Science Catches up to Jurassic Park 2
"LONDON (Reuters) - Dinosaurs may not all have been the terrifying creatures portrayed in blockbuster films but could have had a more caring, loving nature. A fossil found in China of a Psittacosaurus, a small dinosaur that lived about 110 million years ago, shows it may have been a doting parent, scientists said on Wednesday. "This is a nice, straightforward example of parental care in dinosaurs," said David Varricchio of Montana State University in Bozeman. [...] Although there is evidence that crocodiles and birds were caring parents, there is little proof that dinosaurs, their two closest living relatives, were affectionate to their offspring. [...] "The close association of the adult and juvenile skeletons is consistent with a biological relationship and post-hatching parental care," the researchers said in a report in the science journal Nature."
(link)
"Terrifying creatures portrayed in blockbuster films"? What, like Jurassic Park? The entire plot (such as it was) of the sequel hinged on Julianne Moore's research into dinosaur family groups and the confirmation of her theories when the T. Rex's behave protectively toward their offspring.
8.9.04
7.9.04
The Vice President is THREATENING YOUR LIFE!
"It's absolutely essential that eight weeks from today, on Nov. 2, we make the right choice, because if we make the wrong choice then the danger is that we'll get hit again and we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States."
(Read the report or the official transcript.
Don't forget. If you return the sentiment you will be locked up and your premises searched and your belongings confiscated.
"It's absolutely essential that eight weeks from today, on Nov. 2, we make the right choice, because if we make the wrong choice then the danger is that we'll get hit again and we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States."
(Read the report or the official transcript.
Don't forget. If you return the sentiment you will be locked up and your premises searched and your belongings confiscated.
Presidential Mystery of the Day
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) offered an unexpected reason on Monday for cracking down on frivolous medical lawsuits: 'Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country.'
The Republican president, long known for verbal and grammatical lapses, included the anecdote about obstetrician gynecologists in his stump speech attacking Democratic presidential rival Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) and his running mate, Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites), a former trial lawyer.
At a rally of cheering supporters in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, Bush made his usual pitch for limiting 'frivolous lawsuits' that he said drive up the cost of health care and run doctors out of business.
But then he added, 'We've got an issue in America. Too many good docs are getting out of business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country.'
Unfazed, Bush went on to deride his rivals as 'pro-trial lawyer,' and concluded, 'I think you've got to make a choice. My opponent made his choice, and he put him on the ticket. I made my choice. I'm for medical liability reform now.' "
from
Yahoo! news.
Normally the White House Press Secretary is pretty good about providing accurate transcripts. This speech, if Reuters is to be believed, must be an exception.
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) offered an unexpected reason on Monday for cracking down on frivolous medical lawsuits: 'Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country.'
The Republican president, long known for verbal and grammatical lapses, included the anecdote about obstetrician gynecologists in his stump speech attacking Democratic presidential rival Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) and his running mate, Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites), a former trial lawyer.
At a rally of cheering supporters in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, Bush made his usual pitch for limiting 'frivolous lawsuits' that he said drive up the cost of health care and run doctors out of business.
But then he added, 'We've got an issue in America. Too many good docs are getting out of business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country.'
Unfazed, Bush went on to deride his rivals as 'pro-trial lawyer,' and concluded, 'I think you've got to make a choice. My opponent made his choice, and he put him on the ticket. I made my choice. I'm for medical liability reform now.' "
from
Yahoo! news.
Normally the White House Press Secretary is pretty good about providing accurate transcripts. This speech, if Reuters is to be believed, must be an exception.
6.9.04
Slavery Alive and Well in Los Angeles
James Jackson, vice president of legal affairs for Sony Pictures Entertainment was found guilty of enslaving his Filipino housekeeper. Asked to comment, Jackson said only "Filesharing is bad, m'kay?"
"Last week a jury awarded Ruiz, 60, back wages and punitive damages, finding James and Elizabeth Jackson liable for involuntary servitude, false imprisonment, invasion of privacy, negligence and fraud. Elizabeth Jackson also was held liable for assault and battery.
In a lawsuit filed last year, Ruiz claimed the Jacksons took her passport away and paid her $300 for a year's work at their Culver City condominium.
Ruiz said she often worked 18 hours a day and was forced to do strange household chores such as heating chicken nuggets and cutting up bananas or pears for the couple's two dogs while she was fed leftovers and slept in a dog bed.
Ruiz also alleged that Elizabeth Jackson repeatedly slapped her and pulled her hair."
(Here's the rest of theThe CNN report)
James Jackson, vice president of legal affairs for Sony Pictures Entertainment was found guilty of enslaving his Filipino housekeeper. Asked to comment, Jackson said only "Filesharing is bad, m'kay?"
"Last week a jury awarded Ruiz, 60, back wages and punitive damages, finding James and Elizabeth Jackson liable for involuntary servitude, false imprisonment, invasion of privacy, negligence and fraud. Elizabeth Jackson also was held liable for assault and battery.
In a lawsuit filed last year, Ruiz claimed the Jacksons took her passport away and paid her $300 for a year's work at their Culver City condominium.
Ruiz said she often worked 18 hours a day and was forced to do strange household chores such as heating chicken nuggets and cutting up bananas or pears for the couple's two dogs while she was fed leftovers and slept in a dog bed.
Ruiz also alleged that Elizabeth Jackson repeatedly slapped her and pulled her hair."
(Here's the rest of theThe CNN report)
31.8.04
30.8.04
Poll Numbers
For those interested, RealClear Politics publishes the results of state by state and national polls. Here are the numbers from Alabama, where President Bush enjoys a commanding lead, with anywhere from 52 to 58% of voters. Senator Kerry's numbers, however, have been growing from a low of 29% in a mid-May Mobile Register poll to 42% in the latest poll by Rasmussen conducted in August.
For those interested, RealClear Politics publishes the results of state by state and national polls. Here are the numbers from Alabama, where President Bush enjoys a commanding lead, with anywhere from 52 to 58% of voters. Senator Kerry's numbers, however, have been growing from a low of 29% in a mid-May Mobile Register poll to 42% in the latest poll by Rasmussen conducted in August.
26.8.04
Relief Shading
This website is intended to give cartographers, map enthusiasts, and students in-depth information about shaded relief.
Shaded relief is a method for representing topography on maps in a natural, aesthetic, and intuitive manner. On this website you will find rules and guidelines for the design and production of shaded relief, an overview of its history, examples produced by professional relief artists, technical tips and much more.
This website is intended to give cartographers, map enthusiasts, and students in-depth information about shaded relief.
Shaded relief is a method for representing topography on maps in a natural, aesthetic, and intuitive manner. On this website you will find rules and guidelines for the design and production of shaded relief, an overview of its history, examples produced by professional relief artists, technical tips and much more.
9.8.04
6.8.04
Jimmy Montgomery (66, US Army, retired) on the execution of his mother's murderer yesterday at age 74
"I'd just as soon see the electric chair or the firing squad; it looked like he went kind of peaceful, just dozed off. I would have just loved to see him suffering a little more.'" - quoted by Manuel Roig-Franzia of the Washington Post
"I read in the paper this guy is sick. He's taking a dozen medicines, he's just barely living. If he's that sick, I'd be wanting to get out of this world,[...] I don't have any sympathy for him[...]If he dies tonight, he'll get exactly what he deserves, and I hope he feels some of the pain and misery he has put me and my family through for the past 30 years." - quoted by NBC-13 News / The Associated Press
"I didn't expect him to go as easy as he did today without saying something." - quoted by the Associated Press
"I personally was glad to see this part of our lives end today, and maybe we can get on down the road with some of the things we've been trying to do.[...]I'd just as soon see the electric chair still in use or maybe the firing squad. It seems like he just dozed off.[...]It's tough, I'm sure, sitting there seeing your daddy die, but it was tough - us getting the word that our mother's head had been blown off. - quoted by AL.com
"This guy was my mother's judge, jury and executioner in a matter of seconds.[...]I still dislike him just as much today as I did years ago. I was glad to see him go.[...]I didn't expect him to go as easy as he did today without saying something. He looked like he was quite comfortable on that gurney.[...]This is almost a joke. They tried him, retried him, and tried him again. They wore him out they tried him so much. There's not any doubt in my mind that the guy's guilty. I think our judicial system worries more about the guy that committed the crime than the people he victimized." - quoted by the Birmingham Post-Herald
"I'd just as soon see the electric chair or the firing squad; it looked like he went kind of peaceful, just dozed off. I would have just loved to see him suffering a little more.'" - quoted by Manuel Roig-Franzia of the Washington Post
"I read in the paper this guy is sick. He's taking a dozen medicines, he's just barely living. If he's that sick, I'd be wanting to get out of this world,[...] I don't have any sympathy for him[...]If he dies tonight, he'll get exactly what he deserves, and I hope he feels some of the pain and misery he has put me and my family through for the past 30 years." - quoted by NBC-13 News / The Associated Press
"I didn't expect him to go as easy as he did today without saying something." - quoted by the Associated Press
"I personally was glad to see this part of our lives end today, and maybe we can get on down the road with some of the things we've been trying to do.[...]I'd just as soon see the electric chair still in use or maybe the firing squad. It seems like he just dozed off.[...]It's tough, I'm sure, sitting there seeing your daddy die, but it was tough - us getting the word that our mother's head had been blown off. - quoted by AL.com
"This guy was my mother's judge, jury and executioner in a matter of seconds.[...]I still dislike him just as much today as I did years ago. I was glad to see him go.[...]I didn't expect him to go as easy as he did today without saying something. He looked like he was quite comfortable on that gurney.[...]This is almost a joke. They tried him, retried him, and tried him again. They wore him out they tried him so much. There's not any doubt in my mind that the guy's guilty. I think our judicial system worries more about the guy that committed the crime than the people he victimized." - quoted by the Birmingham Post-Herald
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