Clipmarks | rfnajera's clips

Oh, Snap! The Supreme Court Has Some Cojones

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:04:55 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera
clipper's remarks: What part of the Equal Protection Clause does the White House not understand? Why are we still arguing over this? Just have Congress set up a court in Guantanamo Bay and get it all over with!

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

High Court ruling may delay war crimes trials

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay have rights under the Constitution to challenge their detention in U.S. civilian courts.

The White House had no immediate comment on the ruling. White House press secretary Dana Perino, traveling with President Bush in Rome, said the administration was reviewing the opinion.

The decision also cast doubt on the future of the military war crimes trials that 19 detainees are facing so far. The Pentagon has said it plans to try as many as 80 men held at Guantanamo.

Tags: politics, guantanamo bay, supreme court, terrorism

In The Face of Danger

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:56:52 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera
clipper's remarks: What people can do when they're not afraid to do the right thing.

Clip Source: www.who.int

Somalia is again polio-free

Against a backdrop of widespread conflict, large population movements and a dearth of functioning government infrastructure, transmission of poliovirus in the country has been successfully stopped. This landmark victory is a result of the efforts of more than 10 000 Somali volunteers and health workers who repeatedly vaccinated more than 1.8 million children under the age of five by visiting every household in every settlement multiple times, across a country ranked one of the most dangerous places on earth.

Somalia is again polio-free

Somalia has not reported a case since 25 March 2007, a major landmark in the intensified eradication effort launched last year to wipe out the disease in the remaining few strongholds.

Tags: somalia, africa, polio, vaccination, who

Immigration From The Mexican President's POV

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:48:22 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera
clipper's remarks: This is such good bait for a debate with ColoradoRight... I'll be waiting.

Clip Source: www.sfgate.com

Calderon stumping for his people in the U.S.

Less than two years after taking office, Mexican President Felipe Calderon is getting mixed reviews from the Mexican people. On the one hand, he gets high marks for reforming the tax system, fixing a massive public pension fund and launching a $25 billion public works initiative. But he is also getting flak for not being vocal enough in protesting what many Mexicans see as the harsh and unfair treatment of their sons and daughters in the United States.

Now they are demanding that their leaders go to bat for these expatriates against what they see as a cruelty born of American xenophobia.

"The most radical and anti-immigrant candidates have been left behind and have been put in their place by their own electorate," he told one reporter.

the three leading candidates

all support a comprehensive approach

he said, the worst thing that can happen is that countries mistake neighbors for enemies.

Many Americans commit that error.

Tags: immigration, border security, mexican-american, mexico, hispanic, felipe calderon

Weeeeeeee!

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:54:14 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera
clipper's remarks: "Do it again! Do it again!"

Poor little guy!

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany (CNN) -- Kamil Kaplan faced a horrifying decision as flames engulfed his apartment building: Does he drop his 9-month-old nephew four stories to a policeman or hope the baby boy survives the suffocating smoke?

Tags: germany, baby drop, flying baby, baby throw, stunt baby

More Flu, More Quotes From Me

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:58:35 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera
clipper's remarks: I made the news again! Yay!

Clip Source: www.examiner.com

Seasonal flu strains hospitals, threatens children, elderly

Seasonal flu is raging through Maryland, taxing emergency rooms and threatening children and the elderly, state officials say.

“Influenza action has been on the increase the last two weeks,” said Rene Najera, epidemiologist with the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

The percentage of flu tests returning positive rose from 13.8 percent to more than 20 percent over this time, Najera said, with 722 confirmed cases since the season began Oct. 1.

Tags: flu, influenza, baltimore, maryland

I'm In The News! And So Is The Flu...

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:04:19 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera
clipper's remarks: Guess who made the Baltimore Sun this morning?

Clip Source: www.baltimoresun.com

Flu creeping into Baltimore area

Influenza activity has been climbing across Maryland in recent weeks, and several Baltimore-area hospitals report emergency rooms crowded with patients complaining of fever, headache, coughs and body aches.

The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene confirmed that flu activity has grown in the past four weeks.

Doctors are ordering more diagnostic tests, and the proportion of results positive for flu has grown from 13.8 percent two weeks ago to 20.2 percent Monday, according to Dr. Rene Najera, the agency's influenza surveillance coordinator.

"We won't recognize the peak until we're done with it," he said. But it's not past yet. "We still have influenza on the way."

The flu strains being identified most in Maryland include two kinds of Type A virus. A very few Type B cases have also turned up. All three are covered by this year's vaccine. And there's still time to get protected.

"It's never too late," Najera said.

Tags: flu, influenza, baltimore, maryland, epidemiology

It's Evolved!

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:59:42 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera
clipper's remarks: H1N1, by the way, is the same virus that caused the 1918 pandemic. Scaaaary. (Not.)

Clip Source: canadianpress.google.com

Tamiflu-resistant flu viruses found in Canada; WHO says pattern isn't global

TORONTO - Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory is reporting a high level of Tamiflu resistance among H1N1 viruses circulating so far this flu season in this country, one of a number of labs to see a phenomenon that is unsettling influenza experts.

"That's quite a surprise," the lab's scientific director, Dr. Frank Plummer, said, noting the resistance mutation spotted in the Winnipeg testing is the same one that has been reported over the past few days from Norway, several other European countries and the United States.

Dr. Frederick Hayden, a leading antiviral expert working at the WHO, said the resistance virus has been reported over a broad geographic range, both in terms of countries and within countries themselves.

Perplexingly, Japan - the country that uses more Tamiflu by far than any other in the world - has not found any of these resistant viruses this flu season, Hayden said.

Tags: flu, influenza, tamiflu, resistance, pandemic, epidemic, canada

The Definition of "Abso-f*cking-lutely Crazy"

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:59:32 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera
clipper's remarks: If this is true... And it might be... This guy is nuts!

Clip Source: www.propagandamatrix.com

Top Scientist Advocates Mass Culling 90% Of Human Population

A top scientist gave a speech to the Texas Academy of Science last month in which he advocated the need to exterminate 90% of the population through the airborne ebola virus. Dr. Eric R. Pianka's chilling comments, and their enthusiastic reception again underscore the elite's agenda to enact horrifying measures of population control.

Saying the public was not ready to hear the information presented, Pianka began by exclaiming, “We're no better than bacteria!”, as he jumped into a doomsday malthusian rant about overpopulation destroying the earth.

Later, the scientist welcomed the potential devastation of bird flu and spoke glowingly of China's enforced one child policy, before zestfully commenting, “We need to sterilize everybody on the Earth.”

One horrified observer was able to make notes on the speech and our gratitude goes to Forrest M. Mims for bringing this sickening display to the attention of the world.

Tags: overpopulation, extermination, ebola, flu, influenza, plague, eugenics

These Little Pigs Did Not Go To Mecca

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:10:46 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera
clipper's remarks: Geez! I think the Muslim community would be more offended that the British would think they would be offended. Or something like that.

Clip Source: entertainment.timesonline.co.uk

Three Pigs story ruled ‘offensive to Muslims’

A children’s story based on the tale of the Three Little Pigs was rejected for an award after judges became concerned that it would offend Muslims.

The animated virtual book for primary school children, The Three Little Cowboy Builders, was also criticised for its potential to offend builders.

The row centred on the Bett awards, which were supported by Becta, the Government’s technology agency for schools. The judges’ remarks, reported on the education technology website Merlin John Online, included: “Is it true that all builders are cowboys, builders get their work blown down, and builders are like pigs?

Ann Curtis, whose company, Shoo Fly Publishing, produced the CD-Rom, said the criticisms were unjustified and could even “propagate a racist stance”. She said: “I felt disbelief, to be honest. As a small company, we have a strong ethical and moral grounding. We support the rights of all children in the world to have access to education.

Tags: brittain, muslims, islam, pigs, racism, freedom of speech

Touched A Nerve

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:30:38 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

CNN readers respond angrily to 'race or gender' story

(CNN) -- Within minutes of posting a story on CNN's homepage called "Gender or race: Black women voters face tough choices in South Carolina," readers reacted quickly and angrily.

CNN received dozens of e-mails shortly after posting the story, which focuses largely on conversations about Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama that a CNN reporter observed at a hair salon in South Carolina whose customers are predominantly African-American.

Tiffany urged CNN to "pull this racist crap off" the Web site and to stop calling Hillary the "top female candidate."

A reader named Joan e-mailed: "Really CNN, is this how you view black women[?] Are you suggesting that white women are going to have it easier [?] How about issues? Should a black woman consider the candidates position on issues, or should we just stick to race and gender. Disgusting!"

Tags: cnn, news, racism, obama, clinton, elections, gender, issues

At the Border

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:27:02 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera

Clip Source: www.kdbc.com

Late Flu Epidemic Possible for Borderland

The new Mexico Health Department is reporting flu-related hospitalizations in 15 areas including Dona Ana County. Now El Paso medical experts are finding the trend to hold true in West Texas.

With temperatures dropping as a cold front makes its way across our area, a "flu" front could land plenty of patients at the doctor's office. "A couple years ago we had the huge vaccine scare, where the media really portrayed that we weren't gonna have enough vaccine and people really went out and got themselves vaccinated. We haven't had that scare this year , and the theory is that maybe not as many people have come out and vaccinated themselves" said AnnMarie Bailey, Frankling Medical Center.

It also doesn't help if you're considered at risk. That group includes: the elderly and children under five, those with upper respiratory issues, diabetes, those in long term care facilities and health workers.

Tags: flu, influenza, border, texas, virus, disease, epidemiology

Iranian Women Are Stoned (To Death)

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:41:23 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera
clipper's remarks: Mahmood will tell you, with a smile on his face, that this doesn't happen in Iran.

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

End death by stoning, Iran urged

Stoning to death is a "horrific practice, designed to increase the suffering" of those condemned, the UK-based rights group says in a report.

The majority sentenced to death by stoning are women, Amnesty says.

Amnesty's statement highlights the case of condemned woman Mokarrameh Ebrahimi.

The father of her children, both of whom were born outside wedlock, was stoned to death in July 2007.

Amnesty says Ms Ebrahimi and eight other women and two men face a similar fate to Mr Kiani.

The majority of those sentenced to death by stoning are women, who suffer disproportionately from such punishment, Amnesty says.

One of the eight women currently facing execution was allegedly forced into prostitution by an abusive husband who was a heroin addict, Amnesty says.

She was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for being an accomplice to the murder of her husband - by one of her clients - and to death by stoning for adultery.

Tags: iran, middle east, islam, death penalty, capital punishment, human rights

It's Like Something Out Of The Bible

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:24:14 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera
clipper's remarks: Talk about taking it a bit too seriously...

Clip Source: www.foxnews.com

A man who believed he bore the "mark of the beast" used a circular saw to cut off one hand, then he cooked it in the microwave and called 911, authorities said.

The man, in his mid-20s, was calm when Kootenai County sheriff's deputies arrived Saturday in this northern Idaho town. He was in protective custody in the mental health unit of Kootenai Medical Center.

"It had been somewhat cooked by the time the deputy arrived," sheriff's Capt. Ben Wolfinger said. "He put a tourniquet on his arm before, so he didn't bleed to death. That kind of mental illness is just sad."

It was not immediately clear whether the man has a history of mental illness.

Book of Revelation in the New Testament contains a passage in which an angel is quoted as saying: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink the wine of God's fury."

Matthew also contains the passage: "And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.

Tags: mental disease, odd news

McCain Returns

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 17:09:37 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera
clipper's remarks: In my humble opinon...

Clip Source: renreturns.blogspot.com

On the evening of September 11, 2001, our world had just gone through yet another watershed moment where things would not be the same.

Never mind that the US had been projecting its power all over the world since 1942. On that day and for a few months after, the world would do whatever the US demanded of it.

I wasn't too convinced of President Bush's ambition

I cheered and supported the troops taking action against those who would kill all of us just because

I hate dictators, no matter how benevolent. All that power must not rest in one fallible man or woman.

But things got really bad in Iraq really fast.

The Generals on the ground and the Admirals in the sea were restricted in their actions based on something

I longed for John McCain to be President.

Only good things have come in the way of policy from John McCain.

A few months ago, John McCain was politically dead.

So let's see if John McCain continues his return.

Being the moderate that I am, McCain should have been my candidate all along.

Tags: mccain, primaries, politics, election, new hampshire, republicans, politicians

Bad Doggy!

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 17:06:45 GMT

clipped by: rfnajera

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

Bird dog steps on gun, kills hunter

A Houston-area man was killed in a hunting accident after his dog stepped on a loaded shotgun in the back of a pick-up truck, triggering a blast that pierced the vehicle and the hunter's leg, a local sheriff said.

"I've been in law enforcement 20 years and this is probably the strangest one I've had," said Chambers County Sheriff Joe LaRive.

Investigators found paw prints and mud from the dog, a chocolate Labrador retriever named Arthur, on the shotgun, LaRive said.

Price was taken to a local hospital, but died from a loss of blood after doctors were unable to revive him.

Tags: dog, shoots, kills, owner, shotgun, gun, safety, hunting