The New York Observer: The enormous secrecy about the fourth Harry Potter book, as it turns out, was apparently because the book wasn’t even delivered to the publishers until — depending on whom you believe — February or mid-April. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is to be released July 8 at 12:01 a.m. Other tidbits from this article: J. K. Rowling is reputedly the third richest woman in the UK now; and the New York Times, possibly to prevent seeing five of her books in its fiction best-seller list, is starting a separate children’s fiction list.

The Pentagon is turning to unmanned aerial vehicles as bomb-delivery platforms. These would contravene the 1988 Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty but, no problem, it wouldn’t be the first pillar of arms control the current administration is trying to topple.

Beyond the Grave. “Mummification, it

seems, is making a comeback, and for a stiff fee, an

American company will take your beloved pet or family

member and preserve them for posterity…These 21st century interments are a little more hi-tech

than the old ‘hook-up-the-nose’ Egyptian rituals, but the

end result is still a work of art. However, for those involved in the preservation, there’s

no lack of spirituality to their work. The mummification services are provided by

Summum, a Salt Lake City religious group led by the delightfully-named Corky Ra.

Somewhat akin to the ancients, Ra and his adherents feel that preserving a body helps

the soul of its owner to find reference in the afterlife.”

Tibetans in U.S. Rally Against World Bank China Loan. This is not just any loan to China. Its purpose is to fund resettlement of 60,000 non-Tibetans to Tibet to facilitate its assimilation by breaking the back of its ethnic identity and culture. Genocide without murder? This has been going on since the Chinese occupation of Tibet began with the 1951 invasion, but the loan will fund an amplification of the scale of the process. The World Bank’s own independent review department was critical of the Bank’s granting the loan, in violation of the organization’s own social/environmental impact rules.

Chip That Would Restore Sight Implanted in People. Silicon microchip replacement retinas implanted in three patients who have lost their vision from retinitis pigmentosa. Too soon to tell if vision will be restored, but can you imagine how impressive an advance it would be if so?

New HIV Infections Soar in San Francisco. Public health officials said new infections in SF doubled last year. They attribute the disturbing reversal to the fact that the success of the past decade’s prevention and treatment efforts has inspired complacency about risk and a resurgence of high-risk activity. Trends in the SF gay community are considered harbingers of nationwide direction in AIDS infection.

Tibetans in U.S. Rally Against World Bank China Loan. This is not just any loan to China. Its purpose is to fund resettlement of 60,000 non-Tibetans to Tibet to facilitate its assimilation by breaking the back of its ethnic identity and culture. Genocide without murder? This has been going on since the Chinese occupation of Tibet began with the 1951 invasion, but the loan will fund an amplification of the scale of the process. The World Bank’s own independent review department was critical of the Bank’s granting the loan, in violation of the organization’s own social/environmental impact rules.