More Slamming of US Foriegn Policy As Reality Sinks In

The three declassified pages from what is certainly a voluminous report told us what any American with a newspaper, television or internet connection should already know. The invasion of Iraq was a cataclysmic disaster. The current situation will get worse if American forces leave. Unfortunately, neither the report nor the president provide even a glimmer of a suggestion about how to avoid that inevitable disaster.


As a defence of his policies, it [the extract] serves only to highlight the maddening circular logic that passes for a White House rationale. It goes like this: The invasion of Iraq has created an entire new army of terrorists who will be emboldened by an American withdrawal. Therefore, the United States has to stay indefinitely and keep fighting those terrorists.


By that logic, the more the United States fights, the longer the war stretches on.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5386136.stm

Mona Lisa Had Recently Given Birth

Mona Lisa had recently given birth to a baby, a team of Canadian and French scientists announced Tuesday, so her mysterious smile may have expressed the weary joy of a mother with a newborn.

Using infrared technology that allowed them to see beneath a layer of varnish, the researchers found that Leonardo da Vinci's model had a gauzy layer over her dress they say was typically worn by pregnant women of the time, or mothers who had recently given birth. The filmy robe was called a guarnello.

Mona Lisa was Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, a Florentine cloth merchant. Records suggest she wasn't pregnant when she posed for Leonardo, but that the painting was commissioned to celebrate the birth of her third child, says Bruno Mottin, curator in the research department of the Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060927.wmonalisa27/BNStory/Science/home

Ducati Monster 695

I think this might be my next bike -- the Ducati Monster 695. Killer looking bike, a good all-round performer.
http://www.ducati.com/bikes/my2006/ducatiModel.jhtml?family=monster&modelName=M695-06

Iraq War Has Increased Terrorism

One would think that the American and British government wanted to promote terrorism, not get rid of it. Looks like their two country crusade against Iraq has done the exact opposite of it's supposed intent -- it's increased terrorism worldwide.
http://www.ecanadanow.com/world/2006/09/24/spy-agencies-say-iraq-war-has-increased-terrorism/

Relativity Drive

The device that has sparked their interest is an engine that generates thrust purely from electromagnetic radiation - microwaves to be precise - by exploiting the strange properties of relativity. It has no moving parts, and releases no exhaust or noxious emissions. Potentially, it could pack the punch of a rocket in a box the size of a suitcase. It could one day replace the engines on almost any spacecraft. More advanced versions might allow cars to lift from the ground and hover. It could even lead to aircraft that will not need wings at all. I can't help thinking that it sounds too good to be true.
http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/mg19125681.400;jsessionid=NMGHKBGMCGMM

Spaceballs: The Cartoon

Mel Brooks is developing an animated TV series based on his comedy feature "Spaceballs."

Like the 1987 movie, which parodied well-known science-fiction movies, "Spaceballs: The Animated Series" will spoof current blockbusters as well as every genre of entertainment from movies and reality TV to culture and politics.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/21/television.brooks.reut/index.html

Arctic Ice Melts Enough To Sail From Norway To The Pole

Doubt global warming? Check this out -- you can now sail unhindered from Norway to the North Pole.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/climatewarmingarctic