Study Says British Men Have Worst Sex Lives, Canadians The Best…
Hmm, perhaps moving to Britain isn’t such an attractive idea.
From HuffingtonPost:
Three out of 10 British men have not had sex in the last 12 months, according to new research.
An international study in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy reports that only 70 per cent of men in Britain have had sex in the last year and that British men have the worst sex lives, while Canadians have the best.
Gotta love this comment:
As a Canadian, I can attest to RubalKali’s comment: We Canadians have a longer winter than the Brits and Americans, even those who live on the border of Canada. We generally have to protect ourselves from the harsh conditions by huddling together in our igloos, which of course is the perfect opportunity to start an orgy. Truth be told, our summer snow is harsher than our winter snow. For example, if we get caught in the snow on the way to work, we will generally sacrifice our Tauntaun and sit in its warm, fatty body to prevent freezing to death. Luckily, our beer is always ready to drink, since our weather is generally colder than what I think you might call a “re-frigerator.”
Link to independent.co.uk article
Technorati Tags: Sex
1 comment June 4, 2006
The 212-796-0735 mystery
A little cryptography problem for you.
From Homeland Stupidity:
Back in the days of the Cold War, spies found ingenious and unusual ways to communicate with each other, hiding their communications in plain sight, whether encrypted or not. For instance, an intelligence agent (spy) might contact his case officer (handler) by placing an ad in the personals section of the local newspaper. This practice, it seems, continues today.
On or around May 8, the following personal ad appeared on the Internet classified ad site Craigslist. (It has since been removed.)
For mein fraulein
Mein Fraulein, I haven’t heard from you in a while. Won’t you
call me? 212 //// 796 //// 0735If you actually called the number, up until a couple of days ago you would have heard this prerecorded message (MP3). It’s a head scratcher to keep you National Security Agency analysts occupied in your spare time. Each block of numbers is repeated twice; but below I have transcribed them only once for clarity.
Technorati Tags: mein fraulein
Add comment June 3, 2006
Amazing “Mad Max” vehicles in Iraq
From BoingBoing:
Todd Lappin says: “There’s a soldier in Iraq who’s been posting some crazy pictures of American SUVs and pickup trucks that have been modified by civilian security contractors for use as gun trucks. They’re insane, in a ‘Mad Max at the Wal-Mart parking lot’ kind of way.”
Add comment June 1, 2006
ThePirateBay closed on order from the White House
Digg is reporting:
US Government ordered the close down of PirateBay according to Swedish television. The request came originally from US Government and ultimatley MPAA. The Swedish police then acted on direct order from the Swedish government, even though the police knew that they didn’t have the law on their side.
Link to Swedish article
Translation from a digg commenter:
Okay, my try (I’m Norwegian, which should be close enough). This is from the Swedish government sponsored news, by the way.
USA’s government behind site bust
A delegation with representatives from the justice department and the police in April met American government officials who raised the issue on behalf of the special interest organization MPAA.
The justice department then asked police and prosecutors to act. When they responded that the law was unclear, the state secretary of the justice minister contacted the [head? national? prosecuter] and the state police chief who gave orders to act, “Rapport” reports.
The Pirate Bay has openly challenged those who own the right within the movie- and music business. But many within the internet community are provoked over the swedish government’s actions.
According to information given to “Rapport” this is how it happened. The American special interest organization MPAA contacted the White House. The American justice department then contacted the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affair and demanded that the problem The Pirate Bay had to be solved.
According to Rapport’s sources prosecution and police has been ordered to act, and describes the secretary of state’s actions as “minister policing” (Bad wording, but saying some branches of the governmont act on their own without oversight)
Technorati Tags: thepiratebay
Add comment June 1, 2006
McGovern: Staged terror attacks across Europe, US “probable” in order to justify invasion
Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern recently appeared on Alex Jones’ radio show (audio):
Former CIA analyst and Presidential advisor Ray McGovern, fresh from his heated public confrontation with Donald Rumsfeld, fears that staged terror attacks across Europe and the US are probable in order to justify the Bush administration’s plan to launch a military strike against Iran, which he thinks will take place in June or July.
…
McGovern entertained the notion that western governments and intelligence hierarchies could potentially stage terror attacks in Europe and the US either before or after an invasion of Iran.
“That’s altogether possible,” said McGovern.
“I would say even probable because they need some proximate cause, some casus belli to justify really unleashing things on Iran….I would put very little past this crew – their record of dissembling and disingenuousness is unparalleled.”
McGovern said that Rove, Cheney and Rumsfeld, fearing impeachment and Enron-style criminal proceedings, are urging President Bush to launch a war in order to create a climate unconducive to lengthy investigations and impeachment proceedings.
Asked to cite specifically when we should expect to see an attack launched, McGovern said, “I think we all agree that an attack is likely before the election and we all agree that it has to do largely with the election – as for timing I see a likelihood that it could come as early as late June or early July, most of my colleagues predict August, September, maybe an October surprise even.”
“My thinking is that for it to be October that would be so crass and so transparent that even this crowd would shy away from making it so obvious,” said McGovern.
Add comment June 1, 2006
Really detailed analysis of twin tower explosion audio
Sonogram analysis of explosions during the South Tower collapse, taken from various video sources. Very revealing.
http://www.mediumrecords.com/wtc/audio00.html
Add comment June 1, 2006
Correction on 9/11 Zogby poll dates
The press release previously quoted regarding the recent Zogby poll results erroneously reported that ” The poll of American residents was conducted from Friday, May 12 through Tuesday, May 16, 2004.” It was, in fact, conducted from May 12 through May 16, 2006. This is confirmed by Zogby’s website.
Here are some of the most salient questions and results from the poll:
23. Some people have said that the Bush Administration exploited the September 11th attacks to justify the invasion of Iraq. Others say that Bush acted correctly by going into Iraq because Saddam Hussein supported terrorism. Who are you more likely to agree with?
Bush exploited Sept. 11th attacks: 44%
Bush justified an attack on Iraq: 44
Neither/Not sure: 11%
People are completely divided on whether they believe President Bush exploited the 9/11 attacks (44%) or justified an attack on Iraq (44%). Approximately one in ten (11%) is not sure.
The largest majorities who feel that Bush exploited Sept. 11th attacks are Democrats (69%), Hispanics (59%), and Jews (64%). Close to half or more of 18-29 year-olds, single adults, African Americans, and residents of the Central/Great Lakes, West, and large cities agree.
The largest majorities who feel that Bush justified an attack on Iraq are Republicans (72%) and residents of rural areas (59%). Approximately half of whites, 30-64 year-olds, Protestants, suburbanites, and married adults agree.
Men and women are both evenly divided.
24. Some people believe that the US government and its 9/11 Commission concealed or refused to investigate critical evidence that contradicts their official explanation of the September 11th attacks, saying there has been a cover-up. Others say that the 9/11 Commission was a bi-partisan group of honest and well-respected people and that there is no reason they would want to cover-up anything. Who are you more likely to agree with?
US government and 9/11 Commission are NOT covering up: 48%
US government and 9/11 Commission are covering up: 42%
Not sure: 10%
Close to half (48%) agrees the U.S. government and 9/11 Commission are not covering up anything, yet nearly as many (42%) believe the government and 9/11 Commission are covering up. One in ten (10%) is unsure
Both men and women and residents in each of the four regions are more likely to say the U.S. government and 9/11 Commission are not covering up anything. Majorities who agree include Republicans (64%), 50-64 year-olds, married adults, suburbanites (59%), Protestants, those with at least some college education, and people with annual household income of $50,000 or more (57%).
Majorities (50%-56%) of Democrats, 18-29 year-olds, Hispanics, single adults and those who are divorced/widowed/separated, residents of small cities, and adults with less education than a high school diploma believe the government and 9/11 Commission are covering up something. Nearly half of independent voters (48%) agree.
25. World Trade Center Building 7 is the 47-story skyscraper that was not hit by any planes during the September 11th attacks, but still totally collapsed later the same day. This collapse was not investigated by the 9/11 Commission. Are you aware of this skyscraper’s collapse, and if so do you believe that the Commission should have also investigated it? Or do you believe that the Commission was right to only investigate the collapse of the buildings which were directly hit by airplanes?
I am not aware of World Trade Center Building 7’s collapse: 43%
I am aware of it and think the Commission should have investigated it: 38%
I am aware of it and think the Commission was right to investigate just the Twin Towers’ collapse: 14%
Neither/Not sure: 5%
A plurality (43%) is not aware of World Trade Center Building 7’s collapse. Nearly as many (38%), though, are aware of it and think the Commission should have investigated it. People are least likely to be aware of the building’s collapse and think the Commission was right to investigate just the Twin Towers’ collapse (14%).
Pluralities in many sub-groups are not aware of World Trade Center Building 7’s collapse. This includes Republicans and independents, adults 30 and older, whites, residents of the East and Central/Great Lakes regions, and women.
Majorities of Hispanics (56%) and 18-29 year-olds (52%) and pluralities of Democrats and Southerners are those most likely to be aware of World Trade Center Building 7’s collapse and think the Commission should have investigated it.
Republicans (21%), college graduates (20%), people with household income of $75,000 or more (22%), and men (17%) are among the most likely to be aware of the building’s collapse and think the Commission was right to investigate just the Twin Towers’ collapse.
6. Some people say that so many unanswered questions about 9/11 remain that Congress or an International Tribunal should re-investigate the attacks, including whether any US government officials consciously allowed or helped facilitate their success. Other people say the 9/11 attacks were thoroughly investigated and that any speculation about US government involvement is nonsense. Who are you more likely to agree with?
The attacks were thoroughly investigated : 47%
Reinvestigate the attacks: 45%
Not sure: 8%
People are again closely divided, this time with a slight plurality (47%) saying the attacks were thoroughly investigated, while 45% feel the attacks should be reinvestigated. Nearly one in ten (8%) are not sure.
Republicans (70%) and people with annual household income of $75,000 or more (64%) are the most likely to say the attacks were thoroughly investigated. Other majorities who agree include up to 58% of whites, 50-64 year-olds, residents of the East and West, college graduates and those with some college education, and people with annual household income of $50,000-$74,999.
Majorities in several sub-groups feel the attacks should be reinvestigated. The most likely are Hispanics (67%) and African Americans (64%). Other majorities include up to 57% of Democrats and independents, 18-49 year-olds, residents of the Central/Great Lakes, high school graduates and those with less education. Between 56%-61% of people with household income less than $25,000 agree.
Men are more likely to agree attacks were thoroughly investigated (51% to 42%), while women are more likely to say the attacks should be reinvestigated (48% to 43%).
For those of you interested in Zogby’s survey methodology:
This is a telephone survey of adults nationwide conducted by Zogby International. The target sample is 1,200 interviews with approximately 81 questions asked. Samples are randomly drawn from telephone cd’s of national listed sample. Zogby International surveys employ sampling strategies in which selection probabilities are proportional to population size within area codes and exchanges. As many as six calls are made to reach a sampled phone number. Cooperation rates are calculated using one of AAPOR’s approved methodologies[1] and are comparable to other professional public-opinion surveys conducted using similar sampling strategies.[2] Weighting by region, party, age, race, religion, and gender is used to adjust for non-response. The margin of error is +/- 2.9 percentage points. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups.
Zogby International’s sampling and weighting procedures also have been validated through its political polling: more than 95% of the firm’s polls have come within 1% of actual election-day outcomes.
Add comment May 27, 2006
Organics in France
Interesting article by David Lebowitz about organic food in France:
I’ve spoken to a several French chefs about organics, inquiring why it’s not really a movement here in France like it is in the United States.
Surprisingly, every response is similar; “Why are Americans so obsessed with organics? We use very little pesticides on the produce in France.”
While I don’t have exact facts and figures, from the looks of fruits and vegetables, I would take an educated guess that the French probably use as much, or as few, pesticides as any other industrialized nation. Is the movement really a major cultural change in the United States? Are Americans finally taking a much closer look at the foods we eat? I would definitely say “yes”, as evidenced by the popularity of natural-foods megastores, artisan chocolates, and the like, but that doesn’t seem to be happening here. Maybe it’s because the French never strayed that much from their agricultural roots to begin with. Farmhouse cheeses and good breads are easily available, even in supermarkets, and wine is chosen based on the region, not by the grape variety (which is changing, in a rare nod to globalization.)
Most French chefs seem primarily interested in the terroir, that vaguely-translatable term that means that the product is a sum of the elements from where it’s grown; the soil, the climate, the cultivation techniques…the ‘territory’ of origin, gives food its certain “Je ne sais quoi.” That’s why the sweet corn in New England will always taste different than the corn in California, even if it’s the same variety. Or brownies in America taste better than the ones in Paris (I think I’m the first person to ascribe terroir to brownies). And why baguettes taste much more authentic in Paris than the ones in America.
Add comment May 23, 2006
Wired News Publishes Full Text of AT&T NSA Documents
Wired News has published the full text of the AT&T NSA documents, despite the fact that they remain under seal at AT&T’s insistence. Here is their explanation of why they did it.
Bravo Wired News. I hope this doesn’t end badly.
There is discussion over at Slashdot, and also discussion about US Attorney General Gonzales declaring that journalists may be prosecuted by the federal government for publishing classified information.
Technorati Tags: AT&T, NSA, Wired News
Add comment May 23, 2006
Zogby Poll: Over 70 Million American Adults Support New 9/11 Investigation
Big news today. Press release:
(PRWEB) – Utica, NY (PRWEB) May 22, 2006 — Although the Bush administration continues to exploit September 11 to justify domestic spying, unprecedented spending and a permanent state of war, a new Zogby poll reveals that less than half of the American public trusts the official 9/11 story or believes the attacks were adequately investigated.
The poll is the first scientific survey of Americans’ belief in a 9/11 cover up or the need to investigate possible US government complicity, and was commissioned to inform deliberations at the June 2~4 “9/11: Revealing the Truth, Reclaiming Our Future” conference in Chicago. Poll results indicate 42% believe there has indeed been a cover up (with 10% unsure) and 45% think “Congress or an International Tribunal should re-investigate the attacks, including whether any US government officials consciously allowed or helped facilitate their success” (with 8% unsure). The poll of American residents was conducted from Friday, May 12 through Tuesday, May 16, 2004. Overall results have a margin of sampling error of +/- 2.9. All inquiries about questions, responses and demographics should be directed to Zogby International.
According to Janice Matthews, executive director of 911truth.org, “To those who have followed the mounting evidence for US government involvement in 9/11, these results are both heartening and frankly quite amazing, given the mainstream media’s ongoing refusal to cover the most critical questions of that day. Our August 2004 Zogby poll of New Yorkers showed nearly half believe certain US officials ‘consciously’ allowed the attacks to happen and 66% want a fresh investigation, but these were people closest to the tragedy and most familiar with facts refuting the official account. This revelation that so many millions nationwide now also recognize a 9/11 cover up and the need for a new inquiry should be a wake up call for all 2006 political candidates hoping to turn this country around. We think it also indicates Americans are awakening to the larger pattern of deceit that led us into Constitutional twilight and endless war, and that our independent media may have finally come of age.”
Overview of results (Pie charts and additional analysis from 911Blogger)
Download Zogby Results:
georgewashington comments on the survey:
Now, for the first time, the poll provides social proof that the 9/11 Commission covered up the true facts of 9/11, and that we need a new, impartial investigation. In other words, millions of Americans who would otherwise not even consider the evidence which contradicts the official version of 9/11 may now accept calls for a new investigation. If we use this correctly, we can go from facing an impossible task of overcoming resistance to 9/11 truth to having a majority of Americans demand a real investigation.
Therefore, virtually every press release or statement about 9/11 should include a reference to the poll to show people that many Americans are 9/11 truthers who scoff at the 9/11 Commission as a fraud and that demand a real 9/11 investigation.
This is leverage … use it.
From what I’ve heard, 911Truth.org can’t afford to pay the Zogby fee to have them publish the results on the Zogby website. Those interested in verifying the results can contact Zogby.
Add comment May 23, 2006
