/
/
blog-heap o' links
Avoid the fires and foxes that plague the other
browsers. Download the latest version of the OPERA browser. (Unsolicited and
unpaid plug.) news.com.com/ ... 10:03:18A new
version of the Firefox Web browser debuted Tuesday, promising speedier
browsing, swifter updates and better pop-up blocking... 
Army Pfc. Ryan D.
Christensen, 22, of Spring Lake Heights, N.J., died at the Medical
University of Charleston in Charleston, S.C., on Nov. 24, of a non-combat
related illness identified in Balad, Iraq, on Nov. 10. defenselink.mil/ ... 15:52:30Marine Master Sgt.
Brett E. Angus, 40, of St. Paul, Minn., died Nov. 26 from an improvised
explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in the
vicinity of Camp Taqaddum, Iraq. defenselink.mil/ ... 15:52:07Army Sgt. 1st Class
Eric P. Pearrow, 40, of Peoria, Ill., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Nov. 24,
when his M1A2 Abrams tank accidentally rolled over into a canal. defenselink.mil/ ... 15:51:39Army Staff Sgt. Aram
J. Bass, 25, of Niagara Falls, N.Y.Army Sgt. William B. Meeuwsen, 24, of Kingwood,
TexasArmy Staff Sgt.
Steven C. Reynolds, 32, of Jordan, N.Y.Army Pfc. Marc A. Delgado, 21, of
Lithia, Fla. Army Spc. Javier A.
Villanueva, 25, of Temple, Texas, died in Al Asad, Iraq, on Nov. 24, of
injuries sustained in Hit, Iraq, on Nov. 23, when an improvised explosive
device detonated near his dismounted patrol during combat operations. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:55:25Army Spc. Allen J.
Knop, 22, of Willowick, Ohio, died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Nov. 23, from
non-combat related injuries. Army Sgt. Denis J.
Gallardo, 22, of St. Petersburg, Fla., died in Tal Afar, Iraq, on Nov. 22,
from a non-combat related illness. defenselink.mil/ ... 00:27:34Navy Petty Officer 3rd
Class Emory J. Turpin, 23, of Dahlonega, Ga., died Nov. 20 when he
drowned in the Seychelles. defenselink.mil/ ... 00:27:02Army Pfc. John W.
Dearing, 21, of Hazel Park, Mich., died in Habbaniyah, Iraq on Nov. 21,
when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat
operations. Dearing was assigned to the Army National Guard. defenselink.mil/ ... 00:25:08Army Spc. Matthew P.
Steyart, 21, of Mount Shasta, Calif., died in Shah Wali Kot, Afghanistan,
on Nov. 22, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during
patrol operations. Army Spc. Michael J.
Idanan, 21, of Chula Vista, Calif., died in Bayji, Iraq on Nov. 19, when an
improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations.
defenselink.mil/ ... 22:10:14Army 1st Lt. Dennis
W. Zilinski, 23, of Freehold, N.J.Army Staff Sgt. Edward Karolasz, 25, of Powder
Springs, N.J.Army Cpl. Jonathan F. Blair, 21, of Fort Wayne, Ind.Army Spc. Dominic J.
Hinton, 24, of Jacksonville, TexasMarine Lance Cpl.
Miguel Terrazas, 20, of El Paso, Texas died Nov. 19 from an improvised
explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in the
vicinity of Hadithah, Iraq. defenselink.mil/ ... 22:09:05Marine Lance Cpl.
Tyler J. Troyer, 21, of Tangent, Ore., died Nov. 19 from wounds received
as a result of small arms fire while conducting combat operations against enemy
forces near Al Karmah, Iraq. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:29:06Army Sgt. Dominic J.
Sacco, 32, of Albany, N.Y., died in Taji, Iraq, on Nov. 20, when his M1A1
Abrams tank was attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:28:47Army Master Sgt.
Anthony R. C. Yost, 39, of Flint, Mich., died in Mosul, Iraq on Nov. 19,
when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his position
during combat operations. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:28:27Army Staff Sgt. Ivan
V. Alarcon, 23, of Jerome, Idaho, died in Tal Afar, Iraq, on Nov. 17, when
his HMMWV accidentally rolled over during combat operations. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:28:06Army Pvt. Christopher
M. Alcozer, 21, of DeKalb, Ill., died in Mosul, Iraq, on Nov. 19, when his
unit was attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire and grenades. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:27:33Army Sgt. Luis R.
Reyes, 26, of Aurora, Colo., died en route to Ali Al Salem, Kuwait, on Nov.
18, when the bus in which he was riding rolled over. Reyes was assigned to the
Army National Guard. Army Spc. Vernon R.
Widner, 34, of Redlands, Calif., in Tikrit, Iraq, on Nov. 17Army Pfc. Anthony A.
Gaunky, 19, of Sparta, Wis., at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in
Landstuhl, Germany, on Nov. 18.Marine Sgt.
Jeremy E. Murray, 27, of Atwater, Ohio, died Nov. 16
from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against
enemy forces in the vicinity of Hadithah, Iraq. Marine Lance Cpl.
Roger W. Deeds, 24, of Biloxi, Miss.Marine Lance Cpl. John A. Lucente,
19, of Grass Valley, Calif.Marine Cpl. Jeffry A. Rogers, 21, of Oklahoma City,
Okla.Marine
Cpl. Joshua J. Ware, 20, of Apache, Okla.Army Staff Sgt. James
E. Estep, 26, of Leesburg, Fla., in Taji, Iraq, on Nov. 15.Army Spc. Matthew J.
Holley, 21, of San Diego, Calif., in Taji, Iraq, on Nov. 15.Army Spc. Alexis
Roman-Cruz, 33, of Brandon, Fla., in Balad, Iraq, on Nov. 16.Army Pfc. Travis J.
Grigg, 24, of Inola, Okla., in Taji, Iraq, on Nov. 15.Army Pvt. Dylan R.
Paytas, 20, of Freedom, Pa., died in Baqubah, Iraq, on Nov. 16, from
injuries sustained from multiple gunshot wounds. defenselink.mil/ ... 16:52:37Marine 2nd Lt.
Donald R. McGlothlin, 26, of Lebanon, Va., died Nov. 16
from small arms fire while conducting combat operations against enemy forces
during Operation Steel Curtain in Ubaydi, Iraq. Marine Lance Cpl.
Nickolas D. Schiavoni, 26, of Haverhill, Mass., died Nov.
15 from a suicide, vehicle-borne, improvised explosive device while conducting
combat operations against enemy forces near Al Karmah, Iraq. defenselink.mil/ ... 22:35:58Army Sgt. 1st Class
James S. Ochsner, 36, of Waukegan, Ill., died in Orgun-E,
Afghanistan, on Nov. 15, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his
HMMWV during a supply distribution mission. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:50:55Marine Cpl. John M.
Longoria, 21, of Nixon, Texas, died Nov. 14 of wounds sustained from small
arms fireMarine
Maj. Ramon J. Mendoza Jr., 37, of Columbus, Ohio, andMarine Lance Cpl.
Christopher M. McCrackin, 20, of Liverpool, Texas, both died Nov. 14
from an improvised explosive device
Portuguese scientists said
they had developed an experimental vaccine against tooth
decay which was successful in laboratory tests on rats... 
A woman
receiving treatment for diabetes at a state-run hospital in eastern India lost one of her eyes after ants nibbled away at it...
shrieked for help as the ants attacked her on Sunday night, but nurses told her
it was normal to feel pain from the infection... Scampering rats and stray cats
and dogs sharing bed space with patients are not uncommon sights at India's
overcrowded state-run hospitals that are used by millions of poor and
middle-class people... news.com.au/ ... 07:34:13
HUGE echizen
jellyfish, which can weigh up to 200kg and have an umbrella measuring 2m
across, have been causing serious damage to the fishing industry off Japan's
east coast. Thousands of the jellyfish have damaged fixed
fishing nets while also degrading the freshness of fish by flicking them with
their poisonous tentacles... Army Cpl. Donald E.
Fisher II, 21, of Avon, Mass.Army Pfc. Antonio Mendezsanchez,
22, of Rincon, Puerto Rico. Army Staff Sgt.
Stephen J. Sutherland, 33, of West Deptford, N.J., died in Al Qadisiyah,
Iraq, on Nov. 12, when his Stryker military vehicle accidentally rolled over.
defenselink.mil/ ... 22:41:32Army Sgt. Tyrone L.
Chisholm, 27, of Savannah, Ga., died in Tal Afar, Iraq, on Nov. 11, when
multiple improvised explosive devices detonated near his M1A2 Abrams Tank.
defenselink.mil/ ... 22:41:11Army Staff Sgt.
Michael C. Parrott, 49, of Timnath, Colo., who died in Balad, Iraq, was
assigned to the Army National Guard.Army Sgt. Joshua A. Terando, 27, of Morris, Ill.,
who died in Al Taqaddum, Iraq, was a Reservist assigned to the Army National
Guard.
Tornadoes swept across central Iowa on Saturday, damaging homes and buildings
and forcing college football fans to take shelter in a nearby basketball
arena... no injuries... major damage in the Boxholm and Pilot Mound areas. In
Ames.. reports of a building blown apart, but it wasn't clear if it was a home.
A convenience store in Woodward.. damaged...
Golden
Retriever Gives Birth To Green Puppy...
Veterinarians said it is possible for a newborn puppy's fur to be green because
the placenta, which is green, rubs off at birth... sciencedaily.com/ ... 08:26:35
Researchers have
discovered evidence of an ancient sea creature that would have made
Tyrannosaurus rex, think twice before stepping into the ocean. At the southern
tip of South America , they found fossils of an entirely new species of ancient
crocodile – one whose massive jaws and jagged teeth would have made it the
most fearsome predator in the sea... Dakosaurus andiniensis lived entirely in
the water, and had fins instead of legs. But that's not all that made it
unusual. Two other features – its hefty size and T. rex-like snout –
have earned it a unique place in history – and the nickname
“Godzilla.”... Marine Lance Cpl.
Jeremy P. Tamburello, 19, of Denver, Colo., died Nov. 8 from wounds
sustained from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat
operations just west of Rutbah, Iraq. defenselink.mil/ ... 08:01:50Marine Gunnery Sgt.
Darrell W. Boatman, 38, of Fayetteville, N.C., died on Nov. 4 at
Landstuhl Reginal Medical Center, Germany, from wounds sustained on Nov. 2 from
an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations in the
vicinity of Habbaniyah, Iraq. defenselink.mil/ ... 08:00:28Army 1st Lt. Justin
S. Smith, 28, of Lansing, Mich.Army Staff Sgt. Brian L. Freeman, 27, of
Lucedale, Miss.Army Spc. Robert C. Pope II, 22, of East Islip, N.Y.Army Pfc. Mario A.
Reyes, 19, of Las Cruces, N.M. 
studying whether a parasite
found in cat droppings called Toxoplasma gondii can trigger an onset of
schizophrenia later in life... Army Capt. Joel E.
Cahill, 34, of Norwood, Mass., died in Ad Dawr, Iraq, on Nov. 6, when an
improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV. defenselink.mil/ ... 08:52:41Marine Lance Cpl.
Ryan J. Sorensen, 26, of Boca Raton, Fla., died Nov. 6 from enemy
small-arms fire while conducting combat operations during Operation Steel
Curtain in Husaybah, Iraq. Army Sgt. 1st Class
James F. Hayes, 48, of Barstow, Calif., died in Taji, Iraq, on Nov. 6,
when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during patrol
operations. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:06:55Army Staff Sgt. Jason
A. Fegler, 24, of Virginia Beach, Va., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Nov. 4,
during combat operations. The circumstances of the soldier's death are under
investigation as a potential friendly-fire incident. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:06:21Army Lt. Col. Thomas
A. Wren, 44, of Lorton, Va., died in Tallil, Iraq, on Nov. 5, when a
civilian vehicle pulled in front of his HMMWV causing it to roll-over. Wren was
an Army Reservist assigned to the Multi-National Security Transition
Command-Iraq in Tallil, Iraq. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:05:53Army Spc. Darren D.
Howe, 21, of Beatrice, Neb., died at Brooke Army Medical Center in San
Antonio, Texas, on Nov. 3, of injuries sustained in Samarra, Iraq, on Oct. 17,
when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Bradley Fighting
Vehicle. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:05:33Army Capt. James M.
Gurbisz, 25, of Eatontown, N.J.Army Pfc. Dustin A. Yancey, 22, of Goose Creek,
S.C. Army Spc. Timothy D.
Brown, 23, of Cedar Springs, Mich., died in Habbaniyah, Iraq, on Nov. 4,
when a land mine detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Brown was
assigned to the Army National Guard. 
Authorities on Monday were draining a retention pond near
a wrecked mobile home park in Indiana to search for victims of a tornado that
killed at least 21 people... already found some victims in the 6-food deep
pond... ap.tbo.com/ ... 12:02:33A tornado with winds exceeding 158 mph ripped a path of
destruction through western Kentucky and Indiana as residents slept early
Sunday, reducing homes to splinters and leaving entire blocks of buildings in
rubble. At least 22 people were killed and 200 others injured.... CARY, Ill.
- A 10-year-old boy was in critical condition Sunday after three pit bulls
escaped from a home and went on a rampage, attacking six people before police
shot and killed dogs... Army 1st Class Daniel
J. Pratt, 48, of Youngstown, Ohio, died in An Nasiriyah, Iraq, on Nov. 3,
from a non-combat related cause. Pratt was assigned to the Army National Guard.
defenselink.mil/ ... 09:53:11Army Spc. Joshua J.
Munger, 22, of Maysville, Mo.Army Spc. Benjamin A. Smith, 21, of
Hudson, Wis.Army Pfc. Tyler R. MacKenzie, 20, of Evans, Colo. Army Staff Sgt. Kyle
B. Wehrly, 28, of Galesburg, Ill., died in Ashraf, Iraq, on Nov. 3, when an
improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during patrol operations.
Wehrly was assigned to the Army National Guard. defenselink.mil/ ... 09:51:21Army 2nd Lt. Mark J.
Procopio, 28, of Stowe, Vt., died on Nov. 2, when an improvised explosive
device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations in Ar Ramadi, Iraq.
Procopio was assigned to the Army National Guard. Marine Maj. Gerald M.
Bloomfield II, 38, of Ypsilanti, Mich.Marine Capt. Michael D. Martino,
32, of Fairfax, Va.Navy Petty Officer 2nd
Class Allan M. Cundanga Espiritu, 28, of Oxnard, Calif., died Nov. 1
from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations in the
vicinity of Ar Ramadi, Iraq. defenselink.mil/ ... 20:34:29Army Spc. Dennis J.
Ferderer Jr., 20, of New Salem, N.D., died in Ad Duluiyah, Iraq, on Nov. 2,
when enemy forces threw a hand grenade at his HMMWV during convoy operations.
defenselink.mil/ ... 20:33:34Marine Sgt. Daniel A.
Tsue, 27, of Honolulu, Hawaii, died Nov. 1 from an improvised explosive
device while conducting combat operations in the vicinity of Ar Ramadi, Iraq.
defenselink.mil/ ... 20:33:03Army Staff Sgt.
Wilgene T. Lieto, 28, of Saipan, Marianas Islands of the PacificArmy Spc. Derence W.
Jack, 31, of Saipan, Marinas Islands of the PacificArmy 1st Lt. Robert
C. Oneto-Sikorski, 33, of Bay St. Louis, Miss., died in Iskandariyah, Iraq,
on Oct. 31, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his dismounted
patrol. Oneto-Sikorski was assigned to the Army National Guard. defenselink.mil/ ... 20:26:13Navy Petty Officer 1st
Class Howard E. Babcock IV, 33, of Houston, Texas, died in a motorcycle
accident on Oct. 13 in Bahrain. Babcock was assigned to the Naval Computer and
Telecommunications Station in Bahrain. defenselink.mil/ ... 20:25:53Marine Staff Sgt.
Joel P. Dameron, 27, of Ellabell, Ga., died Oct. 30 from an improvised
explosive device while conducting combat operations in the vicinity of Al
Amiriyah, Iraq. defenselink.mil/ ... 20:24:45Army Staff Sgt.
Travis W. Nixon, 24, of Saint John, Wash., died from injuries sustained
north of Lwara, Afghanistan, on Oct. 29, when his patrol was attacked by enemy
forces using small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. 
A dozen
French firefighters were called in to cut their way to a 10-foot-long python
hiding a shop just outside Paris... foxnews.com/ ... 08:26:51Scientists have known for decades that male
lab mice produce high-frequency sounds — undetectable by human ears —
when they pick up the scent of a female mouse... turns out those sounds are
more complex and interesting than previously thought. "It soon became ...
apparent that these vocalizations were not random twitterings but songs...
There was a pattern to them. They sounded a lot like bird songs... Army Sgt. 1st Class
Jonathan Tessar, 36, of Simi Valley, Calif.Army Spc. William J. Byler, 23, of
Ballinger, TexasArmy Pfc. David J. Martin, 21, of Edmond, Okla.Army Pvt. Adam R.
Johnson, 22, of Clayton, OhioArmy Matthew R.
Kading, 32, of Madison, Wis., died at Brooke Army Medical Center in San
Antonio, Texas, on Oct. 31, of injuries sustained near Tikrit, Iraq, on Oct.
19, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his convoy vehicle.
Kading was assigned to the Army Reserve. defenselink.mil/ ... 19:47:19Army Capt. Raymond D.
Hill II, 39, of Turlock, Calif.Army Sgt. Shaker T. Guy, 23, of Pomona,
Calif.Army Pfc. Kenny D.
Rojas, 21, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., died near Bayji, Iraq, on Oct. 29, when
his unit was conducting a combat patrol and a landmine exploded near his HMMWV.
The last Calvin & Hobbes strip reprinted (available
w/o prescription for less than 14 days remaining at ucomics.com) kevinandkell.com/ ... 11:44:46Kevin & Kell, a nice
little tribute to Calvin & Hobbes Oct 22 news.yahoo.com/ ... 07:58:37It's
been nearly 10 years since he abruptly quit drawing one of the most popular
comic strips of all time. Since then, he's been as absent as the precocious
Calvin and his pet tiger, err, stuffed animal, Hobbes. Some call Watterson
reclusive. Others say he just likes his privacy. "He's an introspective
person," says his mother... Jim Watterson says whenever Calvin's dad told him
that something he didn't want to do "builds character," they were words he had
spoken to his cartoonist son... So what's Watterson been up to since ending
"Calvin and Hobbes?" It's tough to say. His parents will say only that he's
happy, but they won't say where he lives, and the cartoonist could not be
reached for an interview. His former editor, Lee Salem, also remains mum,
saying only that as a painter Watterson started with watercolors and has
evolved to oils. "He's in a financial position where he doesn't need to meet
the deadlines anymore...." Bill Watterson, 47, hasn't made a public appearance
since he delivered the commencement speech in 1990 at his alma mater, Kenyon
College. But he recently welcomed some written questions from fans to promote
the Oct. 4 release of the three-volume "The Complete Calvin and Hobbes," which
contains every one of the 3,160 strips printed during its 10-year run... "He
came to a point where he thought he had no more to give to the characters,"
Salem says. "Calvin and Hobbes" appeared in more than 2,400 newspapers during
its run, one of the few strips to reach an audience that large... bob.bigw.org/ ... 07:54:23
The last strip of Calvin and Hobbes has just been
reprinted. It's been five years we've had no Calvin in the comics. Here's "An
Interview With Bill Watterson" from back when the strip had just begun
It may exist somewhere but
so far no one has found the lost giant-spider-pit sequence that was excised
from 1933's King Kong, just prior to its theatrical release... Peter Jackson
and his Weta Workshop F/X crew in New Zealand. Having just finished work on
their upcoming theatrical remake of Kong, and being loyal fans of the original,
they decided, just for fun, to try and replicate the sequence, based on
surviving still photos, storyboards and the original script... used 1930s film
equipment and technology - none of their latter-day award-winning computerized
effects - to try and replicate the stop-motion and matte techniques that were
pioneered by Kong's chief technician Willis O'Brien... 
Exploit code for a
John Lennon's 'definitive' account of the break-up of the
Beatles is to be heard for the first time in Britain... accuses Paul McCartney
of being all 'form and no substance' and treating the rest of the group as
little more than his backing band... [Heh-- not news! We recently got to see
Let It Be again... and all this showed clearly in the film, back when and still
today!] 
If an asteroid ever
threatens to collide with Earth, scientists have a toolkit of ideas worthy of a
Hollywood blockbuster. They might blow it up or divert it by smacking it with a
projectile or planting a rocket motor on its surface. Now, two NASA astronauts
are proposing a far more subtle approach:
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla...
[18yo] surfer dangling his feet into the Atlantic Ocean on Florida's east coast
was bitten by a shark... water up to 8 feet deep... spokesman for the Volusia
County Beach Patrol: "This was a case of mistaken identity... The guy's foot
dangling in the water looks a lot like a fish..." suffered puncture wounds on
his right foot... 
Sir Paul McCartney will become the first
artist in history to broadcast music live into space. Sir Paul will perform
Good Day Sunshine in Anaheim, California, on Nov 13, to the crew of the
International Space Station, 220 miles above Earth... 
Arkansas' attorney general sought U.S. Supreme Court
permission Thursday to sue Oklahoma, accusing the neighboring state of
illegally trying to impose water-quality regulations that could hurt Arkansas'
poultry industry... [EEEWWW! Mass-production chicken farms in Arkansas (and
some in OK and MO) are HIDEOUS...]