Star Trek Pledge Gets 8 yr old Suspended

From "True Underground Adventures of an Avon Lady"...

Beauty Dish's unnamed eight year old fan of the hit TV series & motion picture franchise Star Trek has been suspended from school for reciting the Star Trek Pledge of Allegiance instead of the standard Pledge of Allegiance (modified in 1954) in school. The Star Trek Pledge of Allegiance reads:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United Federation of Planets, and to the galaxy for which it stands, one universe, under everybody, with liberty and justice for all species."

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"And the Dead shall walk...."

Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh's Safar Centre for Resuscitation Research (led by Peter Safar) have reanimating canines after several hours of clinical death in attempts to develop suspended animation for humans. Plans to test the technique on humans should be realised within a year, according to the Safar Centre.

Source: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,15739502-13762,00.html

California National Guard sets up state intelligence unit

California's National Guard has set up a special intelligence unit intended to help local law enforcement deal with terrorist threats and integrate statewide investigations with international anti-terrorism initiatives, according to a newspaper report. Guard officials say the new unit, established last year, will not violate long-standing rules barring the military from gathering information on American citizens.

Source: http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/06/26/news/state/11_132343143523.txt

U.S. Officials Meet With Insurgents in Iraq

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld acknowledged Sunday that U.S. officials met with insurgents in Iraq, after a British newspaper reported two such meetings took place recently at a villa north of Baghdad.

Source: http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBMKQNUFAE.html

How the Government Makes News; Under Bush, a New Age of Prepackaged News

On March 13, 2005 (Late Ed., Final, Sec. 1, Pg. 1, Col. 2) the New York Times ran a story, "How the Government Makes News; Under Bush, a New Age of Prepackaged News" by David Barstow and Robin Stein; Anne E. Kornblut.
    A month later (14 April), PBS reported "FCC Warns Broadcasters To Identify Source Of Video News Releases" where they claim "The General Accountability Office, the research arm for Congress, in February investigated the matter and determined that the prepackaged news funded by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services constituted 'covert propaganda.'"
    Susan Poling (of the GAO) was reported to have said "We concluded that production and distribution of prepackaged news stories that conceal the agency's role in producing the story was covert propaganda and, therefore, violated the prohibition on the use of appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda. Susan Poling can be reached at (202) 512-2667.

Additional Sources:
http://www.gao.gov/decisions/appro/304272.htm
http://www.gao.gov/decisions/appro/304272.pdf
http://www.gao.gov/daybook/050512.htm
http://www.gao.gov/htext/d05643t.html
http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05643thigh.pdf
http://www.gao.gov/special.pubs/appforum2005/circularltrs.pdf

Property can be taken by City

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that a city can take a person's home as part of a private development project aimed at boosting tax revenues and revitalizing a local economy, a decision that could have nationwide impact. By a 5-4 vote, the high court upheld a ruling that New London, Connecticut, can seize the homes and businesses owned by seven families for a private development project that will complement a nearby research facility by the Pfizer Inc. drug company.

ACLU Obtains Detainee Torture Docs using FOIA

While Rush Limbaugh cited a FoxNews.com story when demanding that Senator Richard J. Durbin provide proof to support his claim of detainee torture, the UCLU already made these documents available for public inspection.

Priest "justified" after crucifying nun

File under "Everyone Needs A Hobby": A Romanian Orthodox priest who ordered the crucifixion of a young nun because she was "possessed by the devil" and now faces murder charges was unrepentant on Saturday as he celebrated a funeral mass for his alleged victim.

He insisted that from the religious point of view, the crucifixion of Maricica Irina Cornici, 23, was "entirely justified", but admitted that he faced excommunication as well as prosecution, and was seeking a "good lawyer".

Sources:
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=qw1119098341918B265
http://www.daily-news.ro/article_detail.php?idarticle=12569

Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel: "We're losing in Iraq"

Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel: "Things [in Iraq] aren't getting better; they're getting worse. The White House is completely disconnected from reality," Hagel tells U.S. News & World Report. "It's like they're just making it up as they go along. The reality is that we're losing in Iraq."

Source: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/050627/27bush.htm

Conversely, Senator Hagel has endorsed bringing back the draft in the USA; "Why shouldn't we ask all of our citizens to bear some responsibility and pay some price?" Hagel said, arguing that restoring the draft would force "our citizens to understand the intensity and depth of challenges we face."

Source: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=38139

Happy slapping

"Happy slapping" is the term used to describe the phenomenon of an individual or group slapping or striking a stranger while an accomplice films the assault using a camera phone or smart phone. It is said to have first become popular in the British garage music scene, but the happy slapping craze has been adopted by a growing number of British teenagers and is now more associated with chav or ghetto culture.

H. J. Res. 24: Repealing the XXII Amendment

Looks like some people want Bush to be President for life; House Joint Resolution 24 (Feb 17, 2005) sponsored by Rep. Steny Hoyer [D-MD] suggests exactly that.

Yet Another Christian Woman Murders Her Children

In the tradition of Andrea Yates, Samara Spann, believing her six year old daughter Kyeimah to be a "demon" drowned and later decapitated her child. Most people I've spoken to have said 'she's not a Christian, she's a psycho!' yet to believe in demons one must already be insane, right?

Six More British Documents Leaked

Six new secret British documents have been leaked and are provided below. These were retyped from the originals to protect the source, RawStory.com has verified the authenticity.

90% of Terrorist Arrests Fail

Fewer than 10% of the people prosecuted for terrorism in the United States since the September 11 attacks were convicted of crimes related to that or national security, according to a study conducted by the Washington Post. Of those 39 people, few had any connection to al-Qaida while the remaining 90% were acquitted or convicted of lesser crimes such as immigration violations or making false statements, the study shows.

Is United States President George W. Bush a Rapist?
Margie Schoedinger of Missouri City, Texas filed a lawsuit against George W. Bush in Fort Bend County Court, according to the Fort Bend Star newspaper. In her suit she is alleged "race based harassment and individual sex crimes committed against her and her husband." Margie Schoedinger was later found dead of a gunshot wound after filing her suit.

Papers filed with the Office of the County Clerk, Fort Bend, Texas were online at the below locations but appear to no longer be available:

http://ccweb.co.fort-bend.tx.us/imgcache/CCCIVIL217038-1-7.pdf http://ccweb.co.fort-bend.tx.us/imgcache/CCCIVIL217041-1-1.pdf

One of these PDF files has been archived and is available for downloading.