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The Sumter metropolitan area is the third-most dangerous in the nation for pedestrians, according to a recently released national study. Sumter is the most dangerous area for pedestrians in South Carolina, which itself ranks as the third-most dangerous in the country, according to the report, titled "Dangerous By Design" and released by Transportation for America. The organization is a national coalition advocating for safer and more efficient transportation in the United States. Only Macon, Ga., and Punta Gorda, Fla., are more dangerous for pedestrians than Sumter, according to the study. The report uses a measure called the Pedestrian Danger Index,...

U.S. Muslim service members say they stand out in both their worlds. Among fellow troops, that can mean facing ethnic taunts, awkward questions about spiritual practices and a structure that is not set up to accommodate their worship. Among Muslims, the questions can be more profound: How can a Muslim participate in killing other Muslims in such places as Iraq and Afghanistan? Just 3,557 members of the 1.4 million-member U.S. armed forces describe themselves as Muslim, and followers of Islam said the military is just starting to accommodate them by recruiting Muslim chaplains, creating Muslim prayer spaces and educating other...

November 11, is the day when a number of countries around the world remember their war dead and past and present military service men and women. The video below is a wonderful and stirring pice of art focussing on the significance of this day. Here is one person's description of the story behind the video: On November 11, 1999, Terry Kelly was in a Shoppers Drug Mart store, in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the store's PA asking customers who would still be of the premises at 11:00 am to give two minutes of silence...

Brooking Institute Doctor Says that there is no reason to expect Congress can rein in Spending. Lamar Alexander Senator Republican Tennessee "Agree that we need to do Healthcare" Says that the current Healthcare Reform sends a 1.5B Tax per state in order to pay for Healthcare Reform. Larmar disagreed with them pretty strongly. But wasn't as visceral as I which he had been.

It indeed was a funeral befitting a king. Michael Jackson was laid to rest in September in a lavish ceremony that cost at least $1 million – with the expenses covered by his estate, court documents show. The funeral bill alone from Forest Lawn Cemetery totaled $855,730, which included entombing Jackson inside the Grand Mausoleum, costing $590,000. His casket cost $25,000, his burial garments came to $35,000, while $175,089 was spent on security. Among a list of other expenses: • $3,682 for framing of a photograph of Jackson next to his casket • $1,975 for wardrobe costs for the family...

Bush pilots know that wildlife can be a hazard to your health. Aircraft have collided with giraffes and other large animals on various remote African airstrips, and there are numerous stories of downed pilots being hassled by predators after making forced landings out in the boonies. Lion and hyena are also know to be partial to certain aircraft components, tyres being a documented favourite of the big cats. My father was once left with the (hefty) bill after a gang of hyenas chewed his wingtip navigation lights and strobes (both wings) and then did a runner after dinner. These pictures...

A Milwaukee Army reservist says four muggers returned his belongings when they discovered his military identification. The 21-year-old college student says he was walking home from work about 1:15 a.m. Tuesday when he was pulled into an alley and told to lay face down with a gun to his neck. Four men took his wallet, $16, keys and his cell phone. But the reservist says when one of the men saw an Army ID in the wallet, he told the others to return items. He also apologized and thanked the reservist for serving. The reservist says one robber gave him...

Darvin Moon was seven outs from the World Series of Poker main event Championship, but it wasn’t meant to be for the 46-year-old everyman from Maryland. Instead, the title belongs to 21-year-old online professional Joseph Cada, who eclipsed Peter Eastgate’s record for youngest main-event winner in poker history. The win was anything but easy for the Michigan native, who at times seemed resigned to his fate of finishing runner-up to the more inexperienced Moon. But experience ultimately prevailed, and it was Cada’s calm under pressure that allowed him to keep a level head and, eventually, take it down. Ironically, while...

The remains of a Minoan-style wall painting, recognizable by a blue background, the first of its kind to be found in Israel, was discovered in the course of the recent excavation season at Tel Kabri. This fresco joins others of Aegean style that have been uncovered during earlier seasons at the Canaanite palace in Kabri. "It was, without doubt, a conscious decision made by the city's rulers who wished to associate with Mediterranean culture and not adopt Syrian and Mesopotamian styles of art like other cities in Canaan did. The Canaanites were living in the Levant and wanted to feel...

Leaders of the U.S. Naval Academy tinkered with the composition of the color guard that appeared at a World Series game last month so the group would not be exclusively white and male. Accounts differ as to who was added to or removed from the Oct. 29 color guard. But the net result was that one of the six who marched on Yankee Stadium's field, Midshipman 2nd Class Hannah Allaire, was selected because her presence would make the service academy look more diverse before a national audience. The incident has captured the attention of the Annapolis campus and stirred up...

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In 1995 the federal government began transplanting Canadian gray wolves into Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. That program touched off a fierce range war that continues to rage, pitting farmers, ranchers, hunters, conservationists, outdoor recreationists, and rural folk against the major environmentalist lobbying organizations, government bureaucrats, the big-city media, and urban politicians. After being protected for 14 years, limited hunting seasons have finally been allowed for wolves this fall, and around 150 wolves have been taken thus far. Wolf advocates are howling that the permitted hunts are "barbaric" and that those who kill wolves are "murderers." A coalition of radical environmental...

Austrian archaeologists have found a Babylonian seal in Egypt that confirms contact between the Babylonians and the Hyksos during the second millennium B.C. Irene Forstner-Müller, the head of the Austrian Archaeological Institute's (ÖAI) branch office in Cairo, said today (Thurs) the find had occurred at the site of the ancient town of Avaris near what is today the city of Tell el-Dab'a in the eastern Nile delta. The Hyksos conquered Egypt and reigned there from 1640 to 1530 B.C. She said a recently-discovered cuneiform tablet had led archaeologists to suspect there had been contact between the Babylonians and the Hyksos....

Geraldo resists labeling Hasan a terrorists. Speculates it could have been a toothache that set him off. VIDEO

Time for another beer summit? A prominent Columbia black prof smacked a female colleague in the face during a “white privelege” discussion. A prominent Columbia architecture professor punched a female university employee in the face at a Harlem bar during a heated argument about race relations, cops said yesterday. Police busted Lionel McIntyre, 59, for assault yesterday after his bruised victim, Camille Davis, filed charges. McIntyre and Davis, who works as a production manager in the school’s theater department, are both regulars at Toast, a popular university bar on Broadway and 125th Street, sources said. The professor, who is black,...

To my Brothers, and Sisters: Happy Birthday! WE LOVE YOU!!!

IF LIFE is to be found beyond our home planet, then our closest encounters with it may come in the dark abyss of some extraterrestrial sea. For Earth is certainly not the only ocean-girdled world in our solar system. As many as five moons of Jupiter and Saturn are now thought to hide seas beneath their icy crusts.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – ABC has opted not to order additional episodes of "Eastwick," its rookie supernatural comedy-drama starring Rebecca Romijn. "Eastwick," a fresh take on the hit 1987 movie "The Witches of Eastwick," will finish production on 13 episodes; ABC plans to run them all. ABC is also yanking its reality show "Let's Dance," which was supposed to premiere on November 23 with Kathy Griffin hosting. Sources said ABC had difficulty casting the series, which is a common problem for networks when developing celebrity-driven reality fare, though usually such projects don't get so far in the process as...

Masten Space Systems, fresh from a million-dollar win in the NASA-sponsored Lunar Lander X-Prize Challenge, hopes to use its vertical-takeoff-and-landing rocket technology to launch a commercial enterprise by the middle of next year. Dave Masten, founder and CEO of the five-year-old Mojave, Calif., company, said Nov. 6 the company will use the $1.15 million it won by taking first place in the Level 2 lander competition and second place in Level 1 to upgrade its Xoie (pronounced "Zoey") vehicle for higher and faster flight (Aerospace DAILY, Nov. 4).

NASA and Spaceward Foundation Award Prize Money for Successful Wireless Power Demonstration WASHINGTON -- NASA has awarded $900,000 in prize money to a Seattle company that successfully demonstrated new wireless energy beaming technology which could one day be used to help power a "space elevator." LaserMotive of Seattle was awarded the money after its performance in the Power Beaming Challenge competition, which was a demonstration of wireless power transmission that enabled a robotic device to climb a vertical cable. The competition was held Nov. 4-6 at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif. The Spaceward Foundation of Mountain View,...

On the last week of October much of the space industry focused its attention on Cape Canaveral and the launch of NASA’s Ares 1-X, a suborbital prototype of the Ares 1 rocket planned by the space agency to launch the Orion crew capsule later next decade. That attention was understandable given the state of the program’s development and its uncertain political future: a lot was riding on that two-minute launch.

Apostrophist Corrects Punctuation On Street Signs Stefan Gatward, a 62-year-old accountant, has been called a vandal and graffiti artist after he corrected the punctuation on his street signs. By Chris Irvine 18 Aug 2009 Frustrated by living in "St Johns Close", in Turnbridge Wells, Mr Gatward decided to buy a can of black paint and a craft brush before correcting the name to "St John's Close". Mr Gatward, a former soldier, said: "I think one should stand up for things and language is worth standing up for. The trouble is that everything is dumbed down now. "I've lived on St...

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) hopes next year to begin full-scale development of its three-stage Advanced Solid Rocket (ASR), with a first launch to follow in 2012 or 2013. To be built by IHI Aerospace, the ASR is Japan's proposed future launcher for medium scientific payloads. JAXA also is studying a further development that would cut costs partly by using a fuel that could be melted and formed into a solid engine at less than the boiling temperature of water. That follow-on rocket could be available for commercial use, according to ASR project leader Yasuhiro Morita.

NASA has blended three views of our home galaxy's turbulent core to produce a picture filled with scientifically significant snap, crackle and pop. And the deeper you go into the image, the more you learn. The composite picture of the Milky Way's center draws upon near-infrared data from the Hubble Space Telescope (shown in yellow), infrared readings from the Spitzer Space Telescope (shown in rich red) and the X-ray vision of the Chandra X-ray Observatory (shown in shades of blue

A young star observed by the Spitzer Space Telescope appears to be home to a wild – and young – planetary system that shares some of the frenetic dynamics thought to have shaped the early years of our own solar system. The Spitzer observations suggest young planets circling the star are disturbing smaller comet-like bodies, causing them to collide and kick up a huge halo of dust.

The quest to fly the first solar sail spacecraft is back on, with scientists once again hoping they can harness the energy of light to power a ship through space despite earlier failures. The Planetary Society recently announced plans to build a solar sail craft by the end of 2010, thanks to a $1 million anonymous donation made to the Pasadena, Calif.-based organization to reignite the project. "This was an enabling donation, there's no doubt," said Bruce Betts, Planetary Society director of projects. "We've been continuing to think and do studies, but we didn't have the funding in place to...

MOSCOW (AFP) – A Soyuz rocket carrying a new Russian-made module for the International Space Station blasted off on Tuesday from the Baikonur space base in Kazakhstan, television pictures showed. The Poisk (Search) module, also known as the Mini-Research Module 2, will provide additional facilities for scientific experiments aboard the orbiting space station, Russia's space agency said in a statement.

I know I will never eat another. Not like I ever really ate them anyway.

Do you think the accused Fort Hood shooter acted alone? Yes, he was the lone gunman. No, he had help. Not sure. Other:

Decided to start a new thread cronicling the day by day attempts of Communists inside and outside of this country to Communize the US. I have been writing all this stuff down in a jouurnal since Febuary so I will one day have a first hand record of these Revolutionary times, but I also have wanted to cronicle it on Free Republic. I hope this is ok. The Republic faces the greatest threat that has ever come against it. The forces of Radical Islam pale in respect to the forces that are trying to Communize this country. Obama is a...

Caught on film It is one of the rarest giants of the ocean, and it has been caught on film for the first time. An underwater camera crew filming for the BBC has recorded a smalleye stingray swimming off the coast of Mozambique. The smalleye stingray is the largest of all 70 species of stingray, attaining widths of more than 2m. The elusive creature, first discovered in 1908, has only ever been seen alive off Tofo in southern Mozambique. Rare sight Stingrays are cartilaginous fish that are related to sharks. They occur is marine, freshwater and estuarine habitats and vary...

Singer Joss Stone recently sat for an interview with Britain’s Star magazine and it has anti-drug campaigners freaking out. You may have guessed it…the 22-year-old admitted to smoking weed on a regular basis, calling it “fun”. How often does Stone do drugs? Well she said it depends on the day and if the studio allows smoking or not and what song she is working on. Joss said, “I smoke weed, but I don’t think it’s really a drug. It’s more an herb. I don’t regret saying that at all. I think everyone smokes weed and people who say they don’t...

Here is video of a Virginia Prison Spokesman giving a detailed preview of the upcoming execution of D.C. Sniper Mastermind John Allen Muhammad, who will be executed tonight at 9:00 PM ET. . . . (VIDEO)

MONTREAL-They tried to oeuf the Prince of Wales. And hit instead a bunch of Canadian soldiers - some of them unilingually French - along with the poor military band that had stepped outside for a bit of music to soothe the savage breast. Some old Anglo ladies standing in front of the Black Watch armoury on narrow Rue Bleury, they got yolk-slimed too. And suddenly the shield-and-baton wielding riot police were crunching down the street, attempting to push back the bellowing, fuming crowd. That action turned the anti-monarchist demonstration into a sit-down protest. The hostile gathering was no more than...

I thought we might start an open thread for "V" Episode 2 "There Is No Normal Anymore" starting in about 35 minutes

D.C. sniper John Allen Muhammad is scheduled to die by lethal injection tonight. Do you believe in the death penalty?

Is anyone else struck by the sheer effrontery of this buffoon?

I've been cooped up since last Tuesday, finally got out today. The weather is gray and dark, rain coming later from hurricane Ida. She is giving Ray Nagin ulcers now! The grackle girls saw me coming way down the beach, I had 15 or 20 on and around the car in a short time. I don't know if they recognize the car, or recognize me. I try not to attract them inside, they aren't housebroke, LOL! The gull with spots is a young Ring billed gull, the gray bird is a Laughing gull. It's common for them to flock together.

Former President Bill Clinton speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009, following the weekly caucus luncheons where he spoke to the Democrats Senators about health care reform.

Geochemical analysis of rare ancient soil produces new paleoclimate dataThe Congo Basin — with its massive, lush tropical rain forest — was far different 150 million to 200 million years ago. At that time Africa and South America were part of the single continent Gondwana. The Congo Basin was arid, with a small amount of seasonal rainfall, and few bushes or trees populated the landscape, according to a new geochemical analysis of rare ancient soils. The geochemical analysis provides new data for the Jurassic period, when very little is known about Central Africa's paleoclimate, says Timothy S. Myers, a paleontology...

Former President Bill Clinton told a room full of Democratic senators Tuesday that passing health care reform — which he failed to do 15 years ago — is not only a moral issue but also “an economic imperative.” Clinton argued that even “the most cold-hearted person” ought to support health care reform simply from an economic standpoint. He reminded Democrats of the political momentum their failure to pass reform in 1993 delivered the House of Representatives to the Republicans the following year… Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said Clinton described the ongoing tea party protests against the Democratic agenda as a...

With every team either already at the midway point of the season or arriving there this weekend, here are your leaders for some individual awards, both real and manufactured: Most valuable player — Brett Favre, Minnesota. At some point he probably will throw an inexplicable interception that will cost the Vikings dearly, but his play has far exceeded expectations. His 32-yard touchdown pass to Greg Lewis that beat the 49ers probably will stand as the play of the year. Offensive player of the year — Peyton Manning, Indianapolis.

A traffic stop near Ashland last week has led to the arrest of six people and the seizure in the Applegate of 220 pounds of marijuana, plus weapons and $10,000 in cash, police say. Darren and Laurel Applegate, both 41 and holders of medical marijuana cards, face charges of manufacture, delivery and possession of marijuana as a result of the joint operation of Josephine County's Rogue Area Drug Enforcement team and the Oregon State Police at their home on Dreamhill Drive in Williams, the agencies said in a release this morning. They said four others also are facing felony charges...

(Start Rant)Just a small rant about something that maybe isn't so important!I am originally from South Florida but am now living in Virginia. For the past few weeks, I have been trying to find some decent tomatoes. (without success) I have been reading the labels on all of the tomatoes .. Hydroponic and garden grown. Every Single package is from ...Mexico! Why the Hell can't I find Any tomatoes that are grown in the good ole USofA? I know Damn well that the folks in my home state still grow excellent tomatoes! Wouldn't it be less expensive to ship...

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is being treated for a rare form of leukemia, and the basketball great said his prognosis is encouraging. The NBA's all-time leading scorer was diagnosed last December with chronic myeloid leukemia, he told The Associated Press on Monday. The 62-year-old Abdul-Jabbar said his doctor didn't give any guarantees, but informed him: "You have a very good chance to live your life out and not have to make any drastic changes to your lifestyle." Abdul-Jabbar is taking an oral medication for the disease. He is a paid spokesman for the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis, which...

A cancer diagnosis can strain any relationship. But when a woman gets news of a life-threatening illness, her husband is six times more likely to leave her than if the tables were turned and the man got the bad news, according to new research. The study included diagnoses of both cancer and multiple sclerosis and found an overall divorce rate of nearly 12 percent, which is similar to that found in the normal population. But when the researchers looked at gender differences, they found the rate was nearly 21 percent when women were the patients compared with about 3 percent...

Just a thought... what does the dash between the two dates in the title signify. This is just a curiosity question; what is different and what is it about history that just might indicate that little dash.. MIGHT be significant? This certainly isn't a test and there shouldn't be a critique as to right or wrong pertaining to the answers provided... this exercise is just "food for thought"... ?

Cult films, the critic Danny Peary wrote in his 1981 book “Cult Movies,” “are born in controversy” and elicit “a fiery passion in moviegoers that exists long after their initial releases.” By those measures David Fincher’s “Fight Club,” a movie that stirred vitriolic ire when it came out 10 years ago and today inspires obsessive, often worshipful scrutiny in both lowbrow and highbrow quarters, is surely the defining cult movie of our time. In his memoir Art Linson, a producer of the film, describes the aftermath of the first screening at the 20th Century Fox lot: ashen-faced executives imagining their...

To find out how much Southern blood your speech shows, are y'all speaking Bubbaese or are youse guys Yankee Doodle Dandies? The higher your score, the deeper from the South you are coming.