Warning: Britney Hazardous To Your Daughters Health!

Observe the girl on the far right! Train Wreck Britney is most definately not the ideal role model for young ladies! Parents Beware!

Britney Spears' Dance

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Gaston County Problem: Residential Raccoons

A few weeks ago, Rocky the "potentially" Rabid Raccoon, took a leisurely stroll through my backyard via my patio in mid afternoon.
This particular afternoon my grandchildren were visiting and fortunately were inside at the time.
Opening the patio door, I stepped cautiously outside looking for my cat that was lazily napping, on a bench nearby. Apparently hearing the door open, the raccoon noticed me and turned his head toward me, staring...giving me the impression that I did not pose a threat and lingered there for a moment.
This alarmed me that he had came so close to my home, since there was no food or garbage close to the house, only a water dish for the family cat.
After contacting the Gaston County Sheriffs Department, I became frustrated that nobody seemed to care that a potentially rabid animal was wandering through residential areas in the city of Gastonia.
The Desk Sergeant referred me to Animal Control, who later returned the call claiming they could not apprehend the animal unless it had attacked and bitten someone. They also reminded me that I could not kill, maim or hurt the animal without a permit...in other words, if I shot this creature with a bb pistol...for invading my privacy, I could go to jail for assault on a raccoon. "Ok, Rocky, just hang tight for a few, while I run down to city hall and get a permit to blow you away, I'll be back"!
The call was quickly interrupted with the Animal Control Officer, claiming he had to go, he had found a snake in someone's dishwasher...
Several days later, while watching my sisters grandchildren, all of the children were in the yard, playing basketball when I heard screams and yelling. Evidently, a Raccoon in the tree was startled and scurried down the trunk, frightening the children. The animal climbed over the neighbor's fence and went on his way through other yards.
This second event issued an alarm to me, that my backyard is no longer the safe haven I thought it to be. It also made me aware that there is an urgent need for more strict animal control in residential areas where family pets roam and children play.
There have been no confirmed human deaths associated with rabid raccoons; however, there has been an increased number of rabies cases in domestic animals in the northeast and southeast due to raccoon rabies. Therefore, rabid raccoons could potentially lead to human exposure through rabid domestic animals.
Gaston County Animal Control needs to take complaints more seriously and act before someone gets attacked or bitten.

Bill Increases NC Car Registration Fees

The Senate passed a bill on Monday that will raise the annual automobile registration fee by $8.00 from $28.00 to $36.00 for passenger cars.
This bill will raise $50 million a year that will go to the NC State Turnpike Authority.
Opponent of the bill Senator Phil Berger , a Rockingham County Republican, opposed the bill when it went through the Senate. He said the state should stop transfers from the highway trust fund generated by motor fuel taxes to other programs before going to taxpayers for more funding. "We collect enough taxes and fees," he said.
Source: Greensboro News and Record

Riders Rescued From Chairlift At Theme Park

Maggie Valley, NC___Over a dozen visitors at Ghost Town In The Sky were rescued by a rope-ladder system after a lightning struck the chairlift disabling the ride. Twenty-eight others waited until repairs were made, with workers tossing ponchos to protect from the rain.
In 1999 a woman was injured when the chair in which she was riding broke from the cable plunging her 20 feet to the ground and in 2002 the chairlift failed twice, stranding riders hours each time.
The Chair Lift transports visitors 3370 feet up Buck Mountain with over 75-degree inclines to the top of Ghost Town in The Sky. Various attractions and rides await tourists at the top from thrilling rides to live cowboy gunfights in the street.
Inspectors from the State Labor Department are expected at the ride Tuesday to inspect the ride.

Greensboro nightclub shooting injures 3

GREENSBORO — Three people were injured during a shooting at a club this morning that occurred after gang-related violence erupted, police said.

About 2 a.m. Thursday police were called to Studio 508 at 508 Teague St., said Greensboro Police Chief Tim Bellamy.

The club was playing a style of rap music called crunk, Bellamy said early Thursday morning. A song prompted some people in the crowded club to throw up gang signs representing the Bloods and the Crips, he said.

Greensboro mother's slaying to be featured on TV show

GREENSBORO - April Caldwell, 17, had broken up with the father of her 1-year-old son, ending what her family called a troubled relationship.

But police said the father instead chose to end her life two weeks later on Christmas.

Now authorities are making the case nationally known as they continue to search for Juan Carlos Ramirez, 26, who faces charges of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder.

"America's Most Wanted," the television show on Fox that asks the public's help in finding people, will air photos and information about Ramirez on Saturday at 9 p.m.

Police allege Ramirez stabbed Caldwell on Christmas night at an apartment complex at 4234-B United St.

Two men tried to intervene but were unsuccessful, police said.

Officers found her in the grass outside.

Police said Ramirez may have returned to Vera Cruz, Mexico, where he's from. He could also be in North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee or Texas.

Police consider Ramirez armed and dangerous. Authorities believe he could still be driving his car, a teal 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier bearing plates VWN-5657 and heavy front end damage.

Police ask people with information to call Crime Stoppers at 373-1000. Callers can remain anonymous.

Caldwell's family is also offering an additional reward.

August North Carolina Festivals

August 02 -August 03, 2007
Summer Fun
Salisbury, North Carolina
Thurs - Giordana pro & amateur bike races. Fri - 60's Night Out outdoor festival, live music, kids' fun
Estimated attendees-2000 704-637-7814

August 03 -August 05, 2007
4th Annual
Canton, North Carolina
Tomatoes, Crafters and Vendors, Classic Car Bike Show, Kids Zone, 5k Race, Food, Battle of the Bands
Estimated attendees-15000 828-648-8275

August 03 -August 29, 2007
Watercolors by George Cheeseman
Manteo, North Carolina
This local artist creates landscapes, still life’s and figurative scenes in watercolor
Estimated attendees-1000 252-475-1500

August 04, 2007
Talking Trees Children's Trout Derby
Cherokee, North Carolina
Featuring fly-tying exhibitions, fish-cleaning stations, food, music, door prizes and trophies.
Estimated attendees-1500 828-497-8126

August 05 -August 05, 2008
Festival Ritmo Latino
Cary, North Carolina
Latin Music, Dance and Art Festival, with Latin American & Caribbean food, art and exhibitors.
Estimated attendees-2500 919-852-0075

August 10 -August 11, 2007
Waldensian Festival
Valdese, North Carolina
The town of Valdese celebrates it's heritage with art, crafts, food, music and children's rides
Estimated attendees-20000 828-879-2129

August 11, 2007
Annual Crepe Myrtle Festival
Scotland Neck, North Carolina
Live entertainment, games, amusement rides, food vendors, crafts, and much more.
Estimated attendees-2500 252-826-3152

August 11, 2007
Sunfest--A Hometown Family Fun Day
Mebane, North Carolina
Sunfest--A Hometown Family Fun Day in Downtown Mebane! 10 am - 3 pm - Come Join the Fun!
Estimated attendees-200 919-304-6019

August 11 -August 12, 2007
Sneads Ferry Shrimp Festival
Sneads Ferry, North Carolina
Fireworks,Live entertainment, Beer garden,Shrimperoo dinner 100+ Food & Craft vendors, cooking contest
Estimated attendees-10000 910-327-2707

August 11 -August 12, 2007
The Charlotte Literary Festival
Charlotte, North Carolina
Live entertainment, kids corner, seminars, games and more. Outdoor and indoor activities.
Estimated attendees-12000 704-277-3623

August 17 -August 18, 2007
Riverwalk Arts Festival
Newland, North Carolina
Formerly
Estimated attendees-4000 828-898-4292

August 18, 2007
Jewelry Show
Reidsville, North Carolina
A bead, gem and jewelry show inside the new Reidsville Downtown Exhibit Center
Estimated attendees-500 336-342-6770

August 19, 2007
OBX Music Festival
Manteo, North Carolina
The outdoor event will feature The Embers, The Johnny Dollar Band and more!
Estimated attendees-2500 252-475-1500

August 24 -August 26, 2007
Ashefest
Asheville, North Carolina
3 days of peace, music and art in the blue ridge mountains of North Carolina, Kids Craft area, camping
Estimated attendees-3500 561-573-9290

August 25, 2007
Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival
Cary, North Carolina
Ranked 23rd Best Festival in Sunshine Magazine
Estimated attendees-50000 919-462-3864

The Power Of Money

Summertime....and the living is easy!

Tennessee Hound Dawgs!

Study: Dinosaurs Started Having Sex Young

Hopefully, our young promiscuous teens will pay close attention to this article, keep in mind, Dinosaurs are extinct.

Dinosaurs had sex well before they reached full physical maturity, just as crocodiles and people can, research now reveals.

In birds, which are essentially living dinosaurs, sex begins only after peak adult size.

On the other hand, in humans as well as crocodiles, alligators, lizards and snakes, sexual maturity can begin after the juvenile growth spurt, but well before peak adult size.

Full Story

Source: Fox News

Jury duty excuse: I'm a racist, homophobic liar

Would you want this man as a juror if you were being tried? It seems that justice is not only blind, but pathetically desperate.

BARNSTABLE, Massachusetts (AP) -- A Cape Cod man who claimed he was homophobic, racist and a habitual liar to avoid jury duty earned an angry rebuke from a judge on Monday, who referred the case to prosecutors for possible charges.

Daniel Ellis' excuses to try to get out of jury duty didn't sit well with the judge.

"In 32 years of service in courtrooms, as a prosecutor, as a defense attorney and now as a judge, I have quite frankly never confronted such a brazen situation of an individual attempting to avoid juror service," Barnstable Superior Court Judge Gary Nickerson told Daniel Ellis, according to a preliminary court transcript of the exchange.

Ellis, of Falmouth, had been called to court with about 60 other potential jurors for possible service on a 23-member grand jury.

On a questionnaire that all potential jurors fill out, Ellis wrote that he didn't like homosexuals and blacks. He then echoed those sentiments in an interview with Nickerson.

"You say on your form that you're not a fan of homosexuals," Nickerson said.

"That I'm a racist," Ellis interrupted.

"I'm frequently found to be a liar, too. I can't really help it," Ellis added.

"I'm sorry?" Nickerson said.

"I said I'm frequently found to be a liar," Ellis replied.

"So, are you lying to me now?" Nickerson asked.

"Well, I don't know. I might be," was the response.

Ellis then admitted he really didn't want to serve on a jury.

"I have the distinct impression that you're intentionally trying to avoid jury service," Nickerson said.

"That's true," Ellis answered.

Nickerson ordered Ellis taken into custody. He was released later Monday morning.

Ellis could face perjury and other charges.

Judge Orders Hospital to Give Woman the Placenta from Her Daughter's Birth

LAS VEGAS — A woman has won a court fight to keep the placenta after her daughter's birth. She had planned to grind it up and ingest it as a way to fight postpartum depression, but now plans to bury it.

Clark County District Court Judge Susan Johnson granted a preliminary injunction Tuesday, ordering Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in southern Nevada to return the placenta to Anne Swanson.

Hospital officials said they will comply.

The hospital had refused to give the uterine lining to Swanson following the April 12 Caesarean birth of her daughter, with officials calling it contaminated biohazardous waste.

The judge ordered the hospital not to destroy the placenta, which was frozen, and ordered that it be turned over to Swanson within two weeks.

Swanson, who was 30 when she gave birth, originally wanted to give her placenta to a friend to be dried, ground into a powder and packed into capsules. She said she now plans to dry, store and eventually bury the organ instead of eating it.

"I hope this brings about a better awareness about the benefits of placenta," she said, citing a theory that placental hormones can help control postpartum blues.

Amy Stevens, system vice president for Sunrise Health, which operates Sunrise Hospital, described the ruling as specific to Swanson. She said the hospital must comply with strict regulations in handling human biohazardous waste.

There is no Nevada law prohibiting hospitals from returning placentas to mothers. But several Las Vegas area hospitals told the Las Vegas Review-Journal the organ is usually destroyed unless a physician designates it for medical tests or a patient seeks it for specific religious or cultural reasons.

Source: Fox News

House Passes $607 Billion Health, Education, Workforce Bill

Ordinarily, I would say...YAY!!! Unfortunately, I'm on the Republican side for this...sounds like someone wants to pour $$ into the DSS system to ensure certain groups are allowed to continue to nurse our taxes for all their "chillun & bambino's" to get free food, free cheese, free milk, free dental, free medical and a little "afdc" cash for the Momma to go shopping at Walmart. Keyword: Headstart, community health centers, etc. There's your sign! Just Like A Democrat!

WASHINGTON — A bill filled with money for job training, health and education faces a veto from President Bush, who complains that Democratic add-ons have made it too expensive.

Some of the president's fellow Republicans, worried about re-election, say it's actually too skimpy.

The bill, containing $152 billion for social programs including special education, community health centers, Head Start and health research, easily passed the House on Thursday by a 276-140 vote.

Ex-Nurse Chops Up Hubby, Get's Life!

A former nurse was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for killing her husband, hacking up his body and stuffing his remains into designer suitcases that later washed ashore along Chesapeake Bay.
Melanie McGuire, 34, was convicted of murder and desecrating human remains in the 2004 death of William McGuire, 39.
His body was found inside the couple's Kenneth Cole luggage in May 2004 near Norfolk, Va., nearly 300 miles from the couple's Woodbridge, N.J., apartment. Full Story

Parental Warning: Alabama Girl, age 4, Dies After Swing Set Accident

MOBILE, Ala. — The south Mobile County girl who accidentally became hung up in a swing set has died, authorities said.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Kate Johnson said Teresa Jordan, 4, died at University of Alambama Women's and Children's Hospital shortly before noon Wednesday. Johnson said an autopsy showed the cause of death was strangulation.
Teresa's 9-year-old brother found her hanging from the swing set Tuesday with a swing's rope around her neck.
Johnson said the girl's mother was outside with her but had stepped away for a moment. The maternal grandparents were inside the mobile home when the incident occurred in the yard.
Teresa's grandfather, Rickey Byrd, said he planned to take down the swing Friday.
"It took me 15 minutes just to pull into the driveway today," he told the Press-Register.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission about 15 children die each year because of playground equipment-related incidents.
Source: Fox News

Look What Sharpton Is Trying To Do To Music...Real Music!

The Reverend Al Sharpton has called for a boycott against Universal Music Group Labels claiming racism....Please, is this zippity do dah joker for real? First he attacks Imus, now he attacks "BRYAN ADAMS".....please, someone tell this idiot, that Rap is not music, but only mindless, senseless, trash talk to a swahili beat. Try to dance to this....you inevitably start gyrating like something off of National Geographic. You'd be surprised at the number of older blacks that agree.....IT IS NOT MUSIC! Check out Sharpton's statement below:

Rap music, the single most popular voice of Black American in the United States, has been hijacked by a corporate America that is blinded by dollar signs. These executives don’t care if the integrity of rap is compromised, if they make it easy for Black culture to be dismissed by the majority, and if they promote verbal and physical assault against women. These companies don’t care, so we are forced to reclaim rap music through consumer pressure. I call upon Americans of all races and all creeds to put their money where their hearts and minds are by refusing to financially support racism. Universal Music Group is the industry leader in peddling racist and misogynistic Black stereotypes through rap music. They are now faced with a golden opportunity to become the industry leader in something else: doing the right thing. In this great democratic nation, we have to stamp out inequality when it rears its ugly head through whatever means possible. I call upon you to boycott all Universal Music Group artists until the company signs an agreement to promote more diverse images of Black Americans in rap music. Boycott all Universal artists, not just rap artists, to let music companies know that this is not a Black issue. This is not a White issue. This is an issue of justice, and we need to step up and take our music forward.
Sincerely,
Reverend Al Sharpton

SHARPTON PUSHES BOYCOTT FOR ALL ARTISTS ON UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP LABELS, INCLUDING:

Bryan Adams
Ashanti
Audioslave
Cecilia Bartoli
Beck
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Black Eyed Peas
Mary J. Blige
blink-182
Blues Traveler
Andrea Bocelli
Bon Jovi
Busta Rhymes
Mariah Carey
Elvis Costello
Sheryl Crow
D-12
Dr. Dre
Eminem
Melissa Etheridge
Eve
50 Cent
Renée Fleming
G-Unit
Vince Gill
Godsmack
Amy Grant
Hoobastank
Enrique Iglesias
Ja Rule
Jay-Z
Elton John
Toby Keith
The Killers
Diana Krall
Limp Bizkit
Ludacris
Reba McEntire
Brian McKnight
Nelly
No Doubt
Jessye Norman
Luciano Pavarotti
Puddle of Mudd
Ashlee Simpson
Snoop Dogg
Gwen Stefani
George Strait
Shania Twain
Sting
The Cardigans
The Hives
3 Doors Down
U2

Sharpton to Imus – I'll Be Watching You!

Al Sharpton says he's not going to raise a ho-ly stink if Don Imus gets back to being a radio DJ, as has been rumored. "He has a right to make a living," he tells the AP. But he made it clear he doesn't want the old Imus.Sharpton says that he hasn't exactly gone soft on Imus, but says that if he wants to come back and work, he should. "We had never asked him to never work again," says Rev. Al. But Sharpton also added that he hoped any place that did take Imus would also take steps to insure that he wouldn't go back to the same kind of humor he traded in before.

Osama's Son upset At Wedding Coverage

When your dad is the internationally loathed terrorist Osama bin Laden, most anything you do is going to make news. But for some reason, Omar bin Laden was shocked at the media coverage of his marriage to a woman nearly twice his age. Death to the infidel media! Little O told Saudi newspaper al-Watan that he was "stunned and outraged" by publicity surrounding his wedding to a 51-year-old grandmother. Jane Felix-Browne, who herself has been married and divorced five times, is actually bin Laden's second wife -- in addition to his first wife!

Source: TMZ

Bush like Hitler, says first Muslim in Congress

America's first Muslim congressman has provoked outrage by apparently comparing President George W Bush to Adolf Hitler and hinting that he might have been responsible for the September 11 attacks. Addressing a gathering of atheists in his home state of Minnesota, Keith Ellison, a Democrat, compared the 9/11 atrocities to the destruction of the Reichstag, the German parliament, in 1933. This was probably burned down by the Nazis in order to justify Hitler's later seizure of emergency powers. "It's almost like the Reichstag fire, kind of reminds me of that," Mr Ellison said. "After the Reichstag was burned, they blamed the Communists for it, and it put the leader [Hitler] of that country in a position where he could basically have authority to do whatever he wanted."A convert to Islam who was previously linked to the extremist Nation of Islam, Mr Ellison, 42, has cultivated a moderate image since being elected last November, concentrating on issues such as health and education.

Israelite priests hold first gathering since Temple era

Jews belonging to the Tribe of Levi, and particularly the Kohen clan, came together for a mass gathering in Jerusalem on Sunday. It was the first large-scale gathering of biblically-mandated Israelite priests since the time of the Second Temple. The gathering included lectures and seminars on the history and future of the Temple, and culminated with all of the participants declaring the priestly blessing over Israel from the Western Wall. Genetic research over the past several decades has succeeded in isolating a particular DNA signature shared by all members of the Tribe of Levi, making the reinstitution of Israel's priestly caste a relatively simple endeavor once the Temple is rebuilt.

The present-day Sanhedrin Court along with a group of extremist rabbis announced their plans on Wednesday to resume ancient Temple practices of animal sacrifices on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, despite religious bans by Moslems and Jews.
The court purchased herds of sheep for ritual sacrifice, which they have planned for the eve of Passover, depending on the situation at the controversial religious site.
“Regrettably, there are many extremist Israeli groups who want to carry out their plans,” said Jerusalem's senior Islamic cleric, Mohammed Hussein. “Let them say what they want, Al Aksa is a Moslem mosque.”
The 71 members of the Sanhedrin have all the required elements necessary for Temple sacrifice, including the ritual altar, and said they want to begin sacrificing animals again, despite the absence of the Temple. Professor Hillel Weiss, a member of the Sanhedrin, said it is an important step to show that it’s not only talk.
Rabbi Dov Stein, secretary of the new Sanhedrin Court, believes Temple sacrifices won’t happen any time soon.
“We want to do the sacrifice, but we have political problems,” Stein said. “We hope there will come a time when the government will agree. We will push for that to happen.”
Not all religious Jews are in favor of the sacrifices however.
“Animal sacrifice, as a mode of religious worship, stopped for Jews, Christians and Moslems,” said Rabbi Daniel Hartman of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. “Moving back in that direction is not progress.”

Source: Israel Today

What Have They Done To Our Song, Ma?

Music is on a downswing and what is coming forth today is nothing short of creative garbage....rap is not an art, it's a nervous condition, that stems from pent-up anger, resentment, fueled by decades of hate extended through generations. You may say it's better than riots, for what it's worth, but as a music lover it really bothers me that basically, the 80's was the finale for the best in Rock N Roll! All is not lost....
People are buying vintage Metallica, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Guns 'N Roses and, well, Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
AC/DC's "Back in Black" (1980) last year sold 440,000 copies and has thus far sold 156,000 this year, according to the Nielsen SoundScan catalog charts, which measure how well physical albums older than two years old are selling. (All figures for this article were provided by Nielsen SoundScan.)
Fortunately, there are groups that are emerging with roots in the past, such as Daughtry, Nickelback, and then there's artists like The King of Rock N Soul, Lee Tyler Post, who reminds you of Van Morrison, Eddie Vedder, rolled into one, singing from the soul, with lyrics about the working class...from the heart, from the soul...
Rap is not worth the disc its recorded on, it promotes violence in youth, completely slay's the "Kings English" and makes no sense at all, unless you can speak the language of the urban world. It's simply an insult to all of the great recording artists of the past, such as "The Temptations, The Tams, Smoky Robinson and the Miracles, the list goes on and on.....a major gross insult.
Parents, please do not allow your children to listen to the Rap-hip-hop garbage masqueraded as Music. It does nothing but prove to be an insult to the music industry. As long as "Youth" are allowed to purchase and listen, it will continue...because the label wants to make money at any cost, and that cost can be at your children's expense.
Maybe I sound similar to the early 50's critique of the Elvis era to some, but you could understand Elvis lyrics, they were simple, down to earth.
The music coming forth today is a blend of devil worship masked by metaphysical symbology, racial violence, disrespect for women, family, the law.....and basically some of the explicit lyrics goes as far as to describe drive-by shooting, incest and blatant sex acts, child molestation, and drug use.
Word of caution, read the lyrics, and look for the symbols in the music. Do research, and be aware of what your children are being exposed to, above all learn the "Lingo of the 21st Century".
A prime example.....they are not talking about a garden utensil when they refer to the word "Ho"....

We're Not Alone!

Life as we know it on Earth is not the only kind possible in the universe, scientists reminded NASA in a report released last week. Read the Report.
http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11919#toc

Pope approves document - Roman Catholic Church provides the only true path to salvation, other churches defective

Pope Benedict XVI has ignited controversy across the world by approving a document saying non-Catholic Christian communities are either defective or not true churches, and the Roman Catholic Church provides the only true path to salvation. "Christ 'established here on earth' only one church," said the document, reasserting the primacy of Catholicism. It said other Christian communities such as Protestants "cannot be called 'churches' in the proper sense" since they don't have what's known as apostolic succession – that is, the ability to trace their bishops back to the original 12 apostles of Jesus. The document said the Orthodox church suffered from a "wound" because it did not recognize the primacy of the pope, adding the wound was "still more profound" among Protestant denominations. It was "difficult to see how the title of 'Church' could possibly be attributed to them," said the statement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, purporting Roman Catholicism was "the one true Church of Christ."
"These separated churches and communities, though we believe they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation," the document read. "In fact the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation, whose value derives from that fullness of grace and of truth which has been entrusted to the Catholic Church."
The document, formulated as five questions and answers, repeated sections of a 2000 text the pope wrote when he was prefect of the congregation, "Dominus Iesus," which angered Protestant and other Christian denominations because it said they were not true churches and did not have the "means of salvation."
The Vatican's statement, signed by American Cardinal William Levada, was approved by Benedict June 29, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul in the Catholic faith.
Protestant leaders wasted no time attacking the statement.
"It makes us question whether we are indeed praying together for Christian unity," said the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, a group of 75 million Protestants in more than 100 countries. "It makes us question the seriousness with which the Roman Catholic Church takes its dialogues with the reformed family and other families of the church."

A-Quaida Takes Aim AT US

Al-Qaida is stepping up its efforts to sneak terror operatives into the United States and has acquired most of the capabilities it needs to strike here, according to a new U.S. intelligence assessment, The Associated Press has learned. The draft National Intelligence Estimate is expected to paint an ever-more-worrisome portrait of al-Qaida's ability to use its base along the Pakistan-Afghan border to launch and inspire attacks, even as Bush administration officials say the U.S. is safer nearly six years into the war on terror. The document also discusses increasing concern about individuals already inside the United States who are adopting an extremist brand of Islam.

Has The World Gone Mad?

The FBI is helping authorities in Houston see if any crime was committed in when a group of young women videotaped themselves laughing at a toddler and joking that the child had taken Ecstasy. It's unclear whether the tot had actually been given the drug, authorities said. __AP

It does not take a rocket scientist to see that this poor little girl is "rolling". Surely, the FBI in all it's majesty and power, can ascertain that a crime "Has" been committed toward this child, whether she was given the drug or whether the occupants of the vehicle were under the influence, either...it's nothing short of abuse.

Any parent that has a toddler and does drugs should be punished within the scope of the law to the fullest extent. Drugs and children do not mix, whether it's marijuana or crack cocaine....where a child's safety and welfare are concerned drugs are all the same.

The Lifetime channel is an excellent channel of learning, especially since the focus is on events that occur in normal, everyday life and are based on real life experiences.

Last night "Guilt By Association" was aired, which depicted a working professional Mother with two children, caught up in a drug conspiracy, unknowingly, yet was convicted of a crime on grounds of co-conspiracy through association, and forced to spend a severa years behind bars, until President Clinton commuted her sentence. The drug was Marijuana, her new boyfriend, a businessman who had a thriving Marijuana Distribution business that she knew nothing about, but accepted gifts from him, purchased with the illegal drug money. Ultimately, Her home and vehicle wer confiscated, she lost her job and license to Nurse, something that she had worked very hard, holding down two jobs to obtain and her children were moved in with her sister during her 3 year incarceration, which was reduced from 20 years initially.

This happens, this is a reality, but so many of our young "citizens" won't or can't relate to those facts, nor accept that it could happen to them.

So they smoke a little pot, to unwind after work, try to keep it hush-hush from their employers, gambling with not only their lives but their children's. This is not healthy, and it's rather terrifying when you examine it very closely yet, it is a disease that has affected our society.

Do I slam dunk the use of Marijuana....not really, actually, I've been there done that, burned a bra, protested vietnam, and eventually served not only in the National Guard but slid right over to active duty Navy....so I'm not "clueless". But, when my children came along, I put it to rest, and called it a day. It's a waste of money, it's a buzz that I do not need, nor really care for, and the price to pay is much more extensive than the reward.

What's at stake today, is our youth, our children that don't know any better, that look to their parents as role models. Little girls have always relied on their Mommies to teach them how to cook, sew, and above all be a lady.

Boys, rely on their Dads and in some cases, Mom's to teach them how to mow the yard, fix a bike, use a screwdriver, pass a football, shoot a basketball, how to survive a camping trip, fishing...etc.

Today, they're lucky to be with their parents over 2 hours a day, because parents are too busy as the Mom is waiting for Dad to do the laundry, clean the house, or the Dad leaves to be with friends, leaving behind the girl-woman who knows nothing about housekeeping, cooking and freaks when left alone to care for the kids. The bulk of the learning comes from teaching them how to be quiet in a restaurant, or while waiting in the drive-thru at Mickey D's, and at the end of it all, how fast they can get them to bed, so MOM AND DAD can have their "QUALITY" time.

When and Where do they learn?....From the school, don't kid yourself... The school is not geared to babysit your children...your kids should start school with the basic 1-2-3 of life which is lear, , parents are responsible for teaching their children how to act in the real world, the schools is suppose to educate them academically. So many parents rely on the school for everything and the school....just doesn't go that route.

You can't blame it on the "working parents", as many try to do...because my father worked 7 days a week forever, and my Mom worked every day, yet she found time to teach me the importance of a clean home, how to hem a skirt, how to cook, and above all the importance of watching the company I kept.

My mother never allowed me to throw my clothes on the floor, leave a dirty dish in the sink, or cram clothes in my drawer. That was totally unacceptable at my home.

Today, there are many young women that could care less about the way their homes look, how clean they are, what they feed their families, and as long as there are fast-food restaurants, families don't starve. That's very pitiful, because it's generally passed on to the next generation....and here's another little girl that grows up thinking it's OK to have a messy home, and eat at Mickey D's as long as she is working and making the money. This is when money becomes an idol of worship and the root of all evil.

These same little girls are patterning theirselves after any role model they choose, usually the likes of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohen....because THEY CAN!

Children have become only fixtures in a home, just like in a playhouse. Furniture, rugs, Mommy, Daddy and Children. Mommy and Daddy work all day, Kids are away at school all day, the twain meet in the evening, the kids eat, do their homework and go to bed and Mommy and Daddy get high.....and do it all over again the next day.

There is a verse in the bible that really hits the proverbial nail on the head.

It can be found in 1 Corinthians 13:11

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Children and Drugs do not mix. If you have small children, who are extremely capable of having accidents, becoming sick without warning....understand that you are responsible for whatever happens to those children. If you are under the influence of cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy or even pills, you are not operating to your fullest mental capacity. It takes a full service mental state to care for children....in other words, children are very grounded....solid as a rock, so I'm curious, how can you take care of a child that is "Grounded" when you are "High"?

Prince Charles Inspects The Troops!

The South Will Rise Again? It Never Fell.....

"The war ended over 137 years ago.

"Quit living in the past!""

"Why are you defending a society that was built on slavery?"

"The Confederate soldiers were poor men tricked by rich slave owners into thinking they were actually fighting for freedom."

"If some people find the Confederate flag offensive, just take it down. What's the big deal? The South lost. Get over it!"

These are just some of the things I hear when I try to stand up for my Southern heritage and defend the cause of liberty for which so many men gave their lives. Whether they will admit it or not, many Americans still harbor a bitter resentment for anyone who would dare suggest that the South just might have been right.
Now I won't try to re-hash the same old arguments about states' rights, secession and the damage Abraham Lincoln did to this country. I do, however, want to address those who claim the South is dead and should be forgotten. I believe that despite the stereotypes of Southerners as a backward, uneducated people devoid of any culture, the South remains an extremely vibrant part of our history.
For example, most Americans believe that our nation was born when 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. They tend to forget that the first permanent English colony, Jamestown, was located in the southern state of Virginia. So, in keeping with the metaphor, one could say that if our nation was born in Philadelphia, it was conceived in Jamestown. (Incidentally, the first slave ports in America were opened in the Northern state of Massachusetts. How's that for irony?)
A large number of our nation's founders were from the South. Among those distinguished gentlemen were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, James Madison and Richard Henry Lee, just to name a few. Another Southerner, George Mason, penned Virginia's Declaration of Rights, which served as a model for our current Bill of Rights.
In addition to great political leaders, the South has given us some of the world's most endearing works of literature. Over the years we have enjoyed the writings of authors like Margaret Mitchell, William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, Shelby Foote and, of course, the greatest American writer of all time, Mark Twain.
Southern food has also been a major part of our nation's colorful history. Can you imagine a world without pecan pie, boiled crawfish, fried chicken, Po' Boys, gumbo or boiled peanuts? Would beignets taste the same without a cup of Café Du Monde for dipping? And let's not even think of where we would be without the culinary contributions of Paul Prudhomme and Justin Wilson.
I could go on--from the bluegrass roots of country music to the stirring emotional energy of Southern preaching--but that could take days. Let me just say that I don't think it would be too much of a stretch to call the South the heart and soul of America. I know that doesn't bode well with the historical reconstructionists and the intellectual carpetbaggers wishing to trample on Dixie all over again, but our nation owes a great deal to the historic and cultural vitality of the South.
That is one of the reasons why I get so angry when I see an attack on that part of America's past. Those calling for the lowering of the Confederate battle flag and the renaming of Confederate monuments are the same people who have been more than willing to show off their "tolerance" and "diversity" in other areas.
"Homosexuality? No problem. We're all God's children. Abortion? Well, who are we to tell a woman what to do with her own body? Pornography? It's called 'freedom of expression.' The Confederate flag? We'll tolerate just about every form of depravity known to man, but we won't accept that! We need to rid ourselves of that symbol of racism and hatred!" Such is the thinking of the anti-Southern bigots.
When you see us defending our Southern roots, please understand that we treasure that part of our heritage very much. Yes, Robert E. Lee surrendered his army at Appomattox, but the spirit of the South fought on. If it hadn't, we wouldn't have made it through "Reconstruction." We will admit to a military defeat, but we will never give up our love of life and our desire to be free.It has been said that the South will rise again, though I'm not quite sure I agree. I would venture to say that while the South may have stumbled along the way, it never really fell.
The passionate flame of perseverance that burned within the hearts and souls of our Southern ancestors still burns today, and I believe it's only a matter of time before that light illuminates the way for the rest of the nation.

Source: Lee Shelton

Top 5 Worst Companies To Work For In The US

The Home Depot – Home Depot has legions of angry consumer as well as employees. Home depot used to have qualified personnel to provide expert advice. They essentially canned them all to hire cheap labor. After firing all of their decent staff, they took or severely cut back any worthwhile employee benefits and incentives; merit badges worth $20 each, tuition reimbursement, dental, employee discounts, Christmas bonuses (now just a coupon) credit signup bonuses etc. Several sites host complaints by disgruntled employees, from sites such as http://www.consumerist.com/ to http://www.retailworker.com/

AOL – From training employees how to charge credit cards of those trying to cancel their accounts, to censoring or firing employees that stand up to their ethics, AOL has, is, and probably always will be one of the worst places to work.

Best Buy - From forcing employees to practice questionable ethics, to flat out manipulation by managers. Their management system is reportedly structured to the point that there is no accountability; the blame tends to go downward, ending up on the floor employees that work the hardest. Years and years of complaints have been logged at http://www.bestbuysux.org/. Shopping at Best Buy is about as fun.

McDonald’s - If this is your first job, fine but if it’s your second job, it just sucks to be you. McDonald’s is host to incompetent supervisors where “mediocrity is looked up to, but never quite achieved” †. The educational level of even the highest ranks of store management is about the end of high school and will likely teach you nothing. Hopefully this will force you to strive for a positive exit plan.

Verizon - “They destroyed the lives of 33 pilots to save retirement expenses” - just one example of their business practices. Freezing pensions by email - another. Additionally the poor top-down management has caused some of the lowest moral ever in a company.

NASA Pays $19 Million for Space-Station Toilet

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — In space, a loo costs a lot.
NASA has agreed to pay $19 million for a Russian-built toilet system for the international space station. The figure may sound astronomical for a toilet in space, but NASA officials said it was cheaper than building their own.
"It's akin to building a municipal treatment center on Earth," NASA spokeswoman Lynnette Madison said Thursday, explaining the cost of the new toilet system.
Also, astronauts are familiar with how it works since it's similar to one already in use at the space station. The new system will be able to transfer urine to a device that can produce drinking water.
The new system is scheduled to be delivered to the U.S. side of the space station in 2008. It will offer more privacy than the old toilet system, which will definitely be needed: The space station crew is expected to grow from three to six people by 2009.

Source: Fox News

Cat Survives 3 Week Pacific Ocean Voyage With No Food Or Water

A cat whose owners thought was lost spent nearly three weeks crossing the Pacific Ocean in a shipping container with no food or water — and appears to be fine.
The voyage began after Pamela Escamilla lost sight of her 3-year-old calico, Spice, while packing a large container with household goods in Hawaii.
The container was shipped June 15 to California. Escamilla, 39, and her husband could not find the cat before taking their flight and asked neighbors to call if Spice returned.
The cat spent 18 days in the pitch-black container without food or water as it crossed the Pacific before arriving at the home of Escamilla's parents on Tuesday.
When Escamilla opened the container, she and family members noticed fluffs of cat hair on the floor. Escamilla climbed into the container to search.
"I saw (Spice) poke her head out from behind some bicycles, and I started to scream," Escamilla said. She took the cat to the veterinarian, who said its kidneys had shrunk and its bowels were backed up, but the prognosis was good.
"It's always a good day when the cat's alive," said Escamilla. "We didn't know what we would find."

Woman Jogging, Listening to iPod Had Legs Severed When Struck By Train

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — A woman out for jog while listening to her iPod had her legs severed by a freight train because she may not have heard it coming, authorities said.

Cheryl Ann Risse, 32, was recovering at a hospital Friday.

Authorities did not know how she ended up in the path of the train Thursday morning, but rescue workers speculated she did not hear the locomotive coming because she was listening to her iPod.

Risse often jogged across the tracks on her way to a nearby park, said Keyla Concepcion, spokeswoman for the Broward Sheriff's Office.

The train engineer didn't know he had struck Risse until he returned along the same tracks minutes later, Concepcion said.

A passing sheriff's deputy noticed her waving her arms.

"My feet are on fire," she told Tony Long, a battalion chief for Pompano Beach Fire-Rescue, who responded to the scene. "Do you think you can put the fire out? They're really hurting."

The woman was expected to survive.

Source: AP

Company Advertises Unpaid Job as Condom Tester

MELBOURNE, Australia — A major condom brand said Friday it expected thousands of applicants for a new unpaid job on offer — condom tester.

Durex said 200 adult Australians — men and women — are wanted to test a range of its condoms.

While the successful applicants will not be paid, each will receive a pack of Durex sex products, a chance to win 1,000 Australian dollars ($857 U.S.), plus professional prestige, the company said in a statement.

"Who wouldn't want to have a chance with an actual authorized professional?" Durex marketing manager Sam White asked.

"Durex is expecting thousands of applicants," the statement said.

Hopefuls must explain in their applications why they would make "expert" condom testers.

How they test the condoms is not specified, but testers must provide honest feedback about how they find the products.

No deadline is set for evaluating a range of four condoms and other sex products.

Source: AP

Baby Gorilla Admitted To Human Hospital

Commentary: It seems that parental neglect has infected the animal kingdom with similarities of the human world. Momma has baby, Momma wants to party with friends, leaves babies to fiend for themselves...baby suffers! Since they brought the baby to a human hospital, I'm wondering if charges will be filed against the Mother by Childrens Protective Services!

Berlin__A baby gorilla from a German zoo was treated at a children's clinic after her mother's neglect left her dangerously dehydrated, zoo officials said.

Six-week-old Mary Two, who also was suffering from hypothermia, was admitted to the intensive care unit at the University of Muenster's clinic on Saturday and discharged a day later.

Joerg Adler, director of the northwestern city's Allwetterzoo, said Monday the baby's mother, Gana, had been interested in rejoining other gorillas — "and then she started to neglect her child a bit."

Source: Fox

Last Survivor of Original "Drifters" Found Dead In Daytona Beach

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Bill Pinkney, the last survivor of the original members of the musical group The Drifters, has died. He was 81.

Pinkney was found dead Wednesday at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, Daytona Beach Police spokesman Jimmie Flynt said. The death was not considered suspicious, he said.

Pinkney was scheduled to perform for U.S. Independence Day festivities there.

Government Debt Liability: $516,348 per U.S. household

The federal government recorded a $1.3 trillion loss last year — far more than the official $248 billion deficit — when corporate-style accounting standards are used, a USA TODAY analysis shows.

The loss reflects a continued deterioration in the finances of Social Security and government retirement programs for civil servants and military personnel. The loss — equal to $11,434 per household — is more than Americans paid in income taxes in 2006.

"We're on an unsustainable path and doing a great disservice to future generations," says Chris Chocola, a former Republican member of Congress from Indiana and corporate chief executive who is pushing for more accurate federal accounting.

Modern accounting requires that corporations, state governments and local governments count expenses immediately when a transaction occurs, even if the payment will be made later.

The federal government does not follow the rule, so promises for Social Security and Medicare don't show up when the government reports its financial condition.

Bottom line: Taxpayers are now on the hook for a record $59.1 trillion in liabilities, a 2.3% increase from 2006. That amount is equal to $516,348 for every U.S. household. By comparison, U.S. households owe an average of $112,043 for mortgages, car loans, credit cards and all other debt combined.

Unfunded promises made for Medicare, Social Security and federal retirement programs account for 85% of taxpayer liabilities. State and local government retirement plans account for much of the rest.

This hidden debt is the amount taxpayers would have to pay immediately to cover government's financial obligations. Like a mortgage, it will cost more to repay the debt over time. Every U.S. household would have to pay about $31,000 a year to do so in 75 years.

The Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Board, which sets federal accounting standards, is considering requiring the government to adopt accounting rules similar to those for corporations. The change would move Social Security and Medicare onto the government's income statement and balance sheet, instead of keeping them separate.

The White House and the Congressional Budget Office oppose the change, arguing that the programs are not true liabilities because government can cancel or cut them.

Chad Stone, chief economist at the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, says it can be misleading to focus on the government's unfunded liabilities because Medicare's financial problems overwhelm the analysis.

"There is a shortfall in Medicare and Medicaid that is potentially explosive, but that is related to overall trends in health care spending," he says.

Source: USA Today

Colin Powell Discloses The Real Reason For American SSN

I was watching Fox News Sunday this morning, 06/17/01, being hosted in the first segment by Tony Snow. The lead off guest was Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State. Mr. Powell gave an excellent recitation relevant to foreign affair matters.

Mr. Powell during the entire interview was very confident, and spoke without hesitation throughout the entire interview excluding for a one second period, after one specific statement made by him as he was talking about the Russian peoples. When he realized the consequences of making this disclosure indirectly to the American public, he froze for a second, his eyes rolled back as he realized what he had said, and then he continued without further pause for the rest of the interview.

In my lifetime, I have never sent out to others a post relevant to a quote I heard while watching a news program. In this case, the significance of what was said in the flow of truth coming from Mr. Powell, is a statement that establishes the primary reality of intent per the politics and operative structure coming from government in this country. I had to immediately share what I had heard with others.

Mr. Powell was discussing Mr. Bush's trip to Europe, and was at a point in his recitation covering certain concerns regarding Russia, and Russia being requested to cooperate with the United States to track down lost Nuclear materials and scientists who were unaccounted for after the break up of Russia, that now may be in the hands of, or in the case of the missing scientists, working for adversaries of the USA.

The quote from Mr. Powell, per the Russian Scientists that every American "NEEDS" to hear immediately is as follows:

[Colin Powell] - "Finding the Russian scientists may be a problem being that Russia does not have a Social Security System, as here in America, that allows us to MONITOR, TRACK DOWN and CAPTURE an American citizen."

Please pass this on to every one that you know. The significance of Mr. Powell's statement is profound, and essential to be heard by all in this country. I thank Mr. Powell for inadvertently being honest towards the underlying intent of the US Government, reaffirmed by his admission.

Yours Truly, Walter J. Burien, Jr.

Minister Calls For White Genocide In The US!

Well, I do declare, somebody needs to inform Rev Sharpton and Jackson about this!

Piranha Caught In Catawba River

Mt Holly, NC__Jerry Melton, 46, was fishing in the Catawba River last week when he caught what state wildlife officials later identified as a piranha, a South American carnivorous fish that lives in freshwater.

"When I got it on the bank I didn't really know what it was; I hadn't seen anything like it before," Melton said.

When Melton opened the fish's mouth with a pocket knife, he said the fish bit down and left an impression on the blade.

Wildlife officials told Melton on Saturday that he caught a 1 pound, 4 ounce piranha that was probably dumped in the river. Officials said the fish was likely put there by someone who kept it as a pet and later dumped it into local waters.

"Releasing nonnative fish in our native waters is highly irresponsible because it could have a very adverse affect on the fish in that ecosystem," said Paul Barrington, an ichthyologist with the Fort Fisher Aquarium.
Melton, who is keeping the piranha in his freezer until he can have it mounted, said the experience will keep him out of the river's water.

"I've been fishing there my whole life," he said. "Catching something like that is definitely going to make me think twice about what's in that water."

Obama's money puts Clinton's 'inevitable' nomination in doubt

Historically, the candidate who has raised the most money and leads the polls at the end of the invisible primary (i.e., December 31, 2007) ends up getting the nomination. Except when he doesn't. Howard Dean won the invisible primary in 2003, but was effectively finished a few weeks later after he came in third in Iowa.

At the half-year mark, Obama, D-Illinois, leads Clinton, D-New York, in primary fundraising, although both contenders have raised record amounts of money for Democrats this early in the campaign. Only President Bush has raised more than $30 million in any quarter during the year before the election ($35.1 million the second quarter of 2003).

Obama's take for the last six months ($55.7 million for the Democratic primaries) is larger than the total raised by Howard Dean in the entire year of 2003 ($53 million)

Money is one scorecard. Polls are another, and that's where Obama continues to lag. The latest national poll of Democrats has Clinton leading Obama, 43 to 25 percent, with John Edwards at 17 percent if Al Gore is not included as a candidate, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll conducted June 22-24.

Fly To The Moon For $100 Million

ASPEN, Colo. — You don't have to pack your bags quite yet, but passenger travel to the Moon is on the flight manifest of a space tourism company.
The price per seat will slap your wallet or purse for a swift $100 million — but you'll have to get in line as the first voyage is already booked.
Space Adventures, headquartered in Vienna, Va., is in negotiations with the customers who will fly the first private expedition to fly around the Moon.
Full Story

Secret Document: U.S. Fears Terror 'Spectacular' Planned

Official Cites Resemblance to Warnings and Intelligence Before 9/11

A secret U.S. law enforcement report, prepared for the Department of Homeland Security, warns that al Qaeda is planning a terror "spectacular" this summer, according to a senior official with access to the document.
"This is reminiscent of the warnings and intelligence we were getting in the summer of 2001," the official told ABCNews.com.
U.S. officials have kept the information secret, and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said today on ABC News' "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" that the United States did not have "have any specific credible evidence that there's an attack focused on the United States at this point."
As ABCNews.com reported, U.S. law enforcement officials received intelligence reports two weeks ago warning of terror attacks in Glasgow and Prague, the Czech Republic, against "airport infrastructure and aircraft."
The warnings apparently never reached officials in Scotland, who said this weekend they had received "no advance intelligence" that Glasgow might be a target.
Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff declined to comment specifically on on the report today, but said "everything that we get is shared virtually instantaneously with our counterparts in Britain and vice versa."
Unlike the United States, officials in Germany have publicly warned that the country could face a major attack this summer, also comparing the situation to the pre-9/11 summer of 2001.

Git-R-Done Beer!

PAWNEE CITY, Nebraska (AP) -- A local microbrewery has launched a beer for one of America's most recognizable rednecks: Larry the Cable Guy.

Larry the Cable Guy will be able to drink down Git-R-Done beer, named for his catchphrase.

Git-R-Done beer, named for the comedian's famous catchphrase, was launched Saturday by SchillingBridge Winery & MicroBrewery, from the small town where the 44-year-old actor-comedian grew up.
The owners of the small family winery say the light beer is made from high-quality ingredients with more "flavor and body" than popular corporate beers.
Mike Schilling, who runs the winery with his wife, Sharon, is confident Git-R-Done beer will appeal to the comedian's fan base.
"Rednecks love quality, too," he said.
Larry the Cable Guy has become popular through films, cable television and a standup tour. His latest movie, "Delta Farce," was released in May.
The Schillings proposed the new beer to the comedian, whose real name is Dan Whitney.
Sharon Schilling said Whitney visited the winery in July 2005 to accept the offer wearing a pair of shorts and a sleeveless camouflage shirt.
Whitney said he was dressed up because it was his wedding day, which was confirmed by his bride, Sharon Schilling said.
"He said, 'Let's git-r-done,' " she said. "He made it sound so simple."

We Were Only Doing Our Job...but we got stoned!

EDINBURG, Texas: Firemen attending a warehouse blaze got stoned while trying to put out more than a tonne of burning marijuana.
Local Fire Chief Shawn Snider said his men would have failed a drug test, despite wearing breathing gear.

He said there had been no shortage of volunteers from the county's three fire departments to attend the blaze.

Finally....Proof That Echinacea Really Works!!!!

FANS of echinacea have long sworn that it can ward off the common cold, a claim that has been dismissed as a matter of faith.
Now scientists say the herbal remedy really works, giving believers the pleasure of watching the sceptics swallow their words.

An analysis has found that taking the remedy more than halves a person's chances of catching a cold and shortens the length of a cold by an average of 1.4 days.

The US team reviewed 14 studies and published its results in Lancet Infectious Diseases. Some earlier studies had failed to find evidence that echinacea worked, so the findings are likely to be controversial.

"Echinacea has traditionally been used for both prevention and treatment of colds but recent studies suggest that it may be more effective as a treatment," said Ron Cutler, of the School of Biosciences at the University of East London.

"It may reduce the duration of illness and decrease the severity of cough, headache, and nasal congestion. People with impaired immune function may benefit from taking echinacea during the winter months to prevent colds and flu, but healthy people do not require long-term preventative use."

Ronald Eccles, director of the Common Cold Centre at the University of Cardiff, said the study was a significant step in the battle against the cold.

"Harnessing the power of our own immune system to fight common infections with herbal medicines is now given more validity with this interesting scientific evaluation of past clinical trials," Mr Eccles said.

The research team from the University of Connecticut, searched the medical literature for studies on echinacea and when the relevant results were pooled, they found that taking echinacea reduced the chances of catching a cold by 58 per cent.

Source: The Times

Breaking News: Popping The Biblical Creation Myth Bubble!

Homo erectus claim rocks archeological world___June 26, 2007

OUR earliest ancestors gave up hunting-gathering and took to a settled life up to 400,000 years earlier than previously thought, according to controversial research.
The accepted time scale of humans' evolution is being challenged by an archeologist who claims to have found evidence that Homo erectus - mankind's early ancestor, who migrated from Africa to Asia and Europe - began living in settled communities long before the accepted time of 10,000 years ago.

The point at which settlement took place is the first critical stage in humanity's cultural development.

Helmut Ziegert, of the Institute of Archeology at Hamburg University, said evidence could be found at excavated sites in north and east Africa, in the remains of stone huts and tools created by upright man for fishing and butchery.

Professor Ziegert claimed the thousands of blades, scrapers, hand axes and other tools found at sites such as Budrinna, on the shore of an extinct lake in southwest Libya, and at Melka Konture, along the River Awash in Ethiopia, provided evidence of organised societies.

He believes such sites show small communities of 40 or 50 people, with abundant water resources to exploit for constant harvests.

The implications for our knowledge of human evolution - and of our intellectual and social beginnings - were profound and a "staggering shift", he said.

Professor Ziegert used potassium argon isotopic dating, stratigraphy and tool typology to compile his evidence. He will publish his findings this month in Minerva, the archeology journal.

The news divided scholarly opinion. "This research is nothing less than a quantum leap in our understanding of Man's intellectual and social history," said Sean Kingsley, an archeologist and the managing editor of Minerva.

"For archeology, it's as radical as finding life on Mars.

"As a veteran of over 81 archeological surveys and excavations ... Ziegert is nothing if not scientifically cautious, which makes the current revelation all the more exciting."

Others were far from convinced.

Paul Bahn, an archeologist who specialises in the paleolithic period, believes that Homo erectus was quite advanced and capable of building durable structures, occasionally coming together in large groups, but he remains to be convinced about settlements.

"Homo erectus could have been there for a few days," he said. "He wouldn't have carried the tools around. Inevitably, they accumulate. If hunter-gatherers found no cave or rock shelter, it makes sense that they might have built a shelter for a few days ... The fact they're made out of stone doesn't mean they were permanent settlements."

Homo erectus lived from about 1.6 million to 200,000 years ago, ranging widely from Africa and Asia to parts of Europe. Most of the anatomical differences between Homo erectus and Homo sapiens relate to the skull and teeth, with the former having a jutting browridge, a wide nose and large teeth.

Stress 'makes us fat'

July 02, 2007

AUSTRALIAN scientists have discovered that chronic stress can make us fat by triggering the body's fat cells to grow and multiply.
The link between stress and obesity has been known for more than a decade but these findings are the first to explain how exactly the connection works.

The research by Australian, US and Slovakian scientists could lead to new therapies that shrink fat cells or make them die.

Herbert Herzog, director of neuroscience at the Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research, said he expected the findings to have a profound effect on the way society deals with the obesity epidemic.

The research team made its discovery by feeding stressed and unstressed mice a “comfort food” diet high in fat and sugar.

The stressed mice gained twice as much fat as unstressed mice, because the stress caused fat to be stored differently.

Professor Herzog said a molecule called neuropeptide Y, released by the body when stressed, appeared to unlock receptors in the body's fat cells, stimulating the cells to grow in size and number.

This same mechanism was expected in humans.

While the stress reaction was normal and unavoidable, scientists are working to block the dangerous knock-on fat reaction that it triggers.

“If we can interfere before it causes fat to amass, it could have a major impact on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, which all have links with obesity,” Professor Herzog said.

Study leader Zofia Zukowska, of Georgetown University, said they also hoped to be able to target obesity directly.

“We may be able to reverse or prevent obesity caused by stress and diet, including the worst kind of obesity - the apple-shaped type,” Professor Zukowska said.

The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine today.

Source: APP

One of the largest UFOs ever seen has been observed by the crew and passengers of an airliner over the Channel Islands.

An official air-miss report on the incident several weeks ago appears in Pilot magazine.

Aurigny Airlines captain Ray Bowyer, 50, flying close to Alderney first spotted the object, described as "a cigar-shaped brilliant white light".

As the plane got closer the captain viewed it through binoculars and said: "It was a very sharp, thin yellow object with a green area.

"It was 2,000ft up and stationary. I thought it was about 10 miles away, although I later realised it was approximately 40 miles from us. At first, I thought it was the size of a [Boeing] 737.

"But it must have been much bigger because of how far away it was. It could have been as much as a mile wide."

Continuing his approach to Guernsey, Bowyer then spied a "second identical object further to the west".

He said: "It was exactly the same but looked smaller because it was further away. It was closer to Guernsey. I can't explain it. This was clearly visual for about nine minutes.

"I'm certainly not saying that it was something of another world. All I'm saying is that I have never seen anything like it before in all my years of flying."

The sightings were confirmed by passengers Kate and John Russell. John, 74, said: "I saw an orange light. It was like an elongated oval."

The sightings were also confirmed by an unnamed pilot with the Blue Islands airline.

The Civil Aviation Authority safety notice states that a Tri-Lander aircraft flying close to Alderney spotted the object.

"Certain parts of the report have not been published. I cannot say why," said a senior CAA source.

Earlier this year, however, the MOD declared its intentions to open its UFO files to the public.

Breaking News.....Dead Airman's Affidavit: Roswell Aliens Were Real

July 2, 2007__Sixty years ago, a light aircraft was flying over the Cascade Mountains in Washington state, at a height of around 10,000 feet.

Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light illuminated the aircraft.

Visibility was good, and as pilot Kenneth Arnold scanned the sky to find the source of the light, he saw a group of nine shiny metallic objects flying information.

He estimated their speed as being around 1,600 mph — nearly three times faster than the top speed of any jet aircraft at the time.

Soon, similar reports began to come in from all over America.

This wasn't just the world's first UFO sighting — this was the birth of a phenomenon, one that still exercises an extraordinary fascination.

Military authorities issued a press release, which began: "The many rumors regarding the flying disc became a reality yesterday when the intelligence officer of the 509th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force, Roswell Army Air Field, was fortunate enough to gain possession of a disc."

The headlines screamed: "Flying Disc captured by Air Force".

Yet, just 24 hours later, the military changed its story and claimed the object it had first thought was a "flying disc" was a weather balloon that had crashed on a nearby ranch.

The key witness was U.S. Army Maj. Jesse Marcel, the intelligence officer who had gone to the ranch to recover the wreckage.

He described the metal as being wafer-thin but incredibly tough.

It was as light as balsa wood, but couldn't be cut or burned.

These and similar accounts of the incident have largely been dismissed by all except the most dedicated believers.

Astonishing new twist

But last week came an astonishing new twist to the Roswell mystery.

Lt. Walter Haut was the public-relations officer at the base in 1947 and was the man who issued the original and subsequent press releases after the crash on the orders of the base commander, Col. William Blanchard.

Haut died in December 2005, but left a sworn affidavit to be opened only after his death.

Last week, the text was released. It asserts that the weather-balloon claim was a cover story and that the real object had been recovered by the military and stored in a hangar.

He described seeing not just the craft, but alien bodies.

He wasn't the first Roswell witness to talk about alien bodies.

Local undertaker Glenn Dennis had long claimed that he was contacted by authorities at Roswell shortly after the crash and asked to provide a number of child-sized coffins.

When he arrived at the base, he was apparently told by a nurse (who later disappeared) that a UFO had crashed and that small humanoid extraterrestrials had been recovered.

But Haut is the only one of the original participants to claim to have seen alien bodies.

UFO pieces handed around

Haut's affidavit talks about a high-level meeting he attended with base commander Col. William Blanchard and the Commander of the Eighth Army Air Force, Gen. Roger Ramey.

Haut states that at this meeting, pieces of wreckage were handed around for participants to touch, with nobody able to identify the material.

He says the press release was issued because locals were already aware of the crash site, but in fact there had been a second crash site, where more debris from the craft had fallen.

The plan was that an announcement acknowledging the first site, which had been discovered by a farmer, would divert attention from the second and more important location.

The clean-up operation

Haut also spoke about a clean-up operation, where for months afterward military personnel scoured both crash sites searching for all remaining pieces of debris, removing them and erasing all signs that anything unusual had occurred.

This ties in with claims made by locals that debris collected as souvenirs was seized by the military.

Haut then tells how Colonel Blanchard took him to "Building 84" — one of the hangars at Roswell — and showed him the craft itself.

He describes a metallic egg-shaped object around 12-15 feet in length and around 6 feet wide.

He said he saw no windows, wings, tail, landing gear or any other feature.

Haut "saw the alien bodies"

He saw two bodies on the floor, partially covered by a tarpaulin.

They are described in his statement as about 4 feet tall, with disproportionately large heads.

Towards the end of the affidavit, Haut concludes: "I am convinced that what I personally observed was some kind of craft and its crew from outer space."

What's particularly interesting about Walter Haut is that in the many interviews he gave before his death, he played down his role and made no such claims.

Had he been seeking publicity, he would surely have spoken about the craft and the bodies.

Did he fear ridicule, or was the affidavit a sort of deathbed confession from someone who had been part of a cover-up, but who had stayed loyal to the end?

The U.S. government came under huge pressure on Roswell in the '90s.

In July 1994, in response to an inquiry from the General Accounting Office, the office of the secretary of the Air Force published a report, "The Roswell Report: Fact Versus Fiction in the New Mexico Desert."

Weather balloon "cover story"

The report concluded that the Roswell incident had been attributable to something called Project Mogul, a top-secret project using high-altitude balloons to carry sensor equipment into the upper atmosphere, listening for evidence of Soviet nuclear tests.

The statements concerning a crashed weather balloon had been a cover story, they admitted, but not to hide the truth about extraterrestrials.

A second U.S. Air Force report concluded that the claims bodies were recovered were generated by people who had seen crash-test dummies dropped from the balloons.

Skeptics, of course, will dismiss the testimony left by Haut.

After all, fascinating though it is, it's just a story. There's no proof.

But if nothing else, this latest revelation shows that, 60 years on, this mystery endures.


Source:Fox News