20110312_item


Police dog bites cost thousands
Police forces across the UK have paid £770,000 in compensation to people bitten by police dogs over the past three years, the BBC learns.
Passive smoke 'threatens unborn'
Pregnant women who breathe in other people's tobacco smoke increase their risk of having stillborn babies or babies with defects, a study says.
Get used to protests, warns Clegg
Nick Clegg has warned Lib Dems they must "get used" to protests against them, in a curtain-raising speech to the party's spring conference.
Cuba frees well-known dissident
The Cuban government frees Oscar Elias Biscet, a high-profile dissident doctor who had been sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2003.

Say NO to the Koch [link]

Global Reinsurers May Sidestep Costs as Japan Faces Most Losses
European and U.S. reinsurers may sidestep costs tied to Japan's strongest earthquake in a century as the country's government, its carriers and uninsured property owners absorb most of the losses. Global reinsurers may face losses "somewhere in the $10 billion range" after Japan's primary insurers and a reinsurance program backed by the government pay their share, said Meyer Shields, an analyst with Stifel Nicolaus & Co. Commercial and industrial lines risks are "significantly underinsured" in Japan, according to a statement from Newark, California-based Risk Management Solutions Inc.
Asian Stocks Fall on Conflict in Libya, 8.9-Magnitude Earthquake in Japan
Asian stocks fell this week, dragging down a regional benchmark index by the most since August, as conflict escalated in the Middle East and an earthquake shook Japan in the final minutes of trading yesterday.
Massive Explosion Rocks Japan Nuclear Plant- Radiation Facts
With the news of an explosion at the Fukushima reactor in Japan, you are likely to hear about milli-rems and Sieverts on the news, and this should help you make sense of it.
Nuclear Emergency Declared At 2 Plants In Japan Author: timothy
Hugh Pickens writes "CBC reports that Japan has declared a state of emergency and called for mass evacuations near two nuclear power plants following cooling systems failures that led to radiation escaping from a reactor at one location. The emergency declarations, which include five reactors at the two plants, followed Friday's 8.9-magnitude earthquake off the country's northeast coast. In a troubling announcement, Japan Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency official Ryohei Shiomi said a monitoring device outside the plant detected radiation that is eight times higher than normal and an evacuation zone has been expanded from three kilometres around the plant to 10 kilometres." Read more of this story
Teabag Fascists: Scott Walker and Rick Snyder's Assault on Freedom
Teabag fascists, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, have appointed themselves dictators and don't care about rights or the law.
Antarctic ice theory is turned on its head
Scientists working in the remotest part of Antarctica have discovered that liquid water locked deep under the continent's coat of ice regularly thaws and refreezes to the bottom, creating as much as half the thickness of the ice in places, and actively modifying its structure
Japan: Explosion im Atomkraftwerk Fukushima
Explosion im Atomkraftwerk Fukushima Daiichi. Augenzeugen: Hülle von Kerkraftwerk explodiert. Rauch steigt aus Atomkraftwerk. Aussenhülle abgesprengt. Gebäude eingestürzt. Kernschmelze droht.
Yemen police storm protest site
At least one person killed and dozens injured as security forces try to disperse pro-democracy protesters in Sanaa.
Clashes erupt in South Sudan
Casualties reported as rebel militia launches a pre-dawn attack on capital of south Sudan's oil-rich Upper Nile state.
Huge crowds expected at Wisconsin pro-union rally
Wisconsin Democratic and union leaders are expecting a huge crowd at a rally in the capital against a new Republican-sponsored law that drastically weakens the state's public employee unions.
Union Bill Is Law, but Debate Is Far From Over
Gov. Scott Walker on Friday signed into law a bill that limits bargaining rights for most government workers, ending a rancorous legislative battle but doing little to stem a loud and continuing debate - here and around the country - over the future of unions.
Study: Tiger Poo Effective Pest Repellent
Researchers in Australia have discovered that the smell of tiger feces is a great deterrent for crop-chewing creatures like goats and kangaroos. The idea is that the smell of a predator nearby will keep these animals away from certain plants. Read more at Yahoo!News A team of researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia spread tiger poo collected from zoos near the feeding troughs of goats and found it to be the most effective repellent. It was even more effective when the tiger had been fed goat.
Fukushima: Diesel-Generatoren des Kühlsystems eine Stunde nach Erdbeben abgeschaltet
Nach dem gestrigen Erdbeben vor Japan jedenfalls berichtete ein anonymer "Experte" dem britischen "Guardian", dass die Kühlsysteme der vier Atomreaktoren von Fukushima II "vor allem durch Atomkraft betrieben werden". Hmm, sagt da der Laie. Aber es kommt noch besser.
European Court of Justice Rejects Stem-Cell Patents Author: timothy
ianare writes "The European Court of Justice Friday issued a preliminary opinion that procedures involving human embryonic stem cells are not patentable - even if the process in question does not involve the direct destruction of embryos - because they are tantamount to making industrial use of human embryos, which 'would be contrary to ethics and public policy.'" Read more of this story
Housing benefit cut hits disabled
Government figures show almost half a million disabled people will see their incomes cut under one of the changes planned to housing benefit.
Prince Andrew cancels Saudi trip
Buckingham Palace says concerns over security forced the Duke of York to postpone a planned trade visit to Saudi Arabia.
Arab League Asks For No-Fly Zone Over Libya
The Arab League asked the U.N. Security Council Saturday to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians from air attack by forces of Moammar Gadhafi's embattled government, giving crucial backing to a key demand of the rebel forces battling...
Atombehörde in Japan gibt offenbar Entwarnung
Nach der Explosion im japanischen Atomkraftwerk Fukushima 1 geht die Behörde für Atomsicherheit nicht von schweren Schäden am Sicherheitsbehälter des Reaktors aus... Zuvor hatten die Nachrichtenagenturen Kyodo und Jiji berichtet, dass in einem Reaktor der Anlage Fukushima 1 womöglich eine Kernschmelze im Gang sei. Nach Einschätzung der Behörde für atomare Sicherheit "könnte sich dort eine Kernschmelze vollziehen", hieß es. Ein Sprecher von Tepco widersprach diesen Angaben.
Japan says explosion at plant did not affect nuclear reactor
Nor had the explosion at the Fukushima I plant, 240 kilometres north of Tokyo, led to a significant radioactive substance leak, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told a news conference.
Menschenkette von AKW-Unfall überschattet
Sie war seit Monaten geplant, niemand konnte ahnen, dass die große Anti-Atom-Menschenkette kurz nach einem möglichen GAU stattfinden würde. Um 13:30 ist die 45 Kilometer lange Kette aus 60.000 Menschen zwischen Stuttgart und dem AKW Neckarwestheim, welches sich ebenfalls in einem Erdbebengebiet befindet, geschlossen.
Japanese official says pumping system caused nuclear plant blast
The explosion about 3:30 p.m. Saturday sent white smoke rising above the plant a day after a massive earthquake and tsunami crippled cooling systems at the plant in northeastern Japan. Four workers were injured in the blast. The exact circumstances of the explosion remained unclear. Kyodo News Agency, citing Tokyo Electric Power Company.
China Switching To Home-Grown Chips For Supercomputers Author: timothy

rubycodez writes "The Tianhe-1A system will be the last Chinese supercomputer to use imported Intel and AMD processors. By years end, China's own 64 bit MIPS-compatible 65nm 8-core 1GHz version of the Godsen (Longsoon family) processors will be used, including 10,000 of them for the 'Dawning 6000' supercomputer. Yes, the chips can and usually do run GNU/Linux, but also can run FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and NetBSD." Read more of this story

Atom-Experte Rauch: "Das ist ein GAU"

Nach der Explosion und dem Einsturz des Daches des schwerbeschädigten Atomkraftwerk Fukushima 1 in Japan ist der Wiener Atomexperte Helmut Rauch überzeugt, dass es sich um einen "Größten Anzunehmenden Unfall" (GAU) handelt.

Koch Brothers Increased Wealth by $9 Billion Last Year As They Fund Laws to Make Working Class Poorer [link]

Japan's nuclear picture unclear
The BBC's environment correspondent analyses the situation at the Fukushima nuclear plant, in north-east Japan, following a large explosion.
Yemen protest attacked by police
Yemeni police attack anti-government demonstrators in the capital, with reports that at least six people have been killed and hundreds injured.
US Judge Orders Twitter To Give Up WikiLeaks Data Author: Soulskill

cultiv8 writes "A US judge Friday ordered Twitter to hand over the data of three users in contact with the activist site WikiLeaks. 'US Magistrate Judge Theresa Buchanan rejected arguments raised by the ACLU, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and a host of private attorneys representing the Twitter account holders, who had asserted that their privacy was protected by federal law, the First Amendment, and the Fourth Amendment. Buchanan rejected each of the arguments in quick succession, saying that there was no First Amendment issue because activists "have already made their Twitter posts and associations publicly available." The account holders have "no Fourth Amendment privacy interest in their IP addresses," she said, and federal privacy law did not apply because prosecutors were not seeking contents of the communications.'" Read more of this story

Gaddafi troops take key oil port

Rebel fighters are driven out of the Libyan port of Ras Lanuf after fierce fighting, leaving the key oil town in the hands of forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi.

Huge blast at Japan nuclear plant
A massive explosion has hit a Japanese nuclear power plant where a meltdown is feared as a huge relief operation continues after Friday's devastating earthquake and tsunami.
Standing firm
Yemen protesters say promised concessions are not enough
Karsai fordert Ende des NATO-Militäreinsatzes
Der afghanische Präsident Hamid Karsai hat die USA und die NATO aufgefordert, ihr militärisches Engagement in Afghanistan einzustellen. "Wir sind sehr tolerante Menschen, aber jetzt ist unsere Toleranz zu Ende", sagte er in der Provinz Kunar im Osten des Landes. Dort waren in den vergangenen Wochen laut afghanischen Angaben mehr als 70 Zivilisten bei Einsätzen der internationalen Schutztruppe ums Leben gekommen. Zuletzt wurden neun Kinder bei einem Angriff getötet.
Toyota stoppt Produktion
Toyota stellte die gesamte Autoproduktion in Japan ein. Auch Nissan und Honda mit Produktions-Stopp.
Hidden energy crisis in the Middle East Author: rowan
3/12/11 Kotsev, Asia times, Hidden energy crisis in the Middle East...
The Emergency Internet Bunkers Author: Soulskill

Barence writes "Should the Doomsday Clock ever strike midnight, we may well discover, finally, whether or not the internet really could survive a nuclear conflict. If it could, then a handful of datacenters dotted around the world would likely be all that remains of the multi-billion-dollar hosting industry. These secretive, high-security sites, tunneled out of mountains or housed behind the blast-proof doors of one-time NATO bunkers, are home to the planet's most secure hosting providers. This article profiles the emergency internet bunkers." Read more of this story

South Sudan accuses North of plot
South Sudan says it is suspending talks with the North, accusing President Bashir of plotting to overthrow the southern government.
Nearly Identical Anti-Labor Bills Appear In Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, Other States Author: Lee Fang

Reporting for the progressive Maine blog Dirigo Blue, Gerald Weinand has discovered that a proposed "right to work" law in Maine mirrors similar proposals in several other states, like New Hampshire and Missouri. The legislation in Maine, LD788, sponsored by State Rep. Tom Winsor (R), would make Maine like other low-wage anti-labor states by weakening unions. Right to work laws typically allow workers to opt-out of union dues while benefiting from union contracts, a cycle that usually kills a labor union over time. But the assault on worker rights in Maine appears to be part of a larger attack coordinated by conservative front groups. Winsor's bill contains phrases and language strikingly similar to other right to work proposals from Republicans across the country:

Maine's anti-union bill LD788:

§ 653. Right to refrain
A person may not be required, as a condition of employment or continuation of employment, to:
1. Become a member. Become or remain a member of a labor organization;
2. Pay dues. Pay any dues, fees, assessments or other similar charges, however denominated, of any kind or amount to a labor organization; or
3. Pro rata portions. Pay to any charity or other 3rd party, in lieu of payments under subsection 2, any amount equivalent to or a pro rata portion of dues, fees, assessments or other charges required of members of a labor organization.

New Hampshire anti-union bill HB 474:

273-D:4 Freedom of Choice Guaranteed, Discrimination Prohibited. No person shall be required, as a condition of employment or continuation of employment:
I. To resign or refrain from voluntary membership in, voluntary affiliation with, or voluntary financial support of a labor organization;
II. To become or remain a member of a labor organization;
III. To pay any dues, fees, assessments, or other charges of any kind or amount to a labor organization;
IV. To pay any charity or other third party, in lieu of such payments, any amount equivalent to or a pro-rata portion of dues, fees, assessments, or other charges of a labor organization.

Missouri's anti-union bill SB109:

Section A.290.590.2. No person shall be required as a condition or continuation of employment to:
(1) Become or refrain from becoming a member of a labor organization;
(2) Pay any dues, fees, assessments, or other similar charges however denominated of any kind or amount to a labor organization; or
(3) In lieu of the payments listed under subdivision (2) of this subsection, pay to any charity or other third party any amount equivalent to, or on a pro rata basis, any dues, fees, assessments, or other charges required of members of a labor organization.
In fact, the bills, excepting legaleese required to make the bill fit with each state's laws, are nearly identical, down to unusual vocabulary and phrasing.

David Koch's Americans for Prosperity group has beefed up its presence in Maine since the election of Gov. Paul LePage (R), a far-right tea party favorite. Meanwhile, Maine's Republican Speaker of the House hired Trevor Bragdon, the former director of the Americans for Prosperity state chapter in Maine. And Trevor's brother Tarren is the executive director of the Maine Heritage Policy Center, a conservative state-based think tank with ties to several corporate donors, including Koch Industries. Both Americans for Prosperity and the Maine Heritage Policy Center appear to be laying the groundwork for the same type of anti-labor effort as Wisconsin's led by Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI).

The conservative strategy for decimating the labor movement is being replicated with great speed - and little creativity. Each state, from Wisconsin , to Ohio , to Maine, and others across the country face a similar threat of phony Tea Party groups, business front organizations, and even nearly identical legislative proposals.

300 000 people are protesting right now in Lisbon, Portugal - the equivalent to the city's population - against the general precarity the Portuguese people lives in. [link]

BREAKING: Hacker To Release Documents Proving Bank Of America Committed Fraud This Monday

Groundbreaking New UN Report on How to Feed the World's Hungry: Ditch Corporate-Controlled Agriculture [link]

Japan: Befürchtungen einer Kernschmelze
Auch am zweiten Tag der Havarie des Atomkraftwerks Fukushima ist das Ausmaß der Katastrophe unklar. Samstag Vormittag kam es zu einer Explosion, die das Reaktorgebäude zerstörte. Die japanische Regierung hat eine Kernschmelze zunächst bestätigt, später jedoch wieder dementiert. Unklar ist zur Zeit auch, wie der Zustand von vier weiteren AKWs und einer Wiederaufarbeitungsanlage ist, in denen ebenfalls Probleme gemeldet wurden. Von Hanno Böck
Arab states support no-fly zone
The Arab League backs the idea of a no-fly zone over Libya, as rebels continue to be pushed back by Colonel Gaddafi's forces.
Cuba jails US web project worker
US internet project worker Alan Gross is sentenced to 15 years in prison for crimes against the state in Cuba.
Google Draws Fire From Congress Author: Soulskill
bonch writes "Democrat Herb Kohl, the Senate's leading antitrust legislator, has vowed an antitrust probe into Google as one of his top priorities. Others in Congress are criticizing the search giant over several flubs, including scanning personal data over neighborhood WiFi, collecting Social Security information from children in a doodling contest, and sidestepping net neutrality rules through a deal with Verizon. They're also concerned over ties with the administration - Eric Schmidt is a technology adviser to President Obama, Andrew McLaughlin serves as Obama's deputy chief technology officer, and Sonal Shah leads the White House Office of Social Innovation. Google spent $5.2 million last year on federal lobbying, but critics say their increased Washington presence has made more enemies than friends." Reader walterbyrd contributes an article that suggests this is all just a fund-raising ploy. Read more of this story
Protest over German nuclear power
Tens of thousands of people protest in Germany against the government's plans to extend the life of its nuclear reactors.
Zehntausende Menschen in einer Kette
Während in Japan eine atomare Katastrophe droht, sind in Baden-Württemberg zehntausende Menschen auf die Straße gegangen. Sie forderten den Ausstieg aus der Atomenergie.
Twitter Discards Client UI Community Author: Soulskill
Antique Geekmeister writes "Twitter has just decided to discard the community of developers who've created interesting and innovative UI applications. The announcement shows that they intend to switch from the 'bazaar' model of development to the 'cathedral,' with much tighter control of user interfaces for 'security' and 'consistency.'" Read more of this story
Thousands protest against Germany's nuclear plants
About 60,000 people turned out for the protest, according to organisers. Police said the number was in the tens of thousands. The demonstrators formed a human chain between Stuttgart and the Neckarwestheim nuclear plant, waving yellow flags with the slogan "Nuclear power - no thanks".

Reddit, I just marched with 100,000+ people in Madison, WI. A movement has started that goes beyond any one bill. This is a push back against Tea Party politics. Through recalls and elections our voices will be heard. Are you with us? [link]

Zweiter Atomreaktor in Japan kurz vor dem GAU
Deutschland muss die Vertrauensfrage zur studierten Physik-Kanzlerin stellen
Exodus from Japan nuclear plant
About 170,000 people have been evacuated from the area around a quake-damaged nuclear plant in north-east Japan that was hit by an explosion, the UN atomic watchdog says.
Bahrain protesters 'face threats'
Pro-democracy activists in Bahrain say they are being targeted with death threats, reports the BBC's Bill Law.
More Earthquakes to Come in Japan
The huge 9.0 earthquake that hit Japan was actually an aftershock-and is likely to be followed by more large aftershocks in the coming weeks.
Japan Quake Will Shift Earth's Mass -NASA Expert
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) specialist Richard Gross has stated that following the earthquake the Earth's figure axis (the axis around which the Earth is balanced by mass) has shifted by about 15 centimeters - 2 times greater than after...

Michigan In Chains As Rick Snyder Replaces Education With Punk Prisons
Gov. Rick Snyder has genius idea for Michigan. Cut spending to colleges, and increase money for prisons through privatization.
Radicals Manipulating Polls & Shifting The Outcome In Walker's Favor
The Journal Times presented a poll asking, "What's your opinion of the Senate's Decision to bypass the missing Democrats by splitting collective bargaining out of the budget repair bill." This poll is problematic because the outcome a lie. While their intent was to find out what America feels about the recent attempt at eradicating union rights, this poll has been.....
Republicans Look to Rock the Voting Rights
Newly empowered Republican lawmakers have set out on a quest to reform a few of the policies with regards to voting rights across the country, which could make voting difficult for many Americans in 2012.
The Wisconsin Protest Features Mr. Monk and the Case of Fox News
At the Wisconsin protest today actor Tony Shaloub, better known as TV's Monk, addressed the crowd and had some choice words for Fox News.
Nuclear Experts Explain Worst-Case Scenario at Fukushima Power Plant: Scientific American
The type of accident occurring now in Japan derives from a loss of offsite AC power and then a subsequent failure of emergency power on site. Engineers there are racing to restore AC power to prevent a core meltdown.
China Says Middle East Should Solve Problems Itself
BEIJING (Reuters) - Middle East countries should be left to themselves to resolve the problems they currently face without outside interference, a Chinese vice foreign minister said during a visit to the

Who is Raymond Davis?

Raymond Davis is undoubtedly a very important spy agent of the CIA in Pakistan, because --- of all the people --- the President of United States, himself intervened and has demanded that the Pakistani government release him immediately, since he enjoyed diplomatic immunity, and that is why the Pakistani court cannot try him for the cold-blooded murder of two innocent Pakistanis.

Atomarer Notstand in Japan nach schwerem Erdbeben
Wir informieren rund um die Uhr, der Nachrichtenlage entsprechend, über den Stand der Dinge. (Zeitangaben nach MEZ. Japan: MEZ + acht Stunden.)