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News Briefs 24-11-2005

Today is American Thanksgiving so, no matter where you live, take a turkey to lunch this week. If someone takes you to lunch, well, you figure it out. Gobble, gobble ………..

  • The European settlers who were present at the first Thanksgiving in 1621 thought the Native Americans were wild Israelites who had lost their civilized ways.
  • The first prehistoric creature that resembles a modern day turtle has been discovered.
  • A Bigfoot-sized ape lived alongside humans. They may still live along humans.
  • Homo erectus munched on crunchy, brittle and tough foods, while other early humans seemed to favor softer fare.
  • Archaeologists find 4,500-year-old fortune-telling instruments.
  • Nubia’s black Pharaohs.
  • Mass grave yields Mayan secrets.
  • Ancient campsites on the coast of Cyprus may be the earliest evidence of long-distance, open-water seafaring in the Mediterranean, undermining beliefs that ancient mariners never ventured into open seas.
  • Earth’s continents most likely were in place soon after the planet was formed, overturning a long-held theory that the early planet was either moon-like or dominated by oceans.
  • So which country is the most violent in the world? America, right? Wrong. Strap on your kilt and guess again.
  • Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, a U.S. citizen, was convicted by a federal jury of conspiring to assassinate President George W. Bush and providing support to the terrorist organization al-Qaeda.
  • A Malaysian man sought help from a medium to rid him of a female ghost whom he said had demanded sex from him every night for the past sixteen years. So what’s the problem?
  • Its scent has drawn comparisons to garbage and spoiled meat, but that isn’t stopping crowds from flocking to see — and smell the Amorphophallus titanum plant, nicknamed ‘corpse plant’ for its rank smell.
  • What do Aussies do when they’re bored and stupid? They destroy a town, of course.
  • Newton beats Einstein in a new poll. What’s your opinion?
  • Psychic researchers under code name ‘The Zener Project’ seek to win $1 million dollar prize offered by the James ‘The Amazing’ Randi. Would you like to join them?
  • Understanding bird flu: Origins of bird flu.
  • There are those that fear the success of science. Some are fundamentalists; others are regular readers of TDG.
  • Mysterious bogs pose lethal danger to Russian mushroom-pickers.
  • Mysterious tears of blood that have appeared on a statue of the Virgin Mary at a church in California (with video).
  • A place called Mormon Mesa was alleged to be an UFO landing spot before Area 51 existed.
  • Angels in UFO’s? The Bible’s Secret Messages.
  • Biologist and blogger PZ Myres speaks out about the war on science, intelligent design, and the sexual habits of giant squid in The Mad Scientist.
  • Is the sun heating up?
  • A cloning pioneer faces rising controversy.
  • A rare eruption has caused an island to grow.
  • To the American Indians who hold them sacred, the seven rocks in the way of Paseo del Norte’s westward expansion aren’t inanimate stones. They’re alive. They’re connections to their sacred earth that can’t be replicated 100 feet away.
  • A US physicist has an idea that will make the atom-based quantum computers look passé before anyone has even built a full-size one. He is suggesting that bubbles of electrons in ultra-cold liquid helium could be used to build a quantum computer capable of carrying out 1030 calculations all at once.
  • Einstein’s dark energy accelerates the universe.
  • Britain must spend more on its space industry or risk being left behind and losing vital skills.
  • Water could stay liquid on Mars.
  • The Hayabusa space probe landed successfully on its asteroid target despite the initial announcement of a failure.
  • The launch window is almost open for NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, destined to visit Pluto and and the Kuiper Belt—a distant district of ancient, icy, rocky objects on the solar system’s outer banks.
  • The journey to Mars will require astronauts to grow their own food. They probably won’t grow a corpse plant.
  • Astronauts aboard the ISS will a Thanksgiving meal of pre-sliced and irradiated turkey, freeze-dried mashed potatoes and green beans, and thermostable blueberry cobbler.

Quote of the Day


Once, when my feet were bare, and I had not the means of obtaining shoes I came to the chief of Kufah in a state of much dejection, and saw there a man who had no feet. I returned thanks to God and acknowledged his mercies, and endured my want of shoes with patience.

Sadi the Gulistan

  1. The quote
    My mother used to tell me that.It didn’t make sense to me then and it doesn’t now.

    If I was a black person living in Darwin I would probably want to destroy the town too.
    And I wouldn’t say they destroyed much.
    So there aren’t any bored and stupid people in America?
    Whatever.

    Thanks for the news Bill, it was a good try.

    shadows

    1. The News
      The idea is to be thankful for what you have, rather than dejected about what you don’t have. There must be something good about your life. Your mother sounds like a wise woman, but I thought you were raised in an orphanage and hated the nuns that kept you there and the Americans that didn’t come to your rescue.

      America has its share of bored and stupid people, but somebody would have shot these clowns before they destroyed the town. Don’t take it personal. I just report this stuff.

      You couldn’t find anything that in the news that you liked? No Bush-bashing, huh? Maybe you should skip the news on Thursdays, dear. I thought it was good. Or you could write Greg and complain. greg@dailygrail.com

      Bill

      1. heheheh
        You’re losing your cool Bill mate, calm down.

        I don’t like the quote because it is contrived to make you feel bad.It doesn’t take into account that you may have two feet but lacking something else, like love.
        It requires a little thought to get it.

        Americans coming to my rescue? I wish.No that wasn’t in my thoughts, only that I thought my father was an American but he wasn’t.

        You think it necessary to shoot people because they do something wrong?Are you aware of the life some people have in Darwin?
        You can’t settle everything with a gun although I know you think you can,the American murder rate proves that Americans believe so.

        I don’t mind you calling me “dear”,Bill, but you always say it with an acid tongue so please refrain.
        It is customary for most posters here to only comment on one news item.It has been my custom to comment on a few.
        I am sorry that you feel that I should have commented on more, but I was so taken aback when I saw the attack on Scotland and Australia which made me think you were maybe attacking those people you know to be left-wing.

        Why would I complain to Greg? I’m a big girl Bill.I’ve been fighting my own fights for over 60 years.

        shadows

  2. Native Americans were wild Israelites!
    I do wonder at times where researchers get their strange ideas!

    If they had bothered to read “Big Chief Elizabeth: Adventures and Fate of the First English Colonists in America” by Giles Milton, they would have access to first hand accounts of the English and their encounters with the native American Indians

    The book’s focus is Sir Walter Raleigh’s elaborate and tortuous attempts to establish an English settlement on Roanoke Island following the first English voyage there in 1584. Not once in this book is there ever a mention of the ‘savages’ being concidered one of the lost tribes of Israel.

    At least one native warrior came back to the court of Elizabeth 1 and James 1st, and was ‘known throught the land’, so the natives of the far off land were not an unknown quantity.

    Nostra

  3. Up Yer Kilt
    I have to admit to hoping for more accuracy in reporting from TDG news. The article you link says that the UN study found Scotland to be “the most violent country in the developed world” not simply “in the world” as you described it. Further, the guy who should know best, Chief Constable Peter Wilson, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, questioned the figures. “It must be near impossible to compare assault figures from one country to the next based on phone calls,” he said.

    This study is old news, Bill – everyone else was talking about it two months ago and it was fairly well debunked back then. Phone calls, fer chrissake? I am left wondering why you decided to include it now, two months later.

    Lastly, Scottish figures show that the vast majority of victims of Scottish violence (and the US murder rate is still higher) not only know each other i.e. belong to the same gangs of thugs, but live in inner city deprived areas. Why is the murder rate not as high as the US? Because even a lowly scottish thug has the courage and warrior honor to get up close and personal in a fight with another thug while American thugs are gutless morons who stand 20 feet away and fire guns, inevitably hurting strangers.

    Grade: D – Should try better.

    -C

    1. Kilts and Knives

      That’s whiney,Cernig.

      • What, exactly, is the ‘developed world’ as opposed to the ‘world’? Telephones?
      • The UN did the study, not me.
      • Like you, Chief Constable Peter Wilson, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, didn’t like the results. Did you expect him to like them? That doesn’t make them wrong. Even the good Chief Wilson stated, ” We do accept, however, that, despite your chances of being a victim of assault being low in Scotland, a problem does exist.”
      • Why can’t one compare assault figures from one country to the next using the telephone? It’s just numbers.
      • This was reported by the Times On Line on September 19, 2005, not two months ago. I saw it on Tuesday. You say it was debunked. By whom? Where? Have you a link to the debunking, or is this wishful thinking? Can you state what is invalid and why?
      • Why are there deprived areas and gangs in a socialist system?
      • I see nothing honorable, warrior-like, or courageous in attacking people with a knife. Just low-tech. Not all of the assaults were thug-on-thug. Scotland was eighth for total crime, 13th for property crime, 12th for robbery and 14th for sexual assault.

      I’ve been to Scotland. It’s not a terribly bad place. But I can understand why you might be reluctant to return.

      Whine grade: B+
      Reality grade: F (can’t handle the truth)

      Bill

      1. Whiney is as…
        Bill,

        This was reported by the Times On Line on September 19, 2005, not two months ago.
        I know Texas doesn’t have a great education system, but doesn’t that make it just over two months? Today is the 24th NOVEMBER.

        I didn’t say there was no problem. However, I expect fairness and accuracy in reporting and “developed world” has a very different sense from simply “world”. One would almost think you had a drum to bang.

        Why are there deprived areas and gangs in a socialist system?
        Huh? What has that to do with it and whoever said socialism was a perfect system? Where did this come from, Bill? It looks even more that the drum banging comes from a grudge against a particular leftwing Scotsman. In any case, I would argue that the deprivation and the gangs that arise from it are a legacy of 20 years of conservative rule – Denmark ranks as the most peaceful nation on earth and has been socialist for decades.

        By the way, WHO ranks the USA as more violent, in the sense that you are more likely to die by violence, than the UK.

        You want a link? Here it is.

        I’ve been to Scotland. It’s not a terribly bad place. But I can understand why you might be reluctant to return.
        Actually, I’ve stated several times that I am looking forward to going home. I always felt safer there than Texas. Not surprisingly, San Antonio ranks even higher than the US average of deaths by violence at 8.3 per 100,000. Dallas is in at 15.8 per 100,000, Houston at 12.5. The Scottish rate is 7.3 per 100,000.

        I think I am done with TDG now, as I cannot but see this whole thing from original skewed post to comments as a revenge attack by you personally, a snide “gotcha” in retaliation for previous arguments.

        Goodbye.

        Cernig

      2. I hope you don’t mind me butting in
        Between you and “Cernig” Bill.I don’t want to get into something I am not part of but I would like to point out to you that when you are tallying up deaths in Scotland, you can be sure that they are all in Scotland.
        In other words, Scots seem to only kill each other, which I think is rather decent of them.
        They do not go out and kill people of other countries because they want what that other country has.
        Scots do not interfere in any other country’s affairs and the worst thing I have seen a Scot do is get drunk and swear a lot.
        That is hardly a threat to anyone ourside Scotland,Bill, but can your country say the same?

        shadows

        1. sorry shadows…but
          I am going to but in!!!! Bill has posted the news. NOT written it.
          You may disagree with his political persuasion and his beliefs, but he never tries to jam it down anybodies throat.
          I don’t agree with all things either, but thats no need to ridicule somebody.
          I post my views on subjects, but I have decided that getting into a “hot patatoe” match is a waste of energy.

          I would like to believe that the majority of Grail viewers are past the superficial, ego driven critisism.

          You know you are better then this……don’t you???

          PS. this does not effect our relationship I hope…..

          DISCLAIMER: the opinions and veiws in this post are mine only and are not those of others or of TDG. Any similarities are by chance only.

          1. floppy, you make me laugh
            No it won’t affect our relationship.
            I sometimes think that you are like one of my boys, and like Rick, that you are just too nice and things either go over your head or you choose to let them go over your head.

            You didn’t notice that I replied the way I did to Bill because I felt he was singling out Australia for a nasty link which did not need to be posted, or did not need commenting on that way, if it was posted.
            The same thing happened with a link about Scotland.

            Now “Cernig” and I are the two very left-wing people who post here and allow our thoughts to be known, and Bill has asserted many times that President Bush is the best thing since sliced bread.

            So you see flopbaby, there was a little difference of opinion.But it is OK, no one is going to leave you and abandon you.
            We all still love you and you will not be hurt.

            Now forget about it because I have done so.

            love shadows

          2. I don’t have any fears really…
            but I do tend to let many things slide by into the sludge pit.

            But every now and again, one needs to empty the sludge pit to make way for the ever increasing sludge. Otherwise we would be knee deep in sludge.

            Bill gets bashed for his opinions and beliefs. But I never see any animosity in his replies.

            DISCLAIMER: the opinions and veiws in this post are mine only and are not those of others or of TDG. Any similarities are by chance only.

          3. Hey
            remember I told you I lived in Arnhem Land! Thats where I lived. Nhulunbuy.
            So that is funny. I don’t think Bill would know what the place is like, but it is a very strange place.

            Shadows……nothing goes over my head. It’s just that If a midgee, flea, fly, wasp, hornet, misquito and lady beetle were to attack me, my attentions would be on the wasp!

            DISCLAIMER: the opinions and veiws in this post are mine only and are not those of others or of TDG. Any similarities are by chance only.

  4. Science can make us all rich!
    So says the New Scientist’s article.

    Yeah, right. That’s an ignorant statement so far as I am concerned and symptomatic of ‘science has the solution to everything’ syndrome. (Science as we know it of course.)

    Science is the extension of the psychology that uses empirical projections and making people rich is not its aim. Some science of course, since it needs funding to strive, has for aim to make ‘some’ people rich.

    If all were rich, the classes would not be and the power over others afforded by the discrepancy of buying power would be gone.

    Anyone really believes that the rich would be so happy to be rich if all were rich?

    The super rich are only so because they systematically deny their peer the ability to join them in their ivory tower. Those that succeed in climbing that ladder are far in between and the majority is clueless anyway.

    The economic system of the world in its current iteration is a pyramidal structure; lets not forget.

  5. Thanksgivings…
    The story

    “George Washington finally suggested that only one day of Thanksgiving per year be set aside instead of celebrating each and every massacre. Later Abraham Lincoln decreed Thanksgiving Day to be a legal national holiday during the Civil War — on the same day he ordered troops to march against the starving Sioux in Minnesota.”

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