Wilma's Aftermath

The power did come on wednesday but then was off by lunch time thursday...........and it has not returned since............no complaints.....being prepared,calm and taking the initiative go a long way.............im on generator power right now.........school is supposed to start up again this week ...........all the neighbors are sticking together.........I heard the President came by some days ago......gas stations are opening,....I haven't seen any video or pics of the keys but sources told me there was extensive flooding (8 ft storm surge) after the hurricane past through there.....it later receded back into the ocean which was great news......as for here in Miami.....not too much water associated with Wilma but definitely devastating winds....we have been under curfew since the storm hit and police are everywhere on the roads......many arrests have been made involving individuals in the bussiness district violating curfew......for the most part if you have a valid reason(work etc) you will not be arrested.........long story short we are on lockdown and cabin fever has set in muahahahaha : ) cyaaaaaaaaaaaa thanx for the generator power sargini:hurricane hero..........

Hurricane WIlma Aftermath: We Made It......

Wowsers...We made it throught the storm....the power came back on yesterday evening...I feel very fortunate about that because there are still millions without it here...The ice/water distribution never happened yesterday for some reason or another,thankfully we are prepared and weren't relying on it ......my sis down south still has no juice.........
This storm was really intense and "scary".......I stayed up all night and as long as I could as the storm peaked in the morning.............the wind was howling and whisteling........I could hear things impacting the boarded up windows,the wind was trying to rip off the boards on the windows,it ripped off the cover of an ac unit in a room and tried to rip the ac out of the wall completely,I thought the roof would rip off and fly away cause I could hear it shifting and cracking like when someone walks on a wooden floor,thankfully except for some water breaches, the roof held(it's a fairly new roof so this is good and bad)....................part of our wooden fence,although we reinforced it came down.....
GTG(got to go) for now.....more info later.......Many folks were not as lucky.....their houses are destroyed,lives changed and they lack the most basic in human needs.....let's keep them in our thoughts and prayers and those of us with........will do what we can to help those without..............Cyaaaaaaaa

Florida Begins to Recover From Hurricane

Electricity was restored to the luckiest homes and businesses. A few gas stations and eateries opened, more streets became passable and even trash removal returned to some overwhelmed areas.

Still, despite all the small causes for celebration across Florida in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Wilma, much of the focus remained on the immense problems that could plague the state for weeks during its recovery efforts from the Category 3 storm.The 21st storm in the worst Atlantic hurricane season on record, Wilma was blamed for at least five deaths in Florida alone. Before hitting the United States, it killed at least four people in Mexico, one in Jamaica and 12 in Haiti as it swirled across the Caribbean.Trucks carrying the first wave of relief in Florida food, ice and water either arrived much later than local officials expected, or simply didn't show up at all. Hundreds of people lined up outside one home-supply store, desperate for cleanup and other items. Drivers waited five hours at gas stations, and at a handful of fast-food restaurants open in the Miami area, burgers were available to those willing to endure two hour waits.....Click title for link...............................

Oh Man Oh Man

Hurricane Wilma: STRENGTHENING...NOW A CAT 3

...WILMA GETTING BETTER ORGANIZED AND STRENGTHENING AS IT GRADUALLY ACCELERATES NORTHEASTWARD TOWARD FLORIDA......TROPICAL STORM-FORCE WINDS IMPACTING WESTERN CUBA AND APPROACHING THE LOWER FLORIDA KEYS...Click title for link to the latest hurricane advisory.

CYOUINCOURT007:

Stay Safe,Off The Roads and Indoors.......

By now hurricane preparation time is over and it's advisable to hunker down and man your battle stations...keep flashlights,candles, lighters etc close by...

Choose ahead of time what are the "safe rooms" (bathrooms,closets) in the event your house is breached,....stay away from windows,....Be Safe and best wishes for all : )

HURRICANE WILMA

Red Alert:Shields Up

Hurricane Wilma

Weatherman Gone Wild... Mark Mathis

This guy's a trip......


VIDEO: #1 HERE and another#2HERE .

but Mark Mathis was subsequently fired and underwent treatment for alcohol abuse.

Any problems viewing the videos visit the Schnitt Show .

Tropical Storm WILMA

...WILMA MOVING SLOWLY AS IT GATHERS STRENGTH...

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR HONDURAS
FROM THE HONDURAS/NICARAGUA BORDER WESTWARD TO CABO CAMARON. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
AT 2 PM EDT...1800Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM WILMA WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.1 NORTH... LONGITUDE 80.0 WEST OR ABOUT 235 MILES... 380 KM... SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF GRAND CAYMAN AND ABOUT 225 MILES... 365 KM...EAST-NORTHEAST OF CABO GRACIAS A DIOS ON THE NICARAGUA/HONDURAS BORDER.
WILMA HAS DRIFTED SOUTHWARD OVER THE PAST FEW HOURS...BUT A GRADUAL TURN TO THE WEST IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. STEERING CURRENTS REMAIN WEAK AND ERRATIC MOTION IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH... 80 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AND WILMA COULD BECOME A HURRICANE TOMORROW.Click title for info.

Typhoon Kirogi

TYPHOON 21W (KIROGI) WARNING NR 027 01 ACTIVE TROPICAL CYCLONE IN NORTHWESTPAC MAX SUSTAINED WINDS BASED ON ONE-MINUTE AVERAGE --- WARNING POSITION: 161800Z --- NEAR 25.8N 134.2E MOVEMENT PAST SIX HOURS - 030 DEGREES AT 06 KTS

TYPHOON (TY) 21W (KIROGI), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 390 NMWEST OF IWO JIMA, HAS TRACKED NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD AT 06KNOTS OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS. MAXIMUM SIGNIFICANT WAVEHEIGHT AT 161800Z IS 42 FEET.Click title for link.

Picture Courtesy of NOAA.

BULLETIN TROPICAL DEPRESSION TWENTY-FOUR

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.AT 5 PM EDT...2100Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION TWENTY-FOUR WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.7 NORTH... LONGITUDE 79.6 WEST OR ABOUT 150 MILES... 245 KM... SOUTHEAST OF GRAND CAYMAN.THE DEPRESSION IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 2 MPH... 4 KM/HR...AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONITNUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HOWEVER...STEERING CURRENTS REMAIN WEAK AND SOME ERRATIC MOTION DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO IS POSSIBLE......
Click title for link to complete advisory .

Pictures Courtesy of NOAA.

Asian bird flu confirmed in Europe

The bird flu virus discovered last week in Romania was the deadly H5NI strain, the European Commission confirmed. The H5N1 strain has already been linked with the deaths of some 60 people in Thailand and neighbouring countries. There have been massive culls of infected bird flocks.Following the announcement of the test results, the Romanian began a ban on the sale of live birds. The government said it would expand security measures in the affected Danube delta region to the whole country. Agriculture Minister Gheorghe Flutur said that a ban would also be introduced on the sale of pigs, which can also be infected with bird flu. The E.U. reference laboratory in Britain confirmed that tests on samples from domestic ducks from a backyard farm in Romania revealed the H5NI virus. Attending the Ibero-American summit Saturday in Salamanca, Spain, EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said that the EU would do everything in its power to combat the bird flu threat. He refused to rule out "drastic" measures, but emphasized that the greatest possible emphasis would remain on transparency in EU processes and on keeping citizens of the 25 nation bloc informed. Earlier this week, Turkey confirmed the presence of the lethal strain of the virus in birds in the west of the country......

Report: Four Dead in Iran Mall Explosions

Two Bombs Explode at Iran Shopping Mall, Report Says; 4 Killed, at Least 102 Others Injured

Two bombs planted inside trash bins exploded Saturday at a shopping mall near the Iraqi border that was previously targeted by extremists, killing four people and wounding at least 102, Iranian state television reported.
The explosions struck a shopping center in central Ahvaz, the capital of oil-rich Khuzestan province. Shops in Naderi street and cars outside were damaged. Some of the injured were in critical condition, the broadcast said, showing pools of blood on the pavement.
Provincial official Gholam Reza Shariati said the bombs were planted inside two trash bins. He said the number of injured was high because the attacks occurred during the evening rush hour as pedestrians returned home from work.State television said the bombs went off five minutes apart at the Karoun Mall, the site of four bombings in June that killed at least eight people.
Iranian security officials blamed those attacks the deadliest in the nation in more than a decade on Iranian Arab extremists with ties to foreign governments, including British intelligence.
In recent weeks, Iran repeatedly has accused Britain of provoking unrest in the Khuzestan province, next to the region in Iraq where 8,500 British soldiers are based as part of the U.S.-led military coalition. ....

Iraqis Start Voting on Constitution, Defying Threats

Iraqis are voting today on a constitution that will establish a permanent government, a step the Bush administration says will help quell insurgent attacks and lead to the withdrawal of some U.S. troops.
As many as 15.6 million adults were registered to vote in Iraq's 18 provinces, according to electoral officials. Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said he expected a high turnout as voters defy threats by al-Qaeda-linked terrorists.
At stake is the legitimacy of the government in the face of attacks that have killed thousands of Iraqis and soldiers, and a U.S. plan to withdraw some of its 140,000 troops early next year. Members of the Sunni Muslim minority, whose political dominance ended with the 2003 overthrow of Saddam Hussein, have vowed to defeat the charter. Officials including al-Jaafari say they're too few to prevail.
``Acceptance of the charter won't open any magic doors, but it would demonstrate that the government won't be moved by violence,'' Jonathan Lindley, head of the Middle East unit at the Royal Services Institute, a London-based research organization, said in an Oct. 7 interview. ``If it fails, it will be a setback.''
Polling stations, which opened at 7 a.m. local time, will close at 5 p.m., according to the Web site of the UN backed Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq. People in hospitals and detention centers voted on Oct. 13, the commission said.....

Venezuelan Indians denounce Chavez expulsion order

CARACAS, Venezuela :Members of a Venezuelan indigenous tribe on Saturday criticized President Hugo Chavez's order to expel a U.S. missionary group he accused of links to the CIA, saying the decision goes against the interests of their impoverished communities.
Jose Kayupare of the Puinare tribe challenged Chavez's claims that the Sanford, Fla.-based New Tribes Mission constituted an "imperialist infiltration" that was exploiting native communities.
"For those of us who live in the jungle, this really is a decision that the majority of indigenous people in Amazonas (state) don't support and that we are not going to accept under any circumstances," Kayupare told reporters.
He said the New Tribes Mission has helped Indian communities ravaged by malaria and other diseases in Venezuela, sometimes airlifting the sick to medical assistance, when the government and others had abandoned them.
Chavez has accused the missionaries of ties to the CIA and collecting "strategic information" on Venezuela,charges the group denies. Although Venezuela is a key oil supplier to the United States, relations between the two countries have long been strained, and Chavez has repeatedly accused Washington of supporting efforts to oust him.....

Cheney aide gave Times reporter details in CIA case?

The notebook used by New York Times reporter Judith Miller for an interview with Vice President
Dick Cheney' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Dick Cheney's chief of staff contained a name virtually identical to covert operative Valerie Plame's, the Times reported on Saturday. But Miller, whose notebook for the July 2003 interview with Cheney chief of staff Lewis Libby contained the name "Valerie Flame," told federal prosecutors she did not think Libby was the source of that information and that she could not recall who was.
The disclosure, in an article published by The New York Times online, comes as special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald neared a decision on whether or not to bring charges over the leak of Plame's identity.
Plame's diplomat husband, Joseph Wilson, asserts that White House officials outed his wife, damaging her ability to work undercover, to discredit him for accusing the administration of twisting intelligence to justify the
Iraq' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Iraq war.
Miller did tell prosecutors that Libby told her that Wilson's wife worked on nonproliferation issues at the
CIA' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> CIA......

Bigfoot Conference in Texas Draws Hundreds

Hundreds Attend Bigfoot Conference in Texas to Discuss Sightings, Tracking Techniques

Next to a lifelike replica of a giant ape head, the believers milled around tables Saturday covered with casts of large footprints, books about nature's mysteries and T-shirts proclaiming "Bigfoot: Often Imitated, Never Invalidated."
While they can have a sense of humor about it, the search for the legendary Sasquatch is no joke for many of the nearly 400 people who came here to discuss the latest sightings and tracking techniques at the Texas Bigfoot Conference.
"It's not a matter of believing, like faith, when you believe in something you can't see," said Daryl G. Colyer, a Lorena businessman who has investigated hundreds of reported Bigfoot sightings in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana."It's a flesh-and-blood animal that just has not been discovered yet. And I think we're getting closer and closer and closer," Colyer said.
Outlandish theories about the origin of Bigfoot abound, including that it might be an extraterrestrial. Many believe that a towering, ape-like creature descended from a prehistoric 9- to 10-foot-tall gorilla called a Gigantopithecus, and that it now inhabits North American forests. ....

Planned neo-Nazi march sparks violence

Dozens of arrests expected; mayor blames gang members

A neo-Nazi group's scheduled march against "black crime" in Toledo, Ohio, sparked rioting Saturday afternoon.
Police and SWAT teams moved in, and about two dozen rioters were arrested, Toledo Police Chief Michael Navarre said. He said he expected 30 to 40 arrests by the end of the day.
Toledo Mayor Jack Ford declared a state of emergency and asked for 50 highway patrol officers to reinforce Toledo police. A curfew came into effect at 8 p.m. for people "roaming around the streets," he said.
He also blamed gang members for the violence, saying it turned into "exactly what they wanted," referring to the Nazi group. Ford said he had appealed to the community Friday night to ignore the Nazi march.....

Tropical depression forms in western Caribbean

Cayman Islands :A tropical storm warning was issued for the Cayman Islands on Saturday and residents, many of whom had not removed the hurricane shutters from earlier storms this season, began preparing for the worst.
The system could become Tropical Storm Wilma on Sunday, which would make it the 21st named storm of the season, tying the record for the most storms in an Atlantic season, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The only other time that many storms have formed since record keeping began 154 years ago was in 1933, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president and the United States was in the midst of the Great Depression.
At 5 p.m. ET, the tropical depression was 195 miles southeast of Grand Cayman and 85 miles southwest of Montego Bay, Jamaica, forecasters said. It was churning west at 3 mph with sustained winds near 30 mph. Depressions become tropical storms when their winds reach 39 mph.
Cayman Island residents, such as 51-year-old Susan Craig, say they are ready....

Dog flu spreads quickly in U.S.

CHESTNUT RIDGE, N.Y. :A new canine influenza, or dog flu, is spreading steadily through the nation's dogs, and experts say there is no vaccine available to curb the virus that has killed young and otherwise healthy animals."One hundred percent of dogs will be susceptible," said Edward Dubovi, director of the animal virology lab at Cornell University. "I would expect to see this infection moving thorough groups of dogs until a large percentage gets infected and there are a lot of immune dogs."Researchers said the virus that crossed over from horses to dogs is fooling many pet owners and veterinarians because its symptoms a cough, low grade fever and a runny nose mimic a common, less dangerous bacterial infection known as kennel cough.First found in greyhounds at racetracks in 11 states, the dog flu has been found in pets from New Jersey to California, but researchers do not know exactly how many dogs have died from it.As with human influenza, dog flu is most easily contracted in gathering places such as kennels, dog shows, animal shelters, even dog runs in parks. .....

Remember USS Cole October 12, 2000.....

Read yesterday's post on ...

"Two AK-47 assault rifles used in a deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Saudi Arabia have been traced to Yemen's Defense Ministry..."

USS COLE Back in action.

Photo: Northrup Grumman Ship Systems

Flashback:Python,gator battle highlights problem in Everglades

Miami,Fl: The alligator has some foreign competition at the top of the Everglades food chain, and the results of the struggle are horror movie messy.
A 13 foot Burmese python recently burst after it apparently tried to swallow a live, six foot alligator whole, authorities said.The incident has heightened biologists' fears that the non native snakes could threaten a host of other animal species in the Everglades. "It means nothing in the Everglades is safe from pythons, a top-down predator," said Frank Mazzotti, a University of Florida wildlife professor.Over the years, many pythons have been abandoned in the Everglades by pet owners.CLICK title for video & full story flashback...

Ex-French U.N. Diplomat Taken Into Custody

Former French U.N. Ambassador Taken Into Custody As Part of Probe Into Oil-For-Food Program

France's former U.N. ambassador has been taken into custody as part of an investigation into allegations of wrongdoing in the Iraq oil-for-food program, judicial officials said Tuesday.
Jean-Bernard Merimee, 68, who also was ambassador to Italy from 1995-98 and to Australia in the 1980s, is suspected of having received kickbacks in the form of oil allocations from the regime of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. He was also a special adviser to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan from 1999 to 2002.Merimee was taken into custody on Monday, and is expected to be presented Wednesday to the judge leading the probe, the officials said on condition of anonymity because French law does not allow disclosure of information from judicial investigations.Merimee was France's permanent representative to the U.N. from 1991-95. He was one of the world body's most prominent diplomats, in part because France occupies one of five permanent seats on the powerful U.N. Security Council.The oil for food program was established in 1996 to provide food, medical supplies and other humanitarian goods for millions of Iraqis trying to cope with U.N. sanctions imposed after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The program ended with the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Yemen Said Linked to Guns in Saudi Attack

AP Exclusive: AK-47s Used in Attack on U.S. Consulate in Saudi Arabia Linked to Yemen, Officials Say

Two AK-47 assault rifles used in a deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Saudi Arabia have been traced to Yemen's Defense Ministry, according to Western and Yemeni officials, raising new fears that the country isn't doing enough to fight terrorism.The revelation comes five years after al Qaida linked militants bombed the USS Cole destroyer on Oct. 12, 2000, at the port in Yemen, killing 17 sailors.In other worrying developments, Yemeni militants are believed to be among foreigners fighting U.S. led coalition forces in Iraq, U.S. and Iraqi officials have said.Some Yemenis have even carried out suicide bombings in Iraq after their release from prison here under a government program, say Yemeni officials cited in local newspapers. Under the "dialogue" program Islamic fundamentalists are let go in exchange for renouncing violence.Despite the setbacks, the United States continues to boost its security relationship with Yemen. Last week, it delivered more boats and equipment to the country's coast guard ahead of Wednesday's fifth anniversary of the USS Cole attack. While U.S. officials publicly praise Yemen for curbing extremist groups, Western and Yemeni diplomats privately say it must do more to lock down its porous, 1,120 mile border with Saudi Arabia and prevent weapons and militant smuggling.
Yemen is awash with weapons, and strong ties exist between its military and tribal groups, which make up the backbone of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's power base.

Power Outage Hits Parts of Downtown L.A.

Power Outage Hits Parts of Los Angeles, the Third Significant Blackout Since Mid-September

blackout hit downtown government buildings, Chinatown and adjacent areas Tuesday. It was the third significant electrical failure in the city since mid-September.
The blackout cut power to as many as 1,000 customers and affected City Hall, the Los Angeles County Hall of Administration and police headquarters at Parker Center, said Gale Harris, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.By late morning, power had been restored to about one quarter of the affected customers.The cause was under investigation, Harris said.Blacked out traffic signals snarled traffic downtown and in Chinatown.

Uncertainty prevails on sports DNA tests

Eddy Curry, a 22 year old player in the National Basketball Association who missed 19 games last season because of an irregular heartbeat, refused the Chicago Bulls' request that he take a DNA test to determine whether he is susceptible to a potentially fatal heart condition. He was traded last week to the New York Knicks, and he passed his physical on Friday.

These are the facts. A great deal of uncertainty remains, however. Not just about Curry's health but about the increasingly sophisticated and perhaps intimidating methods used to test and analyze the insides of athletes. What are the ethics of such testing? Does it work? Where might it lead? And how much information about a person is too much? "I think there are valid points on both sides," said Peter Roby, director of Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society. "A player must be careful about what source of information he allows people to get access to. Who the heck knows what's in your medical history or DNA? "On the other hand, you have an organization that wants to make sure they can do all they can to protect their interests and investments before they commit upwards of $60 million to a player. So I can understand why they would want to use every possible means to investigate that."

"Cronie Patrol"-White House targets doubts on Miers nod

The White House yesterday dismissed early doubts from nearly half the Senate's Republicans over the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers, saying that lawmakers also expressed doubts about Judge John G. Roberts Jr., who was easily confirmed last month as chief justice."Even before the hearings that led to confirmation of Chief Justice Roberts, senators were saying they were reserving judgment on how they would vote until they got to know him better at the hearings," deputy press secretary Dana Perino said."Now the same is being said about Harriet Miers, just one week after her nomination, and that should not be surprising nor be cast in a negative light for what is the norm," she said.The Washington Times yesterday reported that nearly half of Republican senators have expressed doubt about the nomination of Miss Miers, reflecting concerns held by some conservatives about her murky record. Many conservatives want President Bush to nominate a strong conservative to shift the court on abortion and other contentious issues. The White House yesterday responded by saying that senators Republican and Democrat normally wait until after the confirmation hearings to make up their minds on how they will vote on particular nominees.

London Police Break Up European People-Smuggling Ring

London's Metropolitan Police said 18 people were arrested in early morning raids today that broke up the U.K.'s largest people smuggling ring.
The arrests included six men and two women picked up in London, and a man detained in Lincolnshire, eastern England. Seven people, believed to be leaders of the organization, will face conspiracy charges and six people will be charged with being in the country illegally, said Detective Chief Superintendent Bill Skelly, in an interview.The arrests come as the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair seeks to clamp down on illegal immigration and to introduce identity cards to curb crime. The raids follow a two year investigation into the ring, which smuggled mostly ethnic Kurds into London from Turkey through ports in mainland Europe.This is the most significant action taken by the Metropolitan Police against a human smuggling ring, said Skelly. He declined to say how many people it brought into the country.The number may be as high as 200,000, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported, without saying where it got the information.The ring charged as much as 5,000 pounds ($8,760) for passage to Britain, sometimes transporting as many as 20 people at a time hidden in the back of trucks, Skelly said.The mode of transport varied but it was inherently very dangerous,he said.

Clean Water Act Development Cases Draw U.S. High Court Review

The U.S. Supreme Court will consider limiting the federal government's power to protect the environment, agreeing to hear two appeals by developers who say regulators have been overzealous in applying the Clean Water Act.

The justices today in Washington said they will hear arguments from two sets of Michigan property owners seeking to build on their land. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers blocked the projects, saying they would harm water quality and wildlife on protected wetlands.
The cases ask the court to decide whether the Clean Water Act, which gives permitting authority to the Corps, covers wetlands that aren't adjacent to a river or other navigable waterway. The justices also will decide whether Congress has power under the Constitution's Commerce Clause to regulate those wetlands.The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the Corps of Engineers in both disputes.The cases are Rapanos v. U.S., 04-1034, and Carabell v. Army Corps of Engineers, 04-1384. ......

Smurfs to highlight plight of ex-child soldiers

Smurfette is left for dead. Baby Smurf is left crying and orphaned as the Smurf's village is carpet bombed by warplanes a horrific scene and imagery not normally associated with the lovable blue skinned cartoon characters. These are the scenes being shown as part of a new UNICEF ad campaign on Belgian television.
"It's working. We are getting a lot of reactions and people are logging on to our website," UNICEF Belgium spokesman Philippe Henon said Tuesday.
The Belgian office of the U.N. children's fund said it has decided to use the creations of late Belgian artist Peyo to shock a complacent public into backing its fundraising efforts for ex-child soldiers in Africa.The 20 second video commercial clip now being shown on Belgian TV aims to show that war can happen in the most innocent of places, Henon said.
"We get reactions from all over the place," said

Merck scientist says profits did not trump safety

A Merck & Co. Inc. scientist on Tuesday vehemently denied a Vietnam War veteran's claims the company put profits ahead of safety in marketing its popular pain killer Vioxx.

"I chose a career in research to try to save human life," Alise Reicin, vice president of clinical research at Merck Research Laboratories, testified in the second Vioxx civil case to go to trial."To suggest that I would put profit before human safety is really completely outrageous."In marked contrast to the heated exchanges between the judge and a lawyer for the drug maker that roiled the courtroom on Friday, Merck attorney Stephen Raber calmly questioned Reicin about the development of the drug.

Workers Blast Bridge Segment in S.C. River

Workers Blast Bridge Segment at Charleston, S.C., Into River; Futuristic New Span Replaced It

Workers on Tuesday used explosives to send a 500 foot segment of an aging bridge plunging into the water, one of two spans replaced by the futuristic Ravenel Bridge, the longest one of its kind in North America.
The 39 year old Silas Pearman Bridge and parallel 76 year old Grace Memorial Bridge closed in July when the eight lane Ravenel Bridge opened becoming the longest cable stayed bridge on the continent.The two old bridges linking Charleston and Mount Pleasant over the Cooper River were outdated and the Grace, narrow and rickety, were considered structurally unsound.Workers used 2,250 pounds of explosives to bring down a 500-ton section of the Pearman Bridge.It fell with a thunderous roar and a giant plume of smoke. Then a barge with an orange crane moved in retrieve the 11 pieces of the superstructure that fell into the water.By the end of the year, the superstructure of both old bridges is expected to be down, leaving only underwater foundations to remove. The $60 million demolition project is scheduled to be finished in 2007.

TODAY'S TOP TEN......

1) LET'S KEEP NYGIRL IN OUR PRAYERS ...SHE WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND WAS PRETTY BANGED UP,WE MISS HER AND WANT HER TO GET WELL SOON
2)MARS WENT BACK TO BASE IN BEAUFORD.....HE ALREADY DID ONE TOUR IN IRAQ AND MAY END UP THERE AGAIN.....WE MISS YOU BRO AND ARE PROUD OF YOU AND YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY..../AMANDA MARIE....I TOLD HIM ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BRO AND HE SENDS HIS REGARDS AND A BROTHERLY SEMPER FI SALUTE TO YOUR BRO......
3)LT ERIC.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRO.....KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK @ SCHOOL AND FINISH THINGS UP SOON ASAP...WE NEED OUR "WARDEN" BACK AND OUR FINE MEN AND WOMEN OF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT NEED YOU TOO........
4)ALL IN AGREEMENT WITH ME AS I "OPINE" ..................."MATH IS THE DEVIL" SAY I.............."IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII"............
5) I REALLY CAN'T STAND THE DIXIE TRIX I MEAN CHICKS BUT I SURE DO ENJOY THE SONGS TRAVELING SOLDIER AND WIDE OPEN SPACES....IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD EM.....OH MAN OH MAN..DO SCOPE EM OUT......
6)....P ,VINMAN(CONGRATS ON DA CRIB),BUMLUMBO,SARGINI AND THE REST OF DA HOMIES....I MISS HANGIN WITH YOU BUDDIES.....WERE ON BABY SITTING DUTIES DOWN HERE AS MY OTHER SIS IS OUT OF TOWN.......PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES AND LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER......HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE HANGIN SOON
7)ANY OUTSIDERS WHO WANT THE INSIDE SCOOP & MAYBE HAVEN'T SEEN THEM, CHECK OUT......THE PASCIFIER WITH VIN DIESEL AND MAN OF THE HOUSE WITH TOMMY LEE JONES....DEFINITE WOWSERS ACTION .... ON ASSIGNMENT HERE IN DA MIA
8)DID I MENTION MY AVERSION TO MATH AND HOW IT'S THE DEVIL MUAHAHAHA
9) GOT TO RUN.....SOOOO MANY TESTS AND SOO LIL TIME.....( I JUST CRUISED THE BABY AROUND IN THE CAR FOR A WHILE TO PUT HER TO SLEEP CAUSE SHE WAS REBELLIOUS.....) I CALL IT "THE NUCLEAR OPTION" AND IT SURE DOES THE TRICK WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS : )
10)WHILE THE BLOGGING HERE IS NOT MACKED OUT AS ALWAYS DO VISIT.......DOUBLEPLUSGOOD INFOTAINMENT.....LEST DARKNESS FALL......LIFE IS A JOURNEY... AND OTHERS ON OUR BLOGROLL ....

CYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA : ) : ) : p : p : p

P.S. SHE WAS A LIBRAAAAAAAA.......

Bush chooses Miers for Supreme Court

President Bush nominated White House counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court today, turning to a lawyer who has never been a judge to replace Sandra Day O'Connor and help reshape the nation's judiciary."She has devoted her life to the rule of law and the cause of justice,"Bush said as his first Supreme Court pick, Chief Justice John Roberts, took the bench for the first time just a few blocks from the White House.If confirmed by the Republican controlled Senate, Miers, 60, would join Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the second woman on the nation's highest court and the third to serve there. Miers was the first woman to serve as president of the Texas State Bar and the Dallas Bar Association.Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist outlined a timetable calling for confirmation by Thanksgiving a tight timetable by recent standards that allowed less than eight weeks for lawmakers to review her record, hold hearings and vote. Sen. Arlen Specter, (R) Pa.,chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, made no commitment, saying he wanted a thorough confirmation proceeding.O'Connor has been the court's majority maker in dozens of controversial cases in recent years, casting deciding votes that upheld the 1973 ruling that established the constitutional right to an abortion, sustaining affirmative action programs and limiting the application of the death penalty.Within hours of Bush's announcement in the Oval Office, Miers travelled to the Capitol to begin courtesy calls on the senators who will vote on her nomination..................

Grand Jury Indicts DeLay on New Charge

Grand Jury Indicts Rep. Tom DeLay on New Money Laundering Charge on Heels of Conspiracy Charge

A Texas grand jury indicted Rep. Tom DeLay on a new charge of money laundering Monday, less than a week after another grand jury leveled a conspiracy charge that forced DeLay to temporarily step down as House majority leader. Both indictments accuse DeLay and two political associates of conspiring to get around a state ban on corporate campaign contributions by funneling the money through a political action committee to the Republican National Committee in Washington.The RNC then sent back like amounts to distribute to Texas candidates in 2002, the indictment alleges....The judge who will preside in DeLay's case is out of the country on vacation and couldn't rule on the defense motion. Other state district judges declined to rule on the motion in his place.

Jailed for Life After Crimes as Teenagers

OCALA, Fla:About 9,700 American prisoners are serving life sentences for crimes they committed before they could vote, serve on a jury or gamble in a casino in short, before they turned 18. More than a fifth have no chance for parole. Juvenile criminals are serving life terms in at least 48 states, according to a survey by The New York Times, and their numbers have increased sharply over the past decade.
Rebecca Falcon is one of them.Ms. Falcon, now 23, is living out her days at the Lowell Correctional Institution here. But eight years ago, she was a reckless teenager and running with a thuggish crowd when one night she got drunk on bourbon and ruined her life.Ms. Falcon faults her choice of friends."I tried cheerleaders, heavy metal people, a little bit of country and, you know, it never felt right," Ms. Falcon said. "I started listening to rap music and wearing my pants baggy. I was like a magnet for the wrong crowd." ....But a report to be issued on Oct. 12 by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International found juveniles serving such sentences in only three others. Israel has seven, South Africa has four and Tanzania has one.
By contrast, the report counted some 2,200 people in the United States serving life without parole for crimes they committed before turning 18. More than 350 of them were 15 or younger, according to the report.
The Supreme Court's decision earlier this year to ban the juvenile death penalty, which took into account international attitudes about crime and punishment, has convinced prosecutors and activists that the next legal battleground in the United States will be over life in prison for juveniles.
Society has long maintained age distinctions for things like drinking alcohol and signing contracts, and the highest court has ruled that youths under 18 who commit terrible crimes are less blameworthy than adults. Defense lawyers and human rights advocates say that logic should extend to sentences of life without parole.Prosecutors and representatives of crime victims say that a sentence of natural life is the minimum fit punishment for a heinous crime, adding that some people are too dangerous ever to walk the streets.......

Study: Sick kids may signal start of flu season

Preschoolers may signal the arrival of flu season: Thirty days after hacking 3 and 4 year olds start showing up in doctors' offices and emergency rooms, flu ridden adults follow.
It's a provocative discovery sure to bolster growing calls to vaccinate more healthy children against influenza to help keep the misery from spreading.
Moreover, researchers using a system that almost instantly tracks Boston area health care found that a spike in respiratory illness among youngsters under 5 predicts that about five weeks later, influenza-related deaths among the elderly will peak.The study doesn't prove preschoolers actually drive each winter's flu epidemic, just that they're harbingers for waves of illness."What we think is most likely is that 3 and 4 year olds are early spreaders of influenza because of the preschool setting," said John Brownstein, an epidemiologist at Children's Hospital of Boston and co author of the new study....

Landslides kill 23 in El Salvador

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador :Heavy rains triggered landslides that killed at least 23 people in El Salvador on Monday, while rising rivers forced the evacuation of dozens of people there and in neighboring Guatemala.Both countries put their Pacific coasts on alert as a tropical weather front swept over Central America, unleashing downpours and causing principal rivers to overflow.In San Marcos, a city south of the capital, a 2 month old infant and two siblings ages 2 and 4 died along with their parents when a wave of dirt swept away their home. In Lourdes, west of the capital, a landslide killed four children and four adults.
Another 10 people, who have not been identified, died in landslides in the nation's central region, authorities said.Salvadoran President Tony Saca declared a nationwide state of emergency and said more than 8,500 people had been forced to evacuate throughout the country, including those in a low-lying neighborhood in the shadow of a hillside in Santa Tecla, just west of the capital, San Salvador.A landslide unleashed after a strong earthquake killed about 400 people in the same area in January 2001.Dozens of towns in Guatemala were cut off by floods as rescue workers tried to identify the number of people affected. No deaths were reported in Guatemala."We are noticing a critical situation in the south where the rivers have overflowed their banks," said Hugo Hernandez, executive secretary of Guatemala's National Center for Disaster Reduction.

Australia issues new Bali warning

Seminyak area named in uncorroborated reports

Australia has issued a fresh travel warning for Bali and cited "uncorroborated information" that names the tourist area of Seminyak as a potential target for terrorist attacks.
The warning was issued late on Monday night by the Australian foreign ministry.Seminyak is a popular nightclub and shopping area in Bali's main city of Denpasar, north of the Kuta and Jimbaran Bay areas that were the targets for suicide bomb attacks on Saturday night, October 1, that killed 19 people and wounded more than 130 others."The possibility of further explosions cannot be ruled out," the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in its travel advisory. It noted there had been reports of both "general and specific" bomb threats and anonymous tip offs since the October 1 bombings."While this information cannot be corroborated, Australians should be aware that the Seminyak area in Bali has been mentioned as a potential target for terrorist attacks. Nightclubs popular with westerners in Seminyak are possible targets," it said.

Deadly typhoon smashes into China

Typhoon Longwang slammed into the Chinese coast late Sunday after lashing the island of Taiwan, where it killed at least one person, smashed houses and cut electricity.
Authorities evacuated more than 300,000 people from low-lying areas of southeast China's Fujian province as the storm approached with winds of 119 kph (74 mph), according to local officials.
The storm touched down at 9:35 p.m. (1335 GMT), Fujian's weather bureau said. The winds were expected to slow as the storm churned inland, even as heavy rain pelted a broad swathe of the Chinese coast.Thousands of officials had fanned out to oversee storm preparations, forcing boats to return to harbor and clearing flood-prone villages, Fujian's anti-flood headquarters said on its Web site."We must ensure that not one person dies," it said.The typhoon battered Taiwan earlier Sunday. One man died after his house collapsed on him, and one woman was missing after being washed into a raging river, officials said.Another 46 people suffered minor injuries, and seven houses were destroyed, the island's Disaster Relief Center said.Officials in Taiwan said at least half a million homes suffered power blackouts, mostly in the city of Hualien, where the typhoon made landfall on the island.The powerful winds shattered windows and brought down the tiled roof of an ancient temple, TVBS Cable News reported...Longwang means "Dragon King" in Chinese.

Rare eclipse to appear over Europe, Africa

LISBON, Portugal: A rare and spectacular type of eclipse will dim the morning sky across a strip of southwestern Europe and eight African countries Monday. During the event, called an annular eclipse, the moon will mask the sun like a black plate, leaving a bright, fiery rim.The moon will be too small to blot out the sun completely, as in a total eclipse, because its elliptical orbit has taken it too far from the earth. However, scientists say the daylight will fade and temperatures will drop slightly as the eclipse travels along a narrow band girdling almost half the planet.The rim of fire that appears around the moon glows brighter than the corona which is seen during a total eclipse."It's quite spectacular," said Dr. Stephen Maran, an astronomer with the American Astrological Society in Washington DC."I wouldn't miss it if I was over there, because it's rare," Maran said by telephone.

Sudanese Government Accused in Attack

African Union Accuses Sudan Government Forces of Attacking Civilians in Darfur; at Least 44 Dead

KHARTOUM, Sudan:The African Union accused Sudanese government forces on Saturday of attacking civilians in Darfur, and committing acts of "calculated and wanton destruction" that have killed at least 44 people and displaced thousands over two weeks.
Government forces have also painted their military vehicles in the white colors of the African Union cease-fire monitors "in violation of all established norms and conventions," the chief African Union envoy to Sudan, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, said Saturday at a news conference in the Sudanese capital.
In a rare accusation from the African Union, which generally refrains from apportioning blame in the Darfur fighting, Kingibe gave four instances of Sudanese army troops coordinating operations with the Janjaweed Arab militia since Sept. 18.His charge is politically embarrassing to the new government as Sudan has repeatedly denied any collusion with the Janjaweed, the ethnic Arab militia which has been blamed for the bulk of human rights violations in the two-year conflict.

Flash Flooding in Kansas Traps Many

Storm Dumps Up to a Foot of Rain Over Parts of Northeast Kansas, Sparking Flash Flooding

OSKALOOSA, Kan. : A storm dumped up to a foot of rain over parts of northeast Kansas early Sunday, sparking flash flooding that left people stranded in their homes and cars, emergency officials said.
The hardest hit areas were Jefferson and Jackson counties, said Joy Moser, spokeswoman for the Kansas Division of Emergency Management. About a foot of rain fell overnight in Jefferson County, and up to 10 inches was reported in Jackson County.Jefferson County officials declared a disaster, and emergency crews were trying to rescue people stranded in the high water, said Don Haynes, the county's director of emergency service."The water in the creeks came up, and the homes are surrounded," Haynes said. "Who plans for this kind of rain? He said emergency crews were checking on stranded residents in several towns.Moser said a shelter had been opened in an Oskaloosa church and officials were planning for about 100 evacuees.She said a nursing home in Leavenworth County was evacuated early Sunday and that the Kansas Highway Patrol had rescued a man off his car on Kansas Highway 4. A mobile home also was reported to have washed away in Jackson County, but the home's resident made it out safely."But now he's stuck in a tree," Moser said. "They're working to get him out."

Astronomy Picture of the Day

NGC 613: Spiral of Dust and Stars

Credit: M. Neeser (Univ.-Sternwarte Munchen), P. Barthel (Kapteyn Astron. Institute), H. Heyer, H. Boffin (ESO),ESO.Click on image to enlarge.Click title for info about pic....

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY...

I WENT TO DOUBLEPLUSGOODINFOTAINMENT AND HE JUST HAD HIS 2ND OR 3RD YEAR ANNIVERSARY POST...THEN I REMEMBERED OH MAN OH MAN.....SO ON SEPT 24, 2004 THIS HERE THANG BEGAN.......FROM HERE IN MIAMI TO PLACES ALL OVER THE WORLD......IN THE LOOP HAS GROWN AND REACHED FOLKS ALL OVER THE GLOBE.....A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THOSE FOLKS WHO STOPBY AND KEEP IT GOIN.....WITHOUT YOU THIS TREE WOULD BE FALLING IN THE WOODS WITH NOONE AROUND...

Florida tourists warned that locals could shoot them

IT IS Britain's most popular transatlantic holiday destination, attracting more than 1.5 million visitors a year with its sun-drenched beaches, theme parks and wildlife.
But Florida's 30 billion tourism industry is under threat from a campaign launched by a gun-control group which warns visitors they could be killed.
A series of alarming adverts, to be placed in British newspapers, warns potential tourists about a new law allowing gun owners to shoot anyone they believe threatens their safety. It means thousands of British families who travel to the Sunshine State are now caught up in the ongoing political row over gun control in the United States.The Florida law, supported by the National Rifle Association, was approved by the state legislature in April.The state's governor, Jeb Bush whose brother is the US president - described it as a "good, commonsense, anti crime issue".
Critics call it the "shoot first" law and say it allows gun owners to shoot if they engage in a simple argument in public. Supporters call it the "stand your ground" law and say criminals will think twice before attacking someone.
Previously, gun owners could only use their weapons if they first attempted to withdraw and avoid a confrontation, and were permitted to shoot threatening individuals only inside their home or property.Now they can use "deadly force" if they "reasonably believe" that firing their gun is necessary to prevent a crime or serious injury. The law also effectively prevents civil legal action by victims of such shootings....

CYOUINCOURT: THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN ANTI GUN MOVEMENT LIES.....BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THIS LAW GIVES THE UPPERHAND TO THE CIVILIANS AND NOT THE CRIMINALS....THE PICTURE PAINTED BY THESE FOLKS IS A NEGLIGENT FALSEHOOD...FOLKS WHO COME TO OUR STATE AND ARE NOT COMMITTING CRIME AND INFLICTING VIOLENCE UPON RESIDENTS OR TOURISTS WILL NOT HAVE A PROBLEM.THE TALK OF FLORIDA REFLECTING THE WILD WILD WEST DAYS OF OLD IS A BLATANT LIE AND IRRESPONSIBLE.

TYPHOON 19W (LONGWANG) WARNING NR 022

POSITION NEAR 22.5N 126.3E.TYPHOON (TY) 19W (LONGWANG), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 340 NM EAST-SOUTH-EAST OF TAIPEI, TAIWAN, HAS TRACKED WESTWARD AT 14 KNOTS OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS. RECENT ANIMATED MULTISPECTRAL IMAGERY REVEALS A VERY SYMMETRIC SYSTEM WITH A 25 NM EYE. MAXIMUM SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT AT 010000Z IS 45 FEET.





Pictures courtesy of NOAA.

Bill Bennett Taken Out of Context?

Bill Bennett is under heavy fire from liberals for a so called "racist" remark on his talk show a couple days ago. In a discussion on economics, poverty, and abortion, Bennett made an analogy that he immediately identified as "morally reprehensible." In the full context of the entire discussion, his comment is not the least bit racist, but liberals are taking his comment way out of context and are implementing a strong attack through breathless demands for an apology from Bennett. Meanwhile, a nationally syndicated liberal talk show host compares the evacuation of victims of Hurricane Katrina to the evil round up of innocents in the Holocaust(!). Let's compare the two recent episodes and the media reaction........

AUDIO AVAILABLE HERE

Firefighters guard L.A. area homes

So far, the efforts have largely paid off. Six structures, including three single family homes, have been damaged or destroyed by the fire but some 2,000 others have been saved, fire officials said.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Zaroslavsky told CNN that in addition to firefighters' efforts citizens have played an important role in preserving their homes by clearing brush, as required by the county.
"You saw last night on CNN homes that were within dozens of feet of the flames, and the flames just came to a stop as though there was some supernatural force," Zaroslavsky said. "There was nothing left to burn between the clearance area and the house, and the house was saved."
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger flew over the affected area Friday after getting briefed on the status of the fires.Later at a news conference, he said he was impressed with the work so far, and thanked authorities and firefighters for their efforts."They are doing such a heroic job working day and night to put this fire out, and they have it almost under control," he said....

Bus carrying 42 children flips on NYC expressway

A school bus overturned on a Bronx expressway Friday, injuring dozens of children and adults returning from a teacher's funeral, authorities said. Scores of emergency workers responded to the crash scene on the Major Deegan Expressway, where the bus, with 46 children and eight adults, flipped onto its side, authorities said...The bus flipped on its side when another vehicle that was trying to merge onto the highway slammed into the back end of the bus around 11:15 a.m., police said. The bus was carrying seventh graders, parents and faculty from St. Joseph's Elementary School at the time....

N.J. Reaches Settlement with Malnourished Adopted Children

New Jersey has agreed to give $12.5 million to four boys allegedly starved by their adoptive parents, state officials told The Associated Press on Friday.
Lawyers for the boys have agreed in principle to the settlement, the largest ever involving the state Department of Human Services, but they have not all signed it and it has not been approved by a judge, department spokeswoman Laurie Facciarossa said.
Authorities found Bruce Jackson, then 19 but appearing to be about 7 years old, rummaging through a neighbor's trash can in Collingswood in October 2003.
Three of his younger adoptive brothers were similarly undersized. Authorities said their adoptive parents withheld food and the boys subsisted on gypsum wallboard and uncooked pancake batter.Child welfare workers had visited the Jackson home regularly to check on the family's foster child but did not take action regarding the bone thin adopted boys.....

Rare Germ Found in D.C., but No Terror Fears

Tularemia Is Highly Infectious; Can Cause Pneumonia and Systemic Infection

A relatively rare biological agent has been detected in air filters serving Washington D.C. in recent weeks, ABC News has learned but current evidence does not show any indication whatsoever of terrorism.
The federal government found six air filters around the nation's capital checked on Sept. 24 and 25 contained "trace amounts" of tularemia, a type of bacteria.The tests were conducted as part of routine homeland security procedures, in which selected air filters from around the nation's capital are checked for chemical and biological agents.
Subsequent tests by the Centers for Disease Control confirmed low levels of the bacteria.

U.S. Millionaire Blasts Off From Russia

U.S. Millionaire Scientist Gregory Olsen Blasts Off From Russia As World's Third Space Tourist
A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying U.S millionaire scientist Gregory Olsen lifted off Saturday from the Central Asian steppe, launching the world's third space tourist on a two-day journey to the international space station.
The rocket streaked off into the blue sky, trailing blindingly bright yellow and pink flames, as family and friends of Olsen and the two member U.S. Russian crew, as well as Russian and U.S. space officials, watched from a viewing platform at the Russian leased Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The rocket was set to enter its initial orbit within nine minutes. The first two stages of the rocket separated on schedule.Olsen, the 60 year old founder of an infrared camera maker based in Princeton, N.J., reportedly paid $20 million for a seat on the Expedition 12 flight.

Civilian monitors on both borders

More than 4,000 civilian volunteers are expected to man observation posts beginning today on the Mexican border from Texas to California and in states along the Canadian border in a new Minuteman protest of immigration enforcement policies they consider lax.Chris Simcox, who heads the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, yesterday said the organization has "greatly expanded" since a similar but limited vigil in Arizona in April to help secure the nation's border against illegal entry."The risk of terrorists and criminals entering this country through our wide open borders is at a critical level," Mr. Simcox said. "When the government fails to fulfill its primary duty and protect this nation, it is up to self-governing people to step into the breach."Americans have historically organized and done what is necessary to defend this country. Today is no different," he said.Mr. Simcox said members of the Vietnam Veterans and Gulf War Coalition and Rolling Thunder will join in the operation, known as "Secure Our Borders."Participants will report to the U.S. Border Patrol but will not detain those attempting to illegally cross into the United States. They will be deployed in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, as well as border regions of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Washington, Idaho, Montana and North Dakota.......