To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Army sprays Britain with E. Coli in germ war tests
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 06:14:48 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Army sprays Britain with E.Coli in germ war tests
By Marie Woolf
THE Ministry of Defence is carrying out germ-warfare trials using live
E. coli and other bacteria, which scientists fear are drifting into
residential areas.
The revelation, which follows an in-depth study into bacterial
releases trials in the Sixties and Seventies, has prompted calls from
MPs for an inquiry into the justification for and safety of the tests.
The trials involve releasing bacteria into the air on MoD land to see
if army testing equipment can trace the germs.
Such germs, whose behaviour mimics biological-warfare agents such as
anthrax, have been shown in a recent independent inquiry to cause
pneumonia, blood poisoning and lung infections if breathed in by
"vulnerable people". MPs and academics studying germ warfare had
believed that all such testing outside secure laboratories had been
discontinued because of their controversial nature and because Britain
has no offensive biological-warfare programme.
The trials, which have been conducted since the Eighties, are
classified and it is not known how many bacteria are being released,
and how close the test sites are to residential areas.
Earlier this month, MPs were outraged by the contents of a report by
Professor Brian Spratt, a leading Oxford University scientist, into
MoD germ-warfare trials in the Sixties and Seventies. His report
detailed how bacteria were dropped from aeroplanes over populated
areas and from canisters on the London Underground. The revelation of
the existence of new trials has prompted calls for an MoD
investigation into their safety.
"These tests going on now are dubious at best. They clearly have
implications for the environment and human health," said Norman Baker,
the Liberal Democrat environment spokesman. "The MoD needs to come
clean with a justification for these tests and it needs to be pretty
good."
The tests are believed to involve Bacillus globigii, which reportedly
can cause disease in humans, and a strain of E. coli.
For people with breathing problems or poor immune systems this E. coli
strain can used septicaemia, fever, pneumonia and chest infections.
"I think these tests are going on all the time. The whole point of
these experiments are for devising new methods of detection," said
Professor Spratt, of the Wellcome Trust Centre for the Epidemiology of
Infectious Disease, Oxford.
The MoD has thousands of acres of land throughout Britain. But most of
the testing is thought to take place at Porton Down, the secret MoD
research centre outside Salisbury.
via: bible_prophecy-news@onelist.com
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Feb 22, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 20:24:15 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
8:00 PM Eastern
HIST - ALIEN HUNTERS - Scientists search for evidence
of alien civilizations.(CC)(TVG)
8:30
TLC - DEADLY FORCES - Scientists study weather extremes to
learn what causes them.(CC)(TVG)
9:00
PBS - THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE - "Meltdown at Three Mile
Island" - Scientists scramble to prevent a meltdown at the
Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in
Pennsylvania.(CC)(TVPG)
TLC - WHITE HOUSE PRESS CORPS - Reporters grind out the
news in the midst of the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the
release of Kenneth Starr's report.(CC)(TVPG)
10:00
HIST - MODERN MARVELS - "Engineering Disasters" -
Engineering mistakes have the potential to wipe out
cities.(CC)(TVG)
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - S. African justice officials plan central DNA database
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 20:31:28 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
21 February 1999
SA's 'gene police' set to tag criminals
Justice officials plan central database of all convicted felons.
LAURICE TAITZ
THE Department of Justice is planning to profile all South Africa's
convicted criminals on a DNA database which is aimed at nabbing repeat
offenders.
Recommendations on changing the Criminal Procedures Act to allow for
the creation of a criminal intelligence database that will store the
DNA profiles of convicted felons are being drawn up by officials. They
will be presented to the Minister of Justice, Dullah Omar, for review.
The proposal was initiated by the biology unit of the police's
Forensic Science Laboratory, where the technology needed to create a
DNA database is already in use.
DNA fingerprints are constructed from samples of the genetic material
taken from body tissue or fluid - from a swab of the inside of a
cheek, the mucous of a new-born baby or, more commonly, from hair,
blood, semen or skin.
The sample is cut into segments which are exposed on x-ray film, where
they form a pattern of black bars, much like a barcode. If the DNA
fingerprints produced from two different samples match, the samples
probably came from the same person. The more sections analysed, the
less probable the chance of a match.
"Here we use nine different mini strands of DNA. If they match the
suspect's DNA, the odds are one billion to one," said Senior
Superintendent Stewart Allen, of the biology unit.
Until now the laboratory had the capacity to use the technology only
in 20 percent of cases.
New technology has done away with the need for substantial samples of
DNA.
DNA evidence is used extensively in rape cases, and is used routinely
to prove biological parenthood, as in the Michaela Hunter case.
The proposed changes to legislation would allow the police to store
DNA profiles of convicted criminals in a central electronic database.
This would allow them to match suspects with crime scenes and, in the
case of serial crimes, to match crime scenes.
"With almost half of South Africa's criminals returning to crime once
released from prison, this system would change the face of criminal
investigations," said Allen.
DNA profiling was used to convict serial killer and rapist Moses
Sithole. Full profiles were assembled from swabs taken from his
victims' bodies.
Sithole was first arrested in 1990 and served three years in prison
for rape.
His killing spree started soon after his release.
According to Allen: "If we had this technology when he was first
arrested we wouldn't have had to wait for 37 more bodies before we
caught him."
In the US, 200 outstanding cases have been solved since the FBI
introduced its Combined DNA Index System in October.
http://www.suntimes.co.za:80/1999/02/21/news/news06.htm
via: Insane Science Mailing List
isml@onelist.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - China News Digest items (2/22/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 20:31:28 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Taipei Concerned About Vatican Plan to Move to Beijing
[CND, 02/21/99] Taiwan's Foreign Minister Jason HU Chih-Chiang
expressed concerns over Vatican's plan to move its embassy to Beijing
from Taipei during his talk with Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran on
Thursday, according to Saturday's South China Morning Post.
"The Vatican's aim in improving ties with the Mainland is to win
freedom of religious belief and show concern for the Chinese
Catholics. That should not affect the Vatican's ties with Taiwan and
Taiwan Catholics," said the foreign minister in response to Cardinal
Sodano's statement. However, Archbishop Tauran said Cardinal Sodano
"only expressed a wish. There has not been any progress in
Vatican-Beijing ties".
Before his visit to the Vatican, Hu was in Hungary meeting with
high-ranking officials. Hungary does not have formal diplomatic
relationship with Taipei. (Xiao PING, WU Yiyi)
Shanghai to Launch Three Satellites
[CND, 02/21/99] On its 1999 agenda, the Shanghai Space Bureau plans to
launch three satellites, the China Daily reported. The three
satellites are a Fengyun 1 meteorological satellite, a Sino-Brazilian
resource satellite, and a Practice 5 satellite. Two newly developed
Long March 4B carrier rockets will be used to take the satellites into
orbit. The Shanghai Space Bureau, a major space-technology player in
China, has successfully launched 18 carrier rockets. (Yan WANG, WU
Yiyi)
China News Digest
Global News, No. GL99-023
Monday, February 22, 1999
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Y2K Headlines
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 22:49:52 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
WHITE HOUSE FEARS Y2K PANIC
Link: http://www.wired.com/news/news/politics/story/17986.html
Y2K TOP CONCERN IN U.S. GOVERNMENT
Link: http://www.computerweekly.co.uk/cwarchive/daily/19990218/cwcontainer.asp?name=C2.html
MANY COMPANIES GIVING UP ON Y2K TESTING
Link: http://www.midrangesystems.com/article.asp?ID=2599104608AM
PLAN FOR THREE DAYS WITHOUT BASIC SERVICES
Link: http://www.msnbc.com/local/WCMH/86871.asp
Y2K FEARS SPARK SEARCH FOR PHONE ALTERNATIVES
Link: http://www.computerweekly.co.uk/cwarchive/news/19990218/cwcontainer.asp?name=C24.html
BT TO HALT NON-URGENT WORK IN 2000 RUN-UP [British Telecom]
Link: http://www.computerweekly.co.uk/cwarchive/Xtra/19990218/cwcontainer.asp?name=C26.html
CALIFORNIA UNPREPARED FOR Y2K
Link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/02/19/MN60444.DTL
ALABAMA COMPUTERS WON'T BE READY FOR Y2K
Link: http://flash.al.com/cgi-bin/al_nview.pl?/home1/wire/AP/Stream-Parsed/BAMA_NEWS/j8454_PM_AL--Y2K-Alabama
MILWAUKEE SCHOOLS READY TO SERVE AS SHELTERS
Link: http://www.jsonline.com/news/0218shelt.asp
NRC PETITIONED TO REQUIRE 60-DAY STOCKPILE OF FUEL
The NUCLEAR INFORMATION AND RESOURCE SERVICE (NIRS) has petitioned the
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC) to shore up contingency
requirements for nuclear power plants.
Text of petition:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=1999_register&docid=99-1594-filed
POTENTIAL YEAR 2000 CHAOS IN ITALY
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_279000/279929.stm
CONGRESS FIXES OWN Y2K BUG
Link: http://www.y2kculture.com/reality/19990212.congress.html
BANKAMERICA HIRES PR COMPANY TO SPIN Y2K
Link: http://www.amcity.com/charlotte/stories/1999/02/08/story8.html?h=y2k
PG&E WARNS CUSTOMERS OF POSSIBLE Y2K SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS
PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC (PG&E), the major provider of electricity and
natural gas to central and northern California
Link: http://www.pge.com/whats_new/news/spotlight/february99/
Y2K MAY BE A PROBLEM FOR A MILLION TELEX USERS
Unitel's website: http://www.unitel.nl
Link: http://www.cnnfn.com/digitaljam/newsbytes/124042.html
CLINICAL EQUIPMENT FAILS Y2K TESTS DESPITE VENDOR GUARANTEES
Link: http://www.year2000.co.nz/y2kcw31.htm
Y2K FIXES SPIN OFF NEW BUGS
Link: http://chicagotribune.com/version1/article/0,1575,ART-23362,00.html
OIL SUPPLY THREATENED
Link: http://www.ogjonline.com/ogjregis.html
Y2K COMPLIANCE IN GERMAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS DOUBTFUL
Link: http://www.zeitbombe-jahr2000.de/zebo.y2k/inh./y2k.cont./German_nucl_power_plant.html
LESSONS FROM THE EURO CHANGEOVER
Link: http://www.y2ktimebomb.com/International/pobeirne9904.htm
Link: http://www.parool.nl/nieuws/275006858.html
DISPELLING THE RAILWAY MYTH
Link: http://www.dejanews.com/[ST_rn=ap]/getdoc.xp?AN=349794353
LIST OF NONCOMPLIANT PRODUCTS
Here is an exhaustive alphabetized list of noncompliant items posted
hidden away on a government-sponsored website.
Link: http://y2k.lmi.org/gsa/y2kproducts/noncompliant.cfm
THE LIGHTER SIDE OF Y2K:
ORDERS FOR NEXT YEAR'S VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE SLUGGISH
(Source: Thomas Bruck, 2/17/1999, thanks to Ellen Cooper)
The "new and improved" version of the VOLKSWAGEN Beetle has so far
been a huge success -- the first production run was sold out before
the new model hit the streets in 1998, and the '99s also sold out in
advance. So given this popularity, officials at Volkswagen are
scratching their heads to explain the sluggish response to next year's
model. It seems that no one wants to get stuck with a Year 2000 Bug.
(JG)
wild2k (Y2K):
http://www.wild2k.com/
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Russia Today Daily Brief items (2/22/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 22:53:34 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
RUSSIA WOULD MULL TROOPS FOR KOSOVO PEACEKEEPING
TOKYO -- Russia would favorably consider sending troops to join a
peacekeeping force in Kosovo if such a force was accepted by Belgrade
and sanctioned by the United Nations, Russian Foreign Minister Igor
Ivanov said on Monday.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022201.html?text
U.S., RUSSIA PONDER NUKE DANGER OF Y2K
MOSCOW -- The United States has offered to set up a missile
early-warning center with Russia from December 1999 to reduce the risk
of accidental war stemming from the millennium bug, a senior U.S.
defense official said on Sunday.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022203.html?text
IVANOV DENIES RULING OUT JAPAN TREATY BY 2000
TOKYO -- Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on Monday denied a
Japanese media report which quoted him as saying it would be
impossible for Moscow to seal a peace treaty with Tokyo by 2000 as the
two countries had hoped.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022204.html?text
PRIMAKOV SAYS CONSTITUTION NEEDS TO BE CHANGED
ST PETERSBURG, Russia -- Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov said on
Sunday that Russia's post-Soviet constitution should be amended to
improve the effectiveness of government but ruled out any immediate
changes. http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022206.html?text
http://www.russiatoday.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Saudi Papers: End of Saddam is Near
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 22:57:20 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
SAUDI PAPERS: END OF SADDAM IS NEAR
"Highest alert" has been declared in Iraq, as a result of the fighting
with the Shiite rebels in the south of the country. Some 100 people
are reported to have been killed so far. Saudi Arabian papers
estimate today that the fighting signals the end of Saddam Hussein's
regime.
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Monday, Feb. 22, 1999 / Adar 6, 5759
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items (2/22/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 04:12:14 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
*** Pigs grown with human genes
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - At a top-secret farm hidden in the Northeast,
scientists are growing pigs whose DNA has been altered with human
genes. It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, yet officials at
Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. say they are close to figuring out how
these pigs can figure in the treatment of human organ failures, spinal
cord injuries and illnesses such as Parkinson's disease. The idea of
transplanting animal parts to humans, called xenotransplantation,
isn't new. But, until recently, nobody knew how to keep the human body
from rejecting the organs. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558545647-69e
*** 'Supergerm' kills Hong Kong woman
HONG KONG (AP) - A supergerm that has proven resistant to one of the
most potent antibiotics available has killed a Hong Kong woman,
officials said Monday, raising fears that more germs could develop as
doctors continue to misuse or overuse antibiotics. The middle-aged
woman died last year at Queen Mary Hospital after becoming infected
with a strain of staphylococcus aureus bacteria, or staph, despite two
weeks of intensive antibiotics treatment, a spokeswoman from the
official Hospital Authority said. The woman, who also suffered from
cancer, was one of a few known cases in the world in which staph
proved resistant to vancomycin, an antibiotic known as "the silver
bullet," which doctors use as the last resort to treat infections when
all other antibiotics fail. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558547605-cbe
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Clinton's Family Tree
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 06:41:44 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Clinton's Family Tree
William F. Dankenbring
In a recent issue of "Prophecy in the News" magazine, author J. R.
Church informs us of a most striking genealogy. He writes:
"In an Associated Press article published in The Daily Oklahoman,
October 28, 1996, Harold Brooks-Baker, director of Burke's Peerage, a
London-based publishing house that traces the lineage of royal and
noble families, said that Bill Clinton and Bob Dole have more in
common than wanting to be president. They are distant cousins!
However, Clinton has bluer blood, giving him an election edge.
"Bill Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe, but took his
stepfather's name as a teenager. Clinton's ancestry can be traced
back, on his mother's side, to King Henry III who ruled England from
1227 to 1272. He is descended from King Robert I of France.
"Furthermore, he is related to every Scottish monarch to the current
British royal family. Clinton's royal roots include several medieval
monarchs and Simon de Montford, a statesman and soldier under King
Henry III. Through de Montford, Clinton is related to every ancient
aristocratic family in Britain today."
J. R. Church continues the incredible story:
"Over the past six years, efforts to uncover Clinton's personal
history have been nigh unto impossible to confirm. The President had
all records of his family history, school records, medical history,
etc. sealed.
"In 1992, we called Burke's Peerage and asked if they had done any
research into Clinton's lineage. We were told that they had not done
a genealogical search on his ancestry. It seemed strange to us at the
time that they denied knowing anything about Clinton. Shortly
afterward, we came across an AP story that linked Clinton to a Gypsy
king--citing Burke's Peerage as a source. We again called Burke's
Peerage and repeated our request. Again, they told us that no work
had been done. That's when we read the article to the person on the
phone, naming Harold Brooks-Baker as a source. She then admitted that
they had done some work on the genealogy. She said that we should
talk with Harold Brooks-Baker, himself. She requested that we fax a
letter and request a reply.
"We did as she asked. Two days later, having received no reply, we
called again. This time, we were able to get Mr. Harold Brooks-Baker
on the phone. He asked why we wanted the information, and said he
would have to clear our request with Washington. He said, 'It's a
very touchy subject.' He talked like there might be something to
hide."
Indeed! What might that closely-guarded secret be? J. R. Church
continues his riveting story:
"Bill Clinton's family goes back to William Henry Harrison and
Benjamin Harrison, making him related to Gerald Ford and Jimmy
Carter. His kinship to Ford makes him 'near kin' to Richard Nixon and
George Bush. Small world, isn't it?
"Royal Boy Chosen"
"There is no official documentation for what I am about to relate. I
talked with a man in the summer of 1996 who claimed to be a
descendant of the Rothschild banking family. He informed me that Bill
Clinton used to attend their family functions as a boy.
"This man grew up in the same town with Clinton. They attended the
same schools. He would see Bill at family get-togethers wearing a
Jewish skullcap. According to hinm, Bill Clinton is a descendant of
the Rothschild family.
"He said the rabbis would kiss his hand and refer to him as the
Segulah Yeled Eklatosh--the 'royal-boy-chosen.' He said that
according to private family records, the original Meyer Amschel
(Bauer) Rothschild claimed to have had a heavenly visitor in 1773,
who informed him that Jesus was not the Messiah. He told Meyer
Amschel that the family from which he descended would produce the
Messiah in the last half of the twentieth century.
"A few weeks later I read in 'The Jewish Festivals' by Hayyim Schauss
(published in 1938) that the Roman Emperor Nero had faked his death,
escaped and married a Jewish woman. The famous thirteenth century
Rabbi Meir (also spelled Meyer) of Rothenberg, Germany, claimed
direct descent from Nero. I called my Rothschild family friend and
asked it there was a family connection. Two days later he called me
back, and said 'Yes! The Rothschilds are descended from Nero!'..."
("Roots of the Presidents," by J. R. Church, Prophecy in the News,
July 1998, pages 18-19).
[This article goes on to describe Nero's character and ends by
saying Nero's Aramaic name (Nron Ksr) equals 666. They also show
William Jefferson Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton as both adding
up to 666 but the numbers are off as published.]
Prophecy Flash!
Jan-Feb 1999
Triumph Prophetic Ministries
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Stratfor Weekly Analysis -- February 22, 1999
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 02:42:56 -0500
From: <owner-bpr@philologos.org>
Global Intelligence Update
Red Alert
February 22, 1999
The IMF, Kosovo, Iraq, Turkey and the Russian Question
Summary:
A series of unconnected problems are coming together as different
aspects of a single problem: Russia. The G-7 met this weekend in
Bonn and made it clear that major help for Russia is not going to
be forthcoming without the implementation of impossible reforms.
Russia made it clear that it was going to stand against the U.S.
and the West on the three critical issues of the week. Russia
let the U.S. know that it would oppose any stationing of NATO
troops in Kosovo without Serb permission, and it would also
oppose air strikes. Leaks appeared throughout Western newspapers
about Russian arms sales to Iraq. We believe that these reports
were deliberate leaks from Moscow and Minsk designed to warn the
West. The Russians condemned the Turkish invasion of Iraq, and a
Russian General said that the S-300 missiles shipped to Armenia
were designed to protect the CIS from Turkey and NATO. At the
same time, high-level meetings were being held with German and
Japanese leaders. Russia is putting pressure on these two
countries, and particularly Germany, to get the West to provide
financial help to Russia. The Russian lever on Germany: the
threat of a return of a mini-Cold War.
Analysis:
Three crises moved along smartly during this past week. In
Kosovo, the United States and NATO postponed an unchangeable
deadline after which air strikes on Serbia would begin. The
capture of a Kurdish leader by Turkey led to intense rioting
throughout Europe, a severe governmental crisis in Greece, and
denials by Israelis and Americans concerning involvement in the
capture and handover of Ocalan to the Turks. In Iraq, daily air
attacks against Iraqi air defense sites continues, with Iraq
continuing to warn of undefined retaliation. A Shiite cleric in
Iraq has been killed and the Iranians have now said that they
hold Baghdad responsible for the death. No specific threat of
retaliation was made.
What we are seeing is an intensifying arc of crises running from
the Balkans, through Asia Minor to the Persian Gulf. We have, in
the past, speculated on coordination between Baghdad and Belgrade
on a strategy designed to draw U.S. military forces deeper into
geographically dispersed arenas by their intensifying inherently
inconclusive conflicts. Whether there has been intentional
collusion or these are merely separate crises running in
parallel, the fact remains that U.S. forces are now engaged in
daily combat operations in Iraq and currently stand a little over
48 hours away from operations against Serbia. In the meantime,
almost as a bridge between the two, Turkey, an American ally,
stands simultaneously exultant over the seizure of Ocalan, as
well as under intensifying pressure from a number of quarters.
There appears to us to be two common denominators to these
crises. The first is obvious. The United States is deeply
involved in each of them. The second is less obvious but
increasingly apparent. Russia is increasingly involved in each
of these crises, albeit in different ways. It is our view that
the willingness of both the Iraqi and Serb governments to resist
U.S. pressure and thereby incur the risks of American displeasure
has a great deal to do with their perception of the new role that
Russia is playing in the world. It also appears to us that the
Turkish capture of Ocalan and its invasion of Iraq -- while not
particularly triggered by perceptions of Russian policy -- will
serve to hasten the general evolution of Russian foreign policy.
The Russians are primarily focused on their internal political
and economic condition. There is now a general sense that the
West has effectively abandoned Russia. Except for making
impossible demands for reform, demands that cannot be met given
Russian economic and political reality, the West is no longer
prepared to underwrite Russian reform efforts. This weekend, for
example, the finance ministers and central bank governors of the
G-7 group met in Bonn, Germany. Their general position on Russia
was that no further assistance would be forthcoming without major
reforms. Without that, the G-7 announced, Russia "is
increasingly faced with the serious risk of accelerating
inflation, further exchange rate weakening and continued economic
retraction." The G-7 announced no steps whatever to solve
Russia's problems, leaving it to the IMF to negotiate with the
Russians.
In parallel to the Bonn discussions, Russian President Boris
Yeltsin held meetings with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on
Friday. The meetings included Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny
Primakov, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and Defense Minister Igor
Sergeyev. This was clearly a major bilateral meeting and not a
casual get-together. Among the topics that were to be discussed
were Iraq, Kosovo, NATO, weapons modernization, fighting the
Russian Mafia, and, of course, economic assistance to Russia.
After the meeting with Schroeder, Russian Prime Minister Primakov
left for talks with the Japanese in Tokyo.
The Russians have mounted a full-court press focused on Germany
and Japan. They have had no luck pleading with the Americans
directly on economic issues. They have now focused their
attention on two key American partners who also are extremely
vulnerable in their own ways. The Japanese are extremely
vulnerable economically, given their lack of recovery from
financial problems. The Russians are carrying this message to
the Japanese: unless Western help is forthcoming, Russia's
economy will continue to worsen, undermining the prospects of a
global economic recovery. Therefore, the Japanese have a serious
interest in advocating the Russian position to the Americans.
Moreover, unless the Japanese succeed in this task, they can
forget about recovering Japanese islands occupied by the Russians
at the end of World War II.
The Russians were delivering a more geopolitical message to the
Germans. The Germans badly want stability along the territory
running from the Baltics to the Balkans. They are more directly
effected by instability in these regions than any other major
power. They have made enormous investments in this region as
well as huge investments in Russia. Russia is letting Germany
know that more than investments are at stake in this region.
Russia is in a position to destabilize the entire region. This
would lead to increased German dependence on the United States
for stability, to Germany being forced to intervene in the region
on its own or in concert with other European nations, or to the
acceptance of instability and tension in its own back yard. None
of these options appeal to the Germans. That is what the
Russians are counting on.
Russia appears now to have adopted a general strategy that takes
care of both its domestic political requirements and its foreign
interests. This strategy is simple and reasonable, because it
simultaneously plays to Russia's strengths while decreasing its
weaknesses. The predicate of U.S. and NATO policy toward Serbia,
for example, has been the isolation of Serbia from both political
support and weapons supplies. The core assumption has been that,
given its isolation, Belgrade would, in due course, have to
capitulate to Western demands. Even if this process required a
degree of military intervention, the assumption was that this
intervention carried minimal risk and would have a maximum effect
precisely because of this isolation.
Russia has made it clear that this premise is no longer valid.
During the past week it has done everything possible to signal
the United States and NATO not only that it was opposed to
unilateral intervention in Kosovo, but also that it had the means
and the will to make that intervention difficult and painful.
Yeltsin sent a tough note to Clinton earlier in the week, warning
him of the consequences of unilateral action on Kosovo and
warning that, "We will not allow Kosovo to be touched." State
Duma Chairman Gennadiy Seleznev warned that bombing Serbia
would
inevitably result in the cancellation of the Russia-NATO treaty,
and went on to say that, "We will have to render military and
technical assistance to Yugoslavia, if aggression is unleashed
against it." British press reports indicated that Russia was
canceling a naval cooperation treaty with the UK.
During the same week, press reports began to surface to the
effect that Russia and its partner Belarus were supplying weapons
to Iraq. These reports have, of course, been surfacing for a
while, but the frequency and prominence of these reports are now
increasing. What is decreasing is the vehemence of the denials.
Belarus President Lukashenko was reported by the Interfax News
Agency as saying simply "I have not signed a single contract for
any delivery of weapons to Iraq." He went on to say "cooperation
with Persian Gulf states represents significant possibilities."
In other words, all he said was that he signed no contracts,
which is not even close to saying that Belarus, with Russian
knowledge, is not delivering weapons. There is little doubt in
our mind that Russian and Belarussian weaponry is reaching Iraq.
What is interesting is that they are slowly removing the veil
over these deals.
One of the motivating factors here is Turkey. Russia has long
been worried about Turkish intentions in the Caucuses,
particularly among the Moslem nations in the region. Moscow has
been increasingly close to Armenia, a non-Moslem antagonist to
Turkey. In recent weeks, Russia began delivering S-300 surface-
to-air missiles to Armenia, in a dramatic increase in weaponry
certain to alarm Armenia's neighbors. This week, Russia went one
better. According to the Armenian Snark News Agency, Colonel
General Anatoly Kornukov, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air
Force, made a speech at Air Base 102, a Russian operated facility
in Armenia intended to protect the borders of the CIS. Snark
quoted Kornukov as follows: "The deployment of S-300 missile
complexes at Russian military base No 102 in Armenia is being
implemented within the framework of planned rearmament. At the
same time, there is a real threat from Turkey where, apart from
Turkish planes, NATO planes, which in fact fly daily bombing
missions to Iraq, are deployed as well. We cannot rule out the
possibility of flights straying off-course, or apparently off-
course over the territory of the sovereign state of Armenia,
which has joined the CIS Collective Security Treaty. The new
missile systems will enable us to give a dignified response if
necessary."
Without speculating on what a dignified response might be, we
also note that the Russians were furious over the Turkish attack
into Iraq this week following the capture of Ocalan. The Russian
Foreign Ministry stated that "We have repeatedly announced the
inadmissibility of such moves which grossly violate the
international law, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Iraq no matter what motives are given." The statement went on to
link the invasion to the U.S. bombing and demanded that both
stop. To emphasize the situation, the Syrian Foreign Minister,
Faruq al-Shar'a visited Moscow last Tuesday for talks with Prime
Minister Yevgeny Primakov. Both condemned the U.S. bombing of
Iraq. Russia endorsed the Syrian view that there should be no
separate Israeli-Lebanese peace agreement while the Syrians
endorsed a strong role for Russia in the Middle East.
If we didn't know better, we would say that the Cold War is back.
That is overstating it by a great deal. What is going on,
however, is a concerted Russian effort to let the West know what
the price will be if it maintains its current hard line on
economic help. The primary audience for this blitz is not the
United States, although Russia would be delighted if it had some
impact. Rather, Germany is the primary audience, with a
secondary one in Japan.
Germany is the key for two reasons. First, it has huge
investments in Russia and is naturally motivated to solve
Russia's problems. Second, even if it was ready to write off
those investments, Russia is trying to let Germany know that the
resulting increase in international tension would leave Germany
particularly exposed. With its treaty with Belarus, Russian
troops may well be on the Polish border before the end of the
year. This could mean pressure on Poland, which will be part of
NATO, as well as on the Baltic states and Slovakia. Germany's
leftist government is not eager to intervene unilaterally nor in
concert with the United States. It does not want a geopolitical
confrontation with Russia, which, in turn, is making the same
case to the Japanese over the Kuriles. Russia is sending a
message to both Germany and Japan that the price for geopolitical
stability is economic support and will leave it to Germany and
Japan to make the case to the United States in the event that the
Americans can't directly hear it.
Politically, this is an excellent move for the Russian
government. Confronting the West is the one thing that all
factions in the Duma can agree on. No one will speak against it,
especially if it is couched in both economic and geopolitical
terms. Confrontation strengthens Yeltsin's and Primakov's
positions. Moreover the Russians do have military levers in
terms of arms sales and weapons transfers, making advisors
available, and potentially, as in Armenia, even committing
troops. Finally, however the U.S. responds, U.S. allies have no
stomach for even a low-grade return to the Cold War.
The Serbs and Iraqis are completely aware of this evolution in
Russia. There is no question in our minds that their willingness
to accept increased risks of U.S. military action is rooted in
the perception that whatever the pain imposed, the long-term
results of these actions will be to draw Russia deeper into the
conflicts. The more Russia is present, the stronger Serbia and
Iraq's position becomes. Since the Russians have excellent
reasons for getting involved, reasons having nothing to do with
the conflict at hand, U.S. actions to increase pressure on Serbia
and Iraq work against the U.S. policy of isolating them. When we
add into this the genuine Russia concern about long-term Turkish
intentions in the Caucuses, we see a situation in which discreet
problems are beginning to merge into a series of interrelated
crises.
We note that the United States has given Serbia until Tuesday to
agree to NATO troops on its soil. Assume that Belgrade does not
agree and NATO decides to stage Iraqi-like air attacks. Assume
that the results of the air attacks parallel those in Iraq.
There is pain but there is no capitulation. Assume further that
the IMF stonewalls the Russians while the Turks continue their
attacks on Iraq. In other words, consider the world as it will
likely be at the end of next week if the U.S. does not shift its
course. Russia will have no reason not to increase pressure.
Then the focus will be on the German government, which does not
know what it will do.
For these reasons, we would likely expect the U.S. to try to
defuse the Kosovo crisis. We do not expect the Serbs to be
motivated to provide much help in defusing it. Therefore the
U.S. has three choices: get the IMF to give the Russians a lot of
money in what would, in effect, be a bribe; hit Belgrade and
suffer the consequences; figure a way to climb down out of the
confrontation. We won't try to guess what course the U.S. will
choose.
STRATFOR, Inc.
504 Lavaca, Suite 1100
Austin, TX 78701
Phone: 512-583-5000
Fax: 512-583-5025
Internet: http://www.stratfor.com/
Email: info@stratfor.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Re: 14,000 days
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 02:42:56 -0500
From: <owner-bpr@philologos.org>
Hi Bek...
> Just for the record, the Lord could not have been physically in Jerusalem
> in the year 32 AD because by that year He would have been 35 years old
> contrary to the Gospels.
I agree with your assessment. It appears that the article in question
sets the date for Christ's birth around 1 B.C.?
> If the Lord was crucified in 32 AD, then He would have been born in 1 BC
> which is erroneous because Herod, the Great, died in March of 3 BC;
Did you perhaps mean 4 BC (which is the more widely accepted date)
for Herod's death? If you did indeed mean 3 BC, I would be interested
in any information you have on this.
The dating of Herod's birth is based in part on the writings of
Josephus who said that an eclipse occurred before Herod's death. My
information doesn't show any eclipses occuring in 3 BC, which is why
I'm curious. I've also done some reading into the dating of the birth of
Christ, and there is an excellent book by Ernest Martin - "The Star of
Bethlehem, or The Star That Astonished the World" which casts some
very good doubt on the more popular claim of Herod's death occurring
in 4 BC. Martin sets the date of Christ's birth at Sep 11, 3 BC (Tishri 1 -
Feast of Trumpets). As a matter of fact, the author pinpoints the birth
within a few hours based on a study of astronomy and Rev. 12.
As to Herod's death, Martin says that it occurred in January of 1 BC.
The only clues Josephus gives us as to Herod's death is that he died
shortly after an eclipse and before the Springtime Passover. If Herod's
death occurred in 4 BC, using the eclipse of March 13 as a reference,
then there would have been only 29 days between the eclipse and
Passover. And according to Josephus (who unfortunately doesn't
give us dates) there was a whole series of events that happened after
the eclipse and before the Passover. These events are:
1. On the day of the eclipse, Herod has two rabbis killed.
2. Herod's sickness intensifies; many think it's judgment sent for
killing the rabbis.
3. Many remedies are tried and all fail. Finally, it is suggested that
Herod travel the 25 miles to the mineral baths on the Dead Sea for
treatment.
4. Treatment fails and Herod is brought back home.
5. Realizing that his death is near, Herod devises a plan to have many
of the prominent Jewish elders from all over his kingdom rounded up
and be killed upon his own death. Many had to be brought in from as
far away as 130 miles.
6. Herod then killed his own son, Antipater. Herod died 5 days after
this.
7. Herod's funeral was to be the "grandest" ever given a king. Official
dignitaries and special elite officers of the army were to attend.
8. The burial place for Herod was 25 miles away. There was to be a
slow, funeral procession, with Herod being carried on the shoulders of
stately officials or relatives. They marched a mile a day. The amount
of time that the procession took appears to have been pre-arranged by
Herod to coincide with the end of the 30-day mourning period.
9. After Herod was buried, his immediate family mourned for another 7
days. (The 25 mile march and the 7 day mourning period adds up to 32
days alone).
Josephus says that all of these things took place *before* the
Passover. The lunar eclipse of 4 BC took place on March 13, which
leaves only 29 days until Passover. There's not enough time for all of
the above events to have occurred.
Anyway, I bring this up because I find it interesting <g>. Oh,
something that I've wanted to do, but haven't done yet is to attend a
planetarium around Christmas. Many observatories and astronomers
who are impressed with Martin's work, are now showing the
"heavens" in their theaters of the 18-month period from 3 BC to 1 BC.
(Martin claims the Jupiter and Venus conjunction on June 17, 2 BC is
the "star" of Bethlehem). Apparently the skies during this period of
time was quite active. I would love to see this displayed.
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Herod
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 12:41:02 EST
From: Aracelyta@aol.com
In a message dated 2/22/99 12:53:05 AM US Mountain Standard Time, bpr-
list@philologos.org writes:
> Did you perhaps mean 4 BC (which is the more widely accepted date)
> for Herod's death? If you did indeed mean 3 BC, I would be interested
> in any information you have on this.
>
Hi:
Yes, I meant 3 BC. Nevertheless, over the years I have gathered info
regarding Herod's reign and death in 4BC. The following is a summary:
1. The Companion Bible, Appendix 179, page 197 by Bullinger
2. The writtings of Josephus which you have
3. Jewish chronology places Herod's death around Jan-Mar 3 BC
Currently, I'm in the process of converting AUC (Roman count) to CE (Jewish
count) to AD (current count) for the years 6 BC thru 1BC and 26AD thru 34AD
(for the crucifixion date) in order to confirm or dismiss a given year date
using the eclipse date and the full moon date for the Passover month on those
years as reference points.
Herod had to die only in one of those years and the Lord had to been born only
in one of those years. So, gathering info on this subject is a jolly hobby of
mine.
Once I have the cake baked, I'll it pass along to you.
Bek
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Feb 23, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 20:41:05 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
8:00 PM Eastern
PBS - NOVA - "Battle Alert in the Gulf" - Deployment of
aircraft carriers, cruisers and submarines in the Persian
Gulf.(CC)(TVG)
9:00
PAX-TV - Millennium Fears [This show is either tonight or tomorrow
night.]
PBS - FRONTLINE - "Russian Roulette" - The security and
potential of Russia's nuclear arsenal.(CC)
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Russia Today Daily Brief items (2/23/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 20:48:21 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
RUSSIA RAISES PRESSURE OVER KOSOVO
MOSCOW -- Russia's defense minister raised the specter on Tuesday of a
Vietnam-style war in the heart of Europe if NATO launched strikes to
punish Yugoslavia for any failure to reach agreement at Kosovo peace
talks. http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022301.html?text
REPORT RAPS U.S. PROGRAM TO HELP RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS
WASHINGTON -- The Clinton administration's effort to help Russia adapt
weapons technologies to nonmilitary uses may be supporting scientists
working on weapons of mass destruction, Congress' auditors said in a
report on Monday.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022304.html?text
ISRAELI MINISTER SEES HIS KGB FILE IN RUSSIA
MOSCOW -- Israeli Trade and Industry Minister Natan Sharansky, who was
for years a prisoner of the KGB, met the head of Russia's main
successor to the Soviet secret police on Monday and got a look at his
own file. http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022307.html?text
CHINA PREMIER TO TALK TRADE IN MOSCOW
BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji is likely to give Russia's
flagging economy a shot in the arm during his visit to Moscow this
week with deals on natural gas purchases and the construction of a
nuclear power plant in China.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/business/news/1999022301.html?text
GORBACHEV: FORGIVE US OUR SOVIET DEBT
MOSCOW -- The West should forgive Russia part of its Soviet-era debt
to lift the country out of economic doldrums, Mikhail Gorbachev, who
took out billions of dollars in loans as Soviet president, said in an
interview on Monday.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/business/news/1999022302.html?text
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Fwd: celestial shuffle
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 06:41:19 -0500
From: skyberspace@webtv.net
[Mod Note: Thanks Sky! Got the article just fine.
Interesting stuff, so I'm passing it on . The piece
has been moved, so the complete URL is now
http://www.sptimes.com/News/22099/Worldandnation/Planets_to_put_on_moo.html ]
==========
Hey saints! this is an article than was on the front page of the
St.Petersburg Times, a major Tampa Bay newpaper in Florida. Their url is
http://www.sptimes.com.
The front page piece called , Planets to Put on Moonlit Dance, describes
how Venus and Jupiter will appear to almost join in front of a crescent
moon to form a small bright cluster in front of the moon. The
interesting thing about the article is that Daryl Schrader,a professor
of astronomy at St. Petersburg Junior College, says that this type of
stellar configuration is in his words"...one of the explanations put
forward for the Christmas star, the star of Bethlehem" "We may be
witnessing something similar to what the Magi saw" This article was in
the Saturday,Feb 20 edition should any of you like to access it.The
piece says that Tuesday evening, Feb 23, at dusk in the western sky will
be the best time for seeing these two planets as they can be seen
simultaneously through one telescope.Just an fyi for all of you,
Prayers for you and yours,
Sky
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Feb 24, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 20:21:43 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
8:00 PM Eastern
PBS - SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN FRONTIERS - "Life's Little
Questions" - Alan Alda discovers surprising answers to
trivial questions.(CC)(TVG)
DISC - ALIEN ABDUCTION: THE REAL STORY - Many people tell of
being captured by space creatures.(CC)(TVG)
HIST - ANCIENT ALIENS - Ancient texts refer to
extraterrestrials.(CC)(TVG)
TBS - NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER - ``Mystery Tomb of
Abusir''; ``Seasons of the Salmon''; ``Mother Bear Man'';
``Yukon River.''(CC)(TVG)(Starts 8:05pm) (Ends 10:05pm)
10:00
NBC - LAW & ORDER - "Disciple" - Detectives learn
religion may be linked to the death of a young girl found in
an ER waiting room.(CC)(TV14)
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Inside China Daily Brief items (2/24/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 22:09:13 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS REJECTION OF CHINA SATELLITE LICENSE
WASHINGTON -- The United States said on Tuesday it had rejected a $450
million Hughes satellite deal with a Chinese-led consortium over fears
that sensitive U.S. military technology would get into the hands of
China's army.
http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022403.html?text
MALAYSIA-CHINA SATELLITE CONSORTIUM HAD MILITARY LINKS
SINGAPORE -- An Asian communication consortium whose U.S. satellite
supplier has been blocked from selling technology to the group had
links to the Chinese military when it was launched, project records
show. http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022404.html?text
U.S. SATELLITE INDUSTRY THREATENED AFTER CHINA DECISION
LOS ANGELES -- A U.S. decision to block a major satellite sale to
China may make companies around the world wary of buying American
satellites and jeopardize U.S. dominance in the multibillion dollar
industry, experts and industry sources said on Tuesday.
http://www.insidechina.com/china/business/news/1999022406.html?text
CHINA OPPOSES U.N. FORCE IN MACEDONIA
UNITED NATIONS -- China said on Tuesday it opposed extending the
mandate of U.N. peacekeepers in Macedonia, but left Security Council
members guessing about whether it would use its veto to kill the
force. http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022408.html?text
U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY URGES CHINA TO SEIZE WTO OPPORTUNITY
BEIJING -- U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers urged China
on Tuesday to seize the opportunity to join the World Trade
Organization before fresh global trade negotiations and U.S. elections
get under way.
http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022409.html?text
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - 'Dateline NBC' to air interview of alleged Clinton assault
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 00:40:02 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
`Dateline NBC' to air interview detailing alleged Clinton sex assault
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 _ NBC News on
Wednesday will broadcast an exclusive
television interview on "Dateline NBC" with a
woman who says President Bill Clinton sexually
assaulted her 21 years ago when he was the
attorney general of Arkansas. Juanita Broaddrick
tells her story to NBC News correspondent Lisa
Myers and explains why she is coming forward
now.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/242994.asp
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Arutz-7 news items (2/24/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 00:42:40 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
STRICT DROUGHT MEASURES
Farmers who use more than their quota of water will have their spigots
turned off. The Water Commission's new plan calls for the strict
measures in place of the fines that were levied until now. The
Agricultural Center is against the new plan. "Water quotas should
definitely be cut back, in light of the severe drought," said Yoram
Tamari, in charge of water at the Center, "but cutting off water
altogether could leave fields ands orchards to die and cause
irreparable damage to Israel's agriculture." Agriculture Ministry
experts estimates the damages of this year's drought at 120 million
shekels (almost $30 million).
NEW JEWISH NEIGHBORHOOD IN EASTERN JERUSALEM
The "Settlers of Zion" association, under the sponsorship of MK Rabbi
Benny Elon and the Beit Orot yeshiva in eastern Jerusalem, has
recently acquired six new homes in the Shimon HaTzaddik neighborhood
of the city. Members of the association moved into the buildings, not
far from the American Consulate, last week. A large part of the
Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood there was owned by Jews in the past, but
was abandoned during the War of Independence. Unmarried students are
temporarily living in the homes - which were legally acquired in
video-taped transactions - and families and married couples are
scheduled to move in very soon. The Palestinian Authority did not
react to the neighborhoods' old-new residents, as opposed to previous
similar cases.
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Wednesday, February 24, 1999 / Adar 8, 5759
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Amateurs can track secret spy satellites
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 05:46:04 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Amateurs can track secret spy satellites
Using maps, Internet, binoculars, hobbyists chart routes around globe
By Vernon Loeb / Washington Post
EL PASO, Texas -- As Operation Desert Fox unfolded in December and the
Pentagon released reconnaissance photographs taken from space of
destroyed Iraqi targets, retired CIA scientist Allen Thomson sat at
his home computer in El Paso and produced a schedule of classified
U.S. satellite overpasses of Baghdad from the hour the bombing began.
Thomson was not trying to alert Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but to
underscore a point he has been making for years about supersecret U.S.
spy satellites: They aren't so secret anymore.
A global network of satellite watchers post on the Internet the
orbital paths and schedules of the five known U.S. spy imagery
satellites. Anyone with a personal computer and a basic understanding
of astronomy, from foreign intelligence agencies to weekend hobbyists,
can calculate when these billion-dollar birds will pass over any point
on Earth, and observe them as points of light hundreds of miles high
in the night sky.
"Here it comes! Oh, it's bright!" Curtis Roelle, a computer engineer,
exclaimed one recent night as a secret, radar-imaging Lacrosse
satellite raced through the heavens above his home in Howard County,
Md. Roelle charted the satellite's course using the same software and
Internet data Thomson used to track U.S. spy satellites over Baghdad.
When the U.S. government stopped publishing orbital data of spy
satellites back in 1983, Thomson said, a handful of amateur satellite
watchers, armed with nothing more than celestial charts, stopwatches
and binoculars, became more determined than ever.
"People said, "If the U.S. is not going to tell us where its secret
satellites are, by God, we'll go out and find them,' " Thomson said.
"And by God, they did."
Six years ago, Thomson wrote a paper for general publication arguing
that these easily tracked spy satellites could be fooled by simple
concealment techniques -- such as hiding equipment during the hours
that satellites are overhead -- and would be vulnerable someday to
anti-satellite weapons. At the time, the agency responsible for
operating spy satellites, the National Reconnaissance Office, tried to
block the paper's publication.
Rick Oborn, a spokesman, acknowledged that U.S. satellites are the
subject of concealment schemes. "Some people do try to hide things as
part of the age-old intelligence cat-and-mouse game. However, we do
our best to complicate those efforts and gather data for our
customers," he said.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials are turning to a booming industry in
commercial imagery to help fill gaps in target coverage and to produce
highly detailed battle maps still lacking for much of the globe. The
National Imagery and Mapping Agency recently awarded its first
multimillion-dollar contract for commercial satellite imagery to three
private companies, Orbital Sciences Corp., Space Imaging and
Earthwatch Inc. All three are scheduled to launch high-resolution
commercial imaging satellites this year.
Tracking 'spies in the sky'
The U.S. Space Command routinely tracks about 8,000 satellites in
space.
* Of those 8,000, 200 belong to the U.S. military and intelligence
community and are worth an estimated $100 billion.
* Enthusiasts can track spy satellites from Russia, China, France and
Israel -- the other countries that control overhead imagery from space
-- using orbital data published by the U.S. government.
Copyright 1999, The Detroit News
http://detnews.com:80/1999/technology/9902/24/02240184.htm
via: Insane Science Mailing List
isml@onelist.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Feb 25, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 20:46:11 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
8:00 PM Eastern
HIST - ASTEROIDS! - Space rocks; past collisions;
future threats.(CC)(TVG)
10:00
DISC - INTO THE UNKNOWN - "Supernatural Beings" - Legendary
creatures challenge the scientific
community.(CC)(TVPG)
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Purim 1999
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 20:51:30 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
PURIM, MARCH 1999
(Communicated by the GPO News Department)
Purim, one of Judaism's more colorful and popular
holidays, is celebrated this year between sunset on
Monday, 1 March, and sunset on Tuesday, 2 March, in
most of Israel -- excluding Jerusalem and a few other
cities where Purim will be celebrated from sunset on
Tuesday, 2 March, until sunset on Wednesday, 3 March
(see below). Purim is not a public holiday in Israel, but
many offices, shops, and public institutions will operate
on a reduced basis. Schools will be closed, but public
transportation will operate as usual, and newspapers will
be published.
Background to Purim
Purim commemorates the events described in the Book
of Esther. In Esther 3:8, the anti-Semitic Haman, Grand
Vizier of the Persian Empire, tells Persian King
Ahasuerus that, "There is a certain people scattered
abroad and dispersed among all the peoples... in your
kingdom. Their laws are different from those of every
people, neither do they keep the king's laws. Therefore,
it does the king no profit to suffer them. If it please the
king, let it be written that they be destroyed..." Thus,
Haman coined one of the most infamous anti-Semitic
canards: that the Jews are a clannish and alien people
who do not obey the laws of the land. At Haman's
contrivance, a decree is then issued for all Jews in the
Persian Empire to be massacred. But, as the Book of
Esther subsequently relates, Haman's plot was foiled and,
"The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor...a
feast and a good day." (8:16-17)
Throughout the centuries, Purim -- which celebrates the
miraculous salvation of the Jews and the thwarting of
Haman's genocidal plot -- has traditionally symbolized
the victory of the Jewish People over anti-Semitic
tyranny. As such, Purim is a happy, carnival-like
holiday.
The Fast of Esther
Monday, 1 March, is a fast day known as the Fast of
Esther, commemorating the fact that Queen Esther -- the
heroine of the Book of Esther -- and the entire Persian
Jewish community fasted (4:16) in advance of Queen
Esther's appeal for King Ahasuerus not to implement
Haman's plot. The fast will extend from before sunrise
in the morning until sunset. Special prayers and
scriptural readings are inserted in the synagogue service.
Purim
After sunset on Monday, 1 March, festive prayers will
take place in synagogues, where the Book of Esther will
also be read aloud. It is customary for people, especially
children, to come to synagogue dressed in costume.
During the reading of the Book of Esther, whenever
Haman's name is mentioned, congregants traditionally
make as much noise as possible in order to drown out his
name -- a reflection of God's promise (Exodus 17:14) to,
"blot out," the Amalekite nation, of which Haman was a
descendant; special Purim noisemakers, typically very
simple, but often elaborate and costly, are used for this
purpose. During morning prayers on the following day,
the Book of Esther will be read again.
On Purim, Jews are enjoined by the Book of Esther
(9:22) to send gifts of food to each other, make special
contributions to the poor, and have a festive holiday
meal in the late morning or afternoon. To this end, the
day is also marked by collections for various charities,
and by people visiting neighbors and friends to deliver
baskets of food, prominent among which are small,
three-cornered, fruit-filled pastries known as Oznei
Haman in Hebrew (Haman's ears) or Hamantaschen in
Yiddish (Haman's pockets).
At the festive meal, some maintain the custom of
becoming so inebriated that they cannot distinguish
between, "Blessed is Mordechai," (Esther's uncle and the
hero of the Book of Esther) and, "Cursed is Haman."
Shushan Purim
In Jerusalem, Purim is celebrated a day later, that is,
from sunset on Tuesday, 2 March, until sunset on
Wednesday, 3 March; accordingly, all Purim-related
observances are delayed by one day. This practice
originates from the fact that an extra day was prescribed
for the Jews of Shushan (the modern Susa, one of the
Persian Empire's four capitals) to defend themselves
against their enemies. This second day is known as
Shushan Purim. As mentioned in the Book of Esther
itself (9:16-19), Jews living in walled cities (later defined
by rabbinical authorities to mean walled cities at the time
that Joshua entered the Land of Israel) celebrate Purim
one day later than Jews living in unwalled cities. There
are several such cities in Israel where Shushan Purim is
celebrated. In some cities whose status is in doubt, the
Book of Esther will actually be read on on both days.
In many places in Israel, Purim is marked by special
parades; the most famous of these will take place in Tel
Aviv. Many kindergartens, schools, synagogues, and
towns will also host special Purim parties and carnivals.
via: Israel Government Press Office <gpo@pmo.gov.il>
.
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Weekend News Today--religion items (2/24/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 21:00:23 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Vatican: Israel, PA should spread 2000 wealth
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: TampaBay Online
Wed Feb 24 , 1999 -- Any commercial benefits from an
anticipated mass pilgrimage to the Holy Land for the millennium
should be equally divided between Israel and the Palestinians, the
Vatican envoy to the region said Wednesday. Monsignor Pietro Sambi,
addressing a meeting of the Interreligious Coordinating Council in
Israel, said the Roman Catholic Church has been coordinating with
other churches on the anticipated influx of visitors. "The churches
hope that commercial benefits will be evenly distributed among all
sectors of the community, both in Israel and in the Palestinian
Territories, ... Such benefits should also reach the poor.'' Sambi
said. Palestinian official Nabil Kassis, who is in charge of
millennium festivities for Bethlehem, said Wednesday that 2000
celebrations are helping "jump-start'' economic development for the
Palestinian-run city.
Pope John Paul II has encouraged Catholics to celebrate 2000 as a way
of seeking spiritual renewal and said it should be "celebrated not
only in Rome, but also in the land which is rightly called 'Holy'
because it was there that Jesus was born and died.'' Between 3
million and 4 million pilgrims are expected to travel to the Holy
Land. The Vatican was the host for a Bethlehem 2000 event last week,
attended by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. It was aimed at
reinforcing the papal endorsement of Holy Land pilgrimage.
Arafat complained at the event that Israel was attempting to
discourage pilgrims from staying overnight in Palestinian areas,
depriving the Palestinians of hotel dollars. Vatican officials seemed
sympathetic to his complaints. Israel denied it is discouraging
tourism to Palestinian areas and said it had not been invited to
attend the Bethlehem 2000 event. Also Wednesday, the United States
Agency for International Development launched a $8 million road works
project in Bethlehem. Along with construction and road repair, money
will go to cover landscaping, side walks, benches, tourist
information signs and lighting.
PA citizen claims to be the awaited prophet
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arabic News
Wed Feb 24 , 1999 -- The Palestinian police in Jenin arrested a
Palestinian citizen who alleges being the coming El-Mahdi (guide or
prophet).Palestinian informed sources said this young man, named Omar
Mohammed Ali, from the new village in Jenin in the northern West Bank
distributed a statement among press officials in which he said that he is
"the anticipated El-Mahdi" and that he will "rescue the
world from evil." The sources said the Palestinian young man has
recently graduated from an Indian university, and he is now being
investigated to check his mental stability.
Weekend News Today
http://upway.com/cgi-bin/went
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Weekend News Today--ME items (2/24/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 21:07:53 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Saudi, Jordanian contacts
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arabic News
Wed Feb 24 , 1999 -- Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz
on Monday received a message from Jordanian Crown Prince Hamzeh Bin
al-Hussein. The message was delivered by the Jordanian ambassador to
Saudi Arabia during his meeting with the Saudi crown prince in Riyadh
on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Crown Prince Abdullah met with the
Jordanian ministerial delegation currently visiting Saudi Arabia
chaired by Minister of State for Development Affairs Taher Kanaan. The
Jordanian delegation held a series of meetings with Saudi ministers
with the objective of fostering bilateral cooperation between the two
countries in various economic, commercial and investment fields. Saudi
Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal met on Monday in Riyadh with
the Jordanian ministerial delegation currently visiting Saudi Arabia.
Fields of cooperation and relations between the two countries were
reviewed.
EU-PA cooperation not limited to economy
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arabic News
Wed Feb 24,1999 -- German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said on
Monday that cooperationbetween the Palestinian government and the
European Union was not restricted to the economic sector. Addressing
a joint news conference with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat
following joint talks, Schroeder said new steps related to
cooperation would be announced after the conclusion of necessary
talks with other European Union states and the United States. As to
his talks with Arafat, Schroeder said they covered issues of common
concern and the promotion of economic and political support to the
Palestinians, as well as ways to encourage German companies invest in
Palestinian territories.
He said the talks also covered the Middle East peace process,
pointing out in this regard that his country and all other EU member
states were in favor of implementing the signed accords without delay
and without conditions. Schroeder said he would also discuss the
Middle East peace process with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak when
the latter visits Bonn on Wednesday. Arafat said his visit to
Germany, the current president of the European Union, aimed at
promoting the Middle East peace process. While in Bonn, Arafat also
discussed with Arab ambassadors the latest political developments in
the region.
Canada to sign trade agreement with Palestines
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack <
Source: Arabic News
Wed Feb 24 , 1999 -- Canada will sign a number of trade and economic
agreements with the Palestinian government.The agreement will be
signed by Canadian International Trade Minister Sergio Marchi,
Palestinian Radio monitored in Amman quoted an official at the
diplomatic mission in Gaza as saying. The minister will arrive in
Gaza next Friday within a tour that will also include Saudi Arabia
and the United Arab Emirates. He will be accompanied by
representatives of 44 Canadian firms. He will also inaugurate the
Canadian mission in Ramallah. Canada chairs the Middle East peace
refugees committee.
King Hassan calls international community to denounce Israel's
extremism
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arabic News
Wed Feb 24 , 1999 -- King Hassan II denounced Israel's
occupation of Jerusalem (Al-Quds) since 1967, and the Israeli policy
to obliterate the Arab-Islamic identity of the city as "a
religious war waged by Israeli extremists against the inhabitants of
Al-Quds and the shared civilization legacy." The King's statement
came in a message to participants in an international conference on
"the Future of Arab Jerusalem" which opened this Tuesday in
Casablanca in the presence of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. The
king stated that, "The unfair occupation of Al-Quds is no reason
for obliterating its features," calling for international
opinion's attention over the dangers entailed by the Israeli policy
and over "the blatant and unfair" attempts to change the
Arab-Islamic features of the city, in violation of international law
and in defiance of the conventions signed by the Israeli government
itself.
King Hassan II denounced the intransigence of the current
Israeli government which he said evades its commitments and thinks
that it will impose on the Palestinian people a capitulation in the
shape of peace. The King, who chairs the standing Al-Quds committee
stemming from the Organization of Islamic Conference, warned that
there will be no co-existence nor peace in this city unless the
Palestinian people's right to liberate their territories and establish
an independent state with Al Quds as its capital is recognized, unless
all Judaization measures are canceled, and unless all attempts to
exclude the other are given up. "There is no other way to fulfill
this goal than abide by the international decisions, conventions and
accords concluded to this end in order to create a climate based on
tolerance, awareness of all sides to the need to co-exist and to
achieve common progress and development in the frame of an
understanding guaranteeing everybody's rights," King Hassan II
stated.
For the sovereign, the colloquy, attended by top figures,
is an opportunity to inform the international opinion and consolidate
the will of dialogue so as to bring the peace process out of the
present deadlock. After he insisted that the issue of Al-Quds is part
and parcel of the whole Mideast peace process and that the city should
remain a meeting point of the revealed religions and a space of
co-existence, he called participants to deepen analysis and study,
undertake a common action so that Al-Quds preserves its identity,
remains faithful to its Arab-Islamic history and consolidates the
foundations of its future on the basis of co-existence between the
revealed religions and their common values.
The sovereign arguedthat the Islamic nation's concern over the city
is not the result of religious extremism because Islam is not a
religion of war or violence. King Hassan II expressed confidence that
hope will triumph over despair, that the number of peace champions
will continue to grow and that the international community, embodied
in organizations and institutions, will guarantee the rights of the
Palestinian people. The three-day conference is sponsored by the
Paris-based center for Euro-Arab studies, in cooperation with the
Jeddah-based OIC, the European Commission, the Arab League and the
World Islamic League. It is bringing together researchers from Arab,
Islamic and European countries.
Weekend News Today
http://upway.com/cgi-bin/went
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Weekend News Today--environmental items (2/24/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 21:12:53 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
South Africa: 90 percent of lions in Kruger park infected with TB
Weekend News Today
By Staff Writer
Source: Foxnews
Wed Feb 24,1999 -- More than 90 percent of the lions tested in
the southern part of Kruger National Park, one of the world's largest
game reserves, are infected with tuberculosis, AP reported. TB is
suspected of cutting the number of adult lions in one area from 25 to
12 in less than 2 1/2 years. The buffalo began contracting bovine TB
by mingling with infected cattle in the 1950s, before the park's
southern boundary was fenced off. The fatal disease spread north over
the years. Lions contract the disease by devouring infected buffalo.
Conservation officers are considering an ambitious plan to halt the
spread of tuberculosis in lions and Cape buffalo.
Amazon jungle: Heavy rains flood villages, cause killer landslides
Weekend News Today
By Staff Writer
Source: Foxnews
Wed Feb 24 , 1999 --Heavy rains began pounding the remote
Amazon jungle region in January and intensified this month, flooding
six villages on the Utcubamba and Maranon rivers. A torrent of mud
and boulders loosened by rain rushed down a hillside and buried a
hamlet in Peru's Amazon jungle, killing 15 people, a civil defense
official said Wednesday.
Afghanistan: Mysterious epidemic claims at least 150 lives
Weekend News Today
By Staff Writer
Source: Foxnews
Wed Feb 24 , 1999 -- Some 2,000 cases of a mysterious disease
have been reported in a mountainous area near Afghanistan's border
with Tajikistan, AP reported. United Nations experts will arrive in
northern Afghanistan this week to probe the mysterious epidemic that
so far has killed at least 150 people, the World Health Organization
said Tuesday. The disease has been reported in at least 18 villages,
most of them extremely remote.
Europe hit by 'white death'; Thousands trapped by worst
snow in 40 years
Weekend News Today
By Staff Writer
Source: Yahoo!
Wed Feb 24 , 1999 -- A new avalanche struck an Austrian ski
resort Wednesday close to the village of Galtuer where at least 16
people died Tuesday, Reuters reported. The confirmed death toll
across the continent from this month's freak snowfalls has risen to
at least 49.
The latest avalanche was said to be about 218 yards
wide and as much as 33 feet high. The death toll from the 16-foot
wall of snow that smashed through Galtuer roughly 24 hours earlier
rose to 16, including three children, with 26 people still missing.
Some 20,000 people have been trapped in resorts across western
Austria for up to a week by the worst snow in 40 years.
In Switzerland too, helicopters were racing to fly out thousands of
stranded people including around 40,000 trapped in the eastern ski
resorts of Davos and Klosters. The Swiss death toll from recent
avalanches climbed to 10 as three more bodies were recovered.
In France, police said one of two hikers missing for four days in the
Pyrenees had died in hospital a few hours after he and his partner
were rescued.
In Germany, about 100 people were evacuated from a Bavarian ski
resort after two avalanches came down.
Snow and floods submerged roads and railways in Romania, where over
50,000 acres of farmland near the Hungarian border were under water
and 600 houses were damaged.
Weekend News Today
http://upway.com/cgi-bin/went
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Russia Today Daily Briefs (2/25/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 21:14:27 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
RUSSIA REJECTS TOUGH U.S. TALK OVER IRAN
MOSCOW -- Russia said on Thursday it would not accept being talked to
in the "language of sanctions and pressure" in a dispute with the
United States over nuclear cooperation with Iran.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022501.html?text
YELTSIN WELCOMES CHINESE PREMIER TO KREMLIN
MOSCOW -- Russian President Boris Yeltsin warmly welcomed China's
Premier Zhu Rongji to the Kremlin on Thursday to discuss relations
between their two huge countries.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022502.html?text
U.S. OFFICIAL DEFENDS AID TO RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS
MOSCOW -- In a research city in central Russia so secret it appears on
no map, nuclear scientists are now working for Intel, designing
computer software for the next generation of 3D video games.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022503.html?text
CIA WARNS OF Y2K PROBLEMS IN RUSSIA, CHINA
WASHINGTON -- The year 2000 computer bug problem could cause havoc in
some countries, ranging from defective nuclear reactors and early
warning systems in Russia to banking glitches in China, the CIA said
on Wednesday.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022504.html?text
ANALYSTS SAY POLITICS RIDDLED WITH CRIME
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- The indictment of Yury Shutov, a local
deputy charged with ordering the murder of seven businessmen, shows
the degree to which criminal groups have infested Russian politics,
analysts said.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022509.html?text
COMMUNIST HEAD ZYUGANOV SAYS ALBRIGHT SHAMES WOMEN
MOSCOW -- The head of Russia's Communist Party said on Wednesday U.S.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright had brought shame to all
womankind through what he called her unnatural warmongering.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022516.html?text
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Inside China Daily Briefs (2/25/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 21:17:48 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
CHINA TO CANCEL MACEDONIA'S U.N. PEACE FORCE BY VETO
UNITED NATIONS -- China plans to use its Security Council veto on
Thursday to kill a U.N. peacekeeping force in Macedonia, mainly
because of the former Yugoslav republic's new relations with Taiwan.
http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022502.html?text
CHINA: U.S. SATELLITE BAN WILL SOUR TIES
BEIJING -- China protested on Thursday against a U.S. decision to
block a satellite sale to a Chinese-led group and said it would sour
ties already strained ahead of a visit by Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright (pictured in archive photo).
http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022503.html?text
CHINA BROADCASTS GRAMMYS LIVE FOR FIRST TIME
BEIJING -- China has for the first time broadcast live the Grammy
Awards ceremony in the United States, despite the state's mistrust of
rock music. http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022508.html?text
U.S. SENATE TO CONDEMN CHINESE HUMAN RIGHTS
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Senate is poised to urge the Clinton
administration to promote a resolution condemning China for human
rights abuses at the U.N. Human Rights Commission meeting in Geneva
next month, a senator and a senior State Department official said on
Wednesday. http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022510.html?text
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Seal of God
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 22:23:31 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
The Jews speak much of the seal of God; which may not be impertinently
remembered at this time. "What is the seal of the holy blessed God? R.
Bibai, in the name of R. Reuben, saith, Truth. But what is truth? R.
Bon saith, The living God and King eternal. Resh Lachish saith, Aleph
is the first letter of the alphabet, Mem the middle, and Tav the last:
q.d. I the Lord am the first; I received nothing of any one; and
beside me there is no God: for there is not any that intermingles with
me; and I am with the last."
There is a story of the great synagogue weeping, praying, and fasting;
"At length there was a little scroll fell from the firmament to them,
in which was written, Truth. R. Chaninah saith, Hence learn that truth
is the seal of God."
We may easily apply all this to Christ, who is "the way, the truth,
and the life," John 14:6: he is the express image of his Father, the
truth of the Father; whom the Father, by his seal and diploma, hath
confirmed and ratified; as the great ruler both of his kingdom and
family.
(A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, John
Lightfoot)
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items (2/25/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 22:31:56 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
*** U.S. accused of undermining tribunal
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Human rights groups accused the U.S. Wednesday
of trying to undermine the world's first permanent war crimes
tribunal. The U.S. voted against the treaty establishing the
International Criminal Court last July, but it has the right to
participate in preparatory meetings for the tribunal. During the
inaugural two-week session, which ends Friday, the U.S. submitted a
list of proposed "elements" that would constitute genocide, war crimes
and crimes against humanity. The Lawyers Committee for Human Rights
accused the U.S. of trying to redefine these international crimes and
insert elements which would restrict the court's reach. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558582938-889
*** Russian anti-Semitism said rising
WASHINGTON (AP) - Anti-Semitism is growing in Russia, kindled by
economic distress and fueled by political parties on both the right
and left, Jewish leaders told members of Congress. "Again, history has
shown the enduring appeal of anti-Semitism as a political weapon in
this part of the world, especially during periods of transition,"
David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee,
said Wednesday at a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations European
affairs subcommittee. Those who testified identified bombed
synagogues, desecrated cemeteries, Nazi-style demonstrations and, most
ominously, blatantly anti-Jewish rhetoric from some of Russia's top
political leaders as symptoms of the phenomenon. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558579277-37b
*** Italy OKs in vitro for unmarrieds
ROME (AP) - Italy's lower house voted Wednesday to allow in vitro
fertilization for married and unmarried couples despite pressure from
political parties with strong Roman Catholic ties. Less than three
weeks ago, the Chamber of Deputies overturned a key provision of a
package that would regulate artificial procreation by refusing to
allow insemination with donor sperm. That pleased pro-church forces,
but Wednesday's vote irritated the Vatican. Its official newspaper,
L'Osservatore Romano, called the passage of the measure a vote against
"normal families." Roman Catholic church teaching forbids the use of
artificial fertilization, including in vitro methods. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558579743-c23
*** Surgery shown on experimental net
WASHINGTON (AP) - In a live demonstration of the promise of a
superfast Internet, a physician in Washington collaborated Wednesday
night over a special high-speed network with surgeons working on a
patient at a hospital in Ohio. The remote "operation" took place over
the $500 million Abilene Network, a new data pipeline that links more
than three dozen research universities nationwide. It works at speeds
45,000 times faster than the best telephone modems that people now use
to surf the Web. At 2.4 gigabits a second, the computer connection is
faster than all but a few experimental federal government networks. It
was largely financed privately by corporations and is run by a
nonprofit group based in Washington. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558582677-511
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Feb 26, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 20:33:11 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
8:00 PM Eastern
DISC - OZ ENCOUNTERS: UFOS IN AUSTRALIA - Researchers
investigate alien sightings and encounters.(CC)(TVPG)
HIST - RIDDLE OF THE ZODIAC - Scholars debate whether
astrology is baseless superstition or basic
truth.(CC)(TVG)
9:00
DISC - DISCOVERY NEWS - (CC)
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - China News Digest items (2/26/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 20:42:34 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Defense Minister's Visit to Pakistan Strengthens Ties
[CND, 02/25/99] General CHI Haotian, the Chinese Defense Minister,
ended his four-day visit to Pakistan Monday, AFP reported. The trip
was highlighted by Chi's talks with Pakistan President Muhammad Rafiq
Tarar, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz and
other senior civil and military leaders.
Aziz labeled the high-profile visit the beginning of "a new phase of
relationship" and added that the "strong ties both in the defense and
economic fields at this particular time is of great importance" to
Pakistan and China. Meanwhile, Pakistan and India held a historical
weekend summit in Lahore, which, as expressed by Chi during his stay,
was supported by Chinese government for its intention for peace and
security in South Asia. (Jim YU, YIN De An)
Beijing Urges Public to "Expose Hidden Enemies"
[CND, 02/25/99] Beijing urged the public to help security departments
"expose hidden enemies," signaling a strong campaign against dissent,
AFP and the South China Morning Post reported, quoting Monday's Legal
Daily editorial.
"Enemies outside the country have never stopped their activities of
endangering China's state security. These hostile elements always hide
under a legal and open cover to carry out their secret and illegal
activity. The special organs of the Government should get the people's
support and assistance to expose our enemies and give them no place to
hide, " said the editorial.
The call came just 11 days before the National People's Congress
meeting, which is to debate the replacement of "counter-revolutionary"
crime with "acts against state security" crime in the constitution.
President JIANG Zemin ordered officials to pay closer attention to
state security and be more alert about destabilizing factors,
especially on such occasions as the tenth anniversary of the June 4
crackdown and the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the People's
Republic on October 1. Authorities have tightened security and
cracked down on the outlawed China Democracy Party (CDP) with
detentions of several CDP members in various cities. (Shiji SHEN, YIN
De An)
C h i n a N e w s D i g e s t
(Global News, No. GL99-025)
Friday, February 26, 1999
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - US liable to postpone Israeli aid
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 20:48:35 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
US LIABLE TO POSTPONE ISRAELI AID UNDER WYE ACCORD
The US administration is examining the possibility of
dissociating the aid to Israel from the aid to the Palestinians and
Jordan under the Wye accord.
If it is decided, the $1.2 billion financing Israel was to
receive for re-deployment will be delayed, since Israel has not pulled
out of the Territories. On the other hand, the Palestinians will
receive the $300 million aid promised them, plus a promise to turn it
into long term aid, similar to the aid Israel has received annually
since the 70s.
The US administration's initiative will be combined with
political benefits the Palestinians will receive in exchange for
postponing the declaration of the establishment of an independent
Palestinian state, from May 4, 1999 to a later date. In negotiations
now taking place, agreement is being formed to postpone the
declaration, following an official approach by the "Oslo countries" to
Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat, asking him to postpone
the declaration by six months. The Oslo countries include those that
provided patronage of the agreement, including the US and the European
Union. (By Ora Coren, Globes, February 21, 1999)
Bridges for Peace
Feb 26, 1999
http://www.bridgesforpeace.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - 45 days (Dan 12:11-12)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 22:43:07 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Daniel 12:11-12
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and
the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand
two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to
the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
1335 minus 1290 = 45 days
=================
[Commentary on John 7:27]
27. Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no
man knoweth whence he is.
[When Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.] How doth this agree
with verse 42, and with Matthew 2:5, 6? They doubted not, indeed, but
he should give the first manifestation of himself from Bethlehem; but
then they supposed he would be hid again; and after some space of time
make a new appearance, from what place no one could tell.
Jewish authors tell you, that Christ, before their times, had indeed
been born in Bethlehem, but immediately snatched away they knew not
whither, and so hid that he could not be found. We related the whole
story before in our notes at Matthew 2:1.
Their conceptions in this thing we have explained to us in Midras
Schir: "'My beloved is like a roe or a young hart,' Canticles 2:9. A
roe appears and is hid, appears and is hid again. So our first
redeemer [Moses] appeared and was hid, and at length appeared again.
So our latter Redeemer [Messiah] shall be revealed to them, and shall
be hid again from them; and how long shall he be hid from them?" &c. A
little after; "In the end of forty-five days he shall be revealed
again, and cause manna to descend amongst them."
Revelation 2:17--He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I
give to eat of the hidden manna...
They conceive a twofold manifestation of the Messiah; the first, in
Bethlehem; but will straightway disappear and lie hid. At length he
will shew himself; but from what place and at what time that will be,
no one knew. In his first appearance in Bethlehem, he should do
nothing that was memorable; in his second was the hope and expectation
of the nation. The Jews therefore who tell our Saviour here, that
"when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is," whether they knew
him to have been born at Bethlehem or no, yet by his wonderful works
they conceive this to have been the second manifestation of himself:
and therefore only doubt whether he should be the Messiah or no,
because they knew the place [Nazareth] from whence he came; having
been taught by tradition, that Messiah should come the second time
from a place perfectly unknown to all men.
(Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, John
Lightfoot)
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Russia Today Daily Brief items (2/26/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 22:45:20 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
MOSCOW POLICE RAID CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY
MOSCOW -- Dozens of police raided at least two offices of the Los
Angeles-based Church of Scientology in Moscow for an inspection on
Thursday that lasted from early morning until late night, officials
said. http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022602.html?text
U.S. PROPOSES NUCLEAR MISSILE WATCH WITH RUSSIA
WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon said on Thursday it invited Russian experts
to visit Colorado late this year and remain into 2000 to share warning
data on nuclear missile launches because of possible false computer
signals. http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022603.html?text
RUSSIA-BELARUS UNION: THE ROAD IS LONG...
MOSCOW -- Russian and Belarus leaders reviewed Thursday their plans to
re-unify the two former Soviet republics, but a top official warned
that the longed-for union was still a long way off.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999022604.html?text
RUSSIA SEALS $400M WORLD BANK ROADS LOAN
MOSCOW -- Russia and the World Bank signed an agreement on Friday for
the bank to lend Russia $400 million (363.6 million euros) to improve
a nationwide web of poorly constructed roads.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/business/news/1999022601.html?text
MASLYUKOV EYES IMF DEAL IN MARCH
MOSCOW -- Russian First Deputy Finance Minister Mikhail Kasyanov said
in an interview published on Friday that he hoped a deal with the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) could be reached in March.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/business/news/1999022603.html?text
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Inside China Today Daily Brief items (2/26/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 00:24:05 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
CHINA ISSUES VEILED THREAT OF ARMS BUILD-UP
LONDON -- China has made a veiled threat to transfer missile
technology to third countries if Washington persists with a
controversial plan to provide a missile defense shield for some of
China's neighbors, including its rival Taiwan, the Financial Times
newspaper said on Friday.
http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022601.html?text
U.S. FIRST LADY INVITES CHINESE WOMEN FOR CULTURAL EXCHANGE
BEIJING -- U.S. First Lady Hillary Clinton has invited a 15-member
delegation of Chinese women on a cultural exchange visit to Washington
from Saturday, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022603.html?text
CHINA USES MACEDONIA VETO, U.N. URGES NEW APPROACH
UNITED NATIONS -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan (pictured in archive
photo) said on Thursday "a new approach" might have to be adopted
concerning Macedonia after China used its Security Council veto to
block the renewal of a U.N. peacekeeping force in the former Yugoslav
republic. http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022606.html?text
U.S. SENATE APPROVES RESOLUTION AGAINST CHINA'S HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Senate, seeking to send a message to the U.N.
Commission on Human Rights meeting in Geneva, unanimously approved a
resolution on Thursday that condemned China for "human rights abuses."
http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022607.html?text
TOP U.S. AMBASSADORIAL CANDIDATES FOR CHINA REJECT JOB OFFER
WASHINGTON -- The top candidates for the U.S. ambassadorship in China
have turned down the offer, reflecting a growing unease over relations
between the two countries, the New York Times reported Thursday.
http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022609.html?text
CHINA ORGANIZES PUBERTY CEREMONIES FOR GIRLS
BEIJING -- China has organized more puberty ceremonies for girls where
teenage health will be discussed, the state-run Xinhua news agency
said on Thursday.
http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999022610.html?text
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Pilgrim microchip IDs/Vatican prepares for millennium
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 07:04:12 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
02:03 PM ET 02/26/99
Vatican Prepares for Millennium
By ELLEN KNICKMEYER
Associated Press Writer
VATICAN CITY (AP) _ Hurtling into the third millennium, the Vatican promised Friday to provide the anticipated 30 million visitors for Christianity's 2000 Jubilee with pilgrim microchip IDs, a pilgrim database and a pilgrim Web site.
The high-tech measures will help keep next year's influx to Rome from becoming an unholy mess _ allowing the faithful from all over the world to set aside worries about language differences, reservations and bus routes and concentrate on the spiritual.
``The pilgrim can live in the spiritual moment in a serene and sure manner, without running the risk of finding himself tossed around by the thousand situations,'' said Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, who is overseeing the debut of the microchip-equipped Pilgrim Card.
Organizers plan to issue at least 12 million of the cards, expected to cost users between $5 and $28, depending on what services they opt for.
Using the card will assure pilgrims a spot in papal audiences, church services or other events in the yearlong calendar of celebrations for the start of Christianity's third millennium.
The faithful won't have to have a card to get into any of the church events, organizers stressed _ it will just make doing so more convenient.
The microchip will also carry any key health data of the bearer, easing worries about attacks of anything from allergies to pacemaker trouble in a foreign land.
Other bonuses of the higher-cost cards are free use of subway, buses and other transport, cut rates for phone calls, and discounts throughout the Jubilee Year.
The travel-minded among the faithful can use the card in conjunction with the new Jubilee Web page to choose and reserve spots in the millennium events.
For stay-at-homes, though, it'll be just like they were here _ thanks to the new Jubilee Web page, showed off by programmers Friday in a building near St. Peter's Square.
``Then we can `click' on our father ... '' said Sister Evelyn, clicking her computer mouse on the Web page to draw forth the rumbling voice of Pope John Paul II, reciting a prayer in Latin. ``And we can pray together with our father!''
Not counting Latin, the Web site offers Jubilee information in seven languages _ Italian, French, English, German, Portuguese, Spanish and Polish _ and is expected to add Russian, Chinese and Arabic.
Pushing the technological boundaries of the material world is nothing new for the church, Sepe said _ in 1932, Pope Pius XI personally supervised the debut of the Vatican's first short-wave radio system.
Church leaders already have had trouble with an unauthorized Web site on John Paul's U.S. visit last month that had links to sexually explicit material.
Look-alikes and sound-alikes to the Jubilee Web site _ Jubil2000.org _ are providing further evidence that on the Internet, nothing is sacred.
Operators of a Web site advocating radical means to revive the dormant aims of '60s activists have laid claim to a similar address _ Jubilee2000.org _ offering manifold opportunities for confusion for the unwary 'Net surfer.
http://www.infobeat.com
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - This Week in Germany items
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 07:07:32 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
ARAFAT RECEIVES PLEDGE OF SUPPORT IN BONN
President Yassir Arafat of the Palestinian Autonomous Regions received
promises of continued German and EU support this week during a brief
visit to Bonn. Arafat and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder reportedly
devoted most of their meeting Monday (February 22) to the Middle East
peace process. Speaking with the press afterwards in his capacity as
both chancellor and president of the EU Council, Schroeder stressed
that Germany and its EU partners are firmly agreed that the Oslo and
Wye accords must be carried out in full by the Israelis and
Palestinians alike. The EU states, in close cooperation with the U.S.,
will do what it can to aid the peace process, the chancellor said.
Beyond political support from the EU, the Palestinians can also count
on continued development aid from Germany. German assistance,
Schroeder reported, will be focused on vocational training and water
supply projects. While in Bonn, Arafat repeated his intention to
proclaim an independent Palestinian state on May 4 with the end of the
transition period agreed to in Oslo. That announcement came a week
after Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer urged Arafat to forego such a
move in the interest of the peace process.
G-7 TO CREATE 'STABILITY FORUM' TO MONITOR MARKETS: EUROPE AND JAPAN
URGED TO STIMULATE GROWTH
Germany and the other G-7 industrial nations took a step over the
weekend toward acting to avert international financial crises, though
not quite as large a step as Federal Finance Minister Oskar Lafontaine
had hoped. Lafontaine was both host of the two-day meeting of finance
ministers and central bankers - Germany currently holds the chair of
the G-7 as well as the presidency of the European Union - and chief
advocate of a proposal to create a target zone for exchange rates
between the euro, the U.S. dollar and the yen. Holding exchange rates
between the three currencies would add stability to international
financial markets and help prevent the sort of troubles now afflicting
many Asian and Latin American economies, Lafontaine has argued in
recent months (TWIG 11/20/98, p.4). While none of his colleagues
disputed the desirability of greater stability in the international
financial system, they opted for a more modest plan put forward by
Bundesbank President Hans Tietmeyer. The "forum for financial market
stability" Tietmeyer outlined Saturday (February 20) is intended as an
early warning system to keep watch for potentially disruptive
developments. Tietmeyer was asked at a G-7 meeting last fall to draw
up a proposal for improving international supervision of financial
markets. In presenting his recommendations Saturday, he argued that no
single government or any one international organization possess
sufficient information of adequately assessing potential risks to the
international financial system. The proposed forum will, accordingly,
seek to improve the flow of information and thereby make it possible
to respond to threatening situations early on. As now planned, the
forum will have 35 members drawn from the G-7 nations and
international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund
and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. As for
the international economic troubles at hand, the G-7 are agreed that
Japan and Western Europe need to stimulate domestic demand and, in
turn, absorb more imports from the struggling Asian and Latin American
nations. Lafontaine, who supports demand-oriented policies as a means
of boosting employment, noted Sunday (February 21) that the G-7's
strategy has important implications for the debate on tax policy now
underway in Germany. Given the 2.0 percent economic growth now
forecast for the year, he said, stimulating demand means foregoing all
tax increases for the time being.
This Week in Germany
Feb 26, 1999
GIC-Editor <GIC-Editor@Dartmouth.EDU>
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - There's A Mystery Object Not Far From the Earth
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 22:56:51 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
February 24, 1999, 2 p.m. EST
There's A Mystery Object Not Far From The Earth
A CHUNK of rock some 50 metres across has been found circling the Sun
in an orbit close to Earth's. The object, which was discovered on 10
February by an automated asteroid-hunting telescope in New Mexico
called Linear, is probably a chip off the Moon, say astronomers.
After six nights of observations, Gareth Williams of the
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, calculated that it circles the Sun every 1.09 years.
Its nearly circular orbit is just nine million kilometres farther from
the Sun than the Earth's.
The object's orbit is extremely unusual. Comets and asteroids that
cross the Earth's orbit normally have eccentric orbits. There is only
one asteroid-like object, called 1991 VG, that has a similar orbit to
that of the Earth. When it was discovered, eight years ago,
astronomers thought it might be a spacecraft that had escaped the
Earth's gravity.
The new object, designated 1999 CG9, is considerably brighter than
1991 VG, indicating that it is much larger. Brian Marsden of
Harvard-Smithsonian estimates it to be between 30 and 50 metres
across, too big to be the final stage of a rocket. "The most likely
explanation is that it's a chip off the Moon," he says.
Although the Moon is small, its low gravity makes it easy to blast
debris into orbit. "We have seen there are chips off the Moon," says
Marsden. "Twelve small lunar meteorites have been found on the Earth."
"If you can shoot things off the Moon, they would continue to go
around the Sun in an orbit not too different from the Moon," Marsden
adds. So far, astronomers do not know the object's composition, which
could cast light on its origins. However, the astronomers hope to
analyse the rock's spectrum to see how it compares with that of the
Moon.
Author: Jeff Hecht, Boston
New Scientist issue 27th Feb 99
via: SEDSNEWS@listserv.tamu.edu
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - The Seal of God and The Mark of the Beast
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 07:39:54 -0500
From: Tokayz@webtv.net
This is a good website. It really goes into scriptural detail regarding
the seal of God and the mark of the beast.
http://www.aloha.net/~mikesch/seal.htm
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Religion Today News Summary for Friday, February 26, 1999
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 08:59:50 -0500
From: <owner-bpr@philologos.org>
C U R R E N T N E W S S U M M A R Y
by the Editors at ReligionToday.com
February 26, 1999
A cell church based in Jakarta, Indonesia, has 6,000 members,
Christian Schwartz of the Institute for Natural Church
Development in Germany told DAWN Fridayfax (see link #1 below).
The church reportedly baptized 1,265 people in December.
...House churches are being started spontaneously. When a new
Christian left Jakarta, returned to his home in the provinces,
and started a church with two other believers, they invited
numerous friends and relatives to the first service. As they
worshiped, people fell on the floor and "behaved very strangely,"
the man said. He called his pastor in Jakarta, who told him to
pray for demons to leave the people. Many were delivered from
demons and became Christians that night, DAWN said.
Tribal Christians in Vietnam are being forced to recant their
faith. Members of the Hmong, Hre, and Bahnar tribes are
threatened with violence and have had their possessions
confiscated for becoming Christians, World Evangelical Fellowship
(see link #2 below) said. Regional government officials
reportedly are trying to turn the Hmong from Christianity; tens
of thousands in the mountainous districts bordering China have
become Christians (see link #3 below) in the past decade.
...Those who renounce their faith participate in a ceremony that
includes drinking chicken blood mixed with wine. More than 30
Hmong leaders are in jail for refusing to renounce Jesus, and Hre
and Bahnar tribal leaders have been beaten and jailed, WEF said.
[... snip ...]
A man who confessed to burning churches is fascinated with the
occult. Jay Scott Balinger, 36, admitted burning 30 to 50
churches (see link #4 below) in 11 states from 1994 to 1998, the
Associated Press said. Balinger convinced about 50 teen-agers in
Muncie, Ind., to sign contracts in blood pledging their souls to
Satan. "He was preying basically on these kids and brainwashing
them, telling them whatever kids want to hear," police Sgt. Mark
Brewer said. The youth promised to perform "all types of evil" to
gain money, power, and sex. Balinger reportedly scrawled satanic
symbols on some churches before burning them.
[... snip ...]
-----------
RELATED LINKS:
1: http://www.jesus.org.uk/dawn/1999/dawnissu.html
2: http://www.WorldEvangelical.org
3: http://www.religiontoday.com/Archive/FeatureStory/view.cgi?file=19980820.s1.html
4: http://www.religiontoday.com/Archive/NewsSummary/view.cgi?file=19990224.brf.html
5: http://www.churchworldservice.org/
6: http://www.religiontoday.com/Archive/FeatureStory/view.cgi?file=19981103.s1.html
7: http://www.rca.org
-----------
News from ReligionToday.com is Copyrighted by Media
Management. Content may be reproduced provided proper
credit is given to www.ReligionToday.com.
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Feb 28, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 20:41:29 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
8:00 PM Eastern
TLC - UFOS UNCOVERED - "Out of This World" - SETI
scientist outlines probabilitiy of extraterrestrial life;
UFOs in space; astronaut Story
Musgrove.(CC)(TVG)
9:00
A&E - CLEOPATRA'S WORLD: ALEXANDRIA REVEALED - Scholars
seek to understand the historic capital city and its
queen.(CC)(TVPG)
HIST - SWORN TO SECRECY - "Sitzkrieg: The Phony War" - Nazi
spies and diplomats make their moves before the army
advances.(CC)(TVG)
TLC - UFOS UNCOVERED - "Dark Secrets" - Pilots report
UFOs; NORAD UFO studies; Area 51.(CC)(TVG)
10:00
DISC - BEHIND ENEMY LINES: THE SCOTT O'GRADY STORY -
Interviews, radio recordings and film footage chronicle the
rescue of the American pilot in Bosnia.(CC)
TLC - UFOS UNCOVERED - "Are Aliens Here?" -
Scientists examine UFO landings and crashes; SETI
discoveries.(CC)(TVG)
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Space travel for ticketed passengers
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 20:44:38 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
ProSpace News Release:
The historic rollout of the prototype for America's first privately
financed spaceship will be carried live on the World Wide Web. The
Space Frontier Foundation, an international space policy and media
organization announced plans to broadcast the March 1 ceremonies as
they happen at the Mojave Spaceport, north of Lancaster, California,
near Edwards Air Force base. Said ProSpace President Ransom P.
Wuller, "The rollout of the Roton represents the beginning of a new
era in space, and if it is successful will lead to access to space not
just for astronauts, but for ticket purchasing passengers - and within
a couple of years, not decades."
The rollout event, available for viewing at:
http://ROLLOUT.ORG
will feature noted author Tom Clancy, Space Frontier Foundation
President Rick Tumlinson, Rotary Rocket Company President Gary C.
Hudson, and NASA and FAA officials.
The Rotary Rocket Company, the Redwood Shores, California
Company building the Roton, plans for its pilots to fly the initial
Prototype within the atmosphere as a first step towards a later
vehicle intended to reach orbit. Possible cargo for this orbital
vehicle will range from telecommunications satellites to passengers.
via: SEDSNEWS@listserv.tamu.edu
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Israel-Egypt treaty to be canceled?
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 20:48:39 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
ISRAEL-EGYPT TREATY TO BE CANCELED? An independent deputy in
the Egyptian parliament, Ahmed Yehia, said that he will present with
deputies from El-Tagamoa, Wafd, Amal, and El-Naseri (opposition
parties inside the parliament), a draft law that calls for canceling
the peace treaty with Israel. March coincides with the 20th
anniversary of the signing of the treaty by Egyptian President Anwar
El-Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on March 26, 1979.
Among the participants in signing the new draft law are the head of
the leftist Assemblage Party, Khaled Mohie El-Din, El-Wafd party
deputy Ahmed Naser and independent deputy Ahmed Taha, who were among
18 deputies who voted against the treaty's ratification in the
Egyptian parliament 20 years ago. The explanatory note of the draft
law that justified canceling the treaty stated that peace conditions
with Israel had ended with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's
declaration that Egypt is his country's southern enemy and it said
that the treaty is not worthwhile any more due to aggressive Israeli
policies against Egypt. (ARABICNEWS)
Tzemach News Service
Week Ending: 27 February 1999 / 11 Adar 5759
Vol. 5 No. 2
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Iraq to send Islamic-Christian delegation to Vatican
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 20:53:32 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Iraq to send Islamic-Christian delegation to Vatican
Copyright 1999 by Agence France-Presse
BAGHDAD, Feb 22 (AFP) - President Saddam Hussein is to send an
Islamic-Christian delegation to the Vatican to thank the pope for his
support of Iraq, a Christian leader here said Monday.
Chaldean patriarch Raphael I Bidawid said the visit could take place
in early March. He will lead the delegation which will also comprise
two Moslem clerics and a foreign ministry official.
"This visit reflects the appreciation of the Iraqi state for Pope John
Paul II. His holiness always calls for an end to injustice towards the
people of the world, and especially the Iraqi people," he said.
The pope has consistently spoken out against embargoes, arguing that
such measures only harm the population of the country targeted,
especially the poor.
Iraq has been under crippling UN sanctions since its 1990 invasion of
Kuwait.
The pope also branded the US-British missile strikes on Iraq in
December, operation Desert Fox, as an "aggression."
Vatican secretary of state Angelo Sodano in December said the pope
still wants to visit Iraq to mark the new millennium. The pope wants
to visit Ur, which, according to the bible, was Abraham's homeland.
Last June, the Vatican sent papal envoy Cardinal Roger Etchegaray at
the head of a delegation to take part in a Christian congress in
Baghdad.
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Argentine, Chilean groups blast Vatican support for Pinochet
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 20:57:37 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Argentine, Chilean groups blasts Vatican support for
Pinochet
Copyright 1999 by Agence France-Presse
BUENOS AIRES, Feb 23 (AFP) - Argentina's Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo
became the latest human rights group Tuesday to blast the Vatican's
support for the release of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.
Members of the Mothers group -- organized originally to protest the
kidnapping of newborn babies during the Argentine military
dictatorship of the 1970s -- hand-carried a scathing letter addressed
Pope John Paul II to the Vatican embassy here.
South American rights groups and politicians continue to react to the
Vatican's acknowledgement Friday that it had made a "diplomatic"
overture to the British government on behalf of Pinochet, said to be a
devout Roman Catholic.
Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro said the move was "confidential,"
and refused to say if Pope John Paul II was responsible for it.
Pinochet, 83, was arrested in London on October 16 at the request of
Spain, which wants to put him on trial on charges of genocide, murder
and torture during his iron-fisted 1973-1990 dictatorship.
"It took us several days to fully absorb the request for pardon that
you, Mr John Paul, made on behalf of the genocide perpetrator
Pinochet," the letter read.
"We write to you as a regular citizen, because we believe that it is
an aberration that, from your papal seat in the Vatican, you use the
name of Jesus Christ in your plea for mercy (for Pinochet) without
knowing the pain of torture, mutilation or rape."
Christ was crucified and whipped "by the Judases who, like you, defend
assassins today," the letter read.
"No mother ... who gave birth to a child that was later mutilated
during the dictatorship of Pinochet, (Argentine General Jorge) Videla,
(Bolivian General Hugo) Banzer, or (Paraguayan General Alfredo)
Stroessner, will quietly accept your request for mercy," the letter
read.
The group pleaded with the pope to stop "denigrating" the church by
supporting the likes of Pinochet.
In Chile, relatives of Pinochet's victims marched in protest in
downtown Santiago over the weekend carrying pictures of their dead and
missing relatives.
The main group of relatives of Pinochet victims issued a statement
saying that they found the Vatican's role "incomprehensible."
A member of Congress from Chile's ruling Christian Democratic Party
also blasted the Vatican's decision.
"I would never have accepted a church intervention on behalf of
Hitler," said Deputy Gabriel Ascencio.
Socialist Party congresswoman Fanny Pollarolo agreed. "If the Vatican
has been able to show sensitivity towards Pinochet's plight, it will
have to do the same for Pinochet's victims, and ask Pinochet for a
sign of repentance," she said.
Five Catholic priests were killed during the Pinochet dictatorship,
Pollarolo pointed out, including two Spaniards that form part of
Spain's extradition request to British authorities.
However the leading pro-Pinochet support movement in Santiago issued a
statement Monday thanking the Vatican for its intervention.
"In the name of many Chilean Catholics, we want to thank the Holy See
for this important and humanitarian diplomatic gesture," the statement
read.
The pope visited to Chile April 1987, and made a controversial
appearance along with Pinochet on the balcony of the presidential
palace -- the same palace bombed by air force jets during the bloody
1973 military coup.
A ruling from the House of Lords, Britain's highest court, on
Pinochet's claim to sovereign immunity is expected soon.
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Pope's assailant asks for help in obtaining pardon
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 20:59:29 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Pope's assailant asks for help in obtaining pardon
Copyright 1999 by Agence France-Presse
VATICAN CITY, Feb 26 (AFP) - Mehemet Ali Agca, the man who tried to
kill Pope John Paul II, has again asked the pontiff to intervene in
favor of a pardon or his extradition to Turkey, Italian judicial
sources said Friday.
"On the eve of the new millennium, I believe my prayer might be
heard," Agca wrote in a letter to the pope.
Agca, a Turkish national, has been in jail in Italy for the past 18
years after seriously wounding the pope in an assassination attempt on
May 13, 1981.
After an earlier letter to the pope, the Vatican answered by saying
the pontiff had pardoned Agca immediately after the attack.
The pope also visited him in his cell at the Rebibbia prison on
December 27, 1983.
Beyond that, the pope puts his faith in "Italian justice," the Vatican
said.
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Swiss numerologists aim to marry on 9.9.99
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 21:01:31 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Swiss numerologists aim to marry on 9.9.99
Copyright 1999 by Agence France-Presse
ZURICH, Switzerland, Feb 21 (AFP) - Several Swiss numerologists are
planning to marry on the ninth day of the ninth month of 1999,
convinced it is an auspicious date, a survey has revealed.
Many have decided to beat an expected rush to tie the knot on
September 9 by organising their nuptials early, especially in
German-speaking parts of the country, according to the survey by the
ATS telephone company.
Registrars will carry out marriage ceremonies throughout the day on
September 9, instead of closing in the afternoon as is customary,
while in Lucerne the town hall will be open specially for the flood of
weddings.
The Zurich town hall has already said it will limit the number of
ceremonies to 64, each lasting seven minutes.
In Zurich, the city hall opted for longer 10-minute weddings but has
been forced to set the limit at 40 couples, a spokesman said.
The French-speaking community of Switzerland has not been affected by
the obsession with the number nine, the survey showed.
However, newly-weds in the town of Fribourg have previously shown a
similar interest the number eight. The town hall experienced a record
number of weddings on August 8, 1988.
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - List of 20th Century News Stories
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 21:11:05 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
List of 20th Century News Stories
Copyright 1999 by The Associated Press
The Newseum in Arlington, Va., asked journalists and scholars to
select the 20th Century's top 100 stories. The results, being released
Wednesday:
1. United States drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima, Nagasaki: Japan
surrenders to end World War II. 1945.
2. American astronaut Neil Armstrong becomes the first human to walk
on the moon. 1969.
3. Japan bombs Pearl Harbor: United States enters World War II. 1941.
4. Wilbur and Orville Wright fly the first powered airplane. 1903.
5. Women win the vote. 1920.
6. President John F. Kennedy assassinated in Dallas. 1963.
7. Horrors of Nazi Holocaust, concentration camps exposed. 1945.
8. World War I begins in Europe. 1914.
9. Brown vs. Board of Education ends ``separate but equal'' school
segregation. 1954.
10. U.S. stock market crashes: The Great Depression sets in. 1929.
11. Alexander Fleming discovers the first antibiotic, penicillin.
1928.
12. Structure of DNA discovered. 1953.
13. U.S.S.R dissolves, Mikhail Gorbachev resigns: Boris Yeltsin takes
over. 1991.
14. President Richard M. Nixon resigns after Watergate scandal. 1974.
15. Germany invades Poland: World War II begins in Europe. 1939.
16. Russian revolution ends: Communists take over. 1917.
17. Henry Ford organizes the first major U.S. assembly line to produce
Model T cars. 1913.
18. Soviets launch Sputnik, first space satellite: space race begins.
1957.
19. Albert Einstein presents special theory of relativity: general
relativity theory to follow. 1905.
20. FDA approves birth control pill. 1960.
21. Dr. Jonas Salk's polio vaccine proven effective in University of
Pittsburgh tests. 1953.
22. Adolf Hitler named Chancellor of Germany: Nazi Party begins to
seize power. 1933.
23. Civil rights leader Martin Luther King assassinated in Memphis,
Tenn. 1968.
24. D-Day invasion marks the beginning of the end of World War II in
Europe. 1944.
25. Deadly AIDS disease identified. 1981.
26. Congress passes landmark Civil Rights Act outlawing segregation.
1964.
27. Berlin Wall falls as East Germany lifts travel restrictions. 1989.
28. Television debuts in America at New York World's Fair. 1939.
29. Mao Tse-tung establishes Peoples Republic of China: Nationalists
flee to Formosa (Taiwan). 1949.
30. Charles Lindbergh crosses the Atlantic in first solo flight. 1927.
31. First mass market personal computers launched. 1977.
32. World Wide Web revolutionizes the Internet. 1989.
33. Scientists at Bell Labs invent the transistor. 1948.
34. FDR launches ``New Deal:'' sweeping federal economic, public works
legislation to combat depression. 1933.
35. Cuban Missile Crisis threatens World War III. 1962.
36. ``Unsinkable'' Titanic, largest man-made structure, sinks. 1912.
37. Germany surrenders: V.E. Day celebrated. 1945.
38. Roe vs. Wade decision legalizes abortion. 1973.
39. World War I ends with Germany's defeat. 1918.
40. First regular radio broadcasts begin in America. 1909.
41. Worldwide flu epidemic kills 20 million. 1918.
42. `ENIAC' becomes world's first computer. 1946.
43. Regular TV broadcasting begins in the United States. 1941.
44. Jackie Robinson breaks baseball's color barrier. 1947.
45. Israel achieves statehood. 1948.
46. Plastic invented: revolutionizes products, packaging. 1909.
47. Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott begins after Rosa Parks refuses to
give up her seat to a white person. 1955.
48. Atomic bomb tested in New Mexico. 1945.
49. Apartheid ends in South Africa: law to treat races equally. 1993.
50. Civil rights march converges on Washington, D.C.: Martin Luther
King gives ``I Have A Dream'' speech. 1963.
51. American scientists patent the computer chip. 1959.
52. Marconi transmits radio signal across the Atlantic. 1901.
53. White House sex scandal leads to impeachment of President William
Jefferson Clinton. 1998.
54. Sec. of State George Marshall proposes European recovery program
(The Marshall Plan). 1947.
55. Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy assassinated in
California. 1968.
56. U.S. Senate rejects Versailles Treaty: dooms League of Nations.
1920.
57. Rachel Carson's ``Silent Spring'' stimulates environmental
protection movement. 1962.
58. British rock group The Beatles takes the United States by storm
after debut on the Ed Sullivan show. 1964.
59. Congress passes Voting Rights Act, outlawing measures used to
suppress minority votes. 1965.
60. Yuri Gagarin becomes first man in space. 1961.
61. First jet airplane takes flight. 1941.
62. U.S. combat troops arrive in South Vietnam: U.S. planes bomb North
Vietnam. 1965.
63. North Vietnamese forces take over Saigon. 1975.
64. Manhattan Project begins secret work on atomic bomb: Fermi
triggers first atomic chain reaction. 1942.
65. Congress passes ``GI Bill of Rights'' to help veterans. 1945.
66. Alan Shepard becomes first American in space. 1961.
67. Watergate scandal engulfs Nixon administration. 1973.
68. Earthquake hits San Francisco: ``Paris of the West'' burns. 1906.
69. United Nations is officially established. 1945.
70. Communists build wall to divide East and West Berlin. 1961.
71. Mohandas Gandhi begins leading nonviolent reform movement in
India. 1920.
72. Standard Oil loses Supreme Court antitrust suit: monopolies suffer
blow. 1911.
73. United States withdraws last ground troops from Vietnam. 1973.
74. North Atlantic Treaty Organization established. 1949.
75. Joseph Stalin begins forced modernization of the Soviet Union:
resulting famines claim 25 million. 1928.
76. Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt beats incumbent President Herbert
Hoover. 1932.
77. Mikhail Gorbachev becomes Soviet Premier: begins era of
``Glasnost.'' 1985.
78. Max Planck proposes quantum theory of energy. 1900.
79. Scientists clone sheep in Great Britain. 1997.
80. Congress passes interstate highway bill. 1956.
81. Panama Canal opens, linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. 1914.
82. Betty Friedan's ``The Feminine Mystique'' inaugurates modern
women's rights movement. 1963.
83. The Space Shuttle Challenger explodes killing crew including
school teacher Christa McAuliffe. 1986.
84. United States sends troops to defend South Korea. 1950.
85. Violence erupts at Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
1968.
86. Sigmund Freud publishes ``The Interpretation of Dreams.'' 1900.
87. China begins ``Great Leap Forward'' modernization program:
estimated 20 million die in ensuing famine. 1958.
88. United States enters World War I. 1917.
89. Babe Ruth hits 60 home runs -- a single-season record that would
last for 34 years. 1927.
90. John Glenn becomes first American to orbit the earth. 1962.
91. North Vietnamese boats reportedly attack U.S. ships: Congress
passes Gulf of Tonkin resolution. 1964.
92. Pathfinder lands on Mars, sending back astonishing photos. 1997.
93. Hitler launches ``Kristallnacht,'' ordering Nazis to commit acts
of violence against German Jews. 1938.
94. Winston Churchill designated Prime Minister of Great Britain.
1940.
95. Louise Brown, first ``test-tube baby,'' born healthy. 1978.
96. Soviets blockade West Berlin: Western allies respond with massive
airlift. 1948.
97. Bill Gates and Paul Allen start Microsoft Corp. to develop
software for Altair computer. 1975.
98. Chernobyl nuclear plant explosion results in deaths of an
estimated 7,000. 1986.
99. Teacher John Scopes' trial pits creation against evolution in
Tennessee. 1925.
100. The U.S. Surgeon General warns about smoking-related health
hazards. 1964.
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Y2K Headlines
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 21:37:23 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
GAO: Y2K COULD BRING THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TO A HALT
Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/daily/feb99/district021999.htm
CALIFORNIA AUDITOR GENERAL SAYS NO STATE SYSTEMS ARE Y2K READY
Link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/02/25/MN80838.DTL
USPS CAN'T GUARANTEE MAIL DELIVERY AFTER 12/31/1999
Link: http://www.newsbytes.com/pubNews/126807.html
Link: http://www.fcw.com/pubs/fcw/1999/0222/web-usps-2-23-99.html
BIG GUNS TARGET A LITTLE BUG
The U.S. military is beginning war games to simulate Y2K outages in
weapons and communications gear.
Link: http://www.wired.com/news/news/politics/story/18124.html
CIA PREDICTS Y2K PROBLEMS ABROAD
Link: http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/cte480.htm
WASHINGTON, MOSCOW PONDER Y2K NUCLEAR DANGER
Link: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/ts/story.html?s=v/nm/19990221/ts/millennium_2.html
Y2K THREATENS U.S.-RUSSIA SPACE PROJECTS
Link: http://www.fcw.com/pubs/fcw/1999/0222/web-nasa-2-24-99.html
COMPANIES WANT Y2K IMMUNITY FOR THEMSELVES, BUT NOT THE PUBLIC
Link: http://www.y2knewswire.com/19990224.htm
Link: http://www.suntimes.com/output/business/bill23.html
ASIAN BANKS LOSING STAFF TO Y2K BUG
Link: http://www.manufacturing.net/cgi-bin/attredit.cgi?targetpage=/y2k/default.htm&src=/y2k/reg/news.htm
U.S., MEXICO, CANADA PREPARING FOR Y2K TOGETHER
Link: http://www.cnnfn.com/digitaljam/newsbytes/126823.html
PENTAGON TO INTERRUPT GPS SIGNALS
Link: http://cnn.com/US/9902/19/PM-Pentagon-satellite.ap/index.html
RUBIK'S CUBE MAN DEVELOPS EMBEDDED CHIP TESTER
Delta-T Website: http://www.embedded-science.com
Link: http://www.yahoo.co.uk/headlines/19990222/news/919688640-9-1.html
Y2K PROMPTS SHERIFF'S DEPT. TO BUY NEW BREATHALYZER MACHINES
Link: http://www.msnbc.com/local/KNBC/98196.asp
DOMAIN NAME SERVERS GET INTO A BIND WITH Y2K BUG
Link: http://webserv.vnunet.com/www_user/plsql/pkg_vnu_nn.right_frame?p_date=25-FEB-99&p_type=&p_story=76941
Y2K UPGRADES TO DISRUPT KOREA TELECOM
Link: http://infoseek.go.com/Content?arn=a0403LBY538reulb-19990219&qt=y2k&sv=IS&lk=noframes&col=NX&kt=A&ak=news1486
NZ PAYPHONES & PHONE CARDS UNUSABLE IN THE YEAR 2000
Link: http://www.year2000.co.nz/y2kher86.htm
Y2K TEST CAUSES ERRORS ON MONTHLY SEWER BILLS
Link: http://www.stlnet.com/postnet/news/pdtoday.nsf/News/1E031DB9F73761A786256717002B6123?OpenDocument
SENATE REPORT SAYS Y2K RISKS WIDESPREAD
Link: http://www.hotcoco.com/news/natfront/bil61683.htm
Link: http://www.y2knewswire.com/19990225.htm
Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/daily/feb99/y2k24.htm
THE LATEST GOVERNMENT REPORT CARD
Press Release: http://www.house.gov/reform/gmit/y2k/990222.htm
Chart of Grades (requires Adobe Acrobat reader):
http://www.house.gov/reform/gmit/y2k/990222gc.pdf
Link: http://www.y2knewswire.com/19990223.htm
PORTLAND DRAFTS PLANS FOR DEALING WITH Y2K
Link: http://www.oregonlive.com/business/99/02/bz021902.html
BANK PRIVACY DEBATE HEATS UP
Petition: http://www.defendyourprivacy.com
USA Today article (archived): http://www.usatoday.com/
Original story:
http://www.wired.com/news/news/politics/story/16749.html
Full text of proposed regulation:
http://www.fdic.gov/lawsregs/fedr/98knocus.txt
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD: "WE CAN RUN THE SWITCHES MANUALLY!"
UPRR press release:
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/990125/ne_union_p_1.html
UPRR FAQs: http://www.uprr.com/y2k/2kfaq.shtml#embed
UPRR website: http://www.uprr.com/y2k/
Link: http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/990201/4w.html
TAKING TO THE SKIES IN THE YEAR 2000
Link: http://www.yahoo.co.uk/headlines/19990224/business/0919828562-0000006987.html
SEC POSTS Y2K DISCLOSURE REPORTS ONLINE
SEC Website: http://www.sec.gov/
Link: http://www.newsbytes.com/pubNews/126580.html
--------------------
wild2k (Y2K):
http://www.wild2k.com/
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Hackers Reportedly Seize British Military Satellite
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 00:24:43 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Sunday February 28 7:24 AM ET
Hackers Reportedly Seize British Military Satellite
LONDON (Reuters) - Hackers have seized control of one of Britain's
military communication satellites and issued blackmail threats, The
Sunday Business newspaper reported.
The newspaper, quoting security sources, said the intruders altered
the course of one of Britain's four satellites that are used by
defense planners and military forces around the world.
The sources said the satellite's course was changed just over two
weeks ago. The hackers then issued a blackmail threat, demanding money
to stop interfering with the satellite.
``This is a nightmare scenario,'' said one intelligence source.
Military strategists said that if Britain were to come under nuclear
attack, an aggressor would first interfere with military
communications systems.
``This is not just a case of computer nerds mucking about. This is
very, very serious and the blackmail threat has made it even more
serious,'' one security source said.
Police said they would not comment as the investigation was at too
sensitive a stage. The Ministry of Defense made no comment.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/ts/story.html?s=v/nm/19990228/ts/
hackers_1.html
via: Insane Science Mailing List
isml@onelist.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - New Technology
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 00:30:46 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Machine over man: Robot pharmacist filling prescripctions
Sunday, February 28, 1999
By LIZ FREEMAN, Staff Writer
There are times when technology is better than the human touch. Just
ask Phil, or maybe his name is Rx, though there's no way to know,
since he can't answer when you ask him.
The pharmacy department at Naples Community Hospital is now using a
robot - staffers are still debating its name - to fill patient
medication orders, keep inventory, and save loads of employee time on
tedious aspects of running a pharmacy.
And since Phil (or is it Rx?) doesn't talk, pharmacy director Mike
Sanborn has to do the boasting. He says the robot and its clones
nationwide have filled 60 million prescriptions so far without error.
Full Story:
http://www.naplesnews.com/today/marco/d165614a.htm
Droids are the soldiers of the modern war era
By James F. Dunnigan
That staple of science fiction, the combat robot, is here and more are
on the way. But this most radical development in 20th century warfare
has gone largely unnoticed.
For example, nearly 400 cruise missiles have been used since 1991,
most recently in the U.S. effort to destroy the terrorist training
camps of Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan following the embassy bombings
in Kenya and Tanzania.
High-tech stuff, the missiles are one-ton aircraft that can find their
way over hundreds of miles of land or sea, and then hit a target the
size of a small barn. No pilot is needed; onboard computers take care
of all the decision making. The ultimate killer droid.
Full Story:
http://www.azstarnet.com/public/dnews/0228cv2.html
DNA tests give fuller description
Forensic scientists have developed new DNA tests which will enable
them to work out a person's race, hair and eye colours as well as nose
and ear size from a strand of hair or a few scales of skin.
Full Story:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk:80/dynamic/news/story.html?in_review_id=
121747&in_review_text_id=98214 -
==========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Mar 1, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 20:28:54 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
9:00 PM Eastern
PBS - THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE - "Influenza 1918" - An
influenza epidemic kills more than 600,000 people in
1918.(CC)(TVPG)
DISC - RESURRECTING THE MAMMOTH - A scientist attempts to
bring the mammoth back from extinction.(CC)(TVG)
TLC - ET ENCOUNTER - Strange creatures in Brazil;
chupacabra in Puerto Rico.(CC)
10:00
TLC - ET ENCOUNTER - Strange creatures in Brazil;
chupacabra in Puerto Rico.(CC)
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - China News Digest items (3/1/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 20:33:49 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
JIANG Zemin Urges Enhanced Communication With World
[CND, 02/28/99] President JIANG Zemin stressed the urgency and
importance of greater information exchanges with the world to promote
international understanding of China, the China Daily reported on
Saturday.
"China needs to understand the outside world better, just as the
outside world needs to do with China, because mutual exchange and
understanding are vital to the development of any country," addressed
Jiang at a national work conference on understanding of China.
By clarifying the country's domestic and international policies as
well as its stance on notable international issues to the world
community, China is more likely to benefit from friendships, overseas
aid, economic and technological exchanges with other countries, Jiang
said. He emphasized that departments involved in such promotions
should be equipped with the latest facilities. (XU Ming Yang, WU Yiyi)
Premier Expresses Confidence in New Relation With Russia
[CND, 02/28/99] Chinese Premier ZHU Rongji projects that the
Sino-Russian trade relations will grow rapidly in the context of a
strategic partnership, the China Daily reported on Saturday.
The visiting Chinese premier was speaking at a banquet organized by
Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Maslyukov. During his speech,
Zhu described the relationship between the two countries as friendly
and peaceful, highlighted by the the strategic relationship recently
worked out by President JIANG Zemin and Boris Yeltsin. He encouraged
more cooperation between entrepreneurs across the border in production
of consumer goods. China and Russia agreed on Tuesday to establish two
color TV factories in Russia.
The next major event between the two countries will be Jiang and
Yeltsin's second summit. (CONG Xiaoping, WU Yiyi)
China Warns About Spread of Missile Technology
[CND, 02/28/99] China warned that the U.S. proposal to install its
Theatre Missile Defence (TMD) system in Asian countries such as Japan,
South Korea, and possibly Taiwan, would lead to the spread of missile
technology, AFP reported on Saturday.
A senior Chinese official pointed out that the installation would be a
violation of the Missile Technology Control Regime. "Since the US can
lead the way in breaking this regime other countries have an absolute
right not to follow the rules of this regime and undertake
co-operation on missiles and missile technology with third countries,"
said the official to London's Financial Times. (Jenny HUANG, WU Yiyi)
Clinton Urges Engagement With China, Russia
[CND, 2/28/99] In his first major address on foreign policy this year,
U.S. President Bill Clinton stressed the importance of the U.S.
remaining engaged in world affairs and voiced concerns in its
relations with China and Russia, AFP reported on Friday.
Speaking in San Francisco to an audience of California business and
political leaders, Clinton warned against any moves toward an
isolationist policy, saying "The United States has the opportunity
and, I would argue, the solemn responsibility, to shape a more
peaceful, prosperous, democratic world in the 21st century."
The speech devoted special attention to relations with, and events
within, China and Russia. Clinton acknowledged China's growing power
and unlimited potential, but also noted that alleged thefts of U.S.
technologies by China, and the ongoing objections to China's human
rights practices. He urged China to stick to a program of economic and
social reform, saying "I believe sooner or later, China will have to
come to understand that (it) simply cannot purchase stability at the
expense of freedom."
However, he disagreed with members of Congress who have increasingly
distrusted the Chinese government and sought stronger punitive actions
against China, saying that engaging China was better than attempting
to isolate it and adding that interaction with China also helps
maintain stability in the Korean peninsula.
Clinton's speech came as Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is
preparing to leave for high-level talks with Chinese leaders, a
mission that comes at a particularly tense point in Sino-American
relations.
The President remarked that U.S. relations with Russia have shifted
from Cold War fears of Soviet strength to threats from economic
turmoil and an increasingly ineffectual Russian government.
"For 50 years we confronted the challenge of Russia's strength, today
we must confront the risk of Russia weakened by the legacy of
communism and also by its inability at the moment to maintain
prosperity at home or control the flow of its money, weapons and
technology across its borders." He proposed a 70 percent increase in
economic aid toward promoting reform and stability in Russia. (Phil
STEPEHNS, YIN De An)
C h i n a N e w s D i g e s t
(Global News, No. GL99-026)
Monday, March 1, 1999
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items (3/1/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 20:46:05 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
*** Pope waives wait for Mother Teresa
CALCUTTA, India (AP) - Pope John Paul II has waived the mandatory wait
of five years after death to begin the process of possible sainthood
for Mother Teresa, the archbishop of Calcutta said Sunday. Archbishop
Henry D'Souza said he received a letter from the Vatican's
Congregation for the Causes of the Saints Dec. 12 announcing the
waiver, but had not publicized it. In Rome, the Vatican confirmed the
waiver by the pope, who had previously indicated the five-year wait
would be required, even for the internationally beloved nun who
dedicated her life to the destitute of Calcutta. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558627504-a40
*** Silicon Valley company probes earth
SAN JOSE (AP) - New technologies from a small Silicon Valley company
are making it possible to peek under the Earth's crust and learn how
dinosaurs were wiped out, whether mythical pirate ships existed and
where earthquake faults lurk. "With the new instruments and techniques
available these days, we're able to get very fine detail about what
the subsurface is made of," said U.S. Geological Survey geophysicist
Rufus Catchings. He has been using Geometrics' newest seismographic
instruments to survey - for the first time - an active section of
California's San Andreas fault. The hole, planned to be about two
miles deep, will hopefully reveal what rock is like when it is
squeezed and ready to rumble. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558605317-976
*** Ads offer $50,000 for egg donor
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - Advertisements are appearing in student
newspapers at some of the nation's top colleges offering $50,000 for a
bright, tall woman willing to donate an egg to an infertile couple. A
national fertility registry has been running ads in Ivy League student
newspapers for months. But this ad, which was privately placed, stood
out because it took up a half-page and offered so much money, said
Nicole Itano, managing editor of the Yale Daily News. The ads, which
cost about $500 apiece, call for an "intelligent, athletic egg donor"
who is at least 5 foot 10, scored particularly well on the standard
college entrance exam and has "no major family medical issues." See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558619056-cfb
*** Scented suits gain popularity
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - As Lee Soo-bum nears home after an evening
out with the guys, he shimmies, shakes and occasionally rubs his
chest. Then at his apartment door, the 39-year-old film company
executive sniffs, smiles in satisfaction, and greets his wife.
Although he was drinking with colleagues in a smoke-filled bar, Lee
doesn't reek of booze and cigarettes. In fact, he smells downright
sweet. "This new suit helps keep peace at home," Lee says of his
fashionable beige wool suit. It smells like lavender - and the more he
moves, the stronger the scent becomes. The suit is made with fabric
soaked in a chemical that contains scented micro-capsules, which pop
and release the odor when the wearer moves. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558605318-c9d
*** Bernstein swipes at today's media
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - Carl Bernstein, who helped bring down
President Nixon, said American journalism is "disfigured by celebrity,
gossip and sensationalism." "I believe it's the role of journalists to
challenge people, not to just mindlessly amuse them," Bernstein said
Thursday at a Jewish Federation gathering. "In this culture of
journalistic titillation, we teach our readers and our viewers that
the trivial is important. Bernstein's work with Bob Woodward at The
Washington Post exposed the Watergate scandal. He blamed much of the
problem on the rise of tabloid journalism. "The sleazy standards of
the low end of the media are affecting the standards of even the high
end of our business," Bernstein said. ###
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