Free Republic

Parasite that makes cat-lovers neurotic By Roger Highfield, Science Editor (Filed: 02/08/2006) Cat-lovers may be more neurotic than other people as a result of a feline parasite that could ultimately also be responsible for international cultural differences, according to a radical theory published today. More than a quarter of the world's population - ranging from about seven per cent of the UK population to almost 70 per cent in Brazil - is infected with Toxoplasma -gondii, a relative of the malaria bug, which also infects rats, giving them a suicidal attraction to cats. "Some of us have a parasite in...

The California Department of Motor Vehicles has launched a new system to sign up organ and tissue donors, hoping to significantly increase the state's pool of donations. Those applying for or renewing a driver's license or ID card can now register by checking "yes" at the organ and tissue donor option, officials said Monday. The decision has legal standing and is automatically transmitted to the state's donor registry, taking the decision about whether to donate out of a family's hands. "Now, for the first time, each and every one of the 23 million licensed California drivers will have an effective,...

Last week, the governor signed a $131 billion budget amid a chorus of bipartisan congratulations. With state revenues higher than expected, and the governor positioning himself for a re-election bid in the fall, there was relatively little of the acrimonious negotiations that normally accompany the hammering-out of the state's spending plan. But the governor did do a bit of trimming before signing his budget deal. He used his line-item veto authority to cut $112 million in state funds from the budget. The state lost out on another $63 million in federal matching funds that would have accompanied the higher spending...

U.S. Army Spc. Keith Jennings, welder with Company B, 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, sports a chopper-style bicycle he made with scraps he found around Camp Taji, Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brent Hunt U.S. Army Spc. Keith Jennings Soldier Makes Chopper-style Bicycle By Sgt. 1st Class Brent Hunt 1st Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs, 4th Infantry Division CAMP TAJI, Iraq, June 29, 2006 -- As soldiers on Camp Taji move about in their Humvees or bicycles from one place to another, one soldier from Fort Hood, Texas, truly stands out....

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2006 – The Taliban made another false claim of shooting down a U.S. helicopter yesterday, while two coalition troops were killed, officials reported. The Taliban claim came as at least 65 insurgents were killed during recent firefights with coalition forces in Afghanistan. The Taliban falsely told the media June 24 that a U.S. helicopter was shot down yesterday in the Tarin Kowt area of Uruzgan Province. There's no truth to this claim, U.S. officials said, noting that all coalition helicopters are accounted for. This is the second fake claim of downing a U.S. helicopter the Taliban have...

AL ASAD, Iraq (June 14, 2006) -- The two parties stare at each other from across a table that is filled with bottled water, sports drinks and soda cans. One side filled with local Iraqis from the neighboring area dressed in jeans, T-shirts and baseball hats. The other side is wearing the digital camouflaged uniforms with the eagle, globe and anchor embroidered on the chest over their hearts. Brief remarks from both sides are translated for the other to understand, turning the entire room into an eruption of laugher, as they continue to discuss the rebuilding of Iraq. Town Council...

The six billion letter man makes DNA breakthrough By Roger Highfield, Science Editor (Filed: 26/05/2006) An american scientist has become the first person in history to gaze at his entire genetic makeup, the DNA recipe book that he inherited from his parents. Craig Venter, 59, one of the pioneers of the effort to read all the genes in a human - the human genome - has now gone much further and produced the ultimate autobiography, one written in six billion "letters" of DNA. This heralds a new era of medicine, that of personal genomics. While the first draft human genomes,...

5/9/2006 - MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. (AFPN) -- Sports history landed in the lap of a McGuire Airman May 8 while he sat in the right field bleachers of Citizens Bank Park, as the Philadelphia Phillies played the San Francisco Giants. Airman 1st Class Carlos Oliveras of the 305th Aerial Port Squadron caught Barry Bonds' 713th home run ball, which left the Giants outfielder one home run behind Babe Ruth for second place on baseball’s career list. “Mid-game, I saw the crowd getting up out of their seats, and then I saw the ball bounce off the McDonald’s sign...

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2006 – Coalition forces killed 32 insurgents and destroyed two Taliban headquarters buildings in Afghanistan's Helmand province today, officials at Bagram Air Base said. The early-morning engagement continued into daylight hours as coalition forces defeated a large enemy element that was attempting to retreat into sanctuaries. Coalition forces also discovered large caches of munitions as they overran the Taliban compound and the enemy fled. Coalition forces destroyed the munitions, which included weapons and bomb-making materials, causing multiple secondary explosions and destroying the compound and all enemy military equipment inside. "The capturing of these two compounds with boots...

Absence makes the heart grow weaker 18:17 28 March 2006 NewScientist.com news service Stu Hutson Loneliness is bad for the heart, suggests a new study. It shows that loneliness increases the blood pressure of those nearing retirement age to the same degree as smoking or a sedentary lifestyle. Chronic feelings of social isolation are associated with as much as a 30 mmHg rise in a person’s systolic blood pressure by the age of 65, which could easily push their systolic blood pressure over 150 mmHg, the medical definition of hypertension. The study showed that this is independent of other confounding...

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a thinly veiled threat Saturday to bring down Hamas' new government if it does not change its violent ways. The tough talk came just two days before designated Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh is to present his proposed Cabinet to parliament for approval and three days before the Israelis are to hold elections. Western powers, while reluctant to create a humanitarian crisis, have threatened to cut hundreds of millions of dollars of aid if Hamas does not recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept past peace agreements between Israel and the Palestinians. Abbas,...

The Hamas terror group, as part of its new role as head of the Palestinian Authority, when presented in a conciliatory light in Western media, denies in Arabic, statements heralded as moderate. Ismail Haniyah of Hamas told CBS on March 16th that he hoped to some day sign a peace agreement with Israel. In his CBS interview, Haniyah said that he was "seeking a peace settlement and stability in this region," "looking forward to peace and tranquility in this region," and "seeking American administration to create this missing peace." According to a subsequent article in Al Hayat Al Jadida –...

HAMPTON, Ga. - Bill Lester was proud of his accomplishment, though a little embarrassed by all the attention. "I'm looking forward to when it's about racing instead of race," he said. Lester became the first black driver to compete in NASCAR's top series since Willy T. Ribbs in 1986, finishing six laps off the pace in 38th place Monday at the Golden Corral 500, won by Kasey Kahne. The 45-year-old Lester, a regular in NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series since 2002, accomplished one of his stated goals, avoiding a crash and racing to the end of the 500-mile race, postponed on...

/8/2006 - LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- An Air Force doctor is helping thousands of people in developing countries as a results of a chance encounter with Texas reservists at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, eight years ago. Lt. Col. (Dr.) Josef Schmid was in the regular Air Force working in the Rhein-Main clinic when a team of reservists from Lackland's 433rd Airlift Wing showed up for two weeks of annual tour training. “I didn’t even know they were reservists until someone said something," said Doctor Schmid, now assigned to the 433rd Medical Squadron here. After leaving active duty,...

WASHINGTON, March 2, 2006 – The United States and India have built a strategic partnership based on shared democratic values and a desire to defeat terrorism, President Bush said in New Delhi today. "Terrorism has no place in democracy, and terrorism must be defeated for our children and grandchildren to be able to live in a peaceful world," Bush said during a news conference hosted by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "We're working as partners to make the world safer." The president said India and America both believe that "every person matters, every person belongs, and everybody should be...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2006 – A British organization has reached across the ocean to join an American group in the common purpose of supporting the troops, creating a Web site that acts as a giant Valentine's Day card. "We felt strongly that the Library of Life and our organization did share a common bond in wanting to get messages that were supportive and appreciative to our troops," said Ana-Marie Smith, president of Soldiers' Angels. "And they've been wonderful." "Library of Life," an online message center, and "Soldiers' Angels," a group sending support to deployed troops, have created a site called...

PHOENIX — The World War II-era black officers’ club on Fort Huachuca has been listed as one of 12 Arizona’s Most Endangered Historic Places by the Arizona State Preservation Foundation. The listing on Jan. 24 is seen as an additional positive step by the president of the Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers in the organization’s attempt to save Building 66050. “It (the listing) brings us more publicity and will help in fund-raising,” Tom Stoney Sr. said Monday. SWABS has also applied to the National Trust for placing the black officers’ club on its annual list of historic places in danger,...

"You Can Call Me Bwana, Ferguson." January 18, 2005 I’m going to start a rickshaw factory. It’s so our kids will have a way to make a living, now that America is pulling out of the First World. Maybe I’ll put an iPod socket on the poles or a little tiny television, made in Japan. That way our puzzled offspring won’t inadvertently start thinking. Tradition provides an anchor in the circumambient chaos. See, what’s going to happen is, all the design work and programming are going to Mumbai, except the part that already has. Manufacturing is pretty much in China...

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HIT, Iraq (Jan. 13, 2006) -- Perched high atop one of the buildings that is currently home to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), a small satellite transmitter dish is the first step in a process used to keep the American public informed of the unit’s role in Operation Iraqi Freedom. As part of a network dubbed the Digital Video Imagery Distribution System, or DVIDS, the satellite transmitter enables the MEU to send video footage, photographs, and stories to media outlets in the United States without tying up tactical communications networks. A small group of...

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 12, 2006 – Demand for special operations forces capabilities has increased dramatically since Sept. 11, 2001, the deputy commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said here yesterday. "There's been much demand for our capabilities," Navy Vice Adm. Eric T. Olson said, "more than we can meet." Olson spoke at WEST 2006, a technology, communication and national security conference co-sponsored by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association and the U.S. Naval Institute. First on the ground in Afghanistan in October 2001, SOCOM used nearly every tool in its toolbox to remove the Taliban from power and render...