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February 2008

February 29, 2008

gleans at 5:55 PM MT, 2/29

 James Lovelock 

'Enjoy life while you can'

Climate science maverick James Lovelock believes catastrophe is inevitable, so what would he do?

 

Don't laugh, sugar pills are the future

Bad science: It was fun to hear new analysis showing some antidepressants aren't much cop

 

The Prince returns, a hero and an enemy

Prince Harry carrying a 9mm pistol

Prince Harry returns to England, a hero to the Army, a changed man in the eyes of the public and a target for jihadists

 

Help or hindrance: Doubts grow over Bill Clinton

Former President struggles to draw crowds as Ohio and Texas showdowns could signal end of campaign

 

Illustration by Bill Sanderson
The best children's books
Meg Rosoff, Eoin Colfer, Melvin Burgess and Jonathan Stroud introduce Puffin's finest classics, plus a competition to win the books
 
 
 
Woman with baby in a crib (Monday's Child is Fair of Face)
Monday's Child...
Take a tour through the myths and legends of childhood for Mother's Day with Steve Roud's new book
 
 

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gleans at 3:30 PM MT, 2/29

 The Charms of Wikipedia
The New York Review of Books - USA

 

Stephen Fry gives some Quite Interesting answers
Telegraph.co.uk - United Kingdom

 

Thriving Taliban Drugs Show Afghan Woes
WASHINGTON - The Taliban have built a huge and profitable drug operation in Afghanistan while provincial governors look the other way, the latest grim sign of backsliding in a country America has spent six years and billions of dollars trying to salvage.
 
 
 
 
Stocks Fall Sharply on Economic Worries
NEW YORK - Stocks fell sharply Friday after a series of depressing economic and corporate reports and high oil prices stoked concerns about the health of economy.
 
 
 
White House Aide Accused of Plagiarism
WASHINGTON - A White House aide accused of plagiarism was chastised Friday and his actions were criticized as unacceptable. Timothy Goeglein, who has worked for President Bush since 2001, was accused of lifting material from a Dartmouth College publication and presenting it as his own work in a column about education for The News-Sentinel in Fort Wayne, Ind.
 
 
 
Stocks Dive on New Signs of Economic Chill
By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM 
The Dow Jones industrials closed down more than 300 points after weak economic data reignited fears of an imminent recession.
Spending Flat as Inflation Persists 
 
 
 
Teaching Boys and Girls Separately
 
 
 
Baghdad Embassy Project in Trouble
 
 

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gleans at 12:20 PM MT, 2/29

 


Autochannel (press release)
Hyundai Joins List of 10 Top Car Picks
New York Times, United States
By NICK BUNKLEY DETROIT — Two vehicles made by Hyundai cracked this year’s Consumer Reports list of 10 “top picks,” the first time that the influential ...
Silverado from GM hits top 10 list USA Today
GM's Silverado cracks 'Consumer Reports' top 10 The Tennessean
UPDATE 1-US, Korean vehicles crack Consumer Reports list Reuters
DetNews.com - Earthtimes
all 77 news articles »

 

RoboScooter: Not your father's Vespa
Also: Ten-year-old's new mnemonic for planets Read it now...

 

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupes/112_0801_2008_ford_mustang_bullitt/

 

Prince Harry, seen here in Afghanistan in January 2008, may be returning from the Afghan frontline to a hero's welcome, but he seems far from happy with England, notably life on the media frontline, according to remarks released Friday.(AFP/POOL/File/John Stillwell)
Harry 'doesn't like England,' lashes British media
LONDON (AFP) - Prince Harry may be returning from the Afghan frontline to a hero's welcome, but he seems far from happy with England, notably life on the media frontline, according to remarks released Friday.
 
 
 
The last element, weighing 100 tonnes, of the ATLAS (A Toroidal LHC ApparatuS) experiment is lowered into the cave at the European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN (Centre Europeen de Recherche Nucleaire) in Meyrin, near Geneva February 29, 2008. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
Physics lab completes world's largest jigsaw puzzle
GENEVA (Reuters) - A 100-tonne wheel, the last piece of an ambitious experiment that scientists hope will help unlock the secrets of the universe, was successfully lowered into an underground cavern on Friday.
 
 
 
NASA Baffled by Unexplained Force Acting on Space Probes
Mysteriously, five spacecraft that flew past the Earth have each displayed unexpected anomalies in their motions.
 
 
 

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gleans at 4:20 AM MT, 2/29

 

Salud: Vintners raise a glass to the weaker dollar
By Jerry Hirsch
Bargain prices entice drinkers abroad to taste California's harvest.
 
 
 
Prince Harry
Harry to be withdrawn from Afghanistan
Prince Harry is to be pulled out of Afghanistan after news of his secret deployment leaked out.
Leak disappoints army chief
Harry 'excitement' at posting
Watch: Prince on patrol
 
 
 
Art Review | Gustave Courbet
Seductive Rebel Who Kept It Real
By ROBERTA SMITH
Seductive Rebel Who Kept It Real
Smith College Museum of Art
“The Preparation of the Bride/Dead Girl” (around 1850-54) by Gustave Courbet, at the Met.

At a time when seemingly old-fashioned representational painting is thriving, the works of Gustave Courbet has a striking pertinence.

 
 
 
Weekend in New York | Going Greek
Hellenic Offerings, Beyond Feta and Ouzo
By SETH KUGEL
Hellenic Offerings, Beyond Feta and Ouzo
Robert Caplin for The New York Times
Red snapper for two at cozy Agnanti, in Astoria, Queens. A Greek-focused weekend can include sarcophagi, taramosalata, theater and dancing.

After you see the statues at the Met, spend the weekend eating and taking in live Greek culture in Manhattan and Queens.

New York City Travel Guide »

Where to Stay, Where to Eat and What to Do in New York City.

 
 
 
FEATURES, VIEWS, ANALYSIS
Russia is revolutionising its aviation industry, and has pledged to spend billions of dollars boosting its defence industry. Return of the MiG
Resurgent Russia revolutionises its aircraft industry
 
 
 

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gleans at 11:25 PM MT, 2/28

 


The Elements
3. Will Lindsay Lohan strip for Marilyn Monroe-inspired...
Marie Claire.co.uk 
She has already created quite a stir by stripping off for New York magazine, but Lindsay Lohan could be set to do it all over again - for Playboy.
Hefner Wants Lohan for Hollyscoop
Lindsay Lohan Playboy Photos: New Offer for LiLo? National Ledger
PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung) - Showbiz Spy - ABC News - The Daily Titan
all 27 news articles »
 
 
 
Lindsay Lohan Opens Up About Recent Troubles
People Magazine 
By Stephen M. Silverman After baring her body - in a nude photo spread as Marilyn Monroe - Lindsay Lohan is now baring her soul.
 
 
 

Prince Harry aborts Afghan mission after web leak

Britain

The Prince has been moved for his own safety while senior commanders consider whether he can remain in the country

 
 
World '10 weeks away from running out of wheat'
Crisis comes after 2 successive years of disastrous harvests
--London Times
 
 
 
Nightmare: Americans getting too little sleep
'At night, we're on the Internet, we may be watching TV'
--Reuters

 

Leap Day: When There Are Too Few Hours in the Year
Washington Post 
By Monica Hesse It is here, in all its quadrennial springiness, like a cartoon Slinky boinging into the wall calendar. Ah, Leap Day.

 

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February 28, 2008

gleans at 7:20 PM MT, 2/28

 'Dreams and Shadows'

By ROBIN = WRIGHT
Reviewed by ETHAN BRONNER
Robin Wri= ght began her book about politics in the Middle East amid signs of progress= ; she ended up with a set of portraits of failed efforts.
&n= bsp;
&n= bsp;
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=3D"ST.-MARTIN-DU-PUY

ST.-MARTIN-DU-PUY JOURNAL; = Wine=E2=80=99s Global Reach Brings New Buyers to Bordeaux

...trading conglome= rate already imports wines to China from Australia, Italy and South = Africa...who divides his time between Bordeaux and China and met Mr.= Cheng through a mutual friend...and she was constantly on the phone with <= B>China,=E2=80=9D he said of Ms. Cheng...

February 28, 2008= - By JOHN TAGLIABUE - Wo= rld
&n= bsp;
&n= bsp;
3D"LEADVILLE

LEADVILLE JOURNAL; Mine Water Poses Danger of a Toxic G= usher

LEADVILLE, C= olo. =E2=80=94 In a snowswept trailer...contaminated water could burst from= the Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel and flood the town...8220;Everyb= ody made a lot of money in Leadville,=E2=80=9D said Ken Olsen, a cou= nty...

February 28, 2008= - By DAN FROSCH - U.S.
&n= bsp;
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Afghanistan mission close to failing - US
After six years of military support and billions of pounds in aid, = security is 'deteriorating'
&n= bsp;
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&n= bsp;

In pictures

A prince among men

Images of Prince Harry at his unit's base and out on patrol in Helmand pr= ovince
3D"P=

  • 'As normal as I'm ever going to get'

    Prince= Harry on active service and directing airstrikes on Taliban bunkers=
    • &n= bsp;
    &n= bsp;
    3D"Prince
    Prince Harry fighting Taliban with Army
    Prince = has spent 10 weeks fighting in Afghanistan's Helmand Province in secret dep= loyment.
    How the news blackout was broken
    Christmas spent 'dodging enemy bullets'<= /DIV>
    Prince 'treated the same as any soldier'<= /DIV>
    Harry 'directs bomb attack'| No showers
    'This is my chance to be a normal soldier'
    Firing on the Taliban|Air support role
    UK reaction to Prince Harry in Afghanistan
    MoD statement on Prince Harry's deployment
    =  
    =  
    =  
    Harry: My Christmas with the troops
    In a re= vealing interview, the warrior Prince discusses the front line, being a "bu= llet magnet" and his responsibilities to his men.
    Harry nearly left Army|Timeline
    On patrol with the Prince| Queen broke news
    Harry's 'dream' of service|Another interview
    'Bullet magnet' fears dismissed
    'Not many have worked with a Prince'
    Leader: Prince Harry: a proud soldier<= /DIV>
    =  
    =  
    =  
    Matt Drudge: World's most influential?
    An in-d= epth look at Matt Drudge, the man who broke the story of Prince Harry's dep= loyment in Afghanistan and arguably the most powerful journalist in the wor= ld.
    &n= bsp;
    &n= bsp;
    &n= bsp;
    Bill's Nafta legacy haunts Hillary Clinton=
    A trade= deal signed by her husband has returned to haunt Hillary Clinton as she tr= ies to win working-class support in Ohio.
    Civil rights leader switches to Obama
    Full coverage of the US Election= s 2008
    Trail Mix 2008
    Obituary: William F Buckley
    Tributes for conservative polemicist
     

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    gleans at 11:45 AM MT, 2/28

       =

    Iraq R= ewards Trump Risks for Job Seekers
    BRADLEY BRO= OKS
    By BRADLEY BRO= OKS (Associated Press Writer)
    From Associa= ted Press
    February 28, 200= 8 10:41 AM EST

    BAGHDAD - Help wanted: possibly lif= e-threatening risks, little freedom outside work, long hours but competitiv= e pay. Must be willing to relocate to Iraq.

    Full Story
    &nbs= p;
    &nbs= p;
    &nbs= p;
    Ken= ya's Rival Politicians Sign Deal
    = NAIROBI, Kenya - Kenya's rival politicians signed a power-sharing agreement= Thursday and shook hands after weeks of bitter negotiations on how to end = the country's deadly postelection crisis.
    =  
    =  
    =  

    Bus= h: US Is Not Headed Into Recession
    = WASHINGTON - President Bush said Thursday that the country is not headed in= to a recession and, despite expressing concern about slowing economic growt= h, rejected for now any additional stimulus efforts.
    =  
    =  
    =  

    Harv= ard Scholars to Explore Net Safety
    = NEW YORK - Leading Internet scholars at Harvard Law School will head a task= force exploring the safety of users at MySpace and other popular online ha= ngouts amid growing fears that youngsters have become targets of sexual pre= dators.
    =  
    =  
    =  
    3D"In 
    Britain's Prince Harry = in Afghanistan
    LONDON = - Prince Harry has been serving on the front line in Afghanistan with the B= ritish Army, the Ministry of Defense said Thursday.
    <= STRONG>Slideshow: Prince Harry serves in Afghanistan
    =  
    =  
    =  

    SAN FRANCISCO - Google, already t= he world's most popular spot for finding Web sites, is aiming to become the= go-to place for creating Web sites too.

    ">Google unveils tools t= o set up Web sites    =
    =  
    =  

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    gleans at 5:15 AM MT, 2/28

     

    Library look, revised
    By David A. Keeps
    The library is taking its place as an extension of personal taste and style. In some cases, books are optional.
     
     
     
    The satin and silk world of 'Miss Pettigrew'
    By Christy Hobart
    Auction houses and junk shops deliver luxe, seductive scenery for the new movie about an American starlet in prewar London.
     
     
     
    War and peace, the Army way
    By Rosa Brooks
    Another 100 years of U.S. troops in Iraq?
     
     
     
    We’re made for math, but only up to a point. Our sense of what a number is stands independent of language, memory, and even reason... more»
     
     
     
     * Scientists advance 'drought crop'
    Scientists make a breakthrough in plant genes that could lead to crops that can
    survive drought.  Full story:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/world/americas/7268079.stm
     
     
     
      Web desktop targets 'cybernomads'
    A system which offers 'personal desktop' to 500 million who access the web
    every day via cybercafes  Full story:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/technology/7267534.stm
     
     
     
    Details emerge on YouTube block * Information has come to light about why Pakistani action against YouTube made the site inaccessible.Full story:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/technology/7266600.stm
     
     
     
    McCain born outside U.S.: Is he ineligible?
    Senator's American parents were stationed in Panama Canal Zone
    --New York Times
     
     
     
    OK, what rhymes with Kyrgyzstan?
    $1,000 for 'best song' to protest U.S. troop presence in Central Asian republic
    --Reuters
     
     
     
    Survey Finds Teenagers Ignorant on Basic History and Literature Questions
    By SAM DILLON
    Fewer than half of American teenagers asked knew when the Civil War was fought, and one in four didn’t know when Columbus sailed to the new world.
    Comment Post a Comment »
     
     
     
    The Pour
    A Rule Just Waiting to Be Broken 
    A Rule Just Waiting to Be Broken
    By ERIC ASIMOV
    Oysters and red wine might seem a bizarre pairing, but 20 years ago white wine with cheese sounded strange.
     
     
     
    Eric Asimov looks at the effects of climate change on wine making.
    Go to The Pour »
     
     
     
     

    eFluxMedia
    Google Bypasses Tech Departments…Again
    Wall Street Journal 
    Microsoft’s pursuit of Google’s online advertising business may earn the headlines. But the search giant is quietly trying to steal business customers from Microsoft, as a new product release shows.
    Google Goes After Another Microsoft Cash Cow New York Times
    Google Sites, The Latest Member In Google Apps Family eFluxMedia
    CNET News.com - Reuters - The Associated Press - Forbes
    all 223 news articles »
     
     
     

    The Money Times
    TB emergency
    Los Angeles Times 
    Drug-resistant forms of the disease are widespread, and time and money to fight it are short. In the early stages of the AIDS epidemic, most Americans were aware of the arrival of a horrible new disease that was spreading rapidly.
    Drug-Resistant TB Rates Soar in Former Soviet Regions New York Times
    1 in 20 TB Cases Don't React to Some Drugs Washington Post
    Occupational Health Safety - AllAfrica.com - Houston Chronicle - Voice of America
    all 422 news articles »
     
     
     
    Ali Lohan wants to be a star ... now
    MSNBC 
    By Ree Hines While some teens might look at Lindsay Lohan’s life and take away a lesson about the dangers and excesses that can come with fast fame, her kid sister Ali sees it as a roadmap to her future.
    Lindsay Lohan Goes Twelve-Steppin’ The Gossip Girls
    Lindsay Lohan Strips: Sis Ali Lohan Wants to be Just Like Her National Ledger
    Fashion.ie - Entertainmentwise - AHN - Showbiz Spy
    all 20 news articles »
     
     
     

    Entertainmentwise
    Miley Cyrus Banned From Being Friends With Lohan.
    FemaleFirst.co.uk 
    Singer/actress Miley Cyrus has been banned by her parents from hanging out with Lindsay Lohan, because they fear she's a bad influence.
    Why Can't Miley Cyrus Be Friends With Lindsay Lohan? Entertainmentwise
    Miley Cyrus Scandal Upon Scandal The Spoof (satire)
    all 3 news articles »
     

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    February 27, 2008

    gleans + 1xaddenda at 9:00 PM MT, 2/27

     

    Killer robots? Yes, you should be worried

    February 27, 2008 6:46 AM PST – Posted by Jonathan Skillings
    Weaponized Talon(Credit: Qinetiq)

    At the moment, the thousands of robots roaming combat zones have been firmly under the control of human operators--they're really not that much different from the remote-controlled car or airplane you or your kids might play with. But Noel Sharkey, an expert in artificial intelligence, is warning that a push toward greater autonomy for the machines, some of which are already armed with machine guns or missiles, poses a serious and imminent risk.

    Read more in this Agence France-Presse story: "Automated killer robots 'threat to humanity': expert"

    Post a comment
     
     
    In northwestern Pakistan, where militants rule
    Foreign jihadists in an ungoverned tribal belt kill leaders, recruit locals.
     
     
     
    Taliban
    Taliban threaten Kabul offensive
    Civilians to be targeted in dozens of suicide bombings.
     
     
     
    Putin legacy: In the classroom, a more controlled view of history
    A textbook that will be introduced this fall calls Stalin the Soviet Union's 'most effective' leader.
     
     
     
    Chertoff looks back on homeland-security efforts
    The secretary is candid about some shortcomings as the fifth anniversary of the Homeland Security Department approaches. But he also cites progress.
     
     
     
    Rash thinking
    An entrepreneur has developed an environmentally gentler textile than cotton - using stinging nettles
     
     
     
    A Calcutta bookseller Reading around Calcutta
    The cancellation of its legendary book fair was a blow, but this most literary of cities still has plenty to excite readers, says Hirsh Sawhney
    Iraqi poet Ahmed Abdel Sara recites a poem in the ruins of Baghdad's al-Mutanabi street Something in nothing
    Bloodaxe editor Neil Astley considers the ways in which poetry may, actually, make an impact on the world
    More poetry features
     
     
     
    Obituary: Robin Moore
    Feb 27: His book The Green Berets spawned a hit pop song and a John Wayne
     
     
     
    The Last Supper - now how about a nice game of chess?
    Feb 26: Sole copy of a manual of early puzzles excites Leonardo Da Vinci experts
     
     
     
    Bill's Nafta legacy haunts Hillary Clinton
    A trade deal signed by her husband has returned to haunt Hillary Clinton as she tries to win working-class support in Ohio.
    Civil rights leader switches to Obama
    Full coverage of the US Elections 2008
    Trail Mix 2008
    Obituary: William F Buckley
    Tributes for conservative polemicist
     
     
     
     
    Bernanke signals rate cut amid gloomy prospects
    The Fed signals another rate cut to bolster the faltering American economy amid growing concerns over a severe US downturn
     
     
     

    The TLS 

    Buster Keaton and Samuel Beckett
    Babble with Beckett
    How foreign languages can provide writers with a way out of the familiar
     
     
     
    addenda
     
    Subject: Semantic Web Search Engine Roundup - Blog - Semantic Focus
    Date: Feb 27, 2008 4:09 PM
    http://www.semanticfocus.com/blog/entry/title/semantic-web-search-engine-roundup/
     

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    gleans at 10:05 AM MT, 2/27

     

    Eyesof a man Invisible eye
    How Europe's governments are spying on their people
     
     
    Man playing on a Wii Playing with the Wii
    Bill Thompson on new uses for Nintendo's in-demand consoles
     
    Vendace fish Ice Age fish flourishes after being moved to a new home
     
     
     
     
     
    Bumblebee (Cheryl Power/SPL) All of a buzz
    Why scientists are electronically tagging bumblebees
     
     
     
     
     
    US team wins asteroid prize  <== recommended
     
     
     
    L'Origine du monde - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
     
     
    Drug-Resistant TB Rates Soar in Former Soviet Regions
    New York Times 
    By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN Drug-resistant tuberculosis cases in parts of the former Soviet Union have reached the highest rates ever recorded globally, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

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