Hard-plastic bottles raise worries

Story Highlights

There is little dispute that BPA can disrupt the hormonal system

Patagonia pulled polycarbonate water bottles from its 40 stores worldwide in 2005

Mountain Equipment: It removed mostly polycarbonate water bottles, containers

BPA is found in dental sealants, CDs and DVDs

China gets tough on texting

BEIJING, China (AP) -- A Beijing city regulation clamping down on people who send text messages that "spread rumors" or "endanger public security" is a threat to freedom of expression, a watchdog group said Monday.
China Human Rights Defenders, an international network of activists and rights monitoring groups, said the recent regulation on text messages "raises serious concerns over the restriction of freedom of expression in China."
The group said in a statement that an average of 180 million text messages are sent every day and that text messaging has become one of the most important means of receiving information unavailable in the mainstream media.
The 2008 Olympics, which Beijing is hosting, offer a high-profile opportunity for protesters to air their grievances against China on issues like religious freedom, human rights and Tibetan independence.
Beijing police will work with government agencies and telecommunications companies to investigate and punish those using text messages to "spread rumors" or "endanger public security," the city government said in a notice posted on its Web site late last month.
Chinese authorities commonly use vague charges such as those to detain dissidents or others it views as a threat to the ruling Communist Party.
Although the notice did not detail specific punishments, a story in the city's Communist Party mouthpiece newspaper, the Beijing Daily, earlier this year said people who spread rumors or other false information are subject to detention for up to 10 days and a fine of up to $70.
China has more than 500 million cell phone users and text messaging has become an increasingly effective way to spread word of meetings or demonstrations.
This summer, plans to build a chemical plant in the southern coastal city of Xiamen were suspended after residents sent nearly 1 million text messages to friends and family, urging the government to abandon the project because of its alleged health and environmental risks.
Meanwhile, a Tibetan language online discussion forum was shut down this month for having content that was against Chinese law, according to a notice on its Web site.
The popular forum, which was hosted at www.Tibet123.com, was shut down for containing "illegal content," according to a notice on the Web site.
The notice says it "strongly condemns the 'rotten apple in the barrel' who published harmful information."
The notice then invites people to leave comments. It is not clear if the notice is from the site moderator or the government.
Media rights group Reporters Without Borders has called the site "the most dynamic forum in the Tibetan blogosphere" with over 6,200 registered members.
The Paris-based group said the site has been closed since December 6. It was still inaccessible Monday.

Its good to have control and warnings but putting in the people in Jail ? well, is communisst, what you think whom you are dealing with ? haha...

Express bus rams and kills mechanic fixing stalled car

SEREMBAN: A driver whose car had stalled and a mechanic summoned to check his vehicle were killed when an express bus ploughed into them at the 263rd kilometre of the North-South Expressway near here, yesterday. Mohd Hanif Mohd Noor, 29, from Kg Air Tawar in Merlimau, Malacca, was driving to Bandar Baru Bangi with his mother and two younger siblings to visit a sister when his car broke down

Mechanic Palaneysamy Ratnam, 26, from Taman Mambau Jaya, near here, had arrived to check the car parked on the emergency lane. However, as both stood on the driver’s side of the car to check the engine, the express bus which had just entered the highway hit them, killing both instantly. They were flung some 30m from the car.

“The bus just came out of nowhere and hit my brother and the mechanic,” Mohd Hanif’s sister, Siti Aishah, 15, said. The bus driver said the two appeared suddenly from the front of the car.
None of the bus’ 40 passengers was injured. They were taken to their destination in another bus.

The bus driver, who went to the district police station to lodge a report, has been detained to facilitate investigations. The accident caused a traffic snarl for several kilometres on both sides of the highway.

Its dangerous to stay on road and some more let the motorist to repair the car ? How can plus allowed that ? They should ban car repariing without proper arrangment

Cinemas allowed ‘with conditions’

KOTA BARU: After the last cinema was closed down in 1995, the state government is now willing to consider allowing them or cineplexes.

However, only movies with strong moral values could be screened.

State Finance Planning Committee chairman Datuk Husam Musa told a press conference yesterday that the state government would welcome investors keen to set up cinemas or cineplexes.

Actress Maya Karin, during a visit to Kota Baru on Tuesday, supported the revival of the cinema or cineplex industry in the state, saying that it could boost the local film scene.

State Education Committee chairman Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said that the state had not banned cinemas or cineplexes but that they died a “natural death” due to the advent of VCDs, DVDs and the Internet.

Husam said the approach to invite local celebrities such as Mawi and Maya Karin was to bring about a positive effect to an Islamic form of entertainment.

“We must bring stars such as Mawi or Maya as they can woo the public on advocating an Islamic form of entertainment which dwells more on strong morals, spiritual and human qualities rather than the current crop of commercialised movies which border on excessive sex and violence.”

Husam said he was delighted to see Maya donning a headscarf and was polite during her brief visit here.

At another function, Husam said he welcomed the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) to investigate corruption and abuse of power claims made against him.

Hisham: It’s another lie

SINGAPORE: Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the latest malicious SMS made against him is another lie by unscrupulous people who are trying to disrupt racial harmony in the country.

“I read this SMS today, which is untrue, a deception, and is laced with racism. It accused me and my deputy Khairy Jamaluddin of planning to go to Kampung Baru to incite hatred of the Malays against other races on Dec 19.

“The intentions (of the sender) is evil. It is an act to worsen the situation. Just like the earlier SMS, which claimed that I do not need the support of the Indians and Chinese, it is a lie,” he said.

Hishammuddin said neither he nor Khairy has any intention to go to Kampung Baru to incite the Malays against the non-Malays.

“That is not how we work in Barisan Nasional. That is not something we will ever do,” he said.

He called for Malaysians not to be easily influenced by lies and deception that can disrupt harmonious society, saying that those spreading them wanted to create chaos in the country.

While the earlier SMS quoted Bernama as the source, Hishammuddin said the new one did not quote anybody.

“When Bernama was framed, Bernama denied sending it and that shows that the SMS was a complete lie.

“This recent SMS did not quote Bernama, so they have learnt from their mistake,” he said.

He vowed to expose those behind the rumours and said that they will continue to monitor the SMS although he would not lodge a police report.

“We will expose them, their evil intentions, and their narrow-minded aim. If I am to lodge police reports over SMSes, then I will be at the police station every day,” he said.

Gunman opens fire at Omaha mall, kills 8, self

OMAHA, Neb. - A gunman opened fire at a busy Omaha mall Wednesday, killing at least eight people, wounding at least five others and then killing himself, police officials said.

The gunman left two suicide notes and a will that were found at his home, said a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak. Police told NBC affiliate WOWT-TV that the note said he was "going out in style."

The official identified the gunman as 20-year-old Robert A. Hawkins. Hawkins' vehicle was found in the mall parking lot. Police later detonated a device near the car.

Witnesses said Hawkins pointed a rifle over a third-floor balcony and opened fire in the Von Maur department store at Westroads Mall.

A Von Maur employee said he heard a burst of five to six shots followed by 15 to 20 shots. Witnesses said Hawkins appeared to be firing randomly. Authorities gave no motive for the attack and did not know whether he said anything during the rampage.

Police received the first 911 call at 1:42 p.m. from someone inside the mall, and shots could be heard in the background, Sgt. Teresa Negron said. By the time officers arrived six minutes later, the shooting was over, she said.

Hawkins was found dead on the third floor with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and his victims were discovered on the second and third floors, police said. The Omaha World-Herald reported that he had a military-style haircut and a black backpack and wore a camouflage vest.

Negron said every officer in the city was sent to the mall.