Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. George Santayana


Some people never learn from history,
Iraqis buy billions in U.S. arms The Iraqi defense minister's top military adviser, General Mohan al-Furayji, in beige camo, inspects an M1A1 Abrams tank. Iraq is considering buying 140 of them in a deal that could be worth as much as $2.16 billion. By Charles Levinson, USA .... "The American tanks are very modern and capable, but we still don't know if this tank is in the best interests of the Iraqi army," said al-Furayji, like a shopper in a Baghdad bazaar feigning a lack of interest to get a better price. The delegation of U.S. and Iraqi generals, now playing salesmen and customers, climbed atop the tank. Al-Furayji and his aides peered down the hatch into the tank's nerve center, where the crew of four operates. Traveling 45 mph, carrying 17 rounds of 120mm ammunition that can hit a dime in the dead of night at 3,000 meters thanks to a laser range-finder and thermal-imaging night sights, the M1A1 Abrams tank is "the most battle proven tank in the world," Lt. Col. Tim Renshaw said. The Iraqi officers on hand included some of the Iraqi army's most senior commanders of armored forces. They've experienced this tank's lethal capabilities firsthand. In the 1991 Gulf War, their older Russian tanks were blinded by the thick black smoke that billowed from Kuwait's oil wells after Saddam Hussein ordered them set ablaze. The American tank's superior thermal imaging system allowed them to see perfectly and easily crush their enemy. For Luckey, it makes an effective sales pitch. "That's why you guys got your (butts) kicked," he told the Iraqi generals, before they flew back to Baghdad to consult with their bosses on the sale's pros and cons. http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2008-08-18-iraqtanks_N.htm
(the complete article is here)



Some people do, i will bet on the ones that do learn

With Gustav approaching New Orleans Residents stocking up on AR-15’s and ammo
Published on August 28th, 2008
We just got a call from Devline Rossell, a charter captain based out of Venice, Louisiana. He was shopping in New Orleans to get some supplies before the arrival of Gustav (currently listed as a tropical storm that has left at least 22 dead in the Caribbean) and reported that the item most in demand was not food, clothing or shelter.
“I just left a sporting goods store and you would think that the number-one selling item would be plywood or potable water or gasoline right now,” he said. “Apparently it is AR-15s and .223 ammo. I watched at least 20 people buy AR-15s and cases of .223.”
Can’t say I’m surprised. After the nightmare that was Katrina I think it would be unwise for anyone to assume the state, local or federal government could guarantee his or her personal safety during a natural disaster. Of course, I think it is foolish to assume that under any circumstance.
The AR buying spree demonstrates that people don’t think of it as an “assault weapon” but rather an arm that is ideally suited for self-defense, which it is. I also suspect that for some of the folks this is their first firearm. Goes to show that not only is there no such thing as an atheist in a foxhole but that there is no such thing as a gun-control advocate in one either.
http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=22379


CDC: Salmonella outbreak appears to be over

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said they found strong evidence to implicate jalapeno and serrano peppers, and a farm in Mexico, in the largest outbreak of foodborne illness in a decade. Investigators were unable to clear domestic and imported tomatoes, however, although the evidence against tomatoes is weaker.

http://wtop.com/?nid=106&sid=1468256 (the whole story is here)

More thoughts on Salmonella, and how some framers are going to handle trying to minimize




Fish oil appears to help against heart failure August 31, 2008 - 11:44am
By MARIA CHENG AP Medical Writer
MUNICH, Germany (AP) - Fish oil supplements may work slightly better than a popular cholesterol-reducing drug to help patients with chronic heart failure, according to new research released Sunday.
Chronic heart failure is a condition that occurs when the heart becomes enlarged and cannot pump blood efficiently around the body.
With few effective options for heart failure patients, the findings could give patients a potential new treatment and could change the dietary recommendations for them, said Dr. Jose Gonzalez Juanatey, a spokesman for the European Society of Cardiology, who was not connected to the research.
"This reinforces the idea that treating patients with heart failure takes more than just drugs," Juanatey said.
...
Previous studies that investigated the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids have largely been observational, and have lacked a direct comparison to a placebo. It has also been unknown whether taking fish oil supplements would be as good as eating fish.
"This study changes the certainty of the evidence we have about fish oils," said Dr. Douglas Weaver, president of the American College of Cardiology.
Weaver said that guidelines in the United States would likely change to recommend that more heart patients eat more fish or take supplements. "This is a low-tech solution and could help all patients with cardiovascular problems."

(the complete article is at)
___
On the Net:
http://www.lancet.com/
http://www.escardio.org/
http://wtop.com/?nid=106&sid=1469764