Yearly Archives: 2013

Scotland – In Or Out Of The UK?

"Prime Minister David Cameron last night launched a defence of the United Kingdom as his government prepared to put the 'facts' about Scottish independence to the ­public. He also criticised the SNP government for giving the illusion that the referendum result was already 'in the bag' by last week’s publication of a transition document with a timetable for full statehood following a Yes vote in 2014. Cameron said: 'Britain is admired around the world as a source of prosperity, power and security.' Britain has built up 'world-renowned' institutions such as the NHS and BBC, he insisted and 'fought for freedom' in two world wars, leaving 'unbreakable bonds'." Continue reading →

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The UK – In Or Out Of The EU?

"Many British people are fearful that a referendum may create economic strife with the EU, whist many others feel that the referendum could set them free of the EU debt. (The UK has plenty enough debt of its own.) So, then, what is the point? Is Mister Cameron truly sowing the seeds of freedom? Or is this mere political posturing? Is he annoying the EU needlessly? Or is he possibly simply thumping his chest in order to diminish the number of votes that may be lost to UKIP (the UK Independent Party) in the election?" Continue reading →

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FDA on the verge of approving first bionic eye for the blind

"After years of research, the first bionic eye has seen the light of day in the United States, giving hope to the blind around the world. Developed by Second Sight Medical Products, the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System has helped more than sixty people recover partial sight, with some experiencing better results than others. Consisting of 60 electrodes implanted in the retina and glasses fitted with a special mini camera, Argus II has already won the approval of European regulators. The US Food and Drug Administration is soon expected to follow suit, making this bionic eye the world’s first to become widely available." Continue reading →

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75-year-old soybean farmer sees Monsanto lawsuit reach U.S. Supreme Court

"On the one side is Bowman, a single 75-year-old Indiana soybean farmer who is still tending the same acres of land as his father before him in rural south-western Indiana. On the other is a gigantic multibillion dollar agricultural business famed for its zealous protection of its commercial rights. The firm insists that it maintains patent rights on its genetically modified seeds even if sold by a third party with no restrictions put on its use – even if the seeds are actually only descendants of the original Monsanto seeds." Continue reading →

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Marijuana Fights Cancer and Helps Manage Side Effects, Researchers Find

"Cristina Sanchez, a young biologist at Complutense University in Madrid, was studying cell metabolism when she noticed something peculiar. She had been screening brain cancer cells because they grow faster than normal cell lines and thus are useful for research purposes. But the cancer cells died each time they were exposed to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principal psychoactive ingredient of marijuana. Instead of gaining insight into how cells function, Sanchez had stumbled upon the anti-cancer properties of THC." Continue reading →

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Genetically engineered virus kills cancer

"A genetically-engineered virus tested in 30 terminally-ill liver cancer patients significantly prolonged their lives, killing tumours and inhibiting the growth of new ones, scientists reported on Sunday. Sixteen patients given a high dose of the therapy survived for 14.1 months on average, compared to 6.7 months for the 14 who got the low dose. Pexa-Vec has been engineered from the vaccinia virus, which has been used as a vaccine for decades, including in the eradication of smallpox." Continue reading →

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The secret history of drones

"The drones now snooping over Afghanistan have a longer history than you might think. In 1916, a military scientist conceived of an 'aerial torpedo' designed to be loaded with explosives and steered into the deadly Zeppelins on their bombing raids over southern England. In a lecture to the Royal Aeronautical Society on Monday evening Michael Draper, author of Sitting Ducks & Peeping Toms, will lift the wraps off the secret century of unmanned air vehicles, starting with the prototype referred to by the innocuous initials 'AT'." Continue reading →

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Ex-Hillsboro cop who shot at police surrendered with wife, daughter at his side

"Timothy Cannon surrendered after a gun fight with 10 Washington County cops, descending the stairs of his two-story Forest Grove home, his arms linked with those of his wife and daughter, according to court records. Timothy Cannon had been drinking off and on throughout the week, Lisa Cannon told a dispatcher during the incident. On Saturday, Jan. 19, he drank all day, she said. According to court records, a detective observed medications in the home prescribed for Timothy Cannon, including drugs treating pain, anxiety, panic attacks and depression. The medications have side effects that can result in 'altered mental status.'" Continue reading →

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The Strange Moral Compass of Christopher Dorner

"Amid all the endless yabbering about 'gun culture' in the wake of Sandy Hook, little attention is paid to the idea that military and police institutions often create, or at least enable, psychopaths who really know how to use guns. Why should we trust our government with guns when they churn out people like this nutjob? The most poetic ending possible would be for a well-armed civilian to take Dorner out cold." Continue reading →

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Barack Obama is pushing gun control at home, but he’s a killer abroad

"His justification for targeted killings and drone strikes in foreign parts, prompted by his nomination of a CIA director, has coincided with his advocacy for stiffer gun control and appeals to respect human life following mass shootings. The result is an administration raising life and death issues in its actions and pronouncements but being unable to talk with any moral authority or ethical consistency on either. The credibility of a president in challenging lawless social violence in US cities is fundamentally undermined when he has his own personal kill list in violation of international law to terminate enemies elsewhere." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBarack Obama is pushing gun control at home, but he’s a killer abroad