14. mai 2003

Second attack in three days in Chechnya A suicide attack, allegedly carried out by two women, killed at least 14 people and injured at least 100 in Chechnya. The attack was carried out in the midts of thousands gathered for a Muslim religious holiday, apparently targeting the head of Chechnya's administration Akhmad Kadyrov, who escaped unharmed. 10:18:46 PM    comment []

Criticism of Saudi security The terror attack in Riyadh shows the total breakdown of security in the country. It is now confirmed that nine of the suicide bombers were among the 19 who managed to escape after a shootout with the police earlier this month, when a large cache of explosives was taken. The Saudi authorities were also requested by the US to strengthen the security at the western compounds and failed to do it, resulting in the tragedy that happened. 7:14:19 PM    comment []

The World will end tomorrow! Any plans for tomorrow? Sorry. According to the white-robed Panawave sect in Japan, tomorrow May 15th is the day when the world will end. The cult, which believes that an undiscovered planet is set to knock the Earth off its axis tomorrow, has perhaps understandably let the laundry pile up. This sect is not the only one predicting the end of the world in May or June 2003. If you've been active on Usenet or on public message boards over the last 6-7 years, you're lucky if you haven't run into Nancy Lieder or one of her ZetaTalk disciples. This group of conspiracy nuts, oblivious to all scientific facts and astronomical observations, claims that a mystical "12th planet" will arrive in May or June this year, and cause what they call a "pole shift" which essentially will be the end of the world. Their arguments are extremely nonsensical, even by conspiracy standards, so I haven't really bothered to find out the exact details.. These nuts used to run a website at www.zetatalk.com, but given the imminent end of the world, it is perhaps not a surprise they haven't bothered to keep it running. 4:46:09 PM    comment []

Overkill new boss of Norwegian security police Chief of Police Arnstein Overkill is the new working head of PST, the Norwegian security police. Well, almost right. His name is Øverkil (picture), but that's close enough. The Norwegian security services PST were earlier named POT, and have obviously not let go of its talent for giving the English-speaking world some cheap puns. Øverkil's job is still looking for the perfect applicant, which must be a person with unique administrative, legal and security qualifications, and who likes having his work constantly hampered by the 'see no evil' leftists in Parliament, who holds 'spooks' in deep contempt. Good luck, Øverkil. You will need it.  (From a Norwegian article in Nettavisen) 2:18:26 PM    comment []

False Amina Lawal appeal 'damaging' An appeal for Nigerian Amina Lawal (picture), asserting she is set to be stoned to death on June 3, has been passed around through email and in blogs for some time. The information in the appeal is false. Lawal has been sentenced to death for adultery by a sharia court, but her avenues for appeal are far from exhausted. In fact, June 3 is the date for her appearance in the first of three possible appeals courts. Dr Ayesha Imam, from a women's human rights group that is campaigning to defend Lawal, is complaining that the appeals are at this stage unhelpful and damaging. Her group is calling for the campaign to be stopped: "Because of the circumstances in Nigeria today, which are very volatile, we felt that having a big international campaign and protest letters that were based on inaccurate information and not very carefully worded, would actually be more damaging than helpful. We decided that we had to put out an international appeal trying to clarify the situation and asking people not, at this moment, to participate in international protest campaigns." While such appeals are sometimes helpful, at this stage the group feels it is important that Lawal is released by the courts without international pressure. The Secular Blasphemer, upon seeing this appeal, found out it was false by doing a simple google search. Don't believe everything you read, and don't pass on chain letters, no matter how good the cause. Serious appeals are very unlikely to reach you through email chain letters. 1:10:21 PM    comment []

The most hated man on the Net Forget Osama Bin Laden. Saddam Hussein is yesterday's news. The man you really, really hate is Robert "Bubba" Catts, a professional spammer. 12:43:49 PM    comment []

— Neanderthals unlikely to be ancestors of modern humans Forty thousand years ago there were two different species of hominids over large parts of Africa and Eurasia. One of them, called Cro Magnon, later evolved into us. The other, the Neanderthals, went extinct for unknown reasons. However, it has been suggested that maybe the two species interbred, and that we are indeed descendants of both. For example, one skeleton found in Portugal had characteristics of both species. Scientists at the University of Ferrara in Italy have compared the DNA in mithocondria from all three species, and have come to the conclusion that while there is clear evidence of Cro Magnon ancestry for modern humans, there are no traces of Neanderthal material. This result indicates that Neanderthals made no, or very little, contribution to the genes of modern humans. It also strengthens the so-called 'out of Africa' theory: that the modern human originated in Africa 150,000 years ago, and all humans presently living are descendants of them. An interesting site about the Neanderthals here. 11:03:14 AM    comment []

Anne Frank betrayal remains unsolved A group of Dutch historians have investigated all documents and evidence in the case of Anne Frank and her family, and come to no firm conclusion. Anne and seven other Jews hiding in Amsterdam was captured by the nazis in 1944, and sent to the concentration camps where only one, Anne's father Otto, survived. Anne Frank's diary, published after the war in more than 60 languages, has been the most famous book about the plight of Jews in Nazi occuppied Europe. There has been a number of claims about who betrayed the family, and the research has focused on three suspects, all dead. They could not find any significant evidence for any of them, and some arguments against. In fact, the capture might have been an unlucky coincidence, they suggest. 10:02:25 AM    comment []

Riyadh strikes only the beginning DebkaFile takes a grim look at the security situation in Saudi Arabia, saying its capital is "teeming with many hundreds of al Qaeda operatives preparing for a fresh offensive against US and Saudi targets." The Monday night terror attack demonstrated great operational efficiency, and it is, like it appears, the work of Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network. The total failure of the Kingdom's security in dealing with this attack, which did not lack warning, also shows that the terrorists infiltrate the security forces and the military. Most likely, the latest attack, which according to US sources have cost 90 lives, will accomplish the goal of the militants to have most westerners escape from the Kingdom. The Islamists want the corrupt royal family replaced by an extremist rulership modelled on the Taliban. And they find many sympathisers at all levels in the Saudi society. 9:41:27 AM    comment []

Blogging about Norway I haven't encountered too many Norwegian bloggers, and even fewer writing in English. Bjørn Stærk blog (name means bear strong!) writes brilliantly, I think, about politics and social issues in Norway, having a good perspective beyond our borders. Sometimes when I have thought about writing about some local issue, I realise I will have to provide a comprehensive background to explain what it's about. I guess I am lazy sometimes. Bjørn takes the time to provide his readers with the background and context. 7:45:28 AM    comment []

A Nepalese freezing in Norway Biswokarma, a journalist from Nepal has managed to land in Norway, of all places, and tells about his experiences in the country's largest newspaper. One peculiar characteris tic of the Norwegian society is people here spend a lot of time talking about weather. It was quite surprising for me when I arrived here at the end of January. But leaving in this northern most country in Europe for three months has made me weather conscious too. Hey, it wasn't me who invented the weatherpixie. 3:13:48 AM    comment []

Mass grave found in Iraq Iraqis have discovered what they say is the largest mass grave so far, in a town south of Baghdad. BBC correspondent Barbara Plett says the remains of up to 3,000 people had been found so far, and the total uncovered could be as many as 15,000. The victims are thought to be Shiites killed after the 1991 rebellion against Saddam Hussein. Reportedly, whole families are found in the graves. 2:16:42 AM    comment []

Pseudoarcheology If you are interested in archeology and history from childhood, chances are that some of the first sites you'll find online are a perversion of the real thing. Public interest in charlatans sometimes seem to outweigh the real scholars, and if people start to look at the topic before they know a minumum of facts and methodology, there are many pitfalls. Archeology.org lists the net's top five pseudoarcheology sites in a recent article about the phenomenon. Much to my delight, the top of the sordid pack is the creationist site Answers in Genesis. The cretinists are deeply offended and huffs and puffs a lot, but are as always too cowardly to link to the article in question. They also can't help missing the point. AiG starts with an "answer" and starts looking for evidence to support it. Real science works the other way around. 1:28:13 AM    comment []

© Copyright 2003 Jan Haugland. Last update: 01.06.2003; 03:29:55.