Latest news...

[nafklt]

Awesomeness Zack! Good luck on yer trip...:P

By the way, anyone hear this yet?

June 1, 2005, 2:30PM
Message in a bottle saves 88 trying to reach U.S. on leaky boat
Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica ? Eighty-eight South Americans lost at sea while trying to reach the United States were rescued after tying a message in a bottle to a passing boat's fishing line, and authorities were returning them to Ecuador, Costa Rican officials said today.
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The migrants were adrift for three days after being abandoned by smugglers because their vessel was taking on water.

The migrants from Ecuador and Peru were out of food and water when they saw the long lines of a passing fishing boat and decided to write a message for help. They put the message in a bottle and tied the bottle to one of the lines.

"It was the women in the group that had the idea," Interior Ministry spokesman Nicolas Aguilar said Tuesday.

After drawing in the fishing lines, crew members of the ship Rey de Reyes found the message saying, "Help, please, help us."

The ship's captain notified authorities on the Isla de Coco national park, and they then asked the environmental group MarViva to send a boat to investigate. The group towed the migrants to the island Sunday.

Today, Costa Rican Security Minister Rogelio Ramos said an Ecuadorean ship would remove the 43 Peruvians and 45 Ecuadoreans from the Pacific Isla de Coco, where they were taken Sunday after their rescue.

According to Environment Ministry officials, the migrants said they had paid traffickers up to $3,000 for the trip from the Ecuadorean port of Montanita, and they promised to pay another $7,000 each to complete the journey to the United States.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory...story2/3207123

[TakaTiger]

i saw something abour "Deep Throat" in the news paper... sumptin about nixon or sumptin.. didnt really interest me... just caught my eye

[IchLiebeNALA]

Originally posted by lionloversam
Hydrogen powered cars!!!! That is a massive explosion waiting to happen!!!!!

yeah, you can see the posters now cant you...

HYDROGEN FUELED CARS: HIROSHIMA IN YOUR OWN BACK YARD!

anyway, 5 youngish teenagers (about 11 or 12) were arrested yesterday for the attempted murder of a 5 year old. The buggers tried to strangle him!

today, the police released 2 of them, but are still holding 3, and are expecting up to 10 more arrests this week.

We have a bunch of sods in Britain today dont we?

[Whitewolf]

NEw .com ending we now have .xxx for all your Porno needs

WASHINGTON ? The Internet's primary oversight body approved a plan today to create a virtual red-light district, setting the stage for pornographic websites to use new addresses ending in ``xxx."


JUNE 02, 2005 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) yesterday approved a plan for pornographic Web sites to use new addresses that end with ".xxx," something numerous groups and U.S. political leaders have been seeking to try to prevent sexually explicit content from landing on the screens of young Internet users.

ICANN, the nonprofit organization that oversees technical matters related to the Internet, said it will begin negotiations with ICM Registry Inc. to resolve commercial and technical issues associated with operating the .xxx top-level domain (TLD).

The decision in favor of establishing a virtual red-light district for providers of pornographic content and their customers represents a U-turn for ICANN, which rejected ICM's first application for the .xxx TLD in November 2000. Reasons for the objection are published in a document available on ICANN's Web site.

ICANN, in Marina Del Rey, Calif., wasn't immediately available for comment.

ICM argues on its Web site that .xxx Web addresses will shield children from pornographic content more effectively by allowing families and others using filtering software to block access to sites ending with this suffix.

The International Foundation for Online Responsibility will sponsor .xxx, according to ICM Registry. The foundation is a Canadian nonprofit entity that will serve as the policy-making authority for the .xxx TLD. It is -- and will remain -- totally independent from ICM Registry, which is primarily funded by registration activities, the Internet registry company said.

The nonprofit foundation said on its Web site it will promote online child safety and campaign against child pornography. "This foundation will provide assistance through various online support organizations and the sponsoring of technology tools and education programs for parents," ICM Registry said. "The online adult-entertainment industry wants to create an identifiable space with which its members can elect to associate themselves and wherein they can responsibly self-organize and create guidelines to promote credible self-regulation."

ICM Registry, which is wholly owned by Chestermere Investments Ltd., will operate the registry. The company, according to its Web site, "is a financially stable and completely independent entity with no affiliation, current or historic, with the adult-entertainment industry."

In 2000, Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) joined several other U.S. politicians demanding ICANN to approve the .xxx TLD. In a paper available on the Web (download PDF), Lieberman wrote: "I think [the .xxx TLD] has a lot of merit, for rather than constricting the Net's open architecture, it would capitalize on it to effectively shield children from pornography and it would do so without encroaching on the rights of adults to have access to protected speech."

[unregistered user]

Wow!! Wo0ts!!! I've been studying along with many others on this issue, but, we abandoned it. PBS and it's crew of special workers was said to be trying to outlaw pornographic material on easy grab sites. I think they helped along with this project greatly. Praise be to God that at least someone DID SOMETHING about this! Good news post Wolfy!

[unregistered user]

[SIZE=large]Closing arguments under way in Jackson trial[/SIZE]

Thursday, June 2, 2005 Posted: 12:18 PM EDT (1618 GMT)
SANTA MARIA, California (CNN) -- Closing arguments in the child-molestation trial of pop star Michael Jackson began Thursday after jurors received instructions on the rules that will govern their deliberations.



Wednesday night, about 75 fans of the singer held a prayer vigil outside the gates of his Neverland Ranch.

The vigil lasted only about 30 minutes with participants praying that Jackson be acquitted and the "media be convicted for their lies."

As the time of prayer concluded, people in the crowd began singing Jackson's songs and dancing.

Earlier Wednesday, Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville told jurors he expected closing arguments to last all day Thursday and spill over into Friday.

Melville has given the prosecution and defense up to four hours each to deliver their closing arguments, sources said.

He said the eight women and four men should expect to get the case sometime Friday, The Associated Press reported.

In another development, sources said Santa Barbara County District Attorney Thomas Sneddon would not give the prosecution's final summation, assigning that task instead to his deputy, Ron Zonen.

Sneddon, accused by Jackson and his supporters of engaging in a decade-long vendetta against the entertainer, gave the prosecution's opening argument. (Opening statements)

Melville instructed the jurors for about an hour Wednesday.

In a case in which attacks on the credibility of prosecution witnesses was a key defense tactic, Melville told jurors that they were the "sole" arbiters of whether a witness was believable.

He also told them that to find Jackson guilty they had to determine he had "specific intent" to commit the crimes with which he is charged.

Jackson, 46, came to the Santa Maria courthouse for the jury instructions with his parents and two of his brothers, Randy and Tito. He wore a dark suit, a blue-and-white armband and a vest with a floral design in blue and green.

His spokeswoman, Raymone Bain, said Tuesday that the entertainer "is going through a lot of emotions right now -- relief that it's over, but very nervous. Because, of course you know, a very major decision is going to be made within the next several days."

Earlier Wednesday, a female reporter for a Japanese media outlet, the Kyodo News Service, was escorted from the room set up for reporters to listen to the trial after court officials said they found a tape recorder under her chair.

Melville imposed strict rules on coverage, including banning recording devices in the courtroom and listening room.

He did not allow the trial to be televised, and participants and witnesses were put under a gag order that restricted what they could say to the media.

Case began after documentary
Jackson was indicted in April 2004 on 10 counts stemming from incidents prosecutors say occurred in February and March 2003.

The charges against Jackson include:


Four counts of committing a lewd act on a child.


One count of conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion.


One count of attempting to commit a lewd act on a child.


Four counts of administering an intoxicating agent to assist in the commission of a felony.

Jackson pleaded not guilty to the charges and did not testify during the trial.

Melville ruled this week that the charges of furnishing alcohol to a minor -- normally a felony -- could be considered a misdemeanor.

The chain of events that led to the charges against Jackson began in February 2003 after broadcast of "Living With Michael Jackson," a documentary by British journalist Martin Bashir.

In the program, Jackson was shown holding hands with the 13-year-old boy who later accused him of child molestation, and he defended as "loving" his practice of letting young boys sleep in his bed.

Prosecutors alleged that after the broadcast Jackson and five associates plotted to control and intimidate the accuser's family to get them to go along with damage control efforts, including holding them against their will at the entertainer's Neverland Ranch.

Jackson's lawyers have tried to paint his accuser's family as grifters with a habit of targeting the rich and famous for money.

[Endra]

LA JOLLA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 1, 2005--GreenZap, Inc., a new consumer-based, online payment provider, opened its website doors today welcoming nearly 200,000 pre-registered members to explore the GreenZap website and begin using its services. GreenZap began accepting account pre-registrations on April 2, 2005.

Users of GreenZap can send and receive money online globally using email. GreenZap is similar to eBay's(R) payment processor PayPal(R), but touts lower transactions fees and superior customer service. GreenZap also unveils today its interactive, community tracking system, the ZapMap. The ZapMap enables users to dynamically view their friends and family that have opened accounts. According to GreenZap's President Alex Sonkin, "The multi-dimensional ZapMap technology allows our members to interactively search and view the community they are transacting with. ZapMap is the eyes and ears of our community. By its mere existence, transactions conducted by individuals will be more secure and less susceptible to fraud because everyone can see their community. It's like the Kevin Bacon 6-degrees of separation phenomenon -- everyone will know someone, who knows someone else."

GreenZap rewards account holders for telling their friends and family about GreenZap. Account holders are rewarded anywhere from $5 to $30 and receive their earnings as a combination of cash and WebCash. GreenZap's WebCash can be used virtually anywhere online to purchase goods and services from hundreds of retail outlets offering thousands of brand names -- from hotels, restaurants and travel to toys, electronics and attire.

"WebCash can be used to pay for GreenZap transactions fees, used to send to anyone with an email address, or used at GreenZap Storez to purchase goods and services from GreenZap's global network of preferred merchants," says Sonkin. "The only difference between cash and WebCash is that WebCash can only be used, as the name says, on the web."

GreenZap launched its pre-registration website and marketing campaign on April 2, 2005, and within one week GreenZap was attracting over 3,000 pre-registrants each day. GreenZap anticipates capturing a large percentage of the existing online spending community, but sees its brand and messaging appealing to a new generation of online spenders. "The GreenZap brand is young, hip, and fun, but the site maintains a clean, professional design given the financial aspect of the products and services being offered," said one of GreenZap's brand managers.

GreenZap offers two types of accounts, a basic GreenZap account and an upgraded Gold account. The Gold account offers reduced transaction fees, increased rewards, and a GreenZap Stored Value MasterCard(R) or Visa(R) for off-line spending.

About GreenZap

GreenZap, Inc. is a Delaware corporation with executive offices in La Jolla, California. GreenZap is a payment portal that facilitates financial transactions between individuals and businesses. It's a fun, simple, low-cost way for people to send, spend, and receive money online. GreenZap account holders can securely send money to anyone around the world as long as they have an email address. Members can spend money purchasing goods and services from virtually every online merchant or auction site, or shop at GreenZap Storez offering thousands of brand names at discounted rates. Members can load money to their GreenZap account for spending or earn money by telling others about GreenZap.

For more information, please visit http://www.greenzap.com or email media@greenzap.com.

[unregistered user]

Mr Luther Vandross..
just pass away
Famous song
Endless Love - Luther Vandross feat Mariah Carey

[moonibear]

^I just heard about that...my mother loved his music

The news for today: Residents in Florida fear Hurricane Dennis

[unregistered user]

Latest News
The Bali Bomber on 2002 killing 202 people Killed at Indonesia
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp...262&sec=nation
he's a malaysian :woeisme:

[unregistered user]

[ March 2006 Tornado Outbreak Sequence .]

All too close for me. And I am very devastated. All prayers... I, I, ..can't even talk about this anymore....

[Kovu The Lion]

Wow dude 42 tornadoes lasting 4 days.. Oh my god and it made a huge thing on Wikipedia oO

There were at least 40, and possibly as many as 120, reported tornadoes on the 12th, making it one of the largest outbreaks in US history based on the sheer number of tornadoes in a single day. (It is likely that many were multiple reports of the same tornado) In addition, microburst winds exceeding 90 mph (145 km/h) and hail as large as softballs have been reported. Several major tornadoes were reported in Missouri and central Illinois, leaving significant destruction along their paths. The city of Springfield, Illinois saw a strong tornado track directly through the city.

... o.O..

[unregistered user]

Follow-up:

National Weather Service meteorologist Ed Shimon said the tornado that ripped through Springfield was part of a storm that spawned about 20 tornadoes on its 400-mile path and was the biggest to pass through central Illinois in a decade.

[Cobalt]

Wow....That's bad. I was recently talking to someone on MSN and they were discussing this same thing. It makes me wonder about the connection between this and the increased hurricanes that have been occouring.

[unregistered user]

Yeah, I feel really bad; especially for Missouri here lately. As usually they get the brunt before Illinois does, well... with the recent trends 'n all. But... it's not over yet... I'll be happy when this _ retrogrades ...

[Cobalt]

I think we all will. Hang in there Sonkakee, and be safe.

[Azerane]

That's awful to hear about about. I hope it eases up soon and that all you know are safe

[unregistered user]

[ April 2006 Tornado Outbreak .]



[ http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1798559 .]

... Just got my power back. '

[unregistered user]

Me: I'm at the internet cafe. i'll talk to you more when I get my internet back at home.

[Sombolia]

1,200-Pound Man Seeks Life-Saving Surgery
By Phil Stewart, Reuters

ROME (May 3) - A Mexican man who at 1,200 pounds is possibly the heaviest person in the world hopes to travel to Italy for a life-saving operation to shed weight.

Manuel Uribe made an impassioned plea for help earlier this year on Mexican television, saying he weighed a more normal 290 lb until aged 22 and did not know what happened to him.

Manuel Uribe, bedridden for the past five years, cannot stand on his own and will need a special flight to take him from Monterrey, Mexico to Modena, where a surgical team has offered to perform an intestinal bypass free of charge.

"I can't walk. I'm can't leave my bed," the 40-year-old Uribe, who weighs the same as five baby elephants, said in a recent telephone interview.

"I'm trying to reduce my weight a bit right now so I can be in the right condition for the operation."

Uribe made an impassioned plea for help earlier this year on Mexican television, saying he weighed a more normal 290 pounds until age 22 and did not know what happened to him.

The broadcast drew the attention of doctor Giancarlo De Bernardinis, who visited Mexico with a medical team to examine Uribe in March.

Bernardinis, whose biggest patient to date weighed 770 pounds, told Reuters he plans a gall bladder, intestinal bypass procedure that will allow Uribe to pass food more quickly without so many calories being absorbed.

Bernardinis planned to perform the surgery in Modena as early as this month, although a Mexican health official doubted Uribe would be ready for a trip to Europe that quickly.

MEDICAL MYSTERY

Uribe's case puzzles doctors since his cholesterol and blood-sugar levels are normal, despite his extreme obesity.

"His heart works very well. He has some respiratory difficulty because of his obesity, but in strict terms, he's well," said Marco Anibal Rodriguez Vargas, the director of hospitals in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon.

Rodriguez Vargas said Mexican hospitals still hoped to treat Uribe themselves, but added Uribe would ultimately decide what to do.

Uribe said it was just a matter of time before he went to Italy: "Are we going? Yes. We're going. But the doctors will decide when."