Oddly Enough…

Airliners may get missile defences. Your future travel: $59 one way plus $350 security surcharge. Thank you for flying Air Paranoia
The US government will begin testing anti-missile equipment on three airliners next month, a first step toward what could be the most expensive security upgrade ever ordered for the nation's aviation system.
"It could take years before passenger planes carry protection against missiles, a weapon terrorists might use to shoot down jets and cause economic havoc in the airline industry. The tests will help the nation's leaders decide if they should install laser systems on all 6,800 aircraft in the U.S. airline fleet at a cost of at least $6 billion."
The system fits inside a pod that bolts to the bottom of a jet and is equipped with sensors that can detect a shoulder-fired missile. A swivelling turret would then fire a laser beam that could confound the sensitive heat-seeking components of the missile.
Though no plane in the U.S. has ever been attacked, about 35 airliners and other non-military planes have been attacked elsewhere by shoulder-fired missiles since the late 1970s. The attacks shot down 24 aircraft and killed 500 people. news.yahoo.com

A RACING pigeon sent on a nine-hour flight home took nine days - and even then needed lifts in a helicopter and courier's van to complete its trip.
The bird was released in France and should have simply headed straight across the English Channel for its loft East Yorks, England. Instead, it flew through Belgium, Holland and Denmark before eventually flopping on to the deck a North Sea oil rig.
After being stranded on the platform for a week because of fog, it was sent ashore by chopper by workers who got owner Paul Lawson's phone number from its wing-stamp. But now the bird has flown its last flight after Paul had to arrange its van ride. He said: "Birds do stray regularly - but I won't be sending this one again. Its racing days are over." mirror.co.uk

Study confirms: One-third of all studies are inaccurate
New research highlights a frustrating fact about science: What was good for you yesterday frequently will turn out to be not so great tomorrow. The sobering conclusion came in a review of major studies published in three influential medical journals between 1990 and 2003, including 45 highly publicized studies that initially claimed a drug or other treatment worked.
Subsequent research contradicted results of seven studies -- 16 percent -- and reported weaker results for seven others, an additional 16 percent. That means nearly one-third of the original results did not hold up. "Contradicted and potentially exaggerated findings are not uncommon in the most visible and most influential original clinical research," said a researcher.
Experts say the report is a reminder to doctors and patients that they should not put too much stock in a single study and understand that treatments often become obsolete with medical advances. cnn.com

Father, thinking his three-year-old son might be "a sissy," beats him to death in attempt to teach him to fight
Even though the boy would shake and wet himself, his father would box with the 3-year-old, slapping him in the head until he cried because he didn't want his son to grow up to be "a sissy,'' the boy's mother testified in day of the capital murder trial of Ronnie Paris Jr., 21, accused of abusing 3-year- old Ronnie Paris until the boy slipped into a coma.
He died six days later with swelling on both sides of his brain.
"He was trying to teach him how to fight,'' said the mother's sister. "He was concerned that the child might be gay.'' He was warned several times not to play so rough with his son. "He really did what other fathers do - slap box,'' said a friend. "He always said he didn't want his son growing up to be pushed around.'' news.tbo.com

Compiled by Ahmed Ashiful Haque

12 valid reasons not to come in to work

1. I can't come in to work today because I'll be stalking my previous boss, who fired me for not showing up for work. OK?
2. When I got up this morning, I took two Ex-lax in addition to my Prozac. I can't get off the john, but I feel good about it.
3. My mother-in-law has come back as one of the Undead and we must track her to her coffin to drive a stake through her heart and give her eternal peace. One day should do it.
4. I can't come to work today because the EPA has determined that my house is completely surrounded by wetlands and I have to arrange for helicopter transportation.
5. If it is all the same to you I won't be coming in to work. The voices told me to clean all the guns today.
6. I have a rare case of 48-hour projectile leprosy, but I know we have that deadline to meet....
7. I am stuck in the blood pressure machine down at Tom Thumb.
8. Yes, I seem to have contracted some attention-deficit disorder and, hey, how about them Skins, huh? So, I won't be able to, yes, could I help you? No, no, I'll be sticking with Sprint, but thank you for calling.
9. Constipation has made me a walking time bomb.
10. I just found out that I was switched at birth. Legally, I shouldn't come to work knowing my employee records may now contain false information.
11. The psychiatrist said it was an excellent session. He even gave me this jaw restraint so I won't bite things when I am startled.
12. The dog ate my car keys. We're going to hitchhike to the vet.

By Prince of Procrastination

RS Mailbox

Well thanks a lot for the comments and your take on my piece, Nafis; it proves that you read it thoroughly.

Now here's my clarification:
There was a small note at the end of the piece, which you might have over looked where I apologized for not talking or mentioning about the other production houses. I had a number of reasons for this.
Firstly, most people in Bangladesh are more in touch with Indian comics, Archie and Tintin. To them the vast field of characters featured through DC, Marvel, Vertigo, Milestone, Image, Dream Wave, Dark Horse and other production houses are nothing more than just fancy names. Most of them had exposure with Marvel and DC through movie and cartoon characters featuring Superman, Spiderman, Captain America, X-Men, Justice League, Batman and others. Mind you, these are all characters created by Marvel and DC. The whole motive of my article was to introduce RS fans to characters like these whom they had previously heard of and subsequently understand the basis of such so-called superhero comics.
Secondly, I could not mention the other houses due to the word limit of the article.
As for LXG, thanks a lot for mentioning that it was owned by Image comics. I really did not know that. But if you do remember, Warner Brothers, the company to whom DC comics is a sister concern of, produced the movie and DC comics therefore, published the movie adaptation. Furthermore, DC did also publish a mini series based on the same 'league' during the beginning of this year.
About Star Wars, before Lucas Books was even created, Marvel did have the rights to it and I still have a few copies. I can lend them to you, if you want. As for Transformers, you are probably right about it being handed over to Dream Wave. But I wrote about Transformers because I have a few issues published by Marvel. Believe me, I would not write about something I have no idea about.
I did not know the current details about Star Trek either, but DC did publish Star Trek series somewhere during 1984 and later even had another series during the 90's featuring Star Trek: The Next Generation. (The above invitation on you borrowing some of these comic-book titles from me still stands in this case.)
I am really sorry for giving you the impression that everyone who reads or associates with comic book is a nerd or a retard. But, if you do read the article from the beginning, you would be able to see that I was describing incidents from my life. I was called 'the nerd' and 'retard' by my friends, back then for reading comics. And this was my 'sarcastic reply' to them.
Still I am sorry to have offended you, If I have done so in any way. Once again, thanks a lot for your comments.

By Tashfin Chowdhury

Fascinating facts trivial pursuit

Q. What occurs more often in December than any other month?
A. Conception.
Q. Only 14% of Americans say they've done this with the opposite sex. What is it?
A. Skinny dipping.
Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?
A. Their birthplace. This is propinquity.
Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most
popular boat name requested?
A. Obsession
Q. More women do this in the bathroom than men.
A. Wash their hands. Women: 80%, men: 55%.
Q. What do 100% of all lottery winners do?
A. Gain weight.
Q. In a recent survey, Americans revealed that this was their favorite smell.
A. Banana.
Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A"?
A. One thousand.
Q. What do bullet-proof vests, fire escapes, windscreen wipers, and laser printers all have in common?
A. All invented by women.
Q. Married men revealed that they do this twice as often as single men.
A. Change their underwear.
Q. This stimulates 29 muscles and chemicals causing relaxation. Women seem to like it light and frequent, men like it more strenuous.
A. A kiss.
Q. This is the only food that doesn't spoil.
A. Honey.
Q. 40% of all people who come to a party in your home do this?
A. Have a look in your medicine cabinet.
Q. 3.9% of all women surveyed say they never do this.
A. Wear underwear.
Q. What common everyday occurrence is composed of 59% nitrogen, 21% hydrogen, and 9% carbon dioxide?
A. Passing wind

I know my Bro
I know my Bro
He's like a crow
When he turns on his computer
His mother says no
He loves to see
everything grow
After all,
he is my lovely Bro.
By Israt Jahan Suddhi

"Environment in the Zoo!"
When you visit the Zoo
You have to know what you have to do
When the monkeys chatter
Think, there is no matter
When the Lions roar
Don't, get too near
When the tigers eat meat
Look, carefully at it
When the Elephants trumpet with an angry voice
Just, go away from that loud noise
When the Crocodiles show their teeth
May be, the view will sweat your feet
When the inmates make a loud hiss
Think, it wants a dish full of fish
When the birds looks at you
Think, it wants a cage that is new
When you will go home
You, will think about them lying on a foam.
By Israt Jahan Suddhi