Sunday, February 28, 2010
Trail of Dubai hit squad suspects
"The Dubai police investigating the killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh has released details of flights and routes taken by 22 people suspected of being involved in the operation phase of the murder."
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"Residents gather their belongings near a fishing boat...
...washed up by a wave generated by an earthquake in Talcahuano Port, a city just outside Concepcion some 100 km (62 miles) south of the epicenter, February 27, 2010."
REUTERS/Jose Luis Saavedra
IN THOSE DAYS - AT THIS TIME
By Judith A. Klinghoffer"One place the media can reach – unlike the average Israeli – is Iran, where we definitely have an image problem. Lots of questions about Persia’s current rulers pop up around Purim.For example: In the post-Mabhouh world – a better place – one wonders what would happen were the Purim story to unfold today. Just who would be considered the victim: the Jewish community which managed at the last moment to avert Persian plans to annihilate it or Haman and sons who were strung up on their own gallows when their dastardly scheme was discovered?"
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We Are Doomed -- Again
By John Dietrich
"Global warming is far from the first apocalyptic prediction, or even the first based on computer models. The belief that the world is coming to an end appears to be a universal concept based on an innate psychic need. All major religions -- Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism -- have a version of the end of the world. While the major religions' visions may be traced back to ancient Persia and Zoroastrian teachings, the Mayan and Hopi Indian visions of the end times are unlikely to have originated in the Middle East. While we still have religion-based suicidal groups (Heaven's Gate, the Branch Davidians, the Peoples Temple), these groups now have a competitor. In a secular society, we no longer put our faith in ancient revelations. The apparent psychic need for an apocalyptic myth may not have disappeared. The new apocalyptic visions are not based on revelation, but on "science.""
more
"Global warming is far from the first apocalyptic prediction, or even the first based on computer models. The belief that the world is coming to an end appears to be a universal concept based on an innate psychic need. All major religions -- Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism -- have a version of the end of the world. While the major religions' visions may be traced back to ancient Persia and Zoroastrian teachings, the Mayan and Hopi Indian visions of the end times are unlikely to have originated in the Middle East. While we still have religion-based suicidal groups (Heaven's Gate, the Branch Davidians, the Peoples Temple), these groups now have a competitor. In a secular society, we no longer put our faith in ancient revelations. The apparent psychic need for an apocalyptic myth may not have disappeared. The new apocalyptic visions are not based on revelation, but on "science.""
more
"Birthday celebrations of Prophet Mohammad"...
"A girl sits while collecting food handouts being thrown by well-wishers marking Eid-e-Milad-ul-Nabi, or birthday celebrations of Prophet Mohammad, in Karachi February 27, 2010."
REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro
Saturday, February 27, 2010
"Psychology Nuts"
By Marilyn Penn
"As if it weren’t difficult enough to determine absolute cause for human criminal deeds, the field has now been extended to animals. Investigations are under way to decide whether Tilly, the killer whale who drowned his trainer in Florida this week, committed a homicide or involuntary manslaughter. (please note the word laughter in the second syllable) One whale expert claims that if the 12,000 pound orca had intended to kill, the carnage would have been much more devastating, thus proving that Tilly was merely whaling around in a manner appropriate to his species and size. Unfortunately, Tilly has two priors dating back to 1991, lending support to the profile of serial murderer whose crimes are possibly pre-meditated. In this respect, Tilly is more deserving of capital punishment than Travis, the humanoid chimp who had the mitigating excuse of being on Xanax at the time he demolished a woman’s face and hands. Travis was killed by the officer dispatched to the scene of the crime, thus precluding the possibility of our ever reaching “closure” on what motivated his anti-social outburst."
more
"As if it weren’t difficult enough to determine absolute cause for human criminal deeds, the field has now been extended to animals. Investigations are under way to decide whether Tilly, the killer whale who drowned his trainer in Florida this week, committed a homicide or involuntary manslaughter. (please note the word laughter in the second syllable) One whale expert claims that if the 12,000 pound orca had intended to kill, the carnage would have been much more devastating, thus proving that Tilly was merely whaling around in a manner appropriate to his species and size. Unfortunately, Tilly has two priors dating back to 1991, lending support to the profile of serial murderer whose crimes are possibly pre-meditated. In this respect, Tilly is more deserving of capital punishment than Travis, the humanoid chimp who had the mitigating excuse of being on Xanax at the time he demolished a woman’s face and hands. Travis was killed by the officer dispatched to the scene of the crime, thus precluding the possibility of our ever reaching “closure” on what motivated his anti-social outburst."
more
Tsunami Approaching Hawaii Faster Than Expected
"A geophysicist at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said Saturday that a potential tsunami, generated by a major earthquake in Chile, was approaching Hawaii a bit faster than originally predicted. Victor Sardina says data coming in from buoys and tide gauges across the Pacific indicated the tsunami should arrive in Hawaii at 11:05 a.m. (4:05 p.m. ET), instead of 11:19 a.m.
The tsunami
Hawaiian authorities sounded sirens Saturday morning to alert residents to evacuate coastal areas ahead of a potential tsunami generated by a major earthquake that hit Chile.
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