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eur/usd near support level of 1.2835
Oil Field Closure Could Force Open Emergency Reserve
Monday, August 07, 2006
WASHINGTON — The Energy Department is prepared to provide oil from the government's emergency supplies if a refinery requests it because of the disruption of supplies from Alaska, a department spokesman said Monday.
"We're taking a very serious look at this," said spokesman Craig Stevens, referring to the loss of nearly half of oil shipments from Alaska's North Slope because of a pipeline corrosion problem.
Stevens said the department will be in contact with BP Exploration Alaska Inc. and West Coast refiners later in Monday to assess the situation. "If there is a request for oil we'll certainly take a serious look at that," he said.
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is the nation's emergency stockpile of crude oil. It was created after the 1973 oil embargo when Arab countries halted petroleum exports to protest U.S. support for Israel.
The reserve has about 700 million barrels in storage on the Gulf Coast to be used in case of a serious supply disruption. The Energy Department in the past has lent SPR oil to refineries when there were disruptions because of pipeline or other problems.
Most of Alaska's oil goes to refineries on the West Coast. It was unclear how those refineries would be supplied with oil on the Gulf Coast. However any oil put into the market to replace lost Alaska oil would tend to ease prices, market experts say.
Oil prices jumped by more than $1 a barrel Monday following a production shutdown at an Alaskan oil field that accounts for about 8 percent of U.S. production.
BP Exploration Alaska Inc. began shutting down oil production Sunday at Prudhoe Bay due to severe pipeline corrosion.
Once the field is shut down, in a process expected to take days, BP said oil production would be reduced by 400,000 barrels a day. BP officials said they didn't know how long the Prudhoe Bay field would be off line.
The nation's petroleum reserve was created in legislation signed by President Ford in December 1975, which made it U.S. policy to create a reserve capable of holding up to 1 billion barrels of oil as an insurance policy against future supply disruptions.
Oil companies contribute to the supply in lieu of paying cash royalties for oil pumped on federally owned land.
Hey secureresources. Thanks.
Flash Floods in Ethiopia Kill More Than 100
Sunday, August 06, 2006
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — More than 100 people were killed by flooding Sunday in a town in eastern Ethiopia, a government official said.
As many as 10,000 people fled Dire Dawa and surrounding areas after flash floods tore through the town early Sunday, said Sisay Tadesse, a spokesman for the government-run Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency.
Heavy rains in Dire Dawa, 180 miles east of the capital, Addis Ababa, swelled nearby rivers, which overflowed their banks and flooded the town, Sisay said.
"I saw dead people filling Dilchora Hospital this morning, with family members crying throughout," resident Mimi Woigido said by telephone from Dire Dawa. Dilchora Hospital is the main medical facility in the town.
Witnesses and residents told local radio stations that more than 200 homes were destroyed by the floods. Radio stations also reported that highways in the area had been cut off by the floods, leaving travelers stranded.
The town also has suffered electricity and telephone outages.
Flash floods killed 32 people in Dire Dawa in May 2005, and torrential rains caused massive flooding in other parts of eastern Ethiopia, killing more than 150 people and leaving thousands homeless.
Israel Destroys Hezbollah Rocket Launchers in Qana and Tyre
Sunday, August 06, 2006
BEIRUT, Lebanon — The Israeli army destroyed two rocket launchers in the Lebanese towns of Qana and Tyre that were used to launch deadly rocket barrages on Haifa late Sunday night, officials confirmed to FOX News.
Hezbollah terrorists killed 12 reserve soldiers with a single missile at a kibbutz in Kfar Giladi, Israel. At least three other people were killed and dozens more reported wounded from rocket barrages on Haifa. Israeli bombardment killed at least 14 people in southern Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council haggled over amendments to a U.S.-French draft resolution calling for a cease-fire.
Hezbollah and its allies rejected the draft, saying its terms for a halt in fighting do not address Lebanon's demands — in a signal that the nearly four-week-old battle will burn on. Both sides appeared to be aiming to inflict maximum mutual damage in the few days before the draft is voted on.
Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets late Sunday on the port city of Haifa, killing at least three people, in the heaviest attack on Israel's third largest city since fighting began.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,207201,00.html
Report: U.S., Japan Say Six of Seven North Korea Missile Tests Successful
Sunday, August 06, 2006
TOKYO — An analysis by Japan and the U.S. has concluded that six of the seven missiles tested by North Korea last month fell within their targets, indicating the tests were successful, a major Japanese newspaper reported Sunday.
Only a newly developed long-range missile, Taepodong-2, is believed to have failed, the Yomiuri newspaper said, quoting unidentified Japanese officials.
Based on initial data from U.S. military early-warning satellites, Japan's Defense Agency had doubted the targeting accuracy of the missiles, but later discovered that the six medium-range missiles actually fell inside the sea zone North Korea had marked beforehand, the newspaper said.
North Korea's July 5 missile tests drew strong international condemnation, prompting the U.N. Security Council to adopt a statement denouncing the launches and banning countries from missile-related dealings with the North.
Although the Taepodong-2, believed to be capable of reaching parts of the United States, crashed shortly after being launched, the targeting accuracy of the other missiles was relatively high, the newspaper quoted the officials as saying.
A U.S. and Japanese analysis based on data collected by radar on Aegis-equipped warships and other intelligence sources found that the six missiles traveled 300-400 kilometers (185-250 miles) northeast from the Kitaeryong missile base on North Korea's southeastern coast and landed inside a designated zone within a radius of about 50 kilometers (30 miles), the Yomiuri said.
North Korea set a restricted area — a triangle about 160 kilometers (100 miles) on each side — in the Sea of Japan off the North Korean coast between July 4 and 11.
The Defense Agency's planned release in early August of its analysis of the missile tests is expected to be delayed because of a need for further discussions with the United States, the Yomiuri said.
My picks are 3rd, 9th, and 40th right now. Gordon usually does good at Indy. Looks like he will finish near the bottom today.
Hey mick. How ya doing. I got Burton, Kahne, and Gordon. Gordon's back in 40th place.
lol. OK, I'll try to join in more.
Nice song. Thanks Missy.
Hi Missy. I'm doing good. Been a while since I posted on the Drummer and Missy board. I come here often to listen to the music. Just don't talk a lot. lol
Love her voice.
request
10,000 Maniacs - These Are Days
Good point mick.
Yes it is. And corn ethanol is so corny. :)
........sorry bad joke.
Finished Curtain (Mystery 1975) by Agatha Christie last night. This was Christie's 42nd and last book with Belgian detective Hurcule Poirot.
back cover:
At Hercule Poirot's request, the recently widowed Captain Arthur Hastings has returned to Styles Court, the scene of their first investigation many years before. Also arriving to the once private estate is a mysterious stranger linked to five seemingly unrelated murders. Poirot's genius at unraveling the intricate workings of the criminal mind tells him victim number six is about to take a fall. But who will it be? The answer is about to lead the great Belgian detective into what may be the most perilous case of his career. And perhaps his last.
This was Poirot's last case. Before it can be solved Poirot dies of a heart attack. It is left to Hastings to go through the clues and bring this case to a conclusion. Unfortunately Hastings blows it.
The solution is found in the postscript. And it was a surprise to me. Very good book.
Third try. Does that mean you don't like it?
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 5, 2006
President's Radio Address
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week, my Administration met a key objective in our efforts to better secure our Nation's border.
In May, I pledged to deploy up to 6,000 National Guard members to support the Border Patrol, and we fulfilled that pledge by August 1st. Through Operation Jump Start, National Guard members are now on duty supporting the Border Patrol in Texas, California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
On Thursday, I visited the Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector in Texas. I saw firsthand how the National Guard is working with our Border Patrol agents to improve border security. National Guard troops are helping with surveillance, construction, and logistics. They're building and repairing fences, maintaining vehicles, and manning detection equipment on the border and in command centers.
The arrival of National Guard units has allowed the Border Patrol to move more agents into front-line positions, and this additional manpower is delivering results. With the support of the National Guard, Border Patrol agents have seized over 17,000 pounds of illegal drugs and caught more than 2,500 illegal immigrants since June 15th. Just last month, Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley Sector confiscated more than 4,200 pounds of marijuana hidden in a tractor trailer. And the support of the National Guard was important in making this seizure happen.
Rational and comprehensive immigration reform must begin with border security, and we have more to do. So I've asked Congress to fund dramatic increases in manpower and technology for the Border Patrol. We will add 6,000 new Border Patrol agents. We will build high-tech fences in urban corridors and new patrol roads and barriers in rural areas. And we will employ motion sensors, infrared cameras, and unmanned aerial vehicles to prevent illegal crossings. By deploying 21st century technologies, we will make our Border Patrol agents even more effective and our border more secure.
Yet to be successful, comprehensive immigration reform must also accomplish four other critical goals. We need a temporary worker program that will create a legal and orderly path for foreign workers to enter our country to work on a temporary basis. This program will add to our security by helping us know who is in our country and why they are here. And by reducing pressure on our border, it will free up our Border Patrol to focus on making sure we stop terrorists, violent criminals, and drug smugglers from entering our country.
We need to enforce our immigration laws at our Nation's work sites. To enforce the law, we have launched raids on businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants. We are filing criminal charges against these employers, and we are prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law.
To help honest businesses follow the law, I propose more effective tools to verify the legal status of workers. These tools should include a tamper-proof identification card for legal foreign workers. By taking these steps, we will make it easier for businesses to obey the law and leave them no excuse for violating it.
We need to resolve the status of illegal immigrants who are already here. They should not be given an automatic path to citizenship. This is amnesty, and I oppose it. Amnesty would be unfair to those who are here lawfully, and it would invite further waves of illegal immigration. We will find a rational middle ground between automatic citizenship for illegal immigrants and mass deportations of people who've been living here for many years with jobs, families, and deep roots in our country.
Finally, we need comprehensive immigration reform that honors the American tradition of the melting pot by helping newcomers assimilate. Americans are bound together by our shared ideals, our history, and the ability to speak and write the English language. When immigrants assimilate, they advance in our society, realize their dreams, and add to the unity of America. We can fix the problem of illegal immigration and deliver an immigration system that is rational and compassionate.
By passing comprehensive immigration reform, we will uphold our laws, meet the needs of our economy, and keep America what she has always been -- an open door to the future, a blessed and promised land, one Nation under God.
Thank you for listening.
END
Thanks for the link Alex. I downloaded it yesterday but haven't read it yet. I've read past issues and there's some good info in them. It's free too.
Brickyard
J. Burton (31)
J. Gordon (24)
Kahne (9)
Abusing their power by abusing their power... Fri Aug 4, 9:36 AM ET
BEIJING (Reuters) - Two Chinese officials cut off power to a hotel after they were not invited to its opening party and forced managers to drink spirits before they would turn the electricity back on, a state newspaper said Friday.
The two officials, who were subsequently fired, said they would lessen the power outage by one hour for every bottle of "baijiu" -- a strong grain-based alcohol -- two female managers drank, the Beijing Times said.
The two officials, who worked at the power company in the central province of Hunan, were found to have "severely harmed the image of the electricity bureau" and "caused a depraved social disturbance," the newspaper said.
The loss of power also caused chaos and blackouts for surrounding residents, it added.
Ga. Peaches touted as future fuel source By ELLIOTT MINOR, Associated Press Writer
Fri Aug 4, 5:06 AM ET
TIFTON, Ga. - Part-time farmer Jimmy Griner hopes his ever-so-fragrant, crystal-clear, 180-proof moonshine can help solve the nation's energy problems.
Griner arrived at the Georgia Bioenergy Conference this week carrying of quart of the stuff in a Mason jar. He's licensed to make 10,000 gallons a year of the high-octane elixir that's distilled from fermented Georgia-grown wheat.
Sponsored by the University of Georgia, the three-day conference attracted about 500 farmers, scientists, engineers and politicians. Speakers from across the nation and at least one foreign country, Brazil, discussed the future of global energy supplies, the economics of biofuels, energy legislation and Georgia products that could be converted into fuels.
Gov. Sonny Perdue said promoting alternative fuels is "a significant step" toward important goals.
"First, we are ensuring long-term fuel stability, and reducing our dependence on foreign sources of oil," he said. "If we can grow our own fuel, why would we purchase it from dictators, or from countries who have pledged support for terrorist regimes?
"These initiatives add value to our farmers' crops," he added. "They will generate renewed interest and increased demand in agriculture."
Perdue said Georgia already has a few bioenergy companies that produced more than 3 million gallons of ethanol and biodiesel last year, most of it shipped out of state.
Plans are under way to build a $132 million plant in Camilla, about 175 miles south of Atlanta, that would produce 100 million gallons of ethanol a year from corn. Another company is considering a $150 million to $200 million plant in south Georgia that would make 50 million gallons of ethanol annually from the cellulose in wood.
Perdue said the state has supported alternative fuels by providing nearly $1 million to fund a biorefinery at the University of Georgia in Athens and research at Georgia Tech to convert pine cellulose to ethanol.
In addition, the state is working on a comprehensive energy strategy that should be completed by December, and Georgians will eventually have a "roadmap" of affordable, reliable and environmentally responsible energy sources, he said.
With almost 25 million of Georgia's 37 million acres covered with forests, there's a big push to produce ethanol from pine trees. But experts say the technology for doing it on a commercial scale is still years away.
The state already generates 18 million dry tons of waste wood each year, including limbs and tree tops, Georgia Forestry Commission director Ken Stewart said. The amount of ethanol available from the waste wood alone — 80 gallons per ton — would be enough to replace 18 percent of the gasoline and diesel fuels consumed in the state each year, he said.
After his speech, the governor toured an outdoor display of tractors and trucks powered by ethanol made from Georgia-grown peaches, wheat and pine trees and others powered by biodiesel made from chicken fat, peanuts, cotton seeds and soybeans.
Standing beside a large sedan powered by a blend of gasoline and his white lightning, Griner greeted the governor, unscrewed the lid and gave the governor a whiff.
"It's the real deal," Perdue said with a smile.
"I have a license to make it," said Griner, 70, a retired college physics professor who has a small farm in south Georgia's Berrien County.
"I'm going to tell the revenue department to leave you alone," Perdue said.
closed eur/usd @ 1.2892
bought this morning @ 1.2863
+29
I'm done for the week. Have a good weekend everyone.
08.03.2006
Enterprise Heads to Sci Fi Channel
Sci Fi Channel has picked up the four seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise to premiere on the cable network early this fall.
Enterprise, starring Scott Bakula as "Captain Jonathan Archer," originally aired on UPN from 2001 to 2005, and its 98 produced episodes have been in syndication ever since.
The new venue for Enterprise is part of a package deal between Sci Fi Channel and CBS Paramount Domestic Television that includes multiple made-for-television movies and other series, including Threshold co-starring Brent Spiner ("Data") and produced by Enterprise co-creator Brannon Braga.
Threshold was CBS' entry in the competitive sci-fi/thriller field last fall, but was pulled from the network after eight episodes. Twelve episodes were shot — all of which have aired overseas — so the Sci Fi deal will give U.S. audiences a chance to see the whole series on TV. (Of course, serious fans can pick up the DVD starting August 22.)
The Sci Fi package includes another show starring Bakula, the 1995 miniseries "The Invaders." In the three-hour remake of the classic '60s series, Bakula plays "Nolan Wood," who tries to foil an invasion of Earth by aliens disguised as humans.
Bakula's Quantum Leap partner Dean Stockwell (who was "Colonel Grat" in the Enterprise episode "Detained") stars in "The Langoliers," another 1995 miniseries on the new Sci Fi slate. The three-hour Stephen King adaptation is about a small group of passengers on a cross-country flight who awake to find that they are the only people left on Earth. "Invaders" and "Langoliers" both were nominated for a Saturn Award that year.
Ron Perlman (the Reman "Viceroy" in "Star Trek Nemesis") is the star of "Primal Force," a 1999 TV movie about rescuers attempting to reach plane crash victims trapped on an island populated by mutant baboons.
Sharon Lawrence ("Amelia Earhart" in "The 37's") stars in Wolf Lake, a 2001 nine-episode series that originally aired on both CBS and UPN about a Seattle suburb that gets overtaken by werewolves. The late Kellie Waymire ("Ensign Cutler" in Enterprise) co-stars.
The CBS-Sci Fi deal also includes exclusive cable rights to the classic Twilight Zone, as well as Tales from the Darkside, Haunted, Jake 2.0, Level 9 and other series and movies to air during the 2006-07 season.
Instant Insight: Weak Payrolls - Last Piece of Puzzle Tells us Fed Will Pause
Friday, 04 August 2006 12:48:16 GMT
Written by Kathy Lien, Chief Strategist
Unsurprisingly, US non-farm payrolls disappointed once again. The last piece of our puzzle confirms that the US economy is weakening. Originally forecasted to have added 142k jobs last month, US corporations only added 113k. Even though jobless claims have remained low, we have long learned that just because companies are not firing, does not mean that they are hiring.
With higher energy bills to contend with, companies are no longer as free spending with their cash as they use to be and are forced to delay increases in staffing until demand catches up. Looking at the recent trend of retail sales, this may not be for a while. The overwhelming disappointment of the number has sent the probabilities of a rate hike next Tuesday to near zero. In the off chance that Bernanke does opt to raise rates, it may not necessarily be good for the dollar. With clear signs that the US economy is slowing, a rate hike will only further undermine his credibility and raise the risk of recession.
Looking at the numbers specifically, US corporations added only 113k jobs in the month of July, compared to a forecast of 142k and a reading of 124k for the month prior. However the disappointments did not stop there. The unemployment rate ticked higher to 4.8 percent from 4.6 percent, while the manufacturing sector lost jobs last month. Average weekly hourly increased slightly, indicating that inflationary is still a problem, but average hourly earnings remained unchanged.
Expect more gains in the EUR/USD over the next few days with the Federal Reserve expected to pause and the European Central Bank continuing to raise interest rates "progressively."
[14:31 EUR/USD: Rally Stalls; 1.2860 Now Support] Boston, August 4. EUR/USD pushed the envelope through 1.2900 but stalled near 1.2910 and is now retrenching. Short-term momentum will stay to the topside above 1.2860, the old highs. Further support is eyed at 1.2835. 1.2980 is the short-term brass ring for the market. Above that level projects a move into the high 1.32s.
Jamie.Coleman@Thomson.com /rs
eur/usd finally starting to move again.
By Tomi Kilgore
Last Update: 8:48 AM ET Aug 4, 2006
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- The odds of an interest rate hike in August fell sharply after data showing payroll growth in July was less than expected. August fed fund futures were last up 0.05 at 94.72, which implies a 16% chance that the Federal Reserve will lift its target for overnight rates to 5.5% from 5.25% after its policy setting meeting on Aug. 8. Late Thursday, fed funds futures were pricing in a 43% chance of a rate hike. The U.S. Labor Department said nonfarm payrolls expanded by 113,000 in July lower than the 143,000 expected by economists surveyed by MarketWatch. The unemployment rate ticked higher to 4.8% in July, vs. expectations that it would stay at the previous month's 4.6%
N.H. woman bakes cookies on dashboard 1 hour, 5 minutes ago
BEDFORD, N.H. - Blistering heat was just what Sandi Fontaine needed to bake cookies for her co-workers — on the dash of her Toyota Rav4.
With temperatures soaring Wednesday, Fontaine placed two trays of cookie dough on the dashboard, shut the doors and retreated inside to her air conditioned office.
"My husband wanted me to run some errands this morning," said Fontaine, who works at Baldwin and Clarke Corporate Finance. "I said, 'I can't. I'm baking cookies.'"
Fontaine first tested her dashboard oven three years ago. She said anyone can do it; the only requirement is for the outside temperature to be at least 95 degrees, so it will rise to about 200 degrees in the car. Temperatures in the area reached the mid to upper 90s on Wednesday.
"Mrs. Fields has nothing on Sandi," co-worker Brian Champigny said of the cookie company.
Though Thursday was supposed to be cooler, Fontaine said she'll still enjoy the benefits of her culinary effort.
"When you open the door to that car," she said, "it's like, oh my God. It's a wonderful smell."
Thursday, 03 August 2006 23:18:30 GMT
Written by DailyFX Research Team
US Net Change In Non-Farm Payrolls (JUL) (12:30 GMT; 08:30 EST)
Consensus: 145,000
Previous: 121,000
Outlook: Employers in the United States are expected to expand hiring for the second straight month after May’s upset of 92,000 jobs added. This number may support the belief that a slowing labor market is still enough to sustain economic growth at higher borrowing costs. This month’s jobless claims have shown that employers are still healthy enough to hold onto their workers as the amount of people who filed for benefits averaged 312,330 during the first three weeks of July and 307,600 in June. On a different note, wage growth is also expected to moderate to 0.3 percent from last month’s surprise jump, making it cheaper. Economists also note that companies do not need to add as many jobs because fewer people are entering the work force. Before his testimony to the Senate on July 19th, Bernanke stated that payroll growth of “more like 130,000 and possibly lower” will be sufficient for a stable economy. Another change for payroll predictions from the previous month’s release run up has been the shirking of other employment gauges. The manufacturing and service ISM employment components were largely overlooked, as was the surprising contraction in private company hires to 99,000 employees added. Many analysts and officials believe the non-farm payroll data could be the deciding factor in next week’s FOMC meeting where expectations for an eighteenth consecutive hike are split. Should payrolls disappoint, it could forecast slower consumer spending trends to come, and in turn cooler inflation that does not require further policy constraint.
Previous: The world’s largest economy added 121,000 payrolls in June, up from May but short of an expected 175,000. Hourly earnings rose 3.9 percent on an annual basis and the unemployment rate held near five-year lows at 4.6 percent. The report sent the dollar down, adding to speculation that the Fed would need to end its series of raising rates in order to prevent an economic downturn. Adding to inflationary pressures were hourly earnings, which rose 0.5 percent on the month when expected to rise by only 0.3 percent. The Fed is now between a rock and a hard place, with oil-induced inflation on one side and ailing economic expansion on the other. It is becoming more and more clear that the economy cannot handle further restriction from the Fed, so they will have to become more accommodative sooner, rather than later.
The Bank of England and European Central Bank both have rate decisions tomorrow. BoE is expected to keep it's rates at 4.5%. ECB is expected to raise rates 1/4 of a point from 2.75% to 3%.
stopped @ 1.2763
-22
I'm still long. It hasn't gone anywhere since I bought this morning.
Surgeons find knife, nails in stomach Wed Aug 2, 9:44 AM ET
BELGRADE, Serbia - A team of surgeons in western Serbia earlier this week took out eight nails, a knife, a pen, a screw, a spoon, a clothes-peg and other, smaller objects, from a young man's stomach, one of the doctors said Wednesday.
"We were astonished," said Dr. Maja Gulan, who helped perform the operation Monday in Uzice, 70 miles southwest of Belgrade.
"We have seen people swallow various things, but never this many," she added.
The identity of the patient has not been revealed. The doctors said he had suffered no major damage to his internal organs, and was successfully recovering.
The case was initially reported by a concerned relative who saw him swallowing the objects, doctors said.
Well, I guess that's enough freedom for now.. Wed Aug 2, 8:20 AM ET
ROME (Reuters) - Two Italian prisoners released under a national pardon celebrated their freedom with such gusto in a bar that they were back inside within five hours after getting into a fight with police.
Freed from Macomer jail on the island of Sardinia under a nationwide pardon to relieve prison overcrowding, Massimiliano Formula, 32, and Raimondo Muntoni, 28, were arrested for punching police who asked to see their papers, police said.
They now await a new trial.
Convicted prisoners have started pouring out of Italian jails under a pardon granted last week for up to 12,000 inmates who will have a maximum three years slashed off their sentences.
Prisoners convicted of some of the more serious crimes are excluded and any freed inmates who commit new offences within five years will see their pardon revoked.
Giant dead eel tossing contest canceled By KATIE FRETLAND, Associated Press Writer
Sun Jul 30, 12:08 AM ET
LONDON - For more than 30 years, crowds have flocked to the small English fishing village of Lyme Regis to watch an annual tradition — two teams of fishermen standing on wooden platforms as human bowling pins, hurling a dead giant eel at each other. But the ritual was abruptly abandoned after an animal rights activist threatened to draw negative publicity to the latest tournament, organizers said Saturday.
The practice, known as conger cuddling, is the annual highlight in the small coastal town about 155 miles southwest of London. The object of the game is to knock the opposing team off the platform by swinging a 25-pound eel at them.
Crowds have flocked to Lyme Regis since 1974 to watch rival teams of nine men swing the giant conger eel — suspended in the harbor by a rope — and local residents said they are dismayed at the demise of their historic event.
Andrew Kaye, a resident and spokesman for the Lyme Regis lifeboat crews who raise money through the tournament, said an anonymous e-mailer had called the practice disrespectful to the dead eel.
The lone activist threatened to film the contest to attract adverse media attention, Kaye said.
"We decided that it really wasn't worth upsetting anybody by going ahead with using a dead conger," Kaye said. "But it's a dead conger, for Pete's sake. I shouldn't think the conger could care one way or another."
He said fishermen often accidentally catch the creatures in their nets, deep-freeze them and defrost them in preparation for the tournament.
Ron Bailey, a fishing boat skipper, said the tournament is meant as a wet, carnival-like event which usually raises about $5,600 for Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboat crews.
About 300 people attended an alternative event on Friday night. But the boat dock fender that participants used paled in comparison to being struck by a dead eel, Bailey said.
India tries to chase monkeys from trains Wed Aug 2, 7:30 AM ET
a langur monkey
NEW DELHI - In an effort to keep monkeys out of the New Delhi subways, authorities have called in one of the few animals known to scare the creatures — a fierce-looking primate called the langur, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported Wednesday.
The decision to hire a langurwallah — a man who trains and controls the langurs — came after a monkey got into a metro car in June, the newspaper reported.
The langur handler is being paid a retainer of India rupees 6,900 ($160) a month, and "he will be called whenever there is a monkey problem," Anuj Dayal, the spokesman for the Delhi Metro Rail Corp., was quoted as saying.
On June 9, a monkey reportedly crawled through some pipes and ended up aboard a train, scowling at passengers and jumping around a car.
Passengers had to be moved to another car while staff chased the dexterous creature, causing delays.
The langur handler was being employed to prevent more such problems.
"There are too many monkeys," Dayal was quoted as saying.
Rare cloud formation seen in Antarctica Tue Aug 1, 7:35 PM ET
In this photo released by the Australian Antarctic Division, the rare and spectacular nacreous cloud (top) is seen high in the stratosphere some 20 kilometers (12 miles) above Australia's Mawson station in Antarctica, on July 25, 2006. The extremely cold temperatures below minus 85 degrees Celsius (minus 121 degrees Fahrenheit) in the rarefied atmosphere show delicate Mother-of-Pearl shell colors produced when the fading light of the Antarctic sunset passed through tiny water-ice crystals blown along on a strong jet of stratospheric air. (AP Photo/Australian Antarctic Division, Renae Baker,HO)
HOBART, Australia - Some of the coldest temperatures on Earth brought a rare cloud formation to the skies over Antarctica, scientists said Tuesday.
Meteorological officer Renae Baker captured spectacular images of the nacreous clouds, also known as polar stratospheric clouds, last week at Australia's Mawson station in Antarctica.
The clouds only occur at high polar latitudes in winter, requiring temperatures less than minus 176 degrees Fahrenheit. A weather balloon measured temperatures at minus 189 degrees Fahrenheit on the day the photos were taken.
Resembling airborne mother-of-pearl shells, the clouds are produced when fading light at sunset passes through water-ice crystals blown along a strong jet of stratospheric air more than six miles above the ground.
"Amazingly, the winds at this height were blowing at nearly 230 kilometers (143 miles) per hour," Baker said on the Australian government's Antarctic Division's Web site.
Australian Antarctic Division atmospheric scientist Andrew Klekociuk said the clouds are seldom seen, but are occasionally produced by air passing over polar mountains.
"You have to be in the right part of the world in winter, and have the sun just below your horizon to see them," he said.
Let's hope it breaks yesterday's high of 1.2834. That's my first target.
bought eur/usd @1.2785
I'm looking at aud/usd. It has a head and shoulder on the 60 min chart. Looking for it to fall to .762 - .760 before buying.