18774550
submission
healeyb writes:
The most recent releases from WikiLeaks, the controversial whistle-blower organization that has been slowly leaking documents from a series of US diplomatic cables acquired allegedly from PFC Bradley Manning, has revealed a strong connection between groups in the Netherlands and Iran, most notably in areas related to the countries military. In a partial cable, marked as having originated in late September of 2005, the US ambassador was apparently giving information to Cent Noland, a Dutch...
18678644
submission
healeyb writes:
According to a January 17th release in the ongoing release of US diplomatic cables, it is revealed that the Dutch government had serious concerns about the March 2008 political film by Geert Wilders called Fitna. The short film, only seventeen minutes in length, focused on excerpts of the Qur'an with visual cutaways showcasing violence attributed to extremist groups, arguing that language of the holy text has been an encouragement to violence. The relevant cable, created in early February of...
18551348
submission
healeyb writes:
Flooding in Brisbane, Australia that is already being held responsible for 10 confirmed deaths and nearly 78 missing persons has continued to worsen, becoming so severe that Energex, the company responsible for providing electricity to South East Queensland, has announced the intention to shut down power to many parts of the region out of concern for safety.
18529122
submission
healeyb writes:
The belief that the Mediterranean diet can contribute to positive cardiovascular health has been long-held and has contributed to the development of a vast industry of dietary health. However, a recent study set to be published in International Journal of Clinical Practice has challenged that notion, indicating the discovery of dangerously high cardiovascular risk factors in a randomly selected group of citizens from...
18402062
submission
healeyb writes:
In one of the more recent releases from WikiLeaks (Jan 1, 2011), the embattled whistle-blower organization behind the leak of US diplomatic cables, it is revealed that Saddam Hussein made a plea to President George H.W. Bush just 8 days before the start of the Gulf War, saying he wanted friendship. He went on to claim that Iraq is sick of war, but complained that Kuwait has ignored diplomacy [efforts]. The cable proclaimed Hussein...
18400864
submission
healeyb writes:
China has recently announced the finalization of a new missile, the Dong-Feng 21D. The DF 21 series has shown itself capable and adaptable up to this point, the other variants being able to target everything from land bases to satellites. The United States carrier force is the base unit of its power projection, not just in the pacific, but around the world. A third of the active cruisers and destroyers in the fleet are designed for the sole purpose of protecting the carrier group once it is at sea...
18207764
submission
healeyb writes:
This morning, just a few days after the Senate voted to repeal the controversial military policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, President Obama signed the legislation into law, effectively ending the 17-year reign of military discrimination. In front of a thrilled crowd of supporters, many shouting the familiar chant of 'yes we can' from the 2008 campaign, Obama declared that 'no longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a lie. This will strengthen our national security and...
18186410
submission
healeyb writes:
Today, the Census Bureau unveiled the results of the 2010 census and it appears that Massachusetts will be losing 1 of the current 10 representatives in the House. The challenge to come will be determining where the new district lines will be drawn and how this will impact the forthcoming senatorial elections in 2012 and the political future of Republican Scott Brown, who many expect will face fierce competition. he actual population of the United States according to the census is...
18184468
submission
healeyb writes:
If you are still of the opinion that the most creative and artistic minds are the byproduct of a troubled soul, you may want to refer to a study to be released in the journal Association for Psychological Science and conducted by Ruby Nadler, a graduate student at the University of Western Ontario. It seems, according to her research, that the mind is most ripe for creative thinking and critical problem solving when it is put in a good state. When different groups of people were induced into...
18167056
submission
healeyb writes:
Scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have announced the completion of a massive experimental observation telescope, situated amidst nearly a mile of ice at the south pole, the purpose of which is to study with never-before-achieved precision the neutrino. The project required nearly a decade of planning and construction and contains 5,160 optical sensors, having been completed on-time and under budget, as boasted by a University press release available on their website. — Since the 1970s we have dreamed of building a detector of this size, and we have spent 20 years working toward...
18166348
submission
healeyb writes:
CNN is reporting that Phillip R. Greaves, the controversial self-published author who released a book on Amazon.com outlining the most effective methods for engaging in pedophilia, has been arrested. The felony warrant, issued in Florida by Sheriff Grady Judd, was executed in Colorado, where he awaits transport. While the subject matter is of particular sensitivity, Christopher Finan, the President of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, has argued that the book falls under the purview of free speech, as the book contains no pictures and cannot be classified as child pornography. However, the non-profit organization Enough is Enough, which works to...
18164848
submission
healeyb writes:
Julian Assange, the embattled figurehead of the whiste-blower group WikiLeaks, has publicly stated that information regarding a big U.S. bank would be released in 2011, and the belief is that the forthcoming leak is in relation to Bank of America. While the efforts of the organization are currently focused entirely on the now-infamous diplomatic cables that continue to be leaked daily, Bank of America has evidently struck back, refusing to fulfill payments made to WikiLeaks...
18053188
submission
healeyb writes:
According to several news reports, the tension in North Korea, previously believed to be subsiding, has risen sharply. Bloomberg is reporting that Admiral Mike Mullen has called upon China to leverage its power to calm the situation, and Reuters is reporting that Russian forces have been put on alert. Russian General Staff Chief Nikolai Makarov is quoted as saying...
18048652
submission
healeyb writes:
The Voyager 1 spacecraft, originally launched in 1977 and designed to tour the four major gas giants of the solar system, is continuing its march out of the area, and has now completely escaped the effects of the sun. As reported by Universe Today, the spacecraft is now 10.8 billion miles from Earth and is no longer able to detect the solar wind, the plasma that is continuously emanating from the sun...
18048232
submission
healeyb writes:
The latest round of diplomatic cables released by the controversial whistle-blower organization WikiLeaks continue to outline worldwide political unrest. Of specific note are two cables concerning Iran and one concerning the indigenous peoples of Chile, all of which I outline below. While the tensions of these politically charged regions of the world are not shocking, the details of the releases are nonetheless interesting, showcasing a curious relationship between the various nations. In one such cable from February of 2008, it is revealed that British Foreign Secretary David Miliband expressed the intention of the United Kingdom to...
