NYC Health Board Bans Large Sodas

New York City's health board has decided to go ahead with Mayor Bloomberg's soda ban.

The new law bans sodas and sweetened teas larger than sixteen ounces.

Fast food, restaurants, movie and stage theaters, work and school cafeterias, and concessions will all be effected by the ban.


Grocery stores and convenience stores are not held under the ban.



Officials say that the ban is necessary to fight the growing number of people that are obese.

Opponents state that is just another form of government growing too large for it's own good and that it is a violation of people's right to choose for themselves.

Lamborghini Recalling 1,500 Gallardos

Lamborghini has announced a recall of fifteen hundred Gallardos.

Pipes near the power steering pump can corrode, leaking fluid onto the engine, which could start a fire.

There have been no reports of fires or injuries, the company discovered the issue in testing.

The recall effects the 2004-2006 models of the Gallardo Coupe and Spyder.

Owners will be notified by mail, and they can go back to the dealership where the power steering system will be replaced for free.

Nineteen Dead of Methanol Poisoning in Central Europe

Nineteen people have been killed and at least twenty-four more blinded or in medically induced comas after drinking methanol.

All of the victims had consumed cheap vodka or rum which had been cut with methanol.

Most of them lived in the Czech Republic, but Poland and Slovakia have also held some of the victims.

Black marketers use methanol to stretch alcohol, ensuring higher profits.

The Czech Republic has temporarily banned the sale of alcohol with percentages higher than thirty percent, and suggested that residents not drink alcohol if it's maker is unknown.

Police raids, at four hundred and ten locations, found seventy cases of the illegal alcohol.

Nissan Recalling 51,000 Vehicles

Nissan has announced a recall of fifty-one thousand of their vehicles, around the world.

The recall is due to an issue where the steering wheel can come loose.

Qashqai, Qashqai+2, and NV200 models are being recalled.

The company says only about six hundred of the vehicles are expected to need a fix, but they're recalling them all to be safe.

US Embassy in Berlin Evacuated

The US Embassy in Berlin was evacuated Thursday.

One of the staff reported a strange smell coming from an envelope.

The envelope had been hand delivered that morning, and was supposedly a visa application.

German anti terror officers, dressed in full bio hazard gear, removed the envelope from the building.

Eventually cleared, the embassy has been reopened.

US authorities have been joined by German police and fire officials in the investigation.

Falklanders Have No Desire to Join Argentina

Argentina's attempt to pressure the UK into giving up the Falkland islands has taken a big blow.

The islands held a census, and one of the questions was what the islanders felt was their national identity.

Per the census, fifty-nine percent of the citizens consider themselves to be Falklanders, with nineteen percent feeling British.

This backs up the statements from the UK, that the islands are self governing, but protected by Britain.

Almost all of the islanders are happy with their current governmental situation, and see no reason to change it.

The census also showed that the islanders' average income is more than triple that of the average Argentinian, leaving the Falklanders with little incentive to join Argentina anyways.

Argentina refuses to recognize the Falkland government and has banned Falkland ships from it's coasts, in efforts to coerce the islands into becoming part of their nearest neighbor.

In 1982, Argentina invaded the islands, but were eventually kicked off by a British fleet and the troops that it brought.

Since then the UK has increased their military presence there, yet at the same time given the islands more autonomy.

Argentina's interest in the islands is not purely vengeful, the waters around the islands are believed to be heavy in oil and natural gas reserves.

US Embassies in Yemen and Cairo Attacked

A large mob attacked the US embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, on Thursday.

In an assault completely reminiscent of the one in Egypt, on Tuesday, they breached the compound walls, but did not attack the main buildings.

Whilst in the compound they tore down the US flag, put up an Al Qaeda one, set fires, and stole the embassy's sign from the wall.

Yemeni security forces fired into the air as they fought the rioters off, leaving at least thirteen police and sixteen protesters injured.

No one inside the embassy was injured in the attack, a thankful difference from a militant attack, Tuesday, on the US consulate in Benghazi, which left eight Libyan security force members and four Americans dead, one of whom was the US ambassador.

Protesters returned to the embassy in Cairo, attacking police who were guarding the compound, thirteen were injured there.

The protests and attacks are being blamed on a previously unheard of movie, which mocks Islam and the prophet Muhammad.

A special unit of anti terror Marines and two destroyers are being sent to Libya to allow the US to strike at any targets found guilty of the attack.

Drones have been searching the Libyan desert since Wednesday morning.

Cheese Causing Listeria Being Recalled

Frescolina brand ricotta salata from Forever Cheese seem to be the latest cause of listeria in the US.

There have been three deaths and fourteen others have been hospitalized spread out amongst eleven states.

The cheese was sold, between June 9 and August 20, by grocery stores and served by restaurants in California, Colorado, Washington D.C., Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington.

People who bought the cheese and have questions can call Jeff DiMeo at Forever Cheese from 9-5 EDT at 888-930-8693.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that any one who still has the cheese dispose of it.

Former Soldiers Arrested In Terror Plot

A group of former US Soldiers from Fort Stewart, GA were arrested. Current evidence indicates they allegedly conducted illegal activities such as murder, home invasions and burglaries. The suspected intentions behind those crimes were to finance stockpiling weapons and equipment to support a plot to overthrow the US Government.

The group called itself Forever Enduring Always Ready (FEAR), naming itself in a manner that leaves little doubt they sought to employ terror as a weapon. They are an aspiring domestic terrorist group and a domestic enemy of the US Constitution. Their murders include killing a former Soldier who left the military in order to help the group to acquire weapons. They also killed his wife. Members of the group allegedly also participated in tampering with evidence and attempting to hinder investigations.

To take an oath to support and defend the US Constitution means to support the republic's electoral process for all elected offices. To plot to overthrow such is to break that sacred oath to the US Constitution. It crosses that line from ultimate fidelity and into ultimate, disgraceful dishonor.

Article and full commentary originally posted at Mental Aikido.

Nearly 300 Dead After Pakistani Fire

Nearly three hundred people were killed when a clothing factory caught fire in Karachi, Pakistan.

Currently two hundred and eighty-nine people are listed amongst the dead, but that total is expected to rise as around five hundred suffered burns.

Others suffered smoke inhalation and various other injuries, witnesses even reported some jumped from the top of the building to escape the flames.

Firefighters had issues fighting the blaze as other parts of the structure were unstable, and there were worries of a collapse.

The blaze was finally brought under control, ending fears that it would spread through the city.