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Camelot has withdrawn its short-lived "Cool Cash" scratchcard after it required a higher than absolute zero grasp of how numbers work to understand it. According to the Manchester Evening News, to qualify for a prize, punters had to "scratch away a window to reveal a temperature lower than the figure displayed on each card". Sadly, as the card had a decidedly wintery theme, this initially-shown figure was often below zero. Cue anarchy, as Camelot was beseiged by "dozens" of confused customers who thought they'd won, but suffered a "computer says no" snub. Among these was Levenshulme's Tina Farrel, a 23-year-old...

Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani has been criticised over a fundraising party at which participants are being urged to donate $9.11. The International Association of Fire Fighters accuses him of exploiting the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. Mr Giuliani rose to national prominence as New York's mayor on 9/11. The Giuliani campaign says it did not plan the event, which is due to take place on Wednesday evening in California at the home of a supporter. Nevertheless, the firefighters association said the stated theme of the fundraiser - "$9.11 for Rudy" was in poor taste. "It is nothing short of...

[C]arriers have introduced a variety of fees to reach even deeper into customers' pockets. Some, like Northwest Airlines, are charging as much as $15 for coach passengers to reserve a more leg-friendly aisle seat. Others, like American Airlines, are charging up to $15 for changes to seat assignments that aren't made online.

WASHINGTON - As he tries to explain how he'll cope with the return of his wife's cancer, presidential hopeful John Edwards is opening up about another family struggle — the death of his teenage son Wade 11 years ago. His family life suddenly in the spotlight, Edwards has responded by speaking about an experience bound to bring him sympathy, humanize his campaign and focus on perseverance after tragedy. The discussion began last Thursday when John and Elizabeth Edwards announced her breast cancer had spread to her bone. It continued Saturday when Edwards was asked if he could balance the campaign...

http://www.oem.com.mx/elsoldemexico/notas/n64985.htm Our borders have been turned into "land of nobody",Nuestras fronteras se han vuelto tierra de nadie the consul of Guatemala in Tapachula, mister Melvin Valdez, denounced that the migrant Guatemalans suffer exploitation during its step by Mexico... http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.oem.com.mx/elsoldemexico/notas/n64985.htm/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dguatemala%2Bguatemalteco%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

A Democrat community leader who would "offer a homily during worship services" and facilitated his congregation's "opening our doors to all people regardless of sexual orientation" has been given a slap on the hand after pleading guilty to extensive child pornography offenses involving children as young as six. Authorities say Andrew Douglas Reed, 53, who reported for an abbreviated jail term just a few weeks ago, had pleaded guilty to a page-long list of counts of 2nd-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Court records in the Asheville, N.C., case said he admitted that he would "record, develop and duplicate material...

Madonna has said that she does not want to be a wife and a mother. And she confessed her older children, Lourdes, 10, and Rocco, six, complain that she neglects them. The controversial star made the startling admission just three weeks after creating a worldwide furore by adopting little David Banda in Malawi. It came as she was quizzed on American TV about her six-year marriage with British film director Guy Ritchie. Speaking on NBC-TV's Dateline programme, which is similar to Newsnight, she laughed with interviewer Meredith Vieira who said: "Six years... and they said it wouldn't last." Then Madonna...

China to double its aid to Africa The African leaders are being given a warm welcome China has pledged to double its aid to Africa and provide $5bn in loans and credits over the next three years. Chinese President Hu Jintao made the announcement as he opened a summit in Beijing attended by nearly 50 African heads of state and ministers. The summit is focusing on business with more than 2,000 deals under discussion. African leaders welcome their booming trade links with China, but critics accuse Beijing of dealing with repressive regimes. Beijing says it is just doing business and...

Rosa Brooks: No Escaping Sexualization of Young Girls With JonBenet back in the headlines, it's hard for a parent to avoid paranoia. August 25, 2006 IT'S BEEN a good week for the media, and a bad week for parents. The arrest of former schoolteacher John Mark Karr in the slaying of child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey launched a flurry of excited stories about pedophiles, child abduction and murder. The cable news stations could hardly hide their glee, and even the New York Times joined in. In a two-part series on pedophilia, the newspaper reported that many pedophiles now use Internet...

IN THESE polarised and war-weary times, it’s good to know that Americans can agree on one thing: John Ramsey is a total creep. Ramsey is the 63-year-old software entrepreneur whose daughter, JonBenet Ramsey, was beaten and strangled to death in her own home ten years ago. Although neither John nor his wife Pasty were ever charged, he was widely blamed for JonBenet’s killing — and continues to be, even after the death of Patsy from ovarian cancer and last week’s arrest of the teacher John Karr, a child-porn connoisseur who claims that he broke into the Ramseys’ home and murdered...

Wal-Mart Pledges to Allow Unions on all China Stores BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc said it will allow unions to be set up at all its outlets in China, although the nation's government-run labor organization is maintaining a hard line against the US retail giant. 'Our announcement today that we intend to collaborate with the All China Federation of Trade Unions ... reflects our mutual aim to establish grassroots unions within each Wal-Mart store throughout China,' said a company statement. 'Wal-Mart China desires to further strengthen its ties to China and our associates.' Employees of Wal-Mart have set up...

In a dirty white T-shirt hanging down to his knees, 4-year-old Harouna Balde begs for coins in bare feet among the traffic on the polluted streets of Dakar. Holding a rusty begging tin that is the trademark of the "talibes" -- students at Senegal's Koranic schools -- Balde says he must take back money or face a beating from his religious teacher, or marabout. "I must bring back 500 francs ($0.90) every day to my master or face punishment," says the tiny boy. He travels from his squalid daara, or religious school, in the distant suburb of Thiaroye to beg...

DUBAI - Construction on a building expected to be the world’s tallest was interrupted on Wednesday after Asian workers angered by low salaries and mistreatment rioted, smashing cars and offices and causing what a government official said almost US$1 million in damage. The stoppage triggered a sympathy strike at Dubai International Airport also Wednesday, when thousands of labourers building a massive new terminal also laid down their tools, airport and labour officials said. Some 2,500 workers on the emerging Burj Dubai tower and surrounding housing developments chased and beat security officers Tuesday night, broke into temporary offices and smashed computers...

Cartoon Jihad = Reconnaissance in Force The protests over “blasphemous” cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed continue to spread and intensify: Nigeria, Indonesia ,Turkey ,Pakistan,Libya,Syria,Lebanon,Afghanistan,Somalia,Egypt,Algeria,Kashimir,Yemen,Malaysia ,SaudiArabia , Denmark, Norway , Russia , France , Germany , Britain , Canada , Italy , and ,of course, the USA. While the “great thinkers” of the Western world –(including Ex-President Clinton) -beat their breasts and abase themselves with cries of “ Oh,where did we go wrong ? “ ,the Islamic militants – who started the whole fuss – are conducting a brilliant “reconnaissance in force “ against the West – and against their own...

For three weeks, police kept the man under surveillance, watching as he picked up his merchandise in the outskirts of the city and dropped it off in one of Rome's most attractive piazzas. The 35-year-old Romanian was not dealing in drugs or contraband cigarettes but children. He controlled a group of nine boys aged between 10 and 14, who were transported every day into Rome and told to beg for money or wash the windscreens of people's cars. Each child earned €50-70 a day, which they handed over to their boss in return for food and clothing. After secretly videotaping...

Here's something to get you all riled up for the weekend... Join CODEPINK for New Year’s in Cuba December 27-January 2, 2006 Cuba is one of the most beautiful and fascinating countries on Earth—and George Bush says you can’t go there. Well, we’re going anyway, and we invite you to join us! This New Year’s CODEPINK will be organizing a large group of fun-loving and freedom-loving Americans to break George Bush’s ban on travel to Cuba. Join co-founders Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans, together with Academy Award winning producer Paul Haggis, as we visit with farmers at their co-ops, doctors...

Weighing the Columbus cargo By Edward Hudgins ehudgins@objectivistcenter.org Published October 10, 2005 -------------------------------------------------------- Many critics argue Christopher Columbus gave us a devil's bargain. In October 1492 that Italian explorer, working for Spain, opened America to his fellow Europeans. The result: We got a prosperous New World by impoverishing, enslaving and murdering the natives who were already here. But this fails to distinguish between two types of exploitation, one over other humans and the other over nature. The former should be expunged from our moral codes and civilized society, the latter is the essence of morality and civilization. Human exploitation was...

On 9/11 survivors of Katrina will participate in a NONVIOLENT act of Civil Disobedience: building an encampment on the Washington DC Mall. FEMA pens Katrina survivors like diseased cattle. Bushville, DC will force politicians and reporters to see them every day. We may be few on 9/11, but Bushville, DC will grow. Bushville, DC isn’t an organization - it’s a vision. Everyone come to the Mall and join the crowd. You don’t need to be a Katrina survivor, all Bush survivors are welcome. Be there and make history.

Exploiting Cindy: standard operating procedure September 2nd, 2005 If conservatives have one common failing among them, it is their lack of sufficient cynicism to properly assess the nature of their liberal opponents. Their reaction to the ongoing antics of Cindy Sheehan stands as inarguable proof. Long before her son’s death, she was an anti-war liberal. Nothing has changed. Yet, on occasions to numerous to count, conservatives have voiced their sympathies for Sheehan, presuming that, as a loving mother who lost her son in the ongoing Iraq war, she is crying out from emotional pain. Thus they overwhelmingly give her a...

SINGAPORE, Aug 29 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures surged more than $4 in opening trade on Monday, hitting a new record high above $70 a barrel after Hurricane Katrina forced Gulf of Mexico producers to shut in more than a third of their output. Katrina, which strengthened into a rare, maximum power Category 5 hurricane as it spun through key oil and gas fields toward New Orleans, shut in a total 633,000 barrels per day (bpd), according to company figures on Sunday. It also forced the closure of seven refineries and a major U.S. crude import terminal. Crude oil...