How We See The World

Student Loans Company accepted birth ceriticates as identity proof Criminal gangs have obtained millions of pounds in student loans by enrolling "ghost students" in universities, a BBC investigation has found. The University admissions body, Ucas, has recorded a large increase in suspected fraud to 1,500 cases in 2006. One fraudster enrolled himself on five different degree courses at the same university and had 17 fake identities. He collected student loans worth £65,595. His conviction has highlighted flaws in the loans system. Ucas is to double the size of its anti-fraud team to cope with the rise in financial fraud. It has also identified a furt…

YouTube has denied copyright infringement in the past The English Premier League is to sue video-sharing site YouTube for alleged copyright infringement. The football organisation said YouTube had "knowingly misappropriated" its intellectual property by encouraging footage to be viewed on its site. Google-owned YouTube already faces a $1bn (£501m) lawsuit from media giant Viacom, accusing it of illegally showing clips from its TV shows. YouTube has denied those claims, saying the suit threatens the internet. 'Exploitation' The English Premier League and US music publisher Bourne launched the legal action in New York, claiming unspecified damages. Th…

So some good movies coming out in May. What one are you looking forward to the most?

Palma de Mallorca - In the end, Roger Federer's favourite surface cost him on Wednesday. Two-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal beat Federer 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (10) in an exhibition match on a half-grass, half-clay court when Federer couldn't reach Nadal's forehand as it took an awkward bounce across the green side of the court. more here... http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=30&art_id=nw20070502232120325C655712

Artist's impression: Astronomers have discovered the most Earth-like planet outside our Solar System to date, an exoplanet with a radius only 50% larger than the Earth and possibly having liquid water on its surface. Astronomers have found the most Earth-like planet outside our Solar System to date, a world which could have water running on its surface. The planet orbits the faint star Gliese 581, which is 20.5 light-years away in the constellation Libra. Scientists made the discovery using the Eso 3.6m Telescope in Chile. They say the benign temperatures on the planet mean any water there could exist in liquid form, and this raises the chances it could also harbour…

Dog dies after saving kids from pitbulls Wednesday May 2 06:51 AEST Feisty Jack Russell terrier George has died after saving five children from a mauling by two savage pitbulls in New Zealand. The tiny dog leapt to the defence of the children - aged between four and 11 - when the two rogue pitbulls threatened them in the Taranaki township of Manaia on Sunday. The attack was the final straw for the South Taranaki District Council, which says it intends hunting down all dangerous and unregistered dogs and neutering them. Richard Rosewarne, 11, said the pitbulls came up from behind and were going for his brother, Darryl Wilson, 4. "George tried to protect us by…

Remember this story? Now the cops get what they deserve. Cops Admit To Planting Marijuana on 92 Year Old Woman Killed in Botched Drug Raid. Harry R. Weber Associated Press Monday, April 30, 2007 ATLANTA — Two police officers pleaded guilty Thursday to manslaughter in the shooting death of a 92-year-old woman during a botched drug raid last fall. A third officer still faces charges. Officer J.R. Smith told a state judge Thursday that he regretted what had happened. "I'm sorry," the 35-year-old said, his voice barely audible. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter, violation of oat…

Ecological Apocalypse: Why Are All The Bees Dying? GM, toxic chemicals, chemtrails destroying eco-system, threatening very survival of humanity Paul Joseph Watson Tuesday, April 10, 2007 The alarming decline in bee populations across the United States and Europe represents a potential ecological apocalypse, an environmental catastrophe that could collapse the food chain and wipe out humanity. Who and what is behind this flagrant abuse of the eco-system? Many people don't realize the vital role bees play in maintaining a balanced eco-system. According to experts, if bees were to become extinct then humanity would perish after just four years. "If the bee disa…

Boris Yeltsin, who played a key role in the Soviet Union's demise and became Russia's first president, has died aged 76, the Kremlin says. Mr Yeltsin - who had a history of heart trouble - died of heart failure in hospital at 1545 (1145 GMT). He came to power after being promoted by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, a man he then outmanoeuvred. He won international acclaim as a defender of democracy when in August 1991 he mounted a tank in Moscow. In what became one of the defining moments of his career, Mr Yeltsin rallied the people against an attempt to overthrow Mr Gorbachev's era of glasnost and perestroika. In another episode of high drama, tw…

Kiss caught on camera raises issues of Big Brother surveillance WBKO Saturday, April 28, 2007 Surveillance cameras in schools are meant to keep children safe and in-line, but a kiss, a camera and a controversy have Gig Harbor High School in Washington in an uproar. A security camera captured two girls kissing, but it's what happened next that sparked a surveillance debate. With Warren County schools having surveillance cameras not only in the high schools but in the middle school and elementary schools as well, you'll want to read on because reporter Keith Eldridge's brings you the story that asks the question: When does Big Brother surveillance cross the lin…

Read My Lips: Britain is a Police State Wired Friday April 27, 2007 This "British Police State" theme we have going here at the Gadget Lab is starting to get genuinely scary. Now the Home Office in England are developing lip reading cameras. It's software based so theoretically could be applied to every one of the millions of cameras in Britain. From Sci Fi Tech: Once it finds someone speaking certain key words or sentences, the system would automatically send an alert message to a central console, mobile phone, or other communications device. Police or security agents could then be dispatched to the scene to question the individual. Feeling uncomfortab…

Students for a Democratic Society is back (yep the one from the 60's!) They are here to protest the war and try and accomplish many other political and humanitarian objectives....check them out if you are a left wing activist... Studentsforademocraticsociety.org and my Chapter is.... http://apexstudentsadvocatingpeace.org thanks guys!

China to Force Rain Ahead of Olympics Associated Press Wednesday, April 25, 2007 Chance of showers during the 2008 Beijing Olympics: 50 percent. But Chinese meteorologists have a plan to bring sunshine. The meteorologists say they can force rain in the days before the Olympics, through a process known as cloud-seeding, to clean the air and ensure clear skies. China has been tinkering with artificial rainmaking for decades, but whether it works is a matter of debate among scientists. Weather patterns for the past 30 years indicate there is a 50 percent chance of rain for both the opening ceremony on Aug. 8, 2008 and the closing ceremony two weeks later, …

Ball was a key part of England's World Cup winning team in 1966 World Cup winner Alan Ball has died of a heart attack at the age of 61. Ball was a key member of the England side that won the World Cup in 1966 and went on to win 72 caps for his country. He started his career at Blackpool and went on to play for Everton, Arsenal and Southampton before a playing spell in the United States of America. He also managed seven clubs over a 19-year period, including two spells with Portsmouth as well as Southampton and Manchester City. Ball was awarded an MBE in 2000 for his services to football. He is the second member of the side that beat West Germany 4-2 a…

A 22-year-old runner who was taken ill after completing the London Marathon has died, race organisers have said. They said the man died in hospital and offered their "deepest sympathy and condolences" to his family and friends. A second runner who was in a critical condition overnight has now stabilised but is still in hospital. The cause of the 22-year-old's death has not yet been released - his is the ninth death since the London Marathon began in 1981. St John Ambulance said of the 5,032 people it treated, 73 went to hospital as runners battled 21C temperatures at midday, equalling the 1996 record. The St John Ambulance first aid charity provided som…

Shock ... diner where man cut off manhood HORRIFIED diners watched in shock as a maniac sliced off his manhood in a crowded pizza restaurant. The 35-year-old Pole burst into the Zizzi eaterie in central London and grabbed a knife from the kitchen. He then leapt on a table and dropped his trousers as customers fled screaming. A witness said: “There was blood everywhere. Everyone ran out of the place.” Surgeons battling to save the severed willy tried to sew it back on in the first UK op of its kind. Quick-thinking cops recovered the organ from the restaurant floor after subduing its crazed owner with CS gas. The manhood was packed in ice and taken wit…

incredible Messi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFNckedFOAY Maradona http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUpSNrC7Bxg :shocked2: :shocked2: :shocked2: :shocked2:

Very definitely not green Kryptonite is no longer just the stuff of fiction feared by caped superheroes. A new mineral matching its unique chemistry - as described in the film Superman Returns - has been identified in a mine in Serbia. According to movie and comic-book storylines, kryptonite is supposed to sap Superman's powers whenever he is exposed to its large green crystals. The real mineral is white and harmless, says Dr Chris Stanley, a mineralogist at London's Natural History Museum. "I'm afraid it's not green and it doesn't glow either - although it will react to ultraviolet light by fluorescing a pinkish-orange," he told BBC News. Rock heist …

32 Dead In Gun Rampage Updated: 18:55, Monday April 16, 2007 At least 32 people are feared dead in the worst ever gun rampage on an American university campus. A further 28 were injured before the gunman was himself shot dead, according to reports. The drama happened at the Virginia Tech college in Virginia. Police say the gunman opened fire at people in a classroom and dormitory. Witnesses said he was heavily armed and entered the college looking for his girlfriend. He reportedly lined up students and opened fire at them. He was said to be a young Asian. The name of the gunman has not been released. It is not known if he was a student. United Sta…

Anybody an audio expert here? I bought a new Dell Inspiron 1505E laptop 2 months ago and I love it. The only problem I am having is trying to capture mp3s using Roxio Easy Media Creator 8. On my old computer I had a pretty standard Creative Labs Sound Card with 4 slots to either plug in speakers or a microphone and could capture the mp3s no problem. You could basically press record on the program and it would make mp3s out of what you heard from your speakers, whether it be streaming audio or whatever. I'm guessing I can't capture the audio using Roxio on my laptop because there is not a sound card? Ive only really seen one laptop soundcard that plugs into t…

This thread dedicate to the news from Iraq Feel free to submit news

1st Multiformat Converter and CD Ripper This is a great little program for converting all types of music files including. flac to .mp3 Its quicker and simpler to use than ANYTHING else i've ever tried. 1st Multiformat Converter and CD Ripper easily rips audio CDs and converts between the most popular audio file formats: MP3, WMA, OGG, APE, FLAC, MPC, WAV. You can adjust the bit rate and frequency, get song titles from FreeDB, create a playlist after the file processing. The software offers a pre-conversion mode; it enables you to get a 10-seconds converted sample to evaluate the final outcome. The converted files keep all ID3Tags data. Version 5.4 build 16…

Tony Blair will stand down as leader of the Labour Party, and Prime Minister. So a little birdie told me :thinking: :)

...around for a cup of tea and a slice of your wonderful fruit cake. "Hello, is anybody home?" The world's newest and joint largest cruise ship has arrived in a British port for a promotional visit. The 160,000 metric ton Liberty of the Seas has docked in Southampton on its first port of call and its only European visit. The 1,112ft-long ship has 15 decks for 4,375 passengers. It is longer than three-and-a-half football pitches. It is slightly bigger than Cunard's liner Queen Mary 2 and is the sister ship of Freedom of the Seas. Facilities onboard include a surf simulator, rock climbing wall, ice skating rink and children's water park, as well as a cas…

Elections will be on the 22th of April, and at the beggining of May... So who do you prefer, if you know them? Les éléctions auront lieu le 22 avril et début mai, donc qui préfèrez-vous, si vous les connaissez...?