LONDON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Organisers of Glastonbury Festival, the world's biggest green field arts and music event, launched a survey on Thursday to see whether flags should be banned from the main stage at this year's event. Fans are being asked to take part in an online vote on the festival's website (www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk ) to decide whether to outlaw banners following complaints that they spoil the view for some of the crowd.
LONDON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Organisers of Glastonbury Festival, the world's biggest green field arts and music event, launched a survey on Thursday to see whether flags should be banned from the main stage at this year's event.
Fans are being asked to take part in an online vote on the festival's website (www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk ) to decide whether to outlaw banners following complaints that they spoil the view for some of the crowd.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The saturated fat found mainly in meat and dairy products has a bad reputation, but a new analysis of published studies finds no clear link between people's intake of saturated fat and their risk of developing heart disease. Research has shown that saturated fat can raise blood levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, and elevated LDL is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Because of this, experts generally advise people to limit their intake of fatty meat, butter and full-fat dairy.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The saturated fat found mainly in meat and dairy products has a bad reputation, but a new analysis of published studies finds no clear link between people's intake of saturated fat and their risk of developing heart disease.
Research has shown that saturated fat can raise blood levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, and elevated LDL is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Because of this, experts generally advise people to limit their intake of fatty meat, butter and full-fat dairy.
A female security agent in Paris who was suspended for wearing the Islamic headscarf on the job will appear before a disciplinary committee, sources close to the case have said. The hearing was scheduled for Thursday morning, but a request by the officer for the appearance to be postponed was granted, according to a police source. A new date for the hearing has not yet been specified. Nora B. was suspended in November 2009 by Paris police headquarters after being reprimanded several times by her superiors for wearing the Islamic headscarf or veil at work.
A female security agent in Paris who was suspended for wearing the Islamic headscarf on the job will appear before a disciplinary committee, sources close to the case have said.
The hearing was scheduled for Thursday morning, but a request by the officer for the appearance to be postponed was granted, according to a police source.
A new date for the hearing has not yet been specified.
Nora B. was suspended in November 2009 by Paris police headquarters after being reprimanded several times by her superiors for wearing the Islamic headscarf or veil at work.
Turkish police have recovered the body of a 16-year-old girl they say was buried alive by relatives in an "honour" killing carried out as punishment for talking to boys.The girl, who has been identified only by the initials MM, was found in a sitting position with her hands tied, in a two-metre hole dug under a chicken pen outside her home in Kahta, in the south-eastern province of Adiyaman.Police made the discovery in December after a tip-off from an informant, the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported on its website.The girl had previously been reported missing.The informant told the police she had been killed following a family "council" meeting.
Turkish police have recovered the body of a 16-year-old girl they say was buried alive by relatives in an "honour" killing carried out as punishment for talking to boys.
The girl, who has been identified only by the initials MM, was found in a sitting position with her hands tied, in a two-metre hole dug under a chicken pen outside her home in Kahta, in the south-eastern province of Adiyaman.
Police made the discovery in December after a tip-off from an informant, the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported on its website.
The girl had previously been reported missing.
The informant told the police she had been killed following a family "council" meeting.
I had a great weekend, thanks for asking. A bunch of like-minded souls and I got together in a frosty square in central London and took a massive overdose. Now, I should add at this point that I have not joined an extreme Christian cult (I couldn't - the Christian bit would upset my parents too much), and, as you can guess from the fact that I am writing this, the overdose was unsuccessful. I was at one of the many "mass homeopathic overdoses" taking place around the country to prove that homeopathy has as much effect on one's health as being hit in the face with a twig.Whereas many of my fellow overdosers were protesting against the availability of homeopathic remedies at Boots, this doesn't bother me so much. If I felt outrage at the thought of Boots selling something that didn't live up to its promises, I'd have taken to the streets over several moisturisers years ago. ("Really? Literally reverse time?") What does offend me, though, is that this stuff is available on the NHS.
I had a great weekend, thanks for asking. A bunch of like-minded souls and I got together in a frosty square in central London and took a massive overdose. Now, I should add at this point that I have not joined an extreme Christian cult (I couldn't - the Christian bit would upset my parents too much), and, as you can guess from the fact that I am writing this, the overdose was unsuccessful. I was at one of the many "mass homeopathic overdoses" taking place around the country to prove that homeopathy has as much effect on one's health as being hit in the face with a twig.
Whereas many of my fellow overdosers were protesting against the availability of homeopathic remedies at Boots, this doesn't bother me so much. If I felt outrage at the thought of Boots selling something that didn't live up to its promises, I'd have taken to the streets over several moisturisers years ago. ("Really? Literally reverse time?") What does offend me, though, is that this stuff is available on the NHS.
The last speaker of an ancient language in India's Andaman Islands has died at the age of about 85, a leading linguist has told the BBC.Professor Anvita Abbi said that the death of Boa Sr was highly significant because one of the world's oldest languages - Bo - had come to an end. She said that India had lost an irreplaceable part of its heritage. Languages in the Andamans are thought to originate from Africa. Some may be 70,000 years old. The islands are often called an "anthropologist's dream" and are one of the most linguistically diverse areas of the world.
The last speaker of an ancient language in India's Andaman Islands has died at the age of about 85, a leading linguist has told the BBC.
Professor Anvita Abbi said that the death of Boa Sr was highly significant because one of the world's oldest languages - Bo - had come to an end.
She said that India had lost an irreplaceable part of its heritage.
Languages in the Andamans are thought to originate from Africa. Some may be 70,000 years old.
The islands are often called an "anthropologist's dream" and are one of the most linguistically diverse areas of the world.
And language evolution is much more "bush like" than the treelike biological evolution ; also, there is no real environmental pressure on language features... Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères
Even when visible features remain stable, the genetic code does change. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Language mutates in several different ways. Sound mutation (e.g. the hardening or softening of consonants) takes place over a predictable generational period - accurate enough to be able to trace the historical beginnings of mutations. Words, as units of meaning, also reveal the precise time of two languages' earlier meeting, with meanings changed or differences adopted (loan words) or pidginized. Word elision also appears to increase with time.
Structural changes such as in sentence construction seem to be the slowest. A proto-IE speaker might possible recognize some branches of the modern IE family of languages.
What interests me is that the study of genomic mutation, language mutation, and archeology can now be cross-referenced to more accurately date migrations, however caused.
OTOH ATinNM will no doubt come swanning in and point out the inaccuracy of my insights ;-) He is, after all, Uncle Babel... You can't be me, I'm taken
And linguistic evolution in the future is not really predictable beyond a few already started sound changes. Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères
The feedback system for the exchange of meaning ensures constant pressure on language. In cultures where mass media saturation is high, these pressures are all powerful.
In cultures exposed for the first time, on a broad front, with another culture, these pressure are also powerful.
The only thing one can predict for the future is further elision of word and phrase length, because the process of mass acceptance of a shortened version of the meaning is now so rapid. You can't be me, I'm taken
Again, as long as the language can express advanced thoughts, how it expresses them is of no importance. All language, given enough vocabulary, can express those thoughts ; the "evolution" of language is never that a language dies because it can't express thoughts that another can, unlike biological evolution. There is no "fitness" of languages. Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères
S President Barack Obama has criticised as "odious" proposed anti-homosexuality legislation in Uganda.The bill calls for long jail terms or the death penalty in some cases of homosexual intercourse. It is "unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are," he told politicians and religious leaders at a prayer breakfast in Washington. Homosexual acts are already illegal in Uganda and punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The bill would raise that penalty to life in prison. It also proposes the death penalty for a new offence of "aggravated homosexuality" - defined as when one of the participants is a minor, HIV-positive, disabled or a "serial offender".
S President Barack Obama has criticised as "odious" proposed anti-homosexuality legislation in Uganda.
The bill calls for long jail terms or the death penalty in some cases of homosexual intercourse.
It is "unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are," he told politicians and religious leaders at a prayer breakfast in Washington.
Homosexual acts are already illegal in Uganda and punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The bill would raise that penalty to life in prison.
It also proposes the death penalty for a new offence of "aggravated homosexuality" - defined as when one of the participants is a minor, HIV-positive, disabled or a "serial offender".
Mongolian sumo champion Asashoryu has announced his retirement following allegations he attacked a man outside a Tokyo nightclub last month."I feel heavy responsibility that I have caused trouble to so many people, Asashoryu said. The wrestler's stable master said he could not remember what happened on the night because he was too drunk. Asashoryu, the first Mongolian to become champion, has been described as the "bad boy" of sumo for his conduct.
Mongolian sumo champion Asashoryu has announced his retirement following allegations he attacked a man outside a Tokyo nightclub last month.
"I feel heavy responsibility that I have caused trouble to so many people, Asashoryu said.
The wrestler's stable master said he could not remember what happened on the night because he was too drunk.
Asashoryu, the first Mongolian to become champion, has been described as the "bad boy" of sumo for his conduct.
Asashoryu is like a classic box star, an impulsive man who just can't keep himself out of trouble. All his outside-the-ring scandals are rather minor issues by Western celeb scandal standards (including stuff like wearing a suit in place of kimono on a public event or playing golf!), but with them he's always given food to Japanese traditionalist critics. It seems he always thought that the large number of his fans will count stronger than the criticism against him, but this time it looked bad for him.
I was more annoyed by his antics inside the ring, though: the extra shoves after he already won. Those had their psychological effect in the next meetup only as long as he didn't start to consistently lose against some stronger opponents -- like the other yokozuna, Hakuho (also a Mongolian), whom he could only beat in playoffs lately. Now that he won his 25th tournament in January (which made him all-time third), so he probably had less motivation to fight on, too. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
"I always hear the term hinkaku from everyone, but to be completely honest, when I climbed on top of that dohyo, I become a monster. I just always felt that I had to go at it as hard as possible. I was the type of person that you had never seen before, and the result was a lot of controversy for everyone."
(Hinkaku is the sumo equivalent of gentlemanliness.) *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
(04/02) Yokozuna council's strong push behind Asashoryu retirement
Makiko Uchidate, an outspoken critic of Asashoryu who recently ended 10 years of service on the yokuzuna council, said, "We were called staunch enemies, but I am relieved that he made this decision. In the future, whether it is in Japan or another foreign country, I would like Asashoryu never to forget to show respect. He lacked respect toward Japan, sumo and his work. If he can learn this he will be praised again."
Ugh. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
A senior judge could be called on to investigate a complaint that Cherie Blair handed down a more lenient sentence to a man who had been convicted of fracturing a person's jaw because he was religious. Mrs Blair, a devout Roman Catholic who sits as a part time judge under the title Cherie Booth QC, spared Shamso Miah from jail last month after he was convicted of assaulting a person at a bank queue in east London. The 25-year-old from Redbridge, north-east London, was given a two-year suspended sentence instead of a six-month jail term because, Mrs Blair said, he was a "religious person" who had not been in trouble before.
A senior judge could be called on to investigate a complaint that Cherie Blair handed down a more lenient sentence to a man who had been convicted of fracturing a person's jaw because he was religious.
Mrs Blair, a devout Roman Catholic who sits as a part time judge under the title Cherie Booth QC, spared Shamso Miah from jail last month after he was convicted of assaulting a person at a bank queue in east London.
The 25-year-old from Redbridge, north-east London, was given a two-year suspended sentence instead of a six-month jail term because, Mrs Blair said, he was a "religious person" who had not been in trouble before.
I think god wishes to punish the Blairs, she is making them mad. keep to the Fen Causeway
A boy who went on a rampage at home in the Republic of Ireland has been ordered by a judge to do household chores for the next six months. Judge Clare Leonard yesterday told the boy, 15, he must attend school, not lose his temper at home when his parents say "no", attend sporting clubs, "clean his room and do cooking". The teenager had pleaded guilty at the Children's Court to causing criminal damage at his south Dublin home on a date last May, when his mother had to call the gardai over his unruly behaviour. Garda Jamie Ryan had told the court that the boy "became aggressive and broke cups and plates". "He entered his bedroom and pulled curtains from the wall and punched a hole in the wall," he said, adding that the boy said "sorry" when he was charged.
A boy who went on a rampage at home in the Republic of Ireland has been ordered by a judge to do household chores for the next six months.
Judge Clare Leonard yesterday told the boy, 15, he must attend school, not lose his temper at home when his parents say "no", attend sporting clubs, "clean his room and do cooking".
The teenager had pleaded guilty at the Children's Court to causing criminal damage at his south Dublin home on a date last May, when his mother had to call the gardai over his unruly behaviour.
Garda Jamie Ryan had told the court that the boy "became aggressive and broke cups and plates".
"He entered his bedroom and pulled curtains from the wall and punched a hole in the wall," he said, adding that the boy said "sorry" when he was charged.
Scientists have succeeded in reading the mind of a man thought to have been lacking all awareness after a traumatic head injury, opening a host of questions about what it is to be a sentient person and how we should treat people in his condition. The 29-year-old, who had been presumed to be in a vegetative state for five years following a road accident, was able to communicate with the researchers by thought alone, giving "yes" and "no" answers to questions. Using an advanced brain scanner, researchers were able to detect that he was thinking, and interact with him, even though it proved impossible to establish any communication at the bedside. It was the first time since his injury in 2003 that he had managed to make contact with the outside world.
Scientists have succeeded in reading the mind of a man thought to have been lacking all awareness after a traumatic head injury, opening a host of questions about what it is to be a sentient person and how we should treat people in his condition.
The 29-year-old, who had been presumed to be in a vegetative state for five years following a road accident, was able to communicate with the researchers by thought alone, giving "yes" and "no" answers to questions. Using an advanced brain scanner, researchers were able to detect that he was thinking, and interact with him, even though it proved impossible to establish any communication at the bedside. It was the first time since his injury in 2003 that he had managed to make contact with the outside world.
