Sunday, December 31, 2006

Older Outrages

O.J. Simpson to discuss killings

Wed Nov 15, 5:52 AM ET

LOS ANGELES – Fox plans to broadcast an interview with
O.J. Simpson in which the former football star discusses “how he would have committed” the slayings of his ex-wife and her friend, for which he was acquitted, the network said.

The two-part interview, titled “O.J. Simpson: If I Did It, Here’s How It Happened,” will air Nov. 27 and Nov. 29, the TV network said.

Simpson has agreed to an “unrestricted” interview with book publisher Judith Regan, Fox said.

“O.J. Simpson, in his own words, tells for the first time how he would have committed the murders if he were the one responsible for the crimes,” the network said in a statement. “In the two-part event, Simpson describes how he would have carried out the murders he has vehemently denied committing for over a decade.”

The interview will air days before Simpson’s new book, “If I Did It,” goes on sale Nov. 30. The book, published by Regan, “hypothetically describes how the murders would have been committed.”

In a video clip on the network’s Web site, an off-screen interviewer says to Simpson, “You wrote ‘I have never seen so much blood in my life.’”

“I don’t think any two people could be murdered without everybody being covered in blood,” Simpson responds.

Simpson, who now lives in Florida, was acquitted in a criminal trial of the 1994 killings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. Simpson was later found liable in 1997 in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the Goldman family.

Messages left with Simpson and his attorney Yale Galanter were not immediately returned.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061115/ap_en_mo/simpson_interview_14

Homeowners lose Katrina insurance flood case

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) – A U.S. District Court judge on Tuesday ruled a Mississippi couple’s homeowner policy did not give them coverage for damage from flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina, in a major win for the insurance industry.

Paul and Julie Leonard were awarded $1,228 to cover wind damage but lost their argument that their Nationwide Mutual Insurance policy covered flood damage associated with the storm, which they said cost them more than $130,000.

(continued at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060815/ts_nm/financial_katrina_dc_3)

Verizon Limits Its “Unlimited” Wireless Broadband Service

By Joseph S. Enoch
ConsumerAffairs.Com
July 25, 2006

Verizon AdVerizon Wireless proudly boasts that its wireless “BroadbandAccess” service is “unlimited.” But Verizon’s definition of unlimited may not match consumers’ expectations, as those who use the service extensively quickly learn.

(continued at http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/07/verizon_unlimited.html)

NASA’s Goals Delete Mention of Home Planet
From the New York Times:

NASA’s Goals Delete Mention of Home Planet
By ANDREW C. REVKIN
Published: July 22, 2006

From 2002 until this year, NASA’s mission statement, prominently featured in its budget and planning documents, read: “To understand and protect our home planet; to explore the universe and search for life; to inspire the next generation of explorers … as only NASA can.”

In early February, the statement was quietly altered, with the phrase “to understand and protect our home planet” deleted. In this year’s budget and planning documents, the agency’s mission is “to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.”

David E. Steitz, a spokesman for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, said the aim was to square the statement with President Bush’s goal of pursuing human spaceflight to the Moon and Mars.

But the change comes as an unwelcome surprise to many NASA scientists, who say the “understand and protect” phrase was not merely window dressing but actively influenced the shaping and execution of research priorities. Without it, these scientists say, there will be far less incentive to pursue projects to improve understanding of terrestrial problems like climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

(continued at: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/22/science/22nasa.html?_r=1&oref=slogin)

Western Union blocks Arab cash transfers

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Money transfer agencies have delayed or blocked thousands of cash deliveries on suspicion of terrorist connections simply because senders or recipients have names like Mohammed or Ahmed, company officials said.

In one example, an Indian driver here said Western Union prevented him from sending $120 to a friend at home last month because the recipient’s name was Mohammed.

“Western Union told me that if I send money to Sahir Mohammed, the money will be blocked because of his name,” said 36-year-old Abdul Rahman Maruthayil, who later sent the money through UAE Exchange, a Dubai-based money transfer service.

In a similar case, Pakistani Qadir Khan said Western Union blocked his attempt this month to wire money to his brother Mohammed for a cataract operation.

“Every Mohammed is a terrorist now?” Khan asked.

(complete article available at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060706/ap_on_re_mi_ea/emirates_muslim_money_lh1_1)

Finger Scanning At Disney Parks Causes Concern

Can’t believe I haven’t heard of this till almost a year later…

ORLANDO, Fla. —The addition of finger scanning technology at the entrances of Walt Disney World theme parks for all visitors has caused concern among privacy advocates, according to a Local 6 News report.

Tourists visiting Disney theme parks in Central Florida must now provide their index and middle fingers to be scanned before entering the front gates.

The scans were formerly for season pass holders but now everyone must provide their fingers, Local 6 News reported. They have reportedly been phased in for all ticket holders during the past six months, according to a report….

(continued at: http://www.local6.com/news/4724689/detail.html)

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