News scratch

Italy's New 'Bullet Train' Aims to Shake Up Euro Travel
Italy will launch Europe's first private high-speed train service Saturday, as the country moves towards a more liberal economy. The move could lead other European countries to follow Italy's example of privatizing rail transport and creating new jobs and competition in the marketplace.

The new bullet-shaped "Italo" trains can travel at a top speed of 360 kilometers per hour. They are run by NTV, a company heade...

Delta Airlines to Produce Its Own Jet Fuel
U.S.-based Delta Airlines will soon be the world's first air carrier to produce its own jet fuel.

Delta announced Monday it is buying a struggling oil refinery near Philadelphia from the Phillips 66 oil company for $150 million.

The refinery has been losing money and its owner had planned to shut it down, leading to thousands of job losses.

Delta chief Richard Anderson calls buying a refinery an innovative a...

Michael Bloomberg announced the debut of Taxi of Tomorrow
"New York City cabs have always been iconic, and now they will set a new standard. The 600,000 passengers who use taxis to get around every day deserve the cutting-edge technology and top-of-the-line safety features that this model delivers," said New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

The model he was talking about is Nissan NV200, the Taxi of Tomorrow that was chosen to be the exclusive taxi in New York City...

Food Network announces the second season of Chopped All-Stars
Life without food is suffering. Life without entertainment is boring. Life without learning is stupid. Food Network seems to understand that and is bringing you the second season of Chopped All-Stars.

It's a show with 16 contestants, 4 episodes with carefully selected master chefs each asked to create three masterful courses with ingredients from a food basket that no one knowns what's in it. Well, they do know i...

Russian Stew
Two Russian men have put a whole new meaning to the term 'Russian Stew'. they killed one person, cut him up and sold bits of him to a local kebab shop. Needless to say, they have been arrested but it is not known how many 'extras' there might have been in the kebabs....

Unbalanced justice
Much has been said in recent time about civilians who assault police officers and in some places the crime of assaulting police now attracts an automatic jail sentence.
Very little has been said though when the roles are reversed whereby police officers assault civilians.

In my view, an automatic jail sentence should also apply in cases of 'police assaulting civilians'....

No Qantas engineers but still flying
There is our favourite airline, Qantas. The airline's senior engineers are threatening strike action over work hours and pay. Qantas said that it will still be flying without its engineers.

Yes indeed, given the airline's appalling record in recent times, I thought the airlines did not have any engineers.

Qantas promises that all passengers will reach their destination, on the back of a bicycle.

And then we...

Where does the $900 billion for US health care reform come from?
The first health care bill that drew Republican votes needs $829 billion to become a reality. President Obama has vowed not to sign a bill that will add to the long-term deficit.

But where does the money come from? The currently proposed version would bring in the money by taxing sugary soft drinks. The sugary soft industry of course, has no interest in it and has already started campaigns to stop the law makers....