If you want to buy a new digital camera, it is best to check the reviews from more than one web site first.Here are sites that do these reviews on a regular basis.

• Digitial Photography Review. Founded by a Phil Askey, professional photographer. The site has in depth reviews of digital cameras and other products related to digital photography. Its main focus is the high end pro and pro-sumer cameras. Recently, the site hired other reviewers and started to look at mid and low end cameras as well.
• Steve's Digicams.
• DC Views.
• Imaging Resource.
• DC Resource.

Another example of winning the lottery.

INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY PROMOTIONPRIZE AWARD DEPT.HAARLERBERGWEG 161101 CH AMSTERDAMREF: CMWN321501/55 BATCH: 32/852042/ILPPA/CMWNIPDear Sir/Madam,We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners International programs held on the 12th August 2006.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 2154892-09 with serial number 8542189-92drew lucky numbers 92-21-21-99-3 which consequently won in the 1st category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$ 500,000.00(Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars)CONGRATULATIONS!!!Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money Remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 20,000 company and 30,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world. This promotional program takes place every year.This lottery was promoted and sponsored by eminent personalities like Mr. Bill Gates and the sultan of Brunei, we hope with part of your winning you will take part in our next year USD50 million International Promotion lottery. To file for your claim, please contact our fiducially Agent:Dr. Desmond P. Williams (PercyDWilliams@netscape.net)Operations Director,TEL: 0031-6135-04625FAX: 0031-84753-9200email: CiscoGlobalNet@netscape.netRemember all winning must be claimed not later than 10th Sept 2006.after this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications endeavor to quote your reference and batch numbers inall first correspondence. Furthermore, should there be any change of address doinform our agent as soon as possible. We hope with part of your winning you will take partin our next year 30 million dollars international lottery.Congratulations!!!Once more from our members of staff, we thank you for being part of our promotional program.Note: anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.Sincerely yours,Winfrey Howard,SecretaryNB: We are very sorry for the delay!!!

The term "Islamic fascism" or "Islamofascism" has been in use for some time, specially by right wing talk shows and Islamophobic web sites.

Now, it has gained currency in the jargon of the Bush administration. President G. W. Bush used it several times in speeches recently, including the recent trans-Atlantic bomb plot.

The term is ambiguous and imprecise, since historically, fascism was confined to secular governments, and not non-official religious groups. It also maligns Islam and Muslims in general by associating fascism with Islam.

Here is another one that showed up on the Drupal development list. I guess we don't have to any fund raising for servers anymore, and Dries can retire early ...

David Farber writes an article detailing some of the possible chemicals involved in the recent trans-Atlantic bomb plot. He then comes to the same conclusions I made on where this might lead.My version would be:2001: Nail clippers banned.2002: Passengers made to take of shoes.2006: Nail polish, liquids, laptops, cell phones and carry on luggage forbidden on flights.

Although intelligence is a better anti-terror weapon than wars, there are some side effects of arrests such as the recent ones for the trans-Atlantic flight bomb plot.One of these side effects is what is termed Security theater, coined by Bruce Shneier.This is for government actions that are designed to look like they are improving security, but really do not. This is like the old joke that goes like this:

The recent terrorism arrests for the trans-Atlantic flights alleged bomb plot shows that the tried and tested method of using security agencies gathering intelligence is the best way to combat terror, before the plots are put in execution.There is no need for a "war on terror" that invades other countries, killing tens of thousands of civilians, destabilizing countries, created new terrorism leaders and alliances (such as Abu Musab al-Zarqawi), and having thousands of new recruits for terror organizations like Al-Qaeda.

A recent poll commissioned by a upcoming reality TV show confirmed that Americans are more likely to know pop culture factoids, but not news, classical literature, science or history.

Quote:

The poll found that:

• About 77 per cent of Americans can name at least two of the dwarfs from the fairy tale Snow White, but only about 24 per cent can name two U.S. Supreme Court justices.
• 57 per cent of the U.S. respondents know that English writer J.K. Rowling's fictional boy wizard is named Harry Potter, while only 50 per cent can name U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair.
• 73 per cent can name the Three Stooges (Larry, Curly and Moe). Only 42 per cent could name the three branches of the U.S. government (judicial, executive and legislative).
• 60 per cent of respondents knew that, on The Simpsons, Homer's son is named Bart. Only about 21 per cent could name one of the ancient Greek poet Homer's epics (The Iliad and The Odyssey)
• Of those polled, 60 per cent could name Krypton as the home planet of Superman. Only 37 per cent could name Mercury as the closest planet to the sun.
• While 23 per cent of poll participants know that Taylor Hicks is the most recent singer crowned American Idol, only 11 per cent could name Samuel Alito as the most recent judge to join the U.S. Supreme Court.

A consultant to the poll is quoted as saying:

Seems like carbonated sugar water is making news in politics again.Earlier, I reported on how six states in India banning Coca Cola and Pepsi caused the US government to warn India about the effect of those decisions on investment from American companies.Today, Pepsi announced that an Indian born woman, Indra Nooyi is to become CEO of the company.In the past, Nooyi has made comments at a graduation ceremony where she said that the USA is the middle finger, and when it extends a hand to other nations, it should appear as a helping hand, not just extending a finger.

Some states in India have banned Coca Cola and Pepsi due to alleged high pesticide content. This goes back to 2004, and even 2003.Now, the USA is warning India that investment by American countries could suffer.