On the Campaign trail

With all this talk of McCain-Palin, here is the latest Campaign tactic from the Obama campaign.
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USA: Bill to punish piracy

Bill to punish piracy

Universities could find their funding withheld if they don't use 'technology based deterrents'

Sean Gruber

Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: News

A bill scheduled for debate in the House of Representatives could punish universities for not placing "technology based deterrents" for piracy on their school networks.

The bill, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007, contains a list of requirements for universities to meet if they want to be eligible for federal funding and programs.

Embedded in the nearly 800-page bill is a clause which said, "each eligible university participating in any program" in the bill must "offer ... alternatives to illegal downloading, as well as a plan to explore technology based deterrents to prevent such illegal activity."

The bill is supported by the Motion Picture Association of America and Recording Industry Association of America.

According to a CNET News article by Anne Broache, MPAA Washington general counsel Frtiz Attaway, said that linking college funding and piracy is "perfectly legitimate."

The MPAA released a study in 2005 stating that the movie industry lost 44 percent of its domestic revenue. The MPAA said it made a mistake when compiling the study, and it then said the movie industry lost "approximately 15 percent" of its revenues to college students."

Source & Cont'd: The Carolina Gamecock

Japan's warships resume missions

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- The Japanese navy deployed the first of two ships Thursday to resume the country's refueling mission in support of the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan, the Kyodo news agency reported.

Japanese supply ship Tokiwa fuels a U.S. Navy vessel, right, in February, 2003, in the Arabian Sea.

The resumption -- which ends a three-month hiatus -- is "indispensable for Japan to fulfill its duty in the international community" and help make Afghanistan more stable, Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba said at a ceremony held at Yokosuka base, south of Tokyo, according to Kyodo.

The destroyer Murasame left Yokosuka on Thursday for the Indian Ocean, where in about three weeks it will rendezvous with the Oumi, a 13,500-ton support ship. The Oumi is scheduled to leave its base in southwestern Japan on Friday.

The two-vessel task force will include 340 crew members.

As an officially pacifist nation since World War II, Japan's participation in the refueling operation has been controversial. On November 1, Japan's Defense Minister ordered a halt to it, after the government failed to reach an agreement with parliament to extend it.

"It is very regrettable and sad to see Naval Self-Defense Forces stop the mission," Shigeru Ishiba said at the time. "I feel a grave responsibility as the representative of the Defense Ministry."

In the aftermath, government officials vowed to strike a deal to resume the mission. Although the opposition refused to support legislation to re-start it, the government used its majority in the lower house to override, allowing Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force to resume the mission.

The ships are to provide oil and water for vessels participating in the U.S.-led coalition, Kyodo reported.

About 100 people protested the deployment Thursday morning outside the base in Yokosuka.

Before the break, Japan had been refueling coalition warships in the Indian Ocean since 2001.

Source: CNN.com.

Bush: Dial 1-800-OOPS for housing help

US homeowners who could face crippling mortgage payments will have a hard time getting help if they call a telephone number President George W Bush recommended - because he gave them the wrong number.

"I have a message for every homeowner worried about rising mortgage payments: The best you can do for your family is to call 1-800-995-HOPE," Bush said after a White House meeting with administration officials and lenders on a new plan to help.

Unfortunately he was a couple digits off, it is actually 1-888-995-HOPE (4673).

Moments after Bush completed his remarks, a White House aide told reporters the president misspoke and gave the correct number. Calls to the number Bush gave out were met with a busy signal.

Source:Stuff.co.nz

Headless goats, chickens found on California beach

Two headless goats, three decapitated chickens, a beheaded rooster and a dove or possibly pigeon have been found on a scenic Southern California beach in the past week, police said.

Police in Laguna Beach said they were unsure whether the seven animals had washed up on shore or been placed there. They are trying to figure out who was behind the decapitations, and why.

The headless goats were found inside a purple burlap sack on the sand a week ago. The other beheaded animals turned up in recent days.

"We are looking at all kinds of things – Halloween prank stuff, kids or cold, ritualistic-type activities," Laguna Beach police Sgt Jason Kravetz told the Los Angeles Times.

"They are wet. That means they are close to the surf line or they are washing up," he said. "It's something I haven't seen in my 18 years on the job."

Laguna Beach, which lies about halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, is an affluent seaside community which also provided the setting for the 2004 MTV teen reality show Laguna Beach.

Source: Stuff.co.nz