20110502_item


Egypt in Palestine appeal to US
The Egyptian foreign minister urges the US to support the declaration of an independent Palestinian state, in a significant change of policy.
Investors in living wage campaign
A group of investors worth £13bn are holding a rally on Monday to push major companies into paying a "living wage".
NSA Advises Upgrade To Windows 7 Author: timothy

An anonymous reader writes "In a document available from the NSA (warning, PDF file), that organisation advises users to upgrade to Windows 7 as part of their Best Practice for Securing a Home Network. Read more of this story

The timeline of the mission to kill Osama bin Laden
The mission to kill Osama bin Laden was years in the making, but began in earnest last fall with the discovery of a suspicious compound near Islamabad, and culminated with a helicopter based raid in the early morning hours in Pakistan Sunday.
Big ideas wanted
China looks for creativity to boost hi-tech industry
UK gas field may close in tax row
Centrica, the owner of British Gas, threatens to close a field because high taxes make it unprofitable.
"Invisible Galaxy" Revealed by Spitzer Space Telescope
Maffei 2 is the poster child for an infrared galaxy that is almost invisible to optical telescopes. Foreground dust clouds in our Milky Way galaxy block about 99.5 percent of its visible light. But this infrared image from NASAs Spitzer...

President Obama to Make Late Night Statement [link]

Osama bin Laden is dead [link]

Osama Bin Laden Dead: REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON OSAMA BIN LADEN
Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.

Bin Laden is Dead [link]

We think that bin Laden 'death photo' is a fake
Graphic image below: Please be forewarned that an image lower down on this post looks like the bloody face of a dead body. Some viewers might find it disturbing.
Osama Bin Laden Is Dead Author: Alyssa Rosenberg

Multiple news sources are confirming that President Obama will announce momentarily that Osama bin Laden, the world's most wanted terrorist, has been killed by American military personnel and the country is in possession of his body. On October 7, 2008, President Obama said, "We will kill Bin Laden."

His reign is over. [link]

Electrical Problem Pushes Back Endeavour Launch Author: timothy
oxide7 writes "The final launch of the space shuttle Endeavour hit yet another snag as engineers battle to resolve an electrical problem that scuttled Friday's launch attempt." The upshot, for anyone who wants to watch the lift-off in real time, is that the next likely launch window is toward the end of the week. Read more of this story
How Osama Bin Laden Was Found
In this age of GPS signals, Foursquare check-ins, and iPhone tracking, how did America's most-wanted man, Osama Bin Laden, stay hidden for almost a decade? A better question would ask how he was found, for that is the reason the world is rejoicing today.
Now that Bin Laden is dead, can I bring shampoo on a plane now?

I hate it when I forget and I have to throw it out.. [link]

Osama Bin Laden really shouldn't have used his real address on PSN. [link]

The obama speech. [link]

Weißes Haus gibt Tod von Bin Laden bekannt
Neuneinhalb Jahre nach dem bis heute nicht gerichtlich untersuchten Mord an 3000 Amerikanern und Ausländern in New York und Washington am 11.September 2001 gibt das Weiße Haus nun den Tod von Osama bin Laden bekannt.
'Immense damage' warning on fires
The National Trust warns of "immense damage" as fires burn around the UK.
Osama Bin Laden Reported Dead, Body In US Hands Author: timothy
Reader Tom Hudson, and now several others, have submitted the news that Osama Bin Laden is reportedly dead, and that his body is in the hands of the US military. A statement from President Obama is expected shortly. Watch this space for more details. Update: 05/02 04:01 GMT by T : More coverage at ABC News, at CNN, and at Al Jazeera. The reports say that Bin Laden was actually killed about a week ago by a bomb in Pakistan, and the time taken to confirm his identity via DNA testing helped delay the news. In downtown Austin, Texas, in the time since the story broke I've heard what sound like numerous celebratory gunshots. Read more of this story
Rise in number of £1m homes sold
The number of homes selling for at least £1m in Scotland grew at the fastest rate for three years in 2010, new figures show.

That's a rough typo, Fox... [link]

and the award for best osama related tweet goes to... [link]

HOLY SHIT HE'S DEAD!

I can't believe Bruce Willis has been dead the whole time. I just finished watching the 6th sense for the first time. [link]

Video: Inside Bin Laden's Drone-Proof Compound Author: Spencer Ackerman and Noah Shachtman
Bloodstained mattresses and carpets. Discarded medication bottles. Clothing hanging in a dresser, never to see its owners again. That's what remains of the compound where Osama bin Laden met his end at the hands of a U.S. raiding team.

So about that birth certificate. [link]

U.S. Forces Kill Osama bin Laden in Firefight, Recover Body Author: Spencer Ackerman
President Obama announced on Sunday night that Osama bin Laden is dead. Not just dead but killed in a firefight by a small team of U.S. operatives who recovered his body.
Bin Laden's Online Fan Club Fumes at Death Reports Author: Adam Rawnsley and Noah Shachtman
Osama Bin Laden's death prompted Americans to pop champagne corks and party in flash mobs at the White House. His supporters on the internet had an altogether different response: anger, silence and suspended belief.

10 years, 2 wars, 919,967 deaths & $1,188,263,000,000 later, we managed to kill one person. I hope it was worth it. [link]

Bog-snorkelling Britain
Why does the UK have a love affair with bizarre sports?
Two 60-Year-Old Men Face Trial For Sharing 3000 Songs
From being one of the safest places in Europe to share files a few years ago, Sweden continues to prove problematic for those who share large amounts of music.

TIL Hitler was announced dead to the world on May 1, 1945. Exactly 66 years later, Osama bin Laden was also announced dead. [link]

EXCLUSIVE: Inside the Operation That Killed Bin Laden (video from inside the compound)
It began with a tip to the CIA eight months ago about a possible Bin Laden hiding place, and led Sunday to the bold military operation that will go down in U.S. history. Osama Bin Laden wasn't hiding in a cave, but in a Pakistani city of 90,000 called Abbottabad, just north of the Pakistani capital. Tracking one of the Al Qaeda leader's trusted couriers, the CIA discovered an acre-large, million-dollar compound with 12 to 18-foot walls that had no telephones but was eight times the size of other homes in the area and just off a major highway.
Comment: Some early remarks on bin Laden's assassination Author: intelNews
It is tempting to consider the impact of Osama bin Laden's assassination on al-Qaeda-inspired groups and, more broadly, on America's "global war on terrorism". Yet any such endeavor at this point would be inevitably speculative. The truth is, nobody has the slightest idea of the possible strategic spillover of bin Laden's killing, and this includes the White House, the CIA and NATO. There are, however, some general remarks, mostly of operational nature, that can safely be made on the basis of the limited factual information that has been made available. Continue reading
Meet The 'Seal Team 6', The Bad-Asses Who Killed Osama Bin Laden
So classified even their official name is classified

Breaking- The house Osama bin Laden was found in [link]

India search for missing 'copter
A massive search for a missing helicopter carrying the chief minister of India's north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh enters its third day.
Fox News congratulates Bush for bin Laden
The cable giant's home page features George W. Bush -- with no sign of that other guy
Why Was Bin Laden Buried At Sea So Quickly?
Know why Usama was buried very quickly.
VIDEO: Obama confirms death of Bin Laden
US President Barack Obama has confirmed the death of Osama Bin Laden and that the US has taken custody of the al-Qaeda leader's body.
Al-Qaida Ideologue Condemns Bin Laden Slaying
A top al-Qaida ideologue vowed revenge Monday for the killing of Osama Bin Laden by U.S. forces, in the first jihadist admission of the militant leader's death.
Osama bin Laden's body buried at sea
U.S. officials told CBS News that bin Laden's body would be handled in accordance with Muslim traditions, which include strict rules on burial taking place within 24 hours after death...
Bin Laden's Compound Gets A Bum Review On Google Maps
Google users have been busy as the news of the raid on Osama bin Laden's mansion was breaking. A pretty large large compound ...

Thank You Apple For Killing Osama Bin Laden

Osama bin Laden: Seebestattung?
Ist die Tötung von Osama bin Laden nichts anderes als Medientheater? Ist Osama wirklich tot? Oder war er nicht schon viel früher tot? Lebt er vielleicht doch noch?
AT&T caps broadband use
Today, AT&T becomes the second cable company in the US to start charging customers on how much broadband they use.
Pakistan a 'terror refuge': India
India says Osama Bin Laden's killing near Islamabad is proof that "terrorists from different organisations find sanctuary in Pakistan".
China boosts marine surveillance
China is to expand its ocean monitoring agency to protect its maritime interests, amid growing tensions over territorial disputes.
Targeting tumors: Removable 'cloak' for nanoparticles helps them target tumors
New MIT particles could be used to deliver cancer drugs to nearly any type of tumor.
Obama's Political Coup: He Heads Toward 2012 as the President Who Did What Bush Could Not
Forget trumping Trump with the long-form birth certificate, President Obama's Sunday night announcement that he had ordered a successful mission to kill Osama bin Laden was a political coup that will yield him benefits for months, perhaps years, to come.
Osama bin Laden: A dead nemesis perpetuated by the US government
ON MAY 1, 2011, JUST MOMENTS BEFORE PRESIDENT OBAMA ANNOUNCED THAT THE US HAD KILLED OSAMA BIN LADEN, THE WHATREALLYHAPPENED WEBITE CAME UNDER MASSIVE DISTRIBUTED DENIAL OF SERVICE ATTACK. THIS PAGE, WHICH DOCUMENTS THAT OSAMA BIN LADEN ACTUALLY DIED IN DECEMBER OF 2001, APPEARS TO BE WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE DIDN'T WANT AVAILABLE WHILE THE NEW PROPAGANDA WAS "CATAPULTED FORWARD".
Dad Gives Toddler Battling Brain Cancer Medical Marijuana
Wish more news organizations would report these kinds of real medical marijuana stories
Koalition streitet um Anti-Terror-Gesetze
Die Diskussion um die Verlängerung der Anti-Terror-Gesetze spaltet die Regierungskoalition. Bundesinnenminister Hans-Peter Friedrich (CSU) drängte nach der Festnahme von drei mutmaßlichen al-Qaida-Terroristen am Freitag erneut zur Ausweitung der bis Ende des Jahres geltenden Sonderbefugnisse für Geheimdienste.
SPD fordert Verlängerung der Anti-Terror-Gesetze
In der Debatte um die Anti-Terror-Gesetze erhält Bundesinnenminister Hans-Peter Friedrich (CSU) Unterstützung von der SPD. Der innenpolitische Sprecher der SPD-Bundestagsfraktion, Dieter Wiefelspütz, sprach sich für eine Verlängerung der Gesetze aus. "Es spricht alles dafür, das damals von Rot-Grün entworfene Maßnahmenpaket nicht enden zu lassen"
Anti-Terror-Gesetze: Die Minister-Friedrich-Pauschale
Bisher waren Anti-Terror-Gesetze befristet, Innenminister Hans-Peter Friedrich will sie pauschal unbefristet verlängern. Der Widerstand dagegen ist berechtigt und bitter notwendig - sonst wird das Ausnahmerecht zur Normalität.
Wie der Apparat versucht seinen deutschen Patriot Act zu retten
Der neue Bundesinnenminister Hans Friedrich (CSU) will nach den angeblichen Attentatsplänen festgenommener mutmasslicher Terroristen der "Al Kaida" die 2001 nach den Attentaten in New York und Washington auch in Deutschland beschlossenen und 2006 verlängerten Terror-Gesetze Ende 2011 abermals verlängern. Dabei wird der CSU-Innenminister von der SPD unterstützt. Hintergrund: In den z.z. laufenden Verhandlungen mit CDU und CSU hat Bundesjustizministerin Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger (FDP), neben den bereits ausgesetzten Internet-Sperren und der aufgehobenen Vorratsdatenspeicherung, auch alle seit 2001 beschlossenen Terror-Gesetze auf den Prüfstand stellen lassen.

From the memory hole: "Bush rejects Taliban offer to surrender bin Laden" - Oct. 2001 [link]

Since Osama is dead can you americans get your troops home and start funding NASA properly again? (you did way better in space than in iraq) [link]

Bin Laden Game Launches Hours after Obama's Statement
A satirical Flash game was created, having the players control a terrorist attacking a U.S. Army Base.
5 Responses to Right Wing Bitterness Over Obama Gettin' Osama
Right wingers are out in full force trying to deny that President Obama did something their guy did not do. He took out Bin Laden.
Osama bin Laden corpse photo is fake
Image of bloodied man picked up by British newspapers has been circulating online for two years
From 9/11 to Bin Laden's Death: Tech Takes Center Stage
Once again, world events put technology in perspective.
Germany and France power eurozone
German and French manufacturing continues to expand, but worries about "periphery" economies continues.
Osama Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive?
The last time the world heard from Osama bin Laden, there was reason to believe his end was near.
French ex-PM appeal hearing opens
Former French PM Dominique de Villepin faces an appeal against his acquittal on charges that he plotted to discredit President Sarkozy.
Bin Laden raid was tweeted live
The raid that killed Osama Bin Laden was revealed first on Twitter by IT consultant Sohaib Athar.
Bin Laden Shot Through Left Eye, DNA Matched Sister's Brain Tissues.
DNA was matched with brain tissue of that of his sister who died a few years ago in a Boston hospital according to a Washington source. The body was later buried from an aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea according to the same source.
5 Ways Obama Can Spin the Death of Osama Bin Laden into Kick Ass Approval Ratings
Obama is now riding high on a wave of kick ass results, results we've been waiting nearly a decade for. He can't rest of his laurels here though, oh no. He needs to take this high and go higher. We came up with a few ways he can work this already awesome news into even greater approval for himself and his Presidency. Take heed, Obama, were trying to help you out.
Osama Raid Live Tweets
ReallyVirtual Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event). May 01, 2011, 7:58 PM ReallyVirtual Go away helicopter - before I take out my giant swatter :-/ May 01, 2011, 8:05 PM ReallyVirtual A huge window shaking bang here in Abbottabad Cantt. I hope its not the start of something nasty :-S May 01, 2011, 8:09 PM ReallyVirtual
Pakistan: Anwohner soll zufällig Angriff auf bin Laden getwittert haben
"Ein großer Knall, das Fenster wackelt": Sohaib Athar verfolgte offenbar zufällig den Angriff auf Osama bin Laden. Und twitterte darüber.

I think it's weird that the body of the most wanted man since 2001 was simply thrown into the ocean, shortly after being killed. [link]

Welcome to the Brave New World of Persuasion Profiling Author: Eli Pariser
A new profiling technique doesn't just find content you might enjoy. It learns exactly what makes you tick -- and buy.
REFLECTING ON 9/11: Dan Rather on Witnessing the Attack Firsthand
Dan Rather discusses the personal impact he felt reporting on the attack and seeing the death and destruction in person.
Kühlschrankhersteller bleiben Klimakiller
Vermeidbare 5,8 Millionen Tonnen Kohlendioxid-Äquivalente: Bosch-Siemens, Bauknecht, Miele & Co. schlampen bei Recyclen und Entsorgen von FCKW als alten Kühlgeräten. Aus Berlin Sarah Messina
Julian Assange: Facebook is "most appalling spy machine" for US Intelligence
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said Facebook is the "most appalling spy machine" ever invented. Users are creating the "world's most comprehensive database" and doing "free work for United States intelligence agencies."
Osama bin Laden killed - The Big Picture
Osama bin Laden is dead. He was 54. The leader of the Al Qaeda terrorist network had eluded capture for a decade since the attacks on September 11, 2001. U.S. forces and CIA operatives killed him in a firefight in his hideout compound in the city of Abbotabad, Pakistan. He was buried at sea.
Meeresspiegel steigt schneller
Der Arktische Rat schlägt Alarm: Der Meeresspiegel wird am Ende des Jahrhunderts bis zu 1,6 Meter über dem heutigen liegen. Was tun, wenn der Meeresspiegel steigt? In einer Serie beleuchtet klimaretter.info, welche Strategien es dagegen gibt.Von Nick Reimer
Such a true quote by JFK

"We must face the fact that the United States is neither omnipotent nor omniscient; that we are only 6 percent of the world's population; that we cannot impose our will upon the other 94 percent of mankind; that we cannot right every wrong or reverse every adversity; and that therefore there cannot be an American solution to every world problem."

Edit: Context for those interested: www.learner.org/workshops/primarysources/coldwar/docs/jfk.html

Bahrain decision due 'in hours'
Formula 1 bosses will decide "in the next hours" on the future of the 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Top 50 Internet Reactions to Osama Bin Laden's Death
Amidst a sea of poorly executed Waldo jokes and some really truly, horrible, hate-filled Facebook statuses, here are the fifty funniest reactions the internet had to offer about Osama Bin Laden's death

Now that Osama's dead, can our FPS's stop taking place in the Middle East? [link]

Chrysler returns to profitability
US carmaker Chrysler reports a quarterly net profit of $116m, its first since it emerged from bankruptcy protection in 2009.
Your Location 'Extremely Valuable' To Google Author: timothy
An anonymous reader writes "Google recently wrote off concerns about its mobile devices sending precise user location data back to its servers, but recently uncovered emails illustrate that user location is instrumental in its strategy. Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile at Google, wrote to Larry Page, founder and now CEO, explaining that location data from mobile phones was 'extremely valuable to Google,' especially given the privacy blow-up concerning its Street View cars at the time." Read more of this story
Rush Limbaugh Gushes That Obama Singlehandedly Brought Down Bin Laden
The death of Osama Bin Laden has turned the political world on its ear. On his radio show today, even Rush Limbaugh praised Obama, and later took it back.
SPD-Politiker fordern Verlängerung der Anti-Terror-Gesetze
ie FDP will wenn überhaupt nur eine befristete Verlängerung durchsetzen. Die CSU würde die Gesetze am liebsten unbestimmt verlängern. Nun kommen auch aus den Reihen der SPD Stimmen, die sich für eine Verlängerung des Gesetzeswerks aussprechen.
SPD verlangt Gesetz für Vorratsdatenspeicherung
Parteichef Sigmar Gabriel sagte am Montag nach einer Telefonkonferenz des SPD-Präsidiums, die Sozialdemokraten seien nach wie vor davon überzeugt, dass die Vorratsdatenspeicherung richtig sei...
Bin Ladens Tod stützt Dollar nur kurz
Der Tod von Al-Kaida-Chef Osama bin Laden hat am Montag die Anleger nur kurz in den Dollar getrieben.
VIDEO: Karzai on Bin Laden: Afghans suffered
Afghan president Hamid Karzai says his people became victims in the hunt for Bin Laden.
Obama auf See bestattet?
Regierungssprecher Steffen Seibert twittert für Kanzlerin: "Obama verantwortlich für Tod tausender Unschuldiger" Spiegel Online: "US-Militär soll Obama auf See bestattet haben". US-Fernsehsender FOX: "USAMA dead"
Berlusconi coalition partners call for Libya raids deadline
The right-wing coalition partners of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi called on Sunday for a parliamentary vote to fix a deadline for Italy's participation in Libyan air strikes.
Lega-Chef Bossi spricht mit Premier Klartext
Die rechtspopulistische Regierungspartei Lega Nord hat dem italienischen Premier Silvio Berlusconi mit dem Sturz seines Mitte-Rechts-Kabinetts gedroht, sollte die Regierungskoalition nicht geschlossen für einen Sechs-Punkte-Antrag über den Libyen-Einsatz stimmen.
Bin Laden's Death Being Used To Spread Malware Author: CmdrTaco

wiredmikey writes "Following the successful operation by US forces to kill Osama bin Laden, Internet users are searching in the masses for any details about the incident they can find. Cyber-criminals know this and have already been at work to 'poison' common search results hoping to gain access to people's computers and infect them with malware." Read more of this story

ThinkFast: May 2, 2011 Author: Think Progress
President Obama authorized the development of a plan for the U.S. to bomb Osama bin Laden's compound in March, but later called it off because the raid would have likely inflicted many civilian causalities and destroyed Bin Laden's body, thus eviscerating proof Obama needed to ensure the world he had killed the terrorist leader.

The body of Bin Laden will be handled "in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition," according to a White House official. In Islam, bodies must be buried within 24 hours, and U.S. officials confirmed that Bin Laden's body was buried at sea . Handling the body according to custom is "something we take very seriously," the official said.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney congratulated President Obama on Osama bin Laden's death, calling it "a victory for the United States and a tremendous achievement ." President Bush joined Cheney in congratulating Obama and the U.S. forces, marking the moment as a "momentous achievement" that deserves " our everlasting gratitude ."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai reiterated calls for quicker pullout of American troops from Afghanistan, citing Osama bin Laden's death near the Pakistani capital as proof that "the war on terror is not in Afghanistan." Other Afghan politicians said "the Americans have achieved their goal" in bin Laden's death and thus "have no reason to stay."

The Taliban vowed terror attacks in revenge for the death of Bin Laden. "We will do it by carrying out attacks in Pakistan and America," Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan said. There was a bomb attack at a Pakistani mosque near the site of Bin Laden's killing, although it was unclear whether the attack was committed in response to the killing of the terror leader.

Stocks and futures both gained upon the announcement of bin Laden's death, while the dollar also snapped a nine-day slump and oil prices dropped to a two-week low . "This is a positive development in the campaign against terrorism," said one market strategist. "In the last 10 years, bin Laden's presence has been a serious threat to global stability."

Arab Americans and Muslim Americans in the nation's Arab American capital of Dearborn, Michigan, celebrated upon hearing the news of Bin Laden's death. "The world is definitely a better place without the patron of all terrorists," said Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini, the head of the city's largest mosque.

Yesterday, Sohaib Athar , a 33-year-old computer programmer who lives in Abbottabad, Pakistan, became, in his own words, "the guy who live-blogged the Osama raid without knowing it." Throughout the night, Athar ( @ReallyVirtual ) tweeted about the unusual events unfolding in his city with messages like, "Go away helicopter - before I take out my giant swatter," not realizing until much later what had occurred.

And finally: Revelers who descended on the plaza in front of the White House late last night to celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden were joined by several celebrities, including Friends star David Arquette , several Captain Americas, and Spider Man , who could be seen climbing the trees in front of the executive mansion.

"I wish this achievement could mean we get our country back, the one before the Patriot Act, before FISA, before rendition and torture and Guantanamo; before we began giving up the freedom and belief in due process that makes us Americans, out of our fear of totalitarians like bin Laden" [link]

Italy PM Berlusconi back in court
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi appears in court, lambasting prosecutors and complaining that he has better things to do.

Make Wall St. Pay for the Catastrophe They Caused: A new Bill sponsored by Bob Blumenfield (D, LA) would impose a $20,000 fine on banks for each foreclosure [link]

Atomausstieg bleibt vorerst offen
Zu Reststrommengen oder konkretem Ausstiegsdatum angeblich noch keine Entscheidung der Regierung
FLASHBACK: Bush On Bin Laden: 'I Really Just Don't Spend That Much Time On Him' Author: Alex Seitz-Wald

Just days before President Obama was inaugurated, Fox News host Sean Hannity launched into the president-elect for supposedly " putting our national security at risk " by "flip-flop[ing]" on his pledge to go after Osama bin Laden. Accusing Obama of abandoning President Bush's efforts in hunting down the Al Qaeda leader, Hannity exclaimed, "Mr. Obama's change of heart is jaw dropping," saying Obama was "softening his stance" on hunting down the terrorist.

Needless to say, Obama did not relent in going after Bin Laden, and may have even doubled down on his predecessor's effort. In 2006, conservative Weekly Standard editor Fred Barnes told Hannity's Fox News that in a recent meeting with Bush, the president had told him "bin Laden doesn't fit with the administration's strategy for combating terrorism." Barnes said Bush told him that capturing bin Laden is " not a top priority use of American resources ."

And just six months after 9/11, Bush suggested in a press conference that Bin Laden was not a top priority for his administration. Asked whether Bush thought capturing Bin Laden was important, Bush scolded those who cared about Bin Laden for not "understand[ing] the scope of the mission" because Bin Laden was just "one person," whom Bush said, " I really just don't spend that much time on ":

Who knows if he's hiding in some cave or not. We haven't heard from him in a long time. The idea of focusing on one person really indicates to me people don't understand the scope of the mission. Terror is bigger than one person. He's just a person who's been marginalized. … I don't know where he is. I really just don't spend that much time on him, to be honest with you.

Towards the end of his presidency, Bush seemed to acknowledge that he would never get Bin Laden, saying, " He'll be gotten by a president ," without specifying which one.

Now, Obama has fulfilled his campaign promise to capture the terrorist leader, so did Fox News give credit where is due? This morning, Fox and Friends approvingly played a clip of Bush from shortly after 9/11, saying, "President George W. Bush promised to the nation that Osama bin Laden would be caught any way possible." "We did finally get him," host Brian Kilmeade said after the clip.

In what is likely to become a chorus on the right, the conservative Heritage Foundation's president wrote this morning that "Bin Laden's elimination vindicates U.S. strategy in the region, started under President George W. Bush ."

Kanzlersprecher Seiberts peinlicher Obama-Vorwurf des Massenmords
Freudscher Versprecher im Eifer des Gefechts, Sarkasmus oder einfach bodenlose Dummheit und fehlende Kompetenz. Regierungssprecher der Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel, Steffen Seibert und Chef des Bundespresseamtes heute Morgen auf Twitter:
The Osama Raid: Tricked-Out Choppers, Live Tweets, Possible Pakistani Casualties Author: David Axe and Noah Shachtman
No U.S. operatives were hurt or killed in the dramatic, early-morning raid that killed al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden in his northern Pakistan hideout. At least, none that we know about. But there may have been casualties among the Americans' allies, according to fragmentary press reports in the hours after the attack. That would mean U.S. troops had some friends along during the raid, despite some sources insisting it was an Americans-only show.

Giuliani:...I don't feel great elation. I watch a lot of the celebrating and it makes me feel a little strange, I don't know. Nothing erases the loss of all those lives... [link]

The Neurobiology of Revenge Author: Johan Lehrer
Why does revenge taste so sweet? Why do we feel the need to chant in the streets after the death of a hated man? The answer returns us to the brain, and to the fascinating ways in which those three pounds of meat mirror the ideals of game theory.
Probleme in weiterem japanischen AKW
Radioaktivität am AKW Tsuruga II in Präfektur Fukui ausgetreten
Lava Lamp Action Helped Create Grand Canyon Author: Alexandra Witze
For all its glorious views, the Colorado plateau remains an ugly mystery to geologists. A new study, however, suggests hot rock welling up from below like blobs in a lava lamp may be responsible.
Why I'll Remember May 2, 2011

I'm an American who works abroad. Today I woke up earlier than usual and while soberly checking the international news, I saw immediately (and everywhere) that Osama bin Laden had been killed. Good news, I suppose. The almost mythical leader of Al-Qaeda, who nearly everyone had forgotten about, was dead and dumped in the sea. He had been irrelevant for long, I thought, but perhaps his death would lead to some much-needed reflection about the catastrophe that was the last decade. Right.

I will not remember today for Osama's death. I will remember it for the way I felt watching the videos of my countrymen celebrating in the streets of New York and Washington. I don't recognize them, these people waving flags, singing, and pouring their jubilation into the night because we killed someone. And what about all the others that have been killed? During 10 years we spent unbelievable amounts of blood and treasure, enacted unthinkable civil liberties legislation, and turned ourselves into brutes for this.

And there we were out on the streets. Brutes. We have become brutes.

Yes, the world is a better place without Osama bin Laden. But I fear what this has brought out in us. The structural factors that create Osama bin Ladens still exist, and unless we work to change those, we will continue to undermine ourselves by giving our attention to tomorrow's straw man.[link]

Royal bouquet draws abbey crowds
Well-wishers queuing around Westminster Abbey to catch a glimpse of the bride's bouquet as the royal couple are expected to return to Anglesey.
Man Unknowingly Tweets the Osama Raid Author: samzenpus
Sohaib Athar, a.k.a. @ReallyVirtual, had no idea the helicopters he was complaining about on twitter were part of the top secret mission that killed Osama bin Laden Sunday night. 10 hours before bin Laden's death was announced Athar posted: "Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event)." From the article: "During the raid, Athar speculates that he was two or three kilometers away from the shooting that took place. Once news broke that bin Laden had been killed in Abbottabad, Athar tweeted, 'Uh oh, now I'm the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it.'"Read more of this story
Africans welcome Bin Laden death
The leaders of African countries where al-Qaeda has staged attacks, such as Kenya, Tanzania and Mali, welcome the killing by US forces in Pakistan of Osama Bin Laden but warn of possible revenge.
Al-Qaeda's leader Bin Laden dead
Al-Qaeda founder and leader Osama Bin Laden is killed by US ground forces in Pakistan, President Barack Obama says.
Giftige Zwerge in der Umwelt?
Über Wirkungen von Nanomaterialien in aquatischen Ökosystemen
Rep. Barney Frank: Bin Laden Killing 'Strengthens The Case' For Withdrawal From Afghanistan Author: Faiz Shakir

In an interview with ThinkProgress today, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) told us that the well-executed killing of the world's most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden, "absolutely" bolsters the case for beginning a significant withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

Explaining his decision to vote for the Afghanistan war in 2001, Frank said, "We went there to get Osama bin Laden. And we have now gotten Osama bin Laden. … So yes, I think this does strengthen the case [for withdrawal]."

Frank was appearing at the Center for American Progress Action Fund to discuss the need for sensible defense-spending reductions. The bin Laden killing also argues for "reducing our expenditures where we defend our legitimate interests," he told us. Frank continued:

Look, part of the argument against this reduction is that it was reputational, for staying in Afghanistan. 'We can't look like America was driven out.' 'We can't go away with our tail between our legs.' All of those metaphors. Well, we just killed Osama bin Laden, and I think that takes a lot of the pressure away - a lot of the punch away from the argument that 'oh, it will look like we walked away.'"

Obama is "entitled to call President Bush and ask if he can borrow the 'Mission Accomplished' banner because he was able to do it," Frank added.

"USA! USA!" is the wrong response: Bin Laden's death is a great relief, but by cheering it we're mimicking our worst enemies [link]

Brietbart isn't alone. On Twitter, Emily Miller, a senior editor at the Washington Times demanded "proof" that Osama is dead.

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In the hours after a team of U.S. Navy SEALs attacked Osama bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan -- and shot the world's most wanted man in the head -- the Facebook pages for the U.S. Navy, SEALs and Army saw a dramatic spike in activity as users flocked online to post their thoughts and comments about the event.

While other potential presidential candidates, like Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee, chose not to directly credit Obama with bringing bin Laden to justice, Santorum made transparent attempts to paint the president, and the left as a whole, as terrorist sympathizers with no interest in protecting American freedoms. Those attempts are, of course, baseless. Obama campaigned for president by promising to find bin Laden, even if it meant going into Pakistan to do so.

This isn't the first time Santorum has attempted to characterize an opponent as soft on terrorism. During his 2006 Senate campaign, Santorum accused now-Sen. Bob Casey (D) of "aiding and abetting terrorism and genocide" in his job as Pennsylvania state treasurer.

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RedEaredSlider writes "Two Android phone users are suing Google for $50 million in the wake of revelations that their phones might be tracking their locations. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on April 27, is seeking class-action status. The plaintiffs, Julie Brown and Kayla Molaski, are residents of Oakland County. The two say in the suit that Google's privacy policy did not say that the phones broadcast their location information. Further, they say Google knew that most users would not understand that the privacy policy would allow for Google to track users' locations." Apple was sued for their location tracking last week. According to Boy Genius Report, iOS tracking will be addressed in version 4.3.3, which is due out within a couple weeks.Read more of this story
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Right Rushes To Praise Bush For Obama's Order To Kill Bin Laden Author: Marie Diamond

President Obama announced late last night that he had authorized a military mission to kill the world's most wanted terrorist. "Last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice." In response, conservative leaders and pundits rushed to heap praise on the president - President Bush, that is:

- Majority Whip Eric Cantor: "I commend President Obama who has followed the vigilance of President Bush in bringing Bin Laden to justice." [Link]

- Former Bush Chief of Staff Andy Card: "[Bush] made sure everything was in place so that President Obama could have an opportunity to get Osama bin Laden." [Link]

Other conservatives used the opportunity to advance their national security agendas, claiming the mission vindicated controversial Bush policies on everything from unilateralism to torture:

- Rep. Steve King (R-IA) tweeted, "Wonder what President Obama thinks of water boarding now?" - an allusion to the fact that the nickname of the courier who served bin Laden may have been elicited under tortured interrogation. [Link]

- Former Bush adviser Karl Rove said on Fox & Friends this morning: "I think the tools that President Bush put into place -- GITMO, rendition, enhanced interrogation, the vast effort to collect and collate this information - obviously served his successor quite well."

- Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld noted that the critical intelligence that led to bin Laden's death "very well could have been partly a result of the interviews that took place at Guantanamo." [Link]

- Heritage Foundation President Edwin Feulner, wrote in a blog post, "Bin Laden's elimination vindicates U.S. strategy in the region, started under President George W. Bush." [Link]

- John Yoo, Bush legal adviser who wrote "torture memos": "Without the tough decisions taken by President Bush and his national security team, the United States could not have found and killed bin Laden. It is the continuity of policies in the war on terror that has brought success, not the misguided effort of the last two years to disavow them." [Link]

Meanwhile, some pundits went even further, criticizing President Obama for not giving his predecessor enough credit:

- Conservative blogger Michelle Malkin tweeted, "U know who Obama forgot 2 thank? Bush-era interrogators&detention staff who dvlped intel re couriers." [Link]

- Conservative radio host Laura Ingraham tweeted, "BHO turning this into a campaign speech. He should have thanked GWB, not reminded us OB escaped." She was also suspicious of the timing of the announcement, asking, "Did Obama WH wait to announce on anniv of Bush 'Mission Accomplished'?!" [Link, link]

- Tea Party Nation head Judson Phillips "said that the death of Osama bin Laden happened in spite of President Obama and criticized the President for announcing the breaking news during Donald Trump's 'Celebrity Apprentice.'" [Link]

As for real estate mogul Donald Trump, he had more important things to tweet about this morning: "Don't forget to watch Donald J. Trump's Fabulous World of Golf-tonight at 9 pm, Golf Channel."

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Barney Frank On Cantor Crediting Bush For Killing Bin Laden: 'That's Just Sad' Author: Ben Armbruster

Announcing the death of Osama bin Laden, President Obama explained that shortly after assuming office, he ordered CIA Director Leon Panetta to make it the Agency's top priority to bring bin Laden to justice. Obama said the effort was the result of "many months" of hard work. But many on the right also want to give credit to President Bush - who regularly said that getting bin Laden wasn't his priority. House Majority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) said in a statement, "I commend President Obama who has followed the vigilance of President Bush in bringing Bin Laden to justice."

ThinkProgress asked Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) to respond to Cantor's comment and Frank didn't mince words:

FRANK: Well first of all, I think, let's give discredit where it is due. For Eric Cantor to phrase it that way, to say he followed the vigilance of President Bush is a degree of key partisanship that exceeded what I even expected from Cantor. That's just sad. [...]

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If Bush had gotten Osama after Clinton had failed do you think Eric Cantor would've given Clinton credit and said, "Oh good Bush got Osama bin Laden, he showed the same vigilance as Bill Clinton"? No. Not even close.

"There's been a striking absence of Republicans willing to repudiate" right-wing attacks on Obama for allegedly not being "interested in protecting America," Frank noted, adding:

FRANK: Maybe we've got two outrageous lies refuted within a space of a week. First, we had the birth nonsense and now the nonsense that the President is not committed to fully defending American security.

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