To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items (2/7/00)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2000 08:44:38 -0500
From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>
*** Jesus statue said unconstitutional
MARSHFIELD, Wis. (AP) - An appeals court ruled that a statue of Jesus
Christ that stands on privately owned land within a city park
violates the law because people could assume the city government
endorses a religion. A group of citizens paid $21,726 to buy the
small piece of the parkland under the statue after an atheist group
sued the city in 1998. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday
that that statue still violates of the constitutional separation
between church and state, even though it isn't directly on public
property. The layout of the park could lead "a reasonable person to
conclude that the statue is a part of the public park and that the
government, rather than a private entity, endorses religion," Judge
Michael Kanne wrote. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2563950444-1e0
*** Israeli-Palestinian talks suspended
JERUSALEM (AP) - Palestinian and Israeli peace negotiators suspended
talks Sunday to wait for U.S. proposals to get them back on track, a
senior Palestinian negotiator said. The negotiations are aimed at
meeting a Feb. 13 deadline for the outline of a final peace agreement
between the two sides. They were suspended on what was to have been
the seventh of 10 days of marathon talks, senior Palestinian
negotiator Yasser Abed Rabbo said. "We are waiting for the Americans,
nothing can happen until they come back with responses," Abed Rabbo
said. Larry Schwartz, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv,
confirmed the U.S. efforts. But, he said, the sides should continue
direct talks. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2563976457-6c5
*** Also: Mideast peace year has rocky start, see
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2563936462-f42
*** Also: U.S. increases role in Mideast talks, see
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2563942738-4ee
*** And: Hezbollah threatens Israeli attack, see
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2563940854-17a
*** Russian tanker carried Iraqi oil
WASHINGTON (AP) - Tests confirm a Russian tanker seized by the U.S.
Navy in the Persian Gulf was carrying Iraqi oil in violation of the
U.N. economic embargo, Defense Secretary William Cohen said Sunday.
The Volga-Neft-147 was being taken to Muscat, the capital of Oman,
and the Oman government will determine the fate of the merchant
vessel and its crew, Cohen said while flying back from Germany, where
he attended a conference on European security. Cohen also disclosed
that an Iraqi naval officer was on board the ship when it was seized
by U.S. Navy SEAL commandos. The tests were completed Sunday on
samples of oil from the tanker that was seized Wednesday on
suspicions it was carrying Iraqi oil. Cohen said the Russians were
informed of results of the tests but was unaware of any immediate
response from Moscow. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2563973993-8d4
*** Pa. jails choose 'wholesome' TV
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - State prison inmates will have to say goodbye
to "The Sopranos" and documentaries on strippers and hello to "The
Waltons" and the Recovery Network. State correction officials said a
satellite television service that emphasizes "education and wholesome
entertainment" will replace cable agreements that allowed some
Pennsylvania prisoners to subscribe to premium channels like HBO and
Showtime. The new statewide service gives the 14,900 inmates at the
state's 24 prisons who subscribe to cable a one-size-fits-all package
similar to a typical basic cable setup. "Nobody had the Playboy
Channel, but some of the stuff on these premium channels can be
pretty suggestive," Corrections Secretary Martin F. Horn said Friday.
See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2563922136-d7d
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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Religion Today News items (2/7/00)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2000 08:48:04 -0500
From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>
Black Pentecostals say they can learn from the Roman Catholic
Church. Leaders of 27 denominations, members of the Joint College
of African-American Pentecostal Bishops, will travel to Rome this
week to visit the Vatican and perhaps meet with the pope, the
Chicago Tribune said. The bishops said it is time to recover some
of the ancient traditions practiced by the Catholic Church.
..."I think we can learn from each other," Larry Trotter of the
Sweet Holy Spirit Full Gospel Baptist Church in Chicago said. "We
come with a fervor and fire they may be missing, but they come
with order and structure we may be missing." The bishops will
attend a three-day seminar at the Pontifical North American
College, a seminary for U.S. Catholics, and will attend a general
audience and a healing Mass with the pope, the Tribune said. They
also might have a short personal visit with the pontiff.
...Pentecostalism is one of the fastest-growing segments of
Christianity. Pentecostals believe that God, through the Holy
Spirit, empowers Christians with spiritual gifts, including
prophecy, healing, and speaking in tongues.
..."The shock to me was that these Pentecostals -- these
charismatic, tongue-speaking people -- all wanted to go to the
Vatican," J. Delano Ellis of Cleveland said. He is a friend of
Cleveland Catholic Bishop Anthony Pilla, who helped arrange the
trip. "We are part of the body of Christ, and we want to grow
closer to other parts of the body of Christ. It's time to build
some bridges and tear down some walls," Ellis said.
Last week's televised do-it-yourself suicide video is
"appalling," the leader of the Christian Medical & Dental Society
(see link #1 below) said. The video, based on Derek Humphrey's
best-selling book, Final Exit, aired Feb. 2 and 4 on a
public-access cable channel in Eugene and Springfield, Ore.
...The broadcast is "the next step for a state that has equated
killing with caring," Dr. David Stephens, executive director of
the CM&DS, said. The national organization represents 15,000
doctors and ethicists. In the video, Humphrey lists three lethal
drugs and tells where to find them without a doctor's
prescription. He said his Euthanasia Research and Guidance
Organization has sold hundreds of copies of the video.
...Terminally ill people have a desire to live that fluctuates
more than 30% over 12 hours, Stephens said, citing a recent
study. He said he hoped the video "didn't catch anyone at a bad
time of day." Those who attempt suicide are depressed or in
physical pain, and medical professionals should "answer that cry
with pain management, proper medical treatment, and counseling,"
he said. "Derek Humphrey's media stunt teaches viewers to
eliminate themselves, not the pain."
...Even some right-to-die advocates criticized the presentation.
"I think it's reckless," Barbara Coombs Lee, executive director
of the Portland-based Compassion in Dying Federation, said. "It
can give people the means to act on impulsiveness."
The Christian community in the Holy Land is dwindling and in
danger of becoming extinct, a group says. A Christian exodus from
the Holy Land took place in the past century, the Holy Land
Christian Ecumenical Foundation says. Christians in the early
1900s comprised 20% of the population in the territories that are
now Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, but dwindled to 2% as people
have fled from violence and sought economic opportunities
elsewhere, the Boston Globe said. For example, there are 10,000
Christians living in Ramallah, a West Bank city, but there are
70,000 members of the American Ramallah Federation, a group of
Palestinian-Americans.
...There is a "real possibility that Christians are becoming
extinct in the Holy Land," the foundation said. Its goal is to
inform U.S. Catholic and Protestant churches about the situation.
"We hope American Christians will see how important it is to
maintain a Christian presence in the land where the faith began,"
Emil Salayta of the Jerusalem Latin Patriarchate for the Catholic
Church said.
...Most Americans are not aware that there are Palestinian
Christians, he said. "We have to explain that our Christian
community, which traces its roots back to the time of Jesus 2,000
years ago, is in jeopardy."
RELATED LINKS:
1: http://www.cmds.org
http://religiontoday.crosswalk.com/
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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - The age of gigahertz chips
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2000 12:19:40 -0500
From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>
A NEW BEGINNING: THE AGE OF GIGAHERTZ CHIPS In the second half
of this year both IBM and Intel plan to begin producing complete
microprocessors with processing cycles of a billion times a second (a
gigahertz). At first, they will probably be used in Web servers, and then in
voice recognition and video systems. Randall D. Isaac of IBM says, "The
message here is a simple one. The gigahertz era has arrived, and it looks
like we have room to move up to the 3 or 4 gigahertz range very rapidly.
Everyone talked about these limits, the end of Moore's Law, everything was
going to slow down. But everything seems to be speeding up. The pace is
just breathtaking." And Albert Yu of Intel explains that the gigahertz chip is
just the very beginning of a completely new era: "Silicon, from a technical
point of view, basically has no limitations down to the atomic level, and we're
still far away from the atomic level." (New York Times 7 Feb 2000)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/02/biztech/articles/07chip.html
via: "NewsScan" <newsscan@newsscan.com>
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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Arutz-7 News items (2/7/00)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2000 12:23:35 -0500
From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>
DECISION IN THE MAKING
The Security Cabinet ministers are into their fourth hour of a meeting to
discuss the escalation in Lebanon and decide on an appropriate military
response. It is reported that Prime Minister Ehud Barak is beginning to
become convinced that his policy of restraint must be changed. As recently
as yesterday he said only that Israel will react in the place, time, and
manner that it chooses. Israel bombed terrorist targets again today, while
Hizbullah continued its attacks on Southern Lebanese Army outposts.
Opposition to the policy of restraint continues to be heard from various
quarters. Following the death of St.-Sgt. Yedidya Gefen in southern Lebanon
yesterday, the Likud party said that Israel is paying a heavy price for its
"restraint." National Religious Party MK Nachum Langental blamed
yesterday's death on what he called the government's "cynical use of a
linkage between a withdrawal from Lebanon and an agreement with Syria."
He called on Prime Minister Barak to stop "misleading the public into
thinking that a withdrawal from Lebanon can only come as part of an
agreement with Syria, involving a retreat from the Golan Heights."
Likud leader Ariel Sharon, on the other hand, calls for an end to both the
policy of restraint and Israel's presence in Lebanon. The opposition leader
and former general demands that Israel warn Lebanon that if even one shot is
fired upon Israel during its "redeployment," the IDF will destroy Lebanon's
entire civilian infrastructure. Speaking with Arutz-7 today, Sharon was asked
if the unilateral withdrawal for which he is calling would not be seen by
Hizbullah as a full-scale defeat and surrender. Sharon said, "I am not calling
only for a withdrawal, but for a series of measures. First of all, the
government must detach the Lebanon issue from Syria. They are two
different problems. We pay a very heavy price in Lebanon, because every
time the Syrians don't get everything they want, they make sure that the
terrorism in Lebanon increases. Secondly, we must create deterrence,
immediately. We must deal them a great blow right now - Barak is showing
'restraint' because he is interested only in reaching an agreement with Syria.
Both Lebanon and Syrian interests there must be made to feel losses. The
third point is that we must get out of Lebanon right now, and not wait until
July. Barak knows that most of the public wants to get out of Lebanon, but
remain in the Golan. As bad as it sounds, he is using Lebanon as a way of
influencing public opinion regarding the Golan
It must be made clear,
during the withdrawal, that if they shoot on us while we re-deploy, or on the
Southern Lebanese Army, or on our northern communities, nothing will be
left of the Lebanese infrastructures - no roads, electric stations, bridges, or
refineries. And finally, we must stop any talks with Syria for as long as the
terrorists attack us."
When asked again if a withdrawal now would not be considered a himiliating
defeat, Sharon said, "The present situation puts us to the worst scorn
possible! Barak's perceived weakness, and his kowtowing in order not to
hurt the talks with the Syrians, make a mockery of Israel. The Arabs are
laughing at his weakness! We have never had a Prime Minister who lays the
honor of the State of Israel to abuse the way Barak is doing!"
Minister Amnon Lipkin-Shachak, the previous IDF Chief of Staff, does not
agree, and said that Israel should not withdraw from Lebanon at present.
Shachak said that Israel has intelligence information showing that Hizbullah
plans to continue to attack Israel even after an Israeli withdrawal from the
security zone. Minister Eli Yeshai of Shas said that his party is in favor of a
strong strike in Lebanon: "There's a war going on, and we have to respond in
kind."
P.A. FREEZES TALKS WITH ISRAEL, FREES TERRORIST LEADER
Abdul Aziz Rantisi, the head of Hamas in Gaza, was freed from his
Palestinian Authority prison cell this afternoon. He had been detained for the
past year, and Israeli sources estimate that the release was a gesture by
Arafat to Hamas in wake of the breakdown in the talks with Israel. The
Palestinians officially announced today that the final-status talks with Israel
have been frozen. They threaten, however, that if a permanent solution is not
reached by September, they will unilaterally declare an independent state.
Violence has also been threatened, scheduled to begin after the Pope's visit
to Israel next month.
Arutz Sheva News Service
<www.ArutzSheva.org>
Monday, February 7, 2000 / Rosh Chodesh Adar Aleph, 5760
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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Senate wants to ban space advertising
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2000 12:26:16 -0500
From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Senate Wants To Ban Space Advertising
Date: Sun, 06 Feb 2000 16:54:58 -0600
From: Mark Reiff <markreiff@earthlink.net>
To: _me_Earthlink <markreiff@earthlink.net>
FY Outrage,
> Subject: Official request for advice from
> Chairman Rohrabacher
>
> House and Senate staff are currently negotiating
> what will be included in a conference report on
> H.R. 1654, the NASA Authorization Act for
> FY2000-2002. One of the provisions in the
> Senate-passed verion of the bill is enclosed
> below. It deals with "obtrusive space
> advertising"; saying that advertising in space
> which is recognizable from the ground without
> aid of a telescope, etc..., IS A BAD THING. And
> it amends the Commercial Space Launch Act to
> prohibit the licensing of a U.S. launch that
> would conduct/support obtrusive space
> advertising. ***It does state clearly that
> advertising on launch vehicles, payloads,
> infrastructure, etc..., is allowable.***
>
> Why does the Senate bill include this provision?
> Because a few years back people were talking
> about "billboards in space". And a particular
> Senator doesn't like that idea. Enough to try
> and outlaw it.
>
> Here's the question from Chairman Rohrabacher:
> Does anyone know of a credible business whose
> business plans would be hampered by this
> provision? Would that business already be
> hampered by existing concerns about light
> pollution and its impact on professional/amateur
> astronomy? What impact would this provision
> have on the commercial space industry near and
> far-term? Who has a huge problem with this
> becoming law?
>
> Send your replies to me BY MONDAY, FEBRUARY
> 7TH, at this address. (Please don't deluge me
> with emotional attacks; it ain't our provision,
> and besides, we're asking for your input!!)
> Just give me specific information that I can use
> to advise Chairman Rohrabacher on this subject.
> **************************************************
>
> SEC. 310. SPACE ADVERTISING.
>
> (a) DEFINITION- Section 70102 of title 49,
> United States Code, is amended--
>
> (1) by redesignating paragraphs (8) through
> (16) as paragraphs (9) through (17),
> respectively; and
>
> (2) by inserting after paragraph (7) the
> following:
>
> "(8) 'obtrusive space advertising' means
> advertising in outer space that is capable of
> being recognized by a human being on the
> surface of the Earth without the aid of a
> telescope or other technological device.".
>
> (b) PROHIBITION- Chapter 701 of title 49,
> United States Code, is amended by inserting
> after section 70109 the following new section:
>
> " 70109a. Space advertising
>
> "(a) LICENSING- Notwithstanding the
> provisions of this chapter or any other
> provision of law, the Secretary may not, for the
> launch of a payload containing any material to
> be used for the purposes of obtrusive space
> advertising--
>
> `(1) issue or transfer a license under this
> chapter; or
>
> `(2) waive the license requirements of this
> chapter.
>
> `(b) LAUNCHING- No holder of a license under
> this chapter may launch a payload containing any
> material to be used for purposes of obtrusive
> space advertising on or after the date of
> enactment of the National Aeronautics and Space
> Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
> 2000.
>
> `(c) COMMERCIAL SPACE ADVERTISING- Nothing in
> this section shall apply to nonobtrusive
> commercial space advertising, including
> advertising on--
>
> `(1) commercial space transportation
> vehicles;
>
> `(2) space infrastructure payloads;
>
> `(3) space launch facilities; and
>
> `(4) launch support facilities.'.
>
> (c) NEGOTIATION WITH FOREIGN LAUNCHING NATIONS-
>
> (1) The President is requested to negotiate
> with foreign launching nations for the purpose
> of reaching 1 or more agreements that prohibit
> the use of outer space for obtrusive space
> advertising purposes.
>
> (2) It is the sense of Congress that the
> President should take such action as is
> appropriate and feasible to enforce the terms of
> any agreement to prohibit the use of outer space
> for obtrusive space advertising purposes.
>
> (3) As used in this subsection, the term
> `foreign launching nation' means a nation--
> (A) that launches, or procures the
> launching of, a payload into outer
> space; or (B) from the territory or
> facility of which a payload is launched
> into outer space.
>
> (d) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of
> sections for chapter 701 is amended by
inserting after the item
relating to
> section 70109 the following:
>
> `70109a. Space advertising.'.
Besides the fact that this is an obvious
unconstitutional restraint of trade restriction on
a business that hasn't so far been a problem,
Chairman Rohrbacher has received a well thought
out response indicating:
- that this proposed legislative amendment would
restrict a known lucrative business venture,
promotional advertising from providing both
funds and technology to space development,
specifically large solar power generating
satellites.
- that these orbital "billboards" would require
hundreds of launches and a considerable
logistics and in orbit habitation facilities to
support the required workforce.
- that any orbital "billboards" would only be
viewable only briefly (5-6 minutes) at sunset or
sunrise for about 2 weeks (Earth procession
around the Sun would obscure viewing after
that), and then its orbit decay causing it to
burn up in the upper atmosphere.
- astronomers don't usually do their observations
at sunset or sunrise, but during the darker
night and for much longer periods than these
"billboards" would be visible.
- the Iridium satellites currently cause a minor
flash/bloom during which has been observed by
amateur satellite trackers, but so far no
astronomers have complained about this being
problem.
Although space advertising causes "emotional"
reactions in some, we should avoid letting the
"emotional" reactionaries from skewing space
policy to restrict a potential avenue for
financing and enabling space development before it
even gets off the ground.
What constitutes "obtrusive" space advertising and
who determines what "obtrusive" is? One could
argue that this encroaches on the first amendment,
tat amount to government sponsored censorship.
If they succeed in banning "obtrusive" space
advertising, what will be next? All space
advertisement? Commercial spacecraft identifying
emblems? Certain words visible on the exterior of
a spacecraft? Certain words visible to cameras
inside a spacecraft? What next the Internet?
The Senate is going down a dangerous path on the
slippery slope of censorship and prior restraint
of business, that has not proven to have real
detriment to society or even individuals. This
should be resisted no matter what some queasy
Senator doesn't like.
via: SEDSNEWS@LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU
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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - CDC declares homophobia a health risk
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 07 Feb 2000 16:08:23 -0500
From: owner-bpr@philologos.org
MONDAY FEBRUARY 7 2000
CDC declares homophobia a health risk
"Homophobe" is an epithet commonly used by gay activists to
describe anyone who objects to the practice of homosexuality or
the gay rights movement. On the other hand, the term is
routinely dismissed by people who consider it to be part of the
ranting of the small minority who engage in homosexuality and
want to force society to accept homosexuality as normal.
The term grew out of the word "homophobia," which -- if broken
down to its root words --means fear of sameness. Homophobia is
an ambiguous term. It has no agreed-upon definition. The 1989
book, "Sex and Morality in the U. S.," put out by the Kinsey
Institute, referred to the term as "erroneous" (page 294). The
book goes on to say that "the assumption that 'anti-
homosexuality' is a phobic response, (is) a conclusion that
lacks convincing support."
According to Dr. Jeffrey Satinover, who has practiced
psychoanalysis and psychiatry for more than 23 years, "It was
coined to mean both a worry about being homosexual as well as to
refer to an opinion that homosexuality is not good." Satinover,
a former Fellow in Psychiatry and Child Psychiatry at Yale
University, says that in recent years the word has appeared in
some federally funded studies without being satisfactorily
defined as a medical condition. "This use is a pure corruption
of the medical process," said Satinover, "Opinions are not
diseases except to dictators."
Unfortunately, that is about to change. The Centers for Disease
Control, the official health arm of the federal government, used
the word for the first time last month with an implied
definition that would please the most radical members of the gay
community. Dr. Paul Cameron, the psychologist who heads the
Family Research Institute in Colorado Springs, stumbled upon
this passage in the CDC's "Morbidity and Mortality Report" for
the week of Jan. 14. On page 10 of this publication, under the
heading "HIV/AIDS Among Racial/Minority Men Who Have Sex with
Men," we have this revelation:
Race/ethnicity itself is not a risk factor for HIV infection.
However, among racial/ethic minority MSM (men who have sex with
men) social and economic factors, such as homophobia, high rates
of poverty and unemployment and lack of access to health care,
are associated with high rates of HIV risk behavior.
The definition of homophobia, as it is used here, came farther
down in the passage:
Within racial/ethnic minority communities, the stigma attached
to acknowledging homosexual and bisexual activity may inhibit
racial/ethic minority MSM from identifying themselves as
homosexual or bisexual and they may be more likely to identify
with their racial/ethnic minority community than with the MSM
community.
When you put these two paragraphs together, you have the
complete picture the CDC is presenting here: Those with
homophobia do not accept homosexuality. Homophobic people,
therefore, present a health risk. This is not the first time
this term as been used or implied by a federal agency. During
the seven years of the Clinton administration, we have seen it
pop up now and then, but this is the first time it has been used
by the Centers for Disease Control, which has dictatorial powers
on life and death matters.
Full story:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_chastain/20000207_xcjch_cdc_decla
r.shtml
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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Clinton's wiretap-heavy budget
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2000 19:01:22 -0500
From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>
Clinton's Wiretap-Heavy Budget
by Declan McCullagh (declan@wired.com)
1:25 p.m. 7.Feb.2000 PST
WASHINGTON -- President Clinton's proposed $1.84 trillion budget
includes millions of dollars in new spending on technology and law
enforcement programs.
The record budget request for the 2001 fiscal year, which begins 1
October, asks Congress for more money for wiretapping, police
databases, antitrust enforcement, and computer crime forensics.
One of the heftiest increases, from $15 million to $240 million, will
pay telephone companies to rewire their networks to facilitate federal
and state wiretapping. Under the 1994 Communications Assistance to
Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), Congress may "reimburse" phone companies
for their efforts, but the controversial process is the subject of a
lawsuit currently before a federal appeals court.
Half of that money, $120 million, will come from the Department of
Defense's "national security" budget -- a move that alarms privacy
groups.
"The proposal to use thinly disguised intelligence agency money to
fund CALEA confirms what we have suspected all along: the National
Security Agency is a silent partner in the government's campaign to
make our entire telecommunications system, including the Net, wiretap
ready," says Barry Steinhardt, associate director of the American
Civil Liberties Union.
[...]
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,34164,00.html
via: transhumantech@onelist.com
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