Winnipeg zoo euthanizes world's oldest polar bear

Debby arrived in Winnipeg as a cub back in 1967, and more than 18 million visitors have come to see her.

Updated Mon. Nov. 17 2008 8:48 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Winnipeg zoo officials euthanized the oldest living polar bear on Monday, after a clinical exam found Debby was suffering from multiple organ failure.
At 42 years old, Debby doubled the life expectancy of the average polar bear. Officials said her health had been declining for several months.
They said she spent her last moments surrounded by caring zoo-keepers and veterinarians.
Born in the Russian Arctic in 1966, and arriving at the Assiniboine Park Zoo as an orphaned cub in 1967, Debby spent most of her life with her mate Skipper. The pair produced six surviving offspring.
When she turned 41, Debby was entered into the 2008 Guinness Book of Records as the oldest living polar bear. At 42 she was within the top three longevity record-holders for all eight species of bears
"Debby played a dominant role in the Winnipeg Zoo's animal family for over four decades, generating great public appeal and important contributions to the Zoo's interpretive programs," said the zoo in a press release. "She epitomized what one orphaned animal can achieve in promoting the conservation of her species and other wildlife in light of mounting ecological and environmental challenges like global warming."
Dr. Gordon Glover, Assiniboine Park Zoo's coordinator, recalled Debby's ability to "strike magnificent and charming poses," which resulted in her being featured in many photos and films. "She will be missed by millions of Zoo visitors," said Glover.
The zoo is inviting the public to celebrate Debby's life at a ceremony at the zoo's Animal Tracks Café from Noon to 1:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, Nov. 22.

Franken asks board to count absentee ballots before recount

By MIKE KASZUBA, Star Tribune
Last update: November 17, 2008 - 5:58 PM
...At one of the news conferences, Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said that Sen. Norm Coleman’s lead over Franken, which stands at 206 votes, is expected to grow to 215 as a result of a post-election review of results that involved a statewide sampling of about 210 precincts....



Local Time: 4:04 PM AKST on November 17, 2008

Lat/Lon: 58.8° N 137.0° W

Conditions :: Clear

Temperature :: 32 °F / 0 °C

Windchill :: 32 °F / 0 °C

Humidity :: 80%

Dew Point :: 27 °F / -3 °C

Wind :: Calm

Pressure :: 29.76 in / 1008 hPa (Steady)

Visibility :: 10.0 miles / 16.1 kilometers

UV :: 0 out of 16

Clouds :: Clear -
(Above Ground Level)

Elevation :: 33 ft / 10 m

...most devastating to hit Los Angeles in nearly half a century...

That is NOT a fire.

This is an inferno.

This is NOT normal.

The years of fire that California has suffered does not LEAVE that much FUEL on the ground. These are fires due to extremely dry conditions, literally burning up anything that is made of timber, and I am not talking trees.

Why such events 'seem like a minimal circumstance' that passes and then people come back to rebuild their lives, is because its like a hurricane tidal surge. Once it passes over you it is over. Then all there is left to do is pick up the pieces. 'The Faithful' are real good at recuperating while being grateful for being alive.

This mess HAS to stop. Its not going to as long as we ignore our responsibility to Earth. For the faithful; God didn't provide a paradise as a void in space to provide for his likeness only to have it destroyed by neglect and self-righteous indignation leading to wealth.

THIS HAS TO STOP. California can't make its budget. It isn't because of banks, either !

The Oakridge mobile home park, which had 600-800 homes, in Sylmar, California, is engulfed in fire. (click at title to entry, thank you)

Photo: AFP

November 16, 2008
More than 500 mobile homes were destroyed and 10,000 people fled as a wildfire described as the most devastating to hit Los Angeles in nearly half a century ripped through a city suburb on Saturday, officials said.One day after an inferno laid waste to more than 100 mansions in the celebrity enclave of Montecito, 160 kilometres up the coast, California's fire scourge struck in the densely populated district of Sylmar on the northern fringe of Los Angeles.The wildfire - fuelled by seasonal winds of up to 100kmh - erupted late on Friday and swept through 2600 hectares, turning everything in its path to charred ruins, authorities said....

Again? Well, it is so good to see that Bush and Cheney have global terrorism under control, isn't it?

Do you see the size of this thing? How in God's name do you hijack it? (click here)

You want to know something, as far as I am concerned, I couldn't care less. The pirates need to let the hostages leave the ship and they can have it and the oil. They need to let the crew leave.

Do you suppose they are taking the oil to Mullah Omar?

Somali pirates suspected of hijacking giant oil tanker
The crew of 25 on the Sirius Star is kidnapped in the bold attack on the Arabian Sea. U.S. military officials say this represents a 'fundamental' change in the way pirates are operating.
By Borzou Daragahi
7:07 AM PST, November 17, 2008
Reporting from Beirut -- In a dramatic and unprecedented show of prowess, suspected Somali pirates seized an oil tanker three times the size of a U.S. aircraft carrier deep in open seas, the U.S. military in the Middle East announced today.The Liberian-flagged Sirius Star oil tanker was hijacked and its multinational crew of 25 kidnapped by pirates in the Arabian Sea on Saturday more than 450 nautical miles from Mombasa, Kenya, the Bahrain-based U.S. 5th Fleet said.
Typically, pirates attack within 200 miles of the shoreline and go after smaller prey, said U.S. Navy Lt. Nathan Christensen, adding that the pirates were "changing the way they're doing business" in the region."What this represents is a fundamental ability of pirates to be able to operate off the coast to an extent we have not seen before," Christensen said in a phone conversation from Manama, Bahrain, home to the 5th Fleet. "It's the largest ship we've seen attacked."The giant oil tanker is owned by Saudi Arabia-based Saudi Aramco. Crew members include citizens of Britain, Poland, Croatia, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines, the Navy said. Christensen said the pirates have not made any demands yet.
The Sirius Star, manufactured in South Korea by Dubai-based Vela International Marine Ltd., is classified as a "very large crude-oil carrier," which typically cost about $120 million and can transport up to 2 million barrels of oil....

Has Cruise ever starred in a film where he failed to be a hero? Click here for trailer.

Tom Cruise plays the role of the failed Hitler assassin Col. Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg in the film "Valkyrie."

"What makes you think you are stronger than the very momemtum of history?"

...“Valkyrie,” (click here) directed by Bryan Singer, with an original script by Christopher McQuarrie, was conceived about 20 months ago as a dramatic showcase for Mr. Cruise. It was also a high-profile effort to kick-start United Artists, the MGM unit of which he and his producing partner, Paula Wagner, had become part owners....

The Obama Agenda moves forward with the enthusiasm of Turkey's diplomatic corp. Thank you.

The issues besetting the Obama Administration in regard to Iran primarily focus on the denial of productive relations regarding Israel.

Currently, the President of Iran has leveled words of Anti-Semetic rhetoric that denies the existance of Israel, while, benefitting his political ambitions. He is also politically engaged in Southern Lebanon with entities that have opposed the existance of Israel.

While Egypt and Jordan has sought diligently a peace between Israel and Palestine, it is being undermined by Iran's purpose of disruption as a means to their national security. Peace in the Middle East, in any measure, will not be possible unless Iran is a part of it.

The issues are many and the path forward is mired with land mines, but, to simply threaten war with Iran is unrealistic and counter-productive to any peace for the Middle East.

In contrast to the demands upon Iran to stop its nuclear enrichment program and return to productive relations with The West the USA has to reflect on its aggressive posture. Insuring the safety of the Iranian people includes the cessation of the political rhetoric and laying the ground work of mutual trust and expectations.

Iran's denial of the world as it exists rather than as its president wants it, lies in the 'void' the issue in fact that the USA, under Bush, has walked away from the Non-Proliferation Treaty as well as the ABM Treaty with Russia.

When a Free World country acts in aggression, it endangers its own freedom, populous, democracy, the well being of other people and discards any progress made in peace to a world safe for all peoples. The USA in alliance with other great nations have a strong defense of its populous and principles, however, to become an aggressor nation as it has under the Bush/Cheney War Machine is to lose far more than it can ever gain. The reality of today speaks loud and clear to that TRUTH !

Office of the SpokesmanWashington, DC
May 2, 2007
U.S. Participates in 2007 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee Meeting in Vienna (click here)
States Party to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) will convene April 30 to May 11 in Vienna, Austria, for the first session of a review process that will discuss the operation of the Treaty and how best to fulfill its purpose. The NPT includes close to 190 member states and is second only to the United Nations in membership size. This meeting of the NPT Preparatory Committee is the first of three meetings that will precede, on an annual basis, an NPT Review Conference in 2010 that is the core of the review process....




President George W. Bush (R) leads Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan into the G20 Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy at the National Building Museum in Washington, November 15, 2008.
REUTERS/Jim Young

Iran says won't hinder Turkish mediation with U.S. (click here)
Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:22am EST
By Hossein Jaseb
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said on Monday it would not hinder any Turkish bid to mediate between the Islamic Republic and the new U.S. administration but cautioned that its differences with Washington were deep-rooted....
...Relations with Iran will be one of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's main foreign policy challenges when he takes office in January. He has said he would harden sanctions but has also held out the possibility of direct talks.
Iranian officials have reacted cautiously to Obama's election, saying it reflects the American people's desire for fundamental change in U.S. policies at home and abroad but that it remains to be seen whether he will live up to expectations.
Asked about Erdogan's remarks to the New York Times that Obama's election opened new opportunities for a shift in Iran- U.S. relations and that Ankara would be ready to mediate, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said:
"We think the comments ... stem from Turkish goodwill and good and growing neighborly ties between Iran and Turkey, so we will certainly not raise any obstacles."
"But the reality is that the issue and problems between Iran and the United states go beyond the usual political problems between two countries," he told a news conference.
"SLOGANS"
The United States severed ties with Iran shortly after its 1979 Islamic revolution and is now spearheading efforts to isolate the country over sensitive nuclear work the West suspects is aimed at making bombs, a charge Tehran denies.
"Around 30 years after the ... revolution the Americans have had negative performance toward us," Qashqavi said. "Mr Obama has come forward with slogans and now we will have to see whether the change in orientation is serious or not."
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad congratulated Obama after his November 4 victory, but other officials in Tehran later criticized the U.S. president-elect's call for an international effort to stop Iran developing a nuclear bomb.
Iran, the world's fourth-largest crude oil producer, says its nuclear programme is aimed at generating electricity....

64 Days Until Inauguration - Can the Congress make an exception and to it today?

November 16, 2008, 7:40 pm

Updated: 9:04 pm
Obama Mixes the Personal and Political on ‘60 Minutes’ (click here)
By Michael Falcone

...Mr. Obama acknowledged the parallels between the current economic crisis and the problems of the Great Depression, but said that he supported solutions that are “true to our times.”
“For us to simply recreate what existed back in the 30s in the 21st century — I think would be missing the boat,” Mr. Obama said in the interview. “I think the basic principle that government has a role to play in kick-starting an economy that has ground to a halt is sound. I think our basic principle that this is a free market system and that that has worked for us, that it creates innovation and risk taking, I think that’s a principle that we’ve got to hold to as well.”...

Obama On Economic Crisis, Transition (click here)
Also Discusses National Security, Iraq, And His Cabinet In 60 Minutes Interview
Nov. 16, 2008