Heavy Weapon
Small arms a huge problem in Iraq, worldwide Last week marked an unfortunate anniversary: The U.S. presence in Iraq is now longer than U.S. involvement in World War II. A major reason for the length of our stay in Iraq has been the widespread use of large numbers of small arms and light weapons as the primary tool of war. These weapons are devastating in terms of lives lost, but in Iraq, and many other conflict areas, small arms proliferation also has substantially hindered economic recovery. Small arms and light weapons are the primary weapons of today's conflicts, killing hundreds of thousands of people every year and injuring countless more. But the indirect costs of small-arms violence - opportunities lost because of perpetual violence and crime - affect millions more worldwide. This violence inflicts a heavy economic toll on countries engaged in or emerging from conflict, and these economic losses can impede a country's long-term viability as much as loss of human capital, making small-arms control even more of an imperative. THE Malay keris is about loyalty and honour. Most Malaysians are familiar with the picture of first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, hand raised in the air, shouting Merdeka three times. Fewer know that in February 1956 in Malacca, when announcing the date for independence, the Tunku had raised the unsheathed keris to symbolise Malayas achievement of independence. Turning the clock back a few centuries, Hang Tuahs legendary keris, Taming Sari, was supposed to have been able to fly in air, striking whomever harboured evil intent against its owner. And it served only one master Hang Tuah himself. Torn between his loyalty to the Sultan of Malacca and his love for his childhood friend, it was with the Taming Sari that Hang Tuah killed Hang Jebat. Then, filled with remorse, Hang Tuah returned the keris of invulnerability to the sultan. It is believed that this Taming Sari is housed at the Istana Iskandariah, in Bukit Chandan, Kuala Kangsar and is used during special ceremonies. There are some that believe that the console war has effectively become a two-horse race. Whether this is true or not, it is undeniable that Sony and Microsoft's view of one another is that of chief adversary. But a two-horse race cannot officially begin until both competitors make it to the start line. Microsofts gamble may yet pay off over Sonys. First, a recap: the gamble of the Xbox 360 was to get it out there as soon as was possible. Forget the games, just get the hardware onto the shelves as soon as possible: the software will follow. Hence the reason the 360s launch line-up was comprised mainly of direct ports or Rare games that had been in development for years on the 360s predecessor. The gamble of the PS3, meanwhile, was to wait. Wait until the console and the games were completely ready. Schneider gives that extra kick BERKELEY — Although Cal has a bevy of game-breakers on its roster, kicker Tom Schneider has become the Bears' most valuable offensive weapon. The Bears scored just three offensive touchdowns in its final three games of the season, including one in their 26-17 Big Game victory over Stanford on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Schneider came through with four field goals in five attempts, including a 55-yarder in the first quarter that tied Robbie Keen's effort against Washington in 1988 for the longest in Cal history. He did it with strong winds blowing through Memorial Stadium. "Today was interesting," said Schneider, who is 14-for-18 for the season. "Our kicking net had been blown over at the beginning of the game. And the Big Game always is a tough game anyway. It's a dogfight." Cal coach Jeff Tedford brought the right dog to the park. A year ago at this time, I hauled a TV item called the Magic Bullet down to the nonstop eat-fest that is a Kauffman family Thanksgiving, figuring the unremitting gluttony would provide a perfect stage for testing whether the product lived up to its name. Relatives near and far were merciless, roundly panning the chopper/blender combo as ineffective and poorly designed.
How armies build better bridges Brits build better bridges; certainly they can build them quickly, under difficult conditions. Route 3 commuters today might think about military bridging as they creep past the Route 228 temporary bridge project in Rockland. In Iraq, American GIs erect two-lane, heavy-duty bridges quickly; they built a pair across the Kazer River in three days, working mostly by hand. But the state highway job in Rockland appears to be something else altogether. Advancing armies have long confronted the problem of bridges destroyed by defenders. A ruined bridge temporarily halts an army, even if some soldiers can clamber down and then up the sides of a ravine or canyon, or ford a river. Armies need food to fight well, and destroyed bridges stop the movement of supply wagons. After about 1600, generals discovered that cannon not only sink in rivers, but also bog down in mud and prove almost impossible to drag up hillsides. New flood-tolerant rice could help farmers and environment DAVIS, Calif. - Inside a greenhouse on the University of California, Davis campus, a group of rice plants is defying conventional farming wisdom and thriving in a formerly life-threatening environment - under water. A new variety of flood-tolerant rice soon could make its way from the lab to the field, offering California rice farmers and environmental advocates a potential weapon against both crop-ravaging weeds and water pollution.
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