[hermes] british pension fund cleared of stock manipulation

Hermes Pensions Management Ltd., manager of the UK's largest pension account, has said it was cleared by a Seoul court of stock manipulation, averting South Korea's first conviction of an overseas fund. The company said it was pleased. The ruling may ease concern that foreign investors face a hostile political climate in Asia's third-largest economy. Dallas-based Lone Star Funds' sale of Korea Exchange Bank for 6.95 trillion has also been delayed by a prosecutors' probe. Hank Morris, a director of Industrial Research and Consulting, who advises investors abroad on putting money into South Korea says: "It's a good sign. I think the foreign investment community will appreciate it.''

[tallest tree] discovered on september 8th

Chandelier tree is also tall

At 112.83 metres or 370 feet tall in 2004 and still growing, Stratosphere Giant, of the species Sequoia sempervirens, located in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park, California, USA, was considered the tallest tree until September 8th, 2006 . The exact locations of the tallest trees have not been disclosed for fear that human traffic would upset the ecosystem. Hyperion, discovered by researcher Chris Atkins and amateur naturalist Michael Taylor in a remote area of the Redwood National Forest purchased during the Carter Administration, is the name of the redwood tree in Northern California that has now been confirmed to measure 115.5 m (379.1 feet), which ranks it as the world's tallest living thing at this moment. The abundant moisture and moderate temperatures of coastal northern California and extreme southern Oregon allow the redwood to flourish but annual precipitation seems less important than the frequent summer fog. The warm, moist marine air over the cold surface of the Pacific creates fog almost daily in summer in the forest. The fog decreases the trees' loss of water through evaporation and transpiration and adds moisture to the soil. So the coast redwood is generally restricted to this coastal fog belt.

[canada] pm blocks resolution which ignores israel’s suffering

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is beginning to look, in many people’s eyes, as a firm leader. He blocked a last-minute resolution at the Francophonie summit on Friday that would have recognized only Lebanon's suffering during this summer's conflict in the Middle East. He said that an institution like la Francophonie could not recognize suffering based on the nationality of its victims, and he called for recognition of the conflict's effect on Israeli residents. The resolution had been proposed by Egypt at the last minute of the annual meeting of French-speaking nations.

[autumn fall] down britain's leafy lanes

As the first little chill nips at the neck, as the shadows lengthen, thoughts turn to home.

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run.

Keats [to Autumn] 1820

[autumn fall] it’s leaf-peeping time again

Let’s think of pleasant things. Things like leaf peeping. There are few sights in nature as spectacular as New England's autumn leaves: a fiery medley of pumpkin orange, school house red and buttery yellow, spread across the landscape like a Persian carpet. Don Smith, chief forester for the state of Connecticut and other forestry experts throughout New England say that while some trees may suffer from this summer’s drought, the overall landscape appears healthy and on its way to producing at least average if not excellent fall foliage this season. That's good news for tourist business in New England, where the leaf season's economic impact is an estimated $8 billion. Time to be out there in the fresh air, enjoying nature’s finest show. Photo and info.

[cia bill] very nasty time coming up for the ordinary citizen

Finally Vox and more than just a few other Americans are seriously scrutinizing the new bill and Vox has come up with this conclusion: Under the language of the bill, there is no test whatsoever for whether a citizen or non-citizen is an "unlawful enemy combatant." Under the law, someone is an UEC if a military tribunal says so. That is to say, the tribunals have power that is not at all subject to constraint or law … Has this blog [and others] not been saying this for two months? Has it not gone on and on about the 4th player, about ID cards being the thin edge of the wedge and that this is now going to flow across the pond to Britain and into Europe? This is very, very nasty, citizens and yet we are still concerning ourselves with small matters like Hazel Blears and Polly Toynbee while the walls are inexorably being constructed around us, brick by brick, by relentless automatons.

[henry and richard] two doves discuss peace in the middle-east

The mind boggles – Henry Kissinger illuminating his behind-the-scenes successor, the dove-like Dick Cheney? The orc advising the werewolf? Kissinger, who served in the Nixon and Ford administrations, has been telling GW and RC that in Iraq, 'Victory is the only meaningful exit strategy.' Like in Vietnam, yes? Strafe the commie muslims back to the middle ages and have a real-proper victory for once.

[iceland breaking news] stars blocked by clouds as reykjavík goes dark[er]

I just adore Iceland Review for three reasons 1] the Icelandic turn of phrase 2] the classic headlines 3] the subject matter. I swear the ‘dark[er]’ was theirs, not mine. Cloud cover blocked the stars yesterday evening as Reykjavík’s streetlights were turned off in order to enable city residents to have a better view of the sky. In other respects the darkening of Reykjavík went well. The lights were shut off at 10pm sharp in connection with the opening of the Reykjavík International Film Festival, and were turned back on half an hour later. This is reported in all the main media. Reykjavík residents flocked into the streets to take part in the experience. Yet a slight sense of disappointment prevailed as a result of the cloud cover and also as there was still light visible even with the absence of streetlights. I’m seriously considering branching out into Mongolian News as well, soon .

[scots tory b] the issue of the comments counter

James, completely OT. I have repeatedly noted that your comments counter does not show other than '0' despite there being comments in the follow on section in your longer posts. I don't know if it's the same for the shorter ones. I can understand the blog's disdain for my lack of erudition but please programme in some manners! There's nothing more frustrating than leaving a comment on someone's site and the counter still shows afterwards that you don't exist. It's as if you're a nothing, a nobody. I've often thought, 'That's it; that's the last time I'm coming here.' But it's not the poor blogger's fault, truly. It's the bl--dy programme itself. And I notice your comment below has now been reflected in the counter. Bear with it and see if it's reflected next time. It usually is. Would that it showed immediately but what can a poor blogger do?

[blogging] posting, trawling and the day job

This one will be touched on in more detail on Sunday but for now – how do you other ladies and gentlemen get around all the blogs you want to read and do justice to them? I have a relatively modest blogroll and yet to get around the sites takes an hour and a half. I think Tim Worstall does his blog-trawl early morning but that’s when I usually post for the day, as I think DK does. Posting, trawling and the day job are a discipline or do you have a cunning plan?