SOMALIAN pirates today captured a German-owned LPG tanker participating in a convoy through the Gulf of Aden Maritime Security Patrol Area, diverting Chinese and Indian warships with a decoy raid to enable colleagues to seize a small ship with low freeboard. LPG blows up real good...
The pirates' latest victim is the 1990-built, 4,316 dwt Longchamp, operated by Hamburg-based Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, with 12 Filipinos and one Indonesian national onboard.
The attack took place in the early hours of this morning while the ship was within the MPSA under military protection, said Schulte quality and safety manager Frank Lesse. "There were apparently three ships attacked, which diverted the attention of the warships, and unfortunately the ship that was taken hostage by the pirates was the Longchamp." Now they're even taking on convoys?
"The Indian warship tried to repel the attack but was too late. [Longchamp] is a small LPG with a low freeboard, so she is easy to board. The pirates picked her, went on board, and the other pirates vacated the scene. "The Indian warship kept a safe distance, so as not to aggravate the pirates. Then the ship turned hard to starboard and went straight for the Somali coast."
The master was allowed to contact the company's emergency centre to make a brief statement, and reported that seven pirates were on the ship. The assumption from this is that none of the crew were hurt.
Schulte was at the time of writing still able to track Longchamp, although there had been no further contact with the crew. The Bahamas-flag vessel is the third ship to be captured off Somalia this year.
The CIA's station chief at its sensitive post in Algeria is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for allegedly raping at least two Muslim women who claim he laced their drinks with a knock-out drug, U.S. law enforcement sources tell ABC News.
The suspect in the case is identified as Andrew Warren in an affidavit for a search warrant filed in federal court in Washington, D.C. by an investigator for the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service.
Officials say the 41-year old Warren, a convert to Islam, was ordered home by the U.S. Ambassador, David Pearce, in October after the women came forward with their rape allegations in September.
According to the affidavit, the two women "reported the allegations in this affidavit independently of each other."
#3
If convicted, the Andrew Warren shit should be stoned to death as the crime happened in a Muslim country. What the hell is that? You guys, USA shit, not only you support third world dictators but rape their women.
(Xinhua) -- Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU) Jean Ping on Wednesday appealed for calm in Madagascar, as the country's tens of thousands of opposition supporters took to the street in the capital Antananarivo. In a statement, Ping said he was "deeply concerned by the prevailing political tension and the risk it poses to the stability of the country."
He deplored the loss of lives caused by the violent incidents that had occurred in Antananarivo. The death toll from Monday's violence rose to nearly 40 people, media reports said. Ping urged all stakeholders "to resolve the current crisis through dialogue and respect for constitutional order and legality."
Posted by: Fred ||
01/29/2009 00:00 ||
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(Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe President Mugabe has said he hoped that the agreement by the country's tree main political parties to form an inclusive government by Feb. 13 marks the beginning of a new era in Zimbabwe's politics, The Herald reported on Wednesday.
The agreement was made at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Extraordinary Summit which ended early on Tuesday morning in Tshwane, South Africa, though opposition MDC-T secretary-general Tendai Biti made a sudden U-turn, contradicting a communiqušŠ issued after the meeting.
Speaking to the media at the Harare International Airport after returning from the summit, Mugabe confirmed that the opposition had finally agreed to join the inclusive government.
President Mugabe said he hoped that this marks the beginning of a new era in Zimbabwe's politics.
"We did agree that an inclusive government should be formed. Dates have been stipulated for the various activities, which include the formation of the government itself with the swearing-in of the top people, that is the prime minister and deputy prime ministers, then the ministers, and then that the government should be in place," he said.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) leader Morgan Tsvangirai should be sworn in on February 11 along with opposition MDC leader Arthur Mutambara as Deputy Prime Ministers.
President Mugabe said once the government is in place, it will start looking into the concerns raised by opposition MDC-T, including the issue of the appointment of provincial governors.
"This shall start with the constitutional amendment in Parliament which will legalize this whole framework. It (Constitutional Amendment Number 19 Bill) should be debated in Parliament soon. We do hope that things will open up now. This is a new chapter in political relations in our country and in the structure of Government," Mugabe said.
Under the agreement, President Mugabe remains head of state and government, commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces, chair of cabinet and chair of the National Security Council šD currently constituted as the Joint Operations Command.
Asked how the efficacy of the inclusive Government will be determined, Mugabe said: "The enforcement shall be by us. We have an in-built mechanism to monitor this. And after six months, there will be a review of the progress made or the lack of it. In light of this, there should be compliance, I certainly hope there will be."
"However, the MDC-T, after consultations with suspected British and American intelligence officers, issued a conflicting statement against the SADC position. Speaking to the international media on Tuesday, party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa dismissed (South African) President (Kgalema) Motlanthe's statement, saying SADC had fallen far short of our expectations," the Zimbabwe president said.
"We did put to the summit our position on the outstanding issues. Unfortunately, our expectations were not met, our case was not received. In fact, there was no objective understanding and assessment of the situation," he said.
According to SADC chairperson and South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai had agreed to the SADC position in a closed-door session.
This is not the first time that MDC-T has turned against propositions by SADC in the regional body's efforts to salvage the September 15 broad-based agreement signed by Mugabe, Tsvangirai and MDC leader Arthur Mutambara.
Last week, Tsvangirai agreed to a proposition by SADC facilitator to the talks, former South African president Thabo Mbeki, and Mozambican President Armando Guebuza for the formation of the inclusive Government, but made a counter-proposal after making "consultations".
MDC-T has disregarded several SADC proposals for the implementation of the agreement, saying it wanted "outstanding issues" to be resolved before they could join the government.
According to a communiqušŠ issued by SADC on Tuesday, the summit noted that Zimbabweans are faced with difficult challenges and suffering that could only be addressed once an inclusive Government is in place.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/29/2009 00:00 ||
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Tonight on "Religious Cops". Look for the surprise twist ending...
MAKKAH: The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice and the Public Prosecution in Makkah are investigating the case of an Indonesian victim who was raped by 46 men, including one police officer, around a month ago. The woman, a 38-year-old maid, was initially raped at a backstreet rest house by a police officer. The woman was picked up by the officer after running away from her sponsor in the Nuzhah district late at night one month ago, Al-Watan newspaper reported. Forty-five other men then raped her over the course of the night and next day. As the Prophet would say, "Opportunity knocks"...
The woman was then left on an empty road where another police patrol found her and took her to the King Faisal Hospital in the Al-Shishsha district of the city. But...suuuurprise, suuuurprise, surprise... Subsequently, medical investigations showed that the woman was suffering from AIDS. She is still recovering in hospital, the daily said. Looks like a Law and Order ripped from the headlines episode...
Police raided the rest house and arrested a number of men who raped the woman. One of the men then supplied police with the names of his friends who also raped the woman. There was Mohammad and Mohammad and Mohammad and Mohammad and...
Al-Watan newspaper also quoted a medical source as saying the suspects would have to wait at least six months to confirm whether they have AIDS, as symptoms only appear six months after the virus enters ones body. The men have been released on bail while investigations continue. Has she beeen stoned to death yet?
#4
No comment from MidoMan, I see. Ah, well. It's rather late in muslim-land.
Al-Watan newspaper also quoted a medical source as saying the suspects would have to wait at least six months to confirm whether they have AIDS, as symptoms only appear six months after the virus enters ones body.
Police arrested five pirates of the Sundarbans after an hour-long gunfight with them at Katamari area under Sharankhola upazila of Bagerhat district yesterday morning. The arrestees are Jihad, Omar Faruque, Moti Shikder, Ripon and Abdul Barek.
The sixth one was eaten by a tiger ...
Police recovered two foreign made double barrel guns, .22 bore rifles, five single barrel guns, 250 bullets, four torchlights and four large size daggers.
Sub-Inspector Abu Bakar along with 12 armed policemen rushed to Katamari area of the Sundarbans while Jihad Ali, chief of notorious Jihad Bahini, was holding a secret meeting. Four policemen received bullet injuries during the clash. Police said Jihad was wanted in over 40 criminal cases.
Extra security forces have been sent to Sundarbans to rescue 60 kidnapped fishermen.
Apparently Hasina has put an end to cross-fires and encounters. Pity ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/29/2009 00:00 ||
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Bolivia wants to rebuild strained relations with the United States and hopes to exchange ambassadors with the new US administration soon, the South American nation's foreign minister said Wednesday.
David Choquehuanca said Bolivia will present US President Barack Obama with an agenda, including plans for a trade deal that he said was rejected by George W. Bush's government.
"We want to rebuild our relations with the US, and we know that they want a positive relationship too," Choquehuanca told reporters, saying his country would wait until the new US president was settled in office before pressing the issue.
He said the Obama administration had congratulated leftist Bolivian President Evo Morales on voters' approval Sunday of a new constitution, which Morales had made the central platform of his presidency.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/29/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Shouldn't really be a problem since both leaders are Marxists.
Posted by: Abu do you love ||
01/29/2009 0:43 Comments ||
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#2
Yea, just like sunni and shia, both mohammedams...
#9
Drug boat my ass, the boat was a people smuggler, probably stolen and abandoned when the "New Americans" walked ashore.
Posted by: Rednek Jim ||
01/29/2009 17:08 Comments ||
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#10
If they can bring people they can bring drugs. Probably did. The world's getting faster everyday so ya gotta multitask. Besides them pollos gotta pay off the coyotes somehow. What better way than to deliver some blow after they go ashore?
#11
And besides that, just a month or so ago, an abandoned boat crashed into the rocks at Sunset Cliffs just a few miles south of Del Mar and it was loaded with marijuana. It seems the motor died then they got caught inside the surf line. They left all the drugs in the boat when they bailed out.
Didn't mean to hijack the thread. Just wanted bigjim to know the kilos are on their way.
FRENCH police wielding batons charged dozens of youths who threw bottles, set fires and tore-up manhole covers as violence erupted on the fringes of a protest against economic hardship today.
Officers in riot gear intervened in the Opera District of central Paris as pockets of trouble broke out at the edge a crowd of tens of thousands. Youths overturned bins and set bonfires in a main shopping boulevard.
The violent protesters were pushed back by three or four police charges onto the Place de l'Opera where the mass of the rally was assembling, but the situation remained volatile, an AFP reporter at the scene said.
Earlier, the huge and initially largely peaceful rally organised by France's main trade unions had marched through Paris to protest against President Nicolas Sarkozy's response to the economic crisis.
All U.S. taxpayers would enjoy the same immunity from IRS penalties and interest as House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Obama Administration Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, if a bill introduced today by Congressman John Carter (R-TX) becomes law.
Carter, a former longtime Texas judge, today introduced the Rangel Rule Act of 2009, HR 735, which would prohibit the Internal Revenue Service from charging penalties and interest on back taxes against U.S. citizens. Under the proposed law, any taxpayer who wrote "Rangel Rule" on their return when paying back taxes would be immune from penalties and interest. Rep. Carter is my new favorite Congresscritter.
If you write 'Dodd Rule' on your return you get a double credit on your mortgage interest deduction ...
Posted by: Mike ||
01/29/2009 11:33 ||
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#1
I'd rather invoke the "Geithner rule" and simply not pay.
In a swift victory for US President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives approved a historically huge $819 billion economic stimulus bill Wednesday night with spending increases and tax cuts at the heart of the young administration's plan to revive a badly ailing economy.
The vote was 244-188, with Republicans unanimous in opposition despite Obama's pleas for bipartisan support. "This recovery plan will save or create more than three million new jobs over the next few years," the US president said in a written statement released moments after the House voted.
Earlier, Obama had declared "we don't have a moment to spare" as congressional allies hastened to do his bidding in the face of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
On the final vote, the legislation drew the support of all but 11 Democrats while all Republicans opposed it.
On the final vote, the legislation drew the support of all but 11 Democrats while all Republicans opposed it. The vote sent the bill to the Senate, where debate could begin as early as Monday on a companion measure already taking shape. Democratic leaders have pledged to have legislation ready for Obama's signature by mid-February.
A mere eight days after Inauguration Day, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday's events heralded a new era. "The ship of state is difficult to turn," said the California Democrat. "But that is what we must do. That is what President Obama called us to do in his inaugural address."
With unemployment at its highest level in a quarter-century, the banking industry wobbling despite the infusion of staggering sums of bailout money and states struggling with budget crises, Democrats said the legislation was desperately needed.
"Another week that we delay is another 100,000 or more people unemployed. I don't think we want that on our consciences," said Democratic Rep. David Obey, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and one of the leading architects of the legislation.
In New York City, an Obama economic adviser and Citigroup Inc.'s incoming board chairman, Richard Parsons, called the nation's financial crisis "a death spiral" and said the federal stimulus was the only way to save the economy.
"If we don't use taxpayer money to do it, there is no money to do it," Parsons said in a speech to lawyers. "If the financial system collapses, shame on all of us; we'll all have hell to pay."
Republicans said the bill was short on tax cuts and contained too much spending, much of it wasteful and unlikely to help laid-off Americans.
The party's leader, Rep. John Boehner, said the measure "won't create many jobs, but it will create plenty of programs and projects through slow-moving government spending." A Republican alternative, comprised almost entirely of tax cuts, was defeated, 266-170, moments before the final vote.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/29/2009 00:00 ||
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#3
Perhaps it will pass the Senate in its current form, but no doubt it will be against Republican opposition, which means the Democratic party will own the results. Since a lot of the provisions won't go into effect for a few years, and since there will be an election in 2010, there is no guarantee that the plan won't be walked back two years from now... which could prove very amusing for those campaigning for the 2012 presidency.
#6
Yep, idiots is right. Good on the house repubs, this gives me a little glimmer of hope. Unfortunately, when they do get control they end up getting complacent and legislating like big gov't rinos.
Cut taxes, cut spending - that's how you truly rejuvenate the economy - heck, this ain't rocket science, just a little econ 101. Income, corporate, payroll, death tax needs to be cut. Death tax ought to be repealed. Welfare and other entitlements should've been cut big time.
The first financial bailout was a scam. Big 3 bailout is another joke. This one looks worse than the other two (if that's possible). I wouldn't have bailed out anyone - the "bailout/stimulus" cure is more likely to be worse for the patient then letting the illness run its course.
#7
I do believe this bill is eligible to be filibustered. If the Senate Repubs would stick together ... oh who am I kidding?
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/29/2009 9:43 Comments ||
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#8
If they couldn't even get Jerry Lewis (Appr.-CA) on board, they really must have locked up the pork in crates marked "for Democratic consumption only". How many squishes are left in the Senate? McCain's got a hard-on for bipartisanship, but even he might be puckering up at the prospect of a united Republican House of Representatives vote like this.
It may come down to Specter and the witches of Maine.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
01/29/2009 9:57 Comments ||
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#10
A few things, first this bill will look completely different when it comes out of the Senate. Unlike the House, the Senate Dems can't push through anything they like with no Repub support. Second, is this, if you take out the massive amounts of pork the bill is not that bad. Almost all of the stimulus effect this year will come in the form of tax cuts. Check out: Stimulating Waste. It's obvious why the House is doing this, Nancy has all the juice now and she and her cohorts are going to try to push through every socialist wet dream they can while most of America is worried. Good on the Repubs for standing up to her. Now the Senate can hopefully trim the fat and we'll end up with a decent bill. Of course the best bill would be straight tax cuts to businesses and lowering the capital gains taxes with none of the pork. But that ain't going to happen. Another hopeful thing is the balance of power will (please God) shift in two years when alot of the stupid spending starts ramping up.
#11
I dunno, AHM. I'd like to think you're right, but:
1) much of the 'tax cuts' are actually credits -- you have to do as The One says to get them
2) The One still wants to pull the plug on the Bush taxes cuts of 2002 and 2003
3) The remaining RINOs in the Senate may vote yes for 'unity'. Snowe, Specter and McCain are the prime suspects.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/29/2009 12:02 Comments ||
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#12
800 + billion on top of the 750 billion bailout. Is any of this inculded in the 1 trillion + projected deficit? Here in Canada some of us are upset that our government is projecting a deficit of 34 billion for 2009 (first projected deficit in about 10 years, our 2008 deficit of about 1.1 billion was not planned ahead of time). If I'm pissed about our government, US Rantburgers must be positively livid about theirs.
#13
Just remember, we have mandatory redo in 2 years, unlike parliamentary systems that live for ever till enough momentum builds for payback. The Donks partied in '93 with the Clinton win just like this till the reckoning came due in the '94 elections.
#14
On the final vote, the legislation drew the support of all but 11 Democrats
That means 36 of the Blue Dog Democrats voted in favor of this outrageously bloated bill. When more then three quarters of these so-called fiscally conservative Democrats bolt into the night its time to shut down that kennel.
#15
Steve, there's a lot of 'hoping for the best' going on in my mind. But to address your comments, I can't imagine BO pulling the plug on the Bush tax cuts before they expire in 2010. That would be very stupid on his part in that it would be bad for the democrats in 2010. And while he's many things, I don't think stupid is one of them. To be honest, this bill is way better than I would have imagined given the current balance of power and psychological condition of the country. I expected more tax credits for poor people to buy booze and cigarettes and less for people who actually work for a living. Mixed in with all of the bloated wasteful spending there's some decent stuff that will actually help. Don't get me wrong, I don't think this is a good bill. It just could have been WAAAAAY worse. Plus, I'm thinking there is enough negative vibes on these massive spending bills that even the RINO's will have some fight in them. Just remember, any changes the GOP can get in the final bill is most likely an improvement. And P2k hit it on the head, a lot of this spending won't be hitting until close to mid-term elections. So, here's to hoping for some change the rest of us can believe in!
#19
The 11 Dems who voted against it. With their reasons...
1. Bobby Bright - Alabama's second district
Bright said: "I feel strongly that the American people must have confidence that a recovery package is worth its tremendous price tag. Congress could have done this by simply focusing on investments in infrastructure and targeted tax relief for individuals and small businesses, but this legislation includes billions in additional spending that will have little effect on the economy."
2. Parker Griffith - Alabama's fifth district
He said he wanted more funding for projects "such as NASA, water and sewer and transportation" in the fifth district. "We need to jump start our economy and create new jobs, but this bill does not do enough to cut taxes, support small businesses or invest in our research and development programs. I hope that we can work together to improve this bill as it moves through the process so that taxpayers are protected and we do more to invest in the programs and projects important to North Alabama."
3. Allen Boyd - Florida's second district
He said: "I have serious concerns that this level of deficit spending without a plan toward fiscal responsibility will only make our economic problems worse. This stimulus package does not address the issues that we know are at least partly responsible for the economic downturn, and that is years of irresponsible fiscal policies rooted in out-of-control spending and borrowing."
4. Walt Minnick - Idaho's first district
He said: "Economic stimulus, no matter how much you spend, is only going to work if the US banking and financial system is also functioning." He added that until banks are lending money again, it's unrealistic to expect results.
5. Brad Ellsworth - Indiana's eighth district
He said that he supported many of the provisions in the bill and "it's clear that our economy cannot get back on its feet without some help."
But "there were far too many provisions that would provide little to no economic stimulus. I hope that the Senate and conference processes will result in an improved final bill."
6. Frank Kratovil - Maryland's first district
He said before the vote: "A stimulus package of this unimaginable size needs to be met with the reality that a recovery and reinvestment plan is an extraordinary response to an extraordinary crisis. It is not an opportunity to abandon fiscal discipline in lieu wasteful spending. The plan includes projects to the tune of $200 million to rebuild the National Mall and $50 million in funding for the National Endowment of the Arts. Although these may be admirable causes, they certainly are not emergencies and should not be lumped in with legitimate efforts to strengthen our economy and get people back to work."
7. Collin Peterson - Minnesota's seventh district
He said in a statement: "In this difficult economy, many in Congress are rushing to write and pass another massive federal spending bill. In my view, what we're considering will not solve our problems, and may in fact make matters worse." He added that the bill should have focussed on "programs directly resulting in job creation and infrastructure projects, and for unemployment compensation and food stamps".
8. Gene Taylor - Mississippi's 4th district
He said: "If anything is in it for the Coast, I don't know. I don't think it's worth the $800-billion price tag. I do think there are lower cost ways to stimulate the economy. For example, the multi-peril bill will pay for itself."
9. Heath Shuler - North Carolina's 11th district
He said: "The legislation before the House today contained too much additional spending in areas that will not offer immediate economic stimulus."
10. Paul Kanjorski - Pennsylvania's 11th district
He said:"I strongly agree that we must stimulate our economy to help it recover from the current crisis. However, considering the magnitude of this program, is vitally important that the Congress and American people fully understand both the problem and proposed solution. All Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle needed to provide their input, but unfortunately this was not possible."
11. Jim Cooper - Tennessee's fifth district
He said: "This bill had too many congressional pet projects and too few of President Obama's plans for jump-starting the economy. I hope the next version of the bill stays closer to its purpose: helping America recover from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.''
#23
All of the jobs contained in this bill that our being touted by the Dems are temporary. There's no permanent stimulous that will be spent prior to 2010. Those are CBO numbers, and the Dems currently chair the CBO. This bill sucks donkeys... on ice.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
01/29/2009 20:30 Comments ||
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 17-2 on Wednesday to send the nomination of Attorney General-designate Eric Holder to the full Senate. Attorney General-designate Eric Holder served as President Clinton's deputy attorney general.
The committee's Democratic members unanimously supported Holder; GOP Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma voted no.
Holder's Senate floor vote and swearing in could be completed as soon as Thursday.
This is a mistake; he's more political than Ashcroft and Gonzalez together could ever have been. And the MSM will never point it out.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/29/2009 00:00 ||
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#4
I suppose it's considered bad taste to stick out my tongue and chant NyaaaNyahh. (I bought the reloading stuff around 10 yeas ago, it doesn't wear out)
Even if you dont (Or can't) reload, save your empty brass, even spent .22 has uses. (Not reloadable, but can be reformed ino .223 slug brass outer shells)
Likewise, .357 and .38 are the same case, just shorter. (Yes I have a case trimmer too)
Posted by: Rednek Jim ||
01/29/2009 17:22 Comments ||
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#5
I forgot always get manuals on reloading , bullet casting and powder manuals such as Hornady, Lyman, Hogdon, Lee, etc, and find a copy of Handloaders digest, that'll get you going at least.
Machinery without manuals is not useless, but damn near.
Posted by: Rednek Jim ||
01/29/2009 17:30 Comments ||
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#6
Short PS, I got my lyman press at a flea market, they didn't know what it was.
Posted by: Rednek Jim ||
01/29/2009 20:18 Comments ||
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Pakhtoonkhwa Mili Awami Party Senator Raza Muhammad Raza accused the Balochistan government of embezzling funds donated for earthquake victims during the proceedings of the Upper House on Wednesday.
Leader of the House in Senate Raza Rabbani denied the allegations and an argument ensured.
Raza Muhammad said the Balochistan government had done nothing for the quake victims and had particularly embezzled funds from foreign donors.
Senator Abdur Rahim Mandokhel seconded him, adding no accounts were maintained of the received assistance and how it was utilised. He called for an inquiry.
Senator Pari Gul Agha said the provincial government had received billions of rupees in assistance but the earthquake victims "received nothing". The allegations provoked Raza Rabbani, who challenged Raza Muhammad to bring proof before the House if his allegations were correct. The PkMAP senator said he had "accepted the challenge" and would share substantial information with the House.
Rabbani said it was an issue of a very serious nature that brought into question the transparency of the provincial and central governments and added the legislators needed to be more responsible when making statements. He said he would take the House into confidence on the issue on Thursday (today).
Posted by: Fred ||
01/29/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Pols are pols -
"JACKSON, Miss. (AP) â The mayor of a Mississippi city devastated by Hurricane Katrina pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges he lied to get disaster assistance to repair his damaged beachfront home.
Gulfport Mayor Brent Warr is the highest-ranking public official so far to be charged with fraud related to the storm that slammed the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005." - more
Not everybody has fallen under Harry Potter's spell. Boooooooooo...Mahmoud, I'm under your bed...BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
A short Iranian documentary recently translated by the Middle East Media Research Institue and published on the Jerusalem Post's website claims that the teen wizard hero of J.K. Rowlings best-selling books and movies is being used to promote Zionist propaganda.
The five-minute segment (video below), which aired on Iranian news channel IRINN on December 15, shows clips from 2002's "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" while several commentators offer their explanations of the symbolism in the series. "Now more than ever," the Iranian film's narrator says, "this tool serves to spread the dark and evil essence of Zionism and its goals."
The commentators point to several different elements of the story as evidence of a Zionist agenda - pointing to the themes of witchcraft and wizardry, which the documentary ties to Kabbalah, the study of Jewish mysticism. "[The Zionists] are trying to convince viewers that because there is no easy way to distance oneself from witchraft, Satan and the like they are saying indirectly, 'Join us,'" says Ali Asghar Saadati, billed as an Iranian expert on religious cinema. Join us! Jooooooooin us!!!
The IRINN piece also looks to the battle over "pure" wizarding blood as evidence of a Zionist subtext. "Propaganda for purity of blood and race, one of the principles of global Zionism, is openly portrayed and emphasized in the second Harry Potter film," the documentary's narrator says, alluding to the films' villains' obsessions with blood purity. "If we add this [film] to the other pieces of the puzzle the beliefs depicted in the other propaganda and political products of the Ziono-Hollywoodists, the Satanic features of this inhumane movement will become more evident." Ziono-Hollywoodists? That's a new one...
Iranian film critic Sa'id Mostaghasi, meanwhile, sees Harry raised up as a Messianic figure, and his final battle with the Dark Lord Voldemort as being akin to the End of Days. "[The Zionists] support Harry Potter because he is the promised Messiah," Mostaghasi says. "As you can see, he has the same traits and wants to defeat a dark force, which in this film is depicted as Voldemort. In the sixth episode, there is even mention of the War of Armageddon. Boooooooooooo...He's gonna cement up the well so the 12th Imam can't get out...BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Surprisingly, nobody in the documentary latched on to the half-Jewish background of actor Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the titular wizard. Reza! Stop the presses!!
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," the sixth film in the series, is scheduled to arrive in theaters on July 17, with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" set for a two-part release in 2010 and 2011. "Hary Potter and the Loony Iranians"...
A judge has sided with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in his bid to save money by forcing state workers to take days off without pay.
The furloughs; two days a month; are scheduled to start next week.
Two state employee unions had challenged Schwarzenegger's executive order, saying he did not have authority to order furloughs. A Sacramento County Superior Court judge disagreed.
He also cited the state's financial condition. California will be forced to make billions of dollars in cuts to close a deficit projected to hit $42 billion through June 2010. In his temporary order Thursday, Judge Patrick Marlette said: "The current circumstances constitute an emergency."
#1
Your talking less than 6% of the state's deficit will be 'recovered' by this method (basing on about $65/hr employee cost - seems high, but figuring govt. pensions and such).
It's kind of like saving paper by printing on both sides of the sheet. It looks like you're actually doing something to save money without really solving the true problem (like printing way too much unnecessary reports, memos and such).
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
01/29/2009 17:08 Comments ||
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#2
Well, no one will cut any of their precious programs, so they gotta start somewhere.
#3
It's kind of like saving paper by printing on both sides of the sheet.
I kept a souvenir when the Army was doing that in 1976. One the second printing was the schedule for the July 4th activities, on the original side was the final determination and signature by the Commanding General of some poor troop's Courts Martial. I called the distribution center about it who tried desperately to police up the copies they'd already sent out. :)
#4
CHINESE MIL FORUM > MEXICO DERAILING INTO ETERNAL CHAOS: THE PARAMILITARY GROUP ZETAS [ex-Mahican ABN, other Mil Elites turned TECHY Drug Criminals + Guns-for-Hire] LOCKING IN THE US BORDER PATROL, DHS!? Mexi Gang ZETAS + armed aligned are giving MEXICO a run for its running, and may yet succeed in rendering the USBorderPat + USDHS, ETC. WHOLLY INEFFECTIVE OR INCOMPETENT IN STOPPING CROSS-BORDER CRIME OPS, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, AND MILITANCIES FROM ENTERING THE USA.
The New York Times Co. said Wednesday that fourth-quarter earnings plunged 48 percent and online sales fell for the first time as the recession depressed spending by advertisers. The results still beat analyst estimates, and its shares rose almost 5 percent.
The Times also announced it has retained investment firm Goldman Sachs to help explore a sale of its 17.8 percent stake in New England Sports Ventures, which owns the Boston Red Sox baseball team, Fenway Park, a portion of a cable sports network and other properties.
The Times company, which publishes the Times, The Boston Globe, the International Herald Tribune and 16 other daily newspapers, earned $27.6 million, or 19 cents a share, in the October-December period, compared with $53 million, or 37 cents per share, in the same quarter of 2007.
Excluding various one-time charges, earnings totaled 36 cents a share, above the 27 cents per share that analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected.
Shares in the company rose 25 cents, or 4.5 percent, to $5.85 in afternoon trading.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/29/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
now if they can just drop the other %52
Posted by: Abu do you love ||
01/29/2009 0:44 Comments ||
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#2
Earnings down 48%, beats analysts estimates, shares up almost 5%. The worst is over.
#3
This will make it tough to pay off that Mexican loan. How do you say "New York Times" in Spanish? Will they keep an English edition for old times sake?
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
01/29/2009 10:04 Comments ||
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#4
My bad - the parrot died and I've stopped fishing.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
(Xinhua) -- Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU) Jean Ping on Wednesday appealed for calm in Madagascar, as the country's tens of thousands of opposition supporters took to the street in the capital Antananarivo. In a statement, Ping said he was "deeply concerned by the prevailing political tension and the risk it poses to the stability of the country." 
The New York Times Co. said Wednesday that fourth-quarter earnings plunged 48 percent and online sales fell for the first time as the recession depressed spending by advertisers. The results still beat analyst estimates, and its shares rose almost 5 percent.
