THE WILLIS UNIVERSITY

Welcome to the Willis University. This is a site dedicated mostly to the world's natural disasters. Also some random inserts of global news from credible sources and also a mixture of opinion. Some of the opinions are not suitable for all. Please remember this is my opinion only. Thanks to all for the guidance I've been given.

December 31, 2005

Those who said goodbye in 2005

Here is a list of special people in the world that everyone has lost. -Rosa Parks, whose history-making achievement played out one evening in 1955 on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Ala., when she refused to give up her seat. -Simon Wiesenthal, who hunted down Nazi criminals and campaigned against prejudice; Shirley Chisholm, the pioneering black congresswoman; and Fred Korematsu, who challenged the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. -In the arts, we lost playwrights Arthur Miller and August Wilson, who chronicled the American experience with searing truth; Nobel-winning novelist Saul Bellow, whose works throbbed with the alienation of the modern intellectual; and architect Philip Johnson, whose designs deeply influenced modernist style and its unorthodox successor, postmodernism. -Anne Bancroft, 73. Won 1962 Oscar as Helen Keller's teacher in "The Miracle Worker"; achieved even greater fame in "The Graduate." June 6. -The world of government and politics lost Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, whose conservative rulings stressed the powers of the states. -Pope John Paul II, 84. Helped topple communism in Europe and left a deeply conservative stamp on the church he led for 26 years. April 2. -John Walton, 58. Billionaire Wal-Mart heir; philanthropist. June 27. Plane crash. -Luther Vandross, 54. Grammy winner with lush voice on such hits as "Here and Now," the bittersweet "Dance With My Father." July 1. Stroke. -Retired Gen. William Westmoreland, 91. Commanded American troops in Vietnam. July 18. -Peter Jennings, 67. Longtime ABC News anchor, part of a triumvirate that dominated network news for two decades. Aug. 7. -Wellington Mara, 89. New York Giants owner; one of NFL's most influential leaders. Oct. 25. -Pat Morita, 73. Nominated for Oscar for role as the wise martial-arts teacher in "The Karate Kid." Nov. 24. -Richard Pryor, 65. Actor-comedian whose profanely personal insights into race relations made him one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Dec. 10. And for many others please click on link below http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,180215,00.html

Photos of 2006 from around the world!!

Hong Kong New Year Celebration Australia New Year
Norway Celebrates
Good bye 2005

Top 10 Stories of 2005

Here are the top stories from foxnews.com Bird flu tops WebMD's list of the top health news stories of 2005, but a food pyramid, natural disasters, and a movie star left their mark in a big way, too. It's been a busy year for the WebMD newsroom. Here's our editors' pick of the top 10 stories. 1. Bird Flu Takes Wing It's the biggest health story of the year — and it hasn't happened yet. Unlike human flu bugs, the H5N1 bird flu sweeping Asia hasn't yet learned to spread from person to person. If it does, it could be worse than the infamous 1918 Spanish flu — a bird flu that killed tens of millions of people worldwide. It could also be an economic disaster — yet state officials say they can't afford to prepare. What do you need to know? WebMD puts bird flu into historical perspective, and answers the questions you need to ask — including whether media hype is inflating bird flu fears. What will we see in the coming year? Bird flu already is popping up in Europe. As wild birds carry the bird flu virus around the world, it may only be a matter of time before the bug hits birds in Africa and America. Scientists are racing to test a new bird flu vaccine for humans and to develop faster, better flu vaccines. 2. The Terri Schiavo Saga — End of Life and Living Wills After having her feeding tube removed, Terri Schiavo died. Whether the brain-damaged Florida woman would have wanted it this way — or whether she would have preferred to be kept alive at all costs — remains a matter of dispute. That dispute — between family members — played out in the most public of ways as the U.S. Congress and Florida Governor Jeb Bush sought to intervene. No matter how we felt about the dispute, Schiavo's sad story made all of us think about our own end-of-life decisions — and about seeing to our own living wills. As intimate details of Schiavo's life and death became public, there was some evidence that her collapse may have been due to an eating disorder. Whether this was the case or not, the story again served to focus our attention on an underappreciated health issue. Schiavo's great legacy may be that she's made us all think about our own deaths, and about how we want our families to deal with them. 3. Black Boxes and Pain Drugs Remember when you used to pop an over-the-counter pain pill without a second thought? Those days ended this year. Previously underappreciated heart risks forced Vioxx, and then Bextra, off the market. That leaves only Celebrex to represent the new class of pain pills once billed as "super aspirin." These drugs, known as Cox-2 inhibitors or coxibs, aren't more powerful than older anti-inflammatory pain drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen. They are designed to be easier on the stomach than ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin. But a recent study questioned even this benefit. The concerns about the Cox-2 drugs extend to all prescription anti-inflammatory drugs, which are commonly used to treat arthritis and other painful conditions. The FDA recently asked the makers of these drugs to add to their labels new warnings about heart, stroke, and ulcer risks. Short-term, low-dose use of over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, do not appear to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. But patients should check with their doctors before taking these drugs for more than 10 days. Pain drugs aren't the only drugs getting new warning labels. Responding to public outcry, the FDA last year asked more and more drug makers to put new warnings on their products. The FDA's highest safety warning for approved drugs, a "black box" warning, was added to the following: ADHD drug Strattera, due to rare reports of suicidal thinking. Celebrex and all other prescription NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), due to heart concerns. Eczema skin creams Elidel and Protopic, because of fears they may increase the risk of skin cancer and lymphoma. Abortion pill RU-486, due to the possible risk of rare but potentially serious infections associated with the drug. The FDA has also asked the independent Institute of Medicine for recommendations on how it might improve drug safety. An IOM panel of experts began holding hearings in 2005. 4. Contraceptives Questioned Fewer women use birth control today than they did in 1995 — even though they are sexually active and do not want to get pregnant. At the same time, more women are seeking family planning advice advice from a doctor or nurse. The problem may be compounded by safety concerns that surfaced over a contraceptive patch. In November, a warning about the extra estrogen in the Ortho Evra birth control patch raised questions about its safety. The concern over the birth control patch followed on the heels of a black box warning late last year about bone loss in long-term users of Depo-Provera, a long-lasting injectable contraceptive. Half of unplanned pregnancies occur in women not using birth control. These women might still prevent pregnancy by using the morning-after pill, sold as Plan B. But Plan B has to be taken very soon after unprotected sex. In 2003 an FDA advisory panel recommended approving Plan B for over-the-counter sale. In 2004 FDA officials said no. And in 2005, the FDA kept the approval in limbo by saying it needed more time to consider how to make the drug available to adults while keeping it out of the hands of girls under 17. 5. Tom Cruise Condemns Antidepressants Like other members of the Church of Scientology, actor Tom Cruise says he doesn't believe depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, and therefore drugs designed to treat that problem are unnecessary. Last June, during an interview with Matt Lauer on the Today show, Cruise denounced the use of psychiatric drugs. The Hollywood star told his fans — and everyone else — that psychiatric drugs are harmful, not helpful. He criticized actress Brooke Shields for taking antidepressants for postpartum depression. There are, of course, debates among medical experts about the proper role of antidepressants and other drugs in the treatment of mental illness. And there are, indeed, risks from taking any drug, including antidepressants. But psychiatrists tell WebMD patients should discuss their concerns with their doctors before taking the advice of Cruise. Some of WebMD's readers couldn't agree more, taking the web site to task for even considering Cruise's opinion. 6. Medicare on the Mind For Americans over 65, 2005 has handed them a big decision about Medicare's prescription-drug benefit. And whether to enroll in the program — known as Medicare Part D — is only the first part of the problem. Choosing from the huge variety of drug plans isn't easy. It means understanding the kinds of medicines a person needs the most — and when. Despite a government web site and help line, confusion reigns. Medicare's future continues to be debated. The federal health program faces financial challenges, as an aging U.S. population collides with burgeoning health care costs and drug prices. The U.S. House and Senate each passed very different Medicare/Medicaid plans. Both bills cut Medicare spending. The Senate bill focuses on cutting costs paid to insurers and drug companies — although it expressly forbids the government from directly negotiating lower drug prices with manufacturers. The House bill would put more responsibility on beneficiaries, with an eye to lowering health care costs by giving patients incentives to keep health expenses in check. Many in Congress would like to see Medicare become more like private health insurance. In this scenario, Medicare would become more of a premium-support plan. The idea is to cut costs by increasing market competition among insurance providers. Others would like to see Medicare save money by expanding reimbursement for preventive care. Only one thing is certain: Medicare again will be a big story in 2006. 7. Building a Better Pyramid 2005 New Year's resolutions got a big boost when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced sweeping new dietary guidelines. The stress is on eating healthy fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products; limiting saturated fats, sugar, alcohol, and salt; and getting plenty of exercise. All that got rolled into the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new food pyramid — the first remodeling of this health landmark in 13 years. It's more than a single pyramid. The new MyPyramid lets you build a food pyramid based on your own health needs. And there's even a new kids' food pyramid. 8. Katrina and Rita: A One-Two Punch When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf coast, it left huge health problems in its wake. These health problems followed those who were forced to flee the area. Federal officials fear that some of those problems may linger for years. Not least of these problems is the enormous emotional toll of the disaster — one that is still testing Americans' resilience. And when Rita followed soon after, the problems got even worse. And resilience is the only word to describe the survivors and doctors who shared their stories or blogs with WebMD. 9. Cloning — The Science Was Just the Beginning Few scientific pursuits are more fraught with ethical issues than cloning. On the one hand, medical researchers hope to clone stem cells, which hold the seemingly magical property of being able to transform into any cell of the body. The cells could be used to repair, replenish, or rejuvenate diseased or worn-out organs — for example, by replacing lung cells. This kind of cloning, called therapeutic cloning, isn't an ethical slam dunk. While adult stem cells can be cloned, there's still a need to learn from embryonic stem cells. And this raises ethical issues. For example, Korean researcher Woo Suk Hwang in 2005 reported cloning the first human embryonic stem cells for a specific patient. But some of those cells came from eggs donated by women working as junior scientists in Hwang's lab — and they were reimbursed $1,445 for "direct expenses." At the time, reimbursing egg donors was not illegal in Korea. As the year ends, Hwang's research is being called into question. More controversial than therapeutic cloning is reproductive cloning. This means implanting a cloned embryo into the womb of a living female, where it could become a fetus and, eventually, a baby. Scientists are nearly unanimous in rejecting human cloning as unethical. But it's not impossible to achieve. Hwang's Korean lab recently reported the birth of a puppy named Snuppy — the clone of an Afghan hound named Tai. Therapeutic cloning isn't the same thing as reproductive cloning. Confusion between the two is a problem, as lawmakers tend to tar therapeutic cloning with the brush of reproductive cloning. Polls show that most Americans favor the therapeutic use of embryonic stem cells. And reproductive cloning of animals may have a future. The FDA is already mulling the question of whether to approve cloned animals for breeding and food purposes. 10. Soda Wars As the national obesity problem continues to grow, so too does the quest to find a culprit that's causing it. Some of that blame, deserved or not, fell on the shoulder of soft drink manufacturers this year. Lawsuits are in the works to go after "big soda," and one consumer advocacy group labeled soda "liquid candy." Do sodas and other soft drinks make us fat? It's unfair to put all the blame for America's obesity epidemic on soft drinks. We gain weight more from what's on our plates than from what's in our glasses. But there's good evidence that drinking just one or two soft drinks makes preschoolers put on weight — and there is increasing pressure to limit the amount of soft drinks sold in school vending machines. Oddly enough, sweetened soft drinks aren't the only culprit. Diet soft drinks are linked to obesity, too. That's probably because diet drinks are an indicator for other overweight risks — although animal studies suggest diet drinks may increase appetite. ByDaniel DeNoon, reviewed by Michael Smith SOURCES: Bird Flu: WebMD Medical News, "Scientists in Desperate Race With Bird Flu," Sept. 28, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Scientists: 1918 Killer Flu Was a Bird Flu," Oct. 5, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Bird Flu Pandemic: Economic Disaster?" Dec. 8, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Can States Pay for Bird Flu Preps?" Dec. 5, 2005. WebMD Medical Reference, "Bird Flu Time Line," Nov. 2, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Bird Flu: 10 Questions, 10 Answers," Oct. 11, 2005. WebMD Commentary, " Bird Flu Facts and Fears, Oct. 31, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Bird Flu Vaccine Works in Humans," Aug. 8, 2005. WebMD Special Report: Bird Flu. Terri Schiavo: WebMD Medical News, "End-of-Life Decisions: What Would You Want?" March 21, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Schiavo Case Puts Living Wills in Spotlight," March 18, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Eating Disorder Underlies Schiavo Tragedy," March 25, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Are Americans Afraid to Talk About Dying?" March 23, 2005. Drug Warnings: WebMD Medical News, "New Pain Pills: Not Easier to Stomach?" Dec. 1, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Painkiller Warnings Explained," April 7, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Holes in U.S. Drug Safety Net," Dec. 5, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "FDA Issues Advisory on ADHD Drug Strattera," Sept. 29, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Cancer Warning Suggested for Eczema Creams," Feb. 16, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Deaths Prompt Abortion Pill Warning," July 20, 2005. Contraceptives: WebMD Medical News, "Sex Without a Safety Net," Jan. 5, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Mis-Conceptions: Debunking Birth Control Myths," May 6, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Warning Added to Birth Control Patch," Nov. 11, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "New Warning for Depo-Provera Users," Nov. 18, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "FDA Delays Decision on 'Morning After' Pill," Aug. 26, 2005. Tom Cruise: WebMD Medical News, "Psychiatrists Defend Psychiatric Drug Use," June 28, 2005. WebMD Feature, "Brooke Shields' Struggle With Postpartum Depression, from WebMD the Magazine," March 24, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Essay Questions Role of Antidepressants," Nov. 7, 2005. WebMD Commentary, "Tom Cruise Plays Doctor," Sept. 1, 2005. Medicare: WebMD Medical News, "Medicare Drug Plan: Confusion Reigns," Nov. 10, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Medicare Heading for Financial Crisis," March 23, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Study Warns of High Rx Costs in Medicare," July 12, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Report Urges Bargaining Power for Medicare," Sept. 27, 2005. Food Pyramid: WebMD Medical News, "Americans Get Diet Roadmap to Health," Jan. 12, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "New Food Pyramid Gets Personal," April 19, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "New Kid-Friendly Food Pyramid Launched," Sept. 28, 2005. Katrina and Rita: WebMD Medical News, "Hurricane Katrina: Health Aftermath," Aug. 31, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Poll: Many Katrina Evacuees Face Health Woes," Sept. 16, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Officials See Katrina Effects for Years to Come," Sept. 12, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Americans Feel Katrina's Emotional Toll," Sept. 7, 2005. WebMD Feature, "9/11 to Katrina: America's Resilience Shines." WebMD Special Report: "Preparing for Rita." WebMD Medical News, "Katrina's Refugees: Facing Life Far From Home," Sept. 2, 2005. Real Stories from WebMD, "Katrina Shelter, The Full Story." Real Stories from WebMD, "Hurricane Aftermath." Real Stories from WebMD, "The Way Home." Cloning: WebMD Medical News, "Stem Cells Used to Grow Lung Cells," Aug. 24, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Korean Stem Cell Scientist Speaks Out," Dec. 16, 2005. Lee, B.C. Nature, Aug. 4, 2005; vol: 436 pp: 641. WebMD Medical News, "Survey: Most OK Embryonic Stem Cell Research," Oct. 14, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Decision on Cloned Meat Expected Soon," June 28, 2005. Soda Wars: WebMD Medical News, "Soft Drinks: Scapegoat for Kids' Obesity?" May 11, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Sweet Drinks Make Preschoolers Gain Weight," Feb. 7, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Changes for School Drink Vending Machines?" Aug. 17, 2005. WebMD Medical News, "Drink More Diet Soda, Gain More Weight?" June 13, 2005.

December 27, 2005

Israel attacks Palestine training base

JERUSALEM — Israeli jets attacked a Palestinian militant group's training base in southern Lebanon early Wednesday, hours after an Israeli border town was hit by rocket fire, the military said. The base located five miles south of Beirut is operated by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, a small group that has been waging a decades long fight against the Jewish state. For more information click on link below: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,179896,00.html

December 25, 2005

Another Tape...we should have known.

Zawahiri has made yet another tape. Oh yes Oh yes you are controlling and beating the U.S. sing another sad song you idiot!!! In the last paragraph of this article from foxnews.com you mention how GREAT and BOLD and what a good job Omar (another idiot) has done...well he lost to the U.S. about 3 years ago...so since you guys are so smart why don't you put him in the lead to fight us again. Can you not take defeat enough??? Maybe one day you will realize you can't beat us!!! CAIRO, Egypt — Al Qaeda's deputy leader said in an audiotape aired Saturday that Taliban's fighters control large areas in Afghanistan and are fighting American forces and the U.S-backed Afghan government. It was not clear when the tape purportedly by Al Qaeda No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri was recorded. Dubai-based Al-Arabiya television, which aired about 30 seconds of the tape, said al-Zawahiri did not refer to any new events in the speech. The tape's authenticity could not be independently confirmed, but the voice resembled that of al-Zawahiri's confirmed in past recordings. Al-Zawahiri said the Taliban movement is controlling large sectors of east and south Afghanistan and are"waging a guerrilla war against the crusaders and their cronies." The last tape by al-Zawahiri emerged on Dec. 11, though it was believed to have been recorded in mid-September. In it, the Egyptian-born militant urged all Muslims to take up arms to fight against "the Cross and Zionism" and warned that the Islamic world had "no hope for victory" until all Muslims signed on to the Al Qaeda-led jihad. That tape dealt with similar issues as the recording aired Saturday. In the Dec. 11 tape, Al-Zawahiri credits toppled Taliban leader Mullah Omar with leading a three-year campaign "against the Crusaders and apostates in Afghanistan" and purportedly taking control of "extensive parts of eastern and western Afghanistan."

December 19, 2005

Wow you killed another tied up individual....

CAIRO, Egypt — An extremist group claimed on a Web site posted Monday that it has killed an American taken hostage in Iraq and issued a video showing a man being shot in the back of the head. The Islamic Army of Iraq claimed Ronald Allen Schulz, an American adviser, had been killed. Wow another extremist group claimes to have killed another American. So you tied him up with a damn do rag and shot him in the back of the head. Way to fight like a man!!! Yeah more like a girl!!! Is that all you can do??? Get a real job. Get off the TV your wasting our time. Nice pink head scarfs. Your all look like women. To the guy on the top right...Is that a real polo shirt or did you buy that at the dollar store? And that retard in the plaid white and brown quilted long sleeve shirt. THAT WENT OUT OF STYLE IN THE 80'S!!! You retards look like the Goonies. The only group you should be called is An extremist dumb-ass group!!!

No more western music?

Well I guess this idiotic tyrant in Iran is at it once again. Now in Iran President Muhmoud has banned western music. No more Eagles or Rush?? Now you've upset a few countries in your region. Even one of his own people called it "terrible" and "The decision shows a lack of knowledge and experience," he also went on to say. (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,179158,00.html). Go ahead and be like the Taliban!! Now maybe the people who aren't so brain washed in your ridclous ways will again come to America and make more music. Maybe you should listen to a little country and western music. I'm no fan of it but maybe it would help you console with all your gonna lose.

December 16, 2005

Misunderstood??? WTF I think not!!!

ATHENS, Greece — European leaders threatened sanctions against Iran for its president's remarks about Israel and the Holocaust, even as the regime's interior minister said Friday the widely condemned comments were "misunderstood" by Western governments. Leaders at a European Union summit in Brussels, Belgium, will adopt a statement Friday condemning Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent comments describing the Holocaust as a "myth" and calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map." "These comments are wholly unacceptable and have no place in civilized political debate," the draft statement said. EU leaders warned Tehran they will review the diplomatic options for possible sanctions because of Iran's recent "provocative political moves." The statement comes days before EU envoys resume talks with Iran on its nuclear program. In October, he provoked an international outcry by calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map." -How was this man's comments misunderstood?? Can someone please tell me?? This man stated that Israel needs to be "wiped off the map" back in October. Hey Mahmoud why can't you come out and say your sorry or say why your comments were misunderstood. Oh yeah you're a coward and have to have someone else speak for you. All 4 of you cowards (Al Zarqawi, Bin Laden, Hussien and yourself) get others to talk for you and it's always recorded get on a real TV and speak. Quit hidding out and step up to the plate!! President Bush said he was wrong on the WMD. That interview/comment wasn't taped and aired weeks or months later. There is a wise saying in our country that you might want to try to remember next time before you open your mouth. Sometimes it is better to keep your mouth shut so people will think you are smart rather than open your mouth and let people know how stupid you are.
ATHENS, Greece — European leaders threatened sanctions against Iran for its president's remarks about Israel and the Holocaust, even as the regime's interior minister said Friday the widely condemned comments were "misunderstood" by Western governments. Leaders at a European Union summit in Brussels, Belgium, will adopt a statement Friday condemning Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent comments describing the Holocaust as a "myth" and calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map." "These comments are wholly unacceptable and have no place in civilized political debate," the draft statement said. EU leaders warned Tehran they will review the diplomatic options for possible sanctions because of Iran's recent "provocative political moves." The statement comes days before EU envoys resume talks with Iran on its nuclear program. In October, he provoked an international outcry by calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map." -How was this man's comments misunderstood?? Can someone please tell me?? This man stated that Israel needs to be "wiped off the map" back in October. Hey Mahmoud why can't you come out and say your sorry or say why your comments were misunderstood. Oh yeah you're a coward and have to have someone else speak for you. All 4 of you cowards (Al Zarqawi, Bin Laden, Hussien and yourself) get others to talk for you and it's always recorded get on a real TV and speak. Quit hidding out and step up to the plate!! President Bush said he was wrong on the WMD. That interview/comment wasn't taped and aired weeks or months later. There is a wise saying in our country that you might want to try to remember next time before you open your mouth. Sometimes it is better to keep your mouth shut so people will think you are smart rather than open your mouth and let people know how stupid you are.

Death Penalty for Ludwig?

LANCASTER, Pa. — A prosecutor said Friday he will seek the death penalty against a man accused of killing the parents of his 14-year-old girlfriend, and no criminal charges will be brought against the girl. Lancaster County District Attorney Don Totaro said statements from the suspect, David Ludwig, have exonerated his girlfriend, Kara Beth Borden, and convinced investigators that she did not have any role in planning or carrying out the shooting deaths of her parents in November. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178929,00.html

December 15, 2005

Armstrong to stand trial

ROME — Lance Armstrong has been ordered to stand trial in Italy on charges of defaming cyclist Filippo Simeoni. Armstrong's lawyer in Italy, Enrico Nan, said Thursday that the seven-time Tour de France champion was indicted Wednesday and scheduled to go to trial on March 7.

Alaskan Volcano Showing Signs of Erupting

ANCHORAGE, Alaska Dec 15, 2005 — A sulfurous steam plume, hundreds of miniature earthquakes and a new swath of ash on snowy Augustine Volcano have scientists looking for a possible eruption in the next few months. The 4,134-foot volcano hasn't shown such signs since it last erupted in 1986, when ash from a 7-mile-high column drifted over Anchorage, the state's most populous city, and kept flights out of the skies over Cook Inlet. "It's steaming more vigorously right now than it has at any point since 1986," Steve McNutt, research professor of volcano seismology with the Alaska Volcano Observatory, said Wednesday. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=1407953

December 14, 2005

Mahmoud the DUMB ASS!!!!

TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad escalated his anti-Israeli rhetoric Wednesday, calling the Holocaust a "myth" used by Europeans to create a Jewish state in the heart of the Islamic world. "Today, they have created a myth in the name of Holocaust and consider it to be above God, religion and the prophets," Ahmadinejad told thousands of people in the southeastern city of Zahedan. His remarks drew swift condemnation from Israel, Germany and the European Commission. Germany said the remarks would affect upcoming negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. TO READ MORE ON THIS DUMB ASS CLICK ON LINK BELOW: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178646,00.html -----Does guy really make sense? I mean c'mon how can you believe the Holocaust never happened? Are you stupid? We'll maybe not. Maybe you just didn't pay attention in History class. But I think your a total idiot!! Go ahead and keep talking about Israel and see what happens. Unlike al Zarqawi you actually show your face on TV. But instead of sounding ridiclous you also look it!! You know good and well once Israel or the U.S. come after you you will hide like Sadam, Bin Laden and Al-Zarqawi. All of you talk a lot and attack in the most disrespectful way. And then run and hide like a sissy. Sit back, shut the hell up and watch as the world passes you by.

Mo. Reservoir Breach

Breach at Hydroelectric Plant Reservoir in Southeast Missouri Washes Away Homes and Cars LESTERVILLE, Mo. Dec 14, 2005 — Water poured through a breach at a hydroelectric plant's rural reservoir in southeast Missouri on Wednesday morning, washing away homes and vehicles, authorities said. A family of five was rescued after the breach about 5:30 a.m. at AmerenUE's Taum Sauk Lake Hydroelectric Plant, the Reynolds County Sheriff's Department said. One person had been feared missing, but was later accounted for, sheriff's dispatcher Ginger Bell told CNN. Click on link to read more from abcnews.com http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1404974

December 12, 2005

Israel readies forces for strike on nuclear Iran

Uzi Mahnaimi, Tel Aviv, and Sarah Baxter, Washington ISRAEL’S armed forces have been ordered by Ariel Sharon, the prime minister, to be ready by the end of March for possible strikes on secret uranium enrichment sites in Iran, military sources have revealed. The order came after Israeli intelligence warned the government that Iran was operating enrichment facilities, believed to be small and concealed in civilian locations. Click on link below for more information: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-1920074,00.html

Earthquake his Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan — A strong earthquake struck remote northeastern Afghanistan and shook neighboring Pakistan, the scene of a devastating quake two months ago. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 6.7 quake was centered in the remote Hindu Kush region of northeastern Afghanistan. It struck shortly before 3 a.m. local time in Pakistan, shortly before 2:30 a.m. in Afghanistan. Click on link below for more information: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178494,00.html

December 11, 2005

6.8 Quake hits Papua New Guinea

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A powerful undersea earthquake shook Papua New Guinea early Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. There were no immediate indications of whether it caused damage, injuries or a tsunami. The quake had an initial magnitude of 6.8 and struck at 12:20 a.m. in the New Britain region of Papua New Guinea, the USGS said. Its center was estimated to have been at a depth of six miles, it said. The region is about 1,440 miles north of Brisbane, Australia.

December 09, 2005

On this day...9 Dec

1594 - Gustavus II of Sweden was born. 1608 - English poet John Milton was born in London. 1625 - The Treaty of the Hague was signed by England and the Netherlands. The agreement was to subsidize Christian IV of Denmark in his campaign in Germany. 1783 - The first executions at Newgate Prison took place. 1793 - "The America Minerva" was published for the first time. It was the first daily newspaper in New York City and was founded by Noah Webster. 1848 - American author and creator of "Uncle Remus and Brier Rabbit," Joel Chandler Harris was born. 1854 - Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem, "The Charge of the Light Brigade," was published in England. 1879 - Thomas Edison organized the Edison Ore Milling Company. 1884 - Levant M. Richardson received a patent for the ball-bearing roller skate. 1892 - In London, "Widowers' Houses," George Bernard Shaw's first play, opened at the Royalty Theater. 1907 - Christmas Seals went on sale for the first time, in the Wilmington, DE, post office. 1926 - The United States Golf Association legalized the use of steel-shafted golf clubs. 1914 - The Edison Phonograph Works was destroyed by fire. 1917 - Turkish troops surrendered Jerusalem to British troops led by Viscount Allenby. 1940 - During World War II, British troops opened their first major offensive in North Africa. 1940 - The Longines Watch Company signed for the first FM radio advertising contract with experimental station W2XOR in New York City. 1941 - China declared war on Japan, Germany and Italy. 1942 - The Aram Khachaturian ballet "Gayane" was first performed by the Kirov Ballet. 1955 - Sugar Ray Robinson knocked out Carl Olson and regained his world middleweight boxing title. 1958 - In Indianapolis, IN, Robert H.W. Welch Jr. and 11 other men met to form the anti-Communist John Birch Society. 1960 - Sperry Rand Corporation unveiled a new computer, known as "Univac 1107." 1960 - The first episode of "Coronation Street" was screened on ITV. 1962 - "Lawrence of Arabia," by David Lean had its world premiere in London. 1965 - Nikolai V. Podgorny replaced Anastas I. Mikoyan as president of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. 1975 - U.S. President Gerald R. Ford signed a $2.3 billion seasonal loan authorization to prevent New York City from having to default. 1978 - The first game of the Women's Pro Basketball League (WBL) was played between the Chicago Hustle and the Milwaukee Does. 1983 - NATO foreign ministers called on the Soviet Union to join in a "comprehensive political dialogue" to ease tensions in the world. 1984 - Iranian security men seized control of the plane ending a five-day hijacking of a Kuwaiti jetliner, which was parked at the Tehran airport. 1985 - In Argentina, five former military junta members received sentences in prison for their roles in the "dirty war" in which nearly 9,000 people had "disappeared." 1987 - West Bank Palestinians launched an intifada (uprising) against Israeli occupation. 1987 - In the Gaza Strip, an Israeli patrol attacked the Jabliya refugee camp. 1990 - Lech Walesa won Poland's first direct presidential election in the country's history. 1990 - Slobodan Milosovic was elected president in Serbia's first free elections in 50 years. 1990 - The first American hostages to be released by Iraq began arriving in the U.S. 1991 - European Community leaders agreed to begin using a single currency in 1999. 1992 - Britain's Prince Charles and Princess Diana announced their separation. 1992 - Clair George, former CIA spy chief, was convicted of lying to the U.S. Congress about the Iran-Contra affair. U.S. President George Bush later pardoned George. 1992 - U.S. troops arrived in Mogadishu, Somalia, to oversee delivery of international food aid, in operation 'Restore Hope'. 1993 - The U.S. Air Force destroyed the first of 500 Minuteman II missile silos that were marked for elimination under an arms control treaty. 1993 - Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavor completed repairs to the Hubble Space Telescope. 1993 - At Princeton University in New Jersey, scientists produced a controlled fusion reaction equivalent to 3 million watts. 1994 - Representatives of the Irish Republican Army and the British government opened peace talks in Northern Ireland. 1994 - U.S. President Clinton fired Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders after learning that she had told a conference that masturbation should be discussed in school as a part of human sexuality. 1996 - UN Secretary General Boutros-Ghali approved a deal allowing Iraq to resume its exports of oil and easing the UN trade embargo imposed on Iraq in 1990. 1999 - The U.S. announced that it was expelling a Russian diplomat that had been caught gathering information with an eavesdropping device at the U.S. State Department. 2002 - United Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after losing $4 billion in the previos two years. It was the sixth largest bankruptcy filing. 2003 - In Australia, thieves broke into a home and stole two 300-year-old etchings by Rembrandt. The 4-by-4-inch etchings, a self-portait and a depiction of the artist's mother, were valued around $518,000.

December 08, 2005

On this day...

1765 - Eli Whitney was born in Westboro, MA. Whitney invented the cotton gin and developed the concept of mass-production of interchangeable parts. 1776 - George Washington's retreating army in the American Revolution crossed the Delaware River from New Jersey to Pennsylvania. 1854 - Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. The theory holds that Mary, mother of Jesus, was free of original sin from the moment she was conceived. 1863 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln announced his plan for the Reconstruction of the South. 1863 - Tom King of England defeated American John Heenan and became the first world heavyweight champion. 1886 - At a convention of union leaders in Columbus, OH, the American Federation of Labor was founded. 1941 - The United States entered World War II when it declared war against Japan. The act came one day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Britain and Canada also declared war on Japan. 1949 - The Chinese Nationalist government moved from the Chinese mainland to Formosa due to Communists pressure. 1952 - On the show "I Love Lucy," a pregnancy was acknowledged in a TV show for the first time. 1953 - Los Angeles became the third largest city in the United States. 1962 - Workers of the International Typographical Union began striking and closed nine New York City newspapers. The strike lasted 114 days and ended April 1, 1963. 1980 - Zimbabwe’s manpower minister, Edgar Tekere, was found guilty in the killing of a white farmer. He was freed under a law that protected ministers acting to suppress terrorism. 1982 - Norman D. Mayer demanding an end to nuclear weapons held the Washington Monument hostage. He threatened to blow it up with explosives he claimed were inside a van. 10 hours later he was shot to death by police. 1984 - In Roanoke, Virginia, a jury found Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt innocent of libeling Reverend Jerry Falwell with a parody advertisement. However Falwell was awarded $200,000 for emotional distress. 1987 - U.S. President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev signed a treaty agreeing to destroy their nations' arsenals of intermediate-range nuclear missiles. 1987 - The "intefadeh" (Arabic for uprising) by Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied territories began. 1989 - Communist leaders in Czechoslovakia offered to surrender their control over the government and accept a minority role in a coalition Cabinet. 1991 - Russia, Byelorussia and Ukraine declared the Soviet national government to be dead. They forged a new alliance to be known as the Commonwealth of Independent States. The act was denounced by Russian President Gorbachev as unconstitutional. 1991 - AIDS patient Kimberly Bergalis died in Fort Pierce, FL, at age 23. She had contracted the disease from her dentist. 1992 - Americans got to see live television coverage of U.S. troops landing on the beaches of Somalia during Operation Restore Hope. (Due to the time diffence, it was December 9 in Somalia.) 1993 - U.S. President Clinton signed into law the North American Free Trade Agreement. 1994 - Bosnian Serbs released dozens of hostage peacekeepers, but continued to detain about 300 others. 1994 - In Los Angeles, 12 alternate jurors were chosen for the O.J. Simpson murder trial. 1997 - The second largest bank was created with the announcement that Union Bank Switzerland and the Swiss Bank Corporation would merge. The combined assets were more than $590 billion. 1997 - Jenny Shipley was sworn in as the first female prime minister of New Zealand. 1998 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that police could not search a person or their cars after ticketing for a routine traffic violation. 1998 - The FBI opened its files on Frank Sinatra to the public. The file contained over 1,300 pages. 1998 - Nkem Chukwu and Iyke Louis Udobi's first of eight babies was born. The other seven were delivered 12 days later. 1998 - AT&T Corp. announced that it was buying IBM's data networking business for $5 billion cash. 1998 - The first female ice hockey game in Olympic history was played. Finland beat Sweden 6-0. 1999 - In Memphis, TN, a jury found that Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. had been the victim of a vast murder conspiracy, not a lone assassin. 1999 - Russia and Belarus agreed in principle to form an economic and political confederation. 2000 - Mario Lemieux announced to the Pittsburgh Penguins that he planned to return to the National Hockey League (NHL) as a player at age 35. He would be the first modern owner-player in U.S. pro sports.

Volcano erupts Vanuatu

I don't know if there were any survivors but in... AMBAE ISLAND, Vanuatu — An erupting volcano on this remote South Pacific island burst into spectacular life Thursday — shooting steam and toxic gases 9,845 feet into the sky. Huge columns of dense white steam and muddy ash spewed above Ambae Island to reach the greatest height seen since the Mt. Manaro volcano began erupting Nov. 27. Thousands of villagers have been evacuated from the path of a possible lahar, or mud flow, that vulcanologists fear could burst over the crater lip if the eruption continues or intensifies, sweeping away the flimsy homes in its path. for more information click on link below: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178049,00.html

December 07, 2005

Shots Fired on Plane; Passenger Killed

A federal air marshal fired his weapon at an American Airlines passenger who claimed to have a bomb in his or her bag and ran off of the plane, a Department of Homeland Security official confirmed to FOX News. The air marshal pursued and tackled the suspect on the jet bridge between the terminal and the airplane. “The passenger … indicated he had a bomb in his bag,” Dave Adams, a federal air marshals spokesman, told FOX News in a telephone interview. “The subject was incapacitated,” Adams said. "He was subdued.” A U.S. official told FOX News the suspect is believed to have been killed. American Airlines flight 924 was arriving at Miami-Dade International Airport on Wednesday when the incident occurred. The person was reportedly injured. "There was an incident at the Jet Bridge involving FLT 924 departing Miami for Orlando [after arriving from Colombia]. A federal marshal was involved in the incident. No further comment," American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith said in a statement. Homeland Security officials confirmed to FOX News that this is the first time a federal air marshal has discharged his or her weapon since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Details surrounding the incident were not immediately clear, but footage showed medical personnel boarding American Airlines flight 924 with a stretcher and around 25 to 30 police vehicles on the scene. Sources told FOX News the person may have been unbalanced. The plane arrived from Colombia and its final destination was Orlando. The incident forced airport officials to temporarily close Concourse D but the rest of the airport remained open. Aviation experts postulated that the situation must have been seen as a dangerous one if the air marshal drew his gun. “The conditions [that would warrant an air marshal to fire his or her weapon] ought to be one where he has identified a threat to security” on the flight, Ron Goldman, an aviation attorney and pilot, told FOX News. Martin Gonzalez, spokesman for Colombia's civil aviation agency, said he had no information regarding the incident. "The flight left normally with no problems," he told The Associated Press in Bogota. He said he did not have a list of passengers who were aboard the plane

2006 Hurricane season prediction revision on 4 April and 31 May

Here is the forecast for Hurricane season 2006. I took close watch of the past hurricane season. Hurricane's are what got most of my blog's attention in the beginning. And then it shifted to all natural disasters. Phillip Gray is known for his accurate forecasts of hurricanes. Just days after the official close of the busiest Atlantic hurricane season on record, and with one hurricane still churning in the Atlantic, the first 2006 forecast is out already. To the surprise of no one, it predicts an active season. There's some modestly good news, however. "We foresee another very active Atlantic basin tropical cyclone season in 2006," states a report from a team that includes long-time forecasting guru William Gray of Colorado State University. "However, we do not expect to see as many landfalling major hurricanes in the United States as we have experienced in 2004 and 2005." This year, which was supposed to end Nov. 30, brought a record four major hurricanes ashore in the United States. On Dec. 6, the day of the report, Hurricane Epsilon was still active in the Atlantic, though it does not threaten land. Gray has been gazing into the crystal ball since 1984 to divine future hurricane activity with remarkable accuracy. In today's statement, he said he is letting colleague Philip Klotzbach take over the lead roll in the prognostications. The specifics The 2006 forecast calls for: — Seventeen named tropical storms; an average season has 9.6 — Nine hurricanes, compared to the average of 5.9 — Five major hurricanes with winds exceeding 110 mph; average is 2.3 Though these statistical predictions cannot portend when any of the storms will form or where they will go, Klotzbach, Gray and colleagues calculate an 81 percent chance that at least one major hurricane will hit the U.S. coast in 2006. The current series of busy seasons is part of a long-term cycle that climatologists had predicted years ago. The Atlantic is in its 11th year of heightened activity. The active period is expected to "continue for the next decade or perhaps longer," said officials with the National Weather Service last week. The cycle typically involves two or more decades of lull and two or more decades of high activity. The forecast by Klotzbach's team will be revised April 4 and again May 31, prior to the start of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season on June 1.

On this day in history...

Events 1732 - The Royal Opera House opens at Covent Garden, London. 1776 - Marquis de Lafayette attempts to enter the American military as a major general. 1787 - Delaware becomes the first state to ratify the United States Constitution. 1815 - Michel Ney, Marshal of France, is executed by firing squad, after having been convicted of treason for his support of Napoleon Bonaparte. 1917 - World War I: The United States declares war on Austria-Hungary. 1941 - World War II: Attack On Pearl Harbor - The Imperial Japanese Navy attacks the U.S. Pacific Fleet and its defending Army Air Corps and Marine air forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 1946 - A fire at the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia kills 119 people. 1949 - Chinese Civil War: The government of the Republic of China moves from Nanking to Taipei. 1962 - Prince Rainier III of Monaco revises the principality's constitution, devolving some of his power to advisory and legislative councils. 1965 - Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras simultaneously lift mutual excommunications that had been in place since 1054. 1966 - A fire at an army barracks in Erzurum, Turkey kills 68 people. 1972 - Apollo 17, the last Apollo moon mission, is launched. The crew take the photograph known as "The Blue Marble" as they leave the Earth. 1975 - Indonesia invades East Timor. 1982 - In Texas, Charles Brooks, Jr. becomes the first person to be executed by lethal injection in the United States. 1983 - Two jetliners collide at Madrid Barajas International Airport, Madrid killing 93 people. 1987 - PSA Flight 1771 crashes near Paso Robles, California, killing all 43 on board, after a disgruntled passenger shoots his ex-boss on the flight, then shoots both pilots and himself. 1988 - Spitak Earthquake: In Armenia an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale kills nearly 25,000, injures 15,000 and leaves 400,000 homeless. 1988 - Yasser Arafat recognizes the right of Israel to exist. 1989 - In their third and final fight, Sugar Ray Leonard retains the WBC Super-Middleweight Championship of the World , defeating Roberto Duran. 1993 - In South Africa, the transitional executive council is established 1995 - The Galileo spacecraft arrives at Jupiter, a little more than six years after it was launched by Space Shuttle Atlantis during Mission STS-34. 2003 - The Conservative Party of Canada is officially recognized after the merger of the Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. 2004 - Hamid Karzai is inaugurated as President of Afghanistan. 2004 - John Kufuor is re-elected as President of Ghana. Births 521 - Saint Columba, Irish Christian missionary to Scotland (d. 597) 1545 - Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, consort of Mary I of Scotland (d. 1567) 1561 - Kikkawa Hiroie, Japanese politician (d. 1625) 1598 - Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Italian artist (d. 1680) 1637 - Bernardo Pasquini, Italian composer (d. 1710) 1670 - John Aislabie, English director of the South Sea Company (d. 1742) 1761 - Marie Tussaud, French-born museum proprietress and waxwork modeller (d. 1850) 1764 - Claude Victor-Perrin, duc de Belluno, French marshal (d. 1841) 1784 - Allan Cunningham, British poet (d. 1842) 1801 - Johann Nestroy, Austrian dramatist and actor (d. 1862) 1810 - Theodor Schwann, German physiologist (d. 1882) 1810 - Josef Hyrtl, Austrian anatomist (d. 1894) 1823 - Leopold Kronecker, German mathematician (d. 1891) 1847 - George Grossmith, British actor and comic writer (d. 1912) 1860 - Sir Joseph Cook, sixth Prime Minister of Australia (d. 1947) 1863 - Pietro Mascagni, Italian composer (d. 1945) 1863 - Richard Sears, American department store founder (d. 1914) 1873 - Willa Cather, American novelist (d. 1947) 1879 - Rudolf Friml, American composer (d. 1972) 1887 - Ernst Toch, Austrian composer (d. 1964) 1888 - Joyce Cary, Irish author (d. 1957) 1888 - Hamilton Fish, American politician (d. 1991) 1903 - Danilo Blanuša, Croatian mathematician (d. 1987) 1904 - Konstantin Sokolsky, Russian singer 1905 - Gerard Kuiper, Dutch-born American astronomer (d. 1973) 1910 - Louis Prima, American musician (d. 1978) 1912 - Daniel Jones, British composer (d. 1993) 1915 - Eli Wallach, American actor 1922 - Howard Zinn, American historian and activist 1924 - Mário Soares, President of Portugal 1927 - Helen Watts, British contralto 1928 - Noam Chomsky, American linguist and political writer 1932 - Ellen Burstyn, American actress 1942 - Harry Chapin, American singer and songwriter (d. 1981) 1942 - Peter Tomarken, American game show host 1943 - Bernard C. Parks, former Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. 1944 - Daniel Chorzempa, American organist 1945 - Marion Rung, Finnish singer 1947 - Johnny Bench, American baseball player 1948 - Gary Morris, American singer and actor 1948 - Mads Vinding, Danish bassist 1949 - Tom Waits, American singer, composer, and actor 1954 - Mark Hofmann, American forger and bomber 1956 - Larry Bird, American basketball player and Olympic gold medalist 1958 - Tim Butler, British bassist (Psychedelic Furs) 1966 - C. Thomas Howell, American actor 1967 - Tino Martinez, American baseball player 1971 - Vladimir Akopian, Soviet-born Armenian chess player 1971 - Chasey Lain, American adult film actress 1972 - Hermann Maier, Austrian skier, Alpine Skiing World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist 1972 - Tammy Lynn Sytch, American professional wrestler 1973 - Terrell Owens, American football player 1974 - Nicole Appleton, Canadian-born singer 1975 - Jamie Clapham, British footballer 1980 - John Terry, English international footballer 1987 - Aaron Carter, American singer 1988 - Emily Browning, Australian actress 2003 - Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands Deaths 43 BC - Cicero, Roman politician and author (b. 106 BC) 283 - Pope Eutychian 1254 - Pope Innocent IV 1279 - King Boleslaus V of Poland (b. 1226) 1295 - Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Hertford, English politician (b. 1243) 1498 - Alexander Hegius von Heek, German humanist 1562 - Adrian Willaert, Flemish composer 1632 - Emperor Sissinios of Ethiopia (b. 1607) 1649 - Charles Garnier, French Jesuit missionary (b. 1606) 1672 - Richard Bellingham, English-born Massachusetts colonial magistrate (b. 1592) 1683 - John Oldham, English poet (smallpox) (b. 1653) 1683 - Algernon Sydney, English politician (b. 1623) 1723 - Jan Santini Aichel, Bohemian architect (b. 1677) 1725 - Florent Carton Dancourt, French dramatist and actor (b. 1661) 1775 - Charles Saunders, Ontario-born British admiral 1793 - Joseph Bara, French revolutionary (b. 1780) 1815 - Michel Ney, French marshall (executed) (b. 1769) 1817 - William Bligh, British naval officer (b. 1745) 1874 - Constantin von Tischendorf, German biblical scholar (b. 1815) 1902 - Thomas Nast, German cartoonist (b. 1840) 1906 - Élie Ducommun, Swiss journalist and Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1833) 1941 - Isaac C. Kidd, American rear admiral (b. 1884) 1943 - Per Imerslund, Norwegian "det ariske idol" (The aryan idol) (b. 1912) 1947 - Nicholas M. Butler, American president of Columbia University and Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1862) 1956 - Huntley Gordon, Canadian actor (b. 1887) 1970 - Rube Goldberg, American cartoonist (b. 1883) 1975 - Thornton Wilder, American playwright (b. 1897) 1978 - Alexander Wetmore, American ornithologist (b. 1886) 1985 - Robert Graves, British author (b. 1895) 1985 - Potter Stewart, U.S. Supreme Court Justice (b. 1915) 1990 - Joan Bennett, American actress (b. 1910) 1993 - Félix Houphouët-Boigny, President of Côte d'Ivoire (b. 1905) 1993 - Wolfgang Paul, German physicist and Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1913) 2003 - Carl F. H. Henry American theologian and publisher (b. 1913) 2003 - Azie Taylor Morton, Treasurer of the United States (b. 1936) 2003 - Raúl Vale, Venezuelan entertainer (b. 1944) 2004 - Frederick Fennell, American conductor (b. 1914) 2004 - Jerry Scoggins, American singer (b. 1913) 2005 - Devan Nair, 3rd President of Singapore (b. 1923)

December 06, 2005

New creature discovered

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A catlike creature photographed by camera traps in Borneo is likely to be a new species of carnivore, the World Wildlife Fund said Tuesday. If confirmed, the animal — which has dark red fur and a long, bushy tail — would be the first new carnivore species discovered on the island since 1895, when the Borneo ferret-badger was found, the fund said. Cameras set up to photograph wildlife in Kayan Mentarang National Park on the Indonesian side of Borneo have twice captured images of the animal, said Stephan Wulffraat, a Dutch biologist who is coordinating the WWF's research into the species. "We have consulted several Bornean wildlife experts. Some thought it looked like a lemur, but most were convinced it was a new species of carnivore," Wulffraat said. "Until we have a live specimen in our hands, we can't be 100 percent sure. Now, I'm only 90 percent sure." Since 1994, researchers have found more than 360 new species in Borneo, most of them insects and plants. The huge island, which is shared by Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, has some of the most diverse wildlife on Earth, but its forests are under threat from expanding rubber and oil palm plantations.

December 05, 2005

6.8 Quake hits Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya — A strong earthquake struck the Lake Tanganyika region of east Africa on Monday, sending workers in tall buildings in downtown Nairobi fleeing their offices in panic. The quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8, struck at 2:20 p.m. (7:20 a.m. EST) and was centered near the Congo-Tanzania border, about 600 miles southwest of the Kenyan capital, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The USGS said the quake was located about six miles below the surface, and shook the ground in at least three Kenyan towns, including Nairobi. The region is located along the Great Rift Valley, which runs for 3,000 miles between Syria and Mozambique and passes through the Dead Sea, below Jerusalem's eastern hills.

December 04, 2005

JASON SAYS GOODBYE:

Dear Friends, For the last 4 years, I have dedicated every waking moment of my life to the success of SUPERCELL. So it is with a mixture of joy, sadness and sincere thanks that I inform you I will no longer sing for SUPERCELL, as of 12/17/05. Last month, SUPERCELL arrived at a crossroads and collectively, along w/ our management, myself and some trusted friends of the band, Shannon, Mark, Nick and Moonshine decided it was time to make a change. It was decided that, in the interest of the future of the band, the change will come in the form of a new singer, new band name and new songs. Through the years, I have met many, many wonderful people, traveled to many cool places, played with some great bands, bonded with friends and ultimately lived my childhood dream of playing on some huge stages and line-ups that I surely felt might swallow me alive; Edgefest 2004 & 2005, the 2005 Weenie Roast and Bands in the Sand 2004 & 2005 will ever remain a part of my heart. To that end, I cannot thank 102.1 FM “The Edge” enough for giving me a legitimate shot to succeed. Jagger, Julie, Paula, Dean, Jesus, Ayo, Jessie, Bret, Chris, Travis and “Big Daddy” Duane…there just aren’t words to express my gratitude for allowing me to be a part of your radio station; thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for helping me to live that child’s dream as you did. To each of you, in the music industry, that took time to work with me…thank you, as well. You know who you are and you have humbled my heart with the trust, dedication and hard work you put in SUPERCELL. Having been a founding member of the band I can’t say I ever actually say I saw this day coming. And though I’m sad to see it happen, I do welcome this new chapter of my life…whatever it may bring. And though I am leaving, I do hope that everyone knows how very important SUPERCELL is to me and that a piece of me dies, as I walk away from this band. It’s also important for you to know that I remain close with my brothers and even though they carry on without me, I wish them the best of luck. For me, I can’t surely say what happens next. But at some point I hope to begin managing, producing and booking bands because that’s something I have successfully done for many years, with my own bands, and was something I always enjoyed. With respect to my boys, I certainly hope the reformation of SUPERCELL achieves the next level of fame and adoration that I know each of them, individually and collectively, deserve and are capable of reaching. So I genuinely hope that each of you chooses to support the new band in their search for someone new and I hope you embrace that new singer, whoever that happens to be. In closing, as we wrap up this 4 year chapter you have come to know as SUPERCELL, I would like to personally invite each fan, friend and colleague of SUPERCELL to take the opportunity to join us, at the remaining club and in-store acoustic shows (Denton, Deep Ellum, Virgin-Grapevine Mills Mall, Border’s-Vista Ridge Mall, Abilene, Ft. Worth and finally Dallas again on 12/17). I’d love the opportunity to say goodbye to everyone and sing for you, just a few last times. Thank you, for all of your support; hope to see you at the shows. Yours Truly, Jason Wheelington, SUPERCELL

December 03, 2005

Bird flu hits Ukraine

KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine reported on Saturday its first outbreak of bird flu, discovered among some 1,500 dead chickens and geese in the Black Sea region of Crimea. The dead birds, mostly domesticated chickens and geese, tested positive for the H5 type of bird flu, the Agriculture Ministry said. It said samples would be sent to laboratories in Italy and Britain for tests to determine whether it is the virulent H5N1 strain, which can be deadly to humans. The bird flu outbreak began in 2003 in Asia, where it has devastated flocks and jumped from birds to humans, killing at least 68 people, most of them in Vietnam and Thailand. Some experts fear the disease could mutate into a form that is easily transferable among humans and cause a pandemic. Bird flu has been detected in neighboring countries, and Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula has been an area of special concern because it is a landing spot for many migratory birds. The dead birds were found in the Crimea's Sovetskiy and Nizhnegorskiy regions, said Oleksandr Horobets, spokesman for the Agriculture Ministry. Experts were dispatched to the Black Sea peninsula to investigate, Horobets added. Thanks to foxnews.com http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,177595,00.html

December 02, 2005

Epslion status is now a hurricane

MIAMI — Tropical storm Epsilon strengthened into a record 14th hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean on Friday -- two days after the 2005 season officially ended. Forecasters said it posed no threat to land. Epsilon had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph -- the threshold for categorizing a storm as a hurricane -- at 10 a.m. ET, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Its top sustained winds were near 65 mph earlier in the day. It continued to turn away from Bermuda, but it could still cause dangerous surf conditions, forecasters said. It was centered about 955 miles east of Bermuda. Forecasters said Epsilon was moving northeast near 14 mph. The Atlantic hurricane season lasts six months and officially ended Wednesday. Epsilon is the 26th named storm of the busiest hurricane season on record.

Earthquake rocks Japan

A strong earthquake rocked northern Japan late Friday night, the country's meteorological agency said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and no tsunami warning was issued. The quake with preliminary magnitude 6.4 struck at 10:17 p.m. local time, 8:17 a.m. ET, and was centered 25 miles below the sea off the coast of Miyagi prefecture, about 190 miles north of Tokyo, according to the ministry. Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries because it sits atop four tectonic plates. A 7.2-magnitude earthquake shook northeastern Japan in August, injuring at least 59 people, triggering landslides, damaging buildings and causing widespread power outages. Thanks to Foxnews.com