Snip: Osama Bin Laden is still alive and leading a "holy war" against the West, according to a videotaped statement by his right-hand man. Ayman al-Zawahri was speaking in a message posted on the internet and then broadcast by al-Jazeera.
Fuel theft at Harbor Island Fuel Depot
Snip: The IRS agent's affidavit also reveals that the federal government has assumed control of what had been a state investigation into the theft of nearly $3 million worth of fuel from the Harbor Island depot belonging to Texas-based Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, the largest independent terminal operator in the U.S. Federal investigators say the suspects ripped off not only Kinder Morgan, but also oil companies that owned the fuel, a fuel-transport company and consumers.
Five people have been identified as having conspired to steal the fuel, sell it to gas stations in Washington and launder the proceeds through bank accounts. No one has been charged, and a supervising prosecutor at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle said Tuesday he did not know when charges might be filed.
What killed about 5,000 fish in Ecorse Creek (Michigan)?
Bruce Szczechowski, an environmental science teacher at Southgate Anderson High School, said he disputes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's preliminary finding that a sudden change in water temperature was responsible for the fish kill.
Szczechowski said that students in his environmental science class conducted tests of the water in Ecorse Creek near the LeBlanc Drain on Nov. 14 and Nov.18, within days of the kill.
They were measuring the amount of fecal coliform bacteria, or E.coli, and dissolved solids in the water, as well as its turbidity. Turbid water is water that is muddy or cloudy. Szczechowski said that on Nov. 18 he saw several dead gizzard chad floating in the drain.
The test results showed there were 10,000 bacterial colonies for every 100 milliliters of water, he said. He added that state law recommends no more than 300 colonies per milliliter. Since the water was so turbid and because of the high bacterial content, the fish likely were unable to extract oxygen from the water, Szczechowski said, causing them to suffocate.
Bryan Kelly of the EPA Large Lakes Research Station on Grosse Ile said tests to determine if E. coli was present were not performed by the various county, state and federal agencies that responded to the kill. "We did not look at that as a cause," Kelly said. "In communicating with the other agencies and because of the type of fish, it was our assessment (it) was temperature shock and we did not look at E. coli as a cause. At this point, it's not going to be considered as a cause."
However, should E. coli be found in the creek, Kelly said it would be a matter of concern and that it would be up to the state to handle the issue.
I knew there was a reason that I am not fond of fish (although, I will admit to a few exceptions.) I'll stick to my diet of buffalo, elk, venison, beef, pork and chicken.......in that order.