News Stories

[bladeofdarkness]

if the palestinians declare statehood right now it wouldnt work becouse of what you mentioned
you'd have two states
palestine and hamasstan
the problem is that it wouldnt solve any of the conflicts that it has with israel either
right now, with the exception of the gaza strip, every area of the "occupied territories" is covered with israeli settelemts
which makes it hard to deterimine which part belongs to who (in terms of borders)
and that's not even touching on the more critical issues of jerusalem or the refugees and displaced persons
trying to agree to a two state solution is a fine idea IN THEORY
but its not practical yet
and doing it one side would be even LESS practical

and the conflict between the hamas and fatah would probably detremine how many more years would have to pass befroe the idea of a free palesitinan state is even possible
after all, without signing a peace accord with israel, they cant form a state without giving up on all the things they have been trying to get by negotiations (jerusalem, refugees, etc) by default
and since hamas doesnt recognize israel's right to exist, they arent likely to support any peace accords any time soon
which means that if hamas wins, peace in the middle east is out of the picture

[Jazzrat]

Originally Posted by Shadow Minato

I guess I read it wrong.. Why would a pregnant lady want to drink 7 liters of cola a day?! For a period of 10 months, it doesn't sound like a big deal. Perhaps, the muscle problems are only relevant to ones during pregnancy but from the sound of the report, it implies that these muscle problems also apply to everyone in general.

Probably coke addiction, i dated a girl who had before. Was hospitalized twice due to drinking way too much coke.

It's weird but there are people with such addiction and most probably dont realized it.

[Shadow Kira01]

Aso, Medvedev agree on need for new U.N. resolution on N. Korea

I see where this direction is heading..

Perhaps, this is a pre-coordinated move? Nah...I see it as a mere coincidence that gives birth to opportunities in which puts Japan in a disadvantageous position.

So, in order to reach an agreement on the new UN resolution, Japan will have to pay the price of getting two veto-wielders to voice their support and take actual actions. Unfortunately, for the cost of 5 islands, I think the SDF is better off fighting North Korea alone.

Even if it means to obtain an effective UNSC resolution with the support of all 5 veto-wielders, changing stance on the Northern Territories and the Senkaku is definitely a big no!

This also implies that no feasible resolutions will be obtained by the time North Korea test-fires their next long-range ballistic missile in the next couple of days. In fact, there may not be a solution by the time North Korea prepares to test-fire something else after successfully launching their long-range ballistic missile. *sigh*

[KimmyChan]

Paris jewel thief takes $8m haul -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8075392.stm

[killer3000ad]

Wikipedia bans Scientology from editing articles.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_208967.html

[KimmyChan]

Eton swine flu outbreak spreads -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8076096.stm

[Reckoner]

http://www.tennis.com/tournaments/20...aspx?id=176084

Soderling hands Nadal first-ever French Open loss

PARIS (AP)—Rafael Nadal’s unbeaten run at the French Open is over.

The four-time defending champion lost to Robin Soderling of Sweden 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 7-6 (2) Sunday in the fourth round, ending his record 31-match winning streak at Roland Garros.

Soderling, seeded 23rd at this year’s tournament, ran Nadal ragged on center court with his hard serve and booming forehand.

“When one player plays bad, (he) must lose,” Nadal said. “(It) was my fault. … I didn’t play my best tennis and for that reason I lose.”

Nadal has dominated the French Open since his first match on the red clay at Roland Garros. In his 31 previous matches, he had lost only seven sets—the last one coming against Roger Federer in the 2007 final.

“He can’t feel good right now,” said Soderling, who called Nadal “the greatest clay-court player of all time.”

Defending women’s champion Ana Ivanovic also lost, while top-seeded Dinara Safina advanced to the quarterfinals with another easy win.

Also on the men’s side, No. 3 Andy Murray of Britain and No. 12 Fernando Gonzalez of Chile made the quarterfinals.

Soderling finished with 59 unforced errors, more than twice as many as Nadal’s 28, but the Swede’s 30 forehand winners made up some ground on the top-ranked Spaniard.

“He didn’t surprise me because I know how he plays and how dangerous he can be,” said Nadal, who said he failed to attack Soderling. “I didn’t play aggressive.”

The last time two defending champions lost in the same round at a Grand Slam tournament was in 2004 when Justine Henin and Juan Carlos Ferrero lost in the second round of the French Open.

Nadal had won three of the last four major titles, missing out only on the U.S. Open. After winning the Australian Open, he had a chance to complete a Grand Slam this year.

Defending his Wimbledon title will be Nadal’s next major goal, but that will come after a little rest and relaxation.

“Right now, my preparation is for the swimming pool at my house,” joked Nadal, who was also trying to become the first man to win five straight French Open titles. “Give me three more days.”

The draw has now opened up for three-time finalist Roger Federer. The former No. 1 needs only to win the French Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, and his road got clearer Saturday when potential semifinal opponent Novak Djokovic was eliminated.

The eighth-seeded Ivanovic did little right on Court Suzanne Lenglen, converting only two of five break points and making 20 unforced errors in her 6-2, 6-3 loss to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.

Before the final game of the first set, Ivanovic called for a trainer to look at her neck. Azarenka then held to take the lead, and broke Ivanovic’s serve in the first and third games of the second set to take a 4-0 lead.

“I started really well, and I felt really good in the beginning. Then after the third game, actually after (the) first point in the fourth game, I just suddenly started feeling so dizzy, and I completely lost my balance,” said Ivanovic, who won her only Grand Slam tournament title at last year’s French Open.

“Ever since then it was really hard. I struggled with looking up. I started feeling very dizzy, and I was struggling a little bit to find my balance.”

The 19-year-old Azarenka lost in the fourth round at Roland Garros last year, and will next be playing in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.

Safina had a much easier time on center court, advancing to the quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Aravane Rezai of France.

The top-seeded Russian won 11 straight games to close out the match. She has lost only five games through four rounds, and has won four of the eight sets she has played at love.

“I’m just surprised that it’s really like five games that I lost before getting into the quarters,” Safina said. “It’s not a bad feeling, and I hope if I continue like this I can go a long way.”

Safina took over the No. 1 ranking this year, but she has yet to win a Grand Slam title. She lost to Ivanovic in last year’s French Open final, and fell to Serena Williams in this year’s Australian Open title match.

No. 20 Dominika Cibulkova advanced by beating No. 29 Agnes Szavay of Hungary 6-2, 6-4 in a sloppy match that had a combined 17 winners and 66 unforced errors.

“I felt like I was going to cry because I was just so happy,” Cibulkova said of how she felt after winning match point. “This moment—for this, I play tennis, for these moments.”

Back on the men’s side, Gonzalez became the first player to reach the quarterfinals, beating Victor Hanescu of Romania 6-2, 6-4, 6-2, and Murray soon followed with a 7-5, 7-6 (4), 6-1 win over No. 13 Marin Cilic of Croatia.

Gonzalez, who reached the 2007 Australian Open final, ended the match with his 21st forehand winner. He finished with 50 winners and only 16 unforced errors.

“I tried to win every point,” said Gonzalez, who will face Murray in the next round. “And then I’m trying to not be risky if I don’t need it. Maybe I got a break, and then I can start to hit my huge shots. … When I have to use my shot, I use it, because I know I’m going to win the match with my forehand and my serve.”

Biggest upset in tennis history in a long time... Federer better win this French Open now.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_209504.html

George Tiller Killed: Abortion Doctor Shot At Church

WICHITA, Kansas (AP)- Media reports say that abortion provider Dr. George Tiller has been shot and killed at his Wichita church.

Tiller has been among the few U.S. physicians performing late-term abortion. His clinic has repeatedly been the site of protests for about two decades.

He was acquitted in March of misdemeanor charges stemming from procedures he performed, but moments after the verdict the state's medical board announced it was investigating allegations against him that are nearly identical to those the jury had rejected.

Prosecutors had alleged that Tiller had in 2003 gotten second opinions from a doctor who was essentially an employee of his, not independent as state law requires, but a jury took only about an hour to find him not guilty of all 19 counts.

Tiller, who could have faced a year in jail for even one conviction, stared straight ahead as the verdicts were read, with one of his attorneys patting his shoulder after the decision on the final count was declared. His wife, seated across the courtroom, fought back tears and nodded. The couple declined to speak to reporters afterward.

Tiller, 67, has claimed that the prosecution was politically motivated. An attorney general who opposed abortion rights began the investigation into Tiller's clinic more than four years ago, but both his successor, who filed the criminal charges, and the current attorney general support abortion rights.

Tiller has been a favored target of anti-abortion protesters, and he testified that he and his family have suffered years of harassment and threats. His clinic was the site of the 1991 "Summer of Mercy" protests marked by mass demonstrations and arrests. His clinic was bombed in 1985, and an abortion opponent shot him in both arms in 1993.

Absolutely disgusting. These religous nuts need to be phased out of our country as soon as possible.

[KimmyChan]

Last Titanic survivor dies at 97 -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/h...re/8070095.stm

[Hs Vi Germania]

Originally Posted by KimmyChan

Last Titanic survivor dies at 97 -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/h...re/8070095.stm

That was the one who "telled" the story in the Titanice film, wasn't she?

[Circular Logic]

Originally Posted by Shadow Minato

So, in order to reach an agreement on the new UN resolution, Japan will have to pay the price of getting two veto-wielders to voice their support and take actual actions. Unfortunately, for the cost of 5 islands, I think the SDF is better off fighting North Korea alone.

Even if it means to obtain an effective UNSC resolution with the support of all 5 veto-wielders, changing stance on the Northern Territories and the Senkaku is definitely a big no!

This also implies that no feasible resolutions will be obtained by the time North Korea test-fires their next long-range ballistic missile in the next couple of days. In fact, there may not be a solution by the time North Korea prepares to test-fire something else after successfully launching their long-range ballistic missile. *sigh*

Out of curiosity, where on earth are you getting the idea that Russia is going to make Japan give up the Senkaku islands for a vote on the UNSC? And furthermore, what on earth does that have to do with the article? (References, please.)

China and Russia are already on board vis a vis North Korea's nuclear amibitions.

[KimmyChan]

Originally Posted by Hs Vi Germania

That was the one who "telled" the story in the Titanice film, wasn't she?

I do believe she was HVG, a very good observation there

[mg1942]

Originally Posted by Reckoner

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_209504.html

Absolutely disgusting. These religous nuts need to be phased out of our country as soon as possible.

Exactly who are you referring to? The doctor that was an usher in a Lutheran church on sunday mornings and a baby killer the rest of the week? Or the guy that killed the doctor? Keep in mind we know almost nothing about the doctors killer at this point other than he is a 51 year old male.

Any Christian that commits murder does so in violation of not only our laws set forth by our government but also in violation of Christs teachings.

[ClockWorkAngel]

Originally Posted by mg1942

Exactly who are you referring to? The doctor that was an usher in a Lutheran church on sunday mornings and a baby killer the rest of the week? Or the guy that killed the doctor? Keep in mind we know almost nothing about the doctors killer at this point other than he is a 51 year old male.

Any Christian that commits murder does so in violation of not only our laws set forth by our government but also in violation of Christs teachings.

Tell that to the crusaders (Well to be fair the Pope did promise instant salvation)

I think its revolting how people will do such things, abortion is a choice, and the doctor did not force people to have abortions, in the bottom line it's the mother's choice.

True we don't know who the man is yet, but I find it highly unlikely a non-religious man would do such a thing.

[Circular Logic]

Originally Posted by ClockWorkAngel

I think its revolting how people will do such things, abortion is a choice, and the doctor did not force people to have abortions, in the bottom line it's the mother's choice.

Is it people's right to choose to murder people? Presumably if you view abortion as murder, what the doctor was doing was just was wrong as what the gunman did.

[Vexx]

We live in a secular framework of the rule-of-law in the US... legally the doctor was not committing any crime (though he was under some questionable investigations for some questionable procedures). Murdering the doctor was vigilantism, unjustified, and illegal by any count since he was not committing a legal crime.

Theocracies are down the street and to the right if those game rules aren't acceptable.

[Zippicus]

It's pretty messed up that he got shot, but late term abortions are pretty messed up as well (and he did a LOT of them) so I can't say I have a whole lot of sympathy towards the guy. Well there's still 2 doctors left in the US that are willing to do late term abortions (for now at least).

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Zippicus

It's pretty messed up that he got shot, but late term abortions are pretty messed up as well (and he did a LOT of them) so I can't say I have a whole lot of sympathy towards the guy. Well there's still 2 doctors left in the US that are willing to do late term abortions (for now at least).

If he was one of three doctors in a country of 300,000,000 people doing a particular procedure, is it so surprising he did it a lot?

[Zippicus]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

If he was one of three doctors in a country of 300,000,000 people doing a particular procedure, is it so surprising he did it a lot?

I wouldn't think so, I was just trying to shed some light on the guy and his questionable character. I'm pretty much on the fence on the whole abortion issue, but IMO late term abortions cross the line unless it's to save the mother.

[Anh_Minh]

What makes you think he did it for other reasons? Would it even be legal?

To be honest, I know nothing of the guy, but considering who his enemies were, I'm sore tempted to grant him the benefit of the doubt...

[Zippicus]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

What makes you think he did it for other reasons? Would it even be legal?

To be honest, I know nothing of the guy, but considering who his enemies were, I'm sore tempted to grant him the benefit of the doubt...

In Kansas you can do post viability abortions if two independent doctors agree that it is necessary to save a woman's life. He just went to trial (and was acquitted) over charges that the 2nd independent doctor was his employee. The problem being that it's something they were using as a loophole since they have to kill the fetus before it comes out alive and has the same rights as everyone else. The danger the woman supposedly faces still happens whether the baby is brought out alive or dead.

This is probably why the pro life crowd hated the guy so much.