The Phalacrocoracidae family of birds is represented by 38 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, but in the one most commonly used, all but three species are placed in a single genus Phalacrocorax, the exceptions being the Galapagos' Flightless Cormorant, the Kerguelen Shag and the Imperial Shag.

Humans have historically exploited cormorants' fishing skills, in China and Japan, where they have been trained by fishermen. In Japan, traditional cormorant fishing can be seen in Gifu City, in Gifu Prefecture, where it has continued uninterrupted for 1300 years, or in the city of Inuyama, in Aichi Prefecture. In Guilin, China, cormorant birds are famous for fishing on the shallow Lijiang River.

Medieval heraldry often times featured the outline of a Great Cormorant. The image resembled a Christian cross.

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NYT > U.S.

Detroit’s Mayor Will Leave Office and Go to Jail
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 05:33:20 -0000
Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick’s guilty plea ended eight months of political turmoil but also opened a new era of uncertainty for Detroit.
McCain Vows to End ‘Partisan Rancor’
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:50:25 -0000
Senator John McCain sought to move from a convention marked by an effort to reassure the party base to an appeal to a broader electorate.
New Orleans Starts Up, but Not at Full Power
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:08:46 -0000
Evacuees continued to stream home after a hurricane scare that left it with little serious damage but knocked out power to tens of thousands of homes.

Christian Science Monitor | Top Stories

In dispirited Detroit, mayor pleads guilty
Plea deal ousts Kilpatrick after an eight-month scandal. Interim mayor inherits a city in a slump.
As Gustav evacuees return to New Orleans, a varied homecoming
Many find their houses are fairly intact. Power loss is still a problem.
France gives boost to Israeli-Syrian talks
French President Sarkozy, in Damascus this week, was also thought to be seeking Syria's help in dealing with Iran's nuclear program.

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