#5
Been on that ship in that Port. Felt safer there than in Mazatlan.
I always felt the right people had been greeced to provide a safe experience on land excursions. This was not smart move if these are simply banditoes. Sort of like holding up customers in the parking lot of the Bada Bing.
If it is gang on gang or simply late fees for protection services, I know this much. My taste for Mexican Tourism is on the same shelf as Egyptian tourism or Greek.
#1
SARS is a coronavirus. But common colds are typically associated with rhinoviruses and adenoviruses, as well as coronavirus. If this is an adenovirus, it is not SARS.
Chris Moerdyk's opinion artikel contains much more than the e-tolling title text. Moerdyk's underlying concern and the concern of many others is that they are headed down a road to Zimbabwian governance and economy. Some interesting government attitudes and language parallels.
#2
Very timely post. Looking at the comments also. Yes, there is the signpost up ahead. I avoid news media but they must be avoiding reality. The captian is in the bar and the ship runs aground. The aircraft controller has fallen asleep. Trains have a deadman's swithch at least. long live the king. I recall an expression that is very old but has been used in history many times. Something like; They have eyes but they cannot see. They have ears and yet they cannot hear. They have a brain yet they cannot comprehend that which they have seen or heard.
#3
Oddly enough, in the very long run I think this might be a good thing. At least in Africa.
Democracy can only exist where the people not only can assert a choice in government, but where they are willing to do so, as individuals, as well.
Africa is horribly tormented by tribalism. When the leaders of a tribe tell the tribe to vote a particular way, they all, to a person, vote that way, blindly following whatever their leaders say.
In historical Africa, one tribe was so distraught over the death of their beloved leader that to a person they committed suicide. They are extinct.
Crap like this has to end. When the government puts the squeeze on people, indifferent to their hardship, something has to break. In Zimbabwe, it was the people who broke. Tribalism won out, and now that nation has descended into ruin.
But South Africa may be different enough for that not to happen. People who think for themselves may be strongly outnumbered by brain dead tribals, but they are far stronger and more resilient.
Yet the tribals can overwhelm them by misusing democracy with sheer number of lockstep untermensch. But only if the individuals allow it to happen.
The tribals would prefer a descent into a Zimbabwe state, because even in Hell they would rule, and could give up any pretensions of respecting anyone not in their tribe.
Right now the non-tribal South Africans are experiencing the death of a thousand cuts. Either they assert themselves or they die out. It is natural selection.
#4
Africa is horribly tormented by tribalism. When the leaders of a tribe tell the tribe to vote a particular way, they all, to a person, vote that way, blindly following whatever their leaders say.
You know that's not confined to Africa. We just use a different term than 'tribe' but its the same fundamental behavior.
Roads are a finite commodity in many places very expensive to build that people get to use as much as they like for free.
The main reason roads are free is that historically it wasn't feasible to charge for using them, except where a road is mostly isolated from the rest of the road network, like the NY state thruway.
In a stark warning ahead of next months Budget, the Chancellor said there was little the Coalition could do to stimulate the economy.
Mr Osborne made it clear that due to the parlous state of the public finances the best hope for economic growth was to encourage businesses to flourish and hire more workers.
The British Government has run out of money because all the money was spent in the good years, the Chancellor said. The money and the investment and the jobs need to come from the private sector.
Mr Osbornes bleak assessment echoes that of Liam Byrne, the former chief secretary to the Treasury, who bluntly joked that Labour had left Britain broke when he exited the Government in 2010.
He left David Laws, his successor, a one-line note saying: Dear Chief Secretary, Im afraid to tell you theres no money left.
#5
Full marks for refusing to borrow or print more money.
The next stage is to shrink the size of government (fire civil servants) and reduce transfer payments (welfare). Altogether harder as Greece is finding out.
#7
> the Chancellor said there was little the Coalition could do to stimulate the economy.
But there NEVER IS anything the government can really do to stimulate the economy. It can "fiddle the reading" with debt, but it cannot boost the economy.
What it can do is harm the economy less, and that means cutting taxes like VAT (sales tax).
As per the USoA, iff Britain's official Debt-to-GDP ratio is less than as determined by Private or Market Analysts-Pundits, i.e. less than 100% or better, THEN LONDON = WASHINGTON CLEARLY HAS $$$ = RATIO PERCENTAGE POINTS LEFT TO USE UP IN GLORIOUS DEFICIT OVERSPENDING!
ONLY THE GUMMERMINT SAYS 101% OR HIGHER NATIONAL BANKRUPTCY DOTH NOT EQUATE.
#2
Yes, the threat is in the south. Sounds like an old playbook in serious need of an upgrade. The March election is the cause of much of this rhetoric in my opinion. His big spending plans will be difficult within his own party. The public want a better life. They have all the domestic problems other countries have. They are in no mood for war. "engage in nation building instead" Ditto.
#3
He seems flummoxed with something that has long haunted Russian leaders. Russians don't want to breed anymore. And he resists with every bone in his body making the changes needed so that they will want to breed.
He literally needs to create from scratch a new city that is clean, healthy, boring, and populated with breeding age young adults, and non-breeders are kept out. Men work in dull and easy, 9-5 paperwork jobs. Women are housewives and schoolteachers. Little or no birth control and zero abortions, but good OB/GYN. Lots of fertility drugs for multiple births.
Lots of elementary schools and churches full of young Russian Orthodox priests instructed to strongly emphasize "fruitful and multiply" as an essential religious doctrine. Family friendly everything, with a strong emphasis on sports and patriotism in school. Boy and girl scouting. Lots of co-ed everything. All children look forward to marriage.
Very little TV, movies and entertainment electronics. Computers and the Internet are for business and learning. Travel to or from the city is expensive.
A subtle promotional policy based on number of children. Eventually promotions for the parents to move out when the kids are young adults. Or new breeders to move in if the kids leave, too.
This is a simple formula to give Russia a baby boom of high quality Russians.
#5
Well, my telephone rang it would not stop
It's President Kennedy callin' me up
He said, "My friend, Bob, what do we need to make the country grow" ?
I said, "My friend, John, "Brigitte Bardot,
Anita Ekberg
Sophia Loren"
Country'll grow.
#6
Very high rate of Alcoholism. Severe drug problems also in the cities. Many children born with a variety of medical problems. My brother adopted two children(brother and sister)that have problems. This was several years ago. I believe he had to pay $20,000 each in crisp new bills. Build a strong family would be my suggestion. Those I have met here are very intelligent.
This is not a pleasant video. The fellow signing it has died. He was in his forties. He was for and against communism in his life. He seems to me to be a Russian version of John Lennon.
#2
smells of desperation. Every gas fill-up will reinforce the utter hate I feel for him, his policies, and his elitist fools that are in power. I'd crawl across broken glass to vote against him. He knows I'm not the only one, and the summer looks like an economic disaster
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/27/2012 19:31 Comments ||
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#3
It's of a piece. He's basically telling his green constituency "I'm telling you what you want to hear and doing the exact opposite, and you will vote for me anyway. Ahahahahahahahahha!" And the dumb bastards go along with it.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
02/27/2012 20:16 Comments ||
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#2
Quoting a comment from a Canadian on Zerohedge: Fact is the USA badly needs Canada's oil and Canada is badly dependent on one customer only, USA. A pipe to west coast won't change anything and requires the approval of about 100 Native Indian tribes that have their rights enshrined in constitution. If they object, it would require constitutional changes and they.....are objecting.
Right now Obama needs the enviromentalist's votes and that's it. It's all about votes .......After next elections, whether Obama is still there or Santorum is the president, Keystone will start to lay down pipes.
#5
ION FOX NEWS AM > Guest MONICA CROWLEY = belabeled the Bammer as a dedicated, unswerving "Ideologue in the WH" whom is engaging in extensive "Social [Re-]Engineering" at every level of the US Eonomy - e.g. FUEL/GAS PRICES, the Bammer is INTENTIONALLY MAKING THINGS SO COSTLY IN ORDER TO INDUCE OR FORCE AMERICANS TO GIVE UP EFFECTIVE + CHEAPER FOSSIL FUELS.
#1
The headline is over-the-top. The US has been there & has done that before. Countless local governments issued their own paper money when all US banks closed early in 1933. This "scrip" circulated off & on for years even after the banks re-opened.
The Feds demonetized gold, seized private stocks of gold without due compensation, and invalidated previous legal contracts that were supposed to have been settled in gold, and these measures were approved by the US Supreme Court.
The impression that the federal government is not really functioning, despite appearances to the contrary, seems to be spreading.
#3
Since states can only constitutionally issue currency backed by gold, the proper alternative is to create a state licensed, regulated, insured and audited scrip corporation.
To a great extent, it would be a business cooperative, tasked to do several things.
1) To concentrate dollars from the purchase of scrip, to bulk buy products, commodities and services not manufactured or available in the state. (Think pharmaceuticals). These will then be resold to members, for retail by scrip or dollars.
2) As the clearinghouse for scrip transactions and sales taxes. The value of scrip and prices of things bought with scrip would be set on a monthly basis, and remain fixed no matter what happened to the value of the dollar. Within a normal range, the two would be close to parity, but with inflation or deflation of the dollar, either the dollar or scrip would become the preferred currency.
3) The corporation would warehouse surplus commodities and products of members, which would be available to the state as relief supplies for the poor, as well as sold out of state for dollars.
Retailers and individuals would have a card with an encrypted data matrix bar code on it. When the clearinghouse was called by an ordinary cellphone with a camera, then the cardholder would scan the bar code and the clearinghouse would respond by sending a picture of its owner.
This would identify them as the seller. Then they would scan the data matrix bar code of the buyer, and their picture would be displayed to confirm that they were the owner of that bar code.
Then the seller would scan the regular bar code of the item or items being sold, like a grocery store scanner, and see a readout of the price of the items and the projected total, which would be in black text if the buyer had sufficient funds in their account, but turn to red if they didn't have enough to pay for it.
Then they buyer would have to confirm the total, then enter a PIN number to verify it. Not particularly more difficult than a current debit card transaction, except that no national credit card company would be involved.
#5
The Yellowstone caldera. After it cools a little.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2012 13:06 Comments ||
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#6
Where exactly would Wyoming keep an aircraft carrier?
After the Yellowstone volcano blows, the state will have a coastline. We're not yet sure which ocean it will connect to, though.
#9
You guys don't see it. It'll be in the Pacific. We'll just invade Washington and take it over, expel any liberals and it'll be Wyomings first Colony. We might let Montana help. Maybe.
Posted by: Silentbrick - Halliburton Lost Drill Bit Division ||
02/27/2012 22:09 Comments ||
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#10
In that case Silentbrick - will you hurry the hell up! Its getting to be like California lite around here....
#11
We're a bit busy, drilling for oil and gas up here at the moment. Hmmmm, betcha we could hire Tennessee to take it for us. I mean, they do like to fight. I would say Texas but they're having issues at the moment.
Posted by: Silentbrick - Halliburton Lost Drill Bit Division ||
02/27/2012 22:36 Comments ||
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It was a kindergarten class piece of art that Jessie Sansone probably won't want to hang on the refrigerator anytime soon.
After Jesse Sansone's 4-year-old daughter drew a picture of a gun, cops handcuffed the clueless father and dragged him off to jail. It was there that the dad was stripped of his clothes and searched by the authorities. Sansone was never charged with a crime.
Note how many parties of the first part are unnamed and in the passive voice in the article. It's as if bodiless evil spirits were wafting about the place, malice trailing in their wake
.Sansone wasn't expecting to be greeted by police when he went to pick up his three children from school last week. Faculty there had become concerned, however, after the man's 4-year-old daughter drew an image last Wednesday that they thought warranted investigation. It was a picture of a man holding a gun, and when teachers asked the girl to explain it, she said it was a depiction of her father.
"He uses it to shoot bad guys and monsters," teachers say the girl explained.
The father says he doesn't own a gun. Nor does he kill monsters. My guess is that the father might into video games. I've played some which were rather violent (the F.E.A.R. series for example, half life, etc...).
"I'm picking up my kids and then, next thing you know, I'm locked up," Sansone, 26, tells The Record out of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
"I was in shock. This is completely insane. My daughter drew a gun on a piece of paper at school," he says.
After seeing the image in question, the school's staff became shocked as well. So much so, in fact, that they rang up child welfare officials and local law enforcement and arranged for them to meet the girl's father at the end of the school day. By that evening, Sansone had been handcuffed, whisked away to jail and forced to remove his clothes so he could be subjected to a strip search.
Authorities took all three of Sansone's children and dragged them to Family and Children's Services to be interviewed. His wife, Stephanie Squires, tells The Record that authorities never explained themselves.
"He had absolutely no idea what this was even about. I just kept telling them. 'You're making a mistake,' " she says.
Despite her pleas, the ordeal went on for hours. Sansone says he was scared and was told he would be charged with possession of a firearm. The problem was, he says, that he doesn't own a gun. After being held for hours, Sansone was eventually freed from jail and was asked to authorize a search of his home. Though he didn't have to comply, he says he did so anyway.
Authorities did not recover any weapons in their search (or monsters Proving that the Sampson home doesn't have any mirrors.
).
His wife says they knew they wouldn't. The police, she says, acted on an assumption and nothing else.
"Police chose to arrest Jessie here. Nobody wants something like this to happen at any time, especially not at school. But that's out of my hands," Zack explains. Zack is the school Principal. Ultimately it was his decision to call in the police and children's welfare over a simple kids drawing. Old Zack is also in dire need of being FIRED for lacking even rudimentary common sense.
Sansone and his family are left wondering why the investigation carried out as far as it did, however. When The Record followed up on the story days later, Waterloo Regional Police Inspector Kevin Thaler told them, "We had every concern, based on this information that children were in danger." The information is now being called into question after Thaler adds that investigators never saw the drawing. In short - Waterloo Regional Police Inspector Kevin Thaler is lying. They arrested him with *no* evidence - not even the drawing - simply on the word of a school administrator.
Neither has Sansone or the school's superintendent.
Police add that the strip-search was necessary since it was a firearms-related incident. And the guy wasn't even charged. I don't know how it is in Canada but isn't this false imprisonment?
#1
Being its Canada he will have no useful legal recourse.... but .. being Canada there is a good chance Zack takes winter vacations to Florida.
Perhaps he ....
Posted by: Water Modem ||
02/27/2012 23:14 Comments ||
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#2
If they'd been real police, they'd of arrested the principle for being too stupid to be allowed in public. But since they're not cops, just thugs, they obeyed orders from their Supreme Master of Politically Moronically Correct Stupidity.
Posted by: Silentbrick - Halliburton Lost Drill Bit Division ||
02/27/2012 23:59 Comments ||
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Authorities in the US have refused to return 137,000 kroner that was confiscated from a Danish policeman who attempted to legally purchase Cuban cigars from Germany.
Torben Nødskouv intended to resell the cigars through his small business Cigarhuset and made the transaction in dollars with a Hamburg-based distributor. But the transaction, which was automatically routed through the US, was picked up by American authorities who froze the money, arguing that the transaction violated the American trade embargo with Cuba.
Nødskouv appealed after the $20,000 transaction was frozen last autumn, but the money may be permanently lost after he was recently informed that it would not be returned to him.
The intervention of the American authorities in a legal transaction between two European countries has provoked criticism from a range of politicians and experts who argue that the US has overstepped its place in their policing of financial transactions under the guise of fighting terrorism.
Speaking to Berlingske newspaper, the foreign minister, Villy Søvndal, said he was concerned by the Americans' decision, adding that as it was a European issue, it would be brought up by the EU in their running dialogue with the US.
It is worrying that the US is extraterritorially applying American legislation to regulate business activities outside of the US, Søvndal said. I do not think it is fair that the US intervenes with European businesses, especially with a legal transfer of money between two European countries.
Hans Jørgen Bonnichsen, the former head of the domestic intelligence agency PET, called on Denmark to use its position as EU president to pressure the US into releasing the money.
The case is an obvious opportunity for the Danish presidency to step up to the plate, Bonnichsen told Berlingske. Its a clear example of the US abusing rules which were implemented to fight terrorism. That the American authorities can stop a completely legal financial transaction between two European countries is an abuse of EU citizens rights.
Nødskouvs case is not the first time the American authorities have confiscated Danish money. In 2008, dress seller Christa Møllgaard-Hansen from Maribo had 205 dollars frozen after attempting to buy six dresses from Pakistan.
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.
