Update 2024-03-27: Greatly expanded the "Samples" page and renamed it to "Glossary".
Update 2024-04-04: Added 5 million mid-2011 posts from the k47 post dump. Browse (mostly) them here.
Update 2024-04-07: Added ~400 October 2003 posts from 4chan.net. Browse them here.
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Following the September 11, 2001, attacks, the US Central Intelligence Agency set up 12 bogus companies in Europe and other parts of the world in the hope of penetrating Islamic organizations, The Los Angeles Times reported on its website late Saturday.
...The CIA-run "companies" were located far from Muslim enclaves in Europe and other targets, and their size raised concerns that one mistake would blow the cover of many agents, the report noted.
In addition, because businessmen don't usually come into contact with Al-Qaeda operatives, the cover didn't work, The Times said.
Crews seal hatches in preparation for Atlantis to undock
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The crews of the space shuttle and station said a teary farewell, then sealed the hatches between them Sunday after more than a week of working tirelessly together to build a bigger and better scientific outpost in orbit.
Atlantis was scheduled to undock early Monday, its load considerably lighter than when it arrived Feb. 9 with Europe's premiere space laboratory, Columbus.
Astronaut Daniel Tani was especially emotional as he left the international space station, his home for the past four months.
Venezuela not preparing to cut off shipments to U.S., president says
CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez sent a soothing message to American motorists on Sunday, saying that Venezuela is not preparing to cut off oil shipments to the United States.
The socialist leader rattled oil markets last Sunday when he threatened to halt shipments to the United States in retaliation for Exxon Mobil Corp.'s success in convincing courts in the U.S. and Europe to freeze Venezuelan assets.
"We don't have plans to stop sending oil to the United States," the socialist leader said Sunday during a visit to heavy-oil projects in Venezuela's petroleum-rich Orinoco River basin that were nationalized last year.
But he added that Venezuela could cut off supplies to the United States if Washington "attacks Venezuela or tries to harm us."
Chavez has repeatedly warned against a possible U.S. invasion he says Washington would use to seize control of Venezuela's immense oil reserves.
PRATTVILLE, Ala. - Severe weather howled through much of the nation's eastern half Sunday, producing damaging tornadoes in the South and treating winter-weary parts of the Midwest to freezing rain, snow and flooding.
In Prattville, outside Montgomery, Mayor Jim Byard said that a tornado struck a residential area and that crews searched for any storm victims who might be trapped in the wreckage.
No fatalities were immediately reported, but two people were critically injured, said Fire Chief Dallis Johnson.
"It's very possible we may have more injuries," he said, saying that some trapped people had been rescued.
A 35-bed mobile hospital unit was set up outside a Kmart to treat victims with minor to moderate injuries so that hospitals could take those with serious injuries, Dr. Steve Allen said.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday rallied her supporters then came out with a personal challenge for Sen. Barack Obama to debate her before Tuesday's primary.
The New York Democrat complained about "the fact that he won't debate me," echoing arguments she's made in two television ads. The two have debated just once face-to-face after the other candidates dropped out of the race.
Mr. Obama of Illinois noted they have had 18 debates and two more are scheduled, including one in Austin, Texas, Thursday. He called it the "same old Washington silliness" and also rejected her portrait that he is a talker while she is a doer.
WONDER LAKE, Ill. - The girlfriend of the man who killed five people and himself at Northern Illinois University said Sunday that he called her early on Valentine's Day, the day of the shooting, to say goodbye.
Steven Kazmierczak "called me at midnight and told me not to forget about him," Jessica Baty, 28, told CNN from her home. She said she had no indication he was planning anything.
Investigators still haven't determined why Kazmierczak, 27, opened fire in a lecture hall at his and Baty's alma mater, and she shed no light on a motive Sunday.
"The person I knew was not the one who went into Cole Hall and did that," Baty told CNN. "He was anything but a monster. He was probably the ... nicest, (most) caring person ever."
The day of the shooting or the day after, Baty received a package from Kazmierczak containing two textbooks, a cell phone and what she characterized as a "goodbye note."
"You've done so much for me," the note said, according to Baty. "You will make an excellent psychologist and social worker someday."
Boxes of forgotten memorabilia surface in old safe in Dallas
DALLAS - A curious transcript purportedly about President John F. Kennedy's assassination has been discovered among boxes of memorabilia that were long forgotten in an old safe at the Dallas County district attorney's office.
While the transcript reads like a conspiracy theorist's dream — Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby plotting to kill Kennedy — the DA's top assistant said it's likely material for a proposed movie.
Other items found in an old safe on the 10th floor of the county courthouse include letters to and from former DA Henry Wade, the now-dead prosecutor in the Ruby trial, The Dallas Morning News reported in Sunday's editions. Ruby shot and killed Kennedy assassin Oswald two days after the president's death.
17 February 2008 Belgrade _ Hundreds of protesters clashed with Serbian police on Sunday evening, hours after Kosovo’s leaders unilaterally declared the province’s independence from Serbia.
At least 12 protesters, mainly fans of local soccer clubs and skinheads, were injured and arrested in several skirmishes in the Serbian capital.
The crowd damaged the Slovenian embassy, a McDonald’s restaurant and about a dozen shop windows.
“We hate the West, we hate Western values and civilization,” said a club-wielding protestor who identified himself as Nikola.
“We want to show we hate Yanks and Shiptars,” said a young protester who identified himself only as Dejan. “Shiptar” is a derogatory Serbian term for Kosovo Albanians.
“Europe bowed before America and it will be held responsible for all the consequences that will arise from Kosovo’s independence,” Kostunica said.
Cat had escaped from carrier on a subway platform, discovered in tunnels
NEW YORK - A skittish kitten that scampered out of its carrier on a subway platform has been found after 25 days in the underground tunnels.
Transit workers tracked down 6-month-old Georgia under midtown Manhattan Saturday. Police reunited her with owner Ashley Phillips, a 24-year-old Bronx librarian.
After hearing that the black cat might have been spotted below Lexington Avenue and East 55th Street, track workers Mark Dalessio and Efrain LaPorte went through the area making "meow" sounds.
Georgia responded, and they found her cowering in a drain between two tracks.
Georgia had lost some weight and scratched her nose but was otherwise unhurt. She had disappeared while Phillips was bringing her home from a veterinarian visit last month.
