This page features brief excerpts of stories published by the mainstream
media and, less frequently, blogs, alternative media, and even obviously
biased sources. The excerpts are taken directly from the websites cited in
each source note. Quotation marks are not used.
Source: BBC
September 21, 2009
The sapling being planted at a Surrey school for United Nations Peace Day is the latest of about 600 trees grown worldwide all derived from the same original plant - and each offering an inspiring symbol of hope and survival.
Trees have played a special part in Steven Frank's life, and now the keen gardener is hoping a special tree will play an important role in the life of many others.
Mr Frank is a survivor of a World War II concentration camp.
He is ma
Source: nvdaily.com
September 19, 2009
WINCHESTER -- One of the region's most significant Civil War battlefields has been preserved through a cooperative effort of government and the private sector.
The Huntsberry Farm, a large part of the Middle Field of the Third Battle of Winchester, has been purchased and made part of a 567-acre battlefield park just outside Winchester.
Federal, state and local officials along with nonprofit agencies gathered on the site Friday to officially recognize the purchase of the
Source: The Columbus Dispatch
September 22, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Researchers have found an undisturbed 16,000-year-old sand dune on the campus of Michigan State University.
It's far from the water, and researchers say it was left behind when the ice sheets were melting away as the climate warmed.
The university said Monday the find is underneath a grove of pine trees between Demonstration Hall and Munn Ice Arena.
Michigan State geography professor Alan Arbogast says it's the first time he's see
Source: The Washington Times
September 22, 2009
Facing the increasing likelihood of losses in the 2010 midterm congressional and gubernatorial elections, President Obama and his fellow Democrats are returning to a tried-and-true campaign strategy — run against former President George W. Bush.
In speech after speech since taking office, Mr. Obama has pointed back to the problems he inherited from the Bush administration when he took office. And earlier this month, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine catalogued a slew
Source: Yahoo News
September 22, 2009
ANKARA (Reuters) – Archaeologists in the ancient city of Troy in Turkey have found the remains of a man and a woman believed to have died in 1,200 B.C., the time of the legendary war chronicled by Homer, a leading German professor said on Tuesday.
Ernst Pernicka, a University of Tubingen professor of archaeometry who is leading excavations on the site in northwestern Turkey, said the bodies were found near a defense line within the city built in the late Bronze age.
The
Source: telegraph.co.uk
September 21, 2009
Workmen repairing lead on the roof have found that the main beams of the chancel roof are rotting faster than originally thought.
Urgent building work is now required to repair the beams, costing £50,000, to prevent the roof falling in.
Martin Gorick, vicar of Stratford, said: “Workmen who were repairing the lead found that the odd bit dropped off inside the church, which alarmed us greatly.
“We had to temporarily close the church. It is now safe to visit b
Source: The Local (Germany)
September 21, 2009
The crypt 3,500-year-old tomb contains a significant number of artefacts, as well as human bones.
The team, led by Professor Peter Pfälzner from the University of Tübingen, and Dr. Michel al-Maqdissi, Director of Excavations at the Directorate General of Antiquities in Damascus, had already discovered a royal burial chamber undisturbed by grave robbers under the palace back in 2002.
This latest crypt, discovered during excavation of the northwestern wing of the palace c
Source: The Daily Beast
September 21, 2009
Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov, who fascinated the world with their 1984 five-month-long, grueling chess battle, will meet for a historic rematch on Tuesday in Spain. The two grand masters faced off 25 years ago in what was seen as representing an ideological battle. Kasparov, only 21 at the time, was cast as the face of reform while Karpov played the role of the old Soviet Union. The two still hold opposing political views, but have become closer over the years. "Many of my friends forg
Source: telegraph.co.uk
September 21, 2009
The picture, brought back as a holiday souvenir, has been unveiled in public for the first time and looks set to fetch at least £10,000 at auction next month.
Its story had been kept a family secret for over 100 years, hidden by Mrs Sheersmith's relatives until they entered it into a British auction earlier this year.
The New Jersey seller, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the picture had been picked up by her great great aunt on her regular trips to Europe.
Source: Little About
September 19, 2009
A team of archaeologists has discovered a 2000-year-old Roman amphitheatre near Tiberias in Israel.
According to a report in the Haaretz newspaper, Archeologist, Doctor Valid Atrash, from the Israel Antiquities Authority, said that the remnants of the Roman amphitheatre peaks from 15 meters below ground.
The 1990 findings came as a surprise to the archeologists digging near Mount Berniki in the Tiberias hills as there are no references to such a place anywhere in script
Source: nottingham.co.uk
September 21, 2009
A ROMAN well has been unearthed near Bingham during work to dual the A46.
A heritage group is now campaigning for the historic site to be dismantled stone by stone and re-erected in the town to prevent it being demolished by bulldozers.
Peter Allen, chairman of the Bingham Heritage Trails Association, said: "We've got a great deal of information about the Roman occupation in Bingham and absolutely nothing is visible, it's all under ploughed fields.
&qu
Source: Reuters
September 21, 2009
MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Moscow restaurant called 'Anti-Soviet' has changed its name under pressure from local authorities who said it offended Russia's older generation, the manager said Monday.
'Anti-Sovetskaya', which opened in July, was renamed 'Sovetskaya', or 'Soviet', Friday.
"They said it insulted the feelings of veterans," Alexander Vanin told Reuters, adding local authorities had threatened to fine the kebab-serving restaurant over its name.
Source: The Salt Lake Tribune
September 22, 2009
For the first time ever, scholars and faithful Mormons can crack open a book and examine photocopies of the original writings and revelations of LDS church founder Joseph Smith.
The second in a series of weighty volumes that eventually could top 30, The Joseph Smith Papers: Revelations and Translations , was released Tuesday by The Church Historian's Press, an imprint of the church's history department.
The revelations, from 1828 to 1834, are in the hand of Smith, John
Source: Lee P. Ruddin
September 22, 2009
One of Britain’s most celebrated historians “revisited” the special relationship on Tuesday evening.
Speaking before a packed auditorium at the British Library, Professor Sir David Cannadine traced Winston Churchill’s evolving view of the Anglo-American relationship.
In what was a nuanced hour-long talk, Cannadine moved from the “romance and rhetoric” to the “reality and realpolitik” in Churchill’s day to those of more recent transatlantic actors.
The eve
Source: The Wall Street Journal
September 22, 2009
PARIS -- Former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, who is on trial for his alleged role in a smear campaign against President Nicolas Sarkozy, accused the French leader of abusing his powers to persecute him.
"I am here because of the furious determination of one man: Nicolas Sarkozy," Mr. de Villepin told reporters as he entered the courtroom on the first day of the trial. Mr. de Villepin has repeatedly denied that he was involved in a smear campaign against Mr. Sarkoz
Source: The Washingron Post
September 21, 2009
The manicured lawns and beautiful brick homes that line the streets of Spring Valley look like those in most affluent District neighborhoods.
But the area looked much different during World War I, when the Army was using it as a testing ground for chemical weapons.
On Sunday, visitors on a tour of the neighborhood heard how, 90 years after scientists ended their experiments, the remnants of toxic munitions remain.
"The purpose of the tour is to encoura
Source: BBC
September 17, 2009
A 3m-long dinosaur fossil from China which predates T. rex by 60 million years is a blueprint for the mighty carnivore, say researchers.
They tell Science magazine that the fossil displays the same features as T. rex but in miniature.
The new species, Raptorex kriegsteini, would have weighed around 65kg; its descendants were 90 times as massive.
Scientists believe it could be the "missing link" between earlier species of dinosaur and
Source: Yahoo News
September 21, 2009
CARACAS, Venezuela – Authorities began opening tombs Monday to identify the remains of dozens of people killed during riots more than two decades ago and look for evidence against police and soldiers responsible for slayings during the unrest.
Most relatives of those who died in the 1989 riots, known as the "Caracazo," applaud the probe and hope investigators will be able to identify the victims and give their families a long-awaited opportunity for a proper burial.
Source: Fox News
September 21, 2009
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba — The self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks is expected to return to the Guantanamo war crimes court, possibly for the last time.
A military judge has scheduled a hearing Monday at the U.S. base in Cuba to ask Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-defendants if they have objections to another delay in their trial at the request of President Barack Obama's administration.
Mohammed is acting as his own lawyer.
Source: telegraph.co.uk
September 21, 2009
Scientists from the University of Washington have used advanced photo analysis and modelling techniques to generate fly-though representations of the Colosseum, the Trevi fountain and the Croatian city of Dubrovnik.
The models are created entirely from data taken from images uploaded by members of the public on to the photo-sharing website.
The team used a specially-devised algorithm to detect and arrange photos showing various angles of the same building. The same alg
