utah.
Researchers said on Wednesday the ancient beasts were thought to have lived some 76 million years ago in the late Cretaceous period.

"The giant plant-eaters were inhabitants of the 'lost continent' of Laramidia, formed when a shallow sea flooded the central region of North America," according to paleontologists, who revealed their work in an online open-access journal produced by the Public Library of Science.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100923/sc_afp/sciencepaleontologydinosaurus

Monday, September 20, 2010

Mr President, here's my resume, where's my job?

Asked whether United States President Barack Obama has a clear plan for creating jobs, 53 per cent of the respondents to a recent New York Times/CBS News poll said: No.

The 881 registered voters contacted by telephone weren't asked whether job creation is, or should be, part of the President's job description. Short of hiring a White House chef, a dog walker for Bo and an urban farmer (organic) to tend Michelle's vegetable garden, the President isn't a source of jobs.

True, he can nudge businesses to create jobs with tax credits and subsidies. He can conjure up government-financed projects to put the unemployed back to work, which is what Mr Franklin Roosevelt did during the New Deal.


http://www.todayonline.com/Commentary/EDC100921-0000039/Mr-President,-heres-my-resume,-wheres-my-job?

Zappa honoured


nothing
Frank Zappa and his moustache. AFP

ROCKER Frank Zappa was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but gained greater popular acclaim in Europe than in the United States. On Sunday, devout European fans of the late musician brought his mustachioed likeness back home in the form of a bronze bust.

Several hundred fans gathered on a sweltering afternoon as city officials dedicated the bust of the ponytailed rocker outside an east Baltimore library. The bust is a replica of another in a public square in Vilnius, Lithuania, and was donated to the city by Zappa enthusiasts in the small Baltic nation.

"The spirit of Frank Zappa is alive and well in Baltimore," Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said. The mayor joined Zappa's widow, Gail, and three of his grown children in watching as a curtain was drawn back to reveal the bust set atop a 3.6-metre steel pole. Later, Zappa's son, Dweezil, took the stage with his tribute band, Zappa Plays Zappa.

Zappa was known for everything from novelty rock songs to elaborate classical compositions. He died of prostate cancer in 1993 at 52.

Sunday's ceremony marked the 25th anniversary of Zappa's testimony before Congress on freedom of expression for recording artistes, though the scheduling was coincidental. Zappa had testified against proposed warning labels about lyrical content, calling them a path to censorship.


http://www.todayonline.com/Entertainment/Music/EDC100921-0000038/Zappa-honoured

Ottawa querying Libya on Canadian held as US spy

Ottawa querying Libya on Canadian held as US spy 
AFP/File – A general view from the harbour shows central
 Tripoli in 2008. The Canadian government said Monday it …
OTTAWA (AFP) – The Canadian government said Monday it is seeking "more information" about a Canadian national who is suspected of industrial espionage on behalf of the United States and has been prevented from leaving Libya.

"We're aware that a Canadian citizen is presently in Tripoli, Libya and is not in a position to leave the country," Melissa Lantsman, a spokeswoman for Canada's foreign affairs department, told AFP in an email.

"The Canadian mission in Tripoli is working with local officials in order to get more information, and is offering him consular services," she added.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100920/wl_canada_afp/libyacanadausoilbpespionage

Gallup: Generic congressional poll tied

PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 20 (UPI) -- Republicans and Democrats are virtually tied in Gallup's weekly poll of U.S. congressional preferences, the pollster reported Monday.

The generic ballot for Congress for the week of Sept. 13-19 showed Democrats leading Republicans 46 percent to 45 percent. The generic ballot has produced a virtual tie in two of the last three weeks, Gallup said on its Web site.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/09/20/Gallup-Generic-congressional-poll-tied/UPI-93841285024683/

Man arrested after planting fake bomb in Chicago

CHICAGO (AP) — A man arrested for allegedly placing a backpack he thought contained an explosive near the Chicago's Wrigley Field also talked about poisoning Lake Michigan, bombing a landmark skyscraper and assassinating Mayor Richard Daley, according to a federal complaint filed Monday.
 
Sami Samir Hassoun, 22, a Lebanese citizen living in Chicago, was charged with one count each of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted use of an explosive device.

"He wanted to transform the city of Chicago, he wanted to make a statement and he wanted to replace the mayor of Chicago," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Grant. "He was unhappy with the way the city was running. He was also unhappy with things that were happening in other parts of world."



Volcano breath test promises eruption early warning

Advance warning needed (Image: Tony Gentile/Rex Features)
Advance warning needed (Image: Tony Gentile/Rex Features)

More than 500 million people live in the shadow of a volcano, but predicting an eruption can be tricky. Forecasts based on periodic gas sampling could be improved with the volcanic equivalent of a breath tester that picks up changes in the composition of gases spewing from its vent.

Most instruments would melt if placed inside the mouth of a volcano, but Alton Horsfall and Nick Wright at the Centre for Extreme Environment Technology at Newcastle University, UK, have been using silicon carbide to create electronic components that can venture where no instruments have ever gone before. "Silicon's a wonderful material to about 175 °C and then it goes horribly wrong, whereas silicon carbide runs to around 600 °C on a practical level," explains Horsfall.




Huntington Beach Surf Dog competition in California

Surfing dogs: Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California
Dogs of all shapes and sizes took part in the 2nd Surf City Surf Dog tournament in the waves of Huntington Beach, California
Picture: AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Surfing dogs: Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California
Most of the pooches wore the look of "why am I doing this?" as a large wall of Pacific Ocean either carried them to the beach or, more likely than not, swamped them and tested the buoyancy of their life jackets

Rare Tigers Found High in the Himalayas

A male Bengal Tiger, filmed by a BBC crew using a remote camera trap in the Himalayas of Bhutan, at an altitude of over 4,000 meters.
(Credit: BBC)


BBC camera crews have discovered a rare population of tigers living high in the Himalayas.



Video footage captured by dozens of cameras with motion sensors, which had been left in the mountains of Bhutan, showed the animals - usually found in jungle habitats - at altitudes above 13,000 feet.


"These are the highest living tigers in the world," said BBC cameraman Gordon Buchanan.

The footage was obtained by the BBC's Natural History Unit for the series, "Lost Land of the Tiger," which debuts on British television this week.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20016959-503543.html

Top 10 'unanswerable' questions revealed

JEEVES' UNANSWERABLES

Blonde women march through Riga, Latvia. Photo: May 2010
Do blondes really have more fun?

1. What is the meaning of life?
2. Is there a God?
3. Do blondes have more fun?
4. What is the best diet?
5. Is there anybody out there?
6. Who is the most famous person in the world?
7. What is love?
8. What is the secret to happiness?
9. Did Tony Soprano die?
10. How long will I live?

Internet search engine Ask Jeeves has compiled what it called a top 10 of "unanswerables" in the past decade.
The list is based on some 1.1 billion queries made on the site since its launch in 2000.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11368424

What Makes A Dog Lick The Anal Area

Licking is a natural behavior that dogs learn from puppyhood. Dogs cannot talk but they have an effective way of showing their affection to people they like. In order to communicate; a will lick other dogs and also humans. A mother licks the puppies clean. Mother dogs would lick the puppies not only to show affection but to stimulate defecation and urination.

owners are often perplexed at the habit of the pet to lick the anal area. Dogs that lick their butts have other reasons as certainly this habit is not done to show affection. owners will be amused to see the efforts of a that is trying to lick the rear end. However, it would not be amusing if the that was seen licking the butt would lick the master’s face to show its affection.

A mother will lick the puppy after it has urinated or defecated. The behavior to lick was learned by dogs from puppyhood. Dogs use their long raspy tongue for grooming purposes. Humans shake hands – dogs sniff each other’s butts. The butt licking behavior can be the ’s way of ensuring that the rear end is free from dried feces and from the smell of the feces as well. Dogs have the predilection for anything that humans find horrible. Dogs love to eat feces and to roll in rotting animals. The butt licking habit is a part of the ’s predilection for smelly things we humans find repulsive.

http://indirekt.si/what-makes-a-dog-lick-the-anal-area

YouTube does a Lindsay and takes a tumble

Both face down in a cactus

YouTube was having a little lie-down this morning, as its home page served up an error message to fans of cute kittens and falling-down Hollywood types everywhere.

Anyone trying to reach the front page got a bald message - "Http/1.1 Service Unavailable" to be precise - prompting some to speculate whether the site had been hacked.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/03/25/youtube_outage/

Poverty summit starts in New York

World leaders are meeting at the United Nations in New York for a three-day summit (20-22 September) on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the main framework for development policy over the past decade.
Ten years after the launch of the MDGs and five years before their target date of 2015, many of the goals - especially those on child and maternal health - are not on track, and the summit is seen as the last chance to re-energise the process at a time of austerity. The European Union is represented at the talks by José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, and Andris Piebalgs, the European commissioner for development.
Barroso announced during his ‘State of the Union' speech to MEPs on 7 September that he would seek an additional €1 billion in development aid to meet the MDGs. The additional aid would come from unallocated funds from the European Development Fund (EDF). The approval of EU member states is required for any such allocation. The funds would go to those developing countries that are most committed to meeting their targets, and priority would be given to the MDGs that are lagging behind.

http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2010/09/poverty-summit-starts-in-new-york/68921.aspx

Fun facts about presidential memoirs

Former President Bill Clinton sits in the Oval Office. Clinton's memoir, "My Life," has earned him nearly $30 million.
Former President Bill Clinton sits in the Oval Office. Clinton's memoir,
 "My Life," has earned him nearly $30 million.
 
(Mental Floss) -- Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's memoir, "A Journey," is sparking all sorts of picketing and protesting around the U.K., so we thought it might be a good time to take a look at a few presidential memoirs from this side of the pond.
Here are a few things you might not have known about former presidents' literary output.

Best choice of (possible) ghostwriter
Ulysses S. Grant should have been on sound financial footing when he finished his second term in 1877. He was arguably the world's most famous war hero, and he had been in the White House for eight years.
In reality, though, his finances were anything but stable. Following a two-year trip around the world and a disastrous investment with a swindling banking partner, Grant found himself on the verge of bankruptcy; he even had to sell his Civil War mementos to pay off debts.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/09/20/mf.history.of.presidential.memoirs/index.html?eref=rss_latest&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_latest+%28RSS%3A+Most+Recent%29

Paris on high alert over reports of possible female suicide bomber

A law enforcement official said French authorities boosted security alertness following information they received on a female suicide bomber that was planning to carry out a terror attack in Paris. (AFP)

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3957285,00.html

Five tips on how to winterize your boat trailer

ALEXANDRIA, Va., - If your boat trailer is going to spend the off-season outside exposed to the elements, Boat Owners Association of The United States has five tips to protect your investment and eliminate problems down the road:
A little spray will do you: Spraying lubricants such as WD-40 on metal trailer roller assemblies, winch gears and electrical connections will keep moisture away and rust at bay. It's also best to take care of any rust spots now on the (galvanized) metal trailer frame: sand, prime and paint. (Trust us, this will be the last thing on your mind come springtime.)
Don't park under trees: Some boaters think their boat will be protected by storing it under trees but the opposite is true - ice, snow, and howling winter storms can snap off tree limbs which come crashing down. Falling leaves and needles can also stain boat covers and gelcoat, or make their way inside where they can block transom drain holes.
Turn it around in the driveway: If you're going to leave the boat on the trailer in your driveway for the winter, face the hitch away from the street if possible, and put a lock on the trailer hitch. The name of the game in avoiding boat theft is to make your rig as difficult as possible to steal.
Take care of the tires: In addition to being a theft deterrent, removing the tires and storing them in the garage or shed will keep the sun from damaging them. With the tires off, this may also a good time to repack the bearings (Another thing you won't want to do in the spring). Block the frame and secure plastic (contractor grade) trash bags over the hubs and brakes to keep them dry. If tires won't be removed, position the trailer so that the tires rest on a piece of plywood or plank to prevent dry rot, and cover them (again with plastic bags) to keep the sun off and hubs and brakes dry. To avoid flat spots from happening, move the trailer periodically a few inches throughout the winter.
Help water drain: Keeping the boat and trailer rig in a slightly nose-high (bow up) position will allow water to drain out the transom drain hole. This can be easily done by placing a small block under the trailer jack. (Don't forget to remove drain plug and tie it to the ignition key where you will find it in the spring). Also ensure that the boat's cover is tight and periodically check inside throughout the winter - critters love to hide aboard boats and find them appetizing.

http://www.sportfishingmag.com/news/news/five-tips-on-how-to-winterize-your-boat-trailer-1000085289.html

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Obama makes rare church appearance in Washington


U.S. President Barack Obama (L) walks out with Rev. Luis Leon after attending Sunday service at St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington September 19, 2010. (REUTERS/Yuri Gripas)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, who invoked his own Christian faith recently in seeking to quell anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States, attended church in Washington on Sunday for the first time in about five months.

Obama and his family strolled a block from the White House to St. John's Episcopal Church, a place of worship for many of his predecessors, for an hourlong service.

It was one of just a handful of times Obama has gone to church in Washington since taking office in January 2009, and follows opinion polls showing that as many as one in five Americans falsely believe he is Muslim.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/9/20/worldupdates/2010-09-19T231204Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-515994-1&sec=Worldupdates

Busch Gardens prepares for major expansion

WILLIAMSBURG, Va., Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Virginia's Busch Gardens and Water Country USA are initiating the largest capital investments in the parks' history, park officials said.

http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2010/09/19/Busch-Gardens-prepares-for-major-expansion/UPI-33381284934183/

“Was it the victory of democracy, or the victory of the Koran?”

I was not prepared for such a dilemma but I should have been used by now to the “bottom of the line” questions coming from my political analyst Greek friend whose job for many years has been to observe the social trends in Greece. Heading one of the leading social research companies in Greece, he has always been a keen observer of the developments in Turkey. Indeed his company’s surveys often include Turkey as an important parameter for the social and political trends in Greece. So the recent referendum in Turkey was of special interest.

But I could not give him a straight answer to match his question. Of course, out of professional pride, I pretended I knew the answer, as we journalists habitually do. So I resorted to some kind of mot d' esprit statement like “it is the Koran wrapped up in democracy” or something like that. But the real reason was that I had not really made up my mind about the meaning of last week’s referendum in Turkey: who was the winner, was it really a turning point, what is next, etc.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=8220was-it-the-victory-of-democracy-or-the-victory-of-the-koran8221-2010-09-19

Seven famous women take stage for women’s rights in Turkey

Seven women take the stage to draw attention to human rights. The theater play 'Seven' will make its Turkish premiere at Istanbul's Muammer Karaca Theater on Thursday. The play is based on interviews with seven women’s rights activists from seven different countries, and has been staged in the world since 2007
 
In the play, titled 'Yedi' (Seven), journalist Ece Temelkuran will play Nigerian democracy defender Hafsat Abiola, while the lawyer of assassinated Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, Fethiye Çetin, will play North Irish activist Inez McCormack.

In the play, titled 'Yedi' (Seven), journalist Ece Temelkuran will play Nigerian democracy defender Hafsat Abiola, while the lawyer of assassinated Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, Fethiye Çetin, will play North Irish activist Inez McCormack.
 




Seven human rights-sensitive women will take to the theater stage to raise awareness of the issues via the stories of seven women who struggled for human rights in society.
In the play, titled “Yedi” (Seven), journalist-writer Ece Temelkuran will play Nigerian democracy defender Hafsat Abiola, while the lawyer of assassinated Armenian journalist Hırant Dink, Fethiye Çetin, will play North Irish activist Inez McCormack, who was also played by Meryl Streep last year. Other women in the play are Turkish artists Lale Mansur, Füsün Demirel, Zeynep Eronat, Belçim Bilgin Erdoğan and Şevval Sam.
The play will make its Turkish premiere Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Muammer Karaca Theater. Entrance to the play is free.

Ahmadinejad, master of spin

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is interviewed by journalists from the Associated Press in New York 

Mr Ahmadinejad has been making the round of US TV studios since arriving in New York

As Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrives in New York for the UN General Assembly, once again he joins the battle for public opinion, and once again he may have won the first skirmish.
As usual, he is making the round of American TV studios, appearing on the Charlie Rose show on PBS, and Larry King Live on CNN. Already, he has been interviewed by Christiane Amanpour on ABC News.

While some of the Western media denounce him as crazy, Mr Ahmadinejad has shown himself just as able at influencing opinion and swaying the media as any Western leader.

True, he is known for what are seen in the West as a number of high-profile "gaffes", most notably his claim, on a previous trip to New York, that "we don't have gays, like you do".

But he has also succeeded in moving the agenda onto a ground of his own choosing, and few, if any, of the Western journalists who have interviewed him have scored many points off him.

One of his favourite techniques is to take his apparent weakness, and use it to attack his opponents.

So, anticipating pressure for the release of Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer, the two Americans held in Iran since July 2009, he has called for the release of a number of Iranians held in prison in the United States.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11366959

Kitten survives 70-mile drive under truck

WENATCHEE, Wash., Sept. 19 (UPI) -- A Washington state man says a 6-week-old kitten with a bad leg made a 70-mile trip hanging onto the undercarriage of his truck and lived to meow about it.

"I never knew she was there till I heard the faintest, tiniest meowing," Rod Thomas told The Wenatchee World Sunday. "It was a real surprise."

Thomas, 45, was on his way to a morning sales trip from East Wenatchee to Moses Lake when a bird flew into the path of his Ford F-150 pickup. He says he didn't see the bird's remains on the highway and decided to take a look when he got to his destination.

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2010/09/19/Kitten-survives-70-mile-drive-under-truck/UPI-49041284922949/

China suspends contacts with Japan

Contacts suspended over continued arrest of Chinese captain for allegedly ramming his boat against Japanese vessels.

Japan suspects that the ship was deliberately rammed into their patrol vessels [AFP]



China has suspended high-level contacts with Japan in response to the arrest of a Chinese captain for allegedly ramming his boat against Japanese patrol vessels in disputed waters.

The move came after Japan extended the captain's detention, Chinese state media said on Sunday.

"China has already suspended bilateral exchanges at and above the provincial or ministerial levels," the Xinhua news agency quoted the foreign ministry as saying.

CCTV, the state broadcaster, said the refusal to release the captain had "already caused serious damage to Sino-Japanese bilateral contacts."

Talks suspended

CCTV also reported that China had suspended talks on aviation issues and postponed a summit on coal.

Zhan Oixiong, the captain, has been held since September 7 when his vessel struck two Japanese coast guard ships.

The incident occurred in the East China Sea, near islands claimed by both countries.

The Diaoyu Islands, called Senkaku by Japan, are also claimed by Taiwan and are surrounded by rich fishing seas, believed to also contain oil and gas resources.


http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/09/2010919135443339463.html

Armenian church brought back to life

Priests and worshippers pray in front of the Church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar island There had not been a service at the Church of the Holy Cross for the past 95 years

There can be few settings for a church as lovely as Akdamar island in Lake Van, Turkey, and few churches that fit that setting so well as the 1,100 year-old Armenian Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross.

With a backdrop of rugged mountains and the impossibly blue waters of Lake Van, it is a heavenly spot to hear a church Mass; and yet for the past 95 years, there had not been one, until Sunday.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11366201

The Iron Ceiling: Sexism Still Strong In Russia

Lifestyles in Russia may have undergone a seismic shift since its people threw off communism two decades ago, but some things have been very slow to change. Although women are more emancipated than ever in Russian history, general attitudes toward the role they play in society remain positively
It's one of the most visible changes on Moscow's streets. Twenty years ago, you could go weeks without seeing a single woman driver. Now it seems there's a woman behind the wheel of every second car.
One of them is Lera Labzina, who’s been driving for two years and says that makes her "very, very happy."
"Driving represents another step toward women's independence," she says.
The explosion of women drivers on the streets reflects a seismic shift in lifestyles since Russians threw off communism two decades ago. Increasing numbers of women are occupying top jobs in areas previously seen as male domains. But although there are more women lawyers, businesspeople, and other professionals than ever, not everyone’s happy about it.
That includes Nikolai Mukhin, who says only men should be allowed to drive.

http://www.speroforum.com/a/40050/The-Iron-Ceiling-Sexism-Still-Strong-In-Russia?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20speroforum/nroq%20%28Spero%20News%29

Is Iranian TV to Blame for Deadly Protests in Kashmir?

Kashmiri Muslims carry the coffin of Yasir Rafiq, a relative of senior separatist leader Yasin Malik, during his funeral in Srinagar, India.
Mukhtar Khan / AP


Last week's deadly outburst in Kashmir, sparked by reports of a Koran being desecrated in the US, claimed two dozen lives as police fired on rampaging mobs. In the wake of this summer's widespread political unrest, alleged footage of Americans tearing pages out of a Koran on Sept. 11 prompted protesters, mainly Shiite Muslims, in the Indian-controlled territory to defy curfews, torch a Christian school and try to burn another. Government officials believe Iran's Press TV, which is popular among Kashmir's Shia, played a major role in instigating the violence.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2020187,00.html?xid=rss-world#ixzz0zzl6J087

Actor Randy Quaid charged with trespass

Randy Quaid
Randy Quaid won a Golden Globe in 1988 for playing President Lyndon Johnson
 
Actor Randy Quaid has been charged by US police with illegal occupation of his former home in California.

The star, along with his wife Evi, claimed the Santa Barbara property still belonged to them when the current owners alerted police that squatters were living there.

Agents responsible for the house also claimed that $5,000 (£4,170) worth of damage was caused by the couple.
Quaid's wife faces an additional charge of resisting arrest.

The property's owners produced documents which showed they had purchased the house in 2007 from a man who had bought it from the Quaids several years before.
 
 

Chavez Urges Redoubled Efforts for Socialist Election Victory

Escrito por Heidy Morin Rueda   
domingo, 19 de septiembre de 2010
Imagen activa

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called for intensifying efforts in the final stage of the campaign to secure victory for the socialist forces and their allies in the September 26 congressional elections.

  The president reiterated the need to preserve a qualified majority in the National Assembly to block opposition attempts to overthrow, by any means necessary, the government and the process of change known as the Bolivarian Revolution, before the end of the current presidential period or during the 2012 elections.

"They are planning, in this way, for the march towards socialism to stop, and to turn Venezuela once again into a gringo colony," the president emphasized in his weekly Sunday column, Las Líneas de Chavez.

He also stressed the need to develop a successful offensive for Sunday, September 26, when more than 17 million Venezuelans are eligible to vote for their representatives in the legislative power.

http://www.prensa-latina.cu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=221754&Itemid=1

China halts top-level Japan ties


China has suspended top-level exchanges with Japan in a row over the detention of a Chinese ship captain following a collision near disputed islands.

Chinese state media said ministerial and provincial-level contacts had been suspended, including talks on aviation and coal.

Earlier, a Japanese court extended the detention of the captain, held after the collision in the East China Sea.

The disputed islands are known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.
Strategically important

China had warned it would be taking "strong measures" against Japan after a court in Okinawa, southern Japan, said the sailor could be held for a further 10 days.

A foreign ministry statement read out on Chinese state television said the decision had "seriously damaged Sino-Japan bilateral exchanges".

It read: "[Foreign ministry spokesman] Ma Zhaoxu said China has repeated many times that any judicial measures Japan has taken against the Chinese captain are illegal and invalid.

"We demand Japan return the Chinese captain unconditionally and immediately. If Japan continues to take the wrong course, China will take strong counter-measures and Japan will have to take all the consequences."

http://news.myjoyonline.com/international/201009/52445.asp

24 hours in pictures

24 hours in pictures: A Sarap Chemical Plant Causes Acid Leak In Southwest China
Jinhua, China: A man walks through an area hit by an acid leak from a disused chemical plant Photograph: ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images

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Putin congratulates artists on Mariinsky Anniversary


Mariinsky theater. Photo: RIA Novosti
 
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has congratulated the artists and Trustees of the Mariinsky Theater on the theater’s 150 year anniversary. The theater building, designed by architect Albert Kavos, was constructed in 1860 on the site of another burned down theater.

The new theater was named Mariinsky in honor of the Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Alexander II. The first theater season in the new building opened on October 2, 1860 with a performance of “Life for the Tsar” by Glinka. Russia's prime minister arrived Saturday night to see "Swan Lake" and met with members of the Board of Trustees of the Mariinsky Theatre.



US couple charged in nuclear weapons secrets case

EX-scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory allegedly offered to help Venezuela develop a nuclear weapon.



Spitfire and Hurricane flypast marks 70th anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Britain

A fly past by Second World War fighter planes led the 70th anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Britain today.

 
A Spitfire and a Hurricane flew above Westminster Abbey to commemorate one of the most pivotal battles in recent British military history.
Earlier, veterans from the decisive battle rubbed shoulders with royalty and senior politicians at a thanksgiving service in the Abbey.


A Spitfire and a Hurricane flew above Westminster Abbey today to commemorate the Battle of Britain
A Spitfire and a Hurricane flew above Westminster Abbey today to commemorate the Battle of Britain

A Spitfire and a Hurricane flew above Westminster Abbey today to commemorate the Battle of Britain
The aircraft were pictured zipping past Big Ben as veterans watched from below


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1313395/Fighter-planes-lead-70th-anniversary-celebrations-Battle-Britain.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0zzA6YIlw

Saturday, September 18, 2010

It could be a Dream come true for illegals

WASHINGTON - United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said on Tuesday he wants to attach an amendment to a defence policy Bill that would help young people in the United States illegally become legal US residents.

The Nevada Democrat said at a news conference that the legislation known as the Dream Act is long overdue. The act would allow young people who attend college or join the military to become legal US residents.

http://www.todayonline.com/World/EDC100916-0000073/It-could-be-a-Dream-come-true-for-illegals

Pelosi Facing Dissent in Party

WASHINGTON—Swing-district Democrats, fighting for their political lives, are beginning to turn on Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), one of the most powerful House speakers in decades but also one of the most polarizing figures in U.S. politics.
United Press International

Nancy Pelosi has granted candidates permission to say or do what they need to about her to survive what could be a Republican tidal wave.
In recent days, a Democratic congressman from Mississippi, Gene Taylor, signed a Republican petition for a vote to repeal the health-care law she championed. A half-dozen Democratic candidates have aired advertisements seeking to draw distance from the speaker, including one released Friday by long-time Rep. Chet Edwards of Texas.

The ferment among moderate to conservative Democrats shows that Ms. Pelosi, more than President Barack Obama, has become a target of voter anger in the 2010 campaign, the face of a party that passed a health-care bill into law and navigated controversial climate-change legislation through the House. It is also an indication that Ms. Pelosi and her liberal colleagues in the House leadership will face a feistier party when they return next year, even if they hold the majority.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703904304575498281957024608.html?mod=rss_US_News

Turkish expat helped Obama change his electoral campaign


Alpaytaç says after her analysis was published in the Wall Street Journal, which included where the then presidential candidate Obama was making mistakes in his campaign in the internet, the Democratic candidate changed his strategy.
Alpaytaç says after her analysis was published in the Wall Street Journal, which included where the then presidential candidate Obama was making mistakes in his campaign in the internet, the Democratic candidate changed his strategy


The story of Hüma Alpaytaç, 43, is reminiscent of the story of a bird in heaven, called “Hüma” in Turkish, or “Phoenix” as it is known in English, because hers is also the story of a woman born out of her own ashes. When she decided to divorce her American husband a decade ago, she left home with her two young children and two suitcases.

From an unhappy housewife, Alpaytaç became the owner of Alpaytac Inc., a PR agency in Chicago with a $3 million turnover.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=the-turkish-expat-who-made-obama-change-his-electoral-campaign-2010-09-16


.
Barack Obama
Charles Dharapak / AP
President Barack Obama is handed a personalized basketball by a military aide as he arrives for a private game of basketball at Fort McNair in Washington, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
 
President Barack Obama is coming out fighting against his Republican foes with strong words in a political speech to black lawmakers.

He's telling members of the Congressional Black Caucus to go back home and rally people to support Democrats in the November election. He's likening the task at hand to the grassroots efforts that helped drive the civil rights movement.

Can you be too tall?

Obama family (Reuters)
Malia Obama has now reportedly reached the height of 173cm (5ft 9in)

Recently it was reported that President Barack Obama's daughter, Malia, 12, has reached the height of 175 cm (5ft 9in).
It has highlighted once more the social implications of being tall for your age.

In the past, some parents have wished for their tall girls to be shorter, and the other way round for boys - and requested medical intervention.

Families are advised to see a GP if worried about their children's growth, as it could have an underlying reason.

But when there is no diagnosis of an underlying medical problem, it is now rare in the UK for medical treatment to be given to limit or boost children's height for purely social reasons.

Growth hormone is not currently offered by the NHS, but it is available privately. In the US this treatment can cost up to $50,000 (£31,975) per year if a child needs high doses.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11261760

US woes are not our fault: Chinese economists

BEIJING: China is not to blame for US economic woes, Chinese economic researchers said in state media reports on Saturday, hitting back at US complaints about unfair trade and China’s currency policy.

“The actions and criticism against China makes no sense,” Huo Jianguo, director of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, a Ministry of Commerce think-tank, told China Daily in an interview.

He said the Obama administration had made China a scapegoat to please voters ahead of mid-term elections.

The comments follow US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner’s promise to rally other world powers to push China for trade and currency reforms.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010/09/19/story_19-9-2010_pg5_24

Judge flays Saskatoon police in DUI judgment

A judge has severely criticized an investigator with the Saskatoon Police Service in a judgment convicting a police officer of impaired driving.
In a decision released Friday following a trial in June, provincial court Judge Stan Loewen found Const. Roy Rodgers guilty of having the care and control of a vehicle while impaired.
Court heard that Rodgers, who was off duty at the time, had been driving erratically before coming to a stop in a parking lot in the early morning of May 24, 2009.
However, the 13-year police veteran was found not guilty of driving with a blood alcohol level over the legal limit because a fellow officer took too long to administer a breath test, Loewen ruled.


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2010/09/18/sk-officer-impaired-judgment.html?ref=rss#ixzz0zvp2Mmrl

Lohan failed court-ordered drug test

Mugshot
** FILE ** In this July 20, 2010, file photo, Lindsay Lohan listens during a court
hearing in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/ Los Angeles Times, Al Seib, pool)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lindsay Lohan has confirmed on her Twitter page that she failed a court-ordered drug and alcohol screening, and she said that if asked, she is ready to appear before the judge in her case and face the consequences for her actions.

In a series of messages posted late Friday, the actress said "Regrettably, I did in fact fail my most recent drug test."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/sep/18/lohan-tweets-she-failed-court-ordered-drug-test/

Deputy's Taser blast kills California man

LA MIRADA, Calif., Sept. 18 (UPI) -- A man died after a sheriff's deputy shot him with a Taser Saturday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.

The incident occurred just before 1 a.m. in the 14700 block of Firestone Boulevard and Trojan Way in La Mirada, the sheriff's headquarters bureau told KTLA-TV, Los Angeles.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/09/18/Deputys-Taser-blast-kills-California-man/UPI-15741284841749/

Ancient Arabian treasure trove unearthed in Germany


Some of the silver dirhams found by archaeologists in Germany bear the King of Persia’s portrait. Stefan Sauer / EPA
BERLIN //

 
Archaeologists in northern Germany have unearthed a treasure of Arabian silver dirhams dating back to the first half of the seventh century in a spectacular find that proves brisk trade between the Middle East and northern Europe already existed more than 1,200 years ago.

A total of 82 coins were found in a field near the town of Anklam, a few kilometres from the Baltic Sea coast, in excavations completed on September 2. They come from regions that are now Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and northern Africa. The oldest coins, about an inch in diameter, were minted around 610 AD and bear the portrait of Khosrau II, the 22nd Sassanid King of Persia who ruled from 590 to 628 AD.

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100919/FOREIGN/709189886/1002/rss

Senator rejects oil sands 'dirty oil' tag

EDMONTON, Alberta, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- A U.S. senator rejected environmentalists' claims oil from Canadian oil sands is "dirty oil," saying that label describes some oil sources in the Middle East.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., made the remark Friday while visiting some of the oil sands operations in northern Alberta, Canadian Broadcasting Corp. News reported.

"That's one of the myths being perpetrated," Graham said of the "dirty oil" tag. "It's oil I feel very comfortable Americans consuming."

The oil is secure and comes from a reliable neighbor, he said, adding that much of the money the United States gives Canada to buy its oil comes back to America in trade.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/09/18/Senator-rejects-oil-sands-dirty-oil-tag/UPI-20291284840622/

Abuse victim responds to Pope's apology

Margaret McGuckin
Margaret McGuckin was abused as a child in the Sisters of Nazareth orphanage in Belfast.

A victim of institutional abuse within the Catholic church said an apology by the Pope for the "unspeakable crimes" committed by Catholic priests who sexually abused children did not go "far enough".

The pontiff made his comments during a service at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday morning.
He said the scandal had brought "shame and humiliation" on the church.

Margaret McGuckin was abused in the Sisters of Nazareth orphanage.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11357165

Bolivia: Waters of Lake Titicaca Drop off Significantly

Escrito por glenda pardo   
sábado, 18 de septiembre de 2010
Imagen activa
La Paz, Sep 18 (Prensa Latina) A drought warning may be declared for Lake Titicaca because its water level is only 15 inches higher than what would oblige authorities to declare an emergency, the Bolivian Naval Hydrography Department confirmed.

  This extreme situation usually occurs every eight to 12 years, but lake levels are now tending to drop considerably compared to previous periods, said department director Jorge Espinoza.

The phenomenon is related to a lack of rain in this region, home to the second largest lake in South America after Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, and because its feeder rivers are low, also due to drought.

These low levels in the highest navigable lake in the world, with banks in Bolivia and Peru, is accompanied by a decrease in the flow of the Desaguadero River, which irrigates the northern highlands of Bolivia and is the main affluent of Poopo Lake, the only saltwater lake in the area, and located 3,686 meters above sea level.

Low water levels are also affecting the hydrographic basins of the Amazon, the Plata, and the northern Beni, a more troubling case because its waters are eight feet below normal levels, according to Espinoza.

http://www.prensa-latina.cu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=221611&Itemid=1

Disasters push price of food to new highs

Wheat futures for December delivery on the Chicago Board of Trade
are up 36 per cent from March. Adriano Machado / Bloomberg





The price of food is set to soar to levels not seen since 2007 as natural disasters and increased demand from China hit supplies and crops around the world, a study by Morgan Stanley says.

World food prices rose sharply in 2007 as changing diets among the growing middle class in Asia combined with drought and higher fertiliser prices to hit world food stocks. Between 2007 and 2008, average prices for wheat rose by 136 per cent, corn by 125 per cent and soya beans by 107 per cent, according to Bloomberg.

Today, the prices of wheat, soya beans and corn are rising almost as sharply as they did three years ago as bad weather and growing demand again come to the fore, Morgan Stanley said.



http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100918/BUSINESS/709189924/1005/rss

Saudis hold oil reserves for 80 years of production: Aramco CEO

At current production rates, Saudi Arabia has oil reserves for more than 80 years of sustained production, according to Khalid A. Al-Falih, the president and the CEO of Saudi Aramco.

Addressing the 21st World Energy Congress in Montreal, Al-Falih said that Aramco’s capability went even beyond, as it was expecting to increase its current reserves of 260 billion barrels by an additional 40 per cent and was endeavouring to raise the rate of recovery from its major existing fields to 70 per cent — twice the world average.
However, warning the global energy leaders of the discriminating against select energy resources, Al-Falih questioned the very logic of almost four-and-a-half per cent per year on average growth in the global coal consumption in this decade as against just one-and-a-half per cent growth in oil consumption during the same period.



Date with death: Swiss develop crystal ball

Wondering why you’re suicidal, or if living close to an airport increases heart attack risk? If you live in Switzerland, researchers may have answers to these questions.

Adrian Spörri, project manager of the Swiss National Cohort (SNC), tells swissinfo.ch what censuses are revealing about health, disease and life expectancy of the Swiss population.


http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss_news/Date_with_death:_Swiss_develop_crystal_ball_.html?cid=28353372&rss=true

Friday, September 17, 2010

Paris Hilton avoids prison over drug arrest

Paris Hilton is shown in a police booking photo released Saturday by Las Vegas police. Paris Hilton is shown in a police booking photo released Saturday by Las Vegas police. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department/Associated Press) Paris Hilton will serve a year of probation and avoid a felony conviction under the terms of a plea deal worked out with prosecutors following her arrest on drug charges in Las Vegas, Clark County District Attorney David Roger said Friday.
Roger said the celebrity socialite has agreed to plead guilty Monday in Las Vegas Justice Court to two misdemeanours stemming from the Aug. 27 arrest.
Hilton, 29, was arrested inside the Wynn resort after police say a small plastic bag containing 0.8 grams of cocaine fell out of her Chanel purse as she reached for a tube of lip balm in front of a police lieutenant.
A plea agreement obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal shows Hilton will plead guilty to drug possession and obstructing an officer.
Hilton will serve a year of probation, the newspaper reported. She also must complete a drug abuse program, pay a $2,000 fine and serve 200 hours of community service.
Roger and defence attorney David Chesnoff confirmed the details of the plea deal reported by the Review-Journal. The original felony cocaine possession charge would not have resulted in any jail time.


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2010/09/18/paris-hilton.html?ref=rss#ixzz0zqyYsRo9

Have we mis-underestimated Sarah Palin?

The Republican firebrand's trip to Iowa this week is the biggest indication yet that she is seriously considering a run for the 2012 presidency. Caitriona Palmer reports from Washington

To the casual observer, last night's scheduled dinner at the Hy-Vee convention hall in Des Moines, Iowa, was set to be just another Republican Party fundraiser in the months before the critical mid-term elections.
But to the politically astute, the planned $100-a-head event at the sprawling downtown complex signalled something far more historical: the official start of the 2012 presidential campaign for one of America's most controversial figures -- former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

The headline appearance at the Republican Party of Iowa's annual Ronald Reagan dinner is the clearest indication yet that she is considering a run against Barack Obama for the 2012 presidency.

Up until now, the former vice-presidential candidate has played down speculation about her White House ambitions, instead devoting time to helping other Republicans snatch coveted seats away from the Democrats in November's elections.

But her high-profile appearance in Iowa -- the small but powerful state that traditionally kicks off the presidential race -- combined with her impressive fundraising and prestigious endorsements, is creating a furore in political circles across the country and strongly ramping up her national presence.

"While I'm not even sure Sarah Palin knows whether she's going to run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, she's certainly acting like it," said Matthew Continetti, opinion editor of the conservative magazine the Weekly Standard.
To run for the presidency, one local Republican official told the Chicago Tribune, "she needs to be here -- and she's doing that with a big, high-profile event."

The woman that most Democrats -- not to mention a large portion of the Republican establishment -- love to hate, Palin has been derided as an unsophisticated, gun-toting, hillbilly with lousy geography and a poor grasp of domestic and foreign issues.

Within the Republican Party, experts say, leaders worry that she is too partisan, too unpredictable and too undisciplined to make it to the White House.

But despite the endless moose jokes, the Tina Fey impersonations on late-night TV and the countless political obituaries, Sarah Palin has steadfastly refused to go away.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/have-we-misunderestimated-sarah-palin-2342877.html



The Two-Stroke Engine, Reconsidered

Add cTesting, testing: EcoMotors has built and tested five generations of its OPOC
 engine, and expects to start testing a sixth this month. Credit: EcoMotors aption




























EcoMotors International, a startup based in Troy, Michigan, has a new approach to an old idea--the two-stroke engine--which it says is up to 50 percent more efficient than most vehicle engines and pollutes far less than a conventional two-stroke engine.
The company recently received a combined $23.5 million in investment from Bill Gates and Khosla Ventures. That money will go toward development of EcoMotors's opposed piston, opposed cylinder (OPOC) engine. The engine uses two piston movements per cycle, instead of four, and each cylinder contains two opposing pistons, instead of one. A single crankshaft sits in between pairs of cylinders. The design relies on precise computerized control of all the components. A conventional car engine takes four piston movements, or strokes, to go through intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust. In a two-stroke cycle, these stages are completed with just two piston movements, delivering twice as many power strokes per revolution and requiring fewer parts. But two-stroke engines tend to spew out more unburned fuel in the exhaust, which is why the four-stroke design became more common.

Putting two pistons inside each cylinder also means that each piston only travels half as far as it normally would in a two-stroke engine, allowing the engine to run faster. Having half as many parts as a conventional engine (the OPOC does not have cylinder head or valve-train components, and it has fewer bearings) helps to reduce friction and heat loss. These factors, combined with "a long list of 1 and 2 percent improvements" in other areas, says Ecomotors's CEO Don Runkle, account for a 15 percent efficiency improvement.

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/26262/

Uncovering life behind the burqa

An interview with Zoë Ferraris, author of "Finding Nouf" and "City of Veils"
 Zoë Ferraris was 20 when she met her Saudi husband. Just after the first Gulf War, the couple spent a year with his family in Saudi Arabia. Since returning home and divorcing, Ferraris has written two murder mysteries – "Finding Nouf" (Little Brown, 2009) and "City of Veils" (Little Brown, 2010) – which offer US readers a glimpse of life in a society where the sexes do not mingle. She recently spoke with Monitor book editor Marjorie Kehe.




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