To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Is Russia Preparing for War?
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1999 08:32:35 -0500
From: <owner-bpr@philologos.org>
Interesting commentary at WorldNetDaily -
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_metcalf/19990301_xcgme_old_enemie.shtml
that presents the following statements:
* Russia is stockpiling grain.
* Russia continues to beg for more food from the West.
* Russia is slaughtering its herds.
* Russia is increasing fuel production.
* Russia is stockpiling fuel.
* Slaughtering fur-bearing animals.
* Russia continues to build weapons despite treaty agreements to
the contrary.
* Russia continues to expand its deep water navy.
* Russian weapons systems are vulnerable to potential Y2K
catastrophic failures. Several experts suggest Russia feels
compelled to "use it or lose it" regarding its arsenal.
* Russia recently entered into an alliance with Communist Red
China specifically designed to undermine the West's dominance
as a world power.
* Russia continues to lie, obfuscate, deny and dissemble regarding
all the above.
* Russia refuses to allow any kind of inspections as a condition for
receipt of any western aid.
* Development of vast underground "cities" capable of housing
over 30,000.
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Mar 2, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1999 20:31:20 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
8:00 PM Eastern
FOX - OPENING THE LOST TOMBS: LIVE FROM EGYPT - Excavations
on the Giza Plateau in Egypt open sealed 4600-year-old tombs;
host Maury Povich.(CC)(TVPG)
PBS - NOVA - "Warnings From the Ice" - Calving icebergs
may cause a catastrophic rise in the sea
level.(CC)(TVPG)
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - The Danger of a Federal Europe
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 00:23:20 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
The Danger of a Federal Europe
John D. Browne
(February 27, 1999 NewsMax)
On Jan. 1, 1999, 11 of the 15 member nations of the European Union
took perhaps the most important and historic step toward the creation
of the federal state of Europe.
They did this by agreeing to surrender sovereignty over their own
currencies and exchange rates by creating a new European composite
currency – the "euro." The euro will be managed by a new
European Central Bank based in Frankfurt, Germany. (Here, it should be
noted immediately that the euro currency is in no way similar to the
use of the word "euro" in describing non-domestic dollars or sterling
as euro-dollars or euro-sterling.)
The creation of the euro is perhaps the largest and most important
individual economic/financial event of the century. The populations of
the 11 euro member countries exceed that of the United States. Their
pooled GDPs of $6.8 trillion is close to the $7.3 trillion of the
United States. Their 20 percent share of world trade equates to that
of the United States. Their pooled government bond markets are already
larger than that of the United States government.
In the first month of its existence (January 1999), international
borrowers raised some $50 billion dollars worth of bonds denominated
in U.S. dollars. But they raised some 40 percent more, or the
equivalent of $70 billion, in the new euro currency. British sterling
accounted for a further $8 billion equivalent, while international
bonds raised in Japanese yen barely registered on the scale.
The euro appears already to have burst onto the stage of international
currencies as the major challenge of the U.S. dollar as an alternative
currency asset. Things look good, at least on paper.
The creation of the euro and with it the implied creation of a new
federal state of Europe will result in greatly increased economic and
corporate activity within the domestic European economy. Mergers and
acquisitions are likely to increase greatly, as is the level of
domestic inter-country European trade. The introduction of the euro is
also likely to lead to a healthy increase in the "equity culture," or
level of share ownership in Europe, to a level more akin to that
historically experienced in the English-speaking countries of the
United States and Britain.
Of the 15 member countries of the European Union, Greece alone failed
to meet the membership criteria. This, it should be said, was despite
much creative accountancy. However, three genuinely qualified
countries -- Sweden, Denmark, and Britain -- opted not to join in
phase one of the euro’s introduction. Some keen observers may
rightly ask why they didn’t, especially as the propaganda of
most European governments tells us that, even without the evidence of
a referendum to prove it, the concept of the euro and of a federal
Europe is supposedly so popular at the grass roots.
London is the home of the largest foreign exchange market in the
world. It is therefore of particular interest to know why Britain has
opted not to join the euro. An answer to this crucial question would
closely represent the views of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
and her supporters. Interestingly, some 65 to 75 percent of the
British public, as measured by polls, still feel that Britain should
stay out of the euro. It should be remembered that this "skeptical"
percentage has fallen over the last few years thanks largely to euro
publicity and the spending by the member governments of large amounts
"persuasion" money.
In answering most political questions, one must usually look behind
the "good" (excuse) reasons to determine the "real" (vital interest)
reasons.
The "good" reason for Britain to remain out of the euro, is the belief
that, like all composite currencies preceding it, the euro composite
currency will fail in the long term.
As far as the "real" (vital interest) reasons are concerned, there are
four:
STERLING EXCHANGE RATE. There is a widely held view that the present
high level of sterling in the world’s currency markets, which
many believe reflects the free-enterprise restructuring and downsizing
created under Margaret Thatcher, is historically too high to be
sustained over the long term. Britain would therefore be well advised
to wait in order to lock in its sterling exchange rate at a lower and
more sustainable level.
WEAKENING OF DEMOCRACY. Democracy has existed in England in some form
for about 600 years. The sovereignty of the Parliament and the
representative role of the parliamentarians are vital in the British
political psyche -- even subconsciously. Historically, the British
have, like the Americans and all the English-speaking peoples, enjoyed
a "first-past-the-post" system of electing their parliamentary
representatives. This system has provided their elected
representatives a close identity with and a direct accountability to
their constituents. Now, the European Commission (an appointed body
lacking any true democratic legitimacy) has ordered that this ancient
Anglo-Saxon electoral system will be abolished.
For the forthcoming elections to the European parliament, on June 9,
1999, the European multimember "proportional representation, party
list" system will become mandatory in all European Union member
countries. This system will effectively break the historic links of
the representative and the represented.
To those British people who understand what is happening, this is
proving to be a severe shock. Add to this erosion of their democracy
at the polls the fact that the European Parliament, once elected, has
little if any power, being subservient to the European Commission
(appointed, not elected), and you begin to understand some of the
fundamental factors that underlay the English case against the
proposed federal European state.
SUSPICION AS TO THE CONDUCT of the five classic and key duties of any
government, which are:
Social Security. In the socialist cartel of a federal Europe, it is
felt that social security will be returned to a "demand" base from the
"needs" base which, together with private-market funding, is felt by
many in the English-speaking world to be the only form of social
security viable into the next millennium.
Maintenance of a vibrant economy. With its creation of the "social
contract," it is felt that the restructuring and downsizing necessary
for a vibrant economy will be halted. This will make Europe
increasingly noncompetitive on a worldwide basis and may lead to the
establishment of European tariff barriers.
Maintenance of a sound currency. It is felt that, in the short term,
Germany will ensure that the euro will be strong. However, there is
considerable fear as to the long-term strength and success of the
euro.
Provision of justice, law, and order. Habeas corpus, the jury system,
and the onus of proof in favor of the accused have proved to be
fundamental pillars to the establishment and maintenance of English
justice for centuries. Many people have died in achieving them.
The European Union proposes soon to abolish these basic tenets of
English justice in favor of the Code Napoleon with its trial before a
panel of judges, often subject to political influence and steeped in
legal tradition, thus acting as a brake upon the continued evolution
of the Common Law, yet another tenet of English law. The abolition of
Habeas corpus will mean that prisoners can languish in jail, without
necessarily appearing in public, for weeks or even months before
coming to trial. The implications for mistreatment are obvious.
Finally, changing the critical onus of proof will require the accused
to prove their innocence, rather than have their guilt proved by the
prosecution. All this is very alien to the British peoples.
Defense of the realm (always the prime duty of any government) is to
be pooled under a federal European foreign and defense policy forum in
which Britain will have only a minority position. Britain will also
have to use its permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council
exclusively as dictated by Brussels. Control over national defense,
more than any other issue, causes the British people the very gravest
concern. This is felt the more sharply because this control of our
defenses will be exercised by the votes of countries whom history
shows do not always share the same basic attitude toward the crucial
issue of defense.
For example, France, an ancient and noble country in its own right,
would not participate in the NATO alliance (key to the defense of
Europe) for most of its history. The French banned the overflight of
U.S. bombers from British air bases to hit Libya. Most recently, the
France not only failed to support the U.S. and Britain in Operation
Desert Fox, but stood alongside Russia and China, our traditional
communist enemies.
It will take many decades, if not centuries, of proven acts before the
British people will accept that the defense of their beloved country
is safe in the hands of a federal European government.
FEAR OF GERMAN DOMINATION OF A FEDERAL EUROPE. Germany is a vibrant,
efficient, and highly successful country. Indeed, the German peoples,
who were undefeated by the Romans and provided the bulk of the
Praetorian Guard of the Caesars, have long been the protectors of the
eastern boundaries of Western Europe.
Since the formation of the German state by Bismarck in the 19th
century, the military might and capability of Germany can be measured
in the graveyards of many European countries, not least in Britain.
The British respect the Germans greatly, but they do not wish to
become second-class citizens in a Europe run by Germany. The fear
expressed by some is that a federal Europe will allow the Germans to
achieve with the deutsche mark (now the euro, with its controlling
Central Bank in Germany) what they failed to achieve with the bayonet
in two world wars.
The Euro has been born. It promises enormous economic and financial
gain, at least in the short term. But like many things in life, this
pot of "euro gold" has a price. That price, for all the members of the
proposed federal Europe, is the sacrifice of their national
sovereignty. For England, it means "adieu" or "good-bye." For in the
federal Europe, England will be broken into 12 regions, each of which
will report directly to Brussels. England’s historical allies
would do well to mark this fact and mark it well for, in a few years,
England, as a nation, may no longer exist. We in Britain believe that
we are the most forthright allies of the United States, Canada,
Australia, and New Zealand. We are proud that the graves of our dead
warriors lie alongside those of our English-speaking cousins in almost
every corner of the world, where most often they died to defend the
very sovereignty we are now being urged to surrender for a piece of
paper.
In their hearts, the British people naturally feel close to the
English-speaking peoples of the world. In fact, we feel especially
close because we believe that we are united by a common belief -- a
common belief that can be summed up in a single word, a single word or
ideal which, over the centuries, millions of people have fought and
died to uphold. That single word is freedom. It forms the very basis
of our society, our system of justice, and of our enterprise economy.
Writ clear on the pages of the history of the centuries is a simple
but fundamental fact. For the English-speaking peoples, peace alone is
not enough. Peace at any cost has never been our cry. The only goal
acceptable to us is peace with freedom. Deep in their hearts, the
British people do not feel that a federal Europe will meet this
ancient and crucial Anglo-Saxon demand under all circumstances. For
this reason, while we (the majority of the British people, according
to polls) support the European Economic Community, we are totally
opposed to the forced adoption of the federal state of Europe now
being pushed as the inevitable conclusion of the introduction of the
federal European currency, the euro.
The above sentiments are rarely seen in the press. They are ridiculed
and stamped upon by pro-federalists and governments that have millions
of dollars to spend in pushing for a federal Europe.
While the majority (at least two-thirds) of the British people are
strongly opposed to the creation of a European federal superstate,
they have never been given their democratic choice by referendum,
unlike the peoples of some other European nations. Furthermore, they
have been told very little of the hazards mentioned above. An observer
may rightly ask why? Well, why would any British government that wants
to join a federal Europe take the unnecessary risk of informing its
voters, whom they know to be hostile, if they propose not to give them
any vote or choice? To date, the British electorate have been given no
democratic choice whatsoever, not even in recent general elections.
What you have read are facts that are not generally known or
broadcast. Who knows how the British people will react when they find
out the truth after they are tricked into a federal Europe or dragged
in against their will? Could it be that the first war in Europe since
1945 will be the English war of secession? And if so, what will the
other English-speaking peoples do? Would they intervene?
Surely, it is in everyone’s long-term interest that the peoples
of Europe be allowed their ancient democratic right to be consulted as
to whether or not they wish to become members of the European federal
superstate that is now being introduced surreptitiously by the
introduction of the euro.
Surely the truth should be told. To paraphrase the immortal bard,
William Shakespeare, "This story should the good man teach his son."
John D. Browne is a former British MP who served in Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher's government.
via: Prophezine News Bites
March 1, 1999
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Gorbachev basks from huge ratings
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 00:23:21 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Gorbachev basks from huge ratings at glitzy Italian
songfest
11.21 a.m. ET (1622 GMT) February 26, 1999
By Candice Hughes, Associated Press
SAN REMO, Italy (AP) _ Mikhail Gorbachev was basking in boffo ratings
today, a day after his appearance on Italy's splashiest, most
over-the-top TV show.
The last Soviet leader and the winner of the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize
for helping end the Cold War endured a storm of advance ridicule for
appearing as a special guest Thursday night at the San Remo Song
Festival, a glitzy affair on the Italian Riviera.
But the fabulous ratings proved him right. RAI state television said
15 million-16 million people tuned in _ nearly as good as the
festival's opening night, record-setting 16.2 million viewers.
San Remo is a formula show _ guest-host patter, music, and more
guest-host patter. The music is often mediocre and the show depends
on the lure of famous or novel guests and decorative babes to keep
people intrigued. The folks at RAI state television call it the
"element of surprise.''
Pressed for money and unpopular at home, Gorbachev agreed to appear
at San Remo because he needed the cash. But there was more to his
price: He wanted at least five minutes to make a political address.
At the last minute RAI apparently reneged, announcing that Gorby's
appearance would be limited to a minute or two of patter with host
Fabio Fazio.
But when Gorby came on stage, two hours into the 2 1/2-hour show, the
man who once ran a superpower and was always a bit longwinded, showed
his mettle. He hijacked the show, defying RAI's muzzle.
Fending off host Fazio, he held forth for more than five minutes on
globalization, democracy, justice, the need for a new world order and
the limits of traditional politics. He even quoted from Pope John
Paul II.
Counting pleasantries, greetings and goodbyes, Gorbachev was onstage
for a full 15 minutes _ an eternity on live, prime time TV.
The ridicule in the Italian press over Gorbachev's San Remo
appearance has been pitiless. "Poor Gorbachev: From the Kremlin to
San Remo,'' Il Giornale scoffed.
But what Gorbachev at a news conference today called his
"experiment'' at San Remo proved a success: a warm reception from the
audience at the Ariston Theater, a vast TV audience and a thundering
horde of press.
via: Prophezine News Bites
March 1, 1999
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - What's New at BPR?
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 1999 20:26:24 -0500
From: owner-bpr@philologos.org
Bible Prophecy Research and Study List
Additions and updates made since Feb 17, 1999
Vol 1, Number 16
March 01, 1999
Hello everyone...
We have a few new additions and updates to the site to
mention this week:
> Added: "The Exodus and The Wanderings in the Wilderness"
http://philologos.org/__eb-bhot
This is volume II of Alfred Edersheim's "The Bible History, Old Testament."
-----------
> Added: Forty-five Days
http://philologos.org/bpr/files/f-006-01.htm
(Daniel 12:11-12) And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken
away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a
thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to
the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
1335 minus 1290 = 45 days
Commentary by John Lightfoot.
-----------
> Added: Seal of God
http://philologos.org/bpr/files/s-017-01.htm
"The Jews speak much of the seal of God; which may not be impertinently
remembered at this time. "What is the seal of the holy blessed God?"
Commentary by John Lightfoot.
-----------
> Updated: "...a great earthquake..."
http://philologos.org/bpr/files/e-006-01.htm
> Updated: Trumpet Judgments
http://philologos.org/bpr/files/t-001-01.htm
> Updated: "...hail and fire mixed with blood..."
http://philologos.org/bpr/files/h-001-01.htm
Thanks...
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - 'We're in Cyberwar'
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 05:59:00 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Defense Week, March 1, 1999. Pg. 1
Hamre To Hill: 'We're In A Cyberwar'
By John Donnelly and Vince Crawley
Military computer systems are under siege by a "coordinated,
organized" attack from an unknown source, the focus of an "intense"
federal criminal investigation, U.S. officials told House lawmakers
in a classified briefing last week. Details of the cyberassault were
sketchy at press time. But Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.), in an interview
with Defense Week, described the situation in broad, unclassified
terms.
A year ago, Deputy Secretary of Defense John Hamre said it's not a
matter of if the U.S. suffers an "electronic Pearl Harbor," but when.
Last Tuesday, Hamre spent most of the hour-and-15-minute closed
session before two House Armed Services Committee panels outlining a
single major incident. Weldon quoted Hamre as saying: "'We are at
war-right now. We are in a cyberwar.'"
"These are organized, very capable efforts that have very specific
goals based upon what we've seen in attacking our systems," Weldon
said in the interview.
Weldon's comments indicate the latest attack is in a different class
from the approximately 400 probes made each week against military
computer networks, about 60 of which are considered "attacks," meaning
they suggest a malicious intent.
"This is not the kind of random hacker hits that occur on a regular
daily basis on the systems of all the services," Weldon said. "But
they are in fact organized attacks. And on one of them they went into
some detail with us, and I can't give you the detail of that one ....
It's got its own name, the government is in the middle of an intense
investigation, but it is a coordinated, organized effort. And it's
serious ...
"It is of the highest priority that we solve this problem and protect
those information systems, because we don't know in fact who's causing
these attacks, whether they are nation-states, rogue groups or
individual hackers, as we've seen in the past. We just don't know. And
there's a combined effort by the Justice Department, the FBI and DOD
in these cases to work together," he said.
'Something going on'
Pentagon spokeswoman Susan Hansen said the department could add
nothing to the public record of the open, unclassified House hearing
which followed the closed session. In the open hearing, though,
Pentagon officials said little about the current wave of cyberattacks.
News of the computer warfare comes on the heels of a statement by
Pentagon Inspector General Eleanor Hill, who last week told another
House panel military program managers aren't taking the threat as
seriously as are senior officials. Moreover, the Y2K crisis may be
diverting attention from information assurance, Hill also warned.
As for the current onslaught, a Pentagon computer-security official,
knowledgeable though not directly involved in this investigation, said
on condition of anonymity that common traits have surfaced among
recent attacks on Pentagon systems. This fact led authorities to
speculate the attacks might have a common source.
"There's something going on .... There is a pattern of attacks," the
official said. "Part of the problem is tracking down and finding what
is the real source." The official said the need to get court orders
sometimes slows down the process of finding the intruders.
'Trusted insider'
The Pentagon has long acknowledged that its computer networks
continuously are probed for weaknesses, primarily over the public
Internet which, ironically, the military itself helped develop in the
1960s and 1970s. In his statement for the panel last week, Hamre
warned about the enemy within.
"We are increasingly concerned about those who have legitimate access
to our networks -- the trusted insider," Hamre said.
The Pentagon, he added, is now requiring people "with access to Top
Secret or specially controlled access category or compartment [to]
make an oral attestation that they will conform to the conditions and
responsibilities imposed by that access."
Growing problem
A year ago, Hamre told lawmakers about Solar Sunrise, a series of
attacks in February 1998 that targeted DOD network Domain Name
Servers, exploiting a known vulnerability in an operating system
called Solaris.
"The attacks were widespread, systematic and showed a pattern that
indicated they might be the preparation for a coordinated attack on
the Defense Information Structure," said Hamre of Solar Sunrise in his
unclassified written testimony Tuesday. "The attacks targeted key
parts of Defense Networks at a time we were preparing for possible
military operations against Iraq."
The Solar Sunrise incident led to the establishment of 24-hour,
7-days-a-week online guard duty at important military computer sites.
This increased vigilance has led, in turn, to increased reports of
cyberattacks, officials say.
"Since Solar Sunrise, we've deployed a massive amount of intrusion
detectors across the network," Arthur Money, senior civilian official
for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Command,
Control, Communications and Intelligence) told the panel.
"We've trained people, put a lot of energy into that," Money said.
"Consequently, we know more now which we didn't know before."
An after-action review of Solar Sunrise found "75 percent of that
attack could [have been] blunted with well-trained system
administrators," Money said. Last week, Money outlined a $100 million
project which, over the next year, would "totally secure our
connections to the Internet."
Holes in the defense
In addition to these actions, last December the Pentagon activated a
Joint Task Force for Computer Network Defense to coordinate the
defense of military and other sensitive national networks. "The crown
jewels of the information age are the stuff that's in our networks,
and we are relentlessly pursued by hackers," Lt. Gen. William Donahue,
director of headquarters communications and information for the Air
Force, testified Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon IG had her own story to tell.
"Audits continue to show lax security measures and inadequate focus by
program managers on the threat, despite clear awareness at senior
levels of the need for a very high priority of information assurance,"
Hill told the House Government Reform Subcommittee on National
Security, Veterans Affairs and International Relations.
"It is likely that Y2K conversion is temporarily distracting both
resources and management attention from security concerns," she added.
via: Insane Science Mailing List
isml@onelist.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Group won't recommend circumcision
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 05:59:00 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
*** Group won't recommend circumcision
CHICAGO (AP) - The benefits of circumcising newborns aren't
significant enough to recommend it as a routine procedure, according
to the nation's most influential group of pediatricians. The American
Academy of Pediatrics stopped short of advising against circumcision,
but on Monday recommended for the first time that newborns get pain
relief for it. "The weight of the evidence would have to be
significant for the academy to recommend an elective surgical
procedure on every newborn male, and the evidence is not sufficient
for us to make such a recommendation," said Dr. Carole Lannon,
chairwoman of the task force that wrote the new policy statement for
the academy, which has 55,000 members. Opponents of circumcision, who
say it leaves long-term psychological scars and diminishes sexual
pleasure, hailed Monday's announcement. ###
Infobeat News
http://www.infobeat.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Case against NY school district links paganism, tooth fairy
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 05:59:01 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Case against New York school district links paganism, tooth fairy
Copyright c 1999 Nando Media
Copyright c 1999 Associated Press
By JIM FITZGERALD
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (February 28, 1999 7:40 a.m. EST
http://www.nandotimes.com) - The issues are sacred - religious
liberty, personal privacy, public education. At the outset of a
federal trial in which three Catholic families are attacking a school
district, both the First Amendment and the First Commandment were
invoked.
But then the tooth fairy was mentioned. A psychic who had lectured on
creativity said she also was a telepath. A yogi who taught stress
reduction said he also was a numerologist. "Interspecies
communication" was mentioned.
And the exasperated judge wanted to know just one thing:
"Can a psychic tell when this case will finish?"
The case, which resumes Monday, is perhaps an extreme example of the
backlash against a nationwide trend that has broadened course
offerings away from the basics of reading and math.
The dispute began in 1995, when kids in the Bedford Central school
district, which takes in four affluent towns in Westchester County,
began playing a strategy card game called "Magic: The Gathering." The
cards bear images ranging from innocent fairies to a lurid depiction
of a woman about to be sacrificed.
Some parents objected to the darker aspects of the game.
"It's much worse than witchcraft," said Mary Ann DiBari, a plaintiff
who is also a member of the Northeast Ritual Crime Investigators
Association.
And when some children formed a Magic club that met in a classroom,
parents demanded that the schools end all support of the game.
Superintendent Bruce Dennis halted play for 30 days until mental
health experts assured him the game posed no danger.
Not satisfied, the parents went to court and added a number of other
school activities to their complaint: making models of Aztec gods as
part of the study of Mexico; studying an owl's regurgitated lunch for
evidence of its diet; taking a field trip to a cemetery; celebrating
Earth Day; and making "worry dolls" to put under children's pillows to
keep nightmares away.
Such activities, they said, amount to "the promotion of Satanism and
occultism, pagan religions and New Age spirituality" and violate
freedom of religion. The worry dolls amount to voodoo, said DiBari.
When asked if she found the tooth fairy objectionable, she said, "It
was not taught to my child in school."
Earth Day? The plaintiffs said part of the celebration included making
pledges to the Earth, which they said was like praying. "We worship
the creator, not the creation," DeBari said.
The plaintiffs also objected to drug and suicide counseling, as well
as some homework assignments, as violating the families' privacy. They
demanded injunctions against some activities, the right to opt out of
others.
The school district said the activities were mainstream and wholesome.
And allowing opt-outs, Dennis said, would bring chaos to the
curriculum.
The dispute sharply divided the community. Some parents held a news
conference to announce their support of the curriculum. Some Catholics
separated themselves from the plaintiffs' religious objections.
"Since the initiation of this lawsuit," one parent wrote to the judge,
"the atmosphere in the Bedford public schools has been one of fear."
Sensing an important case, the American Catholic Lawyers Association
has taken up the plaintiffs' cause; the liberal People for the
American Way is supporting the schools.
Judge Charles Brieant has been insisting that a court is not the place
for a curriculum dispute.
The framers of the Constitution "never intended this mess," said the
75-year-old jurist, but he was unable to force a settlement.
In testimony last week, the plaintiffs' children told of being forced
to make models of Mexican and Indian idols; one parent recited the
First Commandment stricture against false gods.
The children said they were bothered when the yogi Agia Akal Singh
Kalsa came to the school to lead stress-reduction exercises.
When the yogi testified - in the turban and white robes of a Sikh
minister - he said his lesson had "nothing to do with religion" and
that he hadn't mentioned his numerology hobby to the children.
The plaintiffs claim the schools allow the expression of Eastern
religions but exclude Christianity.
The psychic, Nancy Weber, said she had been invited to lecture on
creativity and that she hadn't mentioned being a psychic, a telepath
or a minister in the LifeSciences Congregational Church. The
plaintiffs said Weber inappropriately asked the students to "tap into"
themselves by drawing with their non-dominant hands.
While Weber was on the stand, she was asked if she believes in
"interspecies communication."
"I'm not sure I know what interspecies communication is," Brieant said
when the defense objected to the subject being introduced.
"It's communication between people and animals," said plaintiffs'
lawyer James Bendell.
"You mean, 'Come here, Rover, lie down?'" the judge said as lawyers
and spectators burst into laughter. "Objection sustained."
http://www.nandotimes.com/nation/story/0,1038,23171-37712-274844-0,00.
html
via: bible_prophecy-news@onelist.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Purim--An Amazing Fact
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 06:12:48 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Purim- An Amazing Fact
Kehilat Tnuvah
Purim-5759
The Jewish holiday of Purim is explained in clear detail in the book
of Esther. Below the surface there lies many amazing facts. Our
sages say that the Torah has 70 faces, all which reveal different
aspects of the personality and character of YHVH. Every time we read
or study Torah, we see expanded and different aspects of eternal
Truth.
In the story of Purim, we see one of the most amazing facts that have
been hidden for almost most for 2400 years! We can vividly see how
Yad Ha Shem (the hand of God) is deeply involved with our people, how
He watches over us, and how He is always entangled somehow, some way
in all that concerns His own, His chosen. Also, we can see how the
very same God that was involved with us 2400 years ago is the same God
that watches over us today. He never slumbers or sleeps. He is
faithful, and He never forgets us!
The story of Esther is basically simple. King Ahasuerus appoints the
evil Haman to his court. Immediately, Haman sets in order the plans
to totally annihilate our people. He builds a gallows in order to
hang Mordechai the Jew, but in the end, Ahasuerus realizes that
Mordechai had warned the queen about a pair of his eunuchs who had
plotted to kill him, and had saved the kings life. When the queen
requested that the Jews be spared, and the king remembered that
Mordechai had saved his life, he rescinded the orders to kill all of
the Jews, told them that they could defend themselves, and they
overcame all their enemies. The king had Haman hung on the very
gallows that he had built for Mordechai! Shortly after that, all of
his 10 sons were killed, as YHVH directed the king to do in order to
completely exterminate the "evil seed" of Haman from continuing on.
In Esther 9:7-10 we see something truly amazing! For those of you who
have Hebrew texts, you will note that in the names of the sons of
Haman there are 3 Hebrew letters that are printed smaller than all the
others. In addition, each name ends with a Hey. This is the only
place in all the Tenakh that this occurs! The names are written (in
Hebrew) as follows:
PARSHANDAtHA
PARMAsTHA
VAIzATHA
The English texts have misspelled the names, and have not honored the
strange smaller letters in each name. Why, in all the Hebrew
Tenakh's, do we find these small letters? What could it possibly
mean? We know that the Ruach Ha Kodesh makes no mistakes, and that
the scribes have transcribed this phenomenon in this manner for 2500
years!
The obvious truth here is that Yeshua has said in the Gospels "not one
jot or one tittle will pass away from the Torah until all is
fulfilled." A jot is a yud (smallest Hebrew letter) and the tittle is
something that is as "unimportant" as an accent mark! The scribes
meticulously and purposefully transcribed these three letters smaller
than all the others! They did not know the reason, yet they were
directed by the Ruach Ha Kodesh to do so. This should give all an
assurance that the Tenakh is in fact HIS word, and has not been
altered (at least in the Hebrew text) in any manner.
Now to the point! What are these letters that were transcribed
smaller than all the others in the Tenakh? I have stated before that
all Hebrew letters carry a numeric value. This is called Gematria.
Please follow this closely! Following are the letters and their
numeric values: TAF =3D 400 SHIN =3D 300 ZAYIN =3D 7
Total numeric value =3D 707
The Hebrew letter HEY has a numeric value of 5, and is the letter used
to mark the millennia. The total of these letters, when the 5 is
added for the mark of the millennia is 5707. The Hebrew year 5707
equates to the Gregorian year 1946.
What is significant about the year 1946 that may connect to the Book
of Esther, the 10 sons of Haman who would have carried on the mandate
to exterminate the Jews had they not been executed?
In 1946, the International War Crimes Tribunal set up court in
Nuremberg Germany to find, try, and execute judgement on those of the
Nazi leadership who had been particularly involved in the holocaust
and the extermination of the Jews. This extermination was directed
and led by spirit of Haman, and his ancestors, the Amalekites.
After 216 court sessions, on Oct. 1, 1946, the verdict on 22 of the
original 24 defendants was handed down. (Robert Ley committed suicide
while in prison, and Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach's mental and
physical condition prevented his being tried.) Three of the defendants
were acquitted; Hjalmar Schacht, Franz von Papen, and Hans Fritzsche.
Four were sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from 10 to 20
years: Karl D=F6nitz, Baldur von Schirach, Albert Speer, and Konstantin
von Neurath. Three were sentenced to life imprisonment: Rudolf Hess,
Walther Funk, and Erich Raeder. Twelve of the defendants were
sentenced to death by hanging. Martin Bormann was tried and condemned
to death in absentia, and Hermann G=F6ring committed suicide before he
could be executed.
Ten of them, Hans Frank, Wilhelm Frick, Julius Streicher, Alfred
Rosenberg, Ernst Kaltenbrunner, Joachim von Ribbentrop, Fritz Sauckel,
Alfred Jodl, Wilhelm Keitel, and Arthur Seyss-Inquart, were hanged on
Oct. 16, 1946. These represented the "sons" of the evil empire, the
"sons" of Hitler. We have all seen the pictures of the executions,
the hangings, the mass murder of hundreds of thousands of innocent
people. It was the just end of these ten that they were hanged in the
very place that they had executed many thousands of the Jews of the
Holocaust. Justice had been rendered.
Michael A. Musmanno, a US Naval Officer was the Presiding Judge over
the Nuremberg Trials in 1946. He was instrumental in pursuing justice
toward those Nazi's who had been responsible for the extermination of
over 6 million Jews and 1 million Christians and other "less
desirable" human beings. He died in 1968. He is buried in Arlington
National Cemetery near Washington D.C. He requested the following
statement be engraved on his headstone.
"There is an eternal justice and an eternal order, there is a wise,
merciful and omnipotent God. My friends, have no fear of the night or
of death. It is the but the forerunner of dawn, a glowing resplendent
dawn, whose iridescent rays will write across the pink sky in
unmistakable language - man does live again.' The final words of
Michael A. Musmanno, Presiding Judge, International War Crimes
Tribunal, Nuremberg Germany, 1946."
via: messianic@nazarene.net
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Mar 3, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 20:16:08 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
7:00 PM Eastern
HIST - 20th CENTURY - Criminals in Cyberspace.
A look at the explosion in computer crime
and the new high-tech hoods--the hackers,
spies, and terrorists who can do great
damage with just a few computer
keystrokes. [TV PG]
8:00
[very interesting]
HIST - HITLER AND THE OCCULT - Ancient prophecy and
occult ritual fascinate Nazi Germany.(CC)(TVPG)
9:00
DISC - DISCOVER MAGAZINE - "Poison" - Scientists search
for the world's deadliest poisons; medical uses for snake
venom; forensic science.(CC)
10:00
HIST - MODERN MARVELS - "The Great Wall of China" -
Historians, engineers and military experts examine the Great
Wall of China.(CC)(TVG)
TLC - ALIEN ENCOUNTER - Alien life may exist on two
newly discovered planets in the big
dipper.(CC)(TVG)
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - 'Gay' is ok, military families told
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 20:20:23 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
'Gay' Is OK, Military Families Told
02 March, 1999
By Lawrence Morahan
CNS Staff Writer
(CNS) - A health care hotline that caters to active-duty military
personnel and their families tells callers "homosexuality is
considered normal" and "studies show that homosexual partners raise
children just as well as anyone."
The highly controversial message (to hear full text see bottom of
story) is at odds with Pentagon policy and contradicts the findings of
most medical reports on homosexuality, family policy groups report.
The hotline message is sponsored by Tricare, the armed forces' health
care system. Tricare is overseen by Defense Department civilians and
the military surgeons general, in partnership with private health
providers.
Hotline users refer to a catalog for selected topics in a "health
information library." Callers dial an 800 number, then enter their
"pin" number to get information. Parents concerned about a child's
sexual activity, for example, can listen to a message on the topic of
"homosexuality."
The recording shocked traditional family advocates for its misleading
information and its radical activist content.
"The fact is, there are tremendous health risks associated with
homosexual behavior," said Peter LaBarbera, a senior policy analyst
for Cultural Studies with the Family Research Council, in an interview
with CNS.
In addition to AIDS, homosexual behavior exposes people to hepatitis C
and a number of venereal diseases directly related to homosexual
practices. "There are so many health risks associated with homosexual
behavior that the question could be asked, 'Just what homosexual
activity could be considered safe,'" LaBarbera said.
Homosexuality occurs in about 10 percent of the population, the
recording says. "Sometimes homosexuals are attacked by people who will
not tolerate different people. Homosexuality is considered normal.
Doctors and counselors do not consider homosexuals mentally ill.
Homosexuals do not try to get others to become homosexual.
"Studies show that homosexual partners raise children just as well as
anyone," the recording continues. "Many young people may experiment
with same-sex relationships. This does not mean they are gay or
lesbian."
CNS phone calls to Tricare were not returned.
The military bars homosexuality on the grounds that such conduct is
detrimental to good order and discipline. Studies have shown that a
large majority of service members are opposed to lifting the ban on
homosexuals in the military.
"When the armed forces established the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy,
we thought we'd won," LaBarbera said. "But the homosexual activists
don't give up. They have the time and the money, and in terms of
pushing their agenda, they're winning."
Calls to the Defense Department revealed the tape is being reviewed at
the highest levels, and an official statement is expected today. CNS
will bring its readers the DoD statement as soon as it's available.
http://www.conservativenews.org/InDepth/archive/199903/IND19990302f.ht
ml
via: bible_prophecy-news@onelist.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Russia Today Daily Brief items (3/3/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 20:28:17 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
SIBERIAN RELIGIOUS SECT ASKS POLICE TO SHOOT THEM
MOSCOW -- Members of a religious sect caught in a standoff with police
in a remote Siberian town have asked police to shoot them dead, Ekho
Moskvy radio said on Wednesday.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999030302.html?text
RUSSIA TELLS U.S., BRITAIN TO HALT IRAQ BOMBING
MOSCOW -- Russia said on Tuesday the Western-enforced no-fly zones
over Iraq flout international law and called on the United States and
Britain to immediately halt bombing raids.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999030304.html?text
MEDIA LOSING ACCESS TO INFORMATION
MOSCOW -- Relations between Russian authorities and the media have
often been strained since the end of the Soviet-era grip on
information.
http://www.russiatoday.com/rtoday/news/1999030308.html?text
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Comments on 3/2/99 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1999 20:31:36 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
"Terence D. Miller." <MILLER@time6000.freeserve.co.uk>
dear all. It is not possible for the tombs to be 4600 years old.
Mizraim, son of Ham who founded Egypt as we call Mene, was only born
in 2300 and Canaan founded first in 2290bc with Mizraim about 2288 at
the very earliest. However the dates are falling and I suppose 4600
instead of 4288 bc is not bad considering the ignorance. The Bible
makes it quite clear when the first leaders were born. You probably
know this already but I mention it --just in case.
Also:
When Ice melts it takes up markedly less space than the ice
did as Ice, so why it should flood the earth is a mystery to me. When
your pipes freeze up with ice they burst, because the volume as ice is
more than as water.
Love in Christ,
from Terry
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Police warn of illegal cloning
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 00:07:32 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Police warn of illegal cloning
By Jason Bennetto, Crime Correspondent
AN ILLEGAL trade in cloned body parts and genetically engineered
children has been identified by an elite British police squad as a
future market for organised crime.
The head of a new research unit at the National Criminal Intelligence
Service (NCIS) also issued a warning yesterday about money laundering
and illegal gambling on the Internet as well as a potential new
addiction to "virtual reality drugs".
Crime groups are already becoming involved in the international sale
of transplant organs, such as kidneys, said Robert Hall, the head of
analysis at NCIS. "Genetic commerce also has a very lucrative
potential not only for the scientists but also the unscrupulous
practitioner or criminal who wishes to make easy money. At its
simplest, there is the organised criminal who sells illegally
acquired, genetically engineered body parts.
"At the more complex, there is the bogus agent offering gene therapy
to the unwary or desperate parent, or even customising genetic changes
into a newly conceived child."
Speaking yesterday at a conference on international crime held in
London, Mr Hall described some of the developments that could be
illegally traded in the future. "By 2020, 95 per cent of human body
parts could be replaceable by laboratory-grown organs. Cloning will
enable Parents to select and improve the character and health of their
children."
The NCIS is also investigating organised crime's role in environmental
issues, such as dumping toxic waste, and the trade in endangered
species.
"There is evidence that toxic dumping is very prevalent in the United
States. We know it happens here, but we do not yet know the extent of
the problem," Mr Hall said.
http://www.independent.co.uk/stories/A0303920.html
via: Insane Science Mailing List
isml@onelist.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Russia court bans religious group
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 05:39:33 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
*** Russia court bans religious group
MOSCOW (AP) - A Russian court has used a controversial religion law to
ban the Pentecostalist Church from a town in eastern Siberia, a news
report said Wednesday. Under Russian law, courts have the right to
outlaw religious groups that are found to be inciting hatred or
intolerant behavior. The law has been used against several groups
recently. A judge in the Siberian town of Aldan ruled Tuesday that the
Pentecostalists had violated the law because they refused medical aid
for ailing members of the group. The religion law, passed in 1997,
recognizes the Russian Orthodox Church as the nation's leading faith
and pledges to respect Islam, Judaism and Buddhism. But other
denominations face a host of restrictions. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558659141-325
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Leather jackets outlawed by Taliban
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 05:42:00 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
*** Leather jackets outlawed by Taliban
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Leather jackets are now the latest item
prohibited by Afghanistan's ruling Taliban religious army. Taliban
soldiers used knives to slash the leather jackets young men were
wearing in Kabul Wednesday, saying the jackets were prohibited under
Islam, witnesses said. The attacks took place in the Kabul's northern
Khair Khana neighborhood and in its central Ferozgha district. No one
could be reached for comment on the edict from the Taliban's religious
affairs ministry or its ministry of vice and virtue. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558661736-226
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Mar 4, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 20:44:57 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
7:00 PM Eastern
HIST - 20th CENTURY - The Raging Inferno of Volcanoes.
8:00
PBS - DAVID ATTENBOROUGH'S NATURAL WORLD - "Birds in
Black; Uninvited Guests" - Ravens display remarkable
intelligence; animals find sanctuary in human
houses.(CC)(TVG)
A&E - BIOGRAPHY - "Faberge: Imperial Jeweler" -
Alexander III commissions Peter Carl Faberge to make jeweled
Easter eggs for the czarina.(CC)(TVG)
DISC - STEALTH - The development of ``stealth'' technology
has beneficial applications.(CC)(TVG)
HIST - ENGLAND'S GREAT WALL - Hadrian's Wall stretches 80
miles across northern England.(CC)(TVG)
9:00
DISC - RAGING PLANET - "Flood" - Floods are the most
lethal natural disasters.(CC)(TVG)
TLC - WHO'S FLYING SAUCERS? - Researchers discuss the
possibility of a government cover-up of extraterrestrial
crafts.(CC)(TVG)
10:00
PBS - STOLEN YEARS - Eleven survivors of Stalin's labor
camps recount experiences.(CC)(TVPG)
DISC - INTO THE UNKNOWN - "Monsters of the Deep" - Lake
monsters and sea serpents.(CC)(TVG)
HIST - MODERN MARVELS - "Battlefield Engineering" -
Laying the groundwork for battles.(CC)(TVG)
TLC - UFOS AND OTHER CLOSE ENCOUNTERS - Fantasy confronts
reality in the controversy around UFOs.(CC)(TVG)
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Casino King Donates $3M for 'Millennium Altar'
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 22:33:29 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Casino King Donates $3M For 'Millennium Altar'
BEIJING, Mar. 04, 1999 -- (Agence France
Presse) Macao casino king Stanley Ho on
Tuesday donated $3 million toward the
building of an altar in Beijing marking
the start of the new century, the Xinhua
news agency reported.
The "China Millennium Altar" under
construction will be a "window for the
people of other countries to understand
the splendid arts and culture of China,"
Ho was quoted as saying.
Ho, whose casinos dominate Macao's
lucrative gambling industry, is vice
chairman of the Beijing-appointed
committee charged with selecting a new
chief executive for the Portuguese enclave
when it reverts to Chinese rule on Dec.
20.
The handover will give Macao "an
opportunity to go hand in hand with people
of inland areas to realize new
achievements," Ho said at a ceremony
marking his donation in Beijing's Great
Hall of the People. ( (c) 1999 Agence
France Presse)
http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999030411.html?text
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - PA doesn't want to "solve" refugee problem
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 00:37:02 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
P.A. DOESN'T WANT TO "SOLVE" REFUGEE PROBLEM
The Palestinian Authority firmly opposes the absorption of Arab
refugees from 1948 into the borders of a future Palestinian state as a
solution to the refugee problem. Middle East Media and Research
Institute in Washington reports that in a press conference in Ramallah
this past Sunday, As'ad Abd Al-Rahman, Chairman of the PLO's Refugee
Department, said, "The refugees will not be satisfied with citizenship
in the Palestinian State after its establishment... We are not
willing to discuss any alternatives." Al-Rahman added, "The
Palestinian state will be [just] one of the states hosting the
refugees, who insist on returning to their homes and homeland." He
said that his department will "protect the political rights of the
refugees to return to their homes and to receive compensation for 50
years of suffering and loss of revenues from their property."
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Edupage Tech News (3/4/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 07:09:11 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
CONGRESS EXTENDS PRIVACY PROTECTION TO DIGITAL WIRELESS
The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed The Wireless
Privacy Enhancement Act of 1999, which extends the privacy protection
afforded to analog wireless devices to digital ones. The bill, which
passed on a vote of 403 to 3, closes some loopholes in an earlier
Privacy Act, which excluded digital technology. It also cracks down
on eavesdropping on a cellular phone call, stipulating punitive
measures such as fines, warnings, and possible imprisonment for such
actions. In addition, the bill requires the Federal Communications
Commission to ban scanners that can intercept cellular and digital
calls and asks the FCC to evaluate the idea of requiring warning
labels to be placed on such scanning receivers. (tele.com 3 Mar 99)
GNOME DRESSES LINUX IN PRETTY CLOTHES
Supporters of the popular free operating system known as Linux (and
pronounced Linnux) have announced the development of a new
user-friendly graphical interface for that system. Called Gnome, the
interface was developed by a software effort led by the Mexican
programmer Miquel de Icaza of the Universidad National Autonoma de
Mexico, and is distributed with a word processor, spreadsheet, data
base, presentation manager, Web browser, and e-mail. Gnome stands for
GNU Network Object Model Environment, and GNU is an acronym that
suggests that the software is "not Unix." Linux has been gaining
steady acceptance in the corporate world, and this new development
will give it more credibility in the desktop market now dominated by
Microsoft's Windows operating systems. De Icaza predicts that Gnome
and Linux will attract a strong international backing, and says that
the Mexican government is planning to distribute a million copies to
schools. MIT's Richard Stallman, founder of the "free software"
movement of the 1970s, says, ""Fifteen years ago they said this was
impossible. They said this was too large a task." (New York Times 4
Mar 99)
JAPAN LAGGING ON Y2K COMPLIANCE?
Western banks are eyeing their Japanese counterparts warily in the
wake of U.S. Senate committee report released yesterday that ranked
Japan's level of Y2K preparedness at the third of four levels -- on a
par with India, Kenya, Venezuela and Turkey. The U.S., Britain,
Australia and Canada were ranked in the first tier, or most prepared.
Meanwhile, Japan's Ministry for International Trade insists that most
large industrial and financial companies are now Y2K-compliant, and
says it is now testing most trading and settlement systems. The
Financial Supervisory Agency, Japan's banking watchdog organization,
has warned that it will suspend operations at financial institutions
that are inadequately prepared for the new millennium, but the
American Chamber of Commerce in Japan warns that the real problems may
lie with financial institutions' closely related subsidiaries and
clients. There is also considerable concern about the situation in
non-financial sectors such as the utilities. "People are going to
have to start cutting credit lines and reconsidering who they do
business with," says the head of the Chamber's financial committee.
(Financial Times 3 Mar 99)
MALICIOUS HACKING STORY MAY BE FALSE
Senior British defense industry analyst Paul Beaver is scoffing at
news reports that malicious hackers took control of a Skynet satellite
and demanded ransom payments to release it: "I cannot see how it is
possible for someone to hack in -- it is a closed loop system, not
connected to the Internet. ... The only way in would be through the
American system during a time o war, but this is not a time of war."
The Ministry of Defense says: "The story is complete nonsense. All our
satellites are where they should be and doing what they should be
doing. It's all systems go." (BBC Online 2 Mar 99)
Edupage
March 4, 1999
http://educause.unc.edu
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items (3/4/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 07:09:11 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
*** New Jordanian government sworn in
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) - King Abdullah swore in a new 23-member Cabinet
Thursday, ridding the government of many who were loyal to the uncle
once expected to ascend to the throne. After swearing in Prime
Minister Abdul-Raouf Rawabdeh and his 22 Cabinet colleagues, Abdullah
urged them to consolidate ties with Israel and to work for a freer
press and wider democracy. Abdullah's words and his appointment of
mostly liberal politicians and technocrats as ministers reaffirm his
commitment to continue with the policies of his father, King Hussein,
who died Feb. 7. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558675962-1c0
*** Ad campaign promotes religion
DALLAS (AP) - Here's a warning for drivers everywhere: "Keep using my
name in vain and I'll make rush hour longer - God." The message is on
a billboard in Texas, one in a series of giant road signs with pithy
messages purporting to be divinely crafted. Another warns Texans: "You
think it's hot here?" The signs are part of a national campaign called
"God Speaks," advertisements with black backgrounds and stark white
lettering and 18 different slogans. The non-denominational ads - meant
to pique the interest of people who don't attend church - began in
Florida and have appeared in northern Texas since Friday. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558671827-011
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Religion Today News Summary for Wednesday, March 3, 1999
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 09:37:10 -0500
From: <owner-bpr@philologos.org>
C U R R E N T N E W S S U M M A R Y
by the Editors at ReligionToday.com
March 3, 1999
A Christian book has surprised the publishing industry by landing
near the top of secular best-seller lists, and has resulted in
1,000 people becoming Christians. Apollyon, a story by Tim LaHaye
and Jerry Jenkins, is published by Tyndale House (see link #1
below). It became the first fiction book from an evangelical
publisher to move near the top of the lists, and is listed by
Publishers Weekly as the No. 10 best-selling hardcover fiction
book for the week of Feb. 22, The Dallas Morning News said.
...Apollyon describes the possible chaos predicted in the Bible
to come before Jesus Christ returns. It was No. 3 on the Wall
Street Journal's list the week of Feb. 15 and No. 13 on USA Today's
list the same week. Amazon, the online book retail seller, ranked
it No. 1 on Feb. 13. The book is expected to appear on this
week's New York Times best-seller list. Previous works of
religious fiction published by secular publishers have appeared
on various best-seller lists.
...Christian publishers like to get their message to secular
audiences, Dan Balow, marketing director for Tyndale House, told
the News. Apollyon and its previous four installments in the Left
Behind series "are so pointed [that] there is just no question
what point of view it is -- it is a Christian point of view."
Tyndale says it has received about 1,000 letters from readers who
say they have become Christians after reading the books.
...The series has sold 5 million copies, according to Tyndale,
which said sales began increasing rapidly when secular bookstores
started to carry it. Assassins, the sixth book in the proposed
12-book series, will be released Aug. 1.
[.. snip..]
--------------
RELATED LINKS:
1: http://www.tyndale.com
2: http://www.greater-ministries.com/index.html
3: http://www.cms.org.au/
4: http://www.adventist.org
-----------
News from ReligionToday.com is Copyrighted by Media
Management. Content may be reproduced provided proper
credit is given to www.ReligionToday.com.
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Sun to replace laser
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 20:36:11 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
SUN TO REPLACE LASER
Two Israeli scientists from the Ben Gurion University in
BeerSheba have succeeded in replacing the laser with the sun's rays in
surgical procedures. The two physicists, Daniel Furman and Jeffrey
Gordon, say it is possible to harness solar power in order to treat
cancerous growths and open clogged veins.
The results of their research have been published in the
prestigious New Scientist Journal. They are optimistic that hospitals
in emerging nations and field hospitals can some day take advantage of
this solar technique. Among other things, the procedure saves
thousands of dollars over laser surgery. (MED, KOL ISRAEL, February
25, 1999)
Bridges for Peace
March 5, 1999
http://www.bridgesforpeace.com
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Inside China Today (3/5/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 00:20:58 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
CHINA WARNS U.S. ON ASIAN MISSILE DEFENSE UMBRELLA
BEIJING -- A senior Chinese official warned the United States on
Friday that any attempt to shelter Taiwan under a missile defense
umbrella would be the "last straw" and lead to serious consequences.
http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999030502.html?text
CHINA DENIES 'BREAKTHROUGH' WITH VATICAN
BEIJING -- China on Friday denied reports in a Taiwan newspaper that
it had reached a breakthrough with the Vatican to normalize its
relations after four decades of stalemate.
http://www.insidechina.com/china/news/1999030503.html?text
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items (3/5/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 05:40:55 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
*** Disputed Bosnia city to be shared
BRCKO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) - All of Bosnia's ethnic groups -
Serbs, Croats and Muslims - will administer the disputed town of
Brcko, international officials announced Friday, settling the only
unresolved territorial question from the Bosnian war. Before the
ruling, the NATO-led Bosnian peace force deployed extra troops in the
northern port town, fearing the decision could ignite ethnic tensions.
The U.S. Embassy warned Americans to keep away from Bosnia,
particularly its Serb part. Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik
resigned in protest of the ruling. Brcko has been the stickiest
territorial question since the Dayton peace agreement ended the
1992-95 Bosnian war by dividing the country between a Serb Republic
and the Muslim-Croat Federation. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558688375-2bd
*** Danish lawmakers OK prostitution
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Denmark's parliament has voted to legalize
prostitution - a decision that came after more than two decades of
quietly tolerating the sale of sexual services. The new law, which
goes into force on July 1, passed 81-27 in a vote Thursday. It also
makes it illegal to purchase sex from anyone under the age of 18, with
a maximum sentence of two years in prison. At the same time, Danes
stepped up measures to prevent prostitution by minors, help women get
out of the sex trade, and stop those who bring women in from Eastern
Europe and Asia and then force them into prostitution. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558687131-93a
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Palestinians say Clinton has agreed to recognize independent sta
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 05:42:07 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Palestinians say Clinton has agreed to recognize independent state
Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Friday, March 5, 1999
RAMALLAH [MENL] -- Palestinian Authority officials said on Thursday
that the United States has quietly accepted the principle of an
independent Palestinian state.
Officials said President Bill Clinton is prepared to accept and
recognize a Palestinian state but is pressing that the PA delay an
announcement of statehood on May 4. But, they said, the Clinton
administration has signalled its willingness to raise the level of
diplomatic ties with the PA.
"The difference is over timing," said Hassan Abdul Rahim, the
Palestinian envoy in Washington.."The United States wants to arrive at
a joint position with the PA on May 4. The United States will not say
no to self-determinatin. It is just that the timing is not suitable."
Abdul Rahim told PA radio on Thursday that the Clinton administration
continues to oppose the declaration of a Palestinian state on May, the
expiration of interim Palestinian self-rule. "At the same time, the
United States understands that the date is one that has worthiness,"
he said.
PA officials said an American and Palestinian team of diplomats will
meet next week in Washington to prepare for a March 23 summit between
Clinton and Arafat. The officials said Arafat will focus on
Palestinian plans for May 4.
Senior officials said Arafat is willing to delay independence for
several months in exchange for international guarantees that the
United States and the European Union will recognize a Palestinian
state when it is declared. The officials said the Palestinians will
insist, however, that areas of PA rule no longer be seen as operating
under autonomy.
"I think that there will be significant changes in the U.S. dealings
with the Palestinians," PA Minister Hassan Asfour said. "The United
States will seek to maintain stability and prevent an explosion."
Arafat has held several sessions of the Fatah leadership to discuss
the issue of Palestinian statehood, the officials said. They said a
final decision on a date for statehood would be taken close to May 4.
via: bible_prophecy-news@onelist.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Y2K Bug Bites
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1999 05:07:40 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
*1999 February 6: Y2K conversion side-effects at an Ohio county and a
New York bank.
*1999 January 28: Utility bills over-estimated in Colorado.
*1999 January 26: Prodigy Classic to bow out, citing Y2K.
*1999 January 25: Still some problems with 00 credit cards.
*1999 January 10: NY auto sticker shock.
*1999 January 6: Australian hospitals concerned.
*1999 January 5: Federal workers' drug benefits denied.
*1999 January 5: Embedded chip locks out workers in Y2K-1 report.
*1999 January 4: Y2K arrives early for small WV firm.
*1999 January 3: British examples.
*1999 January 1: Taxis bugged by Y2K-1 in Singapore and Sweden.
*1999 January 1: Chicago checks chips.
*1999 January 1: Y2K-1 in Sweden.
*1998 December 31: ATM problems.
*1998 December 28: FDA warns about two medical devices for 1999.
*1998 December 21: Airport testing.
*1998 October 10: Anesthesia machines may quit.
*1998 October 8: Early warnings.
*1998 September 28: Automated banking in New Hampshire.
*1998 September 8: Automatic overdraft.
*1998 August 14: One per cent of trades fail in Wall Street test.
*1998 August 1: Y2K jail break.
*1998 July 24: Boeing jets "safe, with changes".
*1998 June 16: Shipping at risk.
*1998 May 18: Oil industry embedded chip example.
*1998 April 27: Industry finding problems on the factory floor.
*March 1998: a robot gets confused:
*1998 March: Y2K failure rate in semiconductor plants.
http://info.cv.nrao.edu/y2k/sighting.htm
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Mar 7, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1999 20:49:00 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
8:00 PM Eastern
CNN - COLD WAR - "Soldiers of God 1975-1988" - The Soviets
in Afghanistan.(CC)
9:00
DISC - ARE YOU BEING WATCHED? - Surveillance cameras
threaten privacy.(CC)(TVG)
TLC - ROME: THE POWER & GLORY - "The Rise" - The
founding of Rome; Etruscan culture; the establishment of the
Republic.(CC)(TVG)
10:00
HIST - HISTORY UNDERCOVER - "Unit 731: Nightmare in
Manchuria" - The Japanese army seeks to develop biological
weapons during World War II.(CC)(TVPG)
TLC - ROME: THE POWER & GLORY - "Legions of Conquest" -
An amateur army grows into a major force; Hannibal's
elephants; Caesar's onslaught against Gaul; Persia defeats
Valerian.(CC)(TVG)
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Desert mummies linked to modern medicine
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 00:48:13 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Saturday, March 6, 1999 Published at 02:03 GMT BBC Online
Desert mummies linked to modern medicine
Desert environments keep mummies' cells intact
South American mummies could hold the key to modern diseases,
according to a leading paleopathologist. Dr Marvin Allison of the
Medical College of Virginia, a leading paleopathologist, has been
studying the mummies for 30 years. He says that in around 95% of cases
scientists can tell what the mummies died from. "That's about the
modern rate," he stated. The information could provide answers about
the way many of today's diseases have developed. Dr Allison says one
of the main problems in doing autopsies on mummies is that some of
their cell material does not survive longer than 8,000 years. "We use
the same techniques as any modern hospital," he said.
Stool samples
Many of the mummies Dr Allison has studied are from Chile's Atacama
desert. The environment there is dry and hot and this helps preserve
the mummies. He has recently done research into stool material from
30 mummies which are up to 1,800 years old. He found that six were
infected with a bug called Helicobacter pylori. It has been linked to
stomach cancer and ulcers. The bug, which lives in the stomach lining,
was only identified around 10 years ago and doctors are not yet
certain how it is spread. Dr Allison, who has conducted around 3,000
autopsies during his career, used a relatively new technique to test
the stool samples. The Premier Platinum HpSA test is about 96%
accurate, according to its manufacturer. He is now looking for
evidence of infection by cryptosporidium and giardia, two water-borne
bacteria which still cause deaths today.
Ancient tissue
Other teams have also been studying mummies for clues which could help
the development of modern medicine. A US, UK and Egyptian team is
examining the 5,000-year progress of a disease prevalent in Egypt.
Using tissue samples from mummified bodies, the team is tracing the
development of schistasomiasis, a chronic debilitating disease, caused
by a parasite called a schistasome. The disease, which has minor
symptoms in the short term but can cause death after repeated
exposure, has been detected in mummies from 2,800BC. Dr Rosalie David,
keeper of Egyptology at Manchester University, also applies modern
techniques to examine ancient tissue and establish what diseases
affected people in the distant past.
Disrupting life
They have found that many familiar diseases affected the ancient
Egyptians - obesity, osteoarthritis, slipped discs, blocked arteries
and pleurisy. But the researchers particularly want to track the
progress of schistasomiasis. The disease is estimated to affect
200-300 million people in 79 countries. In some Egyptian villages it
can affect as much as 80% of the population. The disease can have a
major impact on an agricultural workforce as well as a nation's
economy. The researchers hope they can work out how the disease has
been so successful at disrupting human life by studying the
progression of the disease and its cause over a period of 5,000 years.
via: Insane Science Mailing List
isml@onelist.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - 'Ageing molecule' secrets revealed
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 00:50:34 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Friday, March 5, 1999 Published at 11:19 GMT BBC Online
'Ageing molecule' secrets revealed
Mice that went prematurely grey, got cancer more often and died early
have given scientists an intriguing insight in live animals of the
ageing process. The rodents also lost their hair more quickly and took
longer to recover from the stress of surgery and chemotherapy than
normal mice.
The mice were bred without a gene for making telomerase. This enzyme
builds and maintains telomeres - nubs of protein that scientists
believe may be central in controlling the ageing process. Telomeres
are produced during embryonic development but start to crumble away as
cells mature and divide. Until now, this process had only been studied
in cells cultured in the lab. The mice were bred at the Dana-Farber
Cancer Institute (DFCI) in Boston. Each rodent generation bred by the
DFCI team had progressively shorter telomeres.
Ageing problems
The problems associated with ageing were not immediately apparent in
the new-born mice. For example, third generation mice displayed
symptoms only after they had reached the age of 18 months. Even the
most telomere-deficient, sixth-generation mice had to go through a
waiting period, albeit shorter, before symptoms appeared. This
surprised the team. Although the mouse findings confirm expectations
about telomere shortening and its role in ageing, they also show the
process to be far more complex than previously thought. "Something
else in the ageing organism co-operates with telomere dysfunction to
compromise fitness," says Lenhard Rudolph, research associate in
medicine at DFCI and Harvard Medical School (HMS), and lead author of
the study. "What else that is remains unclear. That's one of the
central questions in biology - what is the basis for organismal
ageing? Is it free radical damage that accumulates? Is it general
mitochondrial dysfunction? Or are there other mechanisms?" The higher
number of tumours in the mice is also a conundrum. The experiments
demonstrate the widely held belief that telomeres are associated with
cancer - but, again, in a more complex way.
Cancer cells
>From previous work, it is clear that cells can become cancerous
>because too
much telomerase makes them "immortal". But this new research shows a
lack of telomerase can also lead to cancer. "These experiments have
been to a certain extent mind-bending. No-one would have anticipated
that you could have gotten an increase in cancer from a lack of
telomerase," says Ron DePinho, also at DFCI. As a possible
explanation, the team suggest that DNA strands that lose the
protection of their telomeres might fuse or break. This could lead to
the loss or gain of genes and, in turn, to cancer. Telomerase is the
subject of intense investigation in several labs. Not only does it
provide a target for anti-cancer drugs but it plays an important role
in embryonic stem cells which many scientists hope will one day
provide spare tissue and even organs for transplantation. The media
has also followed the telomerase story closely, not least because some
scientists have suggested that control of the enzyme may enable us to
live longer lives. This latest research is published in the journal
Cell.
via: Insane Science Mailing List
isml@onelist.com
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