In Japan, its no longer purple rain but black rain.
Heavy downpours during early summer rainy season are normal, but in recent days the proverbial "cats and dogs" have been joined by tadpoles, fish and the occasional frog.
Meteorologists are bewildered as people around the country report witnessing the phenomenon since the first sightings of stranded tadpoles were made in Ishikawa prefecture last week.
From Hiroshima in the south-west and Iwate in the north-east people say they have stumbled on the dead creatures near their homes, in fields, school grounds, and on car roofs and windscreens.
In Ishikawa prefecture, on the Japan Sea coast, a resident found 13 crucian carp on and around his truck, each about 3cm long.
The suspected culprits so far are waterspouts or bigger birds, but meteorologists say no strong winds have been reported in the areas where tadpoles were found.
But the question as to why now, and the "flying" tadpoles have never been noticed before?
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
David Carradine Found Dead-Sex Act Gone Wrong
THE death of actor David Carradine appears to have been caused by a sex act gone wrong, with police saying he was found hanged with a rope tied around his neck and genitals.
The US actor was found dead in the closet of his luxury Bangkok hotel room overnight. He was 72.
The actor was found naked, in a closet with a curtain rope tied around his neck and genitals.
They would neither confirm nor deny suggestions that Carradine was attempting auto-erotic asphyxiation, a practice designed to boost sexual pleasure.
Police said they were alerted to the death of the actor, who won fame as the wandering monk in the Kung Fu television series, yesterday.
A representative for Carradine said the actor would not have commited suicide.
Lori Binder, a representative for Carradine's Los Angeles-based talent manager, said the actor was in Thailand to shoot a film called Stretch. She declined to give further details of his death while it was under investigation.
Carradine, from a family of performers and the eldest son of well-known character actor John Carradine, enjoyed a long career on Broadway, US television and in movies such as director Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Kill Bill: Vol. 2.
His role as Caine in Kung Fu earned him a nomination for an Emmy, and his turn as the villainous Bill in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 led to his fourth Golden Globe nomination.
He also won critical acclaim for portraying folk singing legend Woody Guthrie in the Oscar-nominated 1976 film Bound for Glory.
Carradine was married five times and had two daughters from previous marriages. His latest wife was Annie Bierman, whom he married in 2004. His brothers include the actor Keith Carradine.
The US actor was found dead in the closet of his luxury Bangkok hotel room overnight. He was 72.
The actor was found naked, in a closet with a curtain rope tied around his neck and genitals.
They would neither confirm nor deny suggestions that Carradine was attempting auto-erotic asphyxiation, a practice designed to boost sexual pleasure.
Police said they were alerted to the death of the actor, who won fame as the wandering monk in the Kung Fu television series, yesterday.
A representative for Carradine said the actor would not have commited suicide.
Lori Binder, a representative for Carradine's Los Angeles-based talent manager, said the actor was in Thailand to shoot a film called Stretch. She declined to give further details of his death while it was under investigation.
Carradine, from a family of performers and the eldest son of well-known character actor John Carradine, enjoyed a long career on Broadway, US television and in movies such as director Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Kill Bill: Vol. 2.
His role as Caine in Kung Fu earned him a nomination for an Emmy, and his turn as the villainous Bill in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 led to his fourth Golden Globe nomination.
He also won critical acclaim for portraying folk singing legend Woody Guthrie in the Oscar-nominated 1976 film Bound for Glory.
Carradine was married five times and had two daughters from previous marriages. His latest wife was Annie Bierman, whom he married in 2004. His brothers include the actor Keith Carradine.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Spielberg Introduces Motion Control For Xbox 360
Steven Spielberg was on hand to introduce a prototype camera Monday that can be used as a controller for the Xbox 360. Codenamed "Project Natal," the camera can track a player's full body movement while responding to commands, directions and a shift of emotion in voice without the need for a controller.
The announcement was made at Microsoft's flashy Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference at University of Southern California's Galen Center.
Microsoft also debuted 10 exclusive new games Among them: the open-world action sequel "Crackdown 2," New Orleans-set zombie-killer "Left 4 Dead 2," third-person shooter "Splinter Cell Conviction," sleek racer "Forza Motorsport 3" and the psychological thriller "Alan Wake."
The announcement was made at Microsoft's flashy Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference at University of Southern California's Galen Center.
Microsoft also debuted 10 exclusive new games Among them: the open-world action sequel "Crackdown 2," New Orleans-set zombie-killer "Left 4 Dead 2," third-person shooter "Splinter Cell Conviction," sleek racer "Forza Motorsport 3" and the psychological thriller "Alan Wake."
Apple Releases iTunes 8.2, iPhone 3.0 Coming Soon
Apple on Monday released iTunes 8.2, an update to its music jukebox software and online store interface for the Mac and Windows. It’s available for download through the Software Update system preference.
Apple notes that iTunes 8.2 now supports iPhones and iPod touches equipped with the iPhone 3.0 software update. Other accessibility improvements and bug fixes have also been made.
Apple also improved security in iTunes 8.2. According to a notice, Apple has improved bounds checking in 8.2 to prevent a stack buffer overflow problem that could lead to unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution.
Apple notes that iTunes 8.2 now supports iPhones and iPod touches equipped with the iPhone 3.0 software update. Other accessibility improvements and bug fixes have also been made.
Apple also improved security in iTunes 8.2. According to a notice, Apple has improved bounds checking in 8.2 to prevent a stack buffer overflow problem that could lead to unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution.
Air France Plane With 228 People On Board Missing!!
AN Air France passenger jet with 228 (216 passengers,12 crew members) people on board is missing after dropping off the radar over the Atlantic off the Brazilian coast. "We are very worried," a Paris airport official said.
"The plane disappeared from the screens several hours ago. It could be a transponder problem, but this kind of fault is very rare and the plane did not land when expected."
Air traffic control lost contact with the Airbus A330 at 0600 GMT (1600 AEST) after it took off from Rio de Janeiro bound for Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, where it had been due to land at 0910 GMT (1910 AEST).
Airport authorities have set up a crisis cell at Charles de Gaulle.
Meanwhile the Brazilian Air force is conducting a search.
Article credit Reuters
"The plane disappeared from the screens several hours ago. It could be a transponder problem, but this kind of fault is very rare and the plane did not land when expected."
Air traffic control lost contact with the Airbus A330 at 0600 GMT (1600 AEST) after it took off from Rio de Janeiro bound for Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, where it had been due to land at 0910 GMT (1910 AEST).
Airport authorities have set up a crisis cell at Charles de Gaulle.
Meanwhile the Brazilian Air force is conducting a search.
Article credit Reuters
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Nissan & Europcar To Sell & Lease Electric Cars From 2010
Kyodo News reported that Nissan Motor Co. and Europcar Groupe, a European leader in the passenger car and utility vehicle rental business, have agreed to form a partnership to sell and lease electric vehicles starting next year in a bid to promote zero emission mobility worldwide, officials from the two companies said Tuesday.
Nissan Altra EV, 4-seater, 75-mph maximum,lithium-ion battery with 5-hour recharge time
Nissan will sell electric vehicles to Europcar, which will then lease the cars to its clients, thus serving a broader reach of customers, a Nissan official said. It has yet to be determined whether the vehicles will carry the Nissan brand.
The vehicles will be introduced in various parts of Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, including France, Germany, Spain and Australia, and eventually spread to more countries, the companies said.
Nissan has said it plans to introduce the zero-emission vehicle in Japan, the United States and Europe next year, and that it will begin mass-marketing electric vehicles worldwide in 2012.
Nissan Altra EV, 4-seater, 75-mph maximum,lithium-ion battery with 5-hour recharge time
Nissan will sell electric vehicles to Europcar, which will then lease the cars to its clients, thus serving a broader reach of customers, a Nissan official said. It has yet to be determined whether the vehicles will carry the Nissan brand.
The vehicles will be introduced in various parts of Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, including France, Germany, Spain and Australia, and eventually spread to more countries, the companies said.
Nissan has said it plans to introduce the zero-emission vehicle in Japan, the United States and Europe next year, and that it will begin mass-marketing electric vehicles worldwide in 2012.
Monday, May 25, 2009
More MOX Fuel Offloads In Japan Nuclear Reactors.
A second shipment of controversial mixed uranium-plutonium oxide nuclear fuel has arrived in Japan amid tight security and protests from anti-nuclear activists. The MOX shipment arrived early Saturday at Kyushu Electric Power Co.'s Genkai No. 3 reactor in northern Saga Prefecture on a ship escorted by a small flotilla of Japan Coast Guard vessels.
Careful, Some Mushrooms Species Are Very Toxic
In an article published in Nature Chemical Biology on Monday, the researchers said they isolated the poisonous compound in the mushroom, Russula subnigricans, and confirmed its toxicity by feeding it to mice.
The toxin, cycloprop-2-ene carboxylic acid, has only four carbon atoms.
Apart from the usual symptoms of poisoning, such as nausea, diarrhoea, speech impairment, convulsions, pupil contractions, stiff shoulders and backaches, the human victims in Japan also suffered rhabdomyolysis, which is rarely seen.
Rhabdomyolysis is the rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue due to muscle injury. This leads to the release of the protein myoglobin into the bloodstream which harms the kidney.
Myoglobin was found in the urine of the Japanese victims.
Hashimoto said an adult person would die eating just two or three such mushrooms.
Rhabdomyolysis was also observed in victims in France and Poland after they ate another species of mushroom, the Tricholoma equestre. Hashimoto called for more research in isolating the toxin in that species.
To read full article click Reurers
The toxin, cycloprop-2-ene carboxylic acid, has only four carbon atoms.
Apart from the usual symptoms of poisoning, such as nausea, diarrhoea, speech impairment, convulsions, pupil contractions, stiff shoulders and backaches, the human victims in Japan also suffered rhabdomyolysis, which is rarely seen.
Rhabdomyolysis is the rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue due to muscle injury. This leads to the release of the protein myoglobin into the bloodstream which harms the kidney.
Myoglobin was found in the urine of the Japanese victims.
Hashimoto said an adult person would die eating just two or three such mushrooms.
Rhabdomyolysis was also observed in victims in France and Poland after they ate another species of mushroom, the Tricholoma equestre. Hashimoto called for more research in isolating the toxin in that species.
To read full article click Reurers
Iran General Says He Can Stop Israel Forever In 'One Strike'
Iran's former Revolutionary Guards chief Mohsen Rezai warned on Sunday 24, that Israel would not dare threaten the Islamic republic if he is elected president.
"My government... understands missiles and tanks as well as foreign policy and knows exactly where Israel's sensitive spots are. It could stop them forever with one strike," Rezai told a news conference.
"If government falls into our hands...the Israelis and the Americans know us and our friends," said Rezai, who is one of three candidates challenging President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June 12 election.
Israel and Washington accuse Iran of trying to develop atomic weapons under the guise of a civilian nuclear programme, a charge Tehran has repeatedly denied.
"My government... understands missiles and tanks as well as foreign policy and knows exactly where Israel's sensitive spots are. It could stop them forever with one strike," Rezai told a news conference.
"If government falls into our hands...the Israelis and the Americans know us and our friends," said Rezai, who is one of three candidates challenging President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June 12 election.
Israel and Washington accuse Iran of trying to develop atomic weapons under the guise of a civilian nuclear programme, a charge Tehran has repeatedly denied.
Japan To Start Arms Exports
The huge engineering and technological might of Japan may be poised for a new lease of life as the country prepares to ditch a self-imposed ban on arms exports that was introduced in the mid-1970s.
The controversial decision, which is likely to encounter bitter opposition from the country's mainly pacifist middle classes, could deliver significant economic benefits to Japan and lead to a realignment in the global defence industry.
To date, the single exception to the ban came as a dispensation in 2005 that allowed Japan to work with US companies on a missile defence system viewed as critical while North Korea continues to flex its military muscles.
Japan sees itself as a logical target for the nuclear-armed Pyongyang regime and has spent about £5 billion on the missile defence shield jointly developed with the United States.
Full article click timesonline
The controversial decision, which is likely to encounter bitter opposition from the country's mainly pacifist middle classes, could deliver significant economic benefits to Japan and lead to a realignment in the global defence industry.
To date, the single exception to the ban came as a dispensation in 2005 that allowed Japan to work with US companies on a missile defence system viewed as critical while North Korea continues to flex its military muscles.
Japan sees itself as a logical target for the nuclear-armed Pyongyang regime and has spent about £5 billion on the missile defence shield jointly developed with the United States.
Full article click timesonline
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Christmas Island Almost Full
Christmas Island shire president Gordon Thompson says the island's ability to house asylum seekers will come under pressure if further boat loads arrive.
The Navy intercepted another boat with more than 70 people on board near Ashmore Reef yesterday.
Mr Gordon says the latest arrivals can be accommodated, but it will bring the total on the island to close to 540 asylum seekers.
He says there is still room for single people but housing for families is more difficult.
In a separate development, seven people on Christmas Island have been granted refugee status and will leave today to settle permanently in Australia.
Immigration says the group includes Afghans, Iraqis and Sri Lankans.
Christmas Island is 135 square kilometres, has aa approximate population of 1,600 and 63% of the island is National park.
The Navy intercepted another boat with more than 70 people on board near Ashmore Reef yesterday.
Mr Gordon says the latest arrivals can be accommodated, but it will bring the total on the island to close to 540 asylum seekers.
He says there is still room for single people but housing for families is more difficult.
In a separate development, seven people on Christmas Island have been granted refugee status and will leave today to settle permanently in Australia.
Immigration says the group includes Afghans, Iraqis and Sri Lankans.
Christmas Island is 135 square kilometres, has aa approximate population of 1,600 and 63% of the island is National park.
British Tourists Arrested For Insulting Catholic Church
SEVENTEEN British tourists have been arrested on the island of Crete today for insulting the Catholic Church after they paraded themselves dressed "in nun attire and naughty lingerie", police said.
The Britons were arrested in the coastal town of Malia, a popular resort for young travellers with a long tradition of drunken tourist antics.
They will be taken to a prosecutor to be officially charged and may be fined but are
unlikely to be jailed for the misdemeanour offence, a police source said.
The Britons were arrested in the coastal town of Malia, a popular resort for young travellers with a long tradition of drunken tourist antics.
They will be taken to a prosecutor to be officially charged and may be fined but are
unlikely to be jailed for the misdemeanour offence, a police source said.
Fake Australian Priest Abused Boys In Orphanage In India
The story of a charity worker who conned his benefactors, using his good works to mask his sexual abuse of children across the sub-continent.
"Brother Paul", over three decades, has lied, stolen money and abused children. He scaped Australia with a hundred thousand dollars, the police let his trail go cold and the authorities in India and Australia have done so little to bring this man to justice.
Brother Paul, as he likes to be known, began life like many other young Australians. President of his local surf club, he dabbled in politics becoming a key player in the revival of his local Liberal party branch. But Paul was never quite what he appeared to be.
Fellow surf club members began to question his misuse of club funds. Then he disappeared overseas with a hundred thousand dollars from a travel company he had been involved with. But that was just the start.
Over more than thirty years, using false passports and other documents, this man changed identities and locations, all the time preying on children. First he pretended to be a priest handing out clothes, then a doctor performing operations on lepers and other people too poor to pay for medical care.
While people who knew him describe his kindness and capacity to help people, there is significant evidence that in each location the children he encountered paid a terrible price. To maintain his affection, assistance and the money brother Paul brought, they had to, in effect, become his sexual playthings. For some boys this pressure became too much. At least one boy in his care killed himself. Many others have been scarred for life.
To read full story click abc.net.au
"Brother Paul", over three decades, has lied, stolen money and abused children. He scaped Australia with a hundred thousand dollars, the police let his trail go cold and the authorities in India and Australia have done so little to bring this man to justice.
Brother Paul, as he likes to be known, began life like many other young Australians. President of his local surf club, he dabbled in politics becoming a key player in the revival of his local Liberal party branch. But Paul was never quite what he appeared to be.
Fellow surf club members began to question his misuse of club funds. Then he disappeared overseas with a hundred thousand dollars from a travel company he had been involved with. But that was just the start.
Over more than thirty years, using false passports and other documents, this man changed identities and locations, all the time preying on children. First he pretended to be a priest handing out clothes, then a doctor performing operations on lepers and other people too poor to pay for medical care.
While people who knew him describe his kindness and capacity to help people, there is significant evidence that in each location the children he encountered paid a terrible price. To maintain his affection, assistance and the money brother Paul brought, they had to, in effect, become his sexual playthings. For some boys this pressure became too much. At least one boy in his care killed himself. Many others have been scarred for life.
To read full story click abc.net.au
U.S. Artist Eileen Dreizin Undergoes Liver Transplant.
A noted American painter returned to the United States yesterday after undergoing a successful liver transplant at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital's Kaohsiung Medical Center in southern Taiwan.
It marked the first time that a Taiwanese medical team has performed a liver transplant for an American, according to Chen Chao-long, superintendent of the hospital's Kaohsiung branch who headed the medical team that performed the transplant.
Chen, an eminent liver transplant surgeon, told local news media that the 55-year-old American artist, identified as Eileen Dreizin, had terminal stage cirrhosis when she approached Chang Gung hospital for a liver transplant.
According to Chen, Dreizin's son suggested to his mother to undergo a liver transplant in Taiwan after he discovered through an extensive Internet search that Chen's surgical team has the world's highest survival rate, even higher than counterparts in many advanced countries, including the United States, Japan and major European Union countries.
To read full article click etaiwannews.com
It marked the first time that a Taiwanese medical team has performed a liver transplant for an American, according to Chen Chao-long, superintendent of the hospital's Kaohsiung branch who headed the medical team that performed the transplant.
Chen, an eminent liver transplant surgeon, told local news media that the 55-year-old American artist, identified as Eileen Dreizin, had terminal stage cirrhosis when she approached Chang Gung hospital for a liver transplant.
According to Chen, Dreizin's son suggested to his mother to undergo a liver transplant in Taiwan after he discovered through an extensive Internet search that Chen's surgical team has the world's highest survival rate, even higher than counterparts in many advanced countries, including the United States, Japan and major European Union countries.
To read full article click etaiwannews.com
World Music Festival -11 Music Lovers Killed In Crush
A stampede at a world music festival in Morocco on Saturday night left at least 11 people dead and 30 others injured, the authorities said. Some 70,000 spectators were at the Hay Nahda stadium to see home favorite Abdelaziz Stati sing at a concert which was part of the Mawazine (Rhythms) festival - opened on May 15 by Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue. Alicia Keyes had also featured in the concert.
Clearing site after stampede
Police said the stampede appeared to have been set off by the collapse of a wire fence when the crowd made a big surge.
Clearing site after stampede
Police said the stampede appeared to have been set off by the collapse of a wire fence when the crowd made a big surge.
Viagra Scientist R.F. Furchgott Is Dead
An American scientist whose work helped lead to the development of the anti-impotency drug Viagra has died at the age of 92 in Seattle.
He discovered that nitric oxide would enlarge blood vessels in the body and so increase blood flow. This provided the theoretical basis that lead eventually to the development of Viagra.
His contribution to humanity will be remembered for a long time.
He discovered that nitric oxide would enlarge blood vessels in the body and so increase blood flow. This provided the theoretical basis that lead eventually to the development of Viagra.
His contribution to humanity will be remembered for a long time.
The "White Ribbon" Film Wins The Palme d’Or
Austrian film The White Ribbon has won the Palme d'Or, the main prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Director Michael Haneke's work saw off competition from past winners including Britain's Ken Loach and Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.
One of its stars, Austrian Christoph Waltz, won best actor for his portrayal of an SS officer.
Charlotte Gainsbourg was named best actress for her role in Lars Von Trier's controversial film Antichrist.
The Danish film-maker's work did not go down well due to its brutal and frank scenes of domestic violence.
Director Michael Haneke's work saw off competition from past winners including Britain's Ken Loach and Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.
One of its stars, Austrian Christoph Waltz, won best actor for his portrayal of an SS officer.
Charlotte Gainsbourg was named best actress for her role in Lars Von Trier's controversial film Antichrist.
The Danish film-maker's work did not go down well due to its brutal and frank scenes of domestic violence.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
1000 Internet Cuts A Day For Music And Movie Piracy In France
PARIS - A thousand French internet users a day could be taken off-line following approval of President Nicolas Sarkozy's pet project - an unprecedented law to cut the internet connections of people who repeatedly pirate music and movies.
As the husband of supermodel-turned-pop star Carla Bruni and friend to some of France's most powerful media figures, Sarkozy has long basked in his cosy ties with the entertainment industry, which has embraced the measure.
But many in Europe have denounced it, saying government controls needed to enforce the law could open the way for invasive state monitoring that violate privacy. And legal challenges at home could derail it: The opposition is trying to get the law declared unconstitutional.
Predictably, music, film and other industry groups have welcomed the measure. John Kennedy, chairman and CEO of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, said that it represents a "sea change."
Critics, however, worry about civil liberties.
"We should be careful about interfering with the freedom of exchange of information," said Wolfgang Zankl, professor at the University of Vienna and president of the European Centre for E-Commerce. "This is a constitutional right which no one should be barred from."
Some internet experts say the law will be technically impossible to apply. It requires internet subscribers to install special software that would enable authorities to track down and identify those suspected of illegal downloads, but some experts say such programs do not yet exist.
And because it denies accused pirates the chance to defend themselves before their web connections are severed, legal experts say it will not stand up in court.
The measure's first short-term test came on Tuesday, when the opposition Socialists took their objections before the Constitutional Council, which has a month to issue a ruling. If the council decides the law does not violate the constitution, it could take effect by the European summer.
It calls for graduated reprisals against alleged offenders. If a suspected pirate fails to heed email warnings and a certified letter, internet access would be cut for two months to a year - with the subscriber required to keep paying for the service under the contract's terms.
Christine Albanel, the French culture minister, foresees cutting 1,000 internet connections a day and sending 13,000 warnings to first- or second-time offenders.
In the United States, the music industry has waged war on content swappers with limited success. A campaign to sue individuals who repeatedly download free songs was dropped last year in favour of an effort to work more closely with internet service providers to try to block connections of alleged offenders. AT&T, the largest internet service provider in the U.S., is beginning to send the warnings to its subscribers.
To read full article click nzherald.co.nz
As the husband of supermodel-turned-pop star Carla Bruni and friend to some of France's most powerful media figures, Sarkozy has long basked in his cosy ties with the entertainment industry, which has embraced the measure.
But many in Europe have denounced it, saying government controls needed to enforce the law could open the way for invasive state monitoring that violate privacy. And legal challenges at home could derail it: The opposition is trying to get the law declared unconstitutional.
Predictably, music, film and other industry groups have welcomed the measure. John Kennedy, chairman and CEO of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, said that it represents a "sea change."
Critics, however, worry about civil liberties.
"We should be careful about interfering with the freedom of exchange of information," said Wolfgang Zankl, professor at the University of Vienna and president of the European Centre for E-Commerce. "This is a constitutional right which no one should be barred from."
Some internet experts say the law will be technically impossible to apply. It requires internet subscribers to install special software that would enable authorities to track down and identify those suspected of illegal downloads, but some experts say such programs do not yet exist.
And because it denies accused pirates the chance to defend themselves before their web connections are severed, legal experts say it will not stand up in court.
The measure's first short-term test came on Tuesday, when the opposition Socialists took their objections before the Constitutional Council, which has a month to issue a ruling. If the council decides the law does not violate the constitution, it could take effect by the European summer.
It calls for graduated reprisals against alleged offenders. If a suspected pirate fails to heed email warnings and a certified letter, internet access would be cut for two months to a year - with the subscriber required to keep paying for the service under the contract's terms.
Christine Albanel, the French culture minister, foresees cutting 1,000 internet connections a day and sending 13,000 warnings to first- or second-time offenders.
In the United States, the music industry has waged war on content swappers with limited success. A campaign to sue individuals who repeatedly download free songs was dropped last year in favour of an effort to work more closely with internet service providers to try to block connections of alleged offenders. AT&T, the largest internet service provider in the U.S., is beginning to send the warnings to its subscribers.
To read full article click nzherald.co.nz
Red Bull Cola Banned For Containing cocaine
Authorities in the German states of Hesse and North-Rhine Westphalia have ordered retailers to stop selling Red Bull Cola after they found traces of cocaine in the popular fizzy drink.
The consumer ministries in the two states confirmed on Friday they had ordered retailers to pull the drink off their shelves after a food safety institute in North-Rhine Westphalia found cocaine in samples of the beverage.
“The institute examined Red Bull Cola in an elaborate chemical process and found traces of cocaine,” Bernhard Kühnle, head of the food safety department at the federal ministry for consumer protection said.
The newspaper reported that German retail group Rewe had already issued orders to remove the fizzy drink from its shops. Wilhelm Deitermann, spokesman for the North-Rhine Westphalia consumer ministry said he expected other German states to follow suit and ban the drink.
But Red Bull Cola has protested the action. “De-cocainized extract of coca leaf is used worldwide in foods as a natural flavouring,” the paper quoted the company saying. The company added that Red Bull Cola as well as other food that contains coca leaf extract is considered safe in the EU as well as in the US.
Red Bull has been dubbed the "clubbers' drink," and is often mixed with vodka. It contains caffeine, vitamins, and sugar which, the company claims, kick-starts the body's metabolism and keeps people alert.
To read full article click thelocal.de
The consumer ministries in the two states confirmed on Friday they had ordered retailers to pull the drink off their shelves after a food safety institute in North-Rhine Westphalia found cocaine in samples of the beverage.
“The institute examined Red Bull Cola in an elaborate chemical process and found traces of cocaine,” Bernhard Kühnle, head of the food safety department at the federal ministry for consumer protection said.
The newspaper reported that German retail group Rewe had already issued orders to remove the fizzy drink from its shops. Wilhelm Deitermann, spokesman for the North-Rhine Westphalia consumer ministry said he expected other German states to follow suit and ban the drink.
But Red Bull Cola has protested the action. “De-cocainized extract of coca leaf is used worldwide in foods as a natural flavouring,” the paper quoted the company saying. The company added that Red Bull Cola as well as other food that contains coca leaf extract is considered safe in the EU as well as in the US.
Red Bull has been dubbed the "clubbers' drink," and is often mixed with vodka. It contains caffeine, vitamins, and sugar which, the company claims, kick-starts the body's metabolism and keeps people alert.
To read full article click thelocal.de
Friday, May 22, 2009
Cancer-Fighting Nanoparticle Developed In Korea
Scientists in Korea have figured out a way to specifically target malignant cancer cells without harming normal, healthy cells with nanoparticles.
Research in nanoparticle-based medicine has been a major focus throughout the international bio-science community, but never before has anyone developed a multi-functioning nanoparticle that combines diagnosis, treatment and real-time monitoring of cancer progression.
The particle has four key components. The core is a magnetic nanoparticle that acts as a contrast agent for MRI scans. Attached to the surface of this particle is the second component, a peptide that allows the particle to attach itself securely to target cells. The third is a protein dubbed a small interfering RNA or siRNA that is programmed to attack specific genes inside cancer cells. The final component is an organic dye molecule which allows the nanoparticle to emit fluorescent light, making it easy to identify and monitor the diseased area. Once injected into the patient's body the magnetic nanoparticle attaches itself to cancerous cells and begins treatment.
KAIST professor Park Tae-gwan, who led the research with Prof. Cheon Jin-woo at Yonsei University, says the treatment is safe because most of the components are made from non-toxic materials.
So far the research has been limited to tests on cell cultures, but Park says he intends to test the therapy on mice and monkeys and then on humans if successful. Although scores of people are anxious to try out the treatment, scientists predict it will take at least another five to 10 years for the multitalented nanoparticle to reach the market.
To read full article click chosun.com
Research in nanoparticle-based medicine has been a major focus throughout the international bio-science community, but never before has anyone developed a multi-functioning nanoparticle that combines diagnosis, treatment and real-time monitoring of cancer progression.
The particle has four key components. The core is a magnetic nanoparticle that acts as a contrast agent for MRI scans. Attached to the surface of this particle is the second component, a peptide that allows the particle to attach itself securely to target cells. The third is a protein dubbed a small interfering RNA or siRNA that is programmed to attack specific genes inside cancer cells. The final component is an organic dye molecule which allows the nanoparticle to emit fluorescent light, making it easy to identify and monitor the diseased area. Once injected into the patient's body the magnetic nanoparticle attaches itself to cancerous cells and begins treatment.
KAIST professor Park Tae-gwan, who led the research with Prof. Cheon Jin-woo at Yonsei University, says the treatment is safe because most of the components are made from non-toxic materials.
So far the research has been limited to tests on cell cultures, but Park says he intends to test the therapy on mice and monkeys and then on humans if successful. Although scores of people are anxious to try out the treatment, scientists predict it will take at least another five to 10 years for the multitalented nanoparticle to reach the market.
To read full article click chosun.com
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