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Risk of human flu outbreak 'low' * Poultry owners within wild bird risk area must keep birds indoors or, if not possible, ensure they are kept away from wild birds * Bird transport within 6 mile (10km) surveillance zone will be curbed * Poultry within 1.8 mile (3km) protection zone must be kept indoors and will be tested The chances of bird flu virus mutating into a form that spreads between humans are "very low", the government's chief scientific adviser has said. Sir David King said any suggestion a global flu pandemic in humans was inevitable was "totally misleading". No...

(2006-02-08) — In the wake of a $415 million study of 49,000 women showing that a low-fat diet will not prevent, or even reduce the risk, of heart disease and cancer, nutrition experts today said they now believe that the pathway to health is found in eating foods low in vitamins and high in monosodium glutamate (MSG). (...) “Science works by first making definitive recommendations, and then doing several years of research to discover if we were right,” said an unnamed NIH spokesman. “During the research phase, our job is to vigorously promote our assumptions until the facts disprove them.”...

Chirac's influence sinks to new low By Henry Samuel in Paris (Filed: 28/11/2005) Jacques Chirac's presidency hit a new low yesterday when a poll revealed that most voters think he now has little or no influence over events at home or abroad. Of those polled, 72 per cent regarded the influence of their president - who turns 73 tomorrow - over what happens in France as "weak". Jacques Chirac: perceived as a lame duck Two thirds said his clout on the world stage was feeble, while only 36 per cent thought he held any significant sway over European politics. Condemnation...

NEW YORK Public trust in newspapers and television news continued to decline in Gallup's annual survey of "public confidence in major institutions" in the United States, reaching an all-time low this year. Those having a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in newspapers dipped from 30% to 28% in one year, the same total for television. The previous low for newspapers was 29% in 1994. Since 2000, confidence in newspapers has declined from 37% to 28%, and TV from 36% to 28%, according to the poll. However, some other institutions fared far worse this year, suggesting a broad...

The fertility rate of Japanese women in 2004 remained at the record low of 1.29 children per woman, the same as the previous year, a survey showed. A population survey report issued by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare showed that, when taken to the third decimal place, the rate was actually slightly below 1.29 last year, and slightly above in 2003, the Mainichi Shimbun reported Wednesday. The results show that the rate is continuing to decline, which will force the government to continue to devise measures to counter the trend. In an estimate released by the ministry in...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The euro dropped more than 1 percent to its weakest level against the dollar in seven months on Tuesday after France's rejection of the European Union constitution sparked worries about the prospects for economic reform in Europe. "The weekend 'No' vote was deemed to be negative for the euro and has sent the euro/dollar into a new trading range. It is quite possible that in the coming weeks we could get as low as $1.20 before the market decides that it has bought enough dollars for the time being," said Michael Woolfolk, senior currency strategist with...

1962 Sunday Missal Mass Readings/Propers for Low Sunday   Colors:  White   INTROIT  I Peter 2:2As newborn babes, alleluia, desire the rational milk without guile, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. -- (Ps. 80. 2). Rejoice to God our Helper; sing aloud to the God of Jacob. V.: Glory to the Father . . . -- As newborn babes . . .   COLLECT - Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we who have celebrated the Paschal Feast, may, by Thy bounty, retain its fruits in our daily habits and behavior. Through our Lord Jesus Christ . . .   EPISTLE...

LOS ANGELES - Hoisting her Academy Award in one hand and newly won Razzie in the other, Halle Berry reveled in her career low point. "Omigosh, oh my God," Berry gasped Saturday night, feigning excitement as she held her hand to her mouth and forehead. "I never in my life thought that I would be here, winning a Razzie. It's not like I ever aspired to be here, but thank you." Berry was picked as worst actress for 2004's action bomb "Catwoman," which also took the prize for worst film at the 25th annual Razzies, an Oscar spoof that trashes...

A Glimpse Ahead Timothy Snodgrass The Impossible Will Come Alive In 2005 01/28/05 In January of 2004, as we began to intercede for the New Year the Holy Spirit gave us the prophetic slogan, "The Seas will Roar in 2004". This year we were given a new slogan, "The Impossible will come Alive in 2005". As the veil of darkness begins to come down over nations and regions, along with great shakings will come great breakthroughs; signs, wonders, healings and a spectacular release of miracles in impossible circumstances. This year, although we are ultimately poised to gain much ground, there...

Changing the way the world eats is an ambitious goal. The significant changes in the government’s dietary guidelines are an important step forward and a clear signal that the message Dr. Atkins long championed is increasingly heeded. I’m delighted to see the much-awaited dietary guidelines of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). A close look at the recommendations released last week shows how closely these recommendations reflect our efforts to raise carbohydrate awareness and emphasize the importance of weight management. It appears that government officials have listened to the Atkins’...

New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) has long been rumored as desperately seeking the democratic nomination for president in 2008. And while many political observers fully expect the power hungry former First Lady to hit the campaign trail within only a few months of being re-elected as a US Senator in 2006, US News & World report claims to have a confirmation of sorts. From USNews.Com's Washington Whispers: Hillary's in… You don't have to take it from us about Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton 's desire to run for president. Her brothers, Hugh and Tony Rodham, say it's true. Friends...

Rather got off too easy By Al Knight Denver Post Columnist Article Published: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 An independent panel's probe of the disputed Sept. 8 "60 Minutes" report on President Bush's National Guard service allows for only one conclusion: The program segment was an example of lousy, if not biased, journalism and most of the culprits responsible, especially CBS producer Mary Mapes, deserved to be fired. However, for reasons not yet clear, CBS anchorman Dan Rather was spared a similar fate. Although Rather has resigned his anchorman position, he will continue to work for CBS on both the Sunday...

Yes, the election is behind us, but it is not yet time to heal the wounds. We cannot let the Democrats forget the vitriol they spewed during the campaign. Their ugly tactics are part of history. Forget history and we repeat our mistakes. Remember Bob Woodward’s charge that President Bush and the Saudis had a secret “deal” to keep oil prices low in the run-up to the 2004 presidential election? (See also here). There is no documentation showing that such a deal was ever made. Historical oil and gas prices in 2004 provide empirical evidence that no such deal was...

Chris Whittle, who edits Sunday Morning Shootout ... has a fascinating, wide ranging post on his site Eject! Eject! Eject!, which hits many of my political-entertainment industry buttons. The amn knows whereof he speaks, and has a lot of worthwhile thoughts. >>There are only eight conservative actors in the history of Hollywood, and five of them have been elected to high office. (The sixth was elected president of the National Rifle Association, the seventh was elected Mayor of Carmel, California on a pro-business platform, and John Wayne had the class to never run for – or from – anything.) If,...

An online guide to the Latin Low Mass has been added to the Angelqueen site. Using a variety of sources, the Mass has been divided into sections with narrative explanation, illustration, history and background. The Latin is side by side with the English exegesis/translation. There are also sections on the altar setup,  the vestments, and the furnishings and equipment with photos and descriptions. You can start at the intro and click through the entire mass by hitting the "next" link on each page. Or use the table of contents to find various sections.One reason it was put together was to...

Food Running Low Aboard Space Station Published Thursday, December 9, 2004 By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Food is running so low aboard the international space station that the two crewmen have been instructed to cut back on calories, at least until a Russian supply ship arrives in a little over two weeks, NASA said Thursday. If anything goes wrong with the Christmas Day delivery, the space agency will have no choice, given the grounding of its shuttle fleet, but to abandon the station and bring the men home in early January. This cargo ship "is very...

Insurgents still holding out in Fallujah are running low on ammunition and many of them are seriously wounded, Al-Arabiya television reported from the outskirts of the city. The report, filmed in two segments in different locations, included a brief interview with one Iraqi fighter. He said there were only about 100 foreign fighters in the city and the rest of those resisting the Americans were Iraqis. "They say that they have run out of ammunition and that many of those who stayed inside are seriously wounded," Al-Arabiya correspondent Wail Essam said in his report yesterday. The correspondent added that many...

PARIS (Reuters) - When a Muslim radical murdered the Dutch director Theo van Gogh for a film criticising Islam, Christoph Luxenberg saw his name ripple through Internet forums 1,000 times and immediately knew why. "The safety of experts on Islam is topical again," he said -- in a surprisingly detached tone for the author of a critique of the Koran who fears it could one day spark similar anger. Van Gogh, murdered last week for a film slamming Muslim treatment of women, set out to be provocative. But such is the apprehension among critics of Islam that even an obscure...

Dollar Falls to Record Low Against Euro 2 hours, 39 minutes ago NEW YORK (Reuters) - The euro hit a record high against the dollar above $1.2927 on Friday as the beleaguered U.S. currency weakened across the board in technically driven trading.

[Gabler's tripe not posted] I can't believe this utter tripe wasn't posted. The LA Slimes hit a new low with this Sunday Op-Ed piece "gracing" the front page of the Opinion section. The headline is Rove is America's Mullah. And the inside header is "The Ayatollah in the White House". This is either 1) calling Roosevelt's top political coordinator a Nazi in the 1944 election -- the Mullahs, such as Omar or those from Iran are universally recognized as the worst of the worst today. 2)If this extreme term isn't meant, then what is it? Is the LA Times smearing...