Ok so here is what is going on in the world in the week of December 13, 2004
Compliments of USA Today Online Edition....Enjoy
Peterson awaits his fate
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — The jury deciding whether Scott Peterson should be executed or spend life in prison requested to see autopsy photos and a dozen other pieces of evidence Monday as they resumed deliberations for a third day.
Full coveragePeterson awaits his fate12/13/2004 2:09 PM-->
Pinochet indicted
SANTIAGO, Chile — Gen. Augusto Pinochet was indicted Monday for the kidnapping of nine dissidents and the killing of one of them during his 1973-90 regime, and the former dictator was placed under house arrest.
Full coveragePinochet indicted12/13/2004 1:51 PM-->
SARS vaccine gets test
WASHINGTON — The National Institutes of Health is launching a human trial to test the safety of an experimental vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome. SARS, which was first recognized in 2002, killed 774 people worldwide before being brought under control by quarantine, patient isolation and travel restrictions.
Full coverageSARS vaccine gets test12/13/2004 1:32 PM-->
Murders drop 6 percent
WASHINGTON — The number of murders dropped by nearly 6% in the first half of 2004, an indication that a four-year climb may be ending, the FBI reported Monday.
Full coverageMurders drop 6 percent12/13/2004 11:17 AM-->
New HHS nominee
WASHINGTON — President Bush has chosen Environmental Protection Agency head Michael Leavitt to be secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Full coverageNew HHS nominee12/13/2004 12:19 PM-->
Automakers join
BERLIN — General Motors (GM) and DaimlerChrysler (DCX) are teaming to develop hybrid technology, which combines combustion engines and electric motors, for use in their vehicles, DaimlerChrysler said Monday.
Full coverageAutomakers join12/13/2004 9:57 AM-->
Poisoning probe re-opened
KIEV, Ukraine — Ukrainian lawmakers reopened their investigation Monday into Viktor Yushchenko's allegations that authorities tried to kill him, after doctors in Austria determined the presidential candidate had been poisoned by dioxin.
Full coveragePoisoning probe re-opened12/13/2004 1:57 PM-->
Baghdad bomb kills 13
BAGHDAD — A suicide car bomber linked to al-Qaeda killed 13 people just outside Baghdad's Green Zone on Monday, the first anniversary of Saddam Hussein's capture. Clashes resumed in Fallujah, a one-time insurgent stronghold that American forces believed they had conquered, and seven Marines died in combat in western Iraq.
Full coverageBaghdad bomb kills 1312/13/2004 1:42 PM-->
Rate of Guard deaths higher
WASHINGTON — In a reversal of trends from past wars, part-time soldiers in the Army National Guard are about one-third more likely to be killed in Iraq than full-time active-duty soldiers serving there, a USA TODAY analysis of Pentagon statistics shows.
Full coverageRate of Guard deaths higher12/13/2004 12:32 AM-->
Monday, December 13, 2004
Sunday, December 12, 2004
The Conservative Christians are at it Again! What's Next...Making everyone watch Sunday Morning Mass on TV??
The Plot Against Sex in America.........
Right-wing groups are targeting "Kinsey" as part of their larger goal of pushing sex of all nonbiblical kinds back into the closet.
Ok...so I knew it was just going to be a matter of time before these "zealots" raised themselves from their "rocking chairs and church pews" to spew venum about sexual related matters...
The latest is the controversy over a movie that has just come out, telling the story of "Alfred Kinsey" who wrote a very thourough book on the topic of "sex". And yes I have read it and I think this man was a genius and way before his time and he did indeed help create the sexual revolution, which among other things, opened the door to "Gay Rights, letting people know that they were not alone in thinking something was terribly wrong with what our parents and grandparents were trying to tell us about sex-THAT IT WAS BAD-, and tons of other matters relating to sexual behavior.
Well hey everyone...guess what?? We are in the year 2004. To go back in time and wish for a simpler, more pure time is not possible. The idea that sex should be pushed back in the closet or behind closed doors or for "biblical" purposes-IE....to "breed" is laughable and rediculous!
A few different views from a few different sources follow (so everyone can see how utterly insane these "moral conservative ideots" are):
A moral "paranoid" view:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2472-2004Nov21.html
A more realistic view:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04334/418572.stm
Everyone has their opinions and ways of thinking and I dont wish to influence anyone one way or another. I am just expressing my views (as I always have and always will).
I did find another interesting article while browsing the subject of sexuality and morality and have included a few paragaphs from what is called the "Sexual Bill of Rights" that is part of the mandate for the "United Nations" and it's beliefs:
________________________________________________________________
Sexual morality should come from a sense of caring and respect for others; it cannot be legislated.
Laws can and do protect the young from exploitation and people of any age from abuse. Beyond that, forms of sexual expression should not be a matter of legal regulation. Mature individuals should be able choose their partners and the kinds of sexual expression suited to them.
Certain forms of sexual expression are limiting and confining--for example, prostitution, sadomasochism, or fetishism.
However, any changes in such patterns, if they are made, should come through education and counseling, not by legal prohibition. Our overriding objective should be to help individuals live balanced and self-actualized lives.
The punishing and ostracizing of those who voluntarily engage in socially disapproved forms of sexual conduct only exacerbate the problem.
Sexual morality should be viewed as an inseparable part of general morality--not as a special set of rules. Sexual values and sex acts, like other human values and acts, should be evaluated by whether they frustrate or enhance human fulfillment.
Physical pleasure has worth as a moral value.
Traditional religious and social views have often condemned pleasures of the body as "sinful" or "wicked." These attitudes are inhumane. They are destructive of human relationships.
The findings of the behavioral sciences demonstrate that deprivation of physical pleasure, particularly during the formative periods of development, often results in family breakdown, child abuse, adolescent runaways, crime, violence, alcoholism, and other forms of dehumanizing behavior.
We assert that physical pleasure within the context of meaningful human relationships is essential--both as a moral value and for its contribution to wholesome social relationships.
Individuals are able to respond positively and affirmatively to sexuality throughout life; this must be acknowledged and accepted.
Childhood sexuality is expressed through genital awareness and exploration. This involves self-touching, caressing parts of the body, including the sexual organs. These are learning experiences that help the individual understand his or her body and incorporate sexuality as an integral part of his or her personality.
Masturbation is a viable mode of satisfaction for many individuals, young and old, and should be fully accepted.
Just as repressive attitudes have prevented us from recognizing the value of childhood sexual response, so have they prevented us from seeing the value of sexuality in the middle and later years of life. We need to appreciate the fact that older persons also have sexual needs. The joy of touching, of giving and receiving affection, and the satisfaction of intimate body responsiveness is the right of everyone throughout life.
In all sexual encounters, commitment to humane and humanistic values should be present. No person's sexual behavior should hurt or disadvantage another.
This principal applies to all sexual encounters --both to the brief and casual experience and to those that are deeper and more prolonged. In any sexual encounter or relationship, freely given consent is fundamental--even in the marital relationship, where consent is often denied or taken for granted.
Perplexing questions are raised by these concepts. Those directly engaged in the encounter may hold widely differing points of view toward sexual conduct. This possibly makes necessary open, candid, and honest communication about current and future expectations. Even then, decisions are subjects of judgment and projection, and their outcomes are only slowly revealed.
No relationship occurs in a vacuum. In addition to the persons directly involved in the sexual relationship, there are important others. The interests of these other persons are usually complex and diverse; no course of action will satisfy everyone. Some might prefer that no sexual involvement whatsoever occur and are disturbed if they are aware of it; others might be quite accepting under most circumstances. For this reason, each individual must have empathy for others.
One might ask oneself: "How would I want others to conduct themselves sexually toward me and others I care about?" "Am I at least as concerned for the happiness and well-being of my partner, and others involved, as for my own?"
There is also a broader consideration: namely, that each person contribute to creating a social atmosphere in which a full acceptance of responsible sexual expression will exist.
Conclusion
The realization of the points in this statement depends upon certain attributes in the individual. One needs to have autonomy and control over his or her own sexual functioning. One needs to find reasonable satisfaction in living and to accept and enjoy pleasures of the body.
Furthermore, one needs to respect the rights of others to those same qualities. The society in which one lives, while it makes demands, should also attuned to individual needs and the importance of personal freedom. Only as these conditions are met will loving and guilt-free sexuality be possible.
At this point in our history, we human beings are embarking on a wondrous adventure. For the first time we realize that we own our own bodies. Until now our bodies have been in bondage to church or state, which have dictated how we could express our sexuality. We have not been permitted to experience the pleasure and joy of the human body and our sensory nature to their full capacity.
In order to realize our potential for joyful sexual expression, we need to adopt the doctrine that actualizing pleasures are among the highest moral goods--so long as they are experienced with responsibility and mutuality.
A reciprocal and creative attitude toward sexuality can have a deep meaning, personally and socially. Each of us will know its personal meaning when we experience psychic growth and ego enhancement with others. In effect, our behavior can say to another, "I am enriched for having had this experience and for having contributed to your having had it also."
The social meaning can derive from the living feelings engendered by a person who is experiencing guilt-free, reciprocal pleasure. The loving feelings of mental and physical well-being, the sense of completion of the self, that we can experience from freely expressed sexuality may well reach out to all humanity. It is quite impossible to have a meaningful, ecstatic sexual and sensual life and to be indifferent to or uncaring about other human beings.
We believe that freeing our sexual selves is vital if we are to reach the heights of our full humanity. But at the same time, we believe that we need to activate and nourish a sense of our responsibilities to others.
___________________________________________________________________
I couldn't have said it better had I written the preceeding myself.
As someone else I know says: "That's my Story and I'm stickin to it.....
Happy Monday
Right-wing groups are targeting "Kinsey" as part of their larger goal of pushing sex of all nonbiblical kinds back into the closet.
Ok...so I knew it was just going to be a matter of time before these "zealots" raised themselves from their "rocking chairs and church pews" to spew venum about sexual related matters...
The latest is the controversy over a movie that has just come out, telling the story of "Alfred Kinsey" who wrote a very thourough book on the topic of "sex". And yes I have read it and I think this man was a genius and way before his time and he did indeed help create the sexual revolution, which among other things, opened the door to "Gay Rights, letting people know that they were not alone in thinking something was terribly wrong with what our parents and grandparents were trying to tell us about sex-THAT IT WAS BAD-, and tons of other matters relating to sexual behavior.
Well hey everyone...guess what?? We are in the year 2004. To go back in time and wish for a simpler, more pure time is not possible. The idea that sex should be pushed back in the closet or behind closed doors or for "biblical" purposes-IE....to "breed" is laughable and rediculous!
A few different views from a few different sources follow (so everyone can see how utterly insane these "moral conservative ideots" are):
A moral "paranoid" view:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2472-2004Nov21.html
A more realistic view:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04334/418572.stm
Everyone has their opinions and ways of thinking and I dont wish to influence anyone one way or another. I am just expressing my views (as I always have and always will).
I did find another interesting article while browsing the subject of sexuality and morality and have included a few paragaphs from what is called the "Sexual Bill of Rights" that is part of the mandate for the "United Nations" and it's beliefs:
________________________________________________________________
Sexual morality should come from a sense of caring and respect for others; it cannot be legislated.
Laws can and do protect the young from exploitation and people of any age from abuse. Beyond that, forms of sexual expression should not be a matter of legal regulation. Mature individuals should be able choose their partners and the kinds of sexual expression suited to them.
Certain forms of sexual expression are limiting and confining--for example, prostitution, sadomasochism, or fetishism.
However, any changes in such patterns, if they are made, should come through education and counseling, not by legal prohibition. Our overriding objective should be to help individuals live balanced and self-actualized lives.
The punishing and ostracizing of those who voluntarily engage in socially disapproved forms of sexual conduct only exacerbate the problem.
Sexual morality should be viewed as an inseparable part of general morality--not as a special set of rules. Sexual values and sex acts, like other human values and acts, should be evaluated by whether they frustrate or enhance human fulfillment.
Physical pleasure has worth as a moral value.
Traditional religious and social views have often condemned pleasures of the body as "sinful" or "wicked." These attitudes are inhumane. They are destructive of human relationships.
The findings of the behavioral sciences demonstrate that deprivation of physical pleasure, particularly during the formative periods of development, often results in family breakdown, child abuse, adolescent runaways, crime, violence, alcoholism, and other forms of dehumanizing behavior.
We assert that physical pleasure within the context of meaningful human relationships is essential--both as a moral value and for its contribution to wholesome social relationships.
Individuals are able to respond positively and affirmatively to sexuality throughout life; this must be acknowledged and accepted.
Childhood sexuality is expressed through genital awareness and exploration. This involves self-touching, caressing parts of the body, including the sexual organs. These are learning experiences that help the individual understand his or her body and incorporate sexuality as an integral part of his or her personality.
Masturbation is a viable mode of satisfaction for many individuals, young and old, and should be fully accepted.
Just as repressive attitudes have prevented us from recognizing the value of childhood sexual response, so have they prevented us from seeing the value of sexuality in the middle and later years of life. We need to appreciate the fact that older persons also have sexual needs. The joy of touching, of giving and receiving affection, and the satisfaction of intimate body responsiveness is the right of everyone throughout life.
In all sexual encounters, commitment to humane and humanistic values should be present. No person's sexual behavior should hurt or disadvantage another.
This principal applies to all sexual encounters --both to the brief and casual experience and to those that are deeper and more prolonged. In any sexual encounter or relationship, freely given consent is fundamental--even in the marital relationship, where consent is often denied or taken for granted.
Perplexing questions are raised by these concepts. Those directly engaged in the encounter may hold widely differing points of view toward sexual conduct. This possibly makes necessary open, candid, and honest communication about current and future expectations. Even then, decisions are subjects of judgment and projection, and their outcomes are only slowly revealed.
No relationship occurs in a vacuum. In addition to the persons directly involved in the sexual relationship, there are important others. The interests of these other persons are usually complex and diverse; no course of action will satisfy everyone. Some might prefer that no sexual involvement whatsoever occur and are disturbed if they are aware of it; others might be quite accepting under most circumstances. For this reason, each individual must have empathy for others.
One might ask oneself: "How would I want others to conduct themselves sexually toward me and others I care about?" "Am I at least as concerned for the happiness and well-being of my partner, and others involved, as for my own?"
There is also a broader consideration: namely, that each person contribute to creating a social atmosphere in which a full acceptance of responsible sexual expression will exist.
Conclusion
The realization of the points in this statement depends upon certain attributes in the individual. One needs to have autonomy and control over his or her own sexual functioning. One needs to find reasonable satisfaction in living and to accept and enjoy pleasures of the body.
Furthermore, one needs to respect the rights of others to those same qualities. The society in which one lives, while it makes demands, should also attuned to individual needs and the importance of personal freedom. Only as these conditions are met will loving and guilt-free sexuality be possible.
At this point in our history, we human beings are embarking on a wondrous adventure. For the first time we realize that we own our own bodies. Until now our bodies have been in bondage to church or state, which have dictated how we could express our sexuality. We have not been permitted to experience the pleasure and joy of the human body and our sensory nature to their full capacity.
In order to realize our potential for joyful sexual expression, we need to adopt the doctrine that actualizing pleasures are among the highest moral goods--so long as they are experienced with responsibility and mutuality.
A reciprocal and creative attitude toward sexuality can have a deep meaning, personally and socially. Each of us will know its personal meaning when we experience psychic growth and ego enhancement with others. In effect, our behavior can say to another, "I am enriched for having had this experience and for having contributed to your having had it also."
The social meaning can derive from the living feelings engendered by a person who is experiencing guilt-free, reciprocal pleasure. The loving feelings of mental and physical well-being, the sense of completion of the self, that we can experience from freely expressed sexuality may well reach out to all humanity. It is quite impossible to have a meaningful, ecstatic sexual and sensual life and to be indifferent to or uncaring about other human beings.
We believe that freeing our sexual selves is vital if we are to reach the heights of our full humanity. But at the same time, we believe that we need to activate and nourish a sense of our responsibilities to others.
___________________________________________________________________
I couldn't have said it better had I written the preceeding myself.
As someone else I know says: "That's my Story and I'm stickin to it.....
Happy Monday
I sure hope this isnt Mikey!
Ok...so sometimes you read something and then ideas run rampant in your head (I am sure everyone has been there at one time or another...)
When I read the following article in the Milwaukee Journal Online Edition, my first thought was "I sure hope that isnt Mikey..."
Mike was one of our servers at the restaurant and he left employement with us a few months ago and I have heard in the last few weeks that he has fallen on some hard times, in fact, sleeping in his vehicle at times.
I do not know how to get in touch with him...though I hope someone sees or hears from him in the next few days.
Whoever this person is, I feel truly sorry for his family. What a shame that someone has no recourse in this day and age but to live and sleep in their car in a parking lot. How sad.
________________________________________________________________
The Milwaukee Journal Online Edition-December 12, 2004
Man found dead in car at commuter lot
A 40-year-old man was found dead Saturday morning inside a car parked at a south side Park 'N' Ride lot, the Milwaukee County sheriff's office reported.
A deputy discovered the man's body about 9:30 a.m. in the driver's seat of a vehicle in the lot at E. College Ave. and Interstate 94.
The man, believed to be from the Milwaukee area, may have been living in the car, officials said. His identity has not been released pending family notification. Foul play was not suspected, but an autopsy was planned for today.
When I read the following article in the Milwaukee Journal Online Edition, my first thought was "I sure hope that isnt Mikey..."
Mike was one of our servers at the restaurant and he left employement with us a few months ago and I have heard in the last few weeks that he has fallen on some hard times, in fact, sleeping in his vehicle at times.
I do not know how to get in touch with him...though I hope someone sees or hears from him in the next few days.
Whoever this person is, I feel truly sorry for his family. What a shame that someone has no recourse in this day and age but to live and sleep in their car in a parking lot. How sad.
________________________________________________________________
The Milwaukee Journal Online Edition-December 12, 2004
Man found dead in car at commuter lot
A 40-year-old man was found dead Saturday morning inside a car parked at a south side Park 'N' Ride lot, the Milwaukee County sheriff's office reported.
A deputy discovered the man's body about 9:30 a.m. in the driver's seat of a vehicle in the lot at E. College Ave. and Interstate 94.
The man, believed to be from the Milwaukee area, may have been living in the car, officials said. His identity has not been released pending family notification. Foul play was not suspected, but an autopsy was planned for today.
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Frosty's Big Adventure
Ok...So....Scrappy hasn't had any big adventures lately..except for almost being buried under my xmas tree (every time she knocks it over...which is at least 2 times a day!!)....but our little "Frosty the Snowman" at the Marriott where I work just got back from HIS big adventure....ok so you want an explanation?? Here goes....
My boss Doris comes into work this morning to find her cute little "Frosty Tree Topper" gone from the top of our Lobby xmas tree.....the decorations on the tree are her personal ones from her house (due to her impending winter move to her new "ranch" in the country..she had decided not to put up a tree at home this year and so brought in her decorations for our "lobby tree"). Who in the hell would take a cute little tree ornamant (that is not their property to begin with) is beyond me. Needless to say, Doris was livid....and I dont blame her. Those decorations were not cheap.
So an APB went out on "Frosty" throughout the hotel and through the day there was no luck in finding her little snowman. Numerous associates tried "joking" with Doris throughout the day and tried to inject a little humor into the loss but she wasnt having it. As soon as I got in, I asked her how her day was (as I usually do) and she replied "Fine...untill I got here!" and then proceeded to tell me about Frosty's dissapearnce. At one point during the day, a Front Desk associate called her to say "Frosty" had been found...and then when she told Doris "Not really...just kidding ha ha"...Doris gave her the look that would make the meanest person cry...(if you know Doris...you would know that look). So...Doris left and "Frosty" was officially a runaway snowman.
Well, right after she walked out the door, the Front Desk called to tell me that "Frosty" had been found in a guest's room. She also called and left a message on Doris' home phone (this was the same associate who had teased her earlier with saying he had been found) and she heard her voice and deleted the message...anf then there was a message from me right after saying the "runaway" had been found.....so she calls me back and asks if I was serious......I said "Would I kid you about something like that??!!"......so.......
.........Frosty is back from his big adventure...he hasnt melted, all his body parts are intact....hopefully no one took any sexual gratification with his innards and all is well again. What a day to be a "plastic snowman" ha??
PS: Doris has put out a reward for the caprute and prosecution of those responsible for his kidnapping. A free meal awaits the person that brings this "criminal" to justice!!
That's my story and I'm stickin to it!!
Happy Saturday.......
My boss Doris comes into work this morning to find her cute little "Frosty Tree Topper" gone from the top of our Lobby xmas tree.....the decorations on the tree are her personal ones from her house (due to her impending winter move to her new "ranch" in the country..she had decided not to put up a tree at home this year and so brought in her decorations for our "lobby tree"). Who in the hell would take a cute little tree ornamant (that is not their property to begin with) is beyond me. Needless to say, Doris was livid....and I dont blame her. Those decorations were not cheap.
So an APB went out on "Frosty" throughout the hotel and through the day there was no luck in finding her little snowman. Numerous associates tried "joking" with Doris throughout the day and tried to inject a little humor into the loss but she wasnt having it. As soon as I got in, I asked her how her day was (as I usually do) and she replied "Fine...untill I got here!" and then proceeded to tell me about Frosty's dissapearnce. At one point during the day, a Front Desk associate called her to say "Frosty" had been found...and then when she told Doris "Not really...just kidding ha ha"...Doris gave her the look that would make the meanest person cry...(if you know Doris...you would know that look). So...Doris left and "Frosty" was officially a runaway snowman.
Well, right after she walked out the door, the Front Desk called to tell me that "Frosty" had been found in a guest's room. She also called and left a message on Doris' home phone (this was the same associate who had teased her earlier with saying he had been found) and she heard her voice and deleted the message...anf then there was a message from me right after saying the "runaway" had been found.....so she calls me back and asks if I was serious......I said "Would I kid you about something like that??!!"......so.......
.........Frosty is back from his big adventure...he hasnt melted, all his body parts are intact....hopefully no one took any sexual gratification with his innards and all is well again. What a day to be a "plastic snowman" ha??
PS: Doris has put out a reward for the caprute and prosecution of those responsible for his kidnapping. A free meal awaits the person that brings this "criminal" to justice!!
That's my story and I'm stickin to it!!
Happy Saturday.......
Sunday, December 5, 2004
Our "Beloved Tommy Thompson's" Final Words as Secretary of Health and Human Services------ And this week's "Snapshot" of What's Going on in the News
QUOTATION OF THE DAY
____________________________________________________________
"For the life of me, I cannot understand why the terrorists have not attacked our food supply because it is so easy to do."TOMMY G. THOMPSON, the secretary of health and human services, announcing his resignation.
__________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
"For the life of me, I cannot understand why the terrorists have not attacked our food supply because it is so easy to do."TOMMY G. THOMPSON, the secretary of health and human services, announcing his resignation.
__________________________________________________________________
Ok....so the day that our former governor decides to abdicate his throne in Washington....he drops this "not so tiny" bombshell of information on us! In the same breath he went on to say how he feels that there is a very real "Major Flu PANDEMIC" on the horizon that could kill millions of people.
And then President Bush downplays the whole the food thing and....... just a few months ago, our wonderful president decided to stop shipment of a "vital vaccine" that could help all these millions of people avoid this nasty flu, which many people have said could be worse than the "Flu of 1918" which, while I wasn't yet born, heard and have read that it was one of the worst natural calamities to descend upon mankind since the "Black Death" in Europe in the Middle Ages.....
Something just doesn't play right here. Why do I feel like someone is trying to play "God" with the Human Race? Am I being paranoid?? There are just too many things happening without a good explanation.... and not enough clear answers to why these things are NOT being addressed. I am sure there are enough recourses to protect our "food supply" if we really want to...and I also sure that there is more than enough vaccine to prevent this "Flu Pandemic" if our government really wanted to. The people of cannoned have no problem getting all the vaccines they need and indeed have offered us (The U.SA.) enough of the vaccine to inoculate every citizen of our country. But our Government said no. And the reason they gave for not accepting all the vaccine that was available from the company that made it (in the U.K.) was "unclean and somewhat "circumspect" practices at the lab where the vaccine was created. What are we to believe??
Maybe we should all start growing our own food and stay away from each other. That way we will know for sure that we will be safe and secure. (Just kidding)....but someone has to start thinking and stopping these things from happening. We HAVE the recourses to do it! As my Boss at work says..."Just Do It!".....
And This Week's News Snapshots-Who says we live in a boring world???? I hope everyone has a good week (and a better one than some of these people in the news..):
NEWS :
Coast Guard Calls Off Passenger Search
Woman Accused of Flu Shot Sale Released
Elton John, 5 Other Stars Honored in D.C.
Report: Nigeria Priest Wanted in Texas
Pastor Decried After Child's Arms Severed
Obituaries in the News
Report: Tillman's Final Minutes a Horror
Two Killed in Nevada Mine Accident
Man Asks for Death Before Murder Trial
Found Body May Be Missing Texas Teacher
Calif. Bishop 'At Peace' After Settlement
Eric Rudolph Defense Questions Sketch
Chief Leaving Army Psychology Support Team
Wright-Designed Milwaukee Home Is Sold
Report: Tanker in Oil Spill Hit Hazard
Report: Corners Cut in Florida Shelter
Hacking Name Removed From Gravestone
Ministry Punished for Lesbian Pastor
Woman Auctions Father's Ghost on EBay
Pa. Grandma Acquitted in Dog Mauling Death
Habitat for Humanity Founder Pushed Aside
Judge: Commander to Testify in Abuse Trial
Nev. Controller Convicted on One Count
Paralyzed Woman Takes First Plane Trip
Cargo Plane Ditches in Lake Near Miami
Principal Reconsiders Gay Permission Slips
La. Man Dies After Deputies Use Stun Gun
College Board Challenges SAT Data on Web
Mormon Choir Cancels Overseas Trips
Winner of $149M Lottery Faces Divorce
Groups to Join in Great Lakes Cleanup
Officials: Blast Pollution Won't Last
Interstate Wine Sale Fight Goes to Court
Jet Searched for Explosives in L.A.
Blix, Kidman Receive United Nations Award
Half Brother Testifies for Scott Peterson
Couple Found Dead in Abandoned Farmhouse
Gay Marriage Proponents Decry Claims
National Guard Hiring 1,400 Recruiters
Theer Convicted in Husband's 2000 Slaying
Columbine Parents Want Lawyers Disbarred
N.C. Woman Convicted of Killing Husband
Wash. Dems. to Pay for Recount of Votes
N.C. Man to Plead Guilty in Murder Case
Box: National Guard Hires Recruiters
Holiday Displays Pricey for Some Cities
Executive Names Athletes Who Used Steroids
Federal Prosecutor in Md. Is Resigning
The Sun Escalates Feud With Md. Governor
San Diego Mayor's Inauguration Delayed
Explosion Rocks Houston Chemical Plant
Dead Wife's Lawyer Muzzled on Lost Girl
Man Guilty in Rape, Killing of Girl, 7
Three Charged in Iraq Abuse Face Hearings
Woman Testifies on Immigrant Smuggling Try
Company Recalls Catheters for Infants
L.A. Times to Drop East Coast Edition
Survivor of Tenn. Plane Crash Goes Home
Prominent Okla. Attorney Evades Kidnappers
Cops: Teacher 'Wed' Girl in Pagan Ritual
Two Sue, Say Loose Tiger Caused Crash
Man Charged in Series of Missouri Killings
Source of Leaked FBI Tape Asked to Testify
Man May Be Charged in Hmong Home Graffitti
Copy of Alamo Commander's Letter Is Sold
Trial Begins in 1987 KY. Beating Deaths
Caleb. County Diocese Settles Abuse Cases
Red Cross Worker Charged in ID-Theft Plot
Recount Shows Ala. Segregation Law Passed
USAID Head Promotes Aid Effort in Iraq
Washington Metro Campaigns for Etiquette
Judge Refuses to Set Moussaoui Trial Day
Competency Hearings Ordered in Smart Case
Mourners Pack Helicopter Victims' Service
U. of Mo.-Kansas City Chancellor Resigns
Reindeer Travel Restricted This Holiday
Mall Security Getting Anti-Terror Training
Salvation Army Using Bell-Ringer Cutouts
Peterson Case Attracts Devout Followers
Media Challenges Army Decision on Hearing
Ore. Company Recalls Eye Rinse Products
Ebersol's Wife Details Colo. Plane Crash
New Efforts Push to Make Better Citizens
Pa. Mother, Toddler Kidnapped, Found Safe
Man Being Tested for BTA Link Freed
Army Makes Training Base Feel Like Iraq
Denver Mayor Won't Change Christmas Ad
$315M Powerball Winner Sought After DUI
Methodist Church Defrocks Lesbian Minister
Police Officer Trapped on 9/ 11 Retires
Judge to Allow England's Early Statements
Oldest American Dies at Age 114 in Ohio
South, West Most Hazardous for Pedestrians
Woman and Child Kidnapped in Philadelphia
Study: Fla. Streets Among Most Dangerous
Condemned Texas Woman Maintains Innocence
N.M. Town Is Anti-Terror Training Center
Summary: Indian Education Mandate in Mont.
Mont. Deals With Indian Education Mandate
Millionaire Tops Schwarzenegger Donors
Friday, December 3, 2004
A Snapshot of the World on Dec 3, 2004
As I am having my coffee and getting ready for work this friday, I figured I would start a weekly item in my blog....a snapshot of what is going on in our wonderful world....according to the "Mainstream Press" which I do read every day. I will surly still include my interesting newsworthy quips also...so here is today....with links to assorted stories.
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Thompson resigns Cabinet post
Former Wisconsin governor Tommy G. Thompson will announce this afternoon that he is resigning as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, likely to take a private sector job
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Thompson resigns Cabinet post
Former Wisconsin governor Tommy G. Thompson will announce this afternoon that he is resigning as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, likely to take a private sector job
OTHER NATIONAL AND WORLD NEWS
Ukraine Court Orders New Run-Off Election
AP: Thompson Resigning From Bush Cabinet
Report: Explosions in Madrid After Warning
30 Killed in Twin Iraq Insurgent Attacks
Calif. County Diocese Settles Abuse Cases
Police Follow Doughnut Trail, Solve Crime
Teen's Parents Sue Actor Nick Nolte
Stocks Mixed on Poor Job Creation Report
Report: Bonds Admitted to Using Substances
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There you have it.....today's "Important Headlines"...compliments of John's Blog.
Happy Friday everyone......
Is Our World Real? Maybe Not...
The Matrix as Reality????
Is Our World Real? Maybe Not...The question of whether or not our world is real has been debated since the time of the ancient Greeks. Recently, films like the Matrix have suggested that 'reality' could be an entirely artificial construction.
Now two scientists are saying that it might just be true. Physicist Martin Rees and mathematician John Barrow speculate that the world that we know might be the creation of a gigantic computer located, perhaps, outside of the universe.
In fact, the universe itself could be a simulation, and, as Dr. Rees speculates, it would not be necessary to create the entire thing, but only the appearance of it. Our reality, in other words, could look enormous but actually be quite small, easily manageable by the sort of supercomputer that might be available in just a matter of years.
John Barrow, also a Cambridge teacher, suggests that a civilization just slightly ahead of our own could create a universe in which self-conscious entities could exist and interact with each other. But Seth Lloyd of MIT says that such a simulation would require a computer so large that it would be virtually unimaginable.
Nevertheless, Barrow and Rees are being taken seriously in scholarly and scientific circles. If they're right, then the question must be asked: IS this a barnyard and are we the pets?
For more information, click here.
Is Our World Real? Maybe Not...The question of whether or not our world is real has been debated since the time of the ancient Greeks. Recently, films like the Matrix have suggested that 'reality' could be an entirely artificial construction.
Now two scientists are saying that it might just be true. Physicist Martin Rees and mathematician John Barrow speculate that the world that we know might be the creation of a gigantic computer located, perhaps, outside of the universe.
In fact, the universe itself could be a simulation, and, as Dr. Rees speculates, it would not be necessary to create the entire thing, but only the appearance of it. Our reality, in other words, could look enormous but actually be quite small, easily manageable by the sort of supercomputer that might be available in just a matter of years.
John Barrow, also a Cambridge teacher, suggests that a civilization just slightly ahead of our own could create a universe in which self-conscious entities could exist and interact with each other. But Seth Lloyd of MIT says that such a simulation would require a computer so large that it would be virtually unimaginable.
Nevertheless, Barrow and Rees are being taken seriously in scholarly and scientific circles. If they're right, then the question must be asked: IS this a barnyard and are we the pets?
For more information, click here.
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