Morning Papers - It's Origin

The Rooster

"Cock-A-Doodle-Do"

"Okeydoke"

May 30, 2006.

Snow storm over Cody, Wyoming.

Morning Papers

Michael Moore Today


http://www.michaelmoore.com/


Republicans killed more than 350,000 Ohio votes -- enough to have put John Kerry in the White House

Was the 2004 Election Stolen?
Republicans prevented more than 350,000 voters in Ohio from casting ballots or having their votes counted -- enough to have put John Kerry in the White House. BY ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.
Page 1 2 3 4

The complete article, with Web-only citations, follows. For more, see exclusive documents, sources, charts and commentary.
Like many Americans, I spent the evening of the 2004 election watching the returns on television and wondering how the exit polls, which predicted an overwhelming victory for John Kerry, had gotten it so wrong. By midnight, the official tallies showed a decisive lead for George Bush -- and the next day, lacking enough legal evidence to contest the results, Kerry conceded. Republicans derided anyone who expressed doubts about Bush's victory as nut cases in ''tinfoil hats,'' while the national media, with few exceptions, did little to question the validity of the election. The Washington Post immediately dismissed allegations of fraud as ''conspiracy theories,''(1) and The New York Times declared that ''there is no evidence of vote theft or errors on a large scale.''(2)

But despite the media blackout, indications continued to emerge that something deeply troubling had taken place in 2004. Nearly half of the 6 million American voters living abroad(3) never received their ballots -- or received them too late to vote(4) -- after the Pentagon unaccountably shut down a state-of-the-art Web site used to file overseas registrations.(5) A consulting firm called Sproul & Associates, which was hired by the Republican National Committee to register voters in six battleground states,(6) was discovered shredding Democratic registrations.(7) In New Mexico, which was decided by 5,988 votes,(8) malfunctioning machines mysteriously failed to properly register a presidential vote on more than 20,000 ballots.(9) Nationwide, according to the federal commission charged with implementing election reforms, as many as 1 million ballots were spoiled by faulty voting equipment -- roughly one for every 100 cast.(10)

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10432334/was_the_2004_election_stolen


The Boston Globe

Bristol Myers to build manufacturing plant in Mass.
By Bryan Bender, Globe Staff June 1, 2006
Pharmaceutical giant Bristol Myers Squibb will locate a $1.1 billion manufacturing facility at Ft. Devens, Mass., the Army base 35 miles north of Boston that has been decommissioned under the Pentagon's base realignment and closure process, according to government officials briefed on the expansion.
The plans for the new facility call for 750,000 square feet of manufacturing space and at least 550 new jobs, the officials said.
"I am thrilled that Bristol Myers Squibb chose Massachusetts for its manufacturing facility," Sen. Edward M. Kennedy said in a statement. "BMS's decision to build this new facility and create 550 good manufacturing jobs reflects our continued leadership in biotechnology and the life sciences."

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/06/01/bristol_myers_to_build_manufacturing_plant_in_mass/


Two years is timely? I don't mind the asking but what good are two year old records and is this an undue burden on the industry? Talk about investigative lag time. The agencies are two years behind in their investigations? Really?


FBI wants Internet records kept 2 years: source
By Jeremy Pelofsky and Michele Gershberg June 1, 2006
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation wants U.S. Internet providers to retain Web address records for up to two years to aid investigations into terrorism and pornography, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
The request came during a May 26 meeting between U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and FBI Director Robert Mueller with top executives at companies like Google Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Time Warner Inc.'s AOL.
"I think there is less of a willingness to passively go along with this type of request than there might have been a year ago," said the source, mentioning the recent uproar over a report that telephone companies had provided call records to the National Security Agency.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/06/01/fbi_wants_internet_records_kept_2_years_source/


Cape Cod homeowners face massive insurance rates hikes
June 2, 2006
HYANNIS, Mass. --Cape Cod homeowners who retained their policies even after some major insurance companies pulled out of the region are now facing rate as high as 200 percent from insurers still serving the area.
At least four remaining insurers are in the process of increasing premiums. The Patrons Group, Quincy Mutual Fire Insurance Co., The Norfolk & Dedham Group and AIG are among those companies raising rates, according to local agents.
Some rate increases took effect recently, and others will be implemented in coming weeks.
Rates are going up by as much as 200 percent for The Patrons Group; 70 percent for Quincy Mutual; and 66 percent for AIG Private Client Group, one of a few companies that still insures Cape homes with a replacement cost of more than $1 million.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/06/02/cape_cod_homeowners_face_massive_insurance_rates_hikes/


The Miami Herald

Analyst's new job: visualizing Cuba after Castro dies
From top CIA Cuba analyst in Washington to academia in Miami, Brian Latell is making his mark talking about what to expect on the day Castro dies, and not all exiles like what he has to say.
By OSCAR CORRAL
ocorral@MiamiHerald.com
Oscar Corral's blog Miami's Cuban Connection
The secrets landed on Brian Latell's CIA desk from just about everywhere: spy satellite photos, reports from infiltrators in the Cuban government, communications intercepts, U.S. spies debriefing Cuban intelligence officers begging for asylum.
The analyst would weigh each, assign levels of urgency, then pass the scoops up the U.S. chain of command, where top officials from the secretary of state to the president used them for decades to formulate Cuba policy and to try to understand Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
Today, eight years into his retirement from his post as a top intelligence official in charge of Latin America and Cuba, Latell is using his analyst skills to decipher another complex place: Miami.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14719744.htm


Florida beefs up storm readiness
Gov. Jeb Bush signed into law a series of measures to strengthen Florida's preparation for hurricanes, including one that overrides local standards for gas stations and grocery stores.
BY GARY FINEOUT
gfineout@MiamiHerald.com
Web Vote Does Gov. Bush's hurricane preparation legislation make you feel better about the this year's hurricane season?
TALLAHASSEE - Coinciding with the start of what could be another hyperactive hurricane season, Gov. Jeb Bush on Thursday signed into law a series of measures meant to help Floridians withstand the fury of nature.
Many of the new laws are reactions to some of the shortcomings and frustrations that arose from the eight storms that pounded Florida over the past two years.
There are new standards for gas stations and high-rise condominiums to be equipped with backup power generators. A start to undoing building code exemptions for the Panhandle, which witnessed tremendous devastation during Hurricane Ivan in 2004. And there are hundreds of millions of dollars for repairs, renovations and bolstering of homes, shelters and government buildings to help them better withstand the next round of storms.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14720683.htm


Astronauts make repairs to space station
MIKE SCHNEIDER
Associated Press
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A two-man crew retreated safely inside the international space station early Friday after extending their spacewalk so that they could replace a video camera on a construction platform at the orbiting outpost.
The task was the last during the 6 1/2-hour spacewalk for Russian commander Pavel Vinogradov and U.S. flight engineer Jeff Williams, who successfully completed their half-dozen maintenance jobs. They got behind schedule, though, and the camera chore was still unfinished when the decision was made to extend the spacewalk for less than an hour.
The longest spacewalk of eight hours and 56 minutes was performed in 2001.
NASA controllers conferred with their Russian counterparts about whether to call off that last task or precede as planned. They decided to go ahead after the Russians agreed that the crew's space suits could endure the extra time in space, and the new camera was replaced successfully.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14719225.htm


Presidential election pits unappealing pair
When Alán García and Ollanta Humala face off in the presidential election Sunday, many Peruvians say they will be voting for the lesser of two evils.
BY TYLER BRIDGES
tbridges@MiamiHerald.com
PIURA, Peru - Voters in Peru's presidential election Sunday will be choosing between one candidate who says he has learned from his disastrous presidency 20 years ago and another who says he will not turn into a military dictator.
Polls show voters tilting toward former President Alán García over retired Lt. Col. Ollanta Humala in the runoff, although Humala led the vote in the first round of balloting April 9.
But while there are fears that the losing candidate could challenge the results and provoke street clashes, the prevailing attitude among voters here is disillusionment with having to choose between two men who are so widely mistrusted.
That is particularly true among the 45 percent of Peruvians who voted for neither the left-of-center García nor the ultra-nationalist Humala in the first round.
''I don't want to vote for either one,'' said Manuel Villacorta, a retired Navy sailor. ``During García's presidency [1985-90], I had to wake up at 2 a.m. to get in line to buy a pound of rice, a pound of sugar and 10 pieces of bread. But Humala wants to be a military dictator.''

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14720945.htm


Soldier in Afghan abuse case acquitted
ALICIA A. CALDWELL
Associated Press
FORT BLISS, Texas - Pfc. Damien M. Corsetti, the last soldier charged in the Army's investigations of prisoner abuse in Afghanistan, could only weep when he learned he was acquitted of abuse charges.
Corsetti, 26, was cleared by a court-martial panel Thursday of charges of assault, maltreatment, dereliction of duty, using hashish and drinking on duty. The panel deliberated for just 30 minutes.
"I just said, 'Thank you, Jesus,'" said a red-faced Corsetti. He wiped away tears and hugged his family and several former soldiers who testified on his behalf during the three-day trial.
Prosecutors said Corsetti was dubbed the "King of Torture" and "The Monster" while working at an American detention facility at Bagram Air Field in 2002 and 2003. They alleged that he hit, kicked, sat on and threatened to sexually assault three detainees, including a former top al-Qaida operative in Southeast Asia and the brother-in-law of a Sept. 11 hijacker. He was also accused of exposing himself to a detainee.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14719201.htm


Iran challenged to put up or shut up
OUR OPINION: POLICY CHANGE OFFERS A WAY TO AVERT CONFRONTATION
How's this for going the last mile to show that the United States is serious about finding a diplomatic solution to the Iran nuclear standoff: Offer to reverse a decades-long policy against direct negotiations with a state sponsor of terrorism. This is not a question of ''rewarding Iran'' for its misbehavior, as critics would have it, but rather a matter of making Iran decide whether it wants to be a pariah nation or take a path that could bring significant benefits to its own people.
Good-faith agreement
The Bush administration is right to pull out all the diplomatic stops to head off a showdown with Iran. The dramatic policy change announced by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice challenges Iran to put up or shut up. If it really wants to avoid a dangerous military confrontation, and if it really seeks only to acquire nuclear energy for peaceful uses, then it should be prepared to sit down with the United States and European allies to hammer out an agreement in good faith.
With this move, the administration has given itself an alternative to the stalled talks between Iran and the EU3 -- Germany, France and the United Kingdom -- and a looming military confrontation. The agreement by six world powers announced yesterday to offer a package of incentives to convince Iran to halt its uranium enrichment program -- or else -- suggests the U.S. initiative has already borne fruit.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/14720936.htm


RIA Novosti

Iranian drone plane buzzes U.S. aircraft carrier in Persian Gulf
TEHRAN, May 30 (RIA Novosti) - A pilotless Iranian reconnaissance plane circled for 25 minutes over a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf before returning safely to its base, a senior Iranian official said Tuesday.
"Our pilotless reconnaissance plane flew over the USS Ronald Reagan in the Persian Gulf unnoticed to the Americans for 25 minutes," the official said, according to Iran's Fars agency.
He did not say when the flight took place, but added that U.S. radars picked up the unmanned aerial vehicle after 25 minutes, and that four USAF fighters and two helicopters were scrambled to intercept it. However, the Iranian plane had already crossed the border back into Iran and landed at its base.
"This points to holes in the U.S. military reconnaissance systems deployed in the Persian Gulf," the Iranian official said.

http://en.rian.ru/onlinenews/20060530/48833304.html


First Mi-28N helicopter passes factory tests
ROSTOV-ON-DON, South Russia, May 30 (RIA Novosti, Sergei Rudkovsky) - The first mass produced Mi-28N Night Hunter military helicopter was given to Russia's Defense Ministry after successfully completing factory tests, the chopper's manufacturer said Tuesday.
"The serial helicopter will join two other experimental Mi-28N helicopters being tested by the Defense Ministry, and will have to confirm its performance, and undergo avionics tests, including testing of armaments systems," the Rostov Helicopter Plant, or Rostvertol, said.
The company said the Mi-28N had successfully passed factory flight and armament tests and that it met design specifications.
In March 2006, a state commission led by Russian Air Force commander Vladimir Mikhailov approved production of an experimental batch of helicopters. Mikhailov also said the Defense Ministry planned to buy 50 Mi-28Ns by 2010.
The helicopter is primarily designed to locate and destroy enemy armored vehicles, personnel, small surface ships, and low-speed air targets and fortifications, and to lay mine fields day or night in adverse weather conditions.
High reliability and powerful weaponry make the chopper competitive on global aircraft markets, Rostvertol said. Military experts said the helicopter's effectiveness was four to five times higher than any existing helicopters of its type.

http://en.rian.ru/onlinenews/20060530/48833202.html


Gulf nations will not survive war in Iran
MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Marianna Belenkaya) -- What do the Gulf nations think about the situation around Iran?
“Our region will not survive a new war, another aggravation of tensions,” said Qatar Foreign Minister Hamad Bin Jassim Al-Thani during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
Their conversation took place during the 5th foreign ministers’ meeting of the intergovernmental forum devoted to dialog on cooperation in Asia. The forum took place in Doha, and was the last event for the Russian Foreign Minister’s first tour of the Arab Gulf nations – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar.
In principle, political discussions are not in the forum’s traditions. Its main task is to discuss opportunities for Asian countries’ cooperation in specific fields, such as energy, finances, education, transportation, environmental protection, prevention and dealing with emergencies (the latter direction was suggested by Russia). However, considering the tense situation around Tehran, and the fact that success of many projects depends on regional stability, the participants in the forum could not ignore the Iranian problem, at least in the lobby and during press conferences, all the more so since many conferees are taking an active part in the Iranian negotiating process, including Russia, China, Gulf countries, and Iran itself.
Tehran is not yet a co-sponsor or leader of any of the forum’s 20 directions, but it is playing a key role in regional affairs. Implementation of specific projects, and participation in dialog on practical issues is a very effective instrument of diplomacy. The forum-initiated numerous business projects are the best alternative to a military scenario. By increasingly covering a military option, the media are creating the impression that the negotiating process is doomed.
On the eve of the recent meeting of negotiators on Iran in London, the Los Angeles Times wrote that the U.S. had embarked on the strategy of deterring Iran with the help of the Gulf nations. However, such articles only further provoke Tehran and exacerbate its already difficult relations with the Arab neighbors. Commenting on the Los Angeles Times publication at the request of the media, the Qatar Foreign Minister said: “We would welcome very much if the United States coordinated its actions with the Gulf Cooperation Council.”
One gets the impression that the Arab countries do not know whether they should be getting ready for war, or watch the negotiating process as idle onlookers. This is why they were eager to hear Russia’s opinion from its Foreign Minister – what should they expect? Nobody can answer this question precisely but during his tour of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar, Sergey Lavrov made it clear that Moscow would do everything for the talks to continue.
The Arab countries of the Persian Gulf are enthusiastically backing the position of Russia, which believes that negotiations are the only way of settling the Iranian problem. In the event of a military scenario, these countries may suffer as much, or even more than Iran.
Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow was not considering any hypothetical scenarios, hoping that eventually the talks would produce results. Their success depends on two factors. The first one is an ability of the six negotiators – the EU3, Russia, China, and the U.S. – to preserve a common platform. The second factor is Tehran’s constructive position, which is indispensable. Neither factor is guaranteed in the least. But there is no other way out for the time being. A military scenario is too dangerous, which the situation in neighboring Iraq shows. Aware of this, Western and Eastern diplomats are emphasizing the need to continue the negotiations. Sometimes, it is hard to understand what stands behind some official statements. But decision-makers should remember what the Qatar Foreign minister said – the Gulf region will not survive another war.

http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20060524/48579360.html


Kazakh-Chinese oil pipeline a new reality of global politics
MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Dmitry Kosyrev)
The commissioning of a Kazakh-Chinese oil pipeline this month was an event of global importance. It is the first eastward pipeline from Kazakhstan, which had supplied its oil only to the West before. And it is the first pipeline oil China will receive.
For Russia, the pipeline is part of its eastern economic policy, which is gaining importance in Moscow.
The nearly 1,000 km long Atasu-Alashankou pipeline will deliver up to 20 million tons of oil a year to the Xinjiang Uygur province of China. The province, which is located closest to the European part of Russia, had been regarded a dormant and underdeveloped part of China. The situation has changed.

http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20060531/48867896.html


Russia's Lavrov says Iran 6 could solve nuclear crisis at talks
ANKARA, May 31 (RIA Novosti)-A meeting on Thursday between the six nations leading efforts to solve crisis around Iran's nuclear programs could bring a solution, Russia's foreign minister said Wednesday.
Sergei Lavrov called on the participants in the negotiations to avoid making "sharp movements" and wasting a real chance to resolve the situation.
"We hope proposals can be drawn up at tomorrow's meeting in Vienna that will open up a chance for a peaceful resolution [of the problem]," Lavrov said.
Representatives of the five UN Security Council members and Germany are due to meet in Vienna, home of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
But Lavrov played down suggestions that Iranian representatives might join the talks, saying that he had seen no document saying that officials from the Islamic Republic would attend.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060531/48883571.html


Weapons in space: How can Russia respond to U.S. threat?
MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Andrei Kislyakov)
This summer the United States plans to publish its new space doctrine stipulating the deployment of weapons in circumterrestrial space. Colonel Anthony Russo, head of the U.S. Strategic Command's space division, said the new policy would remove any ambiguity about official responsibility for figuring out who was behind any attack on U.S.-owned commercial satellites. First of all, this concerns the Department of Defense. But we will come back to this issue a bit later.
Anyone can see the danger being posed by space-based strike weapons.
During his visit to China in August 2005, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said both the United States and Russia were using outer space for military purposes, but no weapons had been orbited to date. "It would be difficult to imagine the consequences of their possible deployment. To the best of my knowledge, we orbit commercial satellites from 30 to 40 countries, and the issue of launch vehicles is irrelevant," said Ivanov.

http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20060601/48912954.html


Russia sticking to non-proliferation commitments - minister
ST. PETERSBURG, May 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russia rigorously complies with all its commitments on nuclear non-proliferation, the country's defense minister said Friday.
"Rumors that Russia is covertly providing [nuclear] assistance to Iran is nothing but propaganda," Sergei Ivanov, who is also deputy prime minister, said following talks in Russia's second city with his German counterpart, Franz Josef Jung.
Ivanov said the construction of a nuclear power plant in Bushehr, Iran, with Russian help had nothing to do with non-proliferation regulations.
"Supplies of fuel to the plant are possible if only [the spent fuel] is then returned to Russia," he said
Iran has come under heavy international pressure to re-impose a moratorium on its nuclear research program, which some countries say is being used as cover to develop a nuclear bomb. The Islamic Republic has denied the allegations, and says it is interested only in nuclear power for civilian purposes.
Russia proposed setting up a joint venture to enrich uranium for Iran on Russian soil as a solution in the long-running dispute. Ivanov said this offer, as well as proposals to construct new-technology reactors, would dispel suspicions that Iran was developing nuclear weapons.
Jung agreed with Ivanov that Iran had a legitimate desire to develop nuclear technology for civilian purposes.
"But if the country obtains nuclear weapons, it would pose threat to global security," he said.
He stressed the importance for Iran to continue contacts with Russia, the European Union, the United States and China in search of a solution, and added that diplomacy was the most constructive way to resolve the crisis.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060526/48652254.html


Russia should make 20-30 ballistic missiles a year - expert
MOSCOW, April 11 (RIA Novosti) - Russia needs to produce up to 30 intercontinental ballistic missiles a year to maintain a strategic nuclear balance with the United States, a senior security expert said Tuesday.
Alexei Arbatov, head of the international security center at the Russian Academy of Sciences, told RIA Novosti that if Russia continued to produce only 6-8 Topol-M missiles a year it would have only 150 such missiles and three nuclear submarines in 10-15 years.
No country currently has missiles like the Topol-M, which is capable of penetrating anti-missile defense systems, he said, "and is unlikely to possess them in the next 20 years."

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060411/45553177.html


First mobile Topol-M missile regiment to be put on combat duty in 2006
MOSCOW, April 13 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's first missile regiment equipped with mobile Topol-M ballistic missile systems will be put on combat duty in 2006, the missile's chief designer said Thursday.
Yuri Solomonov, director and chief designer at the Institute of Heat Technology, said other countries would be not able to design such missiles for another 15-20 years.
He also said Topol-M could be deployed as a silo-based or mobile system.
Russia has five missile regiments equipped with silo-based Topol-M missiles.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060413/45846421.html


Kosovo decision to set precedent - Russian CE representative
STRASBOURG, (France) June 1 (RIA Novosti) - A decision on the status of the Serbian province of Kosovo will set a precedent in Europe, Russia's official representative at the Council of Europe said Thursday.
Alexander Orlov said the decision on granting it independence "could become universal for the rest of Europe."
Kosovo has been under the administration of the UN since 1999 but it is widely assumed the Albanian-majority population will be granted independence from Serbia, which should mark the final carving up of the old Yugoslavia following Montenegro's May 21 vote to secede from Serbia.
Orlov said this could set an example for decision-making on the status of other provinces, including Transdnestr, a breakaway region in Moldova, and South Ossetia and Abkhazia, self-proclaimed republics in Georgia.
Orlov said the United Nations was playing the key role in talks on the status of Kosovo but added that the Council of Europe could help the province determine its constitutional system, control the observation of human rights and the rights of ethnic minorities.
Russia has consistently advocated the rights of Serbs living in Kosovo, many of whom have been driven out of the province, and highlighted the plight of the Orthodox Church, whose buildings have often been attacked.

http://en.rian.ru/world/20060601/48929638.html


Chechnya's president Alkhanov says conflict over
MOSCOW, June 1 (RIA Novosti)- Chechnya's president said Thursday that he believed the conflict in the troubled southern republic was over and said a European delegation would be expected in the capital by the year's end.
"I am not idealizing the situation in Chechnya," Alu Alkhanov told Ekho Moskvy (Echo of Moscow) radio. "We understand only too well that there are many problems. But I believe that the Chechen conflict...is over."
Alkhanov said the region's problems were the result of the long years of fighting.
He also said that Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, would host a meeting with representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, one of Europe's most respected bodies, whose rapporteurs have often been critical of the situation in the North Caucasus.
"By the end of the year, a roundtable with PACE representatives will be held in the Chechen capital," Alukhanov said.
In response to a question about his allegedly poor relations with Chechnya's prime minister, Ramzan Kadyrov, Alukhanov said they occasionally had disagreements but they had no impact on life in the republic.
"There are problems in [every] family," he said. "But our personal relations cannot and will not influence the situation in Chechnya, the state of affairs in the republic."

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060601/48935733.html



Putin meets with famous Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho
MOSCOW, June 1 (RIA Novosti) - President Vladimir Putin Thursday held a meeting with Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho in his residence outside Moscow.
The best-selling author of esoteric novels is coming to the end of a two-week tour around Russia, which began May 15, and the Russian leader said his writing was more than just understandable for readers in his country.
"What you write about and the way you write is close to the heart of a Russian, it goes straight to the heart," Putin said while welcoming the novelist at his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo.
The 58-year-old author, whose books focus on religious mysticism, said at a news conference in Moscow that he was on a "pilgrimage", during which he would spend three months away from home. After starting in Ukraine, he also plans to visit Italy, Bulgaria, Germany and Tunisia.
Coelho said that during his 17-day tour of Russia he had had a chance to be in direct contact with Russians and he understood that Russia and Brazil had a great deal in common despite the geographical distance that separated the two countries.
The Brazilian novelist said he found Russia to be strong and optimistic.
The author of international bestsellers The Alchemist, The Valkyries, The Pilgrimage, and The Manual of the Warrior of Light last held book signings in Russia in September 2002. Coelho's official Web site put his sales in Russia during the last visit at 250,000 in the space of two weeks.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060601/48934990.html



Aeroflot says Russian Regional Jet deal worth $630 million
MOSCOW, May 31 (RIA Novosti) - Aeroflot (RTS: AFLT) said Wednesday that a deal to buy 30 mid-range Russian Regional Jets would cost $630 million.
In mid-May shareholders of Russia's national carrier approved a deal to buy the planes from Sukhoi Civil Aircraft.
The RRJ project is a family of medium-range passenger aircraft developed by Sukhoi in cooperation with major American and European aviation corporations, including Boeing, Snecma, Thales, Messier Dowty, Liebherr Aerospace, and Honeywell.
Aeroflot and Sukhoi, a subsidiary of the Sukhoi state aircraft manufacturing holding, signed the RJJ contract in December 2005. The first deliveries are scheduled for 2008.
Sukhoi plans to produce at least 700 RRJs, and intends to sell 35% of them to North America, 25% to Europe, 10% to Latin America, and 7% to Russia and China.
The RRJ market is estimated at 5,400-5,600 units until 2023 and valued at $100 billion.

http://en.rian.ru/business/20060531/48887111.html



The Feodosia blockade: when enough is enough
MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti defense commentator Viktor Litovkin). -- Almost a week after protesters blocked the Ukrainian seaport of Feodosia over a "suspicious" cargo including HMWVs and other military materiel unloaded shortly before from U.S. cargo ship Advantage, the Ukrainian defense minister actually admitted to having lied to his people.
At first the Defense Minister Anatoly Gritsenko insisted the USS Advantage had delivered only "construction materials" for the overhaul of the local military training base, but then had to backtrack in a televised statement, saying the cargo included armaments and military equipment for the joint U.S.-Ukrainian tactical exercise Sea Breeze 2006.
However, "inconsistencies" in official statements is something the Ukrainians have long got accustomed to. The real reason for the upheaval is much simpler. The protest just goes to show that the people are against letting NATO and the U.S. in and letting their country out into the orbit of the Alliance.

http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20060601/48934056.html


War in Iraq as a precursor to war in Iran
MOSCOW, (RIA Novosti political commentator Pyotr Romanov) -- When the United States was preparing to occupy Iraq, a popular joke appeared in Russia that went as follows: an American lady asks a friend, "I just never seem to remember how this country is spelled, Iraq or Iran?"
I believe that today a majority of U.S. citizens know only too well where their soldiers are dying and where they can be sent fairly soon. The war in Iraq has become a kind of a precursor to a war in Iran. The similarity lies not so much in the countries' geographical proximity or resembling names, but rather in the similar approach to solving all difficult political problems demonstrated by the White House under George W. Bush, who, as is well known, has chosen the doctrine of pre-emptive strikes against any suspicious or potential adversary.
In the case of Iraq, suspicions of it possessing weapons of mass destruction were enough for invasion. Now the United States calls for attacking Tehran, though unable to prove that it poses a real threat to the world. The most competent expert in the nuclear field, the IAEA, has so far been unable to formulate its clear-cut position.

http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20060414/46422821.html



The Chicago Tribune

Fix planned for dam where 3 drowned
By Angela Rozas
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 1, 2006, 8:27 PM CDT
The real danger at the Glen D. Palmer Dam in Yorkville lies well beneath the surface of the tranquil Fox River. It's in the rolling, churning water at the bottom of the dam's steep 6-foot drop-off that can pull objects or people into a perilous loop.
On Thursday, six days after three men drowned in that rollover, officials with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and town officials announced they would start reconstruction on the dam in the next week or so. They will replace the steep dam drop-off with a graduated concrete four-step structure designed to eliminate rollover.
Water flowing over the dam will encounter a roughly 1.2-foot drop, then another, and another and another, until the water flows calmly onto the next level.
The $2.7 million reconstruction was planned before the deaths Saturday of Villa Park resident Craig Fliege, 38, and the two brothers, Mark Sperling, 27, of Yorkville and Bruce Sperling, 31, of Lombard, who tried to save him, officials said.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-060601dam-drownings,1,5608815.story?coll=chi-news-hed


Power problems hit Loop
By Charles Sheehan and James Janega
Tribune staff reporters
Published June 2, 2006, 12:32 AM CDT
A leaky 4-inch water pipe flooded a downtown electrical substation Thursday, cutting power to three buildings in a 19-block area in Chicago's Loop, snarling traffic, interrupting shopping and causing lights to blink in offices, including the Daley Center courthouse and City Hall.
Elevators at the Daley Center shut down and escalators at Marshall Field's and the Thompson Center locked to a halt.
Field's customers looked around in puzzlement as lights dimmed for a few moments.
Water Management Department spokesman Tom LaPorte said workers would have to excavate the pipe to see what caused the leak. The pipe serves a bathroom in a Chicago Transit Authority elevated train station, he said.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-060601outage,1,810458.story?coll=chi-news-hed



Chicago Sun Times - The weather in Chicago is "Pesky"

Daley taxes to the max for schools
June 1, 2006
BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter
Mayor Daley has signed off on an up-to-the-limit school property tax increase -- totaling $55 million -- for the 10th time in the 12 years since his public school takeover, an influential alderman disclosed Wednesday.
Instead of raising high school class size for the first time under Daley and laying off teachers, Chicago School Board members will be asked to raise school property taxes to the maximum allowed by the property tax cap.
The $55 million increase will cost Chicago homeowners $11.50 for every $100,000 of assessed valuation, according to Ald. Patrick O'Connor (40th), chairman of the City Council's Education Committee.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-skul01.html


Ryan lawyers set the stage for appeal
file:ryan
June 1, 2006
BY MIKE ROBINSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
Advertisement
George Ryan's lawyers set the stage Thursday for the former governor's appeal of his racketeering and fraud conviction by filing 70 pages of court papers asking for a new trial on the grounds that juror misconduct "taints the verdict in this case."
"Justice requires the District Court to set aside a tainted verdict such as this without regard to the length of the trial, the high profile nature of the prosecution, the resources expended or any other issues unrelated to the legal errors that deprived the defendant of a fair trial before an impartial jury," the defense attorneys said.
Much of the document was a painstaking rehashing of the agony that followed the April 18 guilty verdict at the close of a seven-month trial when goings-on in the jury room began to come to light and both sides spent two weeks haggling over whether they showed unfairness to Ryan.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/ryan01.html


If Flex Fuel is simply a tool to sell gas guzzlers then nothing has been achieved in the USA. FlexFuel with cars that have high economy makes sense but this hideous.

FlexFuel Car Advertisement by GM

http://www.gm.com/company/onlygm/livegreengoyellow/index.html?directEntry=cornulator&milesNumber=1&carNumber=1


Chicago jumps 3 spots on environmental list
June 1, 2006
BY GARY WISBY Environment Reporter
Chicago is the fifth most "sustainable" city in the nation, finishing behind three West Coast cities -- Portland, Ore., San Francisco and Seattle in that order -- and Philadelphia.
That's according to a ranking of the 50 largest U.S. cities released Wednesday by Sustain Lane.com, which rated Chicago No. 8 last year. The city was one behind New York then, but jumped two places ahead because New York stayed seventh.
A sustainable city minimizes its long-term impact on the environment while maximizing the quality of life for its residents, said Warren Karlenzig, who directed the ranking.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-ranking01.html


2 Cook Co. mosquito samples West Nile positive
June 1, 2006
FROM STNG WIRE REPORTS
Advertisement
Samples from two collections of mosquitoes in northern Cook County tested positive Thursday for West Nile virus, according to a release from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
One sample was collected May 18 in Skokie and the second was taken May 24 in an unincorporated area near Norridge, according to the release.
They mark the second and third positive samples taken this year, the other being in DuPage County on May 22, according to the release.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/westnile01.html



War in Iraq
U.S. troops gun down pregnant Iraqi woman
June 1, 2006
BY HAMZA HENDAWI
Advertisement
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The shooting death of a pregnant Iraqi, apparently by U.S. troops, as she was rushing to a hospital threw an intense spotlight Wednesday on the issue of Iraqi civilian deaths.
Iraqi police and witnesses said the troops gunned down the woman and her cousin in their car. The U.S. military said the car entered a clearly marked prohibited area but failed to stop despite repeated signals; shots were fired to disable the vehicle, it said.
More than 4,000 Iraqis -- many of them civilians -- have been killed in war-related violence this year. The figures show that civilians, not Iraqi security forces, are increasingly the casualties of violence.
Much of the violence is the result of Iraqi attacks. But on Tuesday, Nabiha Nisaif Jassim, a 35-year-old pregnant woman, and her cousin Saliha Mohammed Hassan, 57, became the latest victims of what many Iraqis think is the American troops' disregard for life.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/iraq/cst-nws-iraq01.html


Zoos

King of tasting events is back at zoo
Guests at a previous King of Feasts event set about sampling the specialties. (COURTESY)
King of Feasts at the Sacramento Zoo is Saturday, June 24 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. For one night only Sacramento's dining scene converges on the beautiful grounds of the Sacramento Zoo.
Guests will enjoy mouth-watering specialties offered by the area's finest restaurants and experience the richness and diversity of wines from Northern California. On this special evening the stars of the zoo (the animals) share the spotlight with Sacramento's most innovative restaurateurs, wineries and breweries; creating an unforgettable event.
King of Feasts is sponsored by the Sacramento Bee, KGBY and KFBK.
Visitors can stroll through the zoo listening to live music or bid on one-of-a-kind items at the silent auction and, of course, delight in the variety of exotic wildlife. During the evening, they can groove to the music of Nagual, with their unique mix of Latin jazz and rhythm, making for an enjoyable listening experience. As they leisurely walk through the zoo they will also encounter Carnival of Chaos, Bay Area street entertainers.
Participating restaurants, breweries and wineries are the following:
Restaurants: Bandera Restaurant, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Classique Catering, Delta King Hotel, Dos Coyotes Border Caf , Elephant Bar Restaurant, Fat Cat Scones, Fosco's Fine Italian Market, Howe It's Done, JR's Texas BBQ, Kelli's Gourmet Cookies, The Melting Pot, Panera Bread Co., River City Brewing Co., Shari's Berries, Strada Pasta & Grill, Sun Flour Baking Company, The Supper Club, The Tower of Chocolate, Trader Joe's, Vic's Ice Cream, Whole Foods Market, Zinfandel Grille, and Zoofari Catering.
Breweries: Hoppy Brewing Company, River City Brewing Co., and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Wineries/Spirits: Bacardi USA, Carvalho Family Winery, Delicato Five Rivers, Korbel, Little Boomey, Maley, Night Owl, Quail Creeks, Rutherford Vintners, Scribner Bend Vineyards, Stone Creek, Sutter Home, Trinity Oaks, Valley of the Moon, and Virgin Vines.
Beverages: Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Disani Water, Peets Coffee & Tea, and Starbucks Coffee Company.
Proceeds from this event benefit the Sacramento Zoo. Tickets are $45 general admission and $40 for Sacramento Zoo members - adults only.
Advance purchase is advised. Visit the Zoo's Web site at http://www.saczoo.com, call 916-264-5888 or come to the Sacramento Zoo to purchase tickets.

http://www.dailydemocrat.com/entertainment/ci_3887487


Zoo expecting a big baby – an elephant Zoo
By Sheldon S. Shafer
sshafer@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
Forget the pitter-patter of little feet -- the Louisville Zoo is preparing for the arrival of a very big baby.
Mikki, a 20-year-old African elephant, is pregnant by artificial insemination and due to deliver what should be a 150- to 200-pound calf next spring, after a 22- to 24-month gestation. Its sex has not been determined.
It's Mikki's first pregnancy and the zoo's first elephant pregnancy, an occurrence that zoo Director John Walczak yesterday termed "fantastic."
"We've been working on this for years," he said.
Mikki was born in the wild on an African preserve and came to the Louisville Zoo when she was 2, said zoo spokeswoman Diana DeVaughn. Mikki shares the zoo's recently renovated elephant habitat with Punch, a female Asian elephant who at 37 is too old to breed.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060601/NEWS01/606010374/1008/NEWS01


American Zoo Association Recommends OvoControl To Contracept Birds
Jun 1, 2006
Pest Control Buzz Online Newsletter
RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. — The American Zoo Association (AZA) Contraception Center has updated their recommendations to include OvoControl, manufactured by Innolytics, for birds.
Many modern zoos routinely contracept their wildlife, consistent with “family planning” principles — not too many and not too few. OvoControl is the first product available to zoos to contracept birds.
According to the AZA Contraception Center Web site, “OvoControl interferes with the hatchability of avian eggs. The active ingredient, nicarbazin, is registered both by the FDA and EPA. Originally used as a drug to control coccidiosis in chickens, the compound has been developed and registered for hatch control in pest birds, initially for use in resident Canada geese. Further EPA registration applications in other avian species are pending.”

http://www.pestcontrolmag.com/pestcontrol/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=330616



Stop Work Order On Taman Zoo View And Ukay Bestari
KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 (Bernama) -- The Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) today issued a stop work order on Daya Tenaga Muda Sdn Bhd, the developer of Taman Zoo View and Ukay Bestari located above Kampung Pasir, Hulu Klang, where a landslide occurred on Wednesday.
MPAJ's President Datuk Ahmad Safii Saidin said the council also established a technical committee to indentify the cause of the 4.45 pm incident with two persons confirmed dead so far and two more missing.
"MPAJ found that the developer failed to complete the retaining wall in time last year, and was only completed last week," he told reporters when met at the scene here Thursday.
Ahmad Safii said the drainage system on the hill also failed to drain out the water and this caused the water to seep into the soil making it soft.
The company also failed to seek advise and views from the Malaysian Public Works Institute (IKRAM) and the Department of Environment (DOE) on the soil conditions there.
MPAJ will come up with a complete report within 10 days and would monitor the development on the hill, he said.
Meanwhile the Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting who visited the scene said the investigating team consist of the Gradient Unit of the Public Works Department, DOE, Geoscience Department, MPAJ's Technical Unit and IKRAM.
"The focus of the investigations is why the retaining wall was not strong enough," he said.

http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=201303



Dreamnight At The Zoo Is Friday
Open House For Families Of People With Disabilities
posted June 1, 2006
"Dreamnight,” an international event hosted voluntarily by zoos and aquariums throughout the world, will take place on Friday, June 2, from 6-9 p.m. at The Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park.
This is a free open house for chronically ill children, children with disabilities, and their families. The Zoo staff volunteer their time each year to provide interactive activities, behind-the-scenes glimpses, food, drinks, and mementos.
“Our Zoo collaborates with Orange Grove Centers, so we’ve been able to open this event to developmentally disabled adults as well,” said Miranda Cagle, Chattanooga Zoo.
The Zoo serves as a community partner making animals and the facility accessible to numerous groups and populations with special needs year round. During the summer, the Zoo and the Therapeutic Recreation Division of the Chattanooga Parks and Recreation Department will host a “Zoo-a-bility” day camp for children ages six to 14.
The “Dreamnight” event is free for the children, their immediate family and for groups with caretakers, but reservations are requested. For more information and to make reservations call 697-1319.

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_86849.asp



Zoo traffic gets a new view
By Cindy Larson clarson@news-sentinel.com
Families going to the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo via Interstate 69 no longer have to drive by strip joints to get there.
On Thursday, City Councilman Tom Didier, R-3rd District, held a news conference to celebrate the completion of several projects that will make it easier for visitors to get to the zoo. It marked the fulfillment of a campaign promise Didier made when he ran for office in 2003.
Previously, zoo traffic was directed off I-69 to the intersection of Goshen Road and Coliseum Boulevard, where motorists would pass by adult entertainment venues. Didier got the idea to redirect traffic off I-69 onto Lima Road, allowing motorists to bypass non kid-friendly sights en route to the zoo.
Dealing with multiple governmental agencies proved to be a challenge for the freshman City Councilman. Didier finally called Mayor Graham Richard, who assembled a team to help Didier accomplish his goal.
“Tom has really been steadfast in keeping his campaign promise,” said City Councilman John Crawford, R-at large.
The project involved posting new signs on the interstate, Lima Road, at the intersection of Coliseum Boulevard and Wells Street, and Franke Park Drive. In addition, a new signal was added at the intersection of Wells Street and Franke Park Drive, and turn lanes were added. The intersection project cost $241,400, with the at-large councilmen contributing $30,000 in income tax dollars and Didier contributing $120,000 of his 2004 and 2005 allotment.
Zoo Director Jim Anderson said 60 percent of the zoo’s visitors are from outside the county. “Clear, logical directions from the interstate are very important,” he said.

http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/nation/14718099.htm



Zoo closed Saturday -- for evening 'Zoobilation'
Kevin Hicks
Staff writer
(June 1, 2006) — Monroe County's Seneca Park Zoo will be closed all day Saturday so staffers can prepare the facility for that evening's fundraiser, Zoobilation '06: A Night at the Zoobys.
Zoobilation, the Seneca Park Zoo Society's largest gala fundraiser, will be 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will help build a pool for Genny C. and Lilac, the zoo's African elephants.
Admission is $75 per person or $150 for a patron. Patron tickets include valet parking, a gift and two complimentary drink tickets. The Seneca Park Zoo is at 2222 St. Paul St. Tickets will be available at the gate. For more information or reservations, call (585) 336-7200.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060601/NEWS01/606020352/1001/BUSINESS



Marvin Jones, 77; Was a Pioneer Record-Keeper of Zoo Animals' Longevity
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
May 2, 2006
Marvin Jones, 77, an expert on the longevity of mammals in captivity who compiled family trees of animals in zoos worldwide, died of heart failure April 4 at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego.
As a volunteer at the Bronx Zoo in New York in 1944, Jones began keeping records on captive animal populations before it was commonly done. He was hired as the first registrar of animal collections at the San Diego Zoo in 1981.
Much of what is known about the longevity and breeding of captive animals is because of Jones' work, said Dr. Kurt Benirschke, a researcher at the San Diego Zoo.
For instance, Jones' extensive record-keeping showed that toco toucans started breeding in a number of zoos at the same time, for unexplained reasons, in 1977.
Jones was born in 1928 in Philadelphia. Drafted into the Army in 1951, he left active duty as a sergeant in 1972 and began consulting with the San Diego Zoo. After retiring, he became the zoo's registrar emeritus in 1996 and continued to work with zoos throughout the world.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-passings2.2may02,1,5344398.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california



Zoos to be open tomorrow in Egypt
date: 23 04, 2006
Cairo, April. 23 (BNA) Zoos will be open tomorrow in Egypt on the occasion of spring day after a closure of 45 days due to bird flu, this was decided by Egyptian authorities.
Egyptian daily said that the decision includes the opening of Al- Jeeza zoo and other parks and zoos in Alexandria, Bani Seweef, Faiom, Al Areesh and Kafr Al Shaikh.

http://english.bna.bh/?ID=44036



Adoptions draw human, animal closer
For Zhang Yifeng's third birthday, his mother gave him a present more surprising than the typical toy cars or baseballs she adopted a chimpanzee for him.
Zhang's mother made a donation to the Beijing Zoo in June last year and, in return, the zoo allowed her to adopt the chimpanzee for her son.
Zhang's parents, who named the creature Ding Ding, take him to the zoo almost every weekend to visit his "good friend."
"I love Ding Ding," said the boy.
Zhang is not alone. More private individuals and households have adopted and befriended animals of the Beijing Zoo after the zoo's donation and adoption programme was initiated in early 2001.
The programme is designed to raise money to take better care of the animals. It also aims at getting more individuals, households and enterprises involved in the efforts to protect wild animals, said Ye Mingxia, an official with the Beijing Zoo's publicity department.

http://english.people.com.cn/200604/22/eng20060422_260347.html



Foundation to meet in Memphis; panda payments in question
By Bartholomew Sullivan
sullivanb@shns.com
April 22, 2006
WASHINGTON -- The Giant Panda Conservation Foundation, some of whose members left for China last week to discuss the possibility of lowering the $1 million lease payment Memphis and three other U.S. zoos with pandas pay each year, will meet in Memphis on May 9.
Memphis Zoo director Chuck Brady says he has no confidence the group in China will reach a breakthrough on the lease issue.
The delegation will assure Chinese leaders that the American zoos with pandas -- in San Diego, Atlanta, Memphis and Washington -- will live up to their obligations, he said.
The four zoos sent representatives to China last year and the Chinese have visited the four U.S. facilities. But when it came to a discussion of the fees, Brady said the Chinese were very cordial but said they'd have to think about it.
Brady said the long-term future of pandas in North America will ultimately require a different fee structure, but he said he said he wanted to assure everyone that the zoo's financial plan for Ya Ya and Le Le is sound.
Giving them up "is not something we are contemplating," he said.
Memphis was the last of the four to get a pair of pandas, so its lease is the last to expire. San Diego is in year 10 of a 12-year lease and Atlanta is in year seven of 11. When their lease deadlines get closer, Brady predicted, "that's when the negotiations are going to be critical."
Chris Vehrs of the Maryland-based American Zoo and Aquarium Association said some foreign zoos are paying as little as $250,000 a year for their pandas.
Contact Washington correspondent Bartholomew Sullivan at (202) 408-2726.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local/article/0,2845,MCA_25340_4641976,00.html

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