Express-Way Podcast & Radio Program

San Francisco Wants To Legalize Prostitution. Will they?

In this live-and-let-live town, where medical marijuana clubs do business next to grocery stores and an annual fair celebrates sadomasochism, prostitutes could soon walk the streets without fear of arrest.

San Francisco would become the first major U.S. city to decriminalize prostitution if voters next month approve Proposition K—a measure that forbids local authorities from investigating, arresting or prosecuting anyone for selling sex.

The ballot question technically would not legalize prostitution since state law still prohibits it, but the measure would eliminate the power of local law enforcement officials to go after prostitutes.

Proponents say the measure will free up $11 million the police spend each year arresting prostitutes and allow them to form collectives.

"It will allow workers to organize for our rights and for our safety," said Patricia West, 22, who said she has been selling sex for about a year by placing ads on the Internet. She moved to San Francisco in May from Texas to work on Proposition K.

Even in tolerant San Francisco—where the sadomasochism fair draws thousands of tourists and a pornographic video company is housed in a former armory—the measure faces an uphill battle, with much of the political establishment opposing it.

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Obama's World Tour: An Open Letter From A Obama Supporter

Below is a response from a friend in a high-place.  He's quite the Obama supporter and anti-Bush activist.  I asked him recently (via email) what he thought about BHO (Barack Hussein Obama) touring the world while running for President in the US.  Of course, I totally disagree with this international media stunt, and I think it will eventually wear out key voters who don't want an international savior - they want a President who will lower gas prices, fix the economy, and protect us from terrorism.  Here's the open letter from my high-ranking friend:

"Well my friend I feel uncomfortable with my candidate’s speech and visits to GR, FR and UK.  I understand and applaud his visit to the battle zones in our alleged war (but truly a neo-con misadventure into Iraq) and our war against the terrorists in Afghanistan.  That makes sense.

It’s a little bit of a stretch for the Middle East visit.  It appears more of a campaign stop for votes in New York and Florida.

But the speech in Berlin in my book comes across of as inappropriate.  He can say all the wants: “America has one President at a time” or that “I’m just here as a private citizen.” But how many private citizens give a speech to 200,000 people? 

There is no good reason for him to have gone to France, Germany or Great Britain.  The Blue Collar workers of Ohio and the Mid-West are going to see this as arrogant and think to themselves: “Who does he think he is?”

I’m not at all confident that he will win this election.  The final two legs of this trip were not a smart move.  What American cares how many people turn out to see you in any country as a candidate?  No me!

Respectfully Submitted"

APS Owes Lord Monckton an Immediate Apology

The Viscount Monckton of Brenchley has penned a letter to the President of the American Physical Society demanding that an offensive disclaimer to one of his papers be removed from the APS website or justified to his satisfaction. And he's also expecting a well deserved apology for the horrendous mistreatment the Society has recently subjected him to.

First, the editors of APS newsletter Physics and Society invited Lord Monckton to present them a paper explaining his disagreement with the AGW findings of the IPCC.  And the former science advisor to Margaret Thatcher happily accepted the offer, submitting a brilliant, must read article excoriating the UN lapdogs, both for their deliberately obscured methods and their gross exaggerations of green house gas impact on global temperatures.

Then, despite the Society's official position that evidence of mankind's influence on Earth's climate is "incontrovertible," the newsletter's July 2008 edition contained Jeffrey Marque's editor's comments which welcomed the reasoned debate Lord Monckton's paper would "kick off," allowing that:

"There is a considerable presence within the scientific community of people who do not agree with the IPCC conclusion that anthropogenic CO2 emissions are very probably likely to be primarily responsible for the global warming that has occurred since the Industrial Revolution."

And, indeed, when Monckton's piece was published together with a countering IPCC lovefest by David Hafemeister & Peter Schwartz, it made for quite the balanced presentation.  In fact, there was even some buzz about the blogosphere that the 50,000 member APS might be "reversing its stance" on climate change.

But a few days later, Monckton's paper was suddenly and inexplicably branded with these scurrilous prefacing words, emphasized in red:

"The following article has not undergone any scientific peer review. Its conclusions are in disagreement with the overwhelming opinion of the world scientific community. The Council of the American Physical Society disagrees with this article's conclusions."

An outlandish disclaimer, particularly considering that the paper had been reviewed by one of APS's own scientists, and all requested clarifications were duly incorporated by the author. 

And lest there remain any doubt as to the APS position, its homepage prominently included this reassurance to the green masses with similar dispatch:

"The American Physical Society reaffirms the following position on climate change, adopted by its governing body, the APS Council, on November 18, 2007:

‘Emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities are changing the atmosphere in ways that affect the Earth's climate.'

An article at odds with this statement recently appeared in an online newsletter of the APS Forum on Physics and Society, one of 39 units of APS.  The header of this newsletter carries the statement that ‘Opinions expressed are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the APS or of the Forum.'  This newsletter is not a journal of the APS and it is not peer reviewed."

So much for reasoned debate, but just what the hell happened?  Are we expected to believe that the "Council" was somehow unaware of P&S's invitation to Lord Monckton, a well-known "denier" of AGW dogma? Perhaps, but my Bravo Sierra alarm suggests that they were just as likely "convinced" post-publication -- by the same pathetic political forces that taint the science of the IPCC -- that there can be but one "truth" about climate change.

While the Viscount tactfully chose the word "discourteous" in describing the treatment he'd received, far harsher adjectives certainly come to mind.  The crimes against progress feckless scientists the likes of the APS "Council" are guilty of know no ample punishment.  There should be a special place in hell for each and every one of them as penance for the offense of falsely empowering the laughably inane yet widely accepted fantasies of Al Gore alone.

But inviting a man of Monckton's measure to participate in an evenhanded analysis of both sides only to summarily demean the very position they requested of him is beneath the dignity of any true society of science.  And to continue beating the "overwhelming opinion of the world scientific community" drums when 32,000 scientists officially dissent and no warming measured since 1998 further betrays their corruption.

These are desperate times for the alarmists, and they are resorting to desperate measures.  But I suspect they'll soon regret the attempt to turn Lord to Pawn.

Here's the full text of Monckton's letter, courtesy of Benny Peiser.  And if you haven't already done so, I implore you to read the brilliant article at the heart of this little drama.

Arthur Bienenstock, Esq., Ph.D.,

President, American Physical Society,

Wallenberg Hall, 450 Serra Mall, Bldg 160,

Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94305.

By email to artieb@slac.stanford.edu

Dear Dr. Bienenstock,

Physics and Society

The editors of Physics and Society, a newsletter of the American Physical Society, invited me to submit a paper for their July 2008 edition explaining why I considered that the warming that might be expected from anthropogenic enrichment of the atmosphere with carbon dioxide might be significantly less than the IPCC imagines.

I very much appreciated this courteous offer, and submitted a paper. The commissioning editor referred it to his colleague, who subjected it to a thorough and competent scientific review. I was delighted to accede to all of the reviewer's requests for revision (see the attached reconciliation sheet). Most revisions were intended to clarify for physicists who were not climatologists the method by which the IPCC evaluates climate sensitivity - a method which the IPCC does not itself clearly or fully explain. The paper was duly published, immediately after a paper by other authors setting out the IPCC's viewpoint. Some days later, however, without my knowledge or consent, the following appeared, in red, above the text of my paper as published on the website of Physics and Society:

"The following article has not undergone any scientific peer review. Its conclusions are in disagreement with the overwhelming opinion of the world scientific community. The Council of the American Physical Society disagrees with this article's conclusions."

This seems discourteous. I had been invited to submit the paper; I had submitted it; an eminent Professor of Physics had then scientifically reviewed it in meticulous detail; I had revised it at all points requested, and in the manner requested; the editors had accepted and published the reviewed and revised draft (some 3000 words longer than the original) and I had expended considerable labor, without having been offered or having requested any honorarium.

Please either remove the offending red-flag text at once or let me have the name and qualifications of the member of the Council or advisor to it who considered my paper before the Council ordered the offending text to be posted above my paper; a copy of this rapporteur's findings and ratio decidendi; the date of the Council meeting at which the findings were presented; a copy of the minutes of the discussion; and a copy of the text of the Council's decision, together with the names of those present at the meeting. If the Council has not scientifically evaluated or formally considered my paper, may I ask with what credible scientific justification, and on whose authority, the offending text asserts primo, that the paper had not been scientifically reviewed when it had; secundo, that its conclusions disagree with what is said (on no evidence) to be the "overwhelming opinion of the world scientific community"; and, tertio, that "The Council of the American Physical Society disagrees with this article's conclusions"? Which of my conclusions does the Council disagree with, and on what scientific grounds (if any)?

Having regard to the circumstances, surely the Council owes me an apology?

Yours truly,

THE VISCOUNT MONCKTON OF BRENCHLEY

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Anthropogenic Global Warming Collapses Yet Again

The American Physical Society had been a proponent of the “consensus” on anthropogenic global warming/climate change — until now.  While the main organization has not addressed its position — yet — a major unit within APS has declared global warming unproven and that the IPCC’s conclusions unsupportable.  The APS will re-open the debate on global warming with a new paper accusing the IPCC of deliberate obfuscation (via Memeorandum):

The American Physical Society, an organization representing nearly 50,000 physicists, has reversed its stance on climate change and is now proclaiming that many of its members disbelieve in human-induced global warming.  The APS is also sponsoring public debate on the validity of global warming science.  The leadership of the society had previously called the evidence for global warming “incontrovertible.” …

The APS is opening its debate with the publication of a paper by Lord Monckton of Brenchley, which concludes that climate sensitivity — the rate of temperature change a given amount of greenhouse gas will cause — has been grossly overstated by IPCC modeling.   A low sensitivity implies additional atmospheric CO2 will have little effect on global climate.

Larry Gould, Professor of Physics at the University of Hartford and Chairman of the New England Section of the APS, called Monckton’s paper an “expose of the IPCC that details numerous exaggerations and “extensive errors”

In an email to DailyTech, Monckton says, “I was dismayed to discover that the IPCC’s 2001 and 2007 reports did not devote chapters to the central ‘climate sensitivity’ question, and did not explain in proper, systematic detail the methods by which they evaluated it. When I began to investigate, it seemed that the IPCC was deliberately concealing and obscuring its method.”

The paper points out that the warming seen on Earth during the period under question matched the warming seen on other planets in the solar system, a point repeatedly made by skeptics over the last few years.  Mars, Jupiter, Pluto, and one of Neptune’s moons experienced the same climate shift at the same time, and Monckton assigns the blame not to SUVs or belching smokestacks, but to the only energy source all have in common: the sun.  Solar activity during the past seventy years, Monckton states, exceeded what had been seen for 11,000 years, which led to the warming activity here on Earth and elsewhere in the system.

At the same time, one of the authors who built Australia’s compliance protocol for the Kyoto Accords admits what most of us suspected all along — that the scientific community jumped to conclusions:

When I started that job in 1999 the evidence that carbon emissions caused global warming seemed pretty good: CO2 is a greenhouse gas, the old ice core data, no other suspects.

The evidence was not conclusive, but why wait until we were certain when it appeared we needed to act quickly? Soon government and the scientific community were working together and lots of science research jobs were created. We scientists had political support, the ear of government, big budgets, and we felt fairly important and useful (well, I did anyway). It was great. We were working to save the planet.

But since 1999 new evidence has seriously weakened the case that carbon emissions are the main cause of global warming, and by 2007 the evidence was pretty conclusive that carbon played only a minor role and was not the main cause of the recent global warming. As Lord Keynes famously said, “When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?”

In other words, the science community had reasons to jump to conclusions.  They got grants, they got attention, and they started getting all the hot chicks — well, at least they got money and felt important.  Those are powerful motivators to reach conclusions that keep money and attention flowing, instead of concluding that they aren’t terribly necessary at all.

And governments had powerful motivations to believe them.  It gave politicians reasons to impose greater control on energy production, and to increase the power of the state.  That creates winners and losers, which begets lots of lobbyists and campaign contributions.

Unfortunately, the recent data argues against anthropogenic climate change, and in fact its advocates never really proved anything.  For one thing, as David Evans points out, the “greenhouse” model should have produced an atmospheric hot spot — which no one has ever found, despite years of looking.  Despite ever-increasing production of carbon, the last seven years have produced a cooling trend.  And more recent data shows that carbon increases at the end of warming cycles, not at the beginning, which demolishes the cause-and-effect assumptions for climate-change advocates.

In short, the Earth is not in danger of “getting a fever”, and the global-warming theory has been shown to be a Chicken Little scenario with no real scientific basis.  Even those who helped lead the hysteria now have serious doubts.  It’s time to stop wrapping public policy around a fraud.

Update: As I noted in the first paragraph, the APS has not changed its position on anthropogenic global warming, at least not yet.  This effort comes from a subgroup within APS.  They “reaffirm[ed]” their November 2007 position, but momentum is shifting away from them, and the debate will occur regardless.  (via Rick Moran and Jonah Goldberg)

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Europe Supports Bush on Iran

 

Opening a farewell tour of Europe, President Bush won European support on Tuesday to consider additional punitive sanctions against Iran, including restrictions on its banks, if Iran rejects a package of incentives to suspend its uranium enrichment program.

But Iran has begun transferring billions of dollars from European banks to Iranian and Asian banks, and buying gold and equities, according to Iranian media reports, apparently to protect its windfall oil revenue from any new sanctions,.

Mr. Bush arrived in Slovenia at the start of a European tour that will take him to Berlin, Rome, Paris, London and Belfast, Northern Ireland. A summit meeting with European Union leaders here was part of an effort to persuade them to adopt a stronger line toward Iran.

Iran’s leaders, Mr. Bush said, “can either face isolation, or they can have better relations with all of us if they verifiably suspend their enrichment program.”

At a news conference after the summit meeting, Mr. Bush warned that if Iran acquired a nuclear weapon, “the free world is going to say, ‘why didn’t we do something about it at the time, before they developed it?’ And so now is the time for there to be strong diplomacy.”

A joint statement issued after the meeting urged Iran to “comply with its international obligations concerning its nuclear activities” and reaffirmed Western commitments to a “dual-track strategy,” employing the threat of punitive sanctions along with incentives to Iran. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, is to travel to Tehran to present the new package of incentives this weekend.

The communiqué coincided with heightened tensions over Iran’s nuclear program since the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna registered “serious concern” last month about Tehran’s suspected research into the development of nuclear weapons.

The issue became even more pressing after Israel’s transportation minister, Shaul Mofaz, warned last week that an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites would be “unavoidable” if weapons programs proceed.

Some analysts said the language of the joint communiqué on Tuesday appeared to try to ease that sense of threat.

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China's massive Earthquake: Death toll up to 9,000

One of the worst earthquakes in decades struck central China on Monday, killing nearly 9,000 people, trapping about 900 students under the rubble of their school and causing a toxic chemical leak, state media reported.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake devastated a hilly region of small cities and towns in Sichuan and nearby provinces. The official Xinhua News Agency said 8,533 people died in Sichuan alone and dozens of other deaths were reported in surrounding areas.

Xinhua said 80 percent of the buildings had collapsed in Sichuan province's Beichuan county after the quake, raising fears the overall death toll could increase sharply.

State media said a chemical plant in Shifang city had cratered, burying hundreds of people and spilling more than 80 tons of toxic liquid ammonia from the site.

The earthquake sent thousands of people rushing out of buildings and into the streets hundreds of miles away in Beijing and Shanghai. The temblor was felt as far away as Vietnam and Thailand.

It posed a challenge to a government already grappling with discontent over high inflation and a widespread uprising among Tibetans in western China while trying to prepare for the Beijing Olympics this August.

The quake hit about 60 miles northwest of Chengdu—a city of 3.75 million—in the middle of the afternoon when classrooms and office towers were full. There were several smaller aftershocks, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its Web site.

The temblor struck hilly country leading up to the Tibetan highlands, toppling buildings in small cities and towns in the largely rural area. About 1,200 pandas—80 percent of the surviving wild population in China—live in several mountainous areas of Sichuan.

The earthquake, China's deadliest since 1976, occurred in an area with numerous fault lines that have triggered destructive temblors before. A magnitude 7.5 earthquake in Diexi, Sichuan that hit on August 25, 1933 killed more than 9,300 people.

Xinhua said 50 bodies had been pulled from the debris of the school building in Juyuan town but did not say if the children were alive. Students also were buried under five other toppled schools in Deyang city, Xinhua reported.

Its reporters saw buried teenagers struggling to break loose from underneath the rubble of the three-story building in Juyuan "while others were crying out for help." Two girls were quoted by Xinhua as saying they escaped because they had "run faster than others."

Photos showed heavy cranes trying to remove rubble from the ruined school. Other photos posted on the Internet and found on the Chinese search engine Baidu showed arms and a torso sticking out of the rubble of the school as dozens of people worked to free them, using their hands to move concrete slabs.

Calls into the city did not go through as panicked residents quickly overloaded the telephone system and the quake also affected power networks.

Although it was difficult to telephone Chengdu, an Israeli student, Ronen Medzini, sent a text message to The Associated Press saying there were power and water outages there.

"Traffic jams, no running water, power outs, everyone sitting in the streets, patients evacuated from hospitals sitting outside and waiting," he said.

The road to Wenchuan from Chendu was cut off by landslides, state media said, slowing the rescue efforts.

Though news trickled out in the first hours after the quake, the government and its media quickly mobilized, with nearly 8,000 soldiers and police sent to the area. China Central Television ran non-stop coverage, with phone reports from reporters and a few isolated camera shots from the scene.

Disasters always pose a test to the communist government, whose mandate in part rests on providing relief to those in need. In recent years, the government has improved emergency planning and rapid response training for the military.

The earthquake also rattled buildings in Beijing, some 930 miles to the north, less than three months before the Chinese capital was expected to be full of hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors for the Summer Olympics.

Li Jiulin, a top engineer on the 91,000-seat National Stadium—known as the Bird's Nest and the jewel of the Olympics—was conducting an inspection at the venue when the quake occurred. He told reporters the building was designed to withstand a 8.0 quake.

"The Olympic venues were not affected by the earthquake," said Sun Weide, a spokesman for the Beijing organizing committee.

Skyscrapers swayed in Shanghai and in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, 100 miles off the southeastern Chinese coast. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The quake was felt as far away as the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, where some people hurried out of swaying office buildings and into the streets downtown. A building in the Thai capital of Bangkok also was evacuated after the quake was felt there.

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake is considered a major event, capable of causing widespread damage and injuries in populated areas.

The last serious earthquake in China was in 2003, when a 6.8-magnitude quake killed 268 people in Bachu county in the west of Xinjiang.

China's deadliest earthquake in modern history struck the northeastern city of Tangshan on July 28, 1976, killing 240,000 people.

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Burma cyclone: Death toll could reach 1 million

Relief deliveries into cyclone-hit Burma increased today but aid groups said supplies fell far short of the enormous need and that foreign experts were still barred from the country.

A cargo plane chartered by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) carrying 35 tonnes of aid was one of the latest to arrive.

The ICRC said the medical supplies on board were sufficient to treat some 250 trauma patients and provide three months of basic health care for 10,000 people. The plane was also carrying sanitation equipment, including a mobile water-treatment plant to provide drinking water for 10,000 people, it said.

But other aid groups warned of a growing catastrophe. “It’s really crucial that people get access to clean water sources and sanitation to avoid unnecessary deaths and suffering,” Sarah Ireland, Oxfam regional chief, said.

She said the death toll from the May 3 cyclone could go up to 100,000, a figure also suggested by other aid groups.

“There are all the factors for a public health catastrophe which could multiply that death toll by up to 15 times,” she said.

Cyclone Nargis, which smashed into the rice-growing Irrawaddy Delta region in the country’s south on May 3, left 60,000 people dead or missing, according to an official toll.

The junta, deeply suspicious of the outside world, has refused to let in foreign experts who specialise in getting aid to disaster victims, and said that only the government would be allowed to distribute emergency supplies.

“Some opening-up on the part of the (Myanmar) authorities is allowing us to get these materials to their destination,” said Stephan Goetghebuer, director of operations of medical charity Medicins Sans Frontieres.

“But it’s no more than a drip-feed, really, given a serious response is more than required. We still need more back-up aid and personnel ready to leave,” he added.

“Clearly our priority is to ensure victims of this terrible disaster access to clean drinking water, shelter, food and health care,” said Pierre-Andre Conod, head of the ICRC’s delegation in Myanmar.

“It’s not true that nothing is happening at all, but not enough is happening,” said Frank Smithuis, Myanmar country manager for MSF.

The medical charity said that a cargo plane carrying 35 tonnes of shelters, water-treatment equipment, first-aid supplies and food was en route from France.

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Tornado-ravaged Oklahoma town might not rebuild

Sue Sigle was hoping the government would offer more money for her home before she moves away from this pollution-scarred town. Then the tornado came.

As she began the task of salvage Sunday, Sigle kept a smile on her face, noting that she was fortunate to be visiting family in Missouri when the massive twister hit Saturday night, killing at least six people in this northeastern Oklahoma town. Tornadoes killed at least 22 people in three states that night.

"I'm OK with everything," Sigle said. "The Lord is going to take care of anything. ... I was going to move anyway. I guess I'll just have to move sooner."

That sense of inevitability appeared to grip residents as they picked through the remnants of their homes. The lead and zinc mines that made Picher a booming town of about 20,000 in the mid-20th century closed decades ago; leftover waste has turned the area into an environmental disaster and a Superfund site.

Many families have moved away to escape the lead pollution, taking advantage of state and federal buyouts in recent years. Piles of mine waste, or chat, have long towered over the town across a highway from the devastated neighborhood; they're now peppered with debris from homes flattened by the tornado.

The tornado - spawned by storms that also killed at least 16 people in Missouri and Georgia - could be the ultimate incentive for those 800 or so residents who have been reluctant to leave, said John Sparkman, head of the local housing authority.

"I think people probably have had enough," he said. "There's just nothing to build back to any more."

Some residents, like Sigle, were waiting for better buyout offers before their homes were damaged.

Gov. Brad Henry, who toured the area both by air and on foot Sunday, said the buyout program won't stop just because homes were leveled. He went so far as to say he would "guarantee" that those awaiting buyouts who lost their homes would be treated fairly.

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Volcano Erupts in Chile

CHAITEN, Chile (AFP) — Ash from the erupting Chaiten volcano in southern Chile spread across a growing swathe of South America on Wednesday, forcing flight cancellations across much of Argentina and threatening to blanket more towns in Argentina and Chile.

The volcano, located 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) south of Santiago near the border with Argentina, erupted violently on Tuesday, raining ash and lava over its surroundings and forcing a total evacuation in a 30-kilometer (19-mile) radius, Chile's National Emergency Office said.

The long-dormant volcano began rumbling and belching smoke on Friday.

The 4,000 residents of Chaiten, the town nearest to the volcano, were evacuated on Tuesday, and only a handful of emergency personnel and news reporters remained.

The volcano's dense 30 kilometer (20 mile) high plume of ash took a northeasterly turn overnight Tuesday to Wednesday after moving for days in a southeasterly direction, Office of National Emergencies head Rodrigo Rojas told AFP.

Ash from the volcano is expected to blanket the Chilean town of Palena and the Argentine ski resort Bariloche northeast of Chaiten, according to Rojas.

Otherwise "there have been no reports of significant changes in seismic activity or emission of ashes" since the volcano began to erupt violently on Tuesday, Rojas said.

Flights were canceled from Buenos Aires to most of the major southern Argentine cities due to ash from the Chaiten eruption.

Three leading airlines -- Aerolinas Argentinas, Austral and Chile's LAN -- cancelled flights across the region, including flights to the Atlantic port cities of Bahia Blanca -- 900 kilometers (560 miles) northeast of the volcano -- and Comodoro Rivadavia, located 575 kilometers (360 miles) southeast of the volcano.

"The airports are open but the airlines cancelled flights because the volcanic ash gets in the airplane turbines and could cause material damage," said an aviation official at the Jorge Newbery airport north of Buenos Aires.

The airport source said it was likely that flights would remain grounded Thursday given the weather forecast.

Officials in the Argentine province of Chubut east of the eruption said some 160 schools closed since Friday due to the volcanic ash reopened on Wednesday.

A Chilean vulcanologist warned Tuesday that the eruption was only at the beginning stage, and that an explosive eruption was possible.

"There could be a major explosion that could collapse the volcano's cone," said Luis Lara of the National Geologic and Mining Service.

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AL GORE USED COMPUTER GENERATED GRAPHICS FOR GLOBAL WARMING DOCUMENTARY

It goes without saying that climate realists around the world believe Nobel Laureate Al Gore used false information throughout his schlockumentary "An Inconvenient Truth" in order to generate global warming hysteria.

On Friday, it was revealed by ABC News that one of the famous shots of supposed Antarctic ice shelves in the film was actually a computer-generated image from the 2004 science fiction blockbuster "The Day After Tomorrow." [audio available here]

Adding delicious insult to injury, this was presented by one of ABC's foremost global warming alarmists Sam Champion during Friday's "20/20":

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VAGUE DOOM: California will have a devestating earthquake

A strong and potentially deadly earthquake is virtually certain to strike on one of California's major seismic faults with a magnitude of at least 6.7 within the next 30 years, scientists said Monday in releasing the first official forecast of statewide earthquake probabilities.

By their calculations the probability of such a strong and damaging quake hitting somewhere the Golden state is now more than 99 percent.

A much more damaging quake of magnitude of 7.5 or greater is at least 46 percent likely to hit on one of California's restless web of active fault systems within the same three decades, but probably in the southern part of the state, the team of federal and state earthquake scientists warned.

The new report by the team of federal and state geologists, seismologists and geophysicists does not significantly change the current probability estimates for future large quakes on the Bay Area's major faults that were calculated five years ago, but it does provide the first detailed forecasts for the odds of future quakes on faults in the Los Angeles area: on the southern San Andreas, on the San Jacinto and on the Elsinore faults specifically.

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World Bank appears to be behind the Global Warming corruption

I have expressed my distrust for the World Bank ever since I learned how they were formed.  This group of financial tycoons care nothing about your wellbeing; they are only after one thing, and that is your liberties and your money. This bank will be the catapult for the Anti-Christ to setup his kingdom, as they are already consolidating financial institutions around the world. This article is yet another eye-opener to the cold reality that Global Warming is simply another hoax to wrest control over the mind-numbed masses.

Tim Torres
Express-Way / Endtime Generation Ministries

Developing countries and environmental groups accused the World Bank on Friday of trying to seize control of the billions of dollars of aid that will be used to tackle climate change in the next four decades.

"The World Bank's foray into climate change has gone down like a lead balloon," Friends of the Earth campaigner Tom Picken said at the end of a major climate change conference in the Thai capital.

"Many countries and civil society have expressed outrage at the World Bank's attempted hijacking of real efforts to fund climate change efforts," he said.

Before they agree to any sort of restrictions on emissions of the greenhouse gases fueling global warming, poor countries want firm commitments of billions of dollars in aid from their rich counterparts.

The money will be used for everything from flood barriers against rising sea levels to "clean" but costly power stations, an example of the "technology transfer" developing countries say they need to curb emissions of gases such as carbon dioxide.

As well as the obvious arguments about how much money will be needed -- some estimates run into the trillions of dollars by 2050 -- rich and poor countries are struggling even to agree on a bank manager.

At the week-long Bangkok conference, the World Bank pushed its proposals for a $5-10 billion Clean Technology Fund, a $500 million "adaptation" fund and possibly a third fund dealing with forestry.

However, developing countries want climate change cash to be administered through the existing United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), which they feel is much less under the control of the Group of 8 (G8) richest countries.

"Generally we have been unpleasantly surprised by the funds," said Ana Maria Kleymeyer, Argentina's lead negotiator at the meeting.

"This is a way for the World Bank and its donor members to get credit back home for putting money into climate change in a way that's not transparent, that doesn't involve developing countries and that ignores the UNFCC process," she said.

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BBC: GLOBAL TEMPS 'HAVE NOT RISEN SINCE 1998'

Global warming 'dips this year'

Global temperatures will drop slightly this year as a result of the cooling effect of the La Nina current in the Pacific, UN meteorologists have said.                    

The World Meteorological Organization's secretary-general, Michel Jarraud, told the BBC it was likely that La Nina would continue into the summer.

This would mean global temperatures have not risen since 1998, prompting some to question climate change theory.                   

But experts say we are still clearly in a long-term warming trend - and they forecast a new record high temperature within five years.                   

The WMO points out that the decade from 1998 to 2007 was the warmest on record. Since the beginning of the 20th Century, the global average surface temperature has risen by 0.74C.

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Food Prices Soaring Worldwide

If you're seeing your grocery bill go up, you're not alone.

From subsistence farmers eating rice in Ecuador to gourmets feasting on escargot in France, consumers worldwide face rising food prices in what analysts call a perfect storm of conditions. Freak weather is a factor. But so are dramatic changes in the global economy, including higher oil prices, lower food reserves and growing consumer demand in China and India.

The world's poorest nations still harbor the greatest hunger risk. Clashes over bread in Egypt killed at least two people last week, and similar food riots broke out in Burkina Faso and Cameroon this month.

But food protests now crop up even in Italy. And while the price of spaghetti has doubled in Haiti, the cost of miso is packing a hit in Japan.

"It's not likely that prices will go back to as low as we're used to," said Abdolreza Abbassian, economist and secretary of the Intergovernmental Group for Grains for the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. "Currently if you're in Haiti, unless the government is subsidizing consumers, consumers have no choice but to cut consumption. It's a very brutal scenario, but that's what it is."

No one knows that better than Eugene Thermilon, 30, a Haitian day laborer who can no longer afford pasta to feed his wife and four children since the price nearly doubled to $0.57 a bag. Their only meal on a recent day was two cans of corn grits.

"Their stomachs were not even full," Thermilon said, walking toward his pink concrete house on the precipice of a garbage-filled ravine. By noon the next day, he still had nothing to feed them for dinner.

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Obama pastor's theology: Destroy 'the white enemy'

'If God is not for us and against whites ... we had better kill him'

Barack Obama's suddenly radioactive pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, has defended himself against charges of anti-Americanism and racism by referring to his foundational philosophy, the "black liberation theology" of scholars such as James Cone, who regard Jesus Christ as a "black messiah" and blacks as "the chosen people" who will only accept a god who assists their aim of destroying the "white enemy."

"If God is not for us and against white people," writes Cone, "then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill gods who do not belong to the black community."

Wright has not talked to media since video segments of his sermons over the past decade surfaced last week – including one in 2003 in which he encouraged blacks to damn America in God's name. But in a 2007 interview replayed on the Fox News Channel's "Hannity and Colmes" show Friday, he repeatedly fended off Sean Hannity's questions with an appeal to authority, asking if the host had read any of the books of Cone, professor at New York's Union Theological Seminary, or Dwight Hopkins, professor at the University of Chicago's Divinity School, notes the Asia Times columnist who writes under the pseudonym Spengler."

Obama, who has spoken of his pastor of more than 20 years as his mentor and moral compass, "wants to talk about what Wright is, rather than what he says," notes Spengler, by referring him as a "respected biblical scholar, and as someone who taught or lectured at seminaries across the country, from Union Theological Seminary to the University of Chicago."

But Spengler says "that way lies apolitical quicksand."

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GLOBAL WARMING TAKING A BREAK? -NPR Says "Maybe"

Some 3,000 scientific robots that are plying the ocean have sent home a puzzling message. These diving instruments suggest that the oceans have not warmed up at all over the past four or five years. That could mean global warming has taken a breather. Or it could mean scientists aren't quite understanding what their robots are telling them.

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Supreme Court to back Gun rights in DC

A majority of the Supreme Court indicated a readiness yesterday to settle decades of constitutional debate over the meaning of the Second Amendment by declaring that it provides an individual right to own a gun for self-defense.

Such a finding could doom the District of Columbia's ban on private handgun possession, the country's toughest gun-control law, and significantly change the tone and direction of the nation's political battles over gun control.

During oral arguments that drew spectators who had waited for days to be in the courtroom, there was far more skepticism among the justices about the constitutionality of the District's ban on private handgun possession than defense of it.

Justices balanced the commands of a Constitution written more than 200 years ago with the modern-day questions presented by a gun ban that, it was argued, either prevents the law-abiding from a means of self-protection or keeps more guns off the streets of the nation's capital.

The court seemed swept up in the historic nature of its endeavor, examining a part of the Constitution that most believe has never been clearly defined. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. encouraged the lawyers to keep talking well beyond the scheduled 75 minutes.

For all the references to Lord Blackstone and the English Bill of Rights and the Framers' intent, Roberts was succinct in describing how he might view the District's arguments that its gun law is reasonable.

"What's reasonable about a total ban on possession?" he asked Washington lawyer Walter E. Dellinger III, who represented the city.

The clauses of the Second Amendment -- "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed" -- have long vexed constitutional scholars. The Supreme Court's last major ruling on the subject, in 1939, stressed the militia-related aspects of the provision.

Roberts quickly signaled his disagreement. "If it is limited to state militias, why would they say 'the right of the people'?" he asked.

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, often the deciding vote on the divided court, was next. "In my view," he said, "there's a general right to bear arms quite without reference to the militia either way."

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'Death to Ahmadinejad,' Iranian crowds cry

Many Iranian youths rallied in streets across the country, shouting "Death to Ahmadinejad," in celebrations marking the end of the Persian calendar year.

The last Wednesday of the Persian calendar is celebrated as the Fire Festival in Iran, with bonfires and firecrackers marking the occasion.

In the western city of Ahvaz, angry mobs declared "Freedom is our legitimate right" while demonstrators in the western city of Sanandaj shouted "Death to (Iranian President Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad," Ynetnews reported Wednesday.

The police in Tehran were out in force and, though they were met with a barrage of firecrackers, the situation didn't escalate beyond what is typical for the Fire Festival, local reports cited in the news report said.

Ahmed Raza-Radan, the police chief in Tehran, warned demonstrators against violating the rule of law in a news conference.

"The police force has resolved to detain any party-goers who break the law. The secret police will have full control, and will not hesitate to photograph citizens for evidence," he said.

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Norwegian Government Proposes Law Allowing Same-Sex Marriages, Adoptions

OSLO, Norway —  The Norwegian government proposed a new marriage law Friday that would give gay couples the same rights as heterosexual pairs, including church weddings, adoption and assisted pregnancies.

It was not immediately clear whether the proposal would make it through parliament without changes. Even though the Labor-led coalition has a majority in the legislature, one of the three parties, Center, has said its representatives will be allowed to vote according to their consciences.

"This new marriage law is a step forward along the lines of voting rights for all and equality laws," said Minister of Children and Equality Anniken Huitfeldt.

The new legislation would replace a 1993 law that gives gays the right to enter civil unions similar to marriage, but refuses them the right to church weddings or to be considered as adoptive parents. Like parliament, the three-party coalition was split on key points of the new law.

For the first time since Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg's government took office in October 2005, there was open dissent in the Cabinet over a legal proposal.

Minister of Local Government Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa and Transport Minister Liv Signe Navarsete said they could not support the right to assisted pregnancies for lesbian couples, but endorsed the remainder of the bill.

Parliament's second-largest bloc, the Party of Progress, and the smaller Christian Democratic Party both immediately said they would oppose the bill.

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6.3-Magnitude Quake Shakes Islands Off Japan

A moderate 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Japan's Bonin Islands in the Pacific, Japanese officials said on Saturday. The shallow quake struck around 30 miles south of Chichijima, or about 630 southeast of Tokyo, according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency.

There are no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and officials do not expect the quake to generate a tsunami, the agency reported.

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Russia Vows To Work Closer Together With China

Russian president Vladimir Putin promised China on Thursday that Moscow would maintain its strong ties with Beijing under his successor, Dmitry Medvedev.

Putin, who rules the world's second-biggest oil exporter, says relations with China are at an historic high while Chinese leader Hu Jintao describes Putin as his "good friend".

"Putin and Hu Jintao exchanged sincere wishes of success in future work for the stable development of the two countries in the period after the election of the new Russian president," the Kremlin press office said in a statement.

"Putin underlined that the course of comprehensive development of Russian-Chinese strategic cooperation will be continued in the future," the Kremlin said.

The two leaders meet regularly and Hu was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Medvedev after his March 2 election as Russia's next president.

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China's leader re-elected in near-unanimous vote

China's National People's Congress re-elected Hu Jintao as president on Saturday in an almost unanimous vote, giving him a new five-year term at the helm of the world's most populous nation.

In the 3,000-seat legislature only three delegates voted against Hu, and five abstained. He was also confirmed as head of the Central Military Commission. The top member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping, was elected vice president.

Xi is seen as a likely future leader of China. Hu's popularity remains high among China's middle class, after years of fast-paced economic growth under his presidency.

However, the leadership currently faces a major challenge with ongoing anti-Chinese riots in Tibet. Chinese troops have reportedly launched a crackdown on supporters of the self-proclaimed Tibetan government in Lhasa, but the number of casualties remains uncertain.

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Fed Takes Boldest Action Since The Depression To Rescue US Mortgage Industry

The US Federal Reserve has taken the boldest action since the 1930s, accepting $200bn of housing debt as collateral to prevent an implosion of the mortgage finance industry and head off a full-blown economic crisis.

The Bank of England, the key European central banks, and the Bank of Canada all joined in a co-ordinated move with a mix of policies to halt the dowward spiral in the credit markets, expanding on the "shock and awe" tactics used late last year.

The Fed's dramatic step came after an emergency conference call by governors on Monday night. It followed the melt-down of the US chartered agencies -- Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other lenders -- which together guarantee 60pc of the entire US home loan market. Fannie Mae's share price fell 19pc in panic trading on Monday after Barron's magazine said it may need a rescue package.

"The agency crisis was a Tsunami event," said Tim Bond, global strategist at Barclays Capital.

"The market was starting to question the solvency of bodies that stand at the top of the credit pile. These agencies together wrap or insure $6 trillion of mortgages. They cannot be allowed to fail because it would cause a financial disaster. The fact that this sector has blown up has caught everybody's attention in Washington," he said.

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Russia Wants To Flex Nuclear Muscles, Too

Russia must reserve the right to use nuclear weapons to protect Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) members in case of an imminent threat, a Russian political analyst said on Wednesday.

The CSTO is a post-Soviet security group comprising Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

"It is necessary to extend part of Russia's nuclear doctrine, which covers the use of tactical nuclear weapons, to all members of the CSTO treaty as a deterrence guarantee," said Leonid Ivashov, the head of the Moscow-based Academy of Geopolitical Sciences.

He said the existing treaty was too vague about the assistance, including military, which each CSTO country must provide to an ally in case of a clear and imminent threat of military aggression.

"Article 4 of the treaty must be revised and contain a concrete definition of such assistance, clearly described in military-strategic terms," Ivashov said during a round-table meeting in Moscow.

The Treaty on Collective Security was signed in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 15 May 1992. The CSTO was established on 18 September 2003 in accordance with a decision of the heads of member states on transforming the treaty into an international regional organization.

Article 4 of the current treaty stipulates that: "If an act of aggression is committed against any of the member states, all other member states will render it necessary assistance, including military, and provide support with the means at their disposal by exercising the right to collective defense in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter".

The Russian leadership has already reaffirmed its commitment to building and maintaining a strong nuclear deterrent, while strongly criticizing the proposed deployment of the U.S. missile shield in Central Europe, and further eastward expansion of NATO.

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INFIDEL(ity)

Looking at a man with a beautiful wife and family, one has to ask the question, "Why would Governor Spitzer do this?" Not only has he been connected to prostitutes for over six years, but he has been using the alias of a close friend to cover himself! Wow, what a governor, husband, father, and friend! CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE:

 

In the midst of all the commotion, I have been mulling over a thought that I finally scribbled down. Please do read! And if you have anything to add, please do so!

INFIDEL(ity)

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary:
in•fi•del•i•ty

1: lack of belief in a religion

2: unfaithfulness to a moral obligation; disloyalty

3: marital unfaithfulness or an instance of it

This 15th Century word has been the catch-phrase for countless controversies and cataclysmic events, ranging from religious strife to marital madness.

According to the Encyclopedia of Islam, an infidel is a person who does not acknowledge Allah as God. Of course we know that this religion which is stained with violence, terrorism and revulsion commands all infidels to be converted or be killed, (Koran, Surah 9:5).

The King James Version Bible only mentions the word infidel twice, both in reference to a person who does not believe in God or his word.

Aside from the religious context, the relevance of this word has become all too real in the day and age we live in.  In Second Timothy chapter three, Paul warns Timothy that in the last days, perilous times would come. It also describes the various characteristics that would be the prevailing attitude in the hearts of men and women. I truly believe that if Paul could have summarized these traits into one word, he would have used the word, "Infidelity."

Everywhere we turn, whether it's in politics, sports, social figures, neighbors, co-workers, friends, or even family, the effects of infidelity have ravaged our society.  If you think like me (or if I think like you), you probably have already determined that this is going to be a write-up on the necessities of staying true to your marriage or relationship.  Well, you're almost half right. The heart of the matter is really based upon the fact that infidelity is an infraction of a higher obligation than marriage; it speaks to the position and alignment of man and God.

In broader terms, infidelity is a violation of the mutually agreed-upon rules or boundaries of a relationship. Throughout history, starting with Adam and Eve, God has made covenants, promises, and agreements with humanity for the sole purpose of a relationship. Yet after God did everything except bend over backwards for humanity, the Bible is still replete with stories of how man constantly broke the contract. The psalmist David, after looking out at the landscape of humanity, wrote the words, "Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men" (Psalms 12:1, KJV).

To illustrate this grand fiasco, the Old Testament Prophet, Hosea, was instructed by God to marry a prostitute named Gomer. After their marriage, she conceived and bore Hosea a child, yet she did not give up her career as a prostitute. When Hosea and Gomer first married, she probably promised eternal love and devotion. She probably showed every sign of being committed to Hosea. But after a while, and in difficult circumstances, she fell back into prostitution. Perhaps it was out of boredom. Perhaps it was out of a feeling of neglect. Perhaps it was out of a sense of need. Sadly, this describes the many promises we have made to God. The cycle begins with either a love for God or a desire to improve a disheveled life. Either way, God, in his loving kindness, stretches out loving arms of mercy, and a new covenant is made.  Yet after a period of time if we don't keep our love for God fresh and alive, somehow our humanity manipulates a way to fall right back into the mire and debauchery that we once left to draw closer to God.

Looking at the larger spectrum, this generation continues to slide down Mount Degeneration without a care in the world.  There was a time, not too long ago, when public leaders, icons and role models were revered and respected for their commitment to a certain moral standard. In our country, many, if not most of them, were religious and God fearing people. But as the Zeitgeist, or spirit of the age, has digressed in a rapid fashion, more and more families have been ravaged by the onslaught of hedonism in this "Post-Modern Generation."

Frank Pittman, who wrote the book, "Grow Up: How Taking Responsibility Can Make You a Happy Adult," observed that "infidelity is involved in 90% of first time divorces." Also, a study performed by Kristina Gordon, a professor in clinical psychology at the University of Tennessee, found that "more than half of the marriages that experience infidelity (known by the spouse) end in divorce."

A fascinating statement was made by Save Your Marriage Central:

Because of the deep connections created and forged by intimate emotional and physical/sexual intercourse, we recognize and acknowledge this form of infidelity as the most destructive to the marital bond and therefore to society as a whole.

Again, I repeat the words of the Psalmist David, "Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men" (Psalms 12:1, KJV).

I pray that you are reminded of the covenants God has made with humanity, and of course the covenants you have made with God. This higher level of living is not only a more clean and rewarding pathway, but is the road towards deeper relationship with God. In the event of a mistake or misstep, like King David himself experienced in the adulterous affair with Bathsheeba and murder of her husband, God's grace is always just a prayer a way! But the notion that it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission will lead you towards misery and discontent.

Oh, one last thing...  I encourage you to remind yourself of how important it is to be committed to your marriage (or even relationship). See, I told you that you were "almost half right."

Tim Torres

Express-Way / Endtime Generation Ministries
www.endtimegeneration.com

 

US On Olympics: China Lacks Freedoms

The U.S. says that China, host of the summer Olympics, is an authoritarian nation that denies its people basic human rights and freedoms.

In its annual survey of human rights, the State Department says that Beijing harasses journalists and foreign aid workers and tortures prisoners. Tuesday's report—which was obtained by The Associated Press ahead of its release—says China is still among the world's human rights abusers despite rapid economic growth that has transformed large parts of Chinese society.

The report gives a chilling account of alleged torture, including the use of electric shocks, beatings, shackles, and other forms of abuse. It also says that forced relocations went up last year with people pushed out of their homes to make way for Olympic projects in Beijing.

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ALSO: MARATHON RECORD HOLDER PULLS OUT OF OLYMPICS

The Cardinal Sin: Vatican Says "Iran Sanctions Are Shocking"

Sometimes I have to ask myself, "what planet are these people living on?"  We have to remember the fact that the Vatican isn't a political body - well, ok let me rephrase that, "Shouldn't be a political body." With this in mind, if they want to play the International Interventionist game, they should be reminded that Ahmadinejad boasts of wiping Israel off the map. I ask the question, "how is Iran going to do that?" Maybe with their highly sophisticated nuclear energy plant? Yeah right! Tell that to the UN! Several rounds of sanctions have been imposed by the UN Security Council, yet they continue to be ignored by countries like Russia, who shipped nuclear fuel to Iran last month. Also US companies like GE and Coca Cola have ignored the UN sanctions and are pulling in large profits in the middle this mess! This is only one of many reasons why the US has historically grown weary of continued UN sanctions: When they're not enforced and obviously not working, something else must be done!

Tim Torres
Express-Way / Endtime Generation Ministries
www.endtimegeneration.com

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Vatican’s President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace has voiced surprise over the third round of sanctions against Iran.

“Like any other state, Iran is entitled to peaceful use of nuclear energy. This is Vatican’s stance toward Iran's nuclear issue and it has always been one of our principal policies,” Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, said on Thursday.

He made the remarks in a meeting with Iran’s chargé d’affaires to Vatican, Mohammad Hossein Mirzaaqaie.

Martino also noted that Vatican welcomes IAEA’s stand and role as well as its recently released report indicating Iran’s positive cooperation with the agency.

“The IAEA’s report clearly states Iran’s cooperation with the agency and urges diplomacy over Tehran’s nuclear standoff.”

“As an internationally approved institution, world powers as well as the UN Security Council should prepare the grounds for the Agency to accomplish its duties,” the Vatican’s cardinal highlighted.

The Iranian envoy, for his part, called for further Tehran-Vatican cooperation in a bid to ensure the establishment and the promotion of justice, peace and international security.

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Deadly Cyclone Ravages Mozambique

At least seven people have been killed and thousands have fled their homes as Cyclone Jokwe continues to hit northern Mozambique, state radio reports.

Some 500 buildings including schools and hospitals, have been destroyed and electricity pylons downed.

The cyclone is expected to move south on Monday and people have been warned to stay out of the sea, as wind speeds reach 200km/h (125mph).

Tens of thousands of people were left homeless by flooding earlier this year.

Last month Cyclone Ivan battered parts of Madagascar, off the coast from Mozambique, but lost intensity before it reached the mainland.

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Britain Makes Camera That "Sees" Under Clothes

A British company has developed a camera that can detect weapons, drugs or explosives hidden under people's clothes from up to 25 meters away in what could be a breakthrough for the security industry.

The T5000 camera, created by a company called ThruVision, uses what it calls "passive imaging technology" to identify objects by the natural electromagnetic rays -- known as Terahertz or T-rays -- that they emit.

The high-powered camera can detect hidden objects from up to 80 feet away and is effective even when people are moving. It does not reveal physical body details and the screening is harmless, the company says.

The technology, which has military and civilian applications and could be used in crowded airports, shopping malls or sporting events, will be unveiled at a scientific development exhibition sponsored by Britain's Home Office on March 12-13.

"Acts of terrorism have shaken the world in recent years and security precautions have been tightened globally," said Clive Beattie, the chief executive of ThruVision.

"The ability to see both metallic and non-metallic items on people out to 25 meters is certainly a key capability that will enhance any comprehensive security system."

While the technology may enhance detection, it may also increase concerns that Britain is becoming a surveillance society, with hundreds of thousands of closed-circuit television cameras already monitoring people countrywide every day.

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Pilots Complain Of Laser Attacks

At least 33 pilots in Canada, including some flying large commercial airliners, have complained about being flashed in the eyes by bright lights that could be lasers, officials said on Thursday.    

Canada's transport ministry said it is probing the complaints, which started in 2005, and had handed most of them over to the police.

"All we know is that a bright light was shone into the cockpit. We don't know if it is in fact a laser and that's why when these reports happen, an investigation is started," said ministry spokeswoman Kirsten Goodnough.

"It is a serious concern because anything that distracts the pilot and affects the safe operation of the aircraft is a problem for us," she said.

None of the pilots involved had suffered any eye damage, she added.

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