Speak your mind even if your voice shakes
The 40,000 year old remains of a baby mammoth have been found in Russia.
It’s a lovely little baby mammoth indeed, found in perfect condition,” said Alexei Tikhonov, deputy director of the Russian Academy of Science’s Zoological Institute, which has been taking care of the mammoth since it was uncovered in May.
“This specimen may provide unique material allowing us to ultimately decipher the genetic makeup of the mammoth,” he told Reuters by telephone.
Video footage here
In the past few months, a proliferation of “sponsored” themes has arisen. This seemed to me out of keeping with the open source intent of WordPress, and I wouldn’t download one out of principal even if there was one I thought worth it. (which most aren’t)
At the very least though, most of these themes require little editing to take out the “sponsorship”.
While reading the WordPress forums, I saw this thread wherein a poster finds an unintelligible code in his theme footer.
Turns out this code allows the theme “sponsor” to track stats on YOUR blog. This is an invasion of your blog privacy as well as a potential security risk.
For some time there has been discussion as to whether or not these types of themes should be allowed on the “official” theme site. Hopefully, this will put a higher priority on the subject and it will be ruled that they are not to be hosted at the ThemeViewer site
For more detailed information, read here.
Remember to check your theme files!
Here are some of the themes involved
http://themes.wordpress.net/other/right-sidebar/3954/mobilemagic-10/
http://themes.wordpress.net/other/widget-ready/4090/portable-magic-10/
http://themes.wordpress.net/other/widget-ready/4057/classical-1-10/
* Separation of State Authority VII: political leaders should not express religious preferences in the course of their duties
* Separation of Religious Authority I: no church should prescribe, proscribe, or amend civil or common law.
* Separation of Religious Authority II: the church should not interfere in civil political processes or relations between the state and other nations.
* Separation of Religious Authority III: no church should actively endorse any political figure, and should confine itself to moral, ethical, and religious teaching.
* Separation of Religious Authority IV: no church should actively endorse any civil institution by providing religious services or religious expressions at that institution, nor favor one civil institution over another.
It seems quite a sensible and laudable approach, so how did America go from that thought to this?
July 6, 2007 — JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Governor Matt Blunt today made the Alternatives to Abortion Program permanent and took action that will keep abortion providers like Planned Parenthood out of Missouri’s classrooms. Gov. Blunt signed legislation at Concord Baptist Church that enacts the provisions to further “protect the sanctity of human life”.
“All life is precious and needs to be treated with the utmost dignity and respect,” Gov. Blunt said. “I commend Rep. Therese Sander and Sen. Delbert Scott on their work to protect the rights of the most vulnerable members of our society. I will continue working with the Missouri General Assembly to pass strong pro-life legislation that respects the sanctity and dignity of all human life.”
“We here at Concord Baptist Church have prayed, preached, worked, and gone to the polls so that the lives of precious little ones may be saved. This is legislation that we can celebrate. House Bill 1055 will result in fewer abortions in Missouri. It is a good fair law that makes sense. I am excited to host Governor Blunt as he signs this progressive piece of legislation,” said Dr. Monte Shinkle, senior pastor at Concord Baptist Church.
In situations of bomb disposal, possible toxic hazards or other times that you would legitimately want to lessen the possibility of danger to an officer then robotics is a wonderful and much needed technology.
However, robotic technologies meets Taser™ and now we have a whole new set of parameters.
On 28 June, Taser International of Arizona announced plans to equip robots with stun guns. The US military already uses PackBot, made by iRobot of Massachusetts, to carry lethal weapons, but the new stun-capable robots could be used against civilians.
“The victim would have to receive shocks for longer, or repeatedly, to give police time to reach the scene and restrain them, which carries greater risk to their health,” warns non-lethal weapons researcher Neil Davison, of the University of Bradford, UK.
Reading between the lines of this story it would appear he raped this young woman which resulted in her “bleeding profusely”.
Defence had asked for unconditional discharge to allow him to serve in Afghanistan. Do we really want to export our sexual criminals to other countries?
What he did end up with was “18 months probation and a $1,500 fine, which will be paid to a community organization that assists sexual assault victims.”
Oh well no harm no foul, eh?
The Crown had requested a prison sentence of two years less a day.
At his sentencing, Boulet asked his victim and his family to forgive him.
The victim, who name is protected under the law, has maintained that if Boulet had said sorry earlier and had shown some respect after the incident, the situation wouldn’t have ended up in court.
The assault took place in June 2004, at a birthday party held at the victim’s family home. Boulet had drunk too much to drive and decided to spend the night at the house.
During the night, he sexually assaulted the 18-year old woman, who was too drunk to give consent. After the assault, Boulet reportedly asked the young woman, who was bleeding profusely, to not talk about what happened.
The Department of National Defence will have the final word on whether Boulet is allowed to stay in the Canadian Forces.
CBC
On this day in 1776 America declared it’s independence from Britain. No doubt great things were imagined. Indeed some grand things have been done.
On this fourth of July, I wish for my friends and neighbours to the south another Independence Day. One that sees them declare their independence from their current government.
A government that is finding all manner of means to corrupt the very institution’s and regulations put in place to ensure a government for and by the people.
To be a woman in America today must be frightening, as rights and freedoms thought to be “self evident” are rolled back at an appalling rate. Daily we hear stories of reproductive freedoms being attacked. From attacks on abortion rights to refusal to fill or cover birth control prescriptions to refusal to allow suit on unfair and unequal payment practises. The war on women in America proceeds apace even as the government pretends to be fighting for the rights of women in the middle east.
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