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The solid hardwood flooring components really are as they appear — pre-finished, precision fit puzzle pieces. Two individual patterns interlock quickly and easily to create a floor that’s durable, easy to care for and fun.

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The Government and Geographic Information and Data Services Department at Northwestern University Library has a comprehensive collection of over 300 posters issued by U.S. Federal agencies from the onset of war through 1945.

1. Discover image of Christ on your food
2. Alert the media
3. ???
4. Profit.

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Over the past six weeks a Western security force has effectively taken over the small African nation of Namibia. A beach resort in Langstrand in Western Namibia has been sealed off with security cordons, and armed security personnel have been keeping both local residents and visiting foreigners at bay. A no-fly zone has been enforced over part of the country. The Westerners have also demanded that the Namibian government severely restrict the movement of journalists into and out of Namibia. The government agreed and, in a move described by one human rights organisation as ‘heavy-handed and brutal’, banned certain reporters from crossing its borders.

However, this Western security force is not a US or European army plundering Namibia’s natural resources or threatening to topple its government. It is the security entourage of one Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, the celebrity couple better known for living it up in LA than slumming it in Namibia. They reportedly wanted their first child to be born in Namibia because the country is ‘the cradle of human kind’ and it would be a ‘special’ experience. And it seems that no security measure is too stringent in the name of making Ms Jolie feel special. Welcome to the new celebrity colonialism.

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A witness in the trial of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has said at least 23 of the 148 Shia villagers said to have been executed are in fact alive.

Saddam and seven co-defendants are on trial over the deaths of 148 men and teenagers after a failed attempt on Saddam’s life in Dujail in 1982.

“The prosecutor said they were executed but I am telling you I ate with them some time ago,” said the witness.

The defendants have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The anonymous witness said he was a teenager in Dujail in 1982 when the assassination attempt led to what the prosecution has termed a massive crackdown on the village.

“Around 23 of those who were mentioned among the 148 are still alive, and I know most of them,” the witness said from behind a curtain to protect his identity.

Why would anyone try to rip off a cigarette company's advertising or even imitate it? Are they trying to tell us junk food is just as healthy?

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The Supreme Court scaled back protections for government workers who blow the whistle on official misconduct Tuesday, a 5-4 decision in which new Justice Samuel Alito cast the deciding vote.

In a victory for the Bush administration, justices said the 20 million public employees do not have free-speech protections for what they say as part of their jobs.

Critics predicted the impact would be sweeping, from silencing police officers who fear retribution for reporting department corruption, to subduing federal employees who want to reveal problems with government hurricane preparedness or terrorist-related security.

Supporters said that it will protect governments from lawsuits filed by disgruntled workers pretending to be legitimate whistleblowers.

[..]

Stephen Kohn, chairman of the National Whistleblower Center, said: “The ruling is a victory for every crooked politician in the United States.”

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Doctors in Shanghai on Tuesday were considering surgery options for a two-month old boy born with an unusually well-formed third arm.

Neither of the boy’s two left arms is fully functional and tests have so far been unable to determine which was more developed, said Dr. Chen Bochang, head of the orthopedics department at Shanghai Children’s Medical Center.

“His case is quite peculiar. We have no record of any child with such a complete third arm,” Chen said in a telephone interview. “It’s quite difficult to decide how to do the operation on him.”

The boy, identified only as “Jie-jie,” also was born with just one kidney and may have problems that could lead to curvature of the spine, according to local media reports.

Jie-jie cried when either of his left arms was touched, but smiled and responded normally to other stimuli, the reports said.

As a follow-up to this post, the contact form on the dutch website is now fixed.

And I’ve thanked Nina for her effort – it rare enough to get support emails from people who know their stuff…