Now this is some Must See TV!
Chavez lauds Ahmadinejad's win over US on technical knock-out
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez here Wednesday said that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has defeated the the US on technical knock-out by offering to debate with his American counterpart, George W. Bush.
President Bush 'assassinated' in new TV docudrama
All 7 comments are from the US and everyone is disgusted with the thought...
Soldiers die, CEOs prosper
As soldiers have died in displaying personal patriotism, the pay gap between soldiers and defense CEOs has exploded. Before 9/11, the gap between CEOs of publicly traded companies and army privates was already a galling 190 to 1. Today, it is 308 to 1. The average army private makes $25,000 a year. The average defense CEO makes $7.7 million.
``Did this surprise us? No, because we've been watching since Sept. 11," said Betsy Leondar-Wright, communications director for United for a Fair Economy. ``While the rest of us were worrying about terrorism and mourning the people who died, the CEOs were maneuvering their companies to take advantage of fear and changing oil supply, not just for competition but for personal enrichment."
The top profiteers after 9/11 were the CEOs of United Technologies ($200 million), General Dynamics ($65 million), Lockheed Martin ($50 million), and Halliburton ($49 million). Other firms where CEO pay the last four years added up to $25 million to $45 million were Textron, Engineered Support Systems, Computer Sciences, Alliant Techsystems, Armor Holding, Boeing, Health Net, ITT Industries, Northrop Grumman, Oshkosh Truck, URS, and Raytheon.
While Army privates died overseas earning $25,000 a year, David Brooks, the disgraced former CEO of body-armor maker DHB, made $192 million in stock sales in 2004. He staged a reported $10 million bat mitzvah for his daughter. The 2005 pay package for Halliburton CEO David Lesar, head of the firm that most symbolizes the occupation's waste, overcharges, and ghost charges on no-bid contracts, was $26 million, according to the report's analysis of federal Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
``Did this surprise us? No, because we've been watching since Sept. 11," said Betsy Leondar-Wright, communications director for United for a Fair Economy. ``While the rest of us were worrying about terrorism and mourning the people who died, the CEOs were maneuvering their companies to take advantage of fear and changing oil supply, not just for competition but for personal enrichment."
The top profiteers after 9/11 were the CEOs of United Technologies ($200 million), General Dynamics ($65 million), Lockheed Martin ($50 million), and Halliburton ($49 million). Other firms where CEO pay the last four years added up to $25 million to $45 million were Textron, Engineered Support Systems, Computer Sciences, Alliant Techsystems, Armor Holding, Boeing, Health Net, ITT Industries, Northrop Grumman, Oshkosh Truck, URS, and Raytheon.
While Army privates died overseas earning $25,000 a year, David Brooks, the disgraced former CEO of body-armor maker DHB, made $192 million in stock sales in 2004. He staged a reported $10 million bat mitzvah for his daughter. The 2005 pay package for Halliburton CEO David Lesar, head of the firm that most symbolizes the occupation's waste, overcharges, and ghost charges on no-bid contracts, was $26 million, according to the report's analysis of federal Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
RadioShack uses e-mail to fire employees
Derrick D'Souza, a management professor at the University of North Texas, said he had never heard of such a large number of terminated employees being notified electronically. He said it could be seen as dehumanizing to employees.
"If I put myself in their shoes, I'd say, 'Didn't they have a few minutes to tell me?'" D'Souza said.
"If I put myself in their shoes, I'd say, 'Didn't they have a few minutes to tell me?'" D'Souza said.
Cell phones spill secrets
Curious software experts at Trust Digital resurrected information on nearly all the used phones, including the racy exchanges between guarded lovers.
The other phones contained:
_One company's plans to win a multimillion-dollar federal transportation contract.
_E-mails about another firm's $50,000 payment for a software license.
_Bank accounts and passwords.
_Details of prescriptions and receipts for one worker's utility payments.
The recovered information was equal to 27,000 pages — a stack of printouts 8 feet high.
"We found just a mountain of personal and corporate data," said Nick Magliato, Trust Digital's chief executive.
Almost all of the developed world has legislation limiting work hours, except for the United States
Workers who clocked more than 51 hours at the office each week were 29 percent more likely to have high blood pressure than those who worked 39 hours or less, a new study from California has found.
Nearly all past research linking long work hours and high blood pressure has been done among Asian workers, Dr. Haiou Yang of the University of California in Irvine and colleagues note in their report in the journal Hypertension.
The researchers also found that hypertension was more common among clerical and unskilled workers than among professionals. This "suggests that occupations requiring more challenging and mentally active work may have a protective effect against hypertension," Yang and his colleagues write.
Nearly all past research linking long work hours and high blood pressure has been done among Asian workers, Dr. Haiou Yang of the University of California in Irvine and colleagues note in their report in the journal Hypertension.
The researchers also found that hypertension was more common among clerical and unskilled workers than among professionals. This "suggests that occupations requiring more challenging and mentally active work may have a protective effect against hypertension," Yang and his colleagues write.
Blogosphere Unites in Pursuit of Masked Senator
Who's trying to stop the government from telling its citizens where their tax dollars are being spent? Help find out.
Just before the August recess, the Senate was set to vote on a bill introduced by Sens. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Tom Coburn (R-OK) that would create a public, searchable database of all federal grants and contracts. Envisioned as a Google-like website, it would provide free, immediate access the information, which can be alarmingly difficult to obtain.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously passed the measure July 27th, and S.2590 seemed to be speeding on its way to full Senate passage when, in the dark of night, an unknown Senator placed a "secret hold" on the bill. According to Senate courtesies, the bill will never come to a vote as long as the hold continues.
So who's the culprit?
Just before the August recess, the Senate was set to vote on a bill introduced by Sens. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Tom Coburn (R-OK) that would create a public, searchable database of all federal grants and contracts. Envisioned as a Google-like website, it would provide free, immediate access the information, which can be alarmingly difficult to obtain.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously passed the measure July 27th, and S.2590 seemed to be speeding on its way to full Senate passage when, in the dark of night, an unknown Senator placed a "secret hold" on the bill. According to Senate courtesies, the bill will never come to a vote as long as the hold continues.
So who's the culprit?
Conspiracists Allege U.S. Seizing Vast S. American Reservoir
Distrust of the U.S.
But local distrust of U.S.-backed lending institutions—along with the presence of U.S. troops in Paraguay—has spawned suspicions that Washington is exerting slow control over the aquifer as insurance against water shortages in the U.S.
"The United States already has water problems in its southern states," said Adolfo Esquivel, an Argentine activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. "And it is clear that humans can live without oil, gold, and diamonds but not water. The real wars will be over water, not oil."
One in eight Americans in poverty
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In the world's biggest economy, one in eight Americans and almost one in four blacks lived in poverty last year, the U.S. Census Bureau said on Tuesday, both ratios virtually unchanged from 2004.
"Clinton got a BJ..."
Put on some headphones if you're at work and listen to this funny jingle comparing Dubya's Lies with Slick Willy's sexual antics...
T-Shirt Inscription Keeps Iraqi Man From Boarding Flight
JARRAR: I grew up and spent all my life living under authoritarian regimes. and i know that these things happen. But I'm shocked that they happened to me here, in the U.S. Especially that I moved from Iraq because of the war that was waged in Iraq under titles like democracy and freedom.
KEANO!
Keane will spend the next couple of days attempting to strengthen his squad ahead of the transfer deadline, and will work in tandem with Quinn, the man he has previously branded a 'muppet' and a 'coward', although he insists those fences have been mende
BREAKING: Bush White House subpoenaed by wiretap lawyers
Two attorneys representing claimants in a lawsuit over wiretapping by the National Security Agency will subpoena the White House today, RAW STORY has learned.
Bruce Afran and Carl Mayer, who represent hundreds of plaintiffs in lawsuits against Verizon, AT&T, and the US Government, will announce today that they are serving both the Bush administration and Verizon with subpoenas.
Iran's leader calls for TV debate with Bush
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called on U.S. President George W. Bush to participate in a "direct television debate with us," so Iran can voice its point of view on how to end world predicaments.
"But the condition is that there can be no censorship, especially for the American nation," he said Tuesday.
Ahmadinejad blamed "special concessions" granted to the United States and Britain as "the root cause of all the problems in the world."
"At the Security Council, where they have to protect security, they enjoy the veto right. If anybody confronts them, there is no place to take complaints to."
"But the condition is that there can be no censorship, especially for the American nation," he said Tuesday.
Ahmadinejad blamed "special concessions" granted to the United States and Britain as "the root cause of all the problems in the world."
"At the Security Council, where they have to protect security, they enjoy the veto right. If anybody confronts them, there is no place to take complaints to."
Two Iraqi units have refused deployment
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Members of two Iraqi military units have refused orders to deploy to heavily contested areas, a top U.S. military general said.
Court told votes don't have to be counted, certified
Paul Lehto, a nationally prominent election law attorney representing two voters who filed the suit, called the motion an “invitation to the Court to ratify a seizure of power” that amounts to “invading the sovereignty of a state.”
Republican Brian Bilbray was sworn into Congress just seven days after a special election against Democrat Francine Busby – before all ballots were counted and a full 16 days before the election was certified. On Friday, attorneys David King and Jim Chapin (representing Bilbray and San Diego Registrar of Voters Mikel Haas) argued that a lawsuit brought by two voters should be dismissed because only Congress has the power to seat or unseat its members. (See previous RAW STORY coverage of this case.)...
Lehto countered that defendants were making a “power play” and noted that swearing Bilbray in as a member of Congress may constitute a record for speed. Normally, swearing in occurs 30-45 days after an election – and after certification by local election officials.
Republican Brian Bilbray was sworn into Congress just seven days after a special election against Democrat Francine Busby – before all ballots were counted and a full 16 days before the election was certified. On Friday, attorneys David King and Jim Chapin (representing Bilbray and San Diego Registrar of Voters Mikel Haas) argued that a lawsuit brought by two voters should be dismissed because only Congress has the power to seat or unseat its members. (See previous RAW STORY coverage of this case.)...
Lehto countered that defendants were making a “power play” and noted that swearing Bilbray in as a member of Congress may constitute a record for speed. Normally, swearing in occurs 30-45 days after an election – and after certification by local election officials.
Spanish firm to build and run new PFI toll road in Texas
Coming soon to your backyard!
This would be part of the ‘super-highway’ spanning the United States from the Mexican border at Laredo, making its way through Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma and connecting with the Canadian highway system north of Duluth, Minnesota.
Because it would provide a connection all the way between Canada and Mexico, the project is also described as the North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA) super highway.
The project as conceived by Cintra and its partners and endorsed by the Texas transport department is certainly ambitious. They have talked about developing a corridor providing two lanes for high speed trucks and three for passenger vehicles in each direction, plus high speed and freight railway lines, possibly also telecommunication cables and oil, gas and water pipelines in an adjacent utilities corridor.
But a corridor of this overall width – maybe as much as 360 m - has alarmed people who stand forced to surrender property in land and buildings to the project. This concern has been sharpened by the disclosure that, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, the developers intend to exercise the principle of ‘eminent domain’ in land acquisition proceedings on the grounds that they are acting as agents of a public authority.
The developers apparently believe that such rights, once established in Texas, could then be applied across the entire 6,500 km length of the NAFTA highway. Whether that proves to be so depends on the outcome of any challenge that might be launched against such a claim.
Amsterdam Reefer Madness?
"But if America's drug warriors came here, they would learn something even if they didn't sample any of the dozens of varieties of marijuana sold legally in specially licensed coffee shops," Tierney writes. "They could see that the patrons puffing on joints generally don't look any more zombielike than the crowd at an American bar -- or, for that matter, a congressional subcommittee listening to a lecture on evils of marijuana."
Bong Hits for Jesus
President Clinton’s impeachment nemesis Kenneth Starr is staying busy. Monday, the former Independent Counsel is expected to file a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the suspension of a high school student disciplined for holding a banner across the street from campus reading, “BONG HITS 4 JESUS.”
The incident occurred in January 2002, as the Olympic torch relay wound through Juneau, Alaska, en route to the winter games in Salt Lake City. As the torch passed by the school, student Joseph Frederick and friends unfurled the banner across the street from campus apparently to attract the attention of television cameras.
Off to the Beach
No blogging over the weekend. Off to the beach though the weather doesn't look that great. Is Fall coming soon?. Say it ain't so! That house in the photo is not our house, of course, but it's at the beach we go to. Maybe its the house from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind?
Turmoil in Oaxaca: A revolution in the making
Back in May, his parents joined with tens of thousands of their colleagues from all over the state in an annual occupation of the center of the state capital. As they had for the last 26 years, they pitched their tents and stretched their tarps during spring break and demanded better salaries and more money for books, shoes and hot lunches for their students; but this year something was different. Instead of negotiating the promise of relief of their grievances (more a promise in the past than a performance), the new governor, a self-styled “strong man,” rebuffed almost all their demands. When the two weeks that had in the past constituted the limit of their stay was up, the teachers refused to budge. The governor sent in the troops, and a battle ensued which the teachers, by their overwhelming numbers, won.
Republican Congressional Report on Iran Riddled With Errors
This congressional report is full of the same sort of wild fantasies.
On page 9, the report alleges that "Iran is currently enriching uranium to weapons grade using a 164-machine centrifuge cascade at this facility in Natanz."
This is an outright lie. Enriching to weapons grade would require at least 80% enrichment. Iran claims . . . 2.5 per cent. See how that isn't the same thing? See how you can't blow up anything with 2.5 percent?
The claim is not only flat wrong, but it is misleading in another way. You need 16,000 centrifuges, hooked up so that they cascade, to make enough enriched uranium for a bomb in any realistic time fame, even if you know how to get the 80 percent! Iran has . . . 164. See how that isn't the same?
On page 9, the report alleges that "Iran is currently enriching uranium to weapons grade using a 164-machine centrifuge cascade at this facility in Natanz."
This is an outright lie. Enriching to weapons grade would require at least 80% enrichment. Iran claims . . . 2.5 per cent. See how that isn't the same thing? See how you can't blow up anything with 2.5 percent?
The claim is not only flat wrong, but it is misleading in another way. You need 16,000 centrifuges, hooked up so that they cascade, to make enough enriched uranium for a bomb in any realistic time fame, even if you know how to get the 80 percent! Iran has . . . 164. See how that isn't the same?
Who killed the newspaper?
“A GOOD newspaper, I suppose, is a nation talking to itself,” mused Arthur Miller in 1961. A decade later, two reporters from the Washington Post wrote a series of articles that brought down President Nixon and the status of print journalism soared. At their best, newspapers hold governments and companies to account. They usually set the news agenda for the rest of the media. But in the rich world newspapers are now an endangered species. The business of selling words to readers and selling readers to advertisers, which has sustained their role in society, is falling apart
Election of Alabama lesbian overturned by committee
WTF!?
The committee disqualified Todd and her opponent, Gaynell Hendricks, because they had not filed a required campaign finance report on time. The same rule has been ignored by all candidates since 1988 and the Associated Press has reported that this year's party nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor have not filed the reports as well.
The committee disqualified Todd and her opponent, Gaynell Hendricks, because they had not filed a required campaign finance report on time. The same rule has been ignored by all candidates since 1988 and the Associated Press has reported that this year's party nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor have not filed the reports as well.
Milwaukee Is Named 'Drunkest City'
40 oz in my lap and it's cold as Hell!
Minneapolis-St. Paul was ranked second overall; followed by Columbus, Ohio; Boston; Austin, Texas; Chicago; Cleveland; Pittsburgh and then Philadelphia and Providence, R.I., in a tie for ninth.
Evolution Major Vanishes From Approved Federal List
The omission is inadvertent, said Katherine McLane, a spokeswoman for the Department of Education, which administers the grants. “There is no explanation for it being left off the list,” Ms. McLane said. “It has always been an eligible major.”
Inadvertent my ass!
Press Release: Sixty-Four Percent of NY Dems Would Support Anti-War Candidate, Says Marist Poll
Jonathan Tasini for Senate!
New York, NY – Marist released a poll yesterday which found that only ten percent of Democrats in New York say they will vote for a pro-war candidate whereas 64 percent (up from 62 percent from the last Marist poll in July) say they would vote an anti-war candidate.
“Once again I stand where the majority of Democratic voters stand on the issue of the war in Iraq,” said Tasini. ”Why is Hillary Clinton unwilling to have an open debate on the war? This is the issue that is central on voters' minds and she is showing a lack of respect for the voters and for democracy by refusing to engage in a debate."
The Marist poll results can be viewed at: http://www.maristpoll.marist.edu/nyspolls/NYElection2006_060823.htm.
New York, NY – Marist released a poll yesterday which found that only ten percent of Democrats in New York say they will vote for a pro-war candidate whereas 64 percent (up from 62 percent from the last Marist poll in July) say they would vote an anti-war candidate.
“Once again I stand where the majority of Democratic voters stand on the issue of the war in Iraq,” said Tasini. ”Why is Hillary Clinton unwilling to have an open debate on the war? This is the issue that is central on voters' minds and she is showing a lack of respect for the voters and for democracy by refusing to engage in a debate."
The Marist poll results can be viewed at: http://www.maristpoll.marist.edu/nyspolls/NYElection2006_060823.htm.
Mexico Approaches the Combustion Point
The Congress of the country is ringed by two-meter tall grilled metal barriers soldered together apparently to thwart a suicide car bomb attack. Behind this metal wall, 3000 vizored, kevlar-wearing robocops -- the Federal Preventative Police (PFP, a police force drawn from the army) -- and members of the elite Estado Mayor or Presidential military command, form a second line of defense. Armed with tear gas launchers, water cannons, and reportedly light tanks, this Praetorian Guard has been assigned to protect law and order and the institutions of the republic against left-wing mobs that threaten to storm the Legislative Palace -- or so the President informs his fellow citizens in repeated messages transmitted on national television.
Black students ordered to give up seats to white children
COUSHATTA -- Nine black children attending Red River Elementary School were directed last week to the back of the school bus by a white driver who designated the front seats for white children.
The situation has outraged relatives of the black children who have filed a complaint with school officials.
Superintendent Kay Easley will meet with the family members in her office this morning.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People also is considering filing a formal charge with the U.S. Department of Justice. NAACP District Vice President James Panell, of Shreveport, said he would apprise Justice attorneys of the situation this week. He's considering asking for an investigation into the bus incident and other aspects of the school system's operations, including pupil-teacher ratio as it relates to the numbers of white and black children, along with a breakdown of the numbers of black and white teachers employed.
The situation has outraged relatives of the black children who have filed a complaint with school officials.
Superintendent Kay Easley will meet with the family members in her office this morning.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People also is considering filing a formal charge with the U.S. Department of Justice. NAACP District Vice President James Panell, of Shreveport, said he would apprise Justice attorneys of the situation this week. He's considering asking for an investigation into the bus incident and other aspects of the school system's operations, including pupil-teacher ratio as it relates to the numbers of white and black children, along with a breakdown of the numbers of black and white teachers employed.
Trying to Make It Home: New Orleans One Year After Katrina
We do know billions of dollars in no-bid FEMA contracts went to Bechtel Corporation, the Shaw Group, CH2M Hill, and Fluor immediately after Katrina hit. Riley Bechtel, CEO of Bechtel Corporation, served on President Bush's Export Council during 2003-2004. A lobbyist for the Shaw Group, Joe Allbaugh, is a former FEMA Director and friend of President Bush. The president and group chief executive of the International Group at CH2MHill is Robert Card, appointed by President Bush as under secretary to the US Department of Energy until 2004. Card also worked at CH2M Hill before signing up with President Bush. Fluor, whose work in Iraq was slowing down, is one of the big winners of FEMA work, and its stock is up 65 percent since it started Katrina work.
Senator Byron Dorgan, of North Dakota, has raised many protests and questions over inflated prices. "It is hard to overstate the incompetence involved in all of these contracts - we have repeatedly asked them for information and you get nothing." Republican US Representative Charles Bustany, who represents an area heavily damaged by Hurricane Rita, asked FEMA for reasons why the decision was made to stop funding 100 percent of the cost of debris removal in his district. FEMA refused to tell him. He then filed a Freedom of Information request to get the information, and was again refused. When he asked to appeal their denial, he was told that there were many appeals ahead of his and he would have to wait.
If a US Senator and a local US Republican congressman cannot get answers from FEMA, how much accountability can the people of the Gulf Coast expect? There are many other examples of fraud, waste and patronage.
Senator Byron Dorgan, of North Dakota, has raised many protests and questions over inflated prices. "It is hard to overstate the incompetence involved in all of these contracts - we have repeatedly asked them for information and you get nothing." Republican US Representative Charles Bustany, who represents an area heavily damaged by Hurricane Rita, asked FEMA for reasons why the decision was made to stop funding 100 percent of the cost of debris removal in his district. FEMA refused to tell him. He then filed a Freedom of Information request to get the information, and was again refused. When he asked to appeal their denial, he was told that there were many appeals ahead of his and he would have to wait.
If a US Senator and a local US Republican congressman cannot get answers from FEMA, how much accountability can the people of the Gulf Coast expect? There are many other examples of fraud, waste and patronage.
EU tunnel crossing ends in farce
Two Egyptian men are awaiting trial in Russia after several attempts to burrow their way under various European borders using nothing but shoehorns.
Dempsey and Beasely for Premier League almost happened...
The New England Revolution's Dempsey is deeply disappointed that MLS turned down a transfer offer from Charlton Athletic, which sources say put forward a formal bid worth $1.5 million for the 23-year-old World Cup goal-scorer. Meanwhile, PSV Eindhoven's Beasley told me that he nearly joined "a big team" in the Premiership on loan in the past two weeks before the deal fell through. (He wouldn't specify the club.)
Thanks to http://dcsundevil.blogspot.com/ for the tip.
Thanks to http://dcsundevil.blogspot.com/ for the tip.
Oil Spill in Lebanon
Scroll to the bottom to see some underwater footage of the oil spill off the Lebanese coast.
A toxic carpet of heavy fuel oil up to 10 cm thick is suffocating sea off the Lebanese coast. An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 tonnes of Fuel Oil poured into the Mediterranean Sea following the bombing of the Jieh power plant on July 13 and 15. This has contaminated up to 150 km of the Lebanese coast north of the plant; however the full extent of the spill has yet to be fully assessed as aerial surveillance is still not possible due to an air and sea blockade.
A toxic carpet of heavy fuel oil up to 10 cm thick is suffocating sea off the Lebanese coast. An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 tonnes of Fuel Oil poured into the Mediterranean Sea following the bombing of the Jieh power plant on July 13 and 15. This has contaminated up to 150 km of the Lebanese coast north of the plant; however the full extent of the spill has yet to be fully assessed as aerial surveillance is still not possible due to an air and sea blockade.
Feingold rips 'pile of lies' on Iraq
U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold told a group of Madison area residents this morning that the ongoing U.S. presence in Iraq is the result of an "outrageous pile of lies" and called for more accountability.
Calendars show Armitage met Woodward
so what has Patrick Fitzgerald been doing for me lately???
WASHINGTON - The No. 2 State Department official met with Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward in mid-June 2003, the same time the reporter has testified that an administration official talked to him about CIA employee Valerie Plame.
Official State Department calendars, provided to The Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act, show then-Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage held a one-hour meeting marked "private appointment" with Woodward on June 13, 2003.
Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has investigated whether Bush administration officials intentionally revealed Plame's identity as a one-time CIA covert operative to punish her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson, for criticizing the administration's march to war with Iraq.
When contacted at home Monday night, Woodward declined to discuss his meeting with Armitage or the identity of his source in the CIA leak case. Instead, he referred to his statement last year that he had a "casual and offhand" discussion about Plame with an unidentified administration official in mid-June 2003.
A person familiar with the information prosecutors have gathered, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because the material remains sealed, said Woodward's meeting with the confidential source was June 13, 2003.
WASHINGTON - The No. 2 State Department official met with Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward in mid-June 2003, the same time the reporter has testified that an administration official talked to him about CIA employee Valerie Plame.
Official State Department calendars, provided to The Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act, show then-Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage held a one-hour meeting marked "private appointment" with Woodward on June 13, 2003.
Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has investigated whether Bush administration officials intentionally revealed Plame's identity as a one-time CIA covert operative to punish her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson, for criticizing the administration's march to war with Iraq.
When contacted at home Monday night, Woodward declined to discuss his meeting with Armitage or the identity of his source in the CIA leak case. Instead, he referred to his statement last year that he had a "casual and offhand" discussion about Plame with an unidentified administration official in mid-June 2003.
A person familiar with the information prosecutors have gathered, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because the material remains sealed, said Woodward's meeting with the confidential source was June 13, 2003.
Radio stations seized in Mexico
Teachers striking in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca have seized at least eight private radio stations.
Eyeing a little more green
Writers of live-action features get royalties when their work is repackaged and sold. But writers of animation don't. Their "ancillary profit participation," as it's known, is paid in multiples of zero.
NYC Rescinds Proposed Parade Permit Regulations and Cancels Police Hearing
NYC rescinds its new parade permit regulations and cancels August 23 police hearing. Overwhelming support at People's Public Forum last night at St. Mark's Church helped to apply pressure on city to back off.
NYPD Expected To Back Off Strict Protest Permit Requirements
August 18, 2006
The Police Department is expected to back off a controversial proposal that requires demonstrators to get permits just to march on the sidewalk.
Last month, the NYPD proposed regulations requiring groups of 35 or more to get a permit for marching on the sidewalk. In the street, groups larger than 20 would have needed a parade permit.
However, the Police Department said Friday it will revise that proposal because of public criticism. It expects to scrap requirements for pedestrians, but 20 or more people gathering in the street will still need one, as will groups larger than 10, if they violate traffic laws.
The NYPD says it drew up the restrictions because a judge ruled its regulations were too vague.
The department says permits allow police to plan for traffic disruptions in advance. Opponents say the plan goes against the U.S. constitution and hinders freedom of expression.
Police officials say they expect to publish the new permit rules in a few weeks.
NYPD Expected To Back Off Strict Protest Permit Requirements
August 18, 2006
The Police Department is expected to back off a controversial proposal that requires demonstrators to get permits just to march on the sidewalk.
Last month, the NYPD proposed regulations requiring groups of 35 or more to get a permit for marching on the sidewalk. In the street, groups larger than 20 would have needed a parade permit.
However, the Police Department said Friday it will revise that proposal because of public criticism. It expects to scrap requirements for pedestrians, but 20 or more people gathering in the street will still need one, as will groups larger than 10, if they violate traffic laws.
The NYPD says it drew up the restrictions because a judge ruled its regulations were too vague.
The department says permits allow police to plan for traffic disruptions in advance. Opponents say the plan goes against the U.S. constitution and hinders freedom of expression.
Police officials say they expect to publish the new permit rules in a few weeks.
Insiders Voice Concern Over YouTube
"It is a continuation of a trend in which politicians have to assume they are on live TV all the time," Mr. Wolfson said. "You can't get away with making an offensive or dumb remark and assume it won't get out."
Migration Within U.S. Makes Whites a Minority in 3 More Areas
An analysis of census data released last week has shown that the white non-Hispanic population in another three of America's 50 largest cities has become a minority. In Phoenix, Tucson and Denver, the white population has recently fallen below 50 percent, according to William H. Frey, a demographer with the Brookings Institution.
He predicts that another four cities will soon follow. Whites will become a minority in Arlington, Tex.; Charlotte; and Las Vegas within two years and in Austin within four years, he said.
Media Companies: Not So Boffo in 2006
Standard & Poor's sees difficulty ahead for TV, movies, and radio. The one bright spot: Online advertising
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services' outlook for the media and entertainment industry in 2006 has become less optimistic, with traditional advertising representing an area of slowing momentum and potential negative surprises that could neutralize the expected boost from local elections and the Winter Olympics. This follows 2005's uninspiring revenue performance in the radio, magazine publishing, and newspaper sectors.
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services' outlook for the media and entertainment industry in 2006 has become less optimistic, with traditional advertising representing an area of slowing momentum and potential negative surprises that could neutralize the expected boost from local elections and the Winter Olympics. This follows 2005's uninspiring revenue performance in the radio, magazine publishing, and newspaper sectors.
With Lt. Watada's Case, GI Resistance Grows
A growing number of Iraq war combat vets are resisting orders, going to jail, or going AWOL -- and they want to talk about why.
Katrina: disaster profiteers pocket millions in deals
A year after Hurricane Katrina, the reconstruction of the devastated Gulf coast is being severely hampered by waste and inefficiency overseen by "disaster profiteers" who are making million of dollars, according to a watchdog group. The group claims the inefficiency - along with the companies' political connections - follows a pattern similar to what happened in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Sheehan, supporters protest at Karl Rove event
Chanting "Try Rove for treason," Cindy Sheehan and more than 50 other war protesters disrupted a reception before President Bush's top adviser Karl Rove spoke at a fundraiser Saturday.
Two Strange Deaths in European Wiretapping Scandal
hmmmmmm
Just after noon on Friday, July 21, Adamo Bove -- head of security at Telecom Italia, the country's largest telecommunications firm -- told his wife he had some errands to run as he left their Naples apartment. Hours later, police found his car parked atop a freeway overpass. Bove's body lay on the pavement some 100 feet below.
Bove was a master at detecting hidden phone networks. Recently, at the direction of Milan prosecutors, he'd used mobile phone records to trace how a "Special Removal Unit" composed of CIA and SISMI (the Italian CIA) agents abducted Abu Omar, an Egyptian cleric, and flew him to Cairo where he was tortured. The Omar kidnapping and the alleged involvement of 26 CIA agents, whom prosecutors seek to arrest and extradite, electrified Italian media. U.S. media noted the story, then dropped it...
Tsalikidis, according to friends and family, was excited about his work and was looking forward to marrying his longtime girlfriend. But on March 9, 2005, his elderly mother found him hanging from a white rope tied to pipes outside of his apartment bathroom. His limp feet dangled a mere three inches above the floor. His death was ruled a suicide; he, like Adamo Bove, left no suicide note.
The next day, Vodaphone's top executive in Greece reported to the prime minister that unknown outsiders had illicitly eavesdropped on top government officials. Before making his report, however, the CEO had the spyware destroyed, even though this destroyed the evidence as well.
Just after noon on Friday, July 21, Adamo Bove -- head of security at Telecom Italia, the country's largest telecommunications firm -- told his wife he had some errands to run as he left their Naples apartment. Hours later, police found his car parked atop a freeway overpass. Bove's body lay on the pavement some 100 feet below.
Bove was a master at detecting hidden phone networks. Recently, at the direction of Milan prosecutors, he'd used mobile phone records to trace how a "Special Removal Unit" composed of CIA and SISMI (the Italian CIA) agents abducted Abu Omar, an Egyptian cleric, and flew him to Cairo where he was tortured. The Omar kidnapping and the alleged involvement of 26 CIA agents, whom prosecutors seek to arrest and extradite, electrified Italian media. U.S. media noted the story, then dropped it...
Tsalikidis, according to friends and family, was excited about his work and was looking forward to marrying his longtime girlfriend. But on March 9, 2005, his elderly mother found him hanging from a white rope tied to pipes outside of his apartment bathroom. His limp feet dangled a mere three inches above the floor. His death was ruled a suicide; he, like Adamo Bove, left no suicide note.
The next day, Vodaphone's top executive in Greece reported to the prime minister that unknown outsiders had illicitly eavesdropped on top government officials. Before making his report, however, the CEO had the spyware destroyed, even though this destroyed the evidence as well.
EPL Starts Today
Yeah, excited about the EPL starting today but many games will be live on Setanta Sports, which seems like is only on Direct TV and thus since I have only Fox Soccer Channel, I will miss those games.
2006-2007 English Premier League (EPL)
Updated August 16, 2005
FOX Sports International (FSI) has sublicensed US and Canadian TV rights to an average of approximately 4 2006-2007 English Premier League (EPL) matches each week to Setanta Sports North America.
In the United States, FOX Soccer Channel and Setanta Sports USA will divide the 2006-2007 EPL season as follows:
Saturdays at 7:30am ET: Setanta Sports USA
Saturdays at 10am ET: Setanta Sports USA has the 1st and 3rd picks, FOX Soccer Channel has the 2nd and 4th picks
Saturdays at 12noon ET: FOX Soccer Channel
Sundays at 8:30am ET or 9am ET: Setanta Sports USA
Sundays at 11am ET: FOX Soccer Channel
Mondays at 3pm ET: FOX Soccer Channel
Tuesdays-Fridays: Setanta Sports USA has the 1st pick, FOX Soccer Channel has the 2nd pick
ps. That's a photo of my club from 2002. Can you pick me out? To be fair to the lads, we had just suffered a crushing defeat so most of us look dejected.
WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE: A REQUIEM IN FOUR ACTS
I have high expectations for this. I think Spike will do a good job. Airing on HBO on Monday and Tuesday, August 28/29.
More links here:
http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/whentheleveesbroke/resources.html
More links here:
http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/whentheleveesbroke/resources.html
Kirkland family cash in on England debut
The most famous betting slip in England can finally be cashed.
Twelve years ago, when Eddie Kirkland wared £100 at 100-1 on son Chris to play for England, he could hardly have expected it to become a national talking point.
Now, after a few false starts, Kirkland snr can march purposefully down to the bookmakers and collect £10,000 to go with the England shirt which represents one of the proudest days of his life.
Twelve years ago, when Eddie Kirkland wared £100 at 100-1 on son Chris to play for England, he could hardly have expected it to become a national talking point.
Now, after a few false starts, Kirkland snr can march purposefully down to the bookmakers and collect £10,000 to go with the England shirt which represents one of the proudest days of his life.
Hitting a nerve
This guy Murray is fantastic.
The hype scarcely lowers. On the flagship ten o'clock news last night, the BBC reported breathlessly on the United flight diverted from Washington to Boston last night, and its fighter escort. We had very earnest besuited security experts terrifying us about the dangers.
The extraordinary thing was that, by this stage, we knew definitely that this was a 60 year old woman with claustrophobia, who had a few loose matches and some Vaseline intensive care hand lotion in the bottom of her handbag. The facts reported were totally at odds with the whole manner of the "be terrified" report and the analysis being built on it. But that didn't stop them.
The hype scarcely lowers. On the flagship ten o'clock news last night, the BBC reported breathlessly on the United flight diverted from Washington to Boston last night, and its fighter escort. We had very earnest besuited security experts terrifying us about the dangers.
The extraordinary thing was that, by this stage, we knew definitely that this was a 60 year old woman with claustrophobia, who had a few loose matches and some Vaseline intensive care hand lotion in the bottom of her handbag. The facts reported were totally at odds with the whole manner of the "be terrified" report and the analysis being built on it. But that didn't stop them.
Bush Pardons 17 Minor Criminals
Including this moonshine maker...
_William Henry Eagle, Wenatchee, Wash., possessing an unregistered still, carrying on the business of a distiller without the required bond, and manufacturing mash on other than lawfully qualified premises. Sentenced March 23, 1972, to two years probation.
Airlines set to sue for £300m over terror losses
AIRLINES including Ryanair are considering suing the Government for up to £300 million to recover the losses incurred since extra security measures were imposed last week.
They are hoping that the threat of legal action will force ministers to lift the restrictions on hand luggage, which have caused thousands of flight cancellations and delayed millions of passengers since an alleged terrorist plot was foiled.
They are hoping that the threat of legal action will force ministers to lift the restrictions on hand luggage, which have caused thousands of flight cancellations and delayed millions of passengers since an alleged terrorist plot was foiled.
Employer advises Dumpster-diving for axed workers
The No. 5 U.S. carrier (Northwest Airlines), which has slashed most employees' pay and is looking to cut jobs as it prepares to exit bankruptcy, put the tips in a booklet handed out to about 50 workers and posted for a time on its employee Web site.
The four-page booklet, "Preparing for a Financial Setback" contained suggestions such as shopping in thrift stores, taking "a date for a walk along the beach or in the woods" and not being "shy about pulling something you like out of the trash."
The booklet was part of a 150-page packet to ground workers, such as baggage handlers, whose jobs will likely be cut after their union agreed to allow the airline to outsource some of their work, Blahoski said.
The four-page booklet, "Preparing for a Financial Setback" contained suggestions such as shopping in thrift stores, taking "a date for a walk along the beach or in the woods" and not being "shy about pulling something you like out of the trash."
The booklet was part of a 150-page packet to ground workers, such as baggage handlers, whose jobs will likely be cut after their union agreed to allow the airline to outsource some of their work, Blahoski said.
10,000 bags misplaced at airports
Around 10,000 bags checked in by British Airways passengers have gone missing at airports since the UK security alert began, the airline says.
It said half of them were still piled up at airports waiting to be delivered back to their owners.
It said half of them were still piled up at airports waiting to be delivered back to their owners.
Olbermann: 'The Nexus of politics and terror'
Watch this!MSNBC's Keith Olbermann offered an updated top 10 list of occasions that the Bush Administration has gained political benefits around the same time that the public's fear of terrorism was at a peak. Olbermann describes it as "The Nexus of Politics and Terror."
In this video from last night's broadcast, Olbermann includes the latest foiled terrorist plot in Britain with the newest edition of the "Nexus of Politics and Terror Top 10 List". Olbermann concludes that if these occasions are more than just coincidences then, he says, "it underscores the need for questions to be asked in this country, questions about what is prudence and what is fear-mongering."
In this video from last night's broadcast, Olbermann includes the latest foiled terrorist plot in Britain with the newest edition of the "Nexus of Politics and Terror Top 10 List". Olbermann concludes that if these occasions are more than just coincidences then, he says, "it underscores the need for questions to be asked in this country, questions about what is prudence and what is fear-mongering."
The UK Terror plot: what's really going on?
A MUST READ! Excellent analysis from Craig Murray.
"None of the alleged terrorists had made a bomb. None had bought a plane ticket. Many did not even have passports, which given the efficiency of the UK Passport Agency would mean they couldn't be a plane bomber for quite some time...
In all of this, the one thing of which I am certain is that the timing is deeply political. This is more propaganda than plot. Of the over one thousand British Muslims arrested under anti-terrorist legislation, only twelve per cent are ever charged with anything. That is simply harrassment of Muslims on an appalling scale. Of those charged, 80% are acquitted. Most of the very few - just over two per cent of arrests - who are convicted, are not convicted of anything to do terrorism, but of some minor offence the Police happened upon while trawling through the wreck of the lives they had shattered."
Thanks to Allan fer der tip.
"None of the alleged terrorists had made a bomb. None had bought a plane ticket. Many did not even have passports, which given the efficiency of the UK Passport Agency would mean they couldn't be a plane bomber for quite some time...
In all of this, the one thing of which I am certain is that the timing is deeply political. This is more propaganda than plot. Of the over one thousand British Muslims arrested under anti-terrorist legislation, only twelve per cent are ever charged with anything. That is simply harrassment of Muslims on an appalling scale. Of those charged, 80% are acquitted. Most of the very few - just over two per cent of arrests - who are convicted, are not convicted of anything to do terrorism, but of some minor offence the Police happened upon while trawling through the wreck of the lives they had shattered."
Thanks to Allan fer der tip.
Qana Was Not Staged
"When there is senseless death in this part of the world," Tim explains, "it is completely normal to display the bodies. Whether in plastic or on blankets, it's done whether there are photographers there or not. The idea is to ready the public for what has happened -- and also say, look what our enemies have done to us."
Corporate war machine gathers speed
Evidence shows that business or economic beneficiaries of war, who do not have to face direct combat and death, tend to be more jingoistic than professional military personnel who will have to face the horrors of warfare. Furthermore, military professionals tend to care more about the outcome of a war and "military honor" than civilian leaders, who often represent some powerful economic interests that benefit from the business of war.
Calling such business and/or ideologically driven warmongers "civilian militarists", military historian Alfred Vagts points to a number of historical instances of how civilian militarists' eagerness to use military force for their nefarious interests often led "to an intensification of the horrors of warfare".
Calling such business and/or ideologically driven warmongers "civilian militarists", military historian Alfred Vagts points to a number of historical instances of how civilian militarists' eagerness to use military force for their nefarious interests often led "to an intensification of the horrors of warfare".
EXCLUSIVE: DE MENEZES GUN COP TO TRAIN SKY MARSHALS
Great, just great.
ONE of the officers who shot Tube blunder man Jean Charles de Menezes is to train new British sky marshals.
The armed cop, in his 30s, has been picked because top brass say he has "proven ability to act swiftly and decisively" in emergencies.
Officers from his unit will be secretly placed on some jets feared to be at particular risk on routes from the UK to America.
ONE of the officers who shot Tube blunder man Jean Charles de Menezes is to train new British sky marshals.
The armed cop, in his 30s, has been picked because top brass say he has "proven ability to act swiftly and decisively" in emergencies.
Officers from his unit will be secretly placed on some jets feared to be at particular risk on routes from the UK to America.
Human reluctance to take a life can be reversed through training in the method known as killology
What exactly does it take to kill someone? Here's how 21-year-old West Texas Army Pvt. Steven Green described shooting a man who refused to stop at an Iraqi checkpoint: "It was like nothing. Over here, killing people is like squashing an ant. I mean, you kill somebody, and it's like, 'All right, let's go get some pizza,' " he told the military newspaper Stars & Stripes.
"I mean, I thought killing somebody would be this life-changing experience. And then I did it, and I was like, 'All right, whatever.' "
In February, the soldier's comments struck embedded correspondent Andrew Tilghman as unremarkable, a reflection of the fact that he and Green were immersed in the treacherous hellhole of Mahmoudiya, at the edge of what GIs have dubbed the Triangle of Death. Green's statements didn't even make it into the Stars & Stripes article, which ran earlier this year.
It was only recently -- when the honorably discharged soldier appeared in federal court pleading not guilty to the rape of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and the cold-blooded murder of her family -- that Tilghman recalled the quotes with a newfound chill.
Salon: Voter suppression efforts seen in six states
After votes were suppressed in Florida and Ohio during the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, Salon warns that four additional states could see voters prevented from casting ballots, with the greatest impact felt by Democratic candidates.
The report shows business as usual in Ohio where gubernatorial candidate and current Secretary of State Ken Blackwell has pushed regulations working to hinder voter registration efforts in the state. Similar efforts are afoot in Florida, as well as new authority for partisan pollwatchers to challenge the registration of individual voters...
In Arizona, legislation that requires proof of citizenship to vote is taking a toll beyond the illegal immigrants it seeks to keep out of polling places.
In Indiana, difficulties in securing state identification have complicated the ability of many to register to vote.
In California, problems have been identified with electronic voting machines, and the consolidation of statewide voter registration lists is being used to bar voters from the rolls.
In Missouri, rigid ID laws for voters are seen to be targeting minority voters likely to vote against Republicans.
Military recruiting violations rise: GAO
Aug 14, 2006 — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Allegations of wrongdoing by U.S. military recruiters jumped by 50 percent from 2004 to 2005, and criminal violations such as sexual harassment and falsifying documents more than doubled, a congressional agency said on Monday.
US sending 300 newly returned troops back to Iraq
The order provoked anger and disappointment among some of the soldiers' families in Alaska. It also made clear that any significant reduction in the 135,000-strong U.S. force in Iraq was unlikely in the immediate future.
The brigade was so far along in the process of flowing out of Iraq after its yearlong tour that 380 soldiers had returned home to Alaska and 300 had arrived in Kuwait en route home, the Army said.
All of the brigade's soldiers who had reached Kuwait were sent back into Iraq, the Army said. And now, 300 of the 380 who made it to Alaska will be sent back to Iraq within the next couple of weeks, said Paul Boyce, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon.
Those 300, mainly infantry soldiers, are needed back in Iraq "to maintain the cohesiveness of that unit as much as possible," Boyce said. Most of these soldiers returned to Alaska three weeks ago but some have been back for as long as five weeks, Boyce added.
WTF?!
The brigade was so far along in the process of flowing out of Iraq after its yearlong tour that 380 soldiers had returned home to Alaska and 300 had arrived in Kuwait en route home, the Army said.
All of the brigade's soldiers who had reached Kuwait were sent back into Iraq, the Army said. And now, 300 of the 380 who made it to Alaska will be sent back to Iraq within the next couple of weeks, said Paul Boyce, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon.
Those 300, mainly infantry soldiers, are needed back in Iraq "to maintain the cohesiveness of that unit as much as possible," Boyce said. Most of these soldiers returned to Alaska three weeks ago but some have been back for as long as five weeks, Boyce added.
WTF?!
Shrub
"The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country."
....George W. Bush
"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."
....George W. Bush
"Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and
child."
....Governor George W. Bush
"Welcome to Mrs. Bush, and my fellow astronauts."
....Governor George W. Bush
"The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation's history. I mean in
this century's history. But we all lived in this century. I didn't live
in this century."
....Governor George W. Bush, 9/15/95
"I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and
democracy - but that could change."
....Governor George W. Bush, 5/22/98
"Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things."
....Governor George W. Bush, 11/30/96
"People that are really very weird can get into sensitive positions and
have a tremendous impact on history."
....Governor George W. Bush
"I stand by all the misstatements that I've made."
....Governor George W. Bush to Sam Donaldson, 8/17/93
"We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a part of NATO. We have a
firm commitment to Europe. We are a part of Europe."
....Governor George W. Bush
"Public speaking is very easy."
....Governor George W. Bush
"I am not part of the problem. I am a Republican."
....Governor George W. Bush
"For NASA, space is still a high priority."
....Governor George W. Bush, 9/5/93
"The American people would not want to know of any misquotes that George
Bush may or may not make."
....Governor George W. Bush
"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities
in our air and water that are doing it."
....Governor George W. Bush
"[It's] time for the human race to enter the solar system."
....Governor George W. Bush
FBI: No terror groups in cell phone case
The FBI issued a news release Monday saying there is no imminent threat to the bridge linking Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas.
The release also said the FBI had no information indicating that the men, Palestinian-Americans living in Texas, had any direct links to any known terrorist groups or to the alleged plot to bomb trans-Atlantic jetliners that was announced in London last week.
The release also said the FBI had no information indicating that the men, Palestinian-Americans living in Texas, had any direct links to any known terrorist groups or to the alleged plot to bomb trans-Atlantic jetliners that was announced in London last week.
Derry Anti War Protestors Occupy Raytheon Plant
On Wednesday 9th August Anti War protesters in Derry stormed into the local plant of US missile manufacturer Raytheon. They were protesting against the use of Raytheon technology by the Israelis and used by them in their attacks in Lebanon.
After eight hours in occupation of the plant nine protesters were arrested by the PSNI and were charged with "Unlawful Assembly" and "Aggravated Burglary" when they appeared in court this morning (Thursday Aug 10th).
After eight hours in occupation of the plant nine protesters were arrested by the PSNI and were charged with "Unlawful Assembly" and "Aggravated Burglary" when they appeared in court this morning (Thursday Aug 10th).
The jerk from Montana
Well, mostly. U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns, Republican of Montana, had something else to offer the Virginians.
After days spent in the heat and flames of the Billings' fires, the Augusta firefighters were finally on their way home, sitting in the lounge of the local airport, waiting to board their flight to Virginia. That's when the senator showed up.
Was he there to thank them? Maybe he wanted to give them a plaque or something. Politicians do that sort of thing, especially when there's an election coming up.
Oh, no. Burns stormed up to the Virginia crew and cussed them.
"See that guy over there?" the senator said, according to a subsequent report of the incident. "He hasn't done a [expletive deleted] thing. They sit around. I saw it up on the Wedge fire and in northwestern Montana some years ago. It's wasteful. You probably paid that guy $10,000 to sit around. It's gotta change."
After days spent in the heat and flames of the Billings' fires, the Augusta firefighters were finally on their way home, sitting in the lounge of the local airport, waiting to board their flight to Virginia. That's when the senator showed up.
Was he there to thank them? Maybe he wanted to give them a plaque or something. Politicians do that sort of thing, especially when there's an election coming up.
Oh, no. Burns stormed up to the Virginia crew and cussed them.
"See that guy over there?" the senator said, according to a subsequent report of the incident. "He hasn't done a [expletive deleted] thing. They sit around. I saw it up on the Wedge fire and in northwestern Montana some years ago. It's wasteful. You probably paid that guy $10,000 to sit around. It's gotta change."
Seymour Hersh: U.S. involved in Israeli plans to invade Lebanon
Hersh's intelligence and diplomatic sources tell him that the reason for this hands-off reaction was that George Bush and Dick Cheney already knew about Israeli plans for a bombing campaign against Hezbollah's underground missile complexes and were convinced that it could both increase Israel's security and serve as a prelude to a American pre-emptive attack on Iran's nuclear installations.
The White House also wanted Hezbollah stripped of the ability to retailiate against Israel in the wake of an American attack on Iran. As one U.S. government consultant told Hersh, "The Israelis told us it would be a cheap war with many benefits. Why oppose it? We’ll be able to hunt down and bomb missiles, tunnels, and bunkers from the air. It would be a demo for Iran."
The White House also wanted Hezbollah stripped of the ability to retailiate against Israel in the wake of an American attack on Iran. As one U.S. government consultant told Hersh, "The Israelis told us it would be a cheap war with many benefits. Why oppose it? We’ll be able to hunt down and bomb missiles, tunnels, and bunkers from the air. It would be a demo for Iran."
Amazon Proposes Using Customer Info for 'Gift Clustering'
The Santas on Amazon may soon know if intended gift recipients have been not only naughty or nice, but also whether they're Muslim, gay and unemployed.
Amazon.com filed a patent application on Aug. 10 for a process that would allow Amazon customers to use the retail Web site to gather information on other customers, including "birthday, interests, occupation, education level, income level, location, race, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation."
Amazon.com filed a patent application on Aug. 10 for a process that would allow Amazon customers to use the retail Web site to gather information on other customers, including "birthday, interests, occupation, education level, income level, location, race, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation."
NBA MVP Steve Nash trains with team
Nash, who lives in Manhattan during the off-season, is an avid soccer fan. His parents both hail from England and his father John grew up a Tottenham supporter. His brother Martin Nash has 30 caps for the Canadian national team, played professionally for Stockpole in England and currently plays for the Vancouver Whitecaps in the USL First Division.
Stockpole??? I think he means Stockport, eh?
Stockpole??? I think he means Stockport, eh?
U.S. Lags World in Grasp of Genetics and Acceptance of Evolution
A comparison of peoples' views in 34 countries finds that the United States ranks near the bottom when it comes to public acceptance of evolution. Only Turkey ranked lower.
Among the factors contributing to America's low score are poor understanding of biology, especially genetics, the politicization of science and the literal interpretation of the Bible by a small but vocal group of American Christians, the researchers say.
“American Protestantism is more fundamentalist than anybody except perhaps the Islamic fundamentalist, which is why Turkey and we are so close,” said study co-author Jon Miller of Michigan State University.
New North Korean movie is proletariat pleaser
"Diary of a Student Girl" screened before full houses in Pyongyang every day, evoking lively response from people of all walks of life," it said...
North Korea's student girl works with her younger sister in pursuit of scientific endeavors. Through their work they overcome hardships, better understand their parents and are instilled with pride in the nation and its military-first policy.
Even before it was released, official media said it would be listed as a masterpiece.
Minister of Culture Kang Nung-su praised the film as "the fruit borne under the wise leadership of Kim Jong-il, a great master in art," KCNA reported.
NYCLU Sues NYPD for Harassing & Detaining Photographers
August 7, 2006 -- The New York Civil Liberties Union today expanded a
federal lawsuit to challenge the New York City Police Department's
treatment of photographers and filmmakers. In the amended complaint
filed this morning in United States District Court in Manhattan, the
NYCLU alleged that NYPD officers are unlawfully detaining photographers
and threatening them with arrest if they will not destroy their images
or show them to police officers.
federal lawsuit to challenge the New York City Police Department's
treatment of photographers and filmmakers. In the amended complaint
filed this morning in United States District Court in Manhattan, the
NYCLU alleged that NYPD officers are unlawfully detaining photographers
and threatening them with arrest if they will not destroy their images
or show them to police officers.
One giant blunder for mankind
But just 37 years after Apollo 11, it is feared the magnetic tapes that recorded the first moon walk - beamed to the world via three tracking stations, including Parkes's famous "Dish" - have gone missing at NASA's Goddard Space Centre in Maryland.
A desperate search has begun amid concerns the tapes will disintegrate to dust before they can be found.
It is not widely known that the Apollo 11 television broadcast from the moon was a high-quality transmission, far sharper than the blurry version relayed instantly to the world on that July day in 1969.
Funny, I have the footage right here: http://www.blogjam.com/neil_armstrong/
Iran Sought Significant Quantities of Uranium from Africa?
The UN report, as you may note, does not mention Iran or Kazakhstan, details that the Sunday Times claims to have obtained from anonymous Tanzanian customs officials.
A couple of things worth keeping in mind.
First, said Tanzanian customs officials told the Sunday Times the shipment was bound for land-locked Kazakhstan via the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas:
The shipment was destined for smelting in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, delivered via Bandar Abbas, Iran’s biggest port.
This fact, which flatly contradicts the headline (“Iran’s plot to mine uranium in Africa”), is safely buried in the seventh paragraph, by which point the average Sunday Times reader will be too worked up to realize he’s reading utter trash.
Second, this is not a large consignment in the sense of the “Saddam Hussein sought significant quantities of uranium.”
The shipment was 100 kilograms of uranium ore—which contains about 70 grams of fissile U-235. A bomb would require 25 kilograms of uranium enriched to 90 percent U-235 —well more than 3 metric tons of uranium ore. Fueling a clandestine uranium enrichment program with 100 kilogram increments of ore would be a huge pain in the ass.
Interstellar Envelope
From the NASA image of the day
This gold aluminum cover was designed to protect the Voyager 1 and 2 "Sounds of Earth" gold-plated records from micrometeorite bombardment, but also serves a double purpose in providing the finder a key to playing the record. The explanatory diagram appears on both the inner and outer surfaces of the cover, as the outer diagram will be eroded in time.
Flying aboard Voyagers 1 and 2 are identical records, carrying the story of Earth far into deep space. The 12-inch gold-plated copper discs contain greetings in 60 languages, samples of music from different cultures and eras and natural and man-made sounds from Earth. They also contain electronic information that an advanced technological civilization could convert into diagrams and images.
Two items from Cycling News
1) UCI doesn't want to give blood to Spanish
"The blood of the riders in our possession from doping controls is used for research purposes," UCI president Pat McQuaid was quoted by AP as saying. "To give it for DNA comparisons is against our rules."
Makes one wonder whether there might be tampering done by the UCI???
2) New York Police Department tightens screws on cyclists
At the bottom of the page: Cyclists and pedestrians in New York City could be facing a long, inhospitable road ahead if the New York Police Department gets its way on August 23. A proposed change to the city's parade permit regulations, spearheaded by the NYPD and up for public hearing on the 23rd, would amend the definition of "parade" to require any group of 20 or more cyclists (or 35 or more pedestrians) to obtain a permit and an approved route on local streets. Moreover, two or more cyclists or pedestrians who violate any traffic law, rule or regulation on a public street could be arrested for parading without a permit.
Plant breeding: Rice in deep water
In many Asian countries, rice crops are prone to destruction by flooding. Most cultivars of rice, Oryza sativa, die after a week of complete submergence, but a few strains can survive a couple of weeks under water due to a major quantitative trait locus called Submergence 1 (Sub1). A detailed study of the Sub1 genes has now identified one, Sub1A, as the primary determinant of tolerance to submergence. The introduction of Sub1A into a widely grown Asian rice cultivar increases its survival rate in flood conditions without sacrificing its high yield and other good properties.
Fox Military Analyst, Col. David Hunt, on Syria: ‘We Can Talk To Them When We Line Them Up and Kill Them’
With the Bush administration refusing to hold direct talks with Syria, Col. David Hunt, military analyst for Fox News, appeared on Hannity & Colmes last night to offer some advice to the president: “I think we can talk to them when we line them up and kill them.” Stating that “the only reason to talk to some of these guys is to just do that,” Hunt went on to argue that America should “absolutely, 100 percent” seek regime change in both Syria and Iran if they’re “not going to cooperate.”
Summit of Indigenous Nations Sign Resolution to Rescind the Doctrine of Discovery (Papal Bulls of 1493)
The Indigenous Nations have resolved, here at the base of Mato Paha (Bear Butte), that the Pope of the Catholic Church and the Queen of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury rescind these doctrines of discovery as they have justified and paved the legal way for the dispossession of aboriginal land title and the subjugation of non-Christian people to the present. It has been resolved by 23 Nations and NGO’s and 100 individual signatories that the “doctrine of discovery is a legal and political fiction in violation of the rights of Indigenous People’s which has resulted in and continues to oppress indigenous people’s in the Western Hemisphere.
Signatories included a cross-section of indigenous and non-indigenous organizations and nations including American Indian Law Alliance, American Indian Movement, Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council by Chief Oliver Red Cloud and Oglala Delegate Floyd Hand, the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador and Bring Back the Way: Owe Aku and Tonatierra.
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