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An American teenager is seriously ill in hospital after jumping five floors into a pool in an attempt to imitate the stuntmen on the controversial television show Jackass. Paul Smith, 18, was being videoed by some friends when he hit the side of the pool and then toppled into the water with serious injuries. Three of his friends had already managed to carry out the stunt. Doctors said that the teenager, who shattered both his legs, was in a “critical but stable” condition at Bayfront Medical Centre in St Petersburg, Florida. It was not clear last night whether his injuries...

Police Raid 'Head Shop' Thanks To New Law Prosecutor Says He Will Run Shops Out Of County POSTED: 10:29 p.m. CDT May 7, 2003 UPDATED: 10:52 p.m. CDT May 7, 2003 BELTON, Mo. -- Cass County prosecutor Chris Koster is cracking down on so-called "head shops" in his jurisdiction thanks to a new provision in a state law. Head shops are stores that sell types of pipes often used to smoke drugs, KMBC's Martin Augustine reported. Until recently, head shop owners had legal protection because it was assumed that tobacco could also be smoked in those pipes. But now,...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A deputy used pepper spray on a 12-year-old girl and wrestled her to the ground when she ignored repeated orders to stop jaywalking, the sheriff's office said Friday. Broward County sheriff's deputy Michael Roberto was issuing jaywalking tickets to students crossing a busy highway Thursday when he asked the girl to stand next to his motorcycle so he could give her a citation, the deputy's report said. But the girl, who was not immediately identified, became upset and began to curse, Roberto said in the report. The girl also walked away and ignored four more orders...

The uninvited guest on the web is taking over. If we want to continue e-mailing and surfing, spam must be stopped, says Martin Wroe Sometime in the next six weeks the internet will pass a milestone. In about the middle of July the number of e-mails we don’t want to receive will overtake the number we do. Yes, spam is on course to conquer the web. For Adrian Pearson, an independent film producer based in London, the milestone is already past. Each day he gets more offers of cheap loans, miracle diets and penile enhancement than work-related messages. “It takes...

CA Gun Owners.. Help Defeat this!! Ten Cent Ammo Tax on Every Piece of AmmunitionAB 992 was voted on by the Assembly Public Safety Committee on April 8th and passed 5 to 2! The next committee hearing is scheduled for April 29th in the Assembly Health Committee. Your letters of opposition are needed NOW!, Click here for a sample letter, committee list, and more.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California will issue $11 billion in short-term debt this spring, an amount state officials called a nationwide record, to pay its bills while legislators try to devise a budget for a state facing a revenue crunch. "We are borrowing $11 billion so California will be able to pay its bills into the start of next fiscal year," State Controller Steve Westly said in a statement. "However, without a budget, we'll face another cash crisis and legal restrictions on which bills can be paid.

<p>EDINBURGH, Scotland -- Anglers and animal rights activists were further apart than ever on Wednesday after scientists said they had proved for the first time that fish feel pain.</p> <p>The study on rainbow trout by scientists in Scotland found evidence, researchers said, that fish have feelings, including stress and pain.</p>

Are People banned from this site? Are opposing views not welcomed? Why, YES.....Over the past 5-6 years I have had to change my log-in several times..Due to a "Banning". I have received over 132 e-mails from "Freepers" that were also banned. I enjoy reading most of the postings...I start my morning on this site. But I have learned not to reply or post any opposing views...until now. I'm sure this posting will vanish and once again I will be "banned". Until another screen name my friends.

Proposed Cuts Could Impact Queens’ School Lunch Program by Jessica Bruder, Chronicle Correspondent May 01, 2003 It’s Friday afternoon at Long Island City’s PS 166, and a girl is nibbling on a pizza crust while waiting in line to throw away her lunch tray. All around her, the cafeteria buzzes while kids eat their lunches, many provided by the government.    Four out of five children at PS 166, 948 out of 1,164 students in all, are considered poor enough to qualify for federally funded school lunch. But according to child advocates, many of them risk losing their subsidized meals if...

News statement--February 8, 2003 from Dan Besse, Forsyth County member North Carolina Democratic Party Executive Committee contact info: (336) 722-1674, danbesse@danbesse.org RALEIGH-The Executive Committee of the North Carolina Democratic Party met today in Raleigh to elect officers for 2003-2005 and transact other business. At the meeting, members voted unanimously for the following resolution: BE IT RESOLVED by the State Executive Committee of the North Carolina Democratic Party that we oppose the armed invasion and occupation of Iraq, and instead call upon the Bush Administration, Congress, and the United Nations to support continued and intensified weapons inspections and embargo efforts and...

<p>In a few weeks or months the United States will probably begin bombing the Iraqi people. It should be a teachable moment for teachers to address peace. It won't happen.</p> <p>Only a few teachers will have debates on the impending war, and only a few will attempt to balance the overwhelming American cultural penchant for vengeance and violence.</p>

WASHINGTON, October 25 – The National Committee for Only One Holiday at a Time is issuing a formal protest of the overlap of holidays in our culture. Tonight, our local shopping center was putting up Christmas decorations, a few days before Halloween. "The overrunning of holidays, one into the other, robs each of these wonderful occasions of its cultural identity and uniqueness and its meaning," said Timothy Phares, President of the committee. "This is confusing our children, who are being confused enough by the educational and cultural structure," he added. "For the children, we need to step back and observe...

The international community must use the United Nations' route to settle the Iraqi crisis, former US President Bill Clinton said. President Clinton told the Labour Party conference in Blackpool that the international community could provoke undesirable consequences if it mishandled the crisis over Saddam Hussein. "We will not allow ourselves to be defeated by tyrants with weapons of mass destruction. That will not happen," he said. Yes, Bill, you rather tried to appease them before the defeat occured. Or gave them access to America's secrets for campaign cash. - Ivan "Whatever we do we have to have a care for...

MIDI - LADY IN RED You know that as she's reaching for power she'll do what she must do That is really nothing new She is evil She'll smile right at the camera and say that for the children she works Because she thinks that we're all jerks And she is above it all We have learned the truth regarding Foster…and is anybody still left in the dark About the park Ms. Rodham's a Red…we've known all along…the right wing Ms. Rodham's a Red…she sings Marx's song…and she'd do anything She's got to be stopped or else she will…destroy...

<p>Business was booming Tuesday at Roger's Market in Endicott as smokers stopped for an extra pack of cigarettes to avoid today's double-digit state tax increase.</p> <p>"People have been stocking up," said Roger Evanek, owner of the convenience store on North Street.</p>