A little toy to play with

In trying to make up for my lack of posts, I thought I add this link to an IP address locator that allows you to find the physical location of any webpage or IP address. It's how I know, for instance, that Carolyn checked the blog while on vacation from an internet provider in Cape Coral, Florida. :)

Slacking off...

I realized that I haven't really put anything of substance into this for a week now, so I thought I'd at least add something to let people know I'm still alive and to expect something over the weekend.

Public Enemy vs. The White Stripes

Every once and a while you come across some music that, although it didn't completely work, you like the idea behind it. On last Tuesday's John Peel show, which until about 5pm central tomorrow you can still hear here, at the one hour mark he played a tune that took the bass line from Seven Nation Army and superimposed a combination of Bring the Noise and Rebel Without a Pause. Like I said, it didn't completely work, especially the DJ scratching which I think they added in at the last minute, but it was interesting nonetheless. I thought I'd share.

Going back to work

In a policy reversal, the American-led occupying forces have declared that former Bath Party members in Iraq are now allowed to return to their old jobs. This is seen as an attempt to alleviate some of the frustration in the Iraqi populace who have been responsible for most of the violence in the past week. Islamic cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has warned the United States that he will unleash suicide bombers if they attempt to attack the holy city of Najaf. American forces however are getting ready for an attack on the city of Fallujah after other diplomatic methods failed. Also, an very interesting story from the New York Times about the fate of released Japanese hostages who upon returning to Japan may have wished that they stayed in Iraq.

Although misquoted when he allegedly told a reporter that "foreign leaders were supporting him," John Kerry is actually starting to see some of that, as Tony Blair's former right-hand man Alastair Campbell publicly acknowledged that Kerry would be his choice. He however doesn't vote, and an article in the Atlantic Monthly discusses how the GOP delivers exactly what its constituents want: values, strength, guns and righteous ferocity abroad, which keeps them voting Republican. If you're unsure yourself about who you are going to vote for, AOL/Time Warner has a feature that will allow you to answer some questions to show how close your thinking is to the other candidates. I got the following result:

Dennis Kucinich 84%
Al Sharpton 75%
John Kerry 73%
George Bush 8%

Given that neither Kucinich or Sharpton are going to be the presidential candidates, I think my choice would be clear. Of course if you're not all that hot on Kerry, you can always check out this site, which possibly has the best URL ever -- I wonder if there was a lot of competition to register it. :)

The Dali Lama stated yesterday that he is not looking for Tibetan independence from China during some public speeches. Paul Martin says he has no issue discussion human rights issues in his meeting with the Dali Lama tomorrow, a discussion which will probably inevitably lead to how China suppresses culture and religion in Tibet. On the same note, the Washington Post published a great article detailing how the Chinese government works to prevent opposition student groups from forming by using informants and sentencing students to ten years in prison for attending meetings.

Also:
- Signs of life have been found in a 3.5 billion year old lava field.
- Researchers at Stanford believe that they have found the molecular basis for the 'Mozart effect.'
- Curry has been shown to be helpful in alleviating cystic fibrosis.
- Better get ready for the summer, because the cicadas are coming.
- A survey carried out by a research company has shown that mp3 players that can hold about a 1000 songs are optimum for most people.
- Human Rights Watch has alleged that pro-government forces in western Sudan executed 136 men in an operation last month.
- 150 people are reported dead and more than 1200 were injured in the explosion caused by a train accident in South Korea.
- A joint study by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund is warning developed nations that they are not meeting their goals in the global reduction of poverty.
- The grand mufi of Saudi Arabia has declared that the perpetrators of the Riyadh bombings await hellfire for their actions.
- The Mayor of Begles, France has stated that he will conduct the country's first same-sex wedding in June.
- Looks like the Mossad still have a thing for Canadian passports.
- A happy St. George's Day to all the English out there.

A sobering thought...

From The National last night: "More Iraqis have died in suicide bombings since the end of hostilities than have been killed in Israel in the past four years."

Real Time Words!

Who new that a dictionary site could be at least mildly entertaining -- Merriam-Webster Online now has a 'Real Time Word' section that shows you, apparently unedited, a random selection of words that are being looked up by users in real time.

Happy Earth Day!

Since it is Earth Day, we should all start out by quickly calculating our ecological footprint, or the number of acres of fertile land it takes to support our habits. You might be surprised.

Attempts to pacify the resistance in Fallujah have so far not yielded the intended results, as fierce fighting continues to breakout and the arms requested by the United States have so far not materialized. Poland, meanwhile, has announced that it will keep its troops around until at least June 30th when control over Iraq is scheduled to be handed over to the Iraqi people. Meanwhile, citizens of Basra, the sight of suicide bombings yesterday, held services for their dead which now number 50 according to the British. With a local group associated with al-Qaeda claiming responsibility for yesterday's bombings in Saudi Arabia, the Christian Science Monitor ponders whether the attacks represent a shift in al-Qaeda's tactics.

The Pakistani army has announced the cessation of operations against al-Qaeda militants on its border with Afghanistan. In Afghanistan itself, 17 people have been arrested in Kabul on the suspicion that they were planning attacks against domestic and foreign targets.

There has been a great deal of recent debate over whether one of John Kerry's Purple Hearts was warranted given the injury that he sustained (a conversation which would almost lead one to question whether there are actual issues out there that could use the airtime). Luckily, the Columbia Journalism Review's Campaign Desk succeeds where so many papers have not, by actually comparing the testimony of the event to the requirements necessary to earn a Purple Heart. I just question the nit-picking over a rather small item in what, at least according to records, seems to have been a very successful military career. Kos does a background on John O'Neill, the guy who has kicked up this story and has found not only that he isn't exactly as independent as he claims to be, but that this isn't even the first time he has had a bone to pick with Kerry -- he was trotted out by Richard Nixon in an attempt to discredit Kerry's post-war activism over 30 years ago.

In addition:
- The tallest tree possible would be 130m high (426 ft) according to researchers in California.
- Scientists have found hurricanes to be a boon for certain species of plants and animals.
- Physicists have discovered an upper limit to the speed of hard drives.
- Deutsche Welle looks at the impacts (or lack thereof) of the legalization of prostitution in Germany.
- The New York Times has a story on how elite universities contain proportionately more wealthy students than they used to and some of the efforts to try and reverse the trend.
- The man who blew the whistle on Israel's nuclear weapons program has been released from jail after 17 years. He is now looking for Norwegian help to leave the country.
- Canada has become the first nation to recognize the genocide of Armenian Turks during the First World War, much to Turkey's consternation.
- The new Serbian foreign minister has stated that independence for Kosovo would be impossible from Serbia's standpoint.
- The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has blamed a group of broadcasters in Kosovo for fanning the flames of March's ethnic clashes.
- A meeting of Muslim nations has condemned the United States over its support for Israel's plan to keep some settlements in the West Bank.
- 3000 people are either dead or injured as two cargo trains carrying fuel in North Korea collided causing a massive explosion.
- Slate condenses Bob Woodward's new book.
- Annenburg asks whether the internet is polarizing political dialogue.
- If you are a writer and looking for longevity, you might want to consider not choosing a career in poetry.
- An interesting site featuring 360 degree panoramas from around the world.

Dissention in the family

The United States didn't take Spain's withdrawal very well, with President Bush 'voicing regret' over the 'abrupt' action of the Spanish government. Although given that Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has been talking about this for about a month, not to mention the months prior to the election when his party promised to withdrawal the troops, it's unclear to me exactly how 'abrupt' this action is. Abrupt might be more like Honduras and the Dominican Republic's call to do the same. Although Spain dedicated only 1300 troops, the Dominican Republic 300, and Honduras 370, a number that accounts for less that 1% of the total troops, it may do more to shake up America's existing allies and put a halt to US interests in using NATO. Poland is rumored to be considering its own withdrawal, but has yet to make an announcement. The use of the UN though is still being tossed around by both presidential candidates.

The American-led coalition has drafted a plan that it hopes will end the current standoff between itself and Sunni Iraqis that includes the surrender of heavy weapons. Civilians have begun to slowly trickle back into the city as the violence subsides. Life hasn't gotten any easier for the occupying forces though, as ten people died today in car bomb explosions in Riyadh, another car bomb killed 55 in Basra, and shelling on a prison killed 22 prisoners outside of Baghdad. Add to this the fact that all the recent action is stretching resources thin, putting pressure on the administration to seek yet another boost to military funding and a leaked Coalition memo detailing how Iraq has a good chance of falling into civil war. Despite all of this, support for George Bush has not been affected by the continued violence, though Tony Blair faces a different fate with support for his stand on Iraq falling sharply.

In Israel, the United States is calling for Hamas to 'be put out of business,' and Ha'aretz published a good interview with Dr. Hanan Shai, a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and his work on suicide bombings and asymmetric warfare.

In what might have seemed like a Noble Peace Prize convention, the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Iranian human-rights activist Shirin Ebadi spoke at the University of British Columbia about non-violent resolutions to global conflict. Another Peace Prize laureate, Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi, might be freed from house arrest by Burma's military junta later this week.

Also:
- The Lyrids are kicking off this year's meteor season tonight.
- Tornadoes on Mars are the latest peril to the rover missions.
- The Gravity Probe has made it successfully into orbit.
- Particle physics has been used to save old vinyl recordings.
- An international team of scientists have published a detailed map of over 21 000 human genes with the hopes that it will increase scientific discovery.
- Chocolate cake is good, but recent studies show it might also be addictive.
- Rock art from the Stone Age may indicate a long history of whaling in ancient tribes.
- Studies of humpback whales provide evidence that their song might not be used just for mating.
- Marine life appears to be getting sick more often according to US researchers, though they have yet to determine a cause.
- A presidential commission has advised the US government to create an oceans fund that will protect and improve the health of the nation's oceans.
- The wolf population in Norway is decreasing and scientists suspect that illegal hunting might be to blame.
- Another dinosaur extinction theory: a lack of females did them in.
- Apple Computer is moving towards a focus on laptop vs. desktop sales.
- One of the internet's central technologies has been found to have a serious security vulnerability.
- National Geographic has an article covering how NASCAR technicians are making the cars safer without trading off speed.
- Canada's fertility rate has dropped to 1.5 children per woman.
- MRI scans of people watching political ads show that different parts of the brain light up depending on your political persuasion.
- A Chinese restaurant featuring sushi served on nearly naked women has been fined by the government.
- In an election year, the university campuses are heating up with activity.
- The Christian Science Monitor published a story about the effects of the Columbine shooting five years later.
- France has expelled a Muslim cleric who advocated beating women.
- Saudi Arbia has denied having a deal with the Bush administration to fix oil prices before the November election, in opposition to details in Bob Woodward's latest book.
- The Pentagon, however, has edited an official transcript used by Woodward deleting a statement by Donald Rumsfeld that Saudi Arabia was given a two-month heads up about the Iraq invasion.
- The US Supreme Court is hearing the cases of detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
- The salaries of Sinn Féin MPs may be cut because of their continued support of paramilitary violence.
- The UN has a team set to investigate alleged atrocities against non-Arabs in western Sudan.
- India's general election has begun, illustrating the difficulties of voting in a country with over a billion people.
- Slate answers the pressing question, what exactly is a Planetary Protection Officer?
- The New York Times ponders T. S. Elliot.
- A amateur soccer player in Britain has scored the fastest goal ever in a game -- 2 1/2 seconds after kickoff.

It's like quitting your job, only different

Spain has given its fellow 'coalition of the willing' allies two weeks notice on its intentions to remove Spanish troops from Iraq, a move which Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero claims will not damage the countries ties with the US. As Deutsche Welle notes though, this will undoubtedly put even additional pressure on US troops stationed there. Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has responded by urging his followers not to attack Spanish troops. The US-led coalition has announced measures to attempt to halt the standoff, even offering amnesty to the rebels. This comes as ten American soldiers were killed over the weekend in clashes with insurgents and the United States has asked that all its diplomats leave Saudi Arabia for fear of terrorist attack. The Christian Science Monitor reports how the US is concerned that Iran may be playing some sort of a hand in the recent uprising. Due to the unplanned use of equipment during the uprising, the United States has closed two major highways to Baghdad in an attempt to secure supply lines.

Israel has assasinated a top Hamas leader, Abd Al-Aziz al-Rantisi, with a missile strike on his car in Gaza City. Tens of thousands of Palestinians marched in protest against Israel's action, Hamas has vowed a 'volcano of revenge,' and Israel has promised further action against Hamas leaders, even those based in Syria. Much like the assassination of Hamas' spiritual leader Ahmad Yasin in March, other world countries quickly condemned the assassination, with the United Nations Security Council holding an emergency meeting today to discuss the situation. Both the Guardian and the Christian Science Monitor look into how this move could further deepen the Palestinian resistance to Israel and Ha'aretz ponders the motivation behind ordering the attack. In a related issue, Ariel Sharon has pledged to destroy the homes of settlers in the Gaza Strip after the pull out if he does not receive assurances that they will not go to the families of militants, but will invest tens of millions of dollars in the West Bank.

Also:
- After generations in captivity, released rats quickly relearn most skills that are needed to survive in the wild.
- Japanese scientists have developed a method to extract lithium from seawater.
- New 'super-antibodies' can target diseases within cells instead of just on the surface.
- Brits are concerned that an anti-hangover drug might serve to promote binge drinking.
- A new drug injection system developed by scientists at MIT avoids the pain of needles.
- Saudi Arabia is petitioning the United States to change its foreign policy in the middle east, especially with respect to the Palestinian situation.
- Vice President Cheney speaks to a meeting of the NRA, who deny access to the father of a Columbine victim looking to talk to Cheney about extending the assault weapons ban.
- Air America is alive and well despite rumors to the contrary, but the fact that I had to go to the Toronto Star for the story has to say something.
- The IMF issued a warning about future interest rate hikes.
- A landmine-awareness workshop has opened in Ethiopia.
- The New York Times features an article about consumers who refuse to switch from dialup to broadband and other piece on the rise of Christian music.
- The Dalhi Lama spoke in Vancouver over the weekend, urging people to nurture a good heart.
- Lost in Translation is fueling a debate in Japan about whether the movie's stereotypes went too far.
- FAIR goes to bat for al-Jazzera over allegations of biased reporting.
- An ABC feature on a medival music group, complete with sound clips.

Problems in Fallujah

After one of the worst outbreaks of violence in Iraq since the war began a ceasefire is holding in Fallujah, though Al-Jazeera has reported United States forces engaging Iraqi militants despite the implementation of a ceasefire. It must be noted though that Al-Jazeera is currently in a dispute with the American military who it accused of pressuring journalists to provide a positive outlook on the war effort, but the New York Times independently verifies that military engagements continue as American troops are shot at. As many as 60 000 refugees have poured into Baghdad to flee from the violence that left over 600 Iraqis killed in the last week, many of the men stating that they were only there to drop off their families before returning to join the resistance. The 600 figure is apparently difficult to confirm though, as American reporters are unable to independently verify the numbers. The United States military in the meantime has stated that at least 73 of its troops have been killed since the beginning of the month as of April 12th. The city itself is apparently strengthening a sense of nationalism among Iraqis who want to see the United States leave their country. As the conflict continues, it appears that his sentiment is increasing, with even moderate Shiite leaders stating that the fighting in the Sunni region is moving the public against the Americans. This situation could become increasingly dire in the coming days if a resolution is not found, as US Marines have found evidence of organized suicide squads. There has been some high level opposition to the way the United States is conducting itself in Fallujah -- senior British officers have spoken to the Telegraph about the military action, condemning the tactics as heavy-handed and disproportionate and Islamic Scholars in Saudi Arabia have declared it a 'great injustice.' The special Iraqi advisor to Secretary General Kofi Annan has also criticized the events in Fallujah, offered a withering analysis of America's Iraqi governance, and slammed the occupied forces for detaining prisoners without trial or charge.

Back to the man who is seen to be at the center of this affair after the United States took a risky move to try and politically alienate him several weeks ago, though being constantly pursued by the United States who has threatened to either capture or kill him, Sadr has continued to be defiant in the face of American pressure, stating that he is ready to die in order to end the occupation of Iraq, but did propose a peace process in an attempt to resolve the situation and has since dropped many of his conditions.

Facing a round of hostage taking and kidnapping, Japan has urged any of its citizens to leave the country and Russia has offered to airlift 800 of its citizens out of Iraq to escape the danger. The United States government has urged its citizens to leave Saudi Arabia because of the threat of future terrorist attacks. The New York Times has run a story about how American civilians, lured over to Iraq by either money or patriotism, are now facing some grim realities. Bush, however, stated at his news conference that his resolve remains firm, vowing to provide any troops and services necessary to do the job. Blair is taking the other side at the same time, attempting to garner an increased United Nations role for the country.

The new Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero was sworn in, vowing to crack down on terror and push for social and political reforms such as the legalization of gay marriage. Spain declared that the core group responsible for the devastating attacks on the rail system has been neutralized. King Abdullah of Jordan reported that this intelligence agency has prevented a massive attack in the country that could have killed thousands of people. European nations have rejected a 'truce tape' that was reportedly sent from Osama bin Laden asking them to pull their troops out of the Muslim world.

Ariel Sharon is looking for American approval of his disengagement plan from the Gaza Strip, though the Bush administration's reaction to this idea has traditionally been somewhat cool. Bush however decided to hail the plan and support Israel in its implementation, leading to a Hamas statement condemning the move and reiterating how armed struggle is the only option for the Palestinian people. Yasser Arafat also denounced the plan, stating that Palestinians will never give up the right to return to their homes in the West Bank as the plan outlines. The United Nations human rights body has independently called on Israel to halt settlement activities and stop work on its West Bank barrier, which Ha'aretz reported on how the current construction has actually increased the military burden on the IDF.


The 9/11 commission received testimony from CIA director George Tenant, who admitted that the agency made mistakes before the terrorist attacks occurred and stated that it will take another five years to develop the kind of intelligence agency that the country needs to combat external threats.

As the ANC walks to what looks like an easy victory in South African elections, the Christian Science Monitor put together a little expose on the leader, Thabo Mbeki, as well as outlining the chronic problems facing the country.

China has slammed the proposed meeting between Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and the Dalai Lama, likening him to a Quebec separatist. The Canadian government in turn, and quite properly, basically told them to shove off, stating that they were meeting the Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader, although the Tibetan government in exile is apparently concerned that the meeting might not be good for tentative negotiations with China. Canada is also under fire from the US 'drug czar,' who is accusing the country of being the primary supplier of high-grade marijuana.

The Atlantic Monthly has a couple of articles that you might want to check out. First is one about American's supposed obsession with rose-colored politics, a piece on Democratic speechwriter Bob Shrum, a piece on how American should begin to take its international treaty obligations seriously, and how being funny affects your chances as the Presidency.

- New software uploaded to the Mars rovers will help them travel longer distances and possibly extend their missions until September.
- Now that we've found evidence of water on Mars, National Geographic takes us through the many questions that arise from this discovery.
- The Cassini probe has found two moons of Saturn that appear to keep one of the planet's rings in check with their gravitational influence.
- Observing over 14 000 stars over a 1000 night period has led astronomers to create a map of our solar system.
- Other astronomers have hypothesized that we live in a funnel shaped universe.
- An international team of astronomers have used a method called gravitational microlensing to discover a new planet orbiting a distant star.
- Scientists in Florida are looking for a better theory on how the Earth's magnetic field flips periodically.
- Astronomers have come up with a theory on why intermediately-sized black holes exist. The answer turns out to be due to colliding stars.
- Astronomers have found that Sedna, the newest candidate to be a planet, has no moons.
- Scientists working for Tyco have created water that isn't wet.
- Time to turn the radio down -- a Canadian study found that listening to loud music can hamper reaction times by up to 20%.
- Honey is being studied by an Australian company for its medicinal properties.
- Researchers in Sweden may have found a theory that explains how cell phone use is bad for your health.
- Not only does eating chocolate during pregnancy keep the mother happy, it may keep the baby happy as well.
- Scientists are working on using a type of bacteria to clean up areas polluted by uranium and other toxic compounds.
- But if the bacteria doesn't work out, you could always try plants.
- Greenland's melting ice cap has the capacity to raise sea levels by up to 7 meters (23 feet), submerging major cities now at sea level. Global temperatures have already increased almost 2 Fahrenheit degrees over the last 100 years, raising the sea levels between 4 to 8 inches.
- The deforestation of the Amazon rainforest is decreasing slightly after a record high year. The Economist takes a look at the development issues surrounding the deforestation of the Amazon.
- According to a recent study, scientists believe that migrating birds rely on the sunset to navigate.
- Scientists at Cornell have created software that could allow blind people to 'see' color.
- The seal hunt has begun in northern Canada, sparking the usual protests from animal activists.
- Australia is reportedly on track to meet its Kyoto Treaty commitments.
- Another article about our relationships with our pets.
- Researchers have discovered what part of our brain controls insight and our aesthetic sense.
- The death of all the alpha-males in a baboon colony has caused a dramatic and seemingly permanent transformation in their culture.
- The whole Terminator battle scenes might be a reality in a few years, as researchers continue to improve the battle robot.
- The government of the United States has proposed strict spam sentencing.

- The Pope, fatigued by his busy Easter schedule, is told by his doctor to skip his speech at his Wednesday general audience.
- Catholic bishops mull over what to do about John Kerry's votes against church teachings, although the Campaign Desk notes that they might be the ones who are out of touch with Catholics.
- The Church is also throwing its weight around in Poland's upcoming elections.
- Inflation in the United States is growing faster than expected, raising fears that the Federal Reserve might increase interest rates.
- Some Democrats are worried that Bill Clinton's memoirs will overshadow John Kerry's presidential campaign.
- African Anglican bishops have decided that they will not agree to receive funds from Western churches that ordain gay bishops.
- There are growing signs that China's economy might be overheating.
- Amazon has now come out with their own search engine and its getting a good deal of praise from experts.
- A Slate writer defends Google's new email system.
- The average PC has 28 items of spyware on it -- have you used Adaware lately?
- Real Networks and Apple are in talks about a partnership to go against Microsoft in the digital music business.
- An ABC article on an artist known for her outback paintings.
- A New York Times story on the large impact microfinance operations have for poor women in developing nations.
- Another New York Times story on how Columbia's youth are using hip-hop to express themselves.
- Oxfam has come out slamming the EU for its policy of sugar subsidies which it says benefits large firms to the detriment of developing countries.
- One of Tony Blair's senior advisors has stated that the Bush administration has had a 'devastating impact' on global sustainable development, setting the world back at least ten years.
- One third of Brazlians are living on less than $1/day.
- Western notions of body image are effecting Zulu women, who traditionally have seen fuller figures as desirable.
- The UN has passed a motion censuring Cuba for human rights abuses. China, however, avoided the same fate.
- The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has issued a report citing the growing disparity between the rich and the poor as being the main component causing a drop in the overall quality of life in Canadian cities.
- A Brisbane native has set the Guinness World Record for the highest note ever sung by a male. You should check out the audio on this one.
- Astronomers are worried about undetectable asteroids that are capable of destroying cities. Wonder what the effect of the next big meteor to hit the Earth will be? Now you can find out.

Vacation

I've been on vacation for the past few days, but don't worry, I'll be serving up a new batch of stories sometime today.

Just when you thought things were getting better...

Things aren't going as well in Iraq as they used to be. First on Friday, a suicide bomber killed himself and two bystanders in Riyadh. Then on Sunday Shia Iraqis supporting the Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr and American forces clashed over the control of public buildings in Sadr City, causing the deaths of seven American soldiers. In Najaf, 20 Sadr supporters were killed and over 100 injured in clashes with Spanish troops. Three American soldiers were killed around Baghdad and four died in the western Anbar province in hostile actions as well. A warrant has been issued for al-Sadr, leading experts to speculate whether these actions will lead to a possible civil war when power is handed back over to the Iraqis. To make matters worse, the cleric has publicly stated that he is willing to die resisting any attempts to capture him. The United States is said to be seriously contemplating sending reinforcements to quell the current situation. The Christian Science monitor runs down the current situation.

Collaborating what Richard Clarke testified at the 9/11 commission, a former British ambassador to Washington has come out detailing how George Bush mentioned to Tony Blair his intention to oust Saddam Hussein from power only 9 days after 9/11. Tony Blair apparently warned Bush to keep his focus on Afghanistan, but the President noted that they would come back to Iraq after the war in Afghanistan was complete. Colin Powell has also come out saying that the data on Iraq's WMD's was not solid before the American's invaded. Former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix has stated that the war in Iraq has left the country worse off than when Saddam Hussein was in power.

Three suspected terrorists and a policeman were killed after the suspected terrorists detonated explosives during a police raid on their dwelling. Among the dead was the suspected ringleader of the Madrid bombings, Serhane ben Abdelmajid Fakhet. The Christian Science Monitor takes us through the steps that led the Spanish authorities to this point. Other enforcement operations were successful, as three letter bombs were intercepted destined for media outlets, a bag of explosives was discovered under a high-speed rail track using explosives that match those used in Madrid and two more suspects were arrested in connection with those bombings. French officials have arrested 13 terrorist suspects in relation to suicide bomb attacks in Morocco and found what they believe to be an arms factory for the Basque separatist group ETA. Thieves have stolen 600kg of dynamite and 5000 detonators in Norway, raising fears of a future terrorist attack.

Recent success by Israel in thwarting suicide bombers has caused former Palestinian rivals to join together against Israel using the best resources from every group. The United States has warned Israel against assassinating Yasser Arafat.


Also:
- Astronomers are delighted with the discovery of mini-galaxies, the theoretical building block of larger galaxies.
- Scientists are divided over whether building a Moon base for Mars exploration is a good idea or not.
- The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft has taken the sharpest color picture to date of Saturn.
- NASA's Gravity Probe B is scheduled to be sent up into orbit April 17th with a mission to test components of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.
- Stronger trade winds are pushing the planet into a faster spin, putting our calendar out by one day in the last 100 years.
- A third volcano has been discovered in Mount Fuji.
- Archeologists have unearthed a full frontal portrait of an Egyptian pharaoh, the first ancient Egyptian portrait found that wasn't in profile.
- If you're in Brazil anytime soon, be careful to watch out for the vampire bats.
- According to recent studies, size does matter.
- Why leaping ahead has its problems.
- A double surgery for obese people may significantly aid their health.
- Scientists are studying what makes chimps and humans so different despite have such similar genomes.
- The Dead Sea might not have been so dead at one point, as an oil exploration company finds fossil fuels 363 meters down.
- Sony is talking about having multiple versions of the PS3.
- A half-meter tall robot has conducted Beethoven's 5th symphony in Japan.
- Kerry may be Catholic, but not as Catholic as some in the Church would like.
- 308 000 jobs were created in the United States in the last month, beating most analyst's expectations.
- George Bush's credibility might have taken some blows in the last few weeks, but the Economist notes that voters have yet to show their concern.
- American Progress has put together an article showing how Bush's attacks against Kerry as a 'flip-flopper' might be a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
- A former Richard Nixon aide has stated that Bush's administration is worse than Nixon's when it comes to secrecy, deception and political cynicism.
- Canadians are now the only nationality allowed to enter the United States without being fingerprinted.
- China is getting upset about a proposed sale of radars to Taiwan from the United States.
- A member of the group that conducted the Bali bombings that killed 202 people has confessed that orders for the attack came from Osama bin Laden.
- Rwanda's official census has found that 937 000 people were killed in the 1994 genocide.
- The Economist details the Cyprus peace plan and recent history of the divided island, plus an article on the EU's carbon trading plan.
- After a Jewish school was firebombed in Montreal, Prime Minister Paul Martin came out to declare that this type of action was not part of his Canada.
- Avid file-swappers are due to be heading to Canada as a judge rules their activity to be legal.
- Quebec has just wed their first same-sex couple.
- 150 copies of the Holy Book of the Sikhs have been flown from Punjab to Toronto to be met by Prime Minister Paul Martin and members of Canada's Sikh community.
- Ontario unions are kicking off a large protest of Ontario's public-private hospitals.
- The Pope used his Palm Sunday sermon to call upon young people to choose faith over fashion.
- 3000 local Christians and pilgrims marched in Jerusalem in what is thought to be the path that Jesus took when he entered the city.

- Fans of Nirvana are marking the 10th anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death.
- Bill Gates step aside, the founder of IKEA is now the world's richest person.
- Slate asks whether newspapers should show graphic images of war.
- Wal-Mart may have overbilled up to 800 000 customers using credit and debt cards.

Happy April Fools!

Bourque has his usual April fools day story leading, this year about Paul Martin scrapping the GST. It's too bad that Brad fell hook, line and sinker for it last night when we were talking. The Bourque thing is important too, since last year when he 'reported' that then Finance Minister Paul Martin was leaving politics, it caused the loonie to drop almost a cent. The British using chickens to deliver nuclear weapons, however, turns out to be true. In another story that sounds like an April fools day joke but turns out to be real, Google is offering a new email service akin to Hotmail and Yahoo that will let users store 1GB of messages, with a maximum message size of 10MB.

The news that I'm sure everyone has heard by now concerns the killing and mutilation of four American contractors working for the defense department in Iraq. Echoing what happened to American soldiers in Mogadishu, their bodies were dragged through the streets before being tied to a bridge, in a scene so violent that American television stations censored the clips of the incident. Paul Bremer, the American administrator of Iraq, has vowed to capture the killers. As the New York Times points out, the real problem illustrated by this attack is that it wasn't carried out by Islamist militants, but rather Iraqis who are still loyal the Saddam Hussein.

The Spanish investigation into the train bombings has identified the leader of the operation, Tunisian native Sarhane ben Abdelmajid Fakhet. The photos of six men wanted in connection with the bombings have been released as well. Turkish police in alliance with police forces in Italy, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands arrested a total of 53 people who are suspected members of a Turkish extremist group that has carried out previous attacks in Turkey.

The US Justice Department is taking on the case of an Oklahoma girl over the right for her to wear a headscarf in public school. The German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, on the other hand, has outlawed teachers from wearing them.

Also:
- The increasing salinization of water is proving to be a problem in many parts of Australia, including one of the major cities, Adelaide.
- Queen's University, Belfast, has released a study showing that Viagra may reduce fertility.
- Scientists in Greece have found that measuring variations in the length of the heartbeat may be an indicator before a cardiac arrest.
- Despite a seemingly well-orchestrated raid, NATO troops have failed to capture former Bosnian Serb leader and world's most wanted war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic.
- China has warned the United States not to communicate with Taiwan so as not to send 'the wrong message.'
- The Israeli government and some Palestinians have tentatively accepted plans for a 'coexistance day' to be celebrated.
- Jewish leaders are accusing the EU of covering up attacks on Jews by young Muslims.
- Hong Kong residents have held a vigil protesting China's plans to restrict the city's movement towards greater democracy.
- UN troops have arrived in the Ivory Coast in a bid to halt the recent violence.
- An African Defense Force has gotten the green light from the Europeans as talks over African economic and social development begin in Ireland.
- The state of Georgia will be putting the question of banning same-sex marriages before the voters in November.
- Michael Jackson wants to tour Africa to support the fight against AIDS, if a judge will let him leave the country.
- Walmart has increased the number of computer systems it sells with Linux as the operating system.

Rush better watch his back

Because Air America is now on the air at 950 AM here in Chicago, or everywhere over the internet in real audio. Here's the scorecard from what I've heard so far:

The O'Franken Factor: Good stuff, solid interviews
The Randi Rhodes Show: This was pretty bad. Mindless conservative bashing
The Majority Report: Very smart, Janeane Garofalo rocks. I thought her co-host blew for a while, but he got better (or I got used to him) as time went on.

I'm personally waiting for Chuck D's show -- that should be interesting.

MI5 is getting props for the arrest of eight men found with half a tonne of fertiliser in Britain. In Spain, authorities have issued five international arrest warrants for suspects believed to be involved in the attacks.

American officials are still hoping to find some WMDs in Iraq, calling it still too soon to judge whether they exist or not. The question is, when is it not 'too soon?' The ABC reports that the intent of future missions will focus on the 'intent' to produce WMDs rather than the WMDs themselves.

The Likud party will be holding a referendum in May on whether to approve Ariel Sharon's Gaza pullout plan. Israel is looking for American approval over the security fence that's being erected between Israel and the West Bank, though a group of 100 senior IDF reservists believe that the security fence route will cause more problems than it will solve where it puts Palestinian farm land on the Israeli side of the border, which necessitates a large number of gates that are more difficult to secure. A group of Palestinians have issued a document against a group of Palestinian intellectuals calling for a peaceful solution, inciting Palestinians to continue the fight against Israel, a view that unfortunately reflects popular Palestinian opinion.

Also:
- Birds and humans have been found to share a similar gene that allows both to communicate.
- Scientists have now mapped the genome of rats, the third mammal after humans and mice.
- If you're getting in vitro fertilization done, you should consider doing it in the summer where it has been found to work better.
- Computer simulations suggest that Saturn's moon Titan has waves seven times as high as those on Earth.
- Psychologists at the University of California San Diego have found that dogs 'resemble' their owners.
- Martian seas were apparently 'creamy.'
- The Serbian government has approved a bill to provide financial compensation to war crimes suspects like Slobodan Milosevic.
- Consumer confidence is still falling, but not as much as some analysis expected.
- Ralph Nader seems to believe that he has many reasons to run for President that don't involve screwing over the Democratic party.
- Anti-Semitism is on the rise in Europe, especially in Belgium, France, Germany, Britain and the Netherlands.
- The Duma has passed a bill that will restrict a Russian citizen's ability to protest.
- The International Court of Justice has found that 51 Mexicans on death row in the United States had their rights violated, including not being told that they can have consular assistance.
- Gasoline isn't going to get cheaper any time soon, as OPEC announced that it will cut production.
- The NDP platform is heavy on the environmental protection.
- Here's a cool visual representation of Google News.