CNN.com - Second aid worker held for rape report - May 31, 2005

And we wonder why so many African nations have such problems! A perfect example of corruption and of blaming the messenger.

CNN.com - Second aid worker held for rape report - May 31, 2005:

"MSF Holland published a report in March detailing about 500 cases of rape during a period of 4 1/2 months in Darfur, where a rebellion has raged for more than 2 years.

The violence has killed tens of thousands and forced more than 2 million from their homes.

The report contained anonymous accounts by victims of their ordeals, including being held and raped repeatedly for several days, beaten and even arrested.

Pregnancy out of wedlock is illegal in Sudan, where Islamic sharia law is in force.
U.N. orders investigation

Rights group Human Rights Watch said in a statement on Tuesday the Sudanese government should be arresting war criminals in Darfur, not aid workers.

'This is a perfect illustration of how far the Sudanese government is prepared to go to silence criticism and deny its own responsibility for massive atrocities in Darfur,' said Peter Takirambudde, Africa director for Human Rights Watch. "

Want to go for a bike ride? Or donate to a good cause?

I have registered to ride in the MS 150 series. It is a two day 150 mile (actually 169 mile in this case, but who is counting ;) ) bicylce ride to raise money for the MS society.

It is a good cause so if you would like to learn more about the ride (or a ride near you--it is a national series that I HIGHLY recommend!!!---or if you want to donate to them, why not do it through this link. :)

thanks in advance!!

jim

Ristening in the News!!! Audio Books - New York Times

I risten to probably 80% of the books I go through. Much more efficient!

Audio Books - New York Times: "For a growing group of devoted listeners, the popularity of audio books is redefining the notion of reading, which for centuries has been centered on the written word. Traditionally, it is also an activity that has required one's full attention.

But audio books, once seen as a kind of oral CliffsNotes for reading lightweights, have seduced members of a literate but busy crowd by allowing them to read while doing something else. "

Breast cancer survival linked to exercise: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Breast cancer survival linked to exercise: South Florida Sun-Sentinel: ""A new study suggests that women who exercise even a minimal amount after being treated for breast cancer are more likely to survive the disease than those who don't.

Women who walked as little as one hour a week - or engaged in an equivalent exercise - increased their chances of living, according to researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, both Harvard Medical School-affiliated institutions."
"

Hotel Rwanda

If you have never seen Hotel Rwanda, go get it and watch it. It is a must!!!

In fact, even if you have seen it beforre, go get the DVD and watch the movie again with Paul Rusesabagina giving his story through out. He (Paul) is every bit a modern day Oskar Schindler.

Want some of the history of the Genocide? PBS, the BBC, George Washington University, and Historywiz all have excellent coverage.

An SS Officer Remembers: The Bookkeeper from Auschwitz - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News

An SS Officer Remembers: The Bookkeeper from Auschwitz - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News

Unbelievable. No matter how many times I read about concentration camps, I still always come back to the same question: HOW? How could it happen? How could people do such a thing? How can they live with themselves?

Here is a PARTIAL answer for at least one man:

"Groning, though, didn't kill anyone. He didn't pour Zyklon B into the shafts or burn the piles of dead. He watched. He stood there, shocked at first, then indifferent. It became a routine.

He lived in an organized world and its order ensured that the terror of the concentration camps could be compartmentalized, kept apart from the foundations of civilization. The terror was subject to clear command structures and tightly regulated service schedules, assignments of duties and positions, making one man a torturer and another a bookkeeper."

Read the entire article

Yoga Takes A Bite Out Of Eating Disorders

Yet more benefits from yoga!!! :)

From ScienceDaily.com
Yoga Takes A Bite Out Of Eating Disorders: "A study published in the latest issue of Psychology of Women Quarterly reports that mind-body exercise, such as yoga, is associated with greater body satisfaction and fewer symptoms of eating disorders than traditional aerobic exercise like jogging or using cardio machines."

Heart Rate During and After Exercise Tied to Sudden Death

Heart Rate During and After Exercise Tied to Sudden Death

So essentially the higher rate you can go and the faster it drops, the better!

"Men whose heart rate increased less than 89 beats per minute during a standard exercise test for heart patients...had six times the risk of sudden death over the next two decades....Men whose heart rate decreased less than 25 beats in the minute after they stopped the exercise test had more than double the risk of sudden death than those whose rate returned to normal faster.

Read it!
The findings appear in the May 12 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine"

Look for more "bars"

When using your cell phone, it might be a good idea to look for a strong signal!

From the BBC:

"Lead researcher Professor Lennart Hardell said the cause of the increased risk seemed to be the higher emissions from the phones in rural areas because the base stations were further apart than they would be in cities and towns. Analogue phones have the same emissions wherever they are used."

purevolume™ | arankafabianoh

Chris Broadhead is a former student. Check out his band. They are really good.

Purevolume™ | arankafabianoh

SPIEGEL Interview: "Dresden Bombing Is To Be Regretted Enormously" - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE

A very cool link on WW II and in particular an interview on the directing Bombing.

SPIEGEL Interview: "directing Bombing Is To Be Regretted Enormously" - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE

Thanks Steve!

U.S. scientists create self-replicating robot - Yahoo! News

Do we have the start of the Matrix?
U.S. scientists create self-replicating robot - Yahoo! News: "Scientists at the Cornell University in Ithaca, New York have created small robots that can build copies of themselves."

NYC Officials Battle Longhorned Beetles - Yahoo! News

There are always so many things to worry about... :(

NYC Officials Battle Longhorned Beetles - Yahoo! News: "'The Asian longhorned beetle poses a potentially devastating threat to our urban canopy,' Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe said in the statement.

The shiny black beetle with white spots is not harmful to humans or animals but has caused thousands of trees in New York to be cut down since it appeared in Brooklyn in 1996. It threatens approximately 50 percent of all New York City trees, including maples, elms, birches, and sycamores, according to national forest service estimates, Rubinstein said.

The beetles eat tunnels through the trees, then pregnant females lay eggs in the bark. The young beetles consume the host trees from the inside.

More than 78,000 trees in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island are being preventively treated with a pesticide that poisons adult beetles before they can lay eggs, according to the March quarterly report for the beetle eradication program"

NPR : The Star-Spangled Battle of Baltimore

NPR : The Star-Spangled Battle of Baltimore

Continuing the War of 1812 theme. This one is very good! It is a 14 minute lesson on why the Battle for Baltimore (about which teh Star Spangled banner was written) was so important.

Also the site had a nice write-up, an interview, and pictures as well!

Remembering the Battle of New Orleans

One of my New Year's Resolutions for 2004 (yes last year) was to learn more about the War of 1812. I am not sure I was very successful (did tour Fort Niagara), so I redid it for 2005. (Who cares if the year ended)

That said, I did learn some on the Battle of New Orleans when in New Orleans and I stumbled upon this piece from NPR on the Battle. NPR : Remembering the Battle of New Orleans One aspect that I had not thought about was that had we lost (remember the peace treaty had already been signed PRIOR to the battle), the British very likely would have just ignored the treaty.

I also had no idea that January 8th used to be a big thing!

Solo in car-pool lane? That's HOT - Yahoo! News

Solo in car-pool lane? That's HOT - Yahoo! News

A very cool use of economics!

"Starting next week, the state plans to do just that. The HOV lanes will become HOT lanes - for high-occupancy toll. Solo drivers on an 11-mile portion of I-394 will be able to drive in "MnPass" lanes formerly reserved for car pools, as long as they're willing to pay electronic tolls that vary dramatically depending on traffic volume.

When traffic is light, the toll might be 25 cents. When traffic's at a standstill, the toll could hit $8. The tolls will vary up to 20 times an hour depending on traffic. Car-poolers, motorcycles and buses can still use the lanes for free.

I-394 will join an 8-mile section of I-15 in San Diego that was the USA's first foray into what traffic planners call "dynamic" toll lanes. The concept is simple: Thousands of drivers who are racing to catch a flight, pick up a child from day care or get to an important meeting on time will pay a premium to escape traffic meltdowns.

The idea is catching on with transportation agencies"

NPR : Harriet Tubman

NPR : Harriet Tubman

This is great! About a 28 minute interview on Harriet Tubman and the Underground RailRoad.

It goes well with Bound for Canaan which is the book I am ristening to now. It is very interesting. I really wish it was not abridged.

Also check this link out on the National Underground Railraod Museum.

NPR : Biography Explores John Brown's Legacy

NPR : Biography Explores John Brown's Legacy

About an 8 minute interview with David Reynolds on John Brown. It paints him as a hero and hints that slavery may have been around a very long time (Licnoln had predicted 100 years!) had it not been for his raid and the at least somewhat resultant Civil War. VERY Interesting.

ZOAR VALLEY

One of teh more overlooked areas in WNY. I know for tax reasins etc many disagree, but I would love to see it turned into a State/National Park.
ZOAR VALLEY

HoustonChronicle.com - Deep seas hold the key to oil's future

Interesting article from the Houston Chronicle!
HoustonChronicle.com - Deep seas hold the key to oil's future: "Anyone looking for a glimpse into the future of the offshore oil industry needs to travel about 200 miles from the Texas shoreline. But the tricky part will be to descend to the bone-crushing depth of two miles beneath the ocean's surface.

That's where the next frontier lies for big oil companies, which are drawn there by the promise of the vast finds that are now a rarity in the shallower waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

That new frontier is in places like the Perdido Foldbelt, which is braced against the international boundary. It holds the attention of several major oil companies with prospects in up to 10,000 feet of water"

Catholics Take Best Pope Available :: SportsGoons.com

Catholics Take Best Pope Available :: SportsGoons.com

As a big fan of the NFL draft, I found this hilarious! I apologize in advance if it annoys anyone.

(THanks for the link Pat!)