Free Republic

TOKYO (AFP) – Japan's celebrated cherry blossom, which for millions heralds the start of spring, is under threat from climate change, according to experts, who say warmer weather is causing early flowering. Cherry blossom season officially began in Tokyo this year on March 21 -- five days ahead of schedule and a full week earlier than the average for the last 30 years of the 20th century. Far from being a freak occurrence, the phenomenon of early blossoming has been happening for several years, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Traditionally, the first sakura -- cherry tree -- flowers...

Sedentary life 'speeds up ageing' There is now another good reason for regular exercise, say researchers Leading a sedentary lifestyle may make us genetically old before our time, a study suggests. A study of twins found those who were physically active during their leisure time appeared biologically younger than their sedentary peers. The researchers found key pieces of DNA called telomeres shortened more quickly in inactive people. It is thought that could signify faster cellular ageing. The King's College London study appears in Archives of Internal Medicine. An active lifestyle has been linked to lower rates of cardiovascular disease, type...

NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 15, 2005 – The Crescent City will be dry long before originally thought, the commander of Task Force Unwatering said here Sept. 14. "All I'm thinking about is water," said Army Col. Duane Gapinski, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers task force that is draining the floodwaters from New Orleans. The corps has made incredible progress, officials said. Since Hurricane Katrina flooded the city Aug. 30, engineers and workers have been feverishly damming up breached levees, strengthening canal walls and getting huge pumps on line. The results are plain to see. "Right now in the metropolitan...

Settled life speeds social and religious evolution 13 December 2004 Emma Young The shift from nomadic life to settled village life can lead to a rapid development of religious and social complexity and hierarchy, according to a detailed chronology of the Valley of Oaxaca in Mexico. Only about 1300 years separate its oldest ritual buildings - simple ‘men’s huts’ - and the first standardised temples of the Zapotec state, an archaeological study suggests. “This is the first study to show how the co-evolution of social and religious complexity occurred, and what steps were involved,” says Joyce Marcus at the University...

Bush speeds up the exit strategy By Alec Russell in Washington and Anton La Guardia (Filed: 13/11/2003) President George W Bush ordered his senior envoy in Iraq last night to speed up the handover of power to local politicians, following warnings from the CIA of impending disaster and a suicide bombing that killed 18 Italian paramilitary police. Police stand outside the damaged Italian headquarters following the bomb attack in Nasiriyah A lorry, packed with explosives, was driven into an Italian military police compound in the southern city of Nasiriyah, destroying the building. Nine Iraqis were killed and about 80 injured....

Bush speeds up preparations for war on Iraq By Toby Harnden in Washington (Filed: 04/09/2002) President Bush has summoned congressional leaders for top-level talks in the White House today amid clear signals that the United States is accelerating its preparations for war with Iraq. Mr Bush's meeting with senior Republicans and Democrats is an indication that the president will try to regain control of the fractious debate over Saddam Hussein. It was announced last night after Mr Bush returned from holiday apparently with a renewed determination to topple Saddam. White House officials say it is almost certain that Mr Bush...