GILGIT: A girl was killed and 12 villagers injured when a mild intensity earthquake hit Gangche districts Qundus village in the Baltistan region late on Friday.
Northern Areas Home Secretary Sardar Abass told a press conference that tremors were felt at around 12am on Friday, adding that intermittent tremors continued till 4am on Saturday.Abbas, who is also the director general of the Northern Areas Disaster Management Authority, said at least 410 houses in five villages had been partially damaged, adding that 12 villagers were injured.He said the government had sent edibles, 400 blankets, and 100 tents to the affected villages on Saturday morning.He said all roads leading to the villages were damaged in the quake, adding that the government would use helicopters to dispatch aid to the villages.
He said the villagers were living in open in below zero temperatures and were reluctant to return to their homes. The intensity of quake was 5.2 on richter scale and its centre was in Azad Kashmir.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/28/2007 09:48 ||
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"He said the villagers were living in open in below zero temperatures"
That hardly seems possible, what with Gerbil Wormening and all....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
10/28/2007 15:54 Comments ||
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#2
perhaps Gore is nearby? - the Gore effect and all....
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/28/2007 16:15 Comments ||
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#3
Good point, Frank. :-D
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
10/28/2007 16:40 Comments ||
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Caught via Ace of Spades
When Nomatter Tagarira, a spirit medium, claimed that she could conjure refined diesel out of a rock by striking it with her staff, ministers in Robert Mugabes Government believed that they might have found the solution to Zimbabwes perennial fuel shortage.
After witnessing her apparently miraculous gift they gave her five billion Zimbabwean dollars in cash (worth £1.7 million at the start of the year but now worth one seven-hundredth of that) in return for the fuel. Ms Tagarira was also given a farm, said to have been seized from its white owner during Mr Mugabes lawless land grab, as well as food and services that included a round-the-clock armed guard on the rock in the district of Chinhoyi 60 miles (100km) from Harare, the capital.
More than a year later officials realised they had been duped. Ms Tagarira is now in custody, awaiting trial on charges of fraud or, alternatively, of being a criminal nuisance. Details from court papers published this week said that over 15 months, until July this year, Ms Tagarira convinced Cabinet ministers, ruling party heavy-weights and top army and police officers that by striking the rock with her staff she could produce enough fuel to supply the country for 100 years.
The legal firm representing her told The Times that she had been refused bail and no trial date had been set yet.
Its an outlandish story but the people in government who believed this are the same ones who believe that Mugabes official policy of printing money will end inflation, said an economist, who requested anonymity.
According to the police docket at the court, Ms Tagarira, 35, discovered a large bowser of diesel last year, suspected to have been abandoned in the hills of Chinhoyi during the countrys civil war in the 1970s. She laid pipes from the bowser to a point at the bottom of the hill. Whenever she assembled an audience, she would strike a rock and an assistant at the top of the hill would open the tap and lo, fuel would pour out. The bowser eventually ran dry but that didnt stop Ms Tagarira. They would buy diesel from lorry drivers and keep it in the pipe on the pretext it was coming from a rock, the docket said.
By June the Government had decided the claims were plausible enough to warrant an official investigation. However, where a single geologist would have sufficed, they dispatched a large task force of politicians and members of the security forces, led by the deputy commissioner of police. The task force duly reported to Mr Mugabes politburo, the most powerful body in the country, that the liquid appearing at the rock had been siphoned into lorries and that they had driven off without problem.
However, it was when a second task force of ministers was sent by the politburo a month later that Ms Tagariras ruse ended. She failed to prove the existence of the fuel, it said. She disappeared and was arrested this month. It is not the woman who ought to be arrested, it is the idiots who authorised this criminal waste of public money, said a lawyer, asking not to be named. LOL - bonus! cute graphic of the op at the link
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/28/2007 13:00 ||
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Jim, what happened to the bank?
Aw Huck honey, that bank went bust.
Posted by: Thomas Woof ||
10/28/2007 13:41 Comments ||
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#2
Serves them right, simply believing in Witchcraft alone is enough to brand them "Fools".
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
10/28/2007 14:19 Comments ||
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#3
Refined oil from a rock. It's a great deal when you can get it, but I guess the CIA paid her off to stop supplying ZimBob.
Robert Mugabe has secured endorsement to represent Zanu PF at next year's presidential election, after receiving resounding support from the ruling party's central committee in Harare on Friday. The central committee meeting had met to thrash out issues to be discussed on the agenda of the ruling party's special congress in December, where many believed Mugabe would face stiff competition for the ruling party's leadership.
Power struggles have been raging within the party following the emergence of three factions, one led by retired army general Solomon Mujuru, another by former security chief Emmerson Mnangagwa, while the other is comprised of Mugabe's loyalists. All the uncertainities were however quelled today when ruling party spokesman, Nathan Shamuyarira, announced that the central committee had determined that "the party's 2004 candidate" would stand for re-election. This effectively gives Mugabe automatic approval of his candidacy at the party's extraordinary congress in December.
It remains to be seen if the debate on Mugabe's endorsement will be effectively closed, as the mood was "stale and bleak" according to witnesses who attended the Zanu PF press conference in Harare. Journalist Stanley Kwenda said: "We did not see the obvious factionalists at the press conference but many were leaving in droves before the press conference even began. Only a small group of Mugabe loyalists could be heard celebrating somewhere within the party's headquaters. Mnangagwa looked quite relaxed and content, even though many thought he would be angling for the party's leadership. We suspect he draws some source of confidence from today's outcome." After Friday's approval of the congress agenda, carefully designed to lead to Mugabe's endorsement without contest, the approval of Mugabe's candidacy will become a mere formality in December.
#1
Just another chapter in the continuing saga of Smith's "Die Groot Verraad" (The Great Betrayal). Notice how none of this makes MSM headlines or sparks even so much as a comment in Washington. I would hope we learn something from all of this with regard to failed foreign political interventions, efforts at "democracy" and native African governance, but I am doubtful.
#2
"If you are British or American you will need a strong stomach to read this book. Indeed you may well want to throw-up at the political chicanery and cowardice of your politicians and diplomats."
.....Carrington ( foreign secretary in Thatcher's new Tory government) advised that such a course would be unacceptable to the OAU (Organisation of African Unity) and that "the principles and standards on which you and I were brought up to believe in, are no longer part of this world."
Nation must resist all attempts to denigrate it
Only the day before yesterday Mr. Mojaheed, the Jamaat secretary-general unabashedly denied that there were any war criminals or anti-liberation forces in Bangladesh.
And lo and behold, yesterday an erstwhile secretary to the government, whose comments about 1971 make him appear to be of the same ilk as Jamaat, had the temerity to characterise the nine-month long struggle as a civil war while participating in a talk show hosted by a private TV channel! We cannot believe that the gentleman is unaware of the criteria that constitute a civil war. We resent his dubious attempt to confuse the issue after 35 years.
Ours was the culmination of a struggle for independence that took roots in 1948, manifested through the language movement and subsequent struggles against the iniquitous rule by the Pakistani military junta. 1971 was not an internecine war but a war of liberation, a resistance against an occupation army, that was participated by all and sundry, both in and outside the country. There was no divide among us; we were united as one nation after March 26 and the beginning of genocide, except of course the likes of Jamaat and its cohorts.
We cannot but feel that these comments, some of which were made with the arrogance of an unrepentant collaborator let off the hook, appear as if they have been well planned and well orchestrated to launch an assault on the very spirit of our war of independence.
These utterances have denigrated our Liberation War. We reject both the notions. We feel that there has never been an act or comment in recent times that deserved more contempt than these. We join the nation in expressing our utmost disdain.
We regret that old wounds have been reopened. In belittling 1971 the blood of the martyrs has been defiled. It is a sad story that those who had helped in the carnage in 1971 have the gumption to renew their assault on the nation. It is because they have been politically rehabilitated. Are we not to be blamed for allowing them the political space because of the very narrow partisan interest of one political party or the other?
Those that have allowed these collaborators to reestablish themselves must reexamine their position, and all those that helped the occupation forces in the mayhem in 1971 must accept their role and seek forgiveness from the nation for their misdeeds.
Dr MA Hasan, an expert on war crimes during the Liberation War in 1971, yesterday came down heavily on Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed's statement regarding the existence of war criminals in Bangladesh and termed it a blatant lie. "We have strong evidence and documents against the people who were involved in war crimes during the Liberation War and what is needed now to bring the culprits to justice is an initiative," said Dr Hasan, convenor of War Crimes Fact Finding Committee, a group investigating war crimes by Pakistani army and their local collaborators in 1971.
"Ali Ahsan Mojaheed as president of Islami Chhatra Sangha in 1971 was in a leading position of Dhaka city Al Badr Bahini, one of the groups involved in killing Bangladeshi intellectuals at the fag end of the war," he said in a statement. The statement went on to say that the Al Badr played the key role in killing innocent intellectuals, professionals and also common people in 1971.
He said the War Crimes Fact Finding Committee investigated the 1971 incidents and found that local collaborators of the Pakistani army were involved in at least 53 types of crimes. The committee also traced at least 920 mass graves where Bengalis were dumped by the Pakistani army and their collaborators. The killings were clearly genocide as Bengalis were eliminated because they were Bengalis and the Hindus were killed because they were Hindus, the statement added.
Dr Hasan said most of the present-day leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and members of Nezam-e-Islami and Muslim League were collaborators of the Pakistani army in committing war crimes. "Many of the collaborators had misguided the youths and used them in the gruesome killings of innocent intellectuals," he said. "Broadly, the collaborators were involved in 17 types of war crimes, 13 types of crimes against humanity and four types of genocides," the statement said.
Professor Lord Robert Winston, the consultant and advocate of the NHS was asked on BBC Radio 4 whether he recognised the NHS as portrayed in this film. Winston replied: No, I didnt."
#3
The socialist always ignore the vote of the people when it is executed by their feet. It's the same attitude aptly demonstrated in the news entertainment industry. Those in power above see no reason to change, but will insist on more power to force people to give up their options.
Cut to the chase - here's the quote as it's widely known:
"I have a million ideas. The country can't afford them all." The Globe responds:
Here is Clinton's full answer: "Well, I have a lot of good, new, bold ideas, and I have to make some choices among them." She explained that baby bonds didn't have the level of political support of other proposals she had to help people pay for college. "I have a million ideas. I can't do all of them. I happen to think in running a disciplined campaign - especially when it comes to fiscal responsibility, which is what I'm trying to do - everything I propose I have to pay for. You know, you go to my website, you'll see what I would use to pay for what I've proposed. So I've got a lot of ideas, I just obviously can't propose them all. I can't afford them all. The country can't afford them all." My interpretation - Yes, Hillary! did indeed say the two damning sentences. Yes, it was taken out of context to the extent it wasn't one sentence directly after the other, so I'll give them that one.
But seriously, folks, those two sentences accurately summarize the entire paragraph. Nice try, Globos...
#4
I will put all your kids through college so they can get top jobs in an economy busted by the cost of putting all your kids through college.
It takes a village idiot to think this will work.
Chairwoman Benazir Bhutto visited her father and founder of PPP Zulfikar Ali Bhuttos mausoleum in her ancestral village of Garhi Khuda Bux amid tight security on Saturday. She remained inside the tomb for around an hour and prayed over the graves of the elder Bhutto and her brothers, Mir Murtaza Bhutto and Shahnawaz Bhutto.
Later, she inspected renovation and construction work at the tomb, and waved at the supporters gathered outside from a balcony. Reportedly, no one was allowed into the mausoleum prior to Benazirs arrival, and even PPP legislators were not allowed in once she went inside.
Thousands of people waiting for her arrival outside the mausoleum since early in the morning raised placards and shouted slogans against the government and in favour of Benazir. Several diehard supporters were seen wearing dresses made out of PPP flags. I feel very emotional. I wanted to visit the tomb of my father, the leader of the people, and offer prayers, Reuters quoted Bhutto as telling reporters afterwards, before being driven to her family home flanked by paramilitaries in jeeps mounted with machineguns.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/28/2007 09:23 ||
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Deep in the heart of northern Syria, close to the banks of the Euphrates River, archaeologists have uncovered a series of startling 11,000-year-old wall paintings and artefacts. The wall paintings date back to the 9th millennium BC. Apart from the organic artefacts, which have decomposed over time, the site has provided many well-preserved treasures. Carved stone tools, flints, seed-grinding implements and brick-grinding stones have been recovered.
Many bone objects were also found - both remnants of the animals that made up part of the daily diet and intricately fashioned tools. The dig also uncovered several figurines made of gypsum, chalk, bone and clay. The most recent discovery, an 11,000-year-old statue of a man is particularly important and well preserved, Coqueugniot said. This item will allow comparisons with other similar sculptures found on sites in the Urfa region of southern Turkey, added the French scientist, who has overseen archaeological projects at Djade for 15 years. The figures could have had religious significance. The female statuettes could also have been fertility symbols. But they could have had entirely different ritual meanings, Coqueugniot said. We can only offer hypotheses, he added. It is still very difficult to say what was the significance of this 11,000-year-old statue of the woman. The latest discoveries date back to the start of the Neolithic era, in a period known as the Epipalaeolithic.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/28/2007 09:55 ||
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"and small chunks of faintly radioactive concrete and what appear to be North Korean corpses, incredibly well-preserved, in their tribal lab coats"
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/28/2007 10:54 Comments ||
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11,000 year old artifact found next to human bone fragments.
Islamic organizations in North Texas are seeking libel damages in a lawsuit against Joe Kaufman, leader of the Florida-based Americans Against Hate. Kaufman visited Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington on Oct. 14 to lead a protest against Muslim Family Day, an event celebrating the end of Ramadan, a period of holy days on the Islamic calendar marked by fasts and prayer.
The lawsuit, filed Oct. 12, asked a judge to prohibit Kaufman from threatening, harming or inciting violence against anyone associated with the outing, in addition to libel damages, according to court records. Area Islamic organizations were granted the temporary restraining order against Kaufman.
They have also asked a judge to make a determination of libel against Kaufman. The organizations charge that Kaufman's Web site was used to paint all Muslims participating in Muslim Family Day as radical fanatics who used the event to spread anti-American hatred. "He has scrawled JIHAD (in red that appears to be dripping in blood) over a map of the state of Texas, centered of Arlington and Six Flags," and placed it on the Americans Against Hate Web site, according to the lawsuit.
A hearing in the case has been set for Monday, a court official said. Whether Kaufman will appear at the hearing is unclear. Kaufman said he and his attorneys will decide whether his appearance is necessary. "I'm going to fight this thing," Kaufman said in a telephone interview Thursday. "This whole case against me was filed to stop my freedom of speech and freedom of assembly rights."
Kaufman asserts that the group that sponsored Muslim Family Day, the Islamic Circle of North America, supports terrorist organizations overseas. Seven North Texas Islamic organizations are named as parties bringing the lawsuit, but the Islamic Circle of North America is not one of them.
#4
I hope Kaufman has the wits at trial to trot out all the Koranic passages that squeal about how jihad is mandatory. He'll also need to demonstrate how jihad as a "spiritual quest" is a nugget of kitman developed in the last 100 years. If he can run those past the judge, there's a good chance that he should get off.
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.
GILGIT: A girl was killed and 12 villagers injured when a mild intensity earthquake hit Gangche districts Qundus village in the Baltistan region late on Friday. 
Robert Mugabe has secured endorsement to represent Zanu PF at next year's presidential election, after receiving resounding support from the ruling party's central committee in Harare on Friday. The central committee meeting had met to thrash out issues to be discussed on the agenda of the ruling party's special congress in December, where many believed Mugabe would face stiff competition for the ruling party's leadership. 
