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blog-heap o' links
Army Sgt. Jeremy D.
Barnett, 27, of Mineral City, Ohio, died Feb. 24 at Landstuhl Regional
Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained from a landmine
detonation in Ad-Dujayl, Iraq, on Feb. 21. He was assigned to the 3rd
Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood,
Texas. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:17:54Army Staff Sgt.
Joshua R. Hager, 29, of Broomfield, Colo.Army Pfc. Travis W. Buford, 23, of
Galveston, TexasArmy Pfc. Rowan D. Walter, 25, of Winnetka, Calif. 
Drew
Barrymore and Cameron Diaz Smoking Marijuana in Hawaii... wsbtv.com/ ... 10:22:36Lawrenceville -- Gwinnett
County investigators say they recovered 20 large trash
bags of marijuana from a dumpster. The bags were full of full grown
marijuana plants. An employee at the McAlister's Deli on Old Peachtree Road in
Lawrenceville, made the discovery Saturday (2/23) afternoon.... hendersondispatch.com/ ...
10:21:36Investigators confiscated more than 400 pounds of marijuana and
arrested two residents Wednesday afternoon when a search warrant was served...
in the Dabney community. The [prohibition-inflated
black-market by-the-joint]street value of the drug was estimated to be
$500,000.... Also seized were two firearms and three vehicles....
Bill Clinton's
encouraging terrorism by having no response to numerous acts against us around
the world, or, say, Viet Nam...?] breitbart.com/ ...
10:41:08Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama ridiculed Vice
President Dick Cheney on Friday for saying Britain's decision to pull troops
from Iraq is a good sign that fits with the strategy for stabilizing the
country... [Thanks for being so supportive of our American efforts Mr
Hussein Osama!] [18yo] was relaxing with a
friend, having a beer on a Friday night when a struggle over a bag of dope
spilled into his basement room; within moments he was fatally shot. ...killed
by a man he didn't know when he stepped into a beef he had nothing to do
with... [Noting that at 18 he shouldn't have been drinking beer....]
kcbd.com/ ... 10:36:40An employee at the Wal-Mart
Distribution Center in Plainview... was filling an order around 4 a.m. Friday,
and noticed one of the boxes was heavier than usual. When he opened the sealed
box, he allegedly found 92 pounds of marijuana inside.... nwaonline.net/ ... 10:33:43ROGERS -- A welfare check on a
[42yo] Rogers woman led police to find suspected marijuana growing in a bedroom
closet.... obtained a search warrant and collected 26 ounces of suspected
marijuana in an ice chest, 11 small marijuana plants, drug paraphernalia, a pH
meter, a marijuana guide book, a bottle of marijuana seeds and several other
drug related items in the master bedroom... also found a silver tray with drug
paraphernalia, suspected marijuana in the kitchen, a set of scales and
horticultural light in the hall closet... allegedly told police the suspected
marijuana belonged to her, but later declined to talk to
officers because "she was afraid someone would hurt her if she did..."
kansascity.com/ ... 10:31:28PLATTE COUNTY... A 24-year-old
Houston Lake man [G] has been charged with drug trafficking after a DEA task
force confiscated 375 pounds of marijuana.... discovered a package containing
220 pounds of marijuana at a shipping center for a large freight carrier... was
arrested Feb. 19 when he tried to pick it up.... The man told investigators [G]
had paid him $500 to pick up the package... searched [G's] residence...
allegedly found a large sum of cash and an additional 155 pounds of
marijuana... poughkeepsiejournal.com/ ...
10:29:34FISHKILL
PLAINS - An East Fishkill man was caught with what police say was one very
expensive load of laundry... allegedly found with $10,000 worth of marijuana in
a laundry bag in the trunk of his car... progressiveu.org/ ... 10:29:08"The study, conducted by Dr.
Donald Abrams of the University of California at San Francisco, found marijuana
to be safe and effective at treating peripheral neuropathy, which causes great
suffering to HIV/AIDS patients. This type of extreme pain, which is caused by
damage to the nerves, can make patients feel like their feet and hands are on
fire, or being stabbed with a knife. Similar pain is seen in a number of other
illnesses, including multiple sclerosis and diabetes, and cannot be treated
effectively with conventional pain medications. Standard pain medicines -- even
addictive, dangerous narcotics -- have little effect on this type of pain..."
Two snowy owls have been seen
together in the UK for the first time in more than 30 years.... However, the
birds were thought to be male which threatens to dash initial hopes they might
be a breeding pair... hosted.ap.org/ ... 14:55:28Beavers
grace New York City's official seal. But the industrious rodents haven't been
spotted here for as many as 200 years - until this week... Biologists
videotaped a beaver swimming up the Bronx River on Wednesday. Its twig-and-mud
lodge had been spotted earlier on the river bank, but the tape confirmed the
presence of the animal... 
It's hard to believe how bad
the rat problem is at a downtown fast-food restaurant. The rodents are
everywhere at a Kentucky Fried Chicken/Taco Bell in Greenwich Village, on 6th
Avenue and West 4th Street... The New York City Department of Health recently
said the restaurant had a clean bill of health. However, after the rats were
captured on video, the Health Department vowed to do another inspection...
consumeraffairs.com/ ...
10:40:12An elderly Chicago area man may be the
second person to die after eating tainted peanut butter.... was said to
be in relatively good health just before his recent death from complications of
food poisoning. His family believes he was killed by his
fondness for Peter Pan peanut butter.... lid bore the code number 2111,
marking it as among the potentially tainted product. A 76-year old Pennsylvania woman's death last month is also
allegedly linked to the salmonella-tainted peanut butter.... The family
has hired an attorney who has filed suit against the manufacturer, ConAgra....
one attorney who had already filed a class action lawsuit claims to have been
contacted by more than 2,000 alleged victims. ConsumerAffairs.Com has received
more than 70 complaints from consumers who say they became ill. Many did not
seek medical care and those who did were often misdiagnosed. Most of the
consumers who have written to ConsumerAffairs.Com have "toughed it out," taking
over-the-counter medications and hoping for the best, but doctors warn that
Salmonella is dangerous and requires medical
attention.... intense vomiting and diarrhea can cause not only
dehydration, but also an electrolyte imbalance, possibly leading to a fatal
heart arrythmia.... But going to the emergency room or to one's private
physician doesn't guarantee appropriate treatment.... "The ER did a CAT scan
and came back with the general idea that I was suffering from a sinus infection
due to the fact that they saw that my nasal passages were clogged...."
Army Sgt. Buddy J.
Hughie, 25, of Poteau, Okla., died Feb. 19 in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of
wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small
arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. Hughie was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 180th Infantry, Oaklahoma Army National Guard, Ada, Okla. defenselink.mil/ ... 18:38:13Army Spc. Louis G.
Kim, 19, of West Covina, Calif., died Feb. 20 in Ramadi, Iraq, of wounds
suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire.
Kim was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:08:42Army Staff Sgt. David
R. Berry, 37, of Wichita, Kan., died Feb. 22 in Qasim, Iraq, when the
vehicle he was in struck an improvised explosive device. Berry was assigned to
1st Battalion, 161st Field Artillery, Kansas Army National Guard, Dodge City,
Kansas. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:08:14Army Sgt. Richard L.
Ford, 40, of East Hartford, Conn., died Feb. 20 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds
suffered during combat operations. Ford was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 325th
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg,
N.C. Legalize prostitution and marijuana By Leif M. Wright
MUSKOGEE PHOENIX (Muskogee, Okla.)... A
bill expanding Vermont's medical marijuana law to
patients suffering from chronic pain passed a key committee this week
and may come to the Senate floor for a vote next week.... Many patients
suffering from chronic pain have a difficult time with traditional medications
because they often kick in after the pain recedes.... the new bill would bring
Vermont's law closer in line with 10 other states that have similar statutes.
The proposal is not completely what supporters were hoping for — glaucoma
was stripped from the bill's text as an illness that could be treated with
marijuana.... The bill also increases the amount of the drug a patient on the
state marijuana registry can possess.... Patients could have up to four mature
plants and 10 immature plants, as long as they had the OK from a doctor and
were registered with the Vermont State Police. Patients would still be
restricted to having two ounces of marijuana at any time.... Army Pfc. Jason D.
Johns, 19, of Frankton, Ind., died Feb. 21 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of a
non-combat related injury. His death is under investigation. Johns was assigned
to the 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade,
82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. defenselink.mil/ ... 20:00:50Army Spc. Christopher
K. Boone, 34, of Augusta, Ga., died Feb. 17 in Balad, Iraq, of a non-combat
related injury. Boone was assigned to the 121st Infantry (Long Range
Surveillance), Georgia Army National Guard, Fort Gillem, Ga. The incident is
under investigation. defenselink.mil/ ... 20:00:29Army Sgt. Shawn M.
Dunkin, 25, of Columbia, S.C.Army Pfc. Matthew C. Bowe, 19, of
Coraopolis, Pa.Army Pfc. Adare W. Cleveland, 19, of Anchorage,
AlaskaMarine Cpl. Timothy
D. Lewis, 20, of Lawrenceburg, Ky., died Feb. 15 as a result of non-hostile
action in Jolo, Republic of the Philippines. His death is under investigation.
Lewis was assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:05:13Army Pvt. Kelly D.
Youngblood, 19, of Mesa, Ariz., died Feb. 18 in Ramadi, Iraq, of wounds
suffered during combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 69th
Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart,
Ga. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:04:26Marine Capt. Todd M.
Siebert, 34, of Baden, Pa., died Feb. 16 while conducting combat operations
in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine
Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune,
N.C.Marine
Lance Cpl. Brian A. Escalante, 25, of Dodge City, Kan., died Feb. 17
while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned
to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.Marine Lance Cpl. Blake H. Howey,
20, of Glendora, Calif., died Feb. 18 while conducting combat operations in Al
Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment,
1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms,
Calif.Marine
Pfc. Brett A. Witteveen, 20, of Shelby, Mich., died Feb. 19 while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to
Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine
Division, Grand Rapids, Mich.Marine Sgt. Clinton W. Ahlquist, 23, of Creede,
Colo., died Feb. 20 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province,
Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. A deputy
was patrolling at 12:10 a.m. Tuesday when he made a traffic stop at the 15-mile
marker of Interstate 30... Miller County deputies made one arrest and seized 70
to 80 pounds of marijuana.... 14 bricks of marijuana in the vehicle’s
speaker box, each weighing 4 to 6 pounds... [Male] of Little Rock was
arrested... healthcentral.com/ ...
11:58:41People who
smoke marijuana for a long time face many of the same kinds of respiratory
problems -- such as phlegm, coughing and wheezing -- as long-term cigarette
smokers, say researchers at the Yale School of Medicine. They reviewed previous
studies from 1966 to 2005.... Some of the studies found a link between
short-term marijuana use and relaxation and opening of the air passages.
However, other studies identified an association between long-term marijuana
use and increased risk of respiratory symptoms.... The data did not show an
association between long-term marijuana smoking and airflow obstruction
(emphysema).... There were several common kinds of limitations in the studies
they reviewed, the Yale researchers noted. These included: inadequate control
of the complicating effect of tobacco smoking; lack of standardized measures
for the amount or duration of marijuana use; and lack of standardized measures
of the outcomes that were evaluated... [It's SMOKING, not marijuana itself
that is the problem here, of course....] accessnorthga.com/ ...
11:56:36GAINESVILLE, Ga.... Authorities discovered hundreds of marijuana plants in the basement of a south
Hall County home, the second such operation uncovered in the same area this
week.... the houses are bought specifically to create marijuana "farms..." No
arrests have been made in the case. Agents found 173 marijuana plants at one
house yesterday after discovering 115 plants at another house on Monday....
kare11.com/ ... 11:55:29No
federal charges will be filed against a Washington state couple who were found
in St. Paul with more than 150 pounds of marijuana in the gas tank of their
pickup.... 157 pounds of marijuana... the federal Drug Enforcement
Administration does not bring marijuana cases to the U.S. Attorney's office
unless the confiscated amount is more than 500 pounds.... sfgate.com/ ... 11:52:15Medical marijuana advocates
tried a new approach Wednesday in their tug-of-war with the federal government,
filing suit under a law tThe suit was filed in federal court in San Francisco
under the Data Quality Act, a little-known statute signed by President Bush in
2001. It directs federal agencies to allow members of the public to "seek and
obtain correction" of false or misleading government information that affects
them. Morrison said the law was originally pushed by businesses that objected
to government statements taking dim views of products or entire industries,
notably Clinton administration reports that listed industrial activities among
the causes of global warming. He said he knew of only two lawsuits filed under
the statute, neither of them successful... hat requires the government to
correct its own misstatements -- including, the advocates say, the assertion
that marijuana has no medical value... 
A lightning strike
killed a Chinese paraglider who was sucked into the same powerful thunderstorm
that a German woman miraculously survived.... Preliminary post mortem results
showed that he was killed by a lightning strike.... Ms Wisnierska survived her
ordeal... encased in ice... hit by hail stones the size of oranges.... news.bbc.co.uk/ ... 11:42:30Two
circus clowns have been shot dead during a performance in the eastern Colombian
city of Cucuta.... attacker jumped into the arena and fired before fleeing....
audience of about 20 people, mostly children, thought the shooting was part of
the show before realising both men had been killed.... Last year, a prominent
circus clown, known as Pepe, was also shot dead by a unknown assailant in
Cucuta. The motive for the latest killing remains unclear.... Army Chief Warrant
Officer Hershel D. McCants Jr., 33, of Ariz.Army Chief Warrant Officer John A.
Quinlan, 36, of New JerseyArmy Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, 23, of Fort Carson,
Colo.Army Spc.
Travis R. Vaughn, 26, of Reinbeck, IowaArmy Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, 21, of
Naples, Fla.Army Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, 20, of Edwardsville, Ill.Army Pfc. Kristofer
D. S. Thomas, 18, of Roseville, Calif. Army Sgt. Pedro J.
Colon, 25, of Cicero, Ill.Army Spc. Montrel S. Mcarn, 21, of Raeford, N.C.
Army Pfc. Justin T.
Paton, 24, of Alanson, Mich., died Feb. 17 in Taramia, Iraq, when his unit
came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire. Paton was assigned to
the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
Fort Hood, Texas. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:24:51Army Sgt. Matthew S.
Apuan, 27, of Las Cruces, N.M., died Feb. 18 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds
suffered when his unit came in contact with the enemy using small arms fire
while on combat patrol. Apuan was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry
Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:24:19Army Pfc. Chad E.
Marsh, 20, of Wichita, Kan., died Feb. 18 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds
suffered when a grenade detonated near him during combat operations. Marsh was
assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team,
1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany. 
Maureen Dowd's column in The New York Times today... quoted former
Bill Clinton supporter David Geffen offering a few caustic comments....
"Everybody in politics lies, but they [the Clintons] do it
with such ease, it’s troubling...." SPOKANE,
Wash... An Airway Heights couple was arrested after authorities said they
flushed more than 70 marijuana plants down the
toilet....ESCONDIDO ---- Officers
investigating suspicious activity Tuesday in Escondido discovered a man driving
a car loaded with more than 200 pounds of marijuana... Army Sgt. 1st Class
William C. Spillers, 39, of Terry, Miss., died Feb. 17 in Baghdad, Iraq,
from a non-combat related injury. Spillers was assigned to the 230th Finance
Detachment, Jackson, Miss. The incident is under investigation. defenselink.mil/ ... 11:50:21Air Force Tech. Sgt.
Scott E. Duffman, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M., MANITOWOC — Possession of
marijuana in Manitowoc might soon be an ordinance violation — meaning
offenders would only be issued a city citation for the crime... [Part-way
measures are less logically consistent than outright repressive prohibition.
Logically, either it's a person's right to use, possess, and obtain a substance
or it's not. Morally, it's a right.] news.rgj.com/ ... 11:02:38Nevada parents who grow a
single marijuana plant in their home where children live could be subject to a
prison term of up to 15 years, according to a bill that was debated Monday
at the Nevada Legislature... the same penalties as adults who operate
methamphetamine labs in front of children.... [Prohibition madness just
keeps getting sicker and sicker! And this in a state where prostitution and
gambling are legal!] cbs4denver.com/ ... 11:01:00Gorman told CBS4 a few weeks
ago about the dangers of being a known grower of marijuana. "I mean, I've had a
gun stuck to my head, people stabbed in my house from people trying to get my
marijuana," Gorman said on Jan. 31. Gorman said his home had been burglarized
15 times... No arrest have been made. No suspects have been identified
publicly... dfw.com/ ... 11:00:11Two El Paso men remained in
the Parker County Jail on Tuesday after troopers found 975 pounds of marijuana
in the tractor-trailer they were driving to Chicago... a routine commercial
vehicle inspection... the two men "displayed signs of nervousness," the report
said... Troopers received consent to search the vehicle [yeah, sure!]
and noticed that a security seal on the trailer was broken, according to the
report... [Due to prohibition-inflated black marketing, the vegetable matter
had an] estimated street value of $500,000 denverpost.com/ ... 10:58:06While Denver police hunt for a
motive in the deadly shooting of medical-marijuana provider Ken Gorman, his
brother and marijuana activists said the business of providing the drug to sick
people isn't the safest line of work. "I've heard Ken had dealt with previous
attempts to rob him, and it's likely the result (of the fact that) that
marijuana is on the black market," said Mason Tvert of SAFER, a group that
unsuccessfully tried to get voters to legalize small amounts of pot in Colorado
last November. Gorman, 59, was shot to death Saturday night in his home in the
1000 block of South Decatur Street in Denver. No arrests were announced
Monday... A Denver man who was killed in a South
Decatur Street shooting Saturday was a well-known advocate of medical
marijuana... Ken Gorman, a 59-year-old activist who promoted passage of
Colorado's medical marijuana law in 2000, was shot sometime after 7 p.m...
gainesville.com/ ... 10:59:39Gainesville resident... said
he did what any victim of a home-invasion robbery would do: He called police.
But what makes Chu's story different is he told police he was robbed of four
ounces of marijuana and $1,000.... Gainesville police's violent crimes task
force subsequently arrested two Gainesville men for the Saturday night
robbery.... Now police are deciding whether to charge [theft victim] with any
crimes, said Lt. Keith Kameg, Gainesville police spokesman. He said
the robbery illustrates the dangers of drug
dealing... wqad.com/ ... 10:58:21A man from Chicago's West Side
is being held in liue of 15 thousand dollars bond after he allegedly accepted a
shipped parcel that contained 32 pounds of marijuana that police say would have
fetched 232 thousand dollars on the street... news.bbc.co.uk/ ... 10:42:21Mexico
is sending thousands more federal troops and police to two states bordering
Texas, in a further attempt to crack down on drug gangs.... The new move
includes defence ministry, navy and security ministry forces. The navy will
also patrol the Gulf Coast to try to intercept drug shipments.... the states of
Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas.... Officials say that in the raids, 3,873 hectares
(9,566 acres) of marijuana, and 3,324 hectares (8,210 acres) of opium poppies have
been destroyed... 
PORTLAND, Ore... Tusko
the elephant. It took veterinarians and a dentist nearly five hours Saturday to
remove what was left of an elephant's infected tusk at the Oregon Zoo, and it
took a chain saw, hand saws and a drill that can punch through concrete to do
the job... At least 20 people worked from midmorning to early afternoon to
remove the rock-hard ivory, which was extracted in foot-long, bloody slabs. A
ring the size of a roll of duct tape remains; veterinarians plan to go after it
in about six weeks... ONE in three young people find
cannabis use unacceptable, according to research suggesting the drug is now
seen as addictive and linked to health and social problems. A new survey by the
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre found marijuana use has become
socially unfashionable, with three-quarters of the 1500 adults surveyed
believing it is dangerous or very dangerous. Nearly half believed cannabis can
cause schizophrenia, depression and anxiety disorder to a moderate or large
degree. Almost half of people aged under 30 reported having friends who use
cannabis... [Disinformation, propaganda, and spin still works...!]
langleytimes.com/ ... 13:28:54Langley RCMP cut the heart out of a large,
sophisticated marijuana grow operation on Valentine’s day, seizing 3,000
plants and arresting two Langley men. Acting on a tip, drug officers searched
an outbuilding in the 3100 block of 216 Street that appeared to have been
modified to conceal the operation. The building was equipped with security
cameras, an alarm system, and all interior and exterior doors were of
reinforced steel and locked with high-security padlocks... majority of power
came from an industrial-sized generator concealed within the building. The
amount of money invested in the operation led police to believe that it is
linked to organized crime... playfuls.com/ ... 13:28:02State troopers in Colorado say they found 569
pounds of marijuana in the back of a pickup truck when they pulled the driver
over for a traffic violation... [prohibition-inflated black market price on
this simple weed] street value of $1,000 a pound... boston.com/ ... 13:27:14HARTFORD, Conn. --A former
flight-school operator will spend 18 months in prison for flying 100 pounds of
marijuana into Brainard Airport last spring in his private plane... MISSION.... RCMP in Mission raided 6 homes
yesterday and put 6 marijuaha grow-ops out of business. At least 4 of the homes
were unoccupied, some right next door to each other. In one house, the only
occupants were a malnourished pit bull and a pot-bellied pig, along with 200
plants of "BC bud". A couple living in the first house were arrested and their
3 children were turned over to a relative... azstarnet.com/ ... 13:30:53A Mexican man was arrested at the Nogales
port of entry Thursday after U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers found
more than 2,700 pounds of marijuana hidden among pallets of produce on a truck
he was driving... The driver, a 40-year-old man from Nogales, Sonora, was a
participant in the Free and Secure Trade program, which makes it easier for
low-risk international trade participants to enter the country... officers
screening commercial trucks and imports noticed the driver acting nervous when
asked routine questions and then conducted an intensive search of the truck and
the produce inside... truck was screened with a mobile x-ray truck, which
uncovered abnormalities in the trailer's contents... Since Oct. 1, the beginning of the fiscal year, officers at
the Nogales port of entry have seized 17,207 pounds of marijuana in 101
incidents... Army Pfc. Branden C.
Cummings, 20, of Titusville, Fla., died Feb. 14 in Baqubah, Iraq, when an
improvised explosive device exploded near his vehicle during combat operations.
Cummings was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade,
1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. defenselink.mil/ ... 22:22:05The
Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the
remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been
identified and returned to his family for burial with full military
honors.Army
Cpl. Jimmie L. Dorser of Springfield, Mo. He will be buried tomorrow in
Lake Forest, Calif.... Dorser was a member of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st
Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division (organized into the 31st Regimental
Combat Team). The RCT was engaged against the Chinese People's Volunteer Forces
along the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea from Nov. 27-Dec. 1, 1950. The unit was
forced to retreat to the south and many men were reported missing in action
under the intense enemy fire. In 2002, a joint U.S. and Democratic People's
Republic of North Korea team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command,
excavated a mass grave on the eastern side of the Chosin Reservoir. The remains
of five individuals were recovered.... The additional remains cannot be
attributed to specific individuals at this time and will undergo further
analysis.... chron.com/ ... 22:13:25A Texas
couple sued ConAgra Foods Inc. today, saying their two children [5yo & 2yo]
got sick after eating peanut butter linked to a salmonella outbreak... got
painful gastroenteritis after eating the peanut butter... About 300 people in
39 states have fallen ill from salmonella since August. Federal health
investigators said they suspect Peter Pan peanut butter and certain batches of
Wal-Mart's Great Value house brand — both manufactured by ConAgra...
Customers nationwide were told to throw out jars with a product code on the lid
beginning with "2111." Another lawsuit against ConAgra over the salmonella
outbreak linked to its peanut butter was filed today in U.S. District Court in
Kansas City... defenselink.mil/ ... 22:06:57Army Sgt. First Class
Allen Mosteiro, 42, of Fort Worth, Texas, died Feb. 14 in Baghdad, Iraq,
of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with the enemy using small
arms fire during combat operations Feb. 13 in Taji, Iraq. Mosteiro was assigned
to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
Fort Hood, Texas. defenselink.mil/ ... 22:06:30Marine Lance Cpl.
Daniel T. Morris, 19, of Crimora, Va., died Feb. 14 while conducting
combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Morris was assigned to 2nd
Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary
Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. defenselink.mil/ ... 22:06:05The
Department of Defense announced today the classification of five Marines that
died Feb. 7 in a helicopter crash to killed in action. The crash was determined
to be a result of enemy action in Al Anbar province, Iraq.Marine Capt. Jennifer
J. HarrisMarine 1st Lt. Jared M. LandakerMarine Sgt. Travis D.
PfisterMarine Sgt. James R. Tijerina were assigned to Marine Medium
Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.Marine Cpl. Thomas E. Saba was
assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36,
1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.
Pickles the cat
is in a predicament a long way from her Arkansas home. The calico feline from
Bismarck, Ark., stowed away in a moving van unloading furniture at a
neighboring home... The truck's driver, who is highly allergic to cats,
discovered her the next day in Fort Walton Beach... GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. A
36-year-old motorist is in jail Friday after a routine traffic stop near Grand
Junction led investigators to more than 500 pounds of
marijuana. [Note article below where small amounts of marijuana is
essentially LEGAL! What hypocrazy! Note also, these are just the ones they
CATCH!] douglasdispatch.com/ ...
22:16:57DOUGLAS,
Ariz - U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Douglas Port of Entry
stopped two attempts at smuggling large quantities of marijuana into the
country on Monday, seizing 269 pounds of the drug
[It's a plant not a drug] and arresting two people from Mexico.... Since
the beginning of the new fiscal year, which began on October 1st, CBP officers
at the Douglas port of entry have stopped 78 attempts to smuggle marijuana into
the United States, seizing almost 8,200 pounds of the illicit drug.... [The
headline:] Customs seize nearly $900,000 in marijuana... [Absurd prices
inflated by prohibition] gaywired.com/ ... 22:14:29A University of California at San Francisco
study appearing in this week's issue of the journal Neurology puts to rest any
doubts about the need to change the laws to allow for legal access to marijuana
for the seriously ill, officials of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) in
Washington, D.C. said Monday. The trial involved HIV/AIDS patients suffering
from peripheral neuropathy, a painful condition stemming from nerve damage done
either by HIV itself or by the drugs used to treat it. There are no
FDA-approved treatments for the condition, which eventually afflicts about
one-third of those who are infected with HIV. Neuropathic pain -- which is also
common in other illnesses, including multiple sclerosis -- is notoriously
resistant to conventional pain drugs, including highly addictive opiates...
stopthedrugwar.org/ ...
22:01:23An
associate municipal court judge in the Colorado town of Lafayette has resigned
his position in protest of the city's preliminary harsh new penalties for
marijuana possession. Judge Leonard Frieling, who is also a Boulder criminal
defense attorney, had served in the position for the past eight years... would
raise the fine for possession of small amounts of marijuana from $100 to $1,000
and a year in jail. Under Colorado state law, possession of under an ounce of
marijuana has been decriminalized and those caught with pot face only a $100
fine... 
Sharks
killed four people and bit 58 others around the world in 2006, a comparatively
dull year for dangerous encounters between the two species... hosted.ap.org/ ... 10:35:28
NEW PORT RICHEY,
Fla.... A man retrieving balls from a golf course lake was attacked by a 7-foot
alligator Wednesday morning, suffering minor injuries to his foot... gouged at
the creature's eyes and tried to pry its jaws apart while trying to free
himself... "Any time you go into the water in Florida you have to make sure
you're extra careful, because alligators are definitely out there.... He was
lucky to get away with the minor injuries he received..." Army Pfc. Nickolas A.
Tanton, 24, of San Antonio, died Feb. 13 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from non-combat
related injuries. He was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion,
3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. The incident
is under investigation. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:51:17Navy Petty Officer 2nd
Class Laquita Pate James, 33, of Orange Park, Fla., died Feb. 12 of
apparent natural causes while deployed aboard the multipurpose amphibious
assault ship the USS Bataan. The cause of death is under investigation. James
was a Navy master-at-arms supporting operations off the Horn of Africa aboard
the USS Bataan. Big deep-sea squid emit blinding flashes
of light as they attack their prey... hosted.ap.org/ ... 10:19:46
MERIDEN,
Conn... Workers at the Meriden Humane Society are marveling at a short-haired
mother cat that has adopted a 6-day-old Rottweiler puppy that was rejected by
its mother... nurses alongside a jumble of black and gray kittens recently born
to Satin, who was taken to the shelter by an owner unable to care for her...
Army Spc. Dennis L.
Sellen Jr., 20, of Newhall, Calif., died Feb. 11 in Umm Qasr, Iraq, of
non-combat related injuries. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 185th
Infantry Regiment, Fresno, Calif. The incident is under investigation. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:46:28Army Pvt. Clarence T.
Spencer, 24, of San Diego, died Feb. 4 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered
when his unit came in contact with the enemy using small arms fire in Baqubah,
Iraq. Spencer was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd
Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:45:53Army Pfc. Brian A.
Browning, 20, of Astoria, Ore., died Feb. 6 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds
suffered from enemy small arms fire while conducting security operations.
Browning was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. So few people signed up for
California's medical marijuana cards that the state is now being forced to
raise fees tenfold to cover the cost of running the program... bloomberg.com/ ...
09:04:51Civilian casualties in Afghanistan and U.S.-supported policies
such as forced poppy destruction are driving increasingly impoverished Afghans
in the south into a "grassroots" Taliban insurgency that's jeopardizing
attempts to stabilize the country... Army Capt. Donnie R.
Belser Jr., 28, of Anniston, Ala., died Feb. 10 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds
suffered when his unit came in contact with the enemy using small arms fire
during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division and
attached to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team with the 1st Cavalry Division. Belser
was a member of the 524th Transition Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley,
Kansas. defenselink.mil/ ... 21:13:21Army Sgt. Robert B.
Thrasher, 23, of Folsom, Calif., died Feb. 11 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds
suffered when his unit came in contact with the enemy using small arms fire
during combat patrol. Thrasher was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry
Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.
defenselink.mil/ ... 21:12:56Army Sgt. Russell A.
Kurtz, 22, of Bethel Park, Pa., died in Fallajah, Iraq, Feb. 11 of wounds
suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during
combat operations. Kurtz was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute
Infantry Regiment, 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division,
Fort Richardson, Alaska. defenselink.mil/ ... 21:12:32Army Sgt. Long N.
Nguyen, 27, of Portland, Ore., died Feb. 10 in Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan,
of a non-combat related wound. Nguyen was assigned to the 141st Brigade Support
Battalion, Portland, Ore. The incident is under investigation. defenselink.mil/ ... 21:12:00Army Sgt. James J.
Regan, 26, of Manhasset, N.Y., died Feb. 9 in northern Iraq of wounds
suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while
on combat patrol. Regan was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger
Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga. defenselink.mil/ ... 21:11:29Army Staff Sgt. Alan
W. Shaw, 31, of Little Rock, Ark.Army Staff Sgt. Eric Ross, 26, of Kenduskeag,
MaineArmy Spc.
Leeroy A. Camacho, 28, of Saipan, Mariana IslandsArmy Sgt. James J.
Holtom, 22, of Rexburg, IdahoArmy Spc. Ross A. Clevenger, 21, of
Givens Hot Springs, IdahoArmy Pvt. Raymond M. Werner, 21, of Boise, IdahoMarine Lance Cpl.
Matthew P. Pathenos, 21, of Ballwin, Mo., died Feb. 7 while conducting
combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Pathenos was assigned to Marine
Forces Reserve’s 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division,
Bridgeton, Mo. defenselink.mil/ ... 21:08:45Marine Capt. Jennifer
J. Harris, 28, of Swampscott, Mass.Marine 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, 25, of Big Bear
City, Calif. Marine Sgt. Travis D. Pfister, 27, of Richland,
Wash.Marine
Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, 30, of Toms River, N.J.Marine Sgt. James R. Tijerina, 26,
of Beasley, Texas
A mysterious illness is killing
tens of thousands of honeybee colonies across the country, threatening honey
production... Reports of unusual colony deaths have come from at least 22
states. Some affected commercial beekeepers - who often keep thousands of
colonies - have reported losing more than 50 percent of their bees. A colony
can have roughly 20,000 bees in the winter, and up to 60,000 in the summer...
The country's bee population had already been shocked in recent years by a
tiny, parasitic bug called the varroa mite, which has destroyed more than half
of some beekeepers' hives and devastated most wild honeybee populations...
commercial bee colonies are important to agriculture as pollinators, along with
some birds, bats and other insects... Concluding that there is an
inadequate supply of marijuana for medical research, an administrative law
judge has recommended to the Drug Enforcement Administration that it grant a
Massachusetts professor's application to grow the drug in bulk. The judge's
ruling is nonbinding. But officials at the American Civil Liberties Union hope
that the recommendation to grant the application of Professor Lyle Craker will
eventually lead to more research into the use of marijuana for medicinal
purposes... [Medical marijuana research is all fine, but we still need
complete REPEAL of prohibition!] today.reuters.com/ ...
21:19:51Mexican President Felipe Calderon's government wants to
decriminalize first-time possession of small amounts of drugs in a move likely
to draw criticism from U.S. anti-narcotics officials. Under the proposed
legislation, users found for the first time with 2 grams (0.07 ounces) or less
of marijuana and small amounts of other drugs ranging from cocaine to
methamphetamine would not be prosecuted... [Is it possible Mexico is
FINALLY about to start doing something to end the drug war, DESPITE USA
prohibitionist madness?] Marine Sgt. Maj.
Joseph J. Ellis, 40, of Ashland, Ohio, died Feb. 7 while conducting
combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Ellis was assigned to Battalion
Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
(Special Operations Capable), I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton,
Calif. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:37:16Navy Petty Officer 1st
Class Gilbert Minjares Jr., 31, of El Paso, TexasNavy Petty Officer 3rd
Class Manuel A. Ruiz, 21, of Federalsburg, Md.Marine Cpl. Jennifer
M. Parcell, 20, of Bel Air, Md., died Feb. 7 while supporting combat
operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Parcell was assigned to Combat Logistics
Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force,
Okinawa, Japan. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:35:51Marine Sgt. Joshua J.
Frazier, 24, of Spotsylvania, Va., died Feb. 6 while conducting combat
operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Frazier was assigned to 1st Battalion,
6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Lejeune, N.C... defenselink.mil/ ... 12:35:12Marine Lance Cpl.
Brandon J. Van Parys, 20, of New Tripoli, Pa., died Feb. 5 while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd
Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:34:32Army Capt. Kevin C.
Landeck, 26, of Illinois, assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field
Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum,
N.Y.Army Staff
Sgt. Terrence D. Dunn, 38, of Houston, was assigned to the 210th Brigade
Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum,
N.Y.Army Chief Warrant
Officer Keith Yoakum, 41, of Hemet, Calif. Army Chief Warrant Officer Jason G.
Defrenn, 34, of Barnwell, S.C.Army Sgt. Randy J.
Matheny, 20, of McCook, Neb., died Feb. 4 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds
suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was
assigned to the 1074th Transportation Company, Sidney, Neb. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:31:38Marine Cpl. Richard
O. Quill III, 22, of Roswell, Ga., died Feb. 1 from a non-hostile cause in
Al Anbar province, Iraq. Quill was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine
Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton,
Calif. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:30:59Army Staff Sgt.
Ronnie L. Sanders, 26, of Thibodaux, La., died Feb. 3 in Baghdad, Iraq,
of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his
vehicle. He was assigned to the 407th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:30:23Army Spc. Alan E.
McPeek, 20, of Tucson, Ariz., assigned to the 16th Engineer Battalion, 1st
Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Giessen, GermanyArmy Pvt. Matthew T.
Zeimer, 18, of Glendive, Mont., assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor
Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart,
Ga.Army Pfc. David C.
Armstrong, 21, of Zanesville, OhioArmy Pfc. Kenneth T. Butler, 21, of East
Liverpool, OhioArmy Sgt. Corey J.
Aultz, 31, of Port Orchard, Wash.Army Sgt. Milton A. Gist Jr., 27, of St
LouisArmy Spc. Eric R.
Sieger, 18, of Layton, Utah, died Feb. 1 at Buritz, Iraq, of wounds
suffered when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle rolled over. Sieger was assigned to
the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
Fort Hood, Texas. The incident is under investigation... defenselink.mil/ ... 12:26:12Army Sgt. Maj.
Michael C. Mettille, 44, of West St. Paul, Minn., died Feb. 1 at Camp
Adder, Iraq, from a non-combat related injury. Mettille was assigned to the
134th Brigade Support Battalion, Brooklyn Park, Minn. The incident is under
investigation... defenselink.mil/ ... 12:25:37Army Sgt. William M.
Sigua, 21, of Los Altos Hills, Calif., died Jan. 31 in Bayji, Iraq, of
wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with the enemy using small arms
fire during combat operations. Sigua was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th
Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division,
Fort Bragg, N.C... defenselink.mil/ ... 12:24:59Army Cpl. Stephen D.
Shannon, 21, of Guttenberg, Iowa, died Jan. 31, in Balad, Iraq, of wounds
suffered when his vehicle was hit by a rocket during combat operations Jan. 30
in Ramadi, Iraq. Shannon was assigned to the 397th Engineer Battalion, Wausau,
Wis... defenselink.mil/ ... 12:24:29Navy Hospitalman
Matthew G. Conte, 22, of Mogadore, Ohio, died Feb. 1 while his unit was
conducting combat operations against enemy forces in the Al Anbar Province,
Iraq. Conte was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii serving as a
hospital corpsman in Iraq under the command of I Marine Expeditionary Force
(forward)... defenselink.mil/ ... 12:23:50Marine Sgt. Alejandro
Carrillo, 22, of Los Angeles, Calif., died Jan. 30 while conducting combat
operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Carrillo was assigned to Combat
Logistics Battalion 7, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group,
I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif... defenselink.mil/ ... 12:23:20Marine Gunnery Sgt.
Terry J. Elliott, 34, of Middleton, Tenn., died Feb. 1 while conducting
combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Elliott was assigned to 2nd
Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary
Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii... defenselink.mil/ ... 12:22:49Marine Lance Cpl.
Adam Q. Emul, 19, of Vancouver, Wash., died Jan. 29 from wounds received
while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Emul was
assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif. David Monson arrived at church the picture of
rural conservative respectability, dressed in a suit and accompanied by his
79-year-old mother. Tall, neatly trimmed, attentive to neighbors as he escorted
his mother to a pew, he is all you might expect and more: farmer, rural school
superintendent, president of his Lutheran congregation, member of the Eagles,
assistant Republican leader in the state House of Representatives. He also is
on the radar of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, a hero of High Times
Magazine. "He had to get fingerprinted," farmer Howard Hove said, laughing as
he watched his friend mingle at church. "And a background check!" Monson, 56,
wants to be the first U.S. farmer licensed to experiment with industrial hemp.
Although it is a crop with a patriotic past, it is suspect now, guilty by
association with its horticultural cousin, cannabis... Monson plans to raise
hemp on only 10 acres at first, a demonstration crop, but under federal
regulations, the acreage still must be completely fenced and reported by GPS
coordinates. All hemp sales also must be reported. "That's a per-acre cost of
about $400, and that would be prohibitive..." kxly.com/ ... 10:35:10Back in 1998 Washington voters
passed an initiative giving people who suffer from certain types of diseases
the right to use and possess small amounts of marijuana. But now even nine
years later those same patients struggling to make sure if they get the
treatments they need they won't wind up here in court. Pam Murch is a former
advertising executive stricken with multiple sclerosis and scoliosis. After
trying pain killers and muscle relaxers she found marijuana treats her symptoms
the best... dailybulletin.com/ ...
10:34:22A Los
Angeles County Superior Court judge issued a temporary restraining order Friday
against the owner of Claremont's medical marijuana dispensary, forcing the
business to remain shut through at least March 15... "I am trying to run a
city, and I'm going to make the decision when Claremont is ready" for a
dispensary, Mayor Peter Yao said. "No one is going to change the priority in
terms of how things get done in Claremont..." dispensary... opened... without a
business license... The city passed a moratorium on medical marijuana
dispensaries in late September and can extend the moratorium through September
2008... on Friday, [owner] was flanked by two attorneys, including 29-year-old
Allison Margolin, who touts herself as "LA's Dopest Attorney" and wears
revealing clothing in print advertisements... santamariatimes.com/ ...
10:31:59Because
the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors allows a needle exchange
program in the county, 4th District Supervisor Katcho Achadjian said he
couldn't deny establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated
areas. "I never thought I'd be supporting this ... (but) the turning point for
me was how could we allow a needle exchange (program) and not allow this..."
contracostatimes.com/ ...
10:31:06A Northern
California marijuana cultivation and distribution ring was smashed Wednesday
morning with the seizure of at least $6 million worth of the plant, including
some being harvested at a house across the street from Sequoia Elementary
School in Oakland... Five houses in Oakland and West Sacramento were raided and
at least six people arrested... [There would be no illegal grow ops or
dangerous meth labs, no black market, and certainlyno $6mil for a bunch of
weeds, if there were no evil laws prohibiting individuals from doing what they
want to do with their own bodies and driving the market underground! Repeal!
Repeal! Repeal!] U.S. drivers who tested
positive for cannabis over a 10-year period had a 29 per cent higher risk of
causing a fatal crash than motorists not taking the drug, a new Canadian-led
study suggests... the researchers report in Wednesday's edition of the Canadian
Journal of Public Health. The journal's publisher has
launched a campaign against drug-impaired driving... [So there's no
chance the report could be slanted...?!?] David Malmo-Levine, a long-time
marijuana user in Vancouver, believes steady pot smokers are actually more
cautious on the road. "You're going to be relaxed, you're going to be focused,
it might help fight fatigue and might help you deal with road rage and be able
to mellow out," said Malmo-Levine... There are problems with
Bedard's study, said pharmacology professor David Cook of the University of
Alberta. The study only found the presence of cannabis, not evidence of
intoxication — a missing link in the research... boston.com/ ... 10:23:43I would
like to say we're at a point where global warming is impossible to deny. Let's
just say that global warming deniers are now on a par with
Holocaust deniers, though one denies the past and the other denies the
present and future... -Ellen Goodman abcnews.go.com/ ... 10:18:55A
"very damning" report by the Defense Department's inspector general depicts a
Pentagon that purposely manipulated intelligence in an effort to link Saddam
Hussein to al-Qaida in the runup to the U.S. invasion of Iraq... The
investigation by acting inspector general Thomas F. Gimble found that prewar
intelligence work at the Pentagon, including a contention that the CIA had
underplayed the likelihood of an al-Qaida connection, was inappropriate but not
illegal... New York Senator Hillary
Clinton... Speaking to a pro-Israel lobbying group... says the United States
should keep open the option of military action against Iran... said she
recognizes the real threat that Iran poses to the U.S. and the Middle East. She
said Iran must not be allowed to build or acquire nuclear weapons... A 77-year-old
woman trying to rescue her seven cats from a house fire was found dead in a
hallway, still clutching one of the animals... fire was probably started when
one of the cats knocked over a decorative candle onto a stack of papers and
magazines... The cat she was holding and another one died. Two were being
treated at a veterinary clinic, two were missing and another was taken in by
[her] daughter... [Animal companions can be dangerous, too....] today.reuters.com/ ...
11:44:32STOCKHOLM... An elderly Swedish woman has taken animal
protection too far by sheltering 11 full grown swans in
her small, city center apartment... "It is a real feat to be able to
transport 11 large swans, which are not known to be the most serene of
animals," police department official Bjorn Engstrom told Reuters... [Wasn't
that Christmas song about "11 swans a-swimming"..?] apnews.myway.com/ ...
11:04:43PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa... Phil did not see his shadow on Friday,
which, according to German folklore, means folks can expect an early spring
instead of six more weeks of winter... Since 1886, Phil has seen his shadow 96
times, hasn't seen it 15 times and there are no records for nine years... The
last time Phil failed to see his shadow was in 1999... Army Cpl. Timothy A.
Swanson, 21, of San Antonio, Texas.Army Pfc. Jon B. St. John II, 25, of Neenah,
Wis.Army Pfc.
David T. Toomalatai, 19, of Long Beach, Calif.Army Capt. Mark T.
Resh, 28, of Pittsburgh, PAArmy Chief Warrant Officer Cornell C. Chao, 36,
of CaliforniaArmy Sgt. Mickel D.
Garrigus, 24, of Elma, Wash., died Jan. 27 in Taji, Iraq, of wounds
suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during
combat patrol. Garrigus was assigned to the 543rd Military Police Company, 91st
Police Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum,
N.Y. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:32:15Army Spc. Carla J.
Stewart, 37, of Sun Valley, Calif., died Jan. 28 in Tallil, Iraq, of
injuries suffered when her convoy vehicle rolled over. Stewart was assigned to
the 250th Transportation Company, El Monte, Calif. The incident is under
investigation. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:31:43Marine Lance Cpl.
Anthony C. Melia, 20, of Thousand Oaks, Calif., died Jan. 27 while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to
Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 15th Marine
Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), I Marine Expeditionary Force,
Camp Pendleton, Calif. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:31:01Army Maj. Alan R.
Johnson, 44, of Yakima, Wash., died Jan. 26 at Balad, Iraq, of wounds
sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee at
Muqdadiyah, Iraq, the same day. He was assigned to the 402nd Civil Affairs
Battalion, Tonawanda, N.Y... defenselink.mil/ ... 10:30:31Army Sgt. Alexander
H. Fuller, 21, of Centerville, Mass.Army Pfc. Michael C. Balsley, 23,
of Hayward, Calif.Navy Cmdr. Peter
Mongilardi Jr., of Haledon, N.J. The remains of the aviator, missing in
action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his
family for burial with full military honors. He will be buried on April 11 at
Arlington National Cemetery near Washington D.C. On June 25, 1965, Mongilardi
departed the USS Coral Seain his A-4C Skyhawk on an armed reconnaissance
mission over North Vietnam. His flight encountered bad weather and enemy fire
over Thanh Hoa Province, causing the wingman to lose visual and radio contact
with Mongilardi. Contact was never re-established and the aircraft failed to
return to the carrier. In 1993... two local Vietnamese citizens... recalled the
crash and said the pilot died in the impact. The men then led the team to the
crash site. In 1994, another joint team excavated the crash site and recovered
human remains and pilot-related items.... defenselink.mil/ ... 10:24:29Army Pfc. Nathan P.
Fairlie, 21, of Candor, N.Y., died of injuries suffered in Baqubah on Jan.
26 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Bradley Fighting
Vehicle during combat operations. Fairlie was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 9th
Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood,
Texas... defenselink.mil/ ... 10:23:56Army Pfc. Darrell W.
Shipp, 25, of San Antonio, Texas, died Jan. 25 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds
suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas... 
DENVER... A zookeeper
died Saturday after a 140-pound jaguar mauled her in its enclosure, and the big
cat was fatally shot when it approached emergency workers treating the injured
woman.... The jaguar, a 6-year-old male named Jorge, was shot by a zoo employee
and the public was never at risk... had been at the zoo for nearly two
years.... "The jaguar is the third largest cat in the world behind the tiger
and lion. Yet, they have the most powerful jaw of all the big cats..."
A
Rockledge man bitten by a pygmy rattlesnake demanded Thursday that [Wal-Mart]
do something to protect customers from the poisonous reptiles that are somehow
slithering into its garden centers.... was mangled by an 18-inch snake at a
Brevard County Wal-Mart in November.... [found] it has happened to at least
seven other Wal-Mart shoppers nationwide, and the giant retailer is doing
nothing to protect people... 
Chimpanzees in Senegal have been observed
making and using wooden spears to hunt other primates... 22 cases of chimps
fashioning tools to jab at smaller primates sheltering in cavities of hollow
branches or tree trunks.... Chimps had not been previously observed hunting
other animals with tools... In a number of cases, chimps also trimmed the ends
of the branch and stripped it of bark. Some chimps also sharpened the tip of
the tool with their teeth. Adult males have long been regarded as the hunters
in chimp groups. But the authors of the paper... said females and juveniles
were seen exhibiting this behaviour more frequently than adult males...
Apple Inc. has settled its long-running trademark dispute with The
Beatles' company Apple Corps Ltd., in a deal which could pave the way for the
band's songs to be played on Apple's iTunes music store. In a statement, the
companies said Apple Inc. would now own all the trademarks related to "Apple"
and would license certain trademarks back to Apple Corps for continued use. The
trademark lawsuit between the companies will also end with each party bearing
its own legal costs. 