Using the Google Translate Tools

The Internet broadens our world in such a unique way. From your own home, you can talk to, read about, learn from, even buy and sell from people all over the world. Because of this, things like language produce barriers that we would never encounter in our own towns. Thanks to tools from websites like Google, translating is simple, fast, and easy.

From the Google home page, click on the "more" link to see additional categories and search filters. Click on "translate". You will be taken to a simple translation page. This is helpful to type or copy and paste words, phrases, sentences, and small paragraphs of text to be translated. There are dozens of languages to choose from, both to translate from and to. You can also leave the "Translate from:" field set to "Detect Language" if you don't know the language.

This page is the first for four sections of translation tools. The four sections are listed on the left sidebar. The next section is the "Translated Search" tool. This is for performing searches on websites written in other languages. This is great for getting foreign recipes, traditions, or news stories, etc. Here's how it works.

* First, type your keywords in the search bar that you want to learn about on foreign language sites.
* Next, choose the language in which you want Google to search.
* Third, choose your native language.
* Finally, click "Translate and Search", so Google will translate your query into the language you selected, find websites matching the query in that language, then Google translates the search results into your language!

The third translator section on Google Translate is the Translator Toolkit. This section is a page for translating larger sections of text. For example, you can upload a document from your computer to be completely translated to another language. It's like the first section, but for larger texts, like entire webpages or documents. You can also download and share translated pieces.

Once a document is uploaded into the Translator Toolkit, your piece is translated to the language of your choice in a few seconds. You are then shown a side by side view of your document or webpage on the left and the translation on the right. If you highlight a section from the left, an editor appears on the right including only the highlighted section. You can then insert hyperlinks and make other types of edits.

The toolkit can be shown or hidden and includes a Glossary, Dictionary, and other resources. You can then save and edit the pieces within the Translator Toolkit section.

The fourth and final section, "Tools and Resources" is a collection of additional tools for all your translation needs. The first tool contains a code that can be added to webpages where anyone can automatically see the text of your site translated into different languages by changing the language on a drop down list. Under the code is a preview so you can see what your website would look like.

Also available is the Google Toolbar, which contains a variety of tools, but also include an automatic translator, so you don't have to manually translate every page of text as you go. This is ideal for users who frequently visit websites in other languages.

The final tool in the fourth section is the option to add a button to your browser. A button is available for each language available, which, when clicked on, reloads any page into a translated version. Whether you need something translated to or from your native tongue, or are just curious about different ways to say things, try Google Translate!

Calling Cards Make Cheap Communication and Save Money

Now-a-days it is a very big problem for everybody to talk to their near and dear ones who are staying abroad. As in the present era, every person is living abroad for some other other purpose at becomes very difficult for them to talk to their family, relatives and friends. If people talk to their relatives abroad, it incur lots of money. In such condition, staying connected to the dear ones is not possible. It is no more a problem now, as there are many cheap international calling cards are available in the market that allows every individual to talk in another countries at very cheaper rates.

There are many international calling cards that enables the users to save their huge phone expenses. All these tariff vouchers helps in bridging the gap between the dear ones staying in different countries. These tariff vouchers also offers you free talktime and makes your call rates cheaper than usual. The international tariff vouchers are available in two categories post paid and pre paid. Post paid offers are suitable for those who have to talk more and doesn't care about the heavy bills. Prepaid offers are the best suited for those people who are pocket friendly and have to talk less.

You can avail these tariff vouchers from many stores online and offline. There are many web portals for different stores available online. You can choose the best one that suits you most. You can also compare the prices of different tariff vouchers. You can access number to these tariff very easily. You will get a PIN number and you have to dial that number first and then the destined number. Your phone expenses will be reduced by using these vouchers.

There are many free gifts such as mobile accessories, handsets, etc. All these offers are provided in many heavy discounted rates also. You can choose the best offers that are suitable for your communication as well as your pockets.

Calling is Pleasure With International Calling Cards

This is the fact that phones can help to develop communication in any part of the world. On the same front, people are confronted with huge phone bills. Such hefty phone bills can discourage anyone to stop calling outside the country. Here, what the International calling cards play a significant role. People can go for international calling and messaging without facing any problem with these cards. Apart from high call rates, high roaming rate of phones is another reason which stops user from making international calls. With cards, users get the chance to get benefited with low tariff plans for calling anywhere. The distance doesn't matter in case of international call.

It is really very hectic to wait in long queues of telephone booth every time. With calling card, users are not required to search for nearby telephone booth the time they wish to make international call. Such cards really take care of one's hard-earned money and precious time. In the domain of communication, number of service providers are available which avail international calling facility. Different service providers appear with different offers and call rates in order to catch more audience. Lot of offers and deals they provide to benefit the user.

At any point of time users can develop calls to any foreign place with calling cards. international call come in two forms - pre-paid and post-paid calling cards. Users can keep track of phone expenses and can credit balance for more calls. With this method, people can set their mind for making calls as per phone account. Both calling and messaging can be done with affordable prices. Moreover, one can grab the chance to talk or message with discount upto 80% offered on calling cards. The fantastic and more clear sound quality can be get with calling cards to reach in any corner of the world. Sound does not get distorted in between calls.

Through various retailers, one can easily get such calling card. Offer varies from company to company, so in order to get more facilitated, one should go through online source. Online shopping is getting more appreciation day by day. The reason is that it not only saves time but one can also get the best of things and products they want to. In case of mobile phones, several online phone shops are available which are assisting the phone user in more better way than any retail outlets. In less time and in more details, one can come to know about the feature and process of calling cards.

The process is also quite simple. The first step is entering of access number of one's country. Then after, one is just needed to fill the blank asking for 10 Digit PIN number followed by contact phone number. Call cards can be owned $5 - $100 above. Once the user filled the PIN number, he/she will be asked to pay country code, area code and then finally the contact number. Features of calling card include several convenient factors of calling and messaging. One can come to know about call history, billing, bonus points, speed dialing and many other feature. Hence, it can be concluded here that International calling cards can change calling life and can bring people more closer to friends and relatives residing in any part of the world.

Raina Kelsey provides articles with full description of International calling cards and International calls.

Mindfulness Meditation Training

I began meditation 30 years ago in 1984 as part of my journey towards wholeness, before becoming a meditation teacher in 1992. This was before "Mindfulness Meditation" became a popular and trendy practice adopted by political, commercial and business entrepreneurs as a training tool for their organizations, as it is now. On this journey, I encountered many spiritual delusions, as well as fraudulent teachers. Reaching my current level of clarity has involved far more than simply following a twenty-minute daily practice of "present moment awareness." It has meant examining my life and lifestyle, my relationships and my unhealthy habits and making the necessary changes along the way. Many of these changes caused major career moves and eventually a completely new perspective on life that has completely changed what I am; in short a lifetimes experiential learning.

As I observe Mindfulness Meditation practice developing into a worldwide phenomenon and fast becoming a multi-million dollar business, I feel concerned that a sacred practice designed to encourage self-honesty, integrity and a deeper connection to the "real" self is being diluted and turned into a superficial quick fix and panacea for all ills.

Our UK parliament in London holds regular mindfulness sessions and down the road in the Financial Sector training in mindfulness is on going in the hope of increasing employees' ability to do their job thus increasing profits. But will it actually affect or change any policies or decisions, which through lack of insight, a holistic approach or because focus is given to bottom line profits instead, causes wars, inequality and economic enslavement?

In a world where bloody violence and rampant greed still hold sway rendering millions into brutal suffering and poverty something a little more radical than a daily twenty minutes mindfulness meditation practice is urgently needed. Anyone who seriously thinks their life will be radically altered by such a superficial approach without also addressing the bigger issues is naive.

That is not to say that mindfulness is not a good place to start but it is baby steps only and in the wrong hands can turn what was originally meant to be a sacred lifetimes practice into a shallow and predictable delusion at best and a tool for continuing silent complicity to a dysfunctional system built on lies, greed and power at worst.

Meditation used regularly and with integrity with the intention of changing untruthful mind programs instilled through an education system designed for compliant obedient economic slaves over many years; may eventually bear fruit. But if ones intention is merely to attain a calmer clearer state of mind whilst still indulging in self-delusion about the real motivation behind ones actions then little will change.

And isn't it radical change that is really needed and not superficial and trendy techniques?

Here's a Quick Way of Using Prepaid Calling Cards

You may already know that there are prepaid calling cards that you can use. With this, you should also know that there are many ways for you to use the card and you can have many benefits through its use. You can call the people that you have to talk to and you can call even if you are calling using a landline, cellular phone or even a pay phone.

Using the prepaid calling cards is so easy even for those who used the phone card for the first time. There are instructions included in the card so you will not have a hard time using it. Aside from this, you can always try asking for the necessary information and how to use the cards from the individual that sold you the card. The process is so easy and you can see the details of the card from the wrapper or at the back of the cards. It will also have the dialing instructions so you will easily get the chance to use the card right away.

Although one prepaid calling card may be different from the other, there are times that they have the same details thus you can follow these steps so that you will be able to know how to use your prepaid calling cards. Normally, you have to activate the card so that you can use it. When it is already activated, you should enter the access number, the pin number in the card and the number that you have to call. You will know these numbers when you have activated your card so remember that first step before calling the number that you need.

Since there are many people who already see the benefits that they can get when they purchase the prepaid calling cards, there are already many companies that can offer you this kind of service. Before buying, you should check the details of the card and the rates of the calls. You have to know these details so that you know what you are getting into and also so that you can choose the card that you will buy. The cards in the market can have differences so you should find the one that you need. To get what you want, you should remember to always compare the offers of the cards before buying them. You would not want to buy right away and have a difficult time using it or regretting the whole decision.

You can always know the amount that you still have after each call since they will be a voice prompt giving you an update of the credit that the card still have. Thus, you can budget the calls that you make so that you will save more money through the use of prepaid calling cards.

Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos Diseases

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a term for several commonly found fibrous magnesium-silicate minerals. Due to their durable and versatile nature, asbestos materials were used widely in construction and manufacturing for most of the 20th century. Today, it is widely understood that asbestos is an extremely harmful substance. However, this was not always known. Even minimal inhalation of these asbestos fibers can develop into serious, and even fatal, conditions. In 1918, The United States Department of Labor issued a bulletin stating that there was an "urgent need for more qualified extensive investigation" into the severe harm caused by asbestos. Nevertheless, many industries kept using asbestos.

For decades, construction workers, vehicle mechanics, shipyard workers, electricians, and others employed in the building trades did not realize the danger, as they were exposed to asbestos on a daily basis. Even now, workers renovating or demolishing old buildings may encounter asbestos. The danger was not limited those who directly handled the asbestos. If a worker had substantial exposure to asbestos, his or her co-worker or spouse also was vulnerable to asbestos-related illness.

Eventually scientific research confirmed the life-threatening risks caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. However, companies still ignored the danger, and continued to make and use products containing asbestos, until it was banned during the latter part of the 20th century. Asbestos was used widely in heavy industry, as well as insulation in hair dryers, electrical wiring, cement, paper, roofing materials, floorboards, and hundreds of other common items. Despite the legal ban on new uses, over one million Americans are endangered by exposure to existing asbestos sources every year.

Asbestos Removal

Asbestos still exists in many older buildings, including schools, hospitals, airports, and factories across Michigan. From skyscrapers to residential buildings, asbestos continues to threaten the health of unsuspecting citizens.

Removal of asbestos is a complex process. Special precautions are necessary, to avoid release of asbestos fibers into the surrounding environment. Otherwise, the asbestos will endanger anyone in the area, who inhales or ingests its odorless and tasteless microscopic fibers. The danger is great, because any amount of asbestos can be harmful. For these reasons, there is a conflict between those who push for removal of asbestos from existing structures, and those who oppose it, if it is unlikely to enter building ventilation systems.

Some companies and government agencies arrange for asbestos removal to prevent public exposure, while others do so to avoid potential litigation. Still other projects are driven by legislation or public outcry for asbestos removal from public buildings, including many older schools across the country.

Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos Diseases

Three serious health conditions may result from exposure to even a small amount of airborne asbestos fibers. All three conditions result from inhaling the fibers, which become embedded in the lungs or other parts of the body. It can take years for symptoms of any of these asbestos illness to appear. Some experts believe that no symptoms appear for more than a decade after exposure. In some cases, it takes even longer for the illness to become evident. The following is information about the three major conditions resulting from asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma


The medical profession used to consider this type of cancer as quite rare. While still uncommon, the number of workers diagnosed with mesothelioma has risen. Now, about 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are reported in the United States every year. The incidence of this disease is increasing at an even higher rate in Europe. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer, usually caused by asbestos fibers that actually penetrate lung tissue. It is also possible for mesothelioma to develop after these fibers penetrate the heart or the abdomen. While doctors have found many different causes for other forms of cancer, the only definitely identified cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos.

Asbestosis

Sometimes, this term is used incorrectly to refer to all ailments resulting from asbestos exposure. However, it is actually a very specific condition. Asbestosis (also known as interstitial fibrosis) develops when inhaled asbestos fibers cause scarring of the lung tissue. Over time, this scarring reduces the capacity of the lung. Individuals with asbestosis may suffer disabling lung impairments, and must be monitored closely because they are at increased risk of even more serious asbestos-related conditions.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is all too common in our society and has many possible causes. However, there is evidence of a link between asbestos exposure and lung cancer. The risk of lung cancer is even higher for an individual who has been exposed to asbestos, and also smokes cigarettes.

Mesothelioma Treatment Options

"Staging" is a term that medical professionals use to define the spread and extent of cancers like mesothelioma. In general, the least serious "first stage" only involves the lining of the lung. By the most serious "stage four," cancer has spread to other organs of the body.

Medical researchers continue to improve treatment for mesothelioma. The most common form of treatment is still chemotherapy. With new combinations of drugs, such as pemetrexed and carboplatin, chemotherapy may slow the progression of cancer in some victims. Radiation or surgery is the an appropriate treatment for other mesothelioma patients. In addition, some experimental treatments are yielding promising test results and offer hope for future victims.

Mesothelioma is still regarded as a deadly form of cancer. The average life span after diagnosis is only one to two years. However, the stage of the disease when it is discovered, and an individual's response to treatment are significant factors in determining life expectancy. Due to medical progress, 20% of those diagnosed at an early stage of mesothelioma have at least 5 more years to live.

Mesothelioma Symptoms and Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Men are many times more likely to develop mesothelioma than women. This may be due to the higher percentage of men who work in factories and construction, where there is an increased risk of exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. Older men are more likely to be diagnosed with mesothelioma. This is not surprising, because of the relatively long period of time between asbestos exposure and the onset of this cancer.

Physicians may have difficulty diagnosing mesothelioma, because initial symptoms, such as shortness of breath and chest or abdominal pain, can be confused with other conditions. There are tests to rule out mesothelioma, including a thoracoscopy or a peritoneoscopy. If you have symptoms and believe that you may have past asbestos exposure, see your doctor immediately. If you or a loved one suffer from asbestos related cancer or mesothelioma cancer, talk with an experienced asbestos lawyer today.

Protect Yourself After A Car Accident

Step-by-step instructions on how to protect yourself if you are in a car accident.

Auto accidents are a significant cause of disabling injuries and deaths throughout the nation.

The facts about car accidents are alarming:

• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicles accidents killed 43,443 Americans in 2005.
• Another 2,494,000 people were injured in car crashes in that year alone.
  
• Of those who died in highway accidents, three out of four were occupants of motor vehicles.
• About 4,550 of the deceased victims were motorcyclists.
• Another 5,665 of the people killed in car accidents were bicyclists or pedestrians.
• Almost 17,000 of the fatal motor vehicle accidents was related to alcohol use.

A car accident can be a very upsetting experience. But it is very important not to panic after a car accident. Instead, keep a clear head.

First, and most important, Stay Calm

Focus first on acting to protect yourself and help other car accident victims.
Do not discuss the car accident with anyone other than the police.
Do not blame anyone, including yourself.
Never argue with the other driver -- even if you are sure that person caused the car accident.

Second, Get Help

Do not leave the site of the car accident.
Call 9-1-1 from the car accident scene, to tell police about the collision.If anyone was injured, ask the 9-1-1 operator to send emergency medical personnel to the car accident site immediately.

Set flares, if you carry them, to warn other drivers to slow down and avoid the people and vehicles involved in the car accident.

Obtain the Drivers Facts

Write down the name, address, phone number, driver's license number and state, license plate number, registration, and auto insurance information, including the insurance policy number.

Ownership Facts

If the driver of the other vehicle was not the owner, write down the name, address, insurance company, and auto insurance policy number of the owner of that vehicle.

Injured Parties

Ask the police about all injured parties, including the passengers in the automobiles. If possible, take down their names, addresses, dates of birth, gender, and extent of injuries.

Witnesses

Look around for anyone who may have seen the car accident, including bystanders and occupants of other vehicles. Be sure to write down the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all these witnesses.

Damages

Write down the make, body type, year, and license number of all the motor vehicles involved in the car accident. Also, note the damage to each of the vehicles.

Car Accident Scene

Draw a diagram of the car accident site. Mark down the street names, and the location of any stop lights, traffic control signs, or other landmarks. Note the path of each motor vehicle just before the place where they collided.

Protect Your Health

After an automobile accident, get medical attention. Sometimes, car accident victims are too stunned right after a bad collision to know whether or not they were hurt. Therefore, it is wise to see your personal physician as soon as possible. Tell your doctor about the motor vehicle collision, so that he or she can check for internal injuries that may result from a traumatic accident.

Report the Car Accident

If police did not come to the car accident scene, call the police to file a report, as soon as you are able to make a telephone call. If the driver of the other vehicle fled the crash scene, you still must report the car accident to the police. Get a copy of the police report whenever it is available.

File an Auto Insurance Claim

Tell your auto insurance company about the car accident immediately and get an insurance claim number. Ask the auto insurance representative to open a Personal Injury Protection (PIP) file, to preserve all of your rights under your policy.

Be sure to let your insurance company know if you were in a hit-and-run car accident. Some insurance policies require notice of a claim involving an unidentified driver within 30 days of the car accident.

Tell your own auto insurance company that you claim your right to any uninsured or under insured motorist coverage, in case the car or truck that hit you was not covered by motor vehicle insurance. Insurance companies often require prompt notice of these claims and may deny these benefits to anyone who does not follow the strict requirements in their policies.

How To Protect Your Children And Yourself From A Dog Attack

In order to protect your children and yourself from a dog attack you need to follow the important safety rules below. Children, especially, need education about protection from dog attacks because they may behave and move in such a way that dogs mistake them for prey, and they are less able to defend themselves from a dog attack.

· Always keep your face away from dogs.

· Be careful about intruding on the dog’s territory.

· Be certain a dog is aware of your presence before you handle it, because a startled dog may attack on reflex.

· Do not chase or tease dogs.

· Do not disturb a dog that is busy eating or chewing a toy. Let sleeping dogs lie (sleep). If a mother dog is caring for her puppies, leave her and the puppies alone.

· Do not make loud sounds near a dog.

· Do not put your hand or other body parts between two dogs.

· Do not run because you can’t run faster than a dog.

· Do not stare into a dog’s eyes and avoid direct eye contact. Dogs perceive this as aggressive behavior.

· Do not try to help an injured dog; get an adult (or another adult) to help.

· Get permission from the dog’s owner before approaching a dog, and make sure the owner is present.

· If a dog knocks you over, roll into a ball, cover you face and neck, and remain still (play dead).

· If a dog starts to circle you, turn with it instead of letting it get behind you.

· If the dog is showing aggressive behavior such as growling or baring its teeth, place something between you and the dog, such a coat or backpack, and slowly leave.

· If you happen upon a stray dog, leave the area as quickly and safely as you can.

· Just because a dog wags its tail doesn’t mean it is friendly.

· Never approach a stray dog or unfamiliar dog, and be cautious while around one. Be especially careful when a dog is behind a fence, confined, in a car, or tied up. Don’t reach through a fence to pet a dog.

· Never approach or play with a dog unless an adult is present.

· Never leave an infant or small child alone with a dog.

· Never play with a dog without allowing it to sniff you first.

· Remain calm and still when a dog approaches you. Remain motionless with your hands at your sides. If the dog appears friendly by wagging its tail and raising its head and ears up, let it sniff you and speak to it with a soothing voice.

Remember, there is no such thing as a dog that doesn’t bite.

Don't Let a Car Accident Ruin Your Life

Steps to take

Insurance companies make their money by receiving interest on their invested funds. That’s why delay is their favorite tactic. They hope you’ll agree to a smaller amount, or lose your hope of getting any amount at all. Insurance adjusters are trained to persuade you to agree to a small compensation. It’s their job to protect their employer’s funds, not to maximize your compensation. If you have your own attorney, you’ll be more on a par with the insurance company, which has a batallion of lawyers. Your own attorney can represent and protect your interests, and fight for a compensation appropriate to your injuries and property damage.

If you’re in an accident

Handling things well from the moment of the auto accident isn’t necessarily easy, as you might be shaken up and hurt. If you can, remember to do these things at the site of the accident:

1. Call 911

The 911 operator can call the police for you, as well as an ambulance and fire truck if necessary.

2. Get contact information

Get the names, phone numbers and addresses of everyone: other drivers, passengers, witnesses. Your insurance company will want this information.

3. Exchange insurance information

Give yours to the other people directly involved in the accident, and get theirs. If the driver of another vehicle isn’t the registered owner, get information on the registered owner.

4. Don’t admit any fault

Even if you feel you were at least partly to blame, don’t say so. Anything you say could be noted down and used against you later. And besides, feeling at fault doesn’t necessarily mean you ARE at fault legally.

5. When police arrive, get their names and badge numbers

Later you can also get a copy of the police report.

6. Make notes about what happened.

Note down the make and model of other vehicles involved, the weather, lighting, any statements made by other drivers or passengers. Pace out the distances between vehicles. If you have a disposable camera in your car (a good thing to have for just this sort of situation), take shots from both near and far of the relative positions of all the vehicles involved in the automobile accident, of any skid marks, vehicle damage, any relevant street signs, etc.

7. Remember that some injuries are not immediately obvious

If you’re badly injured, of course you may not be able to do all the above things, but may be taken in an ambulance. Perhaps you could call someone and ask them to help. If your injuries are minor, do try to get all the above things done. If you appear to be uninjured, remember that whiplash injuries and some back injuries have a delayed appearance. So as soon as you can, get a medical checkup and don’t ignore any symptoms, however minor they might seem.

8. Call your insurance company as soon as you can

There could be a deadline in the fine print, so don’t delay. But don’t necessarily answer all the questions they might ask. Remember that they’ll be trying to pay you as little as possible. They could even make a prompt offer, but remember that it’s a ploy to get you to accept an absurdly low amount. So keep your cards close to your chest until you speak to an attorney.

9. As soon as possible, call an attorney

If you eventually file a lawsuit, early action and information gathering will end up being greatly to your advantage.

At any law firm, lawyers can help you determine if you have grounds for any legal action, and if you do, they can help you pursue it.

African Muslims Are a HUGE Portion of Suicide Bombers- sad.....

N. Africans Joining Iraq Islamic Fighters
By TODD PITMAN, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 28 minutes ago
DAKAR, Senegal - Up to 20 percent of suicide car bombers in
Iraq are from Algeria, a sign of growing cooperation between Islamic extremists in northern Africa and like-minded Iraqis, a senior U.S. military official said Tuesday.

The American officer said terror cells in the Middle East and northern Africa were increasingly joining forces as they face crackdowns in their own countries, leading to a stepped-up flow of money and Islamic extremists to Iraq.

Forensic investigations have revealed that 20 percent of suicide car bombers in Iraq are Algerian and roughly 5 percent come from Morocco and Tunisia, according to the officer with responsibilities in Europe and Africa. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity, preferring for reasons of protocol to let U.S. commanders in Iraq speak on the record.

The majority of foreign bombers in Iraq are believed to come from countries in the Persian Gulf, mainly Saudi Arabia and Yemen, U.S. officials say.

The officer said the numbers had increased, but gave no specific figures. He said increasing efforts on the part of Algerian, Moroccan and Libyan security services to combat local terror cells have resulted in extremists joining international operations. But he warned they would later return home.

The United States has reacted by funneling more money and troops into north and northwest Africa to train and equip armies to combat the growing threat from local terror and insurgent groups like Algeria's Salafist Group for Call and Combat, which is believed to have links with
Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States.

The Algerian group was accused of involvement in kidnapping 32 European tourists in the Sahara in 2003 and launching a raid into Mauritania this month that left 24 people dead.

Last week, U.S. troops from the European Command — which overseas U.S military interests in Europe and most of Africa — kicked off a two-week counterterrorism training exercise called Flintlock involving forces from Algeria, Chad, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Nigeria, Tunisia and Morocco.

The officer said north African Islamic militant groups were providing some cash to the insurgency in Iraq — about $200,000 so far, mostly funneled through Europe to Syria and into Iraq.

Underground European networks were providing more cash, while African networks were providing manpower — mostly unskilled militants used to drive and then detonate car bombs that have killed thousands.

Once in the country, extremists join up with the al-Qaida-linked network of Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Islamic militants are traveling through Turkey, into
Iran and crossing into Iraq — many times through unpoliced areas along Iraq's vast border.

A handful of Islamic fighters were believed to be returning to their home countries as well — people who can plan, work communications devices and design and set off explosives, the officer said.

America's military involvement in Africa is largely aimed at preventing terrorists from establishing sanctuaries in the region's unpoliced deserts and jungles, particularly those where Muslims are a majority.

Many local insurgent or terror groups are self-funded, he said, financing themselves via petty crime and smuggling operations. The Sahara desert's remote trade routes have long been believed a haven for human and drug traffickers.

The officer said there were no known permanent training camps in Africa. Instead, terror networks are now looking for "training opportunities" like the 1990s war zones in Bosnia,
Chechnya and Afghanistan, and Iraq today.

U.S. military involvement in Africa will soon be the largest it has been in decades, at least financially.
EUCOM pushed to expand an initial $6 million program that covered Chad, Mauritania, Niger and Mali to Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Nigeria and Senegal. Now called the Trans-Sahara Counter-Terrorism Initiative, it is to be funded with $100 million a year for five years.

Beasties win in court....

" A Los Angeles U.S. Court of Appeals judge has determined that the Beastie Boys won't have to pass the wallet to composer James Newton, who sued the band in 2000 for looping his flute recording "Choir" in the 1992 song "Pass the Mic." Last year, the Beasties won the original case when a California court determined that the group paid ECM Records sufficiently to sample Newton's six-second, three-note sequence, and was therefore not guilty of copyright infringement. The appeals judge upheld the decision. ..."
MTV NEWS

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Beastie Boys are a group from the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan.

The Beastie Boys have had unusually long lived international critical acclaim and commercial success. They are one of the longest-lived hip-hop acts, whose rock-and-punk-influenced rap has had a significant impact on artists in and outside of the hip hop community. Their recordings and live performances often include MCing, funk, jazz and rock.

The three main members of the Beastie Boys are of Jewish heritage. They are well known for their rapidly changing and often experimental musical style (which is generally considered risky in popular music), jocular and flippant attitude toward interviews and interviewers, obscure cultural references and kitschy lyrics, and performing in highly unique matching suits.

The Beastie Boys' success has made them the highest selling hip hop group and the fourth highest selling hip hop artists behind Tupac Shakur, Eminem, and Jay-Z.

Cats be lyin' to these young Iraqis to get them to do insane stuff in the name of Islam...Damn shame...

Iraqi Bombers Claim They Were Deceived
By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHARA, Associated Press Writer Fri May 27, 4:47 PM ET
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Wisam Younis' sole ambition in life, he said Friday, is to kill Americans. So he claimed surprise when he discovered his car bomb had killed eight Iraqis and wounded more than 80 outside a Baghdad restaurant. Younis and brothers Badr and Yassin Shakir are charged with murder and face the death penalty in the May 23 attack.

"We did not know that the attack would target innocent people and we were deceived. We were eluded by enthusiastic ideas and money," said Younis, barefooted and with bruised and swollen hands. An insurgent leader promised him $1,500 for the bombing, he said.

"Our doctrine is to wage jihad against the Americans," Younis, wearing a stained beige traditional robe, told an Associated Press reporter as police stood over him. "Driving out the occupiers is the demand of all Iraqis... I wish to die in the battlefield instead of prison."
Baghdad police paraded out the three Sunni Arabs to help put a face to an deadly insurgency, and to show that Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari means business with a plan to encircle Baghdad with tens of thousands of security forces.

The display also was meant to reassure a public whose discontent with the Shiite-led government has been high because of its seeming inability to provide security and crush the insurgency.

Car bombings and other violence have led to more than 650 deaths since al-Jaafari's government was announced April 28, according to an Associated Press count.
A Marine was killed while taking part in a counterinsurgency operation in Haditha, 140 miles northwest of Baghdad, the military said Friday. He died Thursday, making him the second Marine killed in Operation New Market, which involves more than 1,000 Marines, sailors and soldiers.

Two U.S. soldiers were killed Thursday when insurgents shot down their helicopter, the military said. U.S. officials were investigating the crash of the OH-58 Kiowa helicopter near Buhriz, a former Saddam Hussein stronghold north of Baghdad.

In other violence Friday, a policeman and a bystander were killed in an ambush in the northern city of Mosul, police Brig. Saeed Ahmed said.
A suicide car bomb attack on a police patrol instead killed two civilians Friday in Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, police Lt. Khudhair Ali said. Six policemen were among 18 people wounded, Dr. Mohammed al-Zubaidi said.

In Baghdad, a factory guard was killed when four mortar rounds landed on the building, said police 1st Lt. Sadoun Abdul Ridha. Four other people were wounded.
Iraqi authorities are preparing for what a U.S. general described as "a very large operation" involving more than 40,000 Iraqi police and soldiers backed by American troops and air support.

Operation Lightning has received planning and logistical support from U.S. troops who are keen to train and equip Iraqi security forces so they can eventually take over security in the capital.
"This is a significant move by the Iraqi leadership. It is a transition from a defensive posture to an offensive posture. It is raising the profile of the Iraqi security forces in pursuit of attacking terrorism in Baghdad," said U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Don Alston, spokesman for the multinational force in Iraq.

It was unclear why Defense and Interior Ministers Bayan Jabr and Saadoun al-Duleimi chose to announce the operation before it fully got under way — making it known to the insurgents it was designed to capture.

An Internet statement posted Friday in the name of the Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist group challenged authorities, saying the government crackdown will "not deter (them) from fighting for God."

The statement, which could not be authenticated, apparently refers to Jabr and al-Duleimi as the "two unbeliever apostates, followers of the worshippers of the cross, (who) have announced they are deploying 40,000 cowards and apostates in Baghdad."

Operation Lightning aims to single out attackers such as the three men who police said confessed to bombing the Habayibna restaurant in a predominantly Shiite neighborhood. The bomb exploded at lunchtime when police officers usually gather at the restaurant.
"Since April 18, we have had more than 600 civilians killed, many of them specifically targeted.

Bombs are going off near elementary schools. This is wanton. They have declared war on the civilian population of Iraq," Alston said of the insurgents.

The violence, mostly targeting Iraqi security forces and Shiites, also has led to an increase in sectarian tensions. Sunni Muslims who dominated under Saddam's regime are thought to make up the core of the insurgency.

"We are displaying these criminals to show to the Iraqi people that we are working to achieve security and we are in the street determined to defeat the terrorists," said Brig. Sadiq Jaffar, head of the elite Hussein Brigade.

Younis and the brothers, both in their mid 30s, were arrested late Wednesday by Hussein Brigade forces, police said.

Police allege Badr Shakir was responsible for detonating the remote-controlled bomb while his brother was the link between his cell and the main planner, a man known as Abu Karam.
Younis, the alleged designated getaway driver, was the first to be detained, and singled out the others, police said.
____
Associated Press writers Paul Garwood and Patrick Quinn in Baghdad contributed to this report.

I'm on a serious peace vibe today. It's all about this black apricot tea with raw honey, grilled fish and yoga...

Not to mention a little chess. I have been overwhelmed by my own thoughts. The stress of finishing Volume 2 of my book. I have not been training at a jiu jtisu academy lately. Chess it overtaking the passion that was/is still jiu jitz.

My mind have been so unfocused....Add to that allergies knocking' me out the box and it all adds up to one sad soldier.

So, I'm gonna chill with ym daughter today. Go grab the new season 2 Samurai Jack DVD and marinte with my family tonight.

Right before I take on a big project, I get into freeze mode...

It's not about writers block...

It's fear...

Can I really write?

Will people like Vol. 2 like the did Vol. 1?

The mind ties itself up in a knot of doubt, hesitation and fear of the unknown...

I got sick last night...

That was weak...

I gotta go to the post office....

I gotta get centered though...

I can't keep this up...

We writers are so moody...

PRT, was in town- I missed it...

Sway and Tech had HELLA fools in town, Chino XL, Rhymefest, Talib- missed it...

So, I need a pick me up...

Time to get my prayer on...

I think some yoga some tea, and some grilled fish and some Samurai Jack is just what the Dr. ordered....

It's time to go within....

- Holla at a sick scholar

Yeah dude, I dunno if you heard but uuuuh, THE WAR IS OVER!!!!!

Japan Says WWII Soldiers in Philippines
By TERESA CEROJANO, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 19 minutes ago
MANILA, Philippines - Japanese diplomats investigated claims Friday that two former Japanese soldiers have been hiding in the mountains of the southern Philippines since World War II.

The health ministry, in charge of repatriating Japanese overseas, said it was sending an official to the southern Philippine city of General Santos on Saturday to join Japanese embassy officials attempting to reach the pair.

The diplomats failed in their attempt Friday to arrange a meeting with the two men, officials said, and were left waiting in a hotel in the port city 600 miles south of Manila. They were scheduling another meeting Saturday through a Japanese mediator who had contacted the mission.

"We are doing our best to contact the mediator. ... We will just continue to wait. We hope there will be new developments tonight or tomorrow," Japanese Consul Seiichi Ogawa said.
Yu Kameoka, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's spokesman, said in Tokyo the two men apparently were reluctant to meet with officials because of the large number of people, including reporters, waiting to see them.

"According to a man who is mediating, the two men are rather worried about meeting with so many people gathered in General Santos, including those from the media," he said, adding no time has been set for a meeting.

Media reports in Japan said the two octogenarians lived on the southern island of Mindanao and used equipment suggesting they were former soldiers, with one report saying they were separated from their division and later wanted to return to Japan but feared they would face a court-martial.

Koizumi said in Tokyo he hoped the mystery would be cleared up soon. "We are checking it now," he told reporters. "It is a surprise if it's true, but we have to check first."
Goichi Ichikawa, the chairman of a veterans group in Japan, said he first alerted the Tokyo government of reports about the men in February, asking that they be rescued as soon as possible.

Ichikawa said he learned of at least three Japanese men living in the mountains of Mindanao from someone who went there late last year.

"It's amazing they were able to survive for 60 years," Ichikawa told reporters in the Japanese city of Osaka. "Of course I was stunned."

In September, a Japanese national in the lumber business ran into the men in the mountains, the Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun reported. It was learned later that they wanted to go back to Japan but were afraid of facing a court-martial for withdrawing from action, the newspaper said.

Another source told the paper there may be more than 40 other Japanese soldiers living in the mountains, and they all want to return to Japan, the Sankei said.

Japan's Kyodo News agency said the two may be Yoshio Yamakawa, 87, and Tsuzuki Nakauchi, 83. But the health ministry declined to confirm the report, saying they could not disclose any information until officials have identified them.
Embassy officials "want to meet directly with those two persons to find out if they are really Japanese soldiers, (and to find out details) beginning with their names and age," official Masaru Watanabe said.

Let me tell you something...When God wants to knock you down, you gitz knocked the F!@# down- aiiight? but i aint mad at good architecture..

Engineers Design Tsunami-Resistant Homes

By MIKE KUNZELMAN, Associated Press Writer Fri May 27,10:34 AM ET
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Not long after the devastating December tsunami, a team of structural engineers from London visited Sri Lanka and noticed a trend as they surveyed destroyed homes: Walls facing the sea were leveled, while those perpendicular to it were standing.
That inspired a group of researchers from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology' Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University to design what they're calling a "tsunami-safe(r) house" that is less likely to collapse under wind and pounding surf.

Instead of having four solid walls, the tsunami-resistant houses have thick concrete-block corners and exterior walls made of bamboo. The houses, about 80 of which have already been built, are designed to be built on top of blocks of concrete or wood, one or two feet above the ground.

The design allows waves to wash through the bamboo walls while the concrete structure of the house remains standing, said Carlo Ratti, director of MIT's Senseable City Laboratory.
"Of course, you would have water in the house, and there is no way to avoid that, but the houses will be much more resilient," Ratti said.

Buro Happold, a London-based engineering firm, used computer models to show that the houses would be five times more resistant to a tsunami than Sri Lanka's traditional homes.

"When the wave comes through, the water flushes everything out, but the walls remain standing," said Domenico del Re, a structural engineer at Buro Happold.

The design is for a home measuring about 400 square feet that would cost roughly $1,200 to build. It was designed to be made from materials readily available in Sri Lanka.

Dude makes some killer point.....*sigh* either that, or he's old....like me *sigh*

THE BARBERSHOP NOTEBOOKS: Why Hip-Hop Sucks, Part 1[27 May 2005]
by Marc Lamont Hill http://popmatters.com/columns/hill/050527.shtml

Hip-Hop sucks. There, I've said it. After years of ignoring my feelings and hoping that things would change with the next album, video, or artist, I have finally accepted the fact that hip-hop simply isn't good anymore. The swagger is gone. Hip-hop is still cool but it's no longer fly. It's still hot but it's no longer dope. Most important, hip-hop is no longer fun. I can't say for sure when it happened, but somewhere between Wu-Tang's grimy "Protect Ya Neck" and the Ying Yang Twins' disgusting "Whisper Song", hip-hop became boring and predictable.To be sure, my disaffection is likely a natural response to having recently suffered the indignity of turning to the local urban radio station and discovering that one of the songs that I listened to in high school had been relegated to the "old school lunch hour".

Consequently, like any newly made hip-hop "old head", I now invoke a degree of nostalgia in order to protect my most precious memories of the recent past from what Stuart Hall calls the "tyranny of the new". As such, I must hate a little on the new stuff in order to keep the old stuff fully relevant and valuable to me.Nevertheless, I maintain that we have reached a low point in hip-hop culture. But unlike most of my friends who have elected for early retirement from hip-hop fandom, I am not content to simply walk away in a self-righteous huff. Instead, I am willing to put my issues on the table in the small hope that things can turn around. After all, unlike Common, I still love H.E.R. I just can't find H.E.R.In this recurring series, I provide some of my explanations for hip-hop's decline. Moving beyond the more frequently discussed issues like wanton materialism, female objectification, or corporate co-optation, I point to some equally critical issues within hip-hop that have pushed me to this point.

Here goes:Where my girls at?Although hip-hop has always been a hyper-masculine boys club, quality female representation has dipped to an all-time low. No one has picked up the baton once carried by MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, or Salt n' Pepa and successfully run with it. Even the sex driven (and often ghostwritten) acts of Lil' Kim and Foxy Brown have been reproduced as uninteresting caricatures like Khia and Trina. While Missy Elliot's creativity and old school flavor keep the music fun, her lyrical abilities are drastically sub-par. Artists like Bahamadia and Jean Grae keep the underground alive with their top shelf skills, but their lack of selling power makes it difficult for them to start a movement. Our brightest hope was Lauryn Hill before (she became) Unplugged, when she ranked among the illest MCs on the planet, male or female. Word on the street is that she's on the road to personal and lyrical recovery. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

They don't freestyle no mo'Not so long ago, freestyling was a centerpiece of hip-hop culture. In order to be considered a complete MC, an individual had to be literally battle tested in the world of improvisational rhyming. Until the mid-'90s, the mixtape market, live shows, and local ciphers all served as fertile sites for freestyle raps from both seasoned veterans and hungry up-and-comers. Today, mixtape and live show "freestyles" are little more than album pre-releases and verses retrieved from the cutting room floor. Even worse, many underground and national rap venues (like BET's Freestyle Friday) privilege predictable one liners, insults, and clearly rehearsed verses over the raw, perfect imperfections of an authentic freestyle. There are exceptions, of course, like Toni Blackman's "Freestyle Union" movement, as well as rappers like Common who aren't scared to drop a verse from the dome in front of thousands. Nevertheless, the future of the freestyle is pretty grim.Manufactured rap warsLike the freestyle, MC battles have been the lifeblood of hip-hop culture since the '80s.

LL Cool J vs. Kool Moe Dee, Roxanne Shante vs. Real Roxanne, KRS One vs. MC Shan, and most recently Nas vs. Jay-Z, have all marked highpoints in hip-hop history. While there is certainly no shortage of battles in today's rap world, there has been a dramatic shift in the quality, authenticity, and motivations for the latest rap wars. Since the overwhelming commercial success of the Nas vs. Jay-Z feud, it seems that every new MC must find someone to beef with in order to make his or her mark and boost record sales.

Perhaps the most transparent example of this is 50 Cent, who managed to stir controversy with Nas, R. Kelly, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, and Game right around the time of his album release date. In addition to the WWF-esque feel of the battles, the lyrical quality of the latest feuds has waned considerably. Instead of engaging a spirited game of the dozens filled with personal and professional disses, most rappers use the songs as a space to make personal threats and air dirty laundry.

For this reason, it is no surprise that so many of today's beefs have extended beyond the songs and into the streets.The Superproducer While hip-hop has always had its share of elite producers, the last 10 years have given birth to a new breed of "superproducers". Beginning with the ever-present P. Diddy (née Puff Daddy), this group of overexposed hit men has moved from behind the boards and into the videos and songs of their artists. Superproducers like the Neptunes (particularly Pharrell) and Kanye West have become so large and appear so frequently on the songs they produce that they almost always overshadow their artists. Furthermore, superproducers have created sounds so distinctive and, as of late, predictable that the hip-hop Top-40 sounds like one big remix album.

For example, even Lil Jon' himself would have difficulty distinguishing between the beats for his 2004 mega-hits "Freek-a-leek" and "Yeah!" Another consequence of this sonic oligarchy has been the construction of barriers for many talented young producers to gain access to the big stage because of their lack of star power or failure to reproduce the sounds de jour. The only viable alternative for many is to serve as a ghost-producer for the giants of the day and patiently wait for a chance to get noticed. The only catch is that the role of ghostproducer requires them to constrain much of their own creativity in order to approximate the sounds of the super-producer. The rich get richer . . .To Be Continued.

***

Marc Lamont Hill is one of the youngest members of the growing body of "Hip-Hop Intellectuals" in the country. His work, which covers topics such as hip-hop culture, sexuality, education, and politics, has appeared in numerous journals, magazines, books, and anthologies. In 2005, he was named by Ebony Magazine as one of Black America's 30 future leaders. He is currently working on several book projects, including New Dilemmas of the Black Intellectual (with Gregory Seaton), Media, Learning, and Sites of Possibility (with Lalitha Vasudevan), and a book of African American cultural criticism. Marc Lamont Hill is an assistant professor of Urban Education and African American Studies at Temple University. Trained as an anthropologist of education, he holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

VERY interesting report by the U.S. Army on Islam and warfare (take your time and read it all)

"U.S. forces, particularly those involved in psychological operations, need to be educated in aspects of Islamic history, law, and culture. As Islamic militants quote and violently interpret verses from the Quran and hadith, U.S. and allied forces should not plead ignorance, but achieve a higher level of familiarity with religious and other aspects of Muslim culture. U.S. and allied forces may better comprehend the specific dilemmas of our Muslim allies if they are familiar with the messages of jihadist and moderate Islam. Alternatively, they should consult experts who are well-versed in these matters."

"When the Prophet Muhammad finally realized his role as a Messenger of God, he taught and preached nonviolently for 14 years in the midst of a hostile Meccan population. He and his followers were subjected to hatred, persecution, and violence. Finally, the Prophet and his followers were invited to migrate to a new community, Yathrib, that would become the city of Medina. The people of Yathrib extended that invitation as they wanted the Prophet to adjudicate their disputes. The Muslims were not safe there, however, and fought their Meccan enemies until they defeated them, next expanding to threaten and then defeat the Sassanians and eastern provinces of the Roman empire. During this period, Islam's first principles of war developed."

-U.S. Army Report on Islamic Warfare
***

So interesting how WELL the government understands Islamic theology and philosophy...Yet, virtually every step they make in the Muslim word is flawed, or seemingly antagonistic....
***

DO YA THANG MOS, BRING IT TO 'EM TALIB KWELI!!! FREE ASSATA SHAKUR!!!

Rappers Mos Def, Talib Kweli and dead prez spoke in support of former Black Panther Assata Shukur at a press conference yesterday (May 25) at New York’s City Hall.

Charles Barron, councilman from Brooklyn's East New York called the meeting as a response to a million dollar bounty on the political fugitive, who now resides in Cuba.

Barron also introduced a resolution that seeks presidential clemency for Shakur, claiming that she the victim of “trumped-up charges and a kangaroo court with an all-white jury.”
Both Mos and Kweli stated that they feel Shakur was unjustly convicted for the murder of a police officer in 1973.

While maintaining her innocence, Shakur escaped prison in 1979, after claims of experiencing deplorable, inhumane treatment.

"It's time people know the truth about Assata Shakur, that she's innocent," Mos Def said.
During a recent concert by rapper Common, Mos Def altered the words to his song “Umi Says” and inserted lyrics like “I want Assata to be free/ Hands off Assata...remember Malcom....hands off Assata.”

Concurring, Talib Kweli said, "Meeting her made her human...her autobiography [“Assata: An Autobiography”] changed my life."

The rappers met Shakur when they visited Cuba with Black August, a yearly show dedicated to political prisoners.

With the million dollar bounty on her head, federal authorities have deemed Shakur "120 pounds of money” and labeled her a “domestic terrorist” on the same list as Bin Laden.
Barron, also a former Black Panther, stated that the bounty isn’t an attempt at justice, but suggestive of vengeance.

"I’m infuriated that a bounty has been put on her, placing her life in danger. She is a hero to our community," Barron said.

Barron’s resolution has already been blocked by Speaker Gifford Miller, who said the measure will never even get a hearing or vote, labeling Shakur a “convicted cop killer who broke out of prison and has fled the country.”

The Cuban government, led by Fidel Castro, has continued to grant Shakur asylum despite the bounty.

www.allhiphop.com

More Drama at GITMO and the desecration of Qu'rans...

Detainees in Cuba Make Quran Allegations
By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer 32 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - The conflicting accounts of how U.S. military guards handled Muslim prisoners' Qurans at Guantanamo Bay show two sides of a psychological war between the terror suspects and their holders.

Detainees have claimed guards used the holy books as a weapon to break their will to resist interrogation. The Pentagon asserts that some detainees fabricated their claims in a calculated effort to agitate the wider prison population and undermine the control of the U.S. military.

In the latest disclosure, declassified FBI reports showed that detainees at the U.S. naval prison in Cuba told FBI and military interrogators on a number of occasions as early as April 2002 — three months after the first prisoners arrived at the makeshift prison — that guards abused them and desecrated the Quran.

"Their behavior is bad," one detainee is quoted as saying of his guards during an interrogation by an FBI special agent on July 22, 2002. "About five months ago the guards beat the detainees. They flushed a Quran in the toilet."

Lawrence Di Rita, chief spokesman for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, said Wednesday that U.S. military officials at Guantanamo Bay had recently found a separate record of the same allegation by the same detainee, and he was re-interviewed on May 14. Di Rita said Thursday that the detainee recanted his earlier story.

Di Rita said U.S. commanders have documented a number of cases in which detainees tore pages out of a Quran, or ripped off the cover, and then blamed the guards. This was designed, he said, to stir outrage among other detainees and disrupt the order imposed by the guards.
The statements about guards disrespecting the Quran echo public allegations made many months later by some detainees and their lawyers after the prisoners' release from Guantanamo Bay. The FBI documents show a consistency to the allegations and are the first indication that Justice and Defense department officials were aware in early 2002 that detainees were accusing their guards of mistreating the Quran.

One told an interrogator in March 2003 that guards had repeatedly mishandled the Quran. The detainee asked why the United States, as a supporter of freedom of religion, was using the Muslim holy book as a weapon.

Still another said in October 2002 that he and other detainees had been "beaten, spit upon and treated worse than a dog."

Separately on Wednesday, Amnesty International urged the United States to shut down the prison, calling it "the gulag of our time." White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the human rights group's complaints were "unsupported by the facts" and allegations of mistreatment were being investigated.

Some 540 men are being held at Guantanamo Bay on suspicion of links to
Afghanistan's ousted Taliban government or the al-Qaida terror network. Some have been jailed for more than three years without charge.

Di Rita said the charges of deliberate Quran desecration by U.S. military personnel were "fantastic" and "not credible on their face" because U.S. commanders were careful not to inflame passions among the detainees.

"Commanders knew it was a very sensitive issue and they didn't need the trouble," the spokesman said. Di Rita said some detainees had been trained to make such false claims as a psychological tactic.

Indeed, the FBI records cite at least one instance in which a detainee is said to have falsely claimed that a guard had dropped a Quran. "In actuality the detainee dropped the Quran and then blamed the guard. Many other detainees reacted to this claim," the FBI document said, and that sparked an uprising "on or about 19-20 July 2002."

In an April 6, 2002, FBI interrogation, one of the detainees said guards had been "pushing them around and throwing their waste bucket at them in the cell, sometimes with waste still in the bucket, and kicking the Quran."

Another detainee stated he had been beaten unconscious at Guantanamo Bay in the spring of 2002, a period in which U.S. interrogators were pressing hard for intelligence information they believed some of the detainees held on the planning, structure and tactics of
Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network.

The newly released FBI records do not indicate whether the allegations were investigated or substantiated.

In response to a recent Newsweek story, later retracted, that U.S. officials had confirmed allegations of Quran desecration at Guantanamo Bay, Pentagon officials have said repeatedly that they have turned up no credible, substantiated claims that U.S. military guards had deliberately treated the Muslim holy book with disrespect.

Di Rita said the Pentagon had not seen the new FBI documents until they were made public Wednesday by the

American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU said it had received them in response to a federal court order that directed the FBI and other agencies to comply with the organization's request under the Freedom of Information Act.

Large portions of the interrogation summaries were blacked out by FBI censors before being released to the ACLU.

In January 2003, the military issued a three-page written guideline for handling a detainee's Quran, including a stipulation that it should be handled "as if it were a fragile piece of delicate art," and that it not be placed in "offensive areas such as the floor, near the toilet or sink, near the feet or dirty/wet areas."

The wisdom of our children cannot be underestimated

The Purest Cynics are in Kindergarten

LiveScience StaffLiveScience.com Wed May 25, 6:03 PM ET

Kids in fact appear to be better at it than you.
The study involved 20 children each in kindergarten, second grade and fourth grade. They were told short stories in which the characters made statements that were in their best self-interest in competitive situations.

Outright lies were generally recognized by all the children. But when the statement could affect the outcome of a close contest, the second graders, compared to the younger children, exhibited more savvy in recognizing cases in which self-interest might also involve inaccurate claims.

"As adults, we recognize that a person's self-interests, such as their desire to win recognition or fit in with their peers, can influence what they say and believe about the world," said Candice Mills, a graduate student in the Department of Psychology who worked on the study. "Our research shows that children may be more gullible than adults, but the seeds of doubt are also present from an early age and develop dramatically in the elementary school years."

If the seeds of doubt are planted early, they also appear to flower pretty quickly.
In a separate test in the same study, the kindergartners were the most likely to think characters were lying, whereas the older children tended to attribute inaccurate statements to pure mistake.

"Most elementary school age children are in fact harsher judges of others than adults and older children," said study leader Frank Keil, a professor of psychology and linguistics. "It seems that, early on, it is much easier to see falsehoods as caused by deliberate malice than as caused unwittingly by desires."

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