Just stealing the Blackberries that American's aren't willing to steal...
Whether he was up to no good or simply desperate to play BrickBreaker, a Mexican press attaché was caught on camera by Secret Service pocketing several White House BlackBerries during a recent meeting in New Orleans, FOX News has learned.
Sources with knowledge of the incident said the official, Rafael Quintero Curiel, served as the lead press advance person for the Mexican Delegation and was responsible for handling logistics and guiding the Mexican media around at the conference. He took six or seven of the handheld devices from a table outside a special room in the hotel where the Mexican delegation was meeting with President Bush earlier this week.
Everyone entering the room was required to leave his or her cell phone, BlackBerry and other such devices on the table, a common practice when high-level meetings are held. American officials discovered their missing belongings when they were leaving the session.
It didn't take long before Secret Service officials reviewed videotape taken by a surveillance camera and found footage showing Quintero Curiel absconding with the BlackBerries. Sources said Quintero Curiel made it all the way to the airport before Secret Service officers caught up with him. He initially denied taking the devices, but after agents showed him the DVD, Quintero Curiel said it was purely accidental, gave them back, claimed diplomatic immunity and left New Orleans with the Mexican delegation. Ay carumba! And...adios!!!
It is unclear what disciplinary measures, if any, await him in Mexico. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino refused to discuss the incident, telling FOX News, "We are aware of the situation, but as it's under investigation by law enforcement officials, we will decline to comment."
#3
Nicking American Blackberries could be considered a form of logistics.
Posted by: ed ||
04/24/2008 14:19 Comments ||
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#4
DarthVader: creditum
cassis: A Eurasian currant (Ribes nigrum) bearing black berries
Mexican press attaché Rafael Quintero Curiel
Besides being an agent for the rump nation of Moron, Do you suppose this attaché is an spy for mexico? Venezuela? Russia? Cuba is too poor perhaps.
Men who frequently whack the old pud masturbate appear to have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer, Australian researchers reported. Researchers from the Cancer Council of Victoria found that men who stretch the baloney masturbated more than five times each week were one-third less likely to develop the cancer.
"Elwood! What are you doing in there?"
"Cancer prevention, Mom!"
The study surveyed 1,000 men who developed prostate cancer and 1,250 who did not, and all were between the ages of 20 and 50, according to a report on Monday on the gay and lesbian news site PlanetOut. Researchers told the BBC last week that the prostate produces one of the fluids involved in ejaculation and that frequent masturbation appears to flush out carcinogens.
"Elwood! What was that noise?"
"My carcinogens flushing, Mom!"
"Well, make sure you clean up after yourself! Last time your father slipped in your carcinogens and almost broke his back!"
Sexual intercourse may not have the same effect because it increases the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease, which could raise the risk of cancer, the Web site reported.
"Put that thing away, before somebody catches cancer!"
Posted by: Fred ||
04/24/2008 13:32 ||
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#1
Inspite of this study, I'll bet fairies still smoke cancer sticks.
#2
If they didn't age-norm the samples or they age-normed the samples incorrectly, it could easily account for this difference (since older men are more likely to have cancer and probably masturbate less often).
I'd be extra cautious given that this result is based on 'a report' that has not, apprarently, be published or even been reviewed by a credible and neutral organization.
#5
I saw another study like this a couple years ago. I think it was titled "M@sturbation a day, keeps prostate cancer away." Makes sense that flushing the pipes keeps you healthy.
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/24/2008 21:00 Comments ||
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Researchers from the Cancer Council of Victoria found that men who masturbated more than five times each week were one-third less likely to develop the cancer.
Yes, sir?
Ah, Johnson. I've got a project for you and your team...
#14
A couple of years ago I had a bout of acute prostatitis. Temp of 105 for days, etc. A century ago I probably would have died, but Cipro pulled me through.
I asked my doc what I could do to avoid a recurrence. She said, "More sex."
The price of oil is likely to hit 150 dollars (Canadian, US) a barrel by 2010 and soar to 225 dollars a barrel by 2012 as supply becomes increasingly tight, a Canadian bank said Thursday.
The CIBC report says the International Energy Agency's current oil production estimates overstate supply by about nine percent, since it wrongly counts natural gas liquids -- which are not viable for transportation fuel -- in its numbers.
Analyst Jeff Rubin in his report noted accelerating depletion rates in many of the world's largest and most mature oil fields. He estimates oil production will hardly grow at all, with average daily production between now and 2012 rising by barely a million barrels per day.
"Whether we have already seen the peak in world oil production remains to be seen, but it is increasingly clear that the outlook for oil supply signals a period of unprecedented scarcity," said Rubin.
"Despite the recent record jump in oil prices, oil prices will continue to rise steadily over the next five years, almost doubling from current levels."
The CIBC report also notes that while production increases are at a virtual standstill, global demand continues to grow.
An expected drop in demand in the United States due to higher prices and a weak economy will be more than offset by demand growth in developing nations, it says.
Rubin cites, for example, the recent launch of Tata's 2,500-dollar car that will allow millions of households in India to soon own automobiles.
He also notes that car sales last year were up 60 percent in Russia, up 30 percent in Brazil and up 20 percent in China.
Transport fuel now accounts for half of the world's oil usage.
Although US oil consumption is likely to fall by over two million barrels a day over the next five years as pump prices rise, he says, more drivers on the road in Russia, China and India will surely pick up the slack in demand.
#3
Obviously the fact that a higher price is
1/ An incentive to increase supply.
2/ An incentive to use less.
Seems to pass these folks by.
However I think 150 USD/barrel could be by the end of the year. Commodities are the new bubble/ dumping ground for all the money that used to be in MBS.
#5
The reality is that the price will keep increasing until demand is substantially reduced. What the media and others don't seem to realize is that demand reduction will come in large part from the developing world.
#6
I smell something rotten. The commodity prices are driven up, in part, by hedge fund speculators betting supplies will be short. Their manipulation of the markets, ie. rice, is bogus, as there is no real shortages but fear of hoarding based upon the media-driven word. Biofuels are not only made from corn, but other renewable crops like bamboo that are difficult to eradicate, providing sources of income to developing countries. California is chopping down avocado trees, causing us to rely on more expensive imports, because of a water shortage. What about desalination and other water conservation projects? New technology like fuel cells will put an end to all this in short order. The Midwest has a vast supply of empty containers and abundant grains while our exports are being hindered by the likes of Pelosi. Free, but fair trade is the answer. It is the likes of Soros, a hedge fund billionaire, OPEC, and the UNcrats(Gaza shortages, Chinese coal,etc)behind all this manipulation and alarmism, fitting nicely into the AQ playbook to destroy us economically.
Why would demand be able to 'grow' in developing nations when the developed nations' demand is forced to decline by high oil prices? One would think demand would fall even faster in poor countries than wealthy ones when prices increase.
With international pressure mounting on Harare to disclose the results of the presidential election held March 29, the state-controlled Herald newspaper Wednesday floated a proposal for a national unity government that its author said should be headed by President Robert Mugabe.
Offering the MDC guys a cut of the boodle. Problem is, there's not much boodle left.
C'mon, their share would be worth at least 10 gazillion Zim-bucks ...
Throw in a sack of flour and a couple chickens and you've got yerself a deal.
How about a government led by Tsvangirai? Mugabe could be Minister in charge of public latrines.
Pro-government commentator Obediah Mukura Mazombwe said neighboring countries should help broker a deal as political tensions make a presidential runoff problematic.
Meanwhile, presidential contender Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change, whose party says he won the election, continued a diplomatic offensive that observers said was having a significant impact on international opinion. Tsvangirai met Wednesday in Maputo, Mozambique, with President Armando Guebuza and his predecessor, Joachim Chissano. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Jendayi Frazer was in South Africa and was to travel on to Zambia and Angola.
In London, President Jacob Zuma of South Africa's ruling African National Congress met British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and lent his support to the notion of a national unity government. Brown and Amnesty International called for an arms embargo on Harare.
Despite the appearance of the unity government proposal in a newspaper considered a mouthpiece for the Harare government, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said he knew nothing of such a proposal and Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga in an interview with VOA's Blessing Zulu dismissed the idea.
Tsvangirai MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti said the proposal in the Herald should not be dismissed as an opinion but was a reflection of ZANU-PFs thought process, contending that it showed ZANU-PF knew Mr. Mugabe could not win a runoff.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/24/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Mugabe is afraid to dismount the tiger. He is old enough to remember Mussolini hanging upside down from the lamppost or for that matter the more recent transfer of power in Romania that ended so well for Ceausescu. If he waits much longer, he may wind up in a stewpot.
A Chinese primary school teacher and a beautician have filed a suit against CNN in New York over remarks they say insulted the Chinese people and are seeking $1.3 billion in compensation -- $1 per person in China, a Hong Kong newspaper reported.
Hurt feelings is a valid tort these days ...
The case against the Atlanta-based cable channel, its parent company Turner Broadcasting and Jack Cafferty, the offending commentator, comes after 14 lawyers launched a similar suit in Beijing alleging that Cafferty's remarks earlier this month violated the dignity and reputation of the Chinese people.
Cafferty said the United States imported Chinese-made "junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food" and added: "They're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years".
CNN said Cafferty was expressing an opinion about the Chinese government, but the Foreign Ministry demanded an apology and accused the network of trying to drive a wedge between the Chinese people and leadership... More red on red violence.
#4
While I wouldn't mind seeing CNN (the CommunistCaliphate Cable News Network) have to pay out $1.3 billion, I don't see how the Chinese would enforce it. Of course, they could cut off any news feeds to CNN, so CNN would probably pay it rather than lose the news source.
Posted by: Rambler in California ||
04/24/2008 12:43 Comments ||
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#5
Awwww. Did the poor widdle nuclear-armed commie superpower get its feelings hurt?
Posted by: Mike ||
04/24/2008 13:16 Comments ||
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#6
Some trade/genius/attorney at the State Department will claim that CNN will have to pay because CNN used the word "Junk" in vain.
Which as you know, falls under a treaty overide, because the "Junk" is the Sacred'est' vessel of China, Chinese Culture and History.
Look it up it's in the WTO trade treaty No-No Clause with China documentclass[pdftex]{.10499 pdf.
/(no don't look it up}
CHINA only has enough coal for 12 days of consumption, three days less than a month ago, state media reported Wednesday, sounding the alarm bells over the nation's most important source of energy. Do Tibet, Taiwan, or Zimbabwe have coal?
In certain parts of China, such as densely populated Hebei province in the north, reserves are down to less than a week, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the China Electricity Regulatory Commission.
In the period since early March, coal reserves have slumped by 12 per cent to 46.7 million tonnes, according to the commission.
Reasons for the shortage were "multi-dimensional," the commission was quoted as saying, without elaborating.
Demand for coal has risen rapidly since China experienced brown-outs early this decade, motivating a construction frenzy in the power industry, with large numbers of new coal-fired plants emerging across the country. No wonder they don't give a rip about the environment or the locals when they mine coal.
China counts on coal for about 70 per cent of its energy consumption, a proportion that has stayed almost unchanged for the past nearly three decades despite a skyrocketing rise in demand for power.
#1
All those ships dropping off commodities at our ports for Wally's Mart et al can pick up a load of coal at the same time for their return trip. So what's the problem? I'm sure there's a cost benefit cross over when the Chinese reserves run really low, since the central government has been hording dollars.
#5
More info from Xinhua (caveat emptor) via the China Daily :
The [PRC] government in January froze electricity prices to prevent rising coal costs from flowing through to end users and contributing to inflation.
"We need to comprehensively consider the situation before adjusting power prices, to take into account the affordability to both consumers and producers," Wang said.
Lifting electricity prices would push up the consumer price index, which was already running high, he said.
China produced 569.3 million tons of coal in the first quarter this year up 14.6 percent year on year, according to the Beijing-based China Mainland Marketing Research Co.
The winter storms earlier this year disrupted power supplies, prompting the country's power grid companies to lift spending on repairing and upgrading their transmission lines.
Rocketing domestic demand for coal, fueled by such energy-intensive industries as iron and steel, and chemical engineering pushed up prices.
The national crackdown on illegal coal mines as well as transportation bottlenecks also contributed to the rise.
The country became a net coal importer in the first quarter last year, as the government scrapped the tariff rebates for exports as well as the duties on imports in 2006, in a bid to meet domestic demand.
Plagued by the rising costs, 70 percent of power plants had suffered heavy losses, said Liu Nanchang, an official with the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission on April 11.
Decades of central planning and industrial scale corruption will do things like that. Now the PRC is "officialy" announcing a "shortfall" of 10 Gw for the year. Uh huh. When Commies announce failure, adjust the stated number by an order of magnitude. I hope they don't have fires, plagues, and drought this year - they'd have to start a war or something - for the pain.
#7
There is no shortage of coal in China. The world spot price is higher than the local price, so they are trying to do a juggling act, supply local demand and take advantage of the higher spot prices. If the situation gets out of hand, especially leading up to the Olympics, the central govt may impose export restrictions.
#8
IIUC China in recent years has exported coal, but as their own demand has increased theyve stopped exports. Tipper says theyve temporarily increased exports to take advantage of the spot market, I wouldnt know.
The main reason US coal would be costly is the shipping cost, coal being very heavy and bulky relative to value. Historically the US mainly exports metalurgical coal - high quality coal used in steel making - our steam coal (coal used to generate electricity) is used at home. From time to time utilities on the gulf coast have imported coal from Colombia, SOuth Am, but thats mainly due to their unique transport position (long rail haul from US coal fields, versus not to long water shipment from South Am).
#9
let em build another 3 gorges dam. they are going to need it if the predictions of 3G#1 coming apart are realized for power production, and if it doesn't collapse, then there is a new source of electricity.
too bad.
#10
The [PRC] government in January froze electricity prices to prevent rising coal costs from flowing through to end users and contributing to inflation
Must be nice living in a workers paradise with the government there to protect you from high prices. Gosh, I wish our government could do something like that for gasoline.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
04/24/2008 16:42 Comments ||
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#11
The Chinese government's energy and food subsidies are probably unsustainable. One consequence is inflation.
The government will wait until after the Olympics to do something about the problem, becuase of the risk of social disruption when subsidies are reduced.
#12
Every time I hear somebody disparage China and suggest we allow them to descend back to the stone age from whence they came I laugh in their general direction.
China's one of the oldest civilized cultures on the planet. We only think badly about them because they act badly - like today when it was announced that there are hundreds or thousands of Chinese spies conducting industrial espionage against US industries (known that for 4 years, ever since I started working at LBNL) - or when their government does something stupid or communistic (like suppressing discent in Tibet or sending special police to escort the Olympic flag).
China's culture and history is thousands of years old. The Maoists have, and continue, to try to suppress Chinese culture and history and in doing so, act badly upon the world stage. But they're not America. That is no reason to disrespect the Chinese people and no reason to want to see them descend into the stone age. It's in our best interest to respect China and its people and culture because, right now, they stand on the brink of being a world superpower.
We must not become so arrogant in our own strength that we come to disrespect others. We can actively dislike their government and their government's plans against the USA, but we should seek to lift the Chinese people up out of their servitude to the Maoists and to help them in any way we can without endangering our own freedoms.
#14
#8
liberalhawk, a bit of background on Chinese exports here
The socialist government of NSW aren't helping much by dragging their feet on the expansion of Newcastle port facilities (the largest coal exporting port in the world)
There is presently a 28 day queue, but as the price of coal is skyrocketing, no one seems worried, except the Chinese of course.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
04/24/2008 21:30 Comments ||
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#16
You can have another laugh on me FOTSGreg,
The Chi-Coms treated our Fathers and Grand Fathers worse than you would treat animals for market.
I'm not disputing their lovely long culture, but be sure to include that in China's fucking exalted history they have been particularly brutal to the Chinese themselves, and World Class sadistic to their captives.
(Xinhua) -- Visiting Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen said here Tuesday that the European Union (EU) needs to diversify its sources to obtain sufficient energy.
Although Russia is a reliable energy source, the EU needs to diversify its sources to obtain sufficient energy, such as natural gas from the Near East and Africa, said Vanhanen, who is on a one-day official visit to Hungary. Even so, there will be insufficient energy for the EU, Vanhanen said, stressing that more investments need to be launched in the fields of hydraulic energy, geothermal energy and tidal energy.
Vanhanen said concentration should be put on developing second-generation biofuels which will have good prospects in the EU despite mounting doubts.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/24/2008 00:00 ||
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is fond of quoting a particular passage of Scripture. The quote, however, does not appear in the Bible and is "fictional," according to biblical scholars.
In her April 22 Earth Day news release, Pelosi said, "The Bible tells us in the Old Testament, 'To minister to the needs of God's creation is an act of worship. To ignore those needs is to dishonor the God who made us.' On this Earth Day, and every day, let us pledge to our children, and our children's children, that they will have clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and the opportunity to experience the wonders of nature."
Cybercast News Service repeatedly queried the speaker's office for two days to determine where the alleged Bible quote is found. Thus far, no one has responded.
Distinguished biblical scholars, however, cast doubt on the existence of the passage... Note: see 'The Satanic Bible', by Anton Szandor LaVey.
(2008-04-23) In the wake of Sen. Hillary Clintons primary victory in Pennsylvania Tuesday, Nobel laureate Jimmy Carter today announced he would interrupt his work on the Gaza Strip branch of the Carter Library to meet with Mrs. Clinton and rival Sen. Barack Obama to negotiate a cease fire in the battle that threatens to destroy the Democrat party.
The former U.S. president, fresh off one-party talks with the exiled leader of Hamas during which Mr. Carter succeeded in securing a hug from the terror group leader, said hell aim to get Sen. Clinton to halt her attacks on Sen. Obama in exchange for a pledge from Sen. Obama to disown his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and his indicted real estate partner, Tony Rezko, as well as his colleague, terror group founder William Ayers, and his maternal grandmother, who is a typical white person.
I believe you can address any problem through talking, said Mr. Carter, as long as youre willing to set aside what you know about peoples motives, their values, their goals and their historical patterns of behavior. I envision our party convention as a win-win with two Democrat nominees, walking side by side, in peace and mutual respect and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
It is abundantly clear that the Clintons, working with FOX News and manipulating old Clinton staffers like George Stephanopoulos, are trying, at least unconsciously, to so damage Barack Obama that he will be perceived as "unelectable" to Democratic superdelegates. It is also clear that the campaign of defamation against Obama has resulted in higher negative ratings for Hillary Clinton. She therefore is threatening the Democratic Party's chances for the White House, whether or not she is the nominee.
We have come full circle; the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and its main media wing, Fox News, is headed by the Clintons themselves. Not since Number Six unmasked Number One to find himself staring back at him on The Prisoner have we seen such an ironic climax.
It's a twist ending worthy of an M. Night Shayamalan movie.
Posted by: Mike ||
04/24/2008 10:00 ||
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#1
When somebody like Tom Hayden tells me that something is "abundantly clear", it is "abundantly clear" that I think he is full of shit...
My wife Barbara has begun yelling at the television set every time she hears Hillary Clinton. This is abnormal behavior, since Barbara is a meditative practitioner of everything peaceful and organic, and is inspired by Barack Obama's transformational appeal.
But as the Obama campaign gained momentum, Hillary began morphing into the persona that has my pacifist wife screaming at the television set.
I applaud Hillary for making Tom Hayden and his screeching hippie wife's life a Living Hell...
NEW DELHI -(Dow Jones)- The makers of Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets Thursday said they are inviting India to join them in building next-generation fighters, a move which may boost the chances of the Eurofighter winning the South Asian country's $10 billion contract for 126 jets for its Air Force.
The Eurofighter consortium comprises Alenia SpA of Italy's Alenia Aeronautica, BAE Systems PLC (BA.LN) of the U.K., and the Spanish and German units of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. (5730.FR), EADS Casa and EADS Germany.
India is the first non-European country to be invited to join the consortium, a senior executive from the European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. NV (5730.FR) or EADS said.
But the country will only be allowed to join if India selects the Eurofighter, said the executive, who didn't wish to be named.
Making parts of the combat aircraft in India will help the makers of the Eurofighter meet the Indian government's offset requirements if it buys the aircraft, he said.
Separately, Chief Executive of Military Air Systems at EADS Bernhard Gerwert said, "If India becomes a partner, they will also become a partner in all future technology enhancement."
"As part of our industrial cooperation offer, we invite India to become our member," Gerwert told a news conference.
India's Defense Ministry has issued formal invitations to six foreign companies to supply 126 multi-role combat jets in a deal potentially worth about $10 billion. India currently flies Russian-made MiG fighters, U.K. Jaguars and French Mirages.
Apart from the Eurofighter, the Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) F-16 Falcon, the Boeing Co. (BA) F-18 Super Hornet, the Dassault Aviation SA (12172.FR) Rafale and the Swedish Gripen fighter are also reportedly contenders for the deal.
Eurofighter plans to submit its bid for the combat jets on April 28, the last day for receiving bids, the statement said.
Indian defense ministry regulations require foreign military companies which have won contracts worth more than $71 million to reinvest at least 30% of the contract value back into the country's defense sector.
In the case of the combat aircraft deal, the offset requirement has been raised to 50%.
Posted by: john frum ||
04/24/2008 17:43 ||
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The Eurofighter isn't a bad fighter, it's just not the JSF. It's a clever bribe move by the Euros, and the Indians might bite if they can get some of the manufactering done in India -- allows them to build their own domestic air industry.
I wonder if we'd counter by offering the JSF to them, and a piece of the pie.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/24/2008 18:28 Comments ||
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NEW DELHI - A small plane that appeared to tail an aircraft carrying the Indian premier sparking a national security scare belonged to the military, officials said today.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs Boeing-737 was ordered to circle over New Delhi for 15 minutes late yesterday as a precaution after air controllers saw an unidentified blip on the radar.
"An equipment failure in a transponder installed in an Indian airforce Dornier caused the blip on the (radar) screens which seemed to be chasing the prime ministers plane," a senior airforce official told AFP.
In fact both planes were on their proper courses.
"There was no security breach," the official said a day after the airforce scrambled warplanes to escort Singhs aircraft down to safety.
The prime minister was returning from a day-long trip to the eastern Indian city of Ranchi.
Singhs special plane only recently has been equipped with military radars and other anti-missile defence systems against possible attacks by anti-Indian rebels.
Posted by: john frum ||
04/24/2008 16:59 ||
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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will create a record of sorts, when it launches 10 satellites, including eight nano satellites from abroad, in a single mission on April 28 from the spaceport of Sriharikota.
ISRO sources said today that the satellites would be launched by the 12th flight of ISROs workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C9.
This was for the first time in the history of Indias space programme that 10 satellites would be launched in a mission, after it successfully launched four satellites when PSLV-C7 carried CARTOSAT-2, Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-1), Indonesian LAPAN-TUBSAT and Argentinas PEHUENSAT-1 in January 2007.
The bunch of satellites to be launched from the second launch pad of the SHAR Range on April 28 included Indias Cartosat-2A, weighing 690 kg, and Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1), weighing about 83 kg, which would have new technologies, including miniaturisation technology.
It would be sent for remote sensing purposes. With a resolution of one metre, Cartosat-2A would be used for mapping purposes.
The other eight satellites were nano satellites and they together weigh about 50 kg. The satellites were from Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany.
ISRO has fixed the launch time at 0923 hrs and the final countdown would be fixed soon.
The satellites will be launched by the core-alone 44-m-tall and 230-tonne PSLV, without the strap-on motors.
ISRO officials said it would be an international mission, as the sleek PSLV would be placing 10 satellites in the intended orbit in one mission. 'It will be a tricky mission as the satellites have to be put in the orbit at the right time and in right angle one after another, they said, adding that the role of the ejection mechanism would be crucial in the mission.
Of the eight-nano satellites, six form a cluster called NLS-4. Of the six, one each was from the University of Toronto in Canada, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, and two were from Japan.
The seventh one, named NLS-5, weighed 16 kg and was from the University of Toronto. The eighth, called Rubin-8, was from Germany and it weighed seven kg.
These satellites were built to learn the art of fabricating satellites by academicians and to test nano technologies for use in satellites.
The launch had more commercial value as Antrix Corporation, the financial arm of ISRO, would be charging money for carrying foreign satellites.
Posted by: john frum ||
04/24/2008 15:56 ||
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Posted by: john frum ||
04/24/2008 15:59 Comments ||
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#2
This was for the first time in the history of Indias space programme that 10 satellites would be launched in a mission, after it successfully launched four satellites when PSLV-C7 carried CARTOSAT-2, Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-1), Indonesian LAPAN-TUBSAT and Argentinas PEHUENSAT-1 in January 2007. Is it just me or does they really need to come up with better sounding names for their sats. At least make the acronyms sound rational. For instance Indonesia's could be LAPdANce-TUBbySAT
JERUSALEM - Israel said on Wednesday it has not conducted any spying on the United States since 1985, following the arrest in New York of a US army veteran charged with passing defence secrets to the Jewish state some 30 years ago.
"The events go back to the early 1980s. Since 1985 there have been clear orders from (Israel's) prime ministers not to conduct these kind of activities," said Arieh Mekel, spokesperson for the Israeli foreign ministry. "Relations between the United States and Israel have always been based ontrue friendship and mutual values and interests," he said.
Unfortunately, I don't believe them. They did it before. They'll do it again. If it's a question in their minds as to the survival of their state, they'll spy on anyone. It's what states do.
On Tuesday, US authorities announced the arrest of Ben-Ami Kadish, on charges that he disclosed secret defence information, including on nuclear weapons, to Israel between 1979 and 1985. Kadish, who worked as a mechanical engineer at a US army weapons centre in New Jersey, provided classified documents to Isreal's consul for science affairs in New York, the Justice Department said.
The case has been linked to the 1980s Jonathan Pollard spy scandal which rocked US-Israeli relations. Pollard was an intelligence analyst for the Navy department who passed thousands of documents to Israel in 1984 and 1985. He is rotting in prison serving a life term after being convicted of spying.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/24/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
IIRC, Hillary was somehow involved in trying to get either a pardon, reduction of sentence or a transfer to an Israeli prison for Jonathan Pollard.
Posted by: Rambler in California ||
04/24/2008 1:16 Comments ||
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#2
I think you're right, Steve.
This sort of thing used to raise my hackles (where are those, exactly?) - but given the stupefying and outrageous behavior of USG employees WRT sensitive information and their astonishing pretentions to wiser-than-thou status since 9/11, I would consider the Israelis insane to not at least keep an eye on things.
Sort of on-topic, I'm wondering about US/Israeli intel cooperation that might have lead to the Syrian nuke site strike. Or was that another case of the pipsqueak helping out the blind colossus?
#5
If Israel operates anything like the US, spying and other covert ops are on a need-to-know basis, and very few are deemed needy, including the President or intel honchos.
#7
1. I think they are quite aware of the costs of gathering intell. I think there was a strong sense in the polity that the early 1980s activity was a strategic mistake. That doesnt mean they would never do it, but the claim that they havent actually done any more activities of this type, is not ipso facto incredible.
2. Ive never heard Hillary did anything to get a pardon for Pollard. In the 90s there WAS a movement to get one - at that point the US was pressuring Israel to free Pal prisoners cause the conflict was "over" The response was, well then why not release Pollard, since the secrets he stole were related to the same conflict. Sy Hersh then wrote an article, sourced to unnamed CIA (irony?) that said Pollard had given stuff that the Israelis traded to the USSR for imprisoned Jewish scientists. At that point Clinton didnt dare pardon.
3. Franklin was sharing stuff with a friendly lobbyist, stuff he apparently thought was being shared at levels where it was authorized, in line with DOD goals, AFAIK. He mishandled docs though. But he wasnt exactly an agent being run, like Pollard was.
#8
Franklin was sharing stuff with a friendly lobbyist
Oh well alrighty then I get it. Kind of like the guy who caught his wife having an affair but after he discovered shed been cheating with his good friend he felt sooo relieved that he continued to help pay his friends rent.
#9
Im not saying he was right, but this seems to be stuff that happens in DC all the time. Like NIE's gets leaked to reporters, etc. Thats also quite illegal, but I havent heard the FBI charging off after that stuff. Franklin just gave teh info to a AIPAC instead of to a newspaper.
#10
This sort of thing used to raise my hackles (where are those, exactly?)
The "Hackles" refers to the hairs up the spine (On Horses) it generaly means a chill running up the spine (Since humans have no ridge of hair up their spine)
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
04/24/2008 22:55 Comments ||
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#2
I followed the link.
Many years ago I had some furniture advertised as "Pressed Wood", made by putting epoxy and wood in a huge press and "Pressing" with heat to form bentwood pieces, very hard, but could be chipped, which is why I no longer own it, also it was hopelessly "Sixties-Mod" and completely ugly (Okay, I was poorer then and it was cheap enough to put up with the "Ugly")
This computer looks to be exactly the same Presswood stuff.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
04/24/2008 23:08 Comments ||
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NEW ORLEANS President Bush and his Mexican and Canadian counterparts yesterday directly challenged talk by Democratic presidential candidates of pulling out of a trade agreement among the three countries.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon released the strongest criticism. He said a withdrawal from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) would "condemn North America as a region to complete backwardness." "If you were to take a step backwards with regard to NAFTA or free trade, you would be condemning Americans to have one of the least competitive economies in the developed world, while other parts of the world are accelerating their growth," Mr. Calderon said, mentioning the consolidated trade bloc of China, India, Japan and the European Union.
The Democratic presidential candidates, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, were not mentioned by name, but were in focus during the summit on the day of the Pennsylvania primary.
"Now is not the time to renegotiate NAFTA or walk away from NAFTA," Mr. Bush said. "Now is the time to make it work better for all our people. And now is the time to reduce trade barriers worldwide." He pounded the podium several times and pronounced himself "concerned about protectionism in America."
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the benefits of the trade agreement are unquestionable. "I'm confident that when the facts are looked at, any president ... will quickly conclude how critically important NAFTA [is] to jobs and prosperity on both sides of our border," Mr. Harper said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/24/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
See RUMORMILLNEWS > AMERICAS-UNION.org > Article and website in favor of TRANS/PAN-AMERICAN UNION + PERVASIVE FREE TRADE = SPECIAL ECON ZONING.
ALso, IIRC RIAN > PARAGUAY's NEW LEADER [Lugo] BELIEVES IN GOD AND 21ST-CENTURY SOCIALISM.
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - "Basic Instinct" director Paul Verhoeven has written a book that contradicts biblical teaching by suggesting that Jesus might have been fathered by a Roman soldier who raped Mary.
Sure. Why not? Thulsa Doom Reverend Wright thinks he was black. Muslims say he owned a turban. The Archdruid of Canterbury thinks he was mush or soft cheese or something like that.
Too bad he didn't spend more time hanging around the student union. More people coulda gotten to know him. And, really, he shoulda spent more time discussing his hangups with his Dad. Woulda made him more human...
No. Wait. He did spend a lot of time talking about his Father, didn't he? And his Father wasn't a Roman soldier, was he?
There you go, getting all scriptural on us ...
An Amsterdam publishing house said Wednesday it will publish the Dutch filmmaker's biography of Jesus, "Jesus of Nazareth: A Realistic Portrait," in September.
The clue, in any claptrap book written by a goofy Hollywood type, is the word 'realistic'.
Verhoeven is best known as the director of blockbuster films including "Basic Instinct" and "RoboCop," but he is also a member of "Jesus Seminar," a group of scholars and authors that seeks to establish historical facts about Jesus.
Not like one could read the Bible or anything ...
Marianna Sterk of the publishing house J.M. Meulenhoff said the book includes several ideas that run contrary to Christian faith, including the suggestion that Jesus could be the son of a Roman soldier who raped Mary during a Jewish uprising against Roman rule in 4 B.C.
There's no evidence to that effect, nor has the idea ever been suggested by any Christian scholar, as far as I know, in the past 2000 years, but what they hell, it's not like we're discussing Mohammad's habit of porking little girls. Nobody's gonna riot or threaten the author with death just for being stoopid.
The book also claims that Judas Iscariot was not responsible for Jesus' betrayal, she said.
Once you've made one silly claim, you might as well go whole hog ...
Oh, I never thought it was him. Everybody knows he hanged himself over... ummm... something else.
The movie director's claims were greeted with derisionrazzberriesflung dog turds some skepticism among those who have dedicated their careers to studying the life of Jesus.
I mean, what the hell did Eusebius know? And St. Jerome? He wasn't nearly as smart as the guy who directed 'RoboCop.'
One issue is that there is very little information about the life of Jesus outside of the Gospels. The Gospels as understood by Christians for nearly 2,000 years do not support Verhoeven's ideas.
You don't say. No mention of rape in the gospel?
Well, they're a load of crap anyway. I mean, some of them were written by people who knew Jesus, but they hadn't been to college or anything.
William Portier, a professor of religious studies at the University of Dayton, in Ohio, said the Jesus Seminar is known for making stupid provocative claims, but "they are real scholars you have to deal with them."
They're real scholars in the same sense Ward Churchill is a real scholar.
"We deal with them okay. We nod. We smile. Seems to work, they quit whinging after a while and go play canasta."
However, he said Verhoeven's ideas sounded crackpotpsychoceramicdumb "pretty out there."
"Out where?"
"Out there!"
John Dominic Crossan, a Jesus Seminar founder, agreed.
"Oh, yasss. He's a real maroon!"
He said that while Verhoeven was a member in good standing, there is little evidence for the view that Jesus was illegitimate.
Little, as in no, evidence.
Crossan said the claim is first reported in a polemic written in the second century against the Book of Matthew, intended for a Jewish audience. "It's an obvious first retort to claims that Mary was a virgin," Crossan said. "If you wanted to do a hatchet job on Jesus' reputation, this would be the way."
By writing a mostly unknown polemic against the Book of Matthew in the second century or by writing an offensive book in the 21st century?
The most likely scenario for people who don't accept that Jesus was literally the son of God and had no human father is simply that he was the son of Joseph, Crossan said.
Occam's razor would seem to slice in that direction.
Sterk said the book will be translated into English in 2009.
I'm putting a mullet under my tongue so I can wait with baited breath.
Verhoeven hopes it will be a springboard for him to raise interest in making a film along the same lines, she said.
"Mr. Gibson! That Dutchman's on the line again!"
"Tell him I'm in Skagway!"
Verhoeven, 69, has dreamed of making a movie about Jesus' life for decades, she said. Asked whether it would be difficult to follow Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" and Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ," she said Verhoeven knows he may be somewhat late to market.
Cecil B DeMille said once, "give me any two pages of the Bible and I'll give you a movie." He understood that even beyond religion, the Bible was a treasure of masterful literature. Verhoeven has decided he knows better.
"He is painfully aware of that," she said. "However, he has quite a different angle."
I'm thinking seriously of becoming a devout Catholic, just so I'm nothing like people like him.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/24/2008 00:00 ||
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Link ||
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#1
yawn.
The movie director's claims were greeted with some skepticism among those who have dedicated their careers to studying the life of Jesus.
Don't ya love the way they make it sound like there actually exists somewhere "some" serious biblical scholars who bothered to respond to this piece of shock?
Sorry Verhoeven, but you are so late 20th Century. In the 21st Century insulting Christians is no longer avante guard and just seems cowardly. If you want to be be rebellious and look tough - try insulting Islam.
#3
Sacrilege is sooo last millennium. I would expect something with more oomph from Verhoeven. Maybe like RoboJesus:The Word Made Silicon - He is back and forgiveness is the last thing on His mind.
#4
Verhoeven wouldn't dare insult Islam -- he could get killed, and he knows it.
Whereas he can insult my religion, and my Savior requires me to do the ultimate to him -- forgive him.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/24/2008 0:59 Comments ||
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#5
Agreed, Steve. My God is big enough that He doesn't worry about raving lunatics like Verhoeven. There will be no riots, no calls for his beheading, no Christian rage.
Posted by: Rambler in California ||
04/24/2008 1:08 Comments ||
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#6
This idea is from the Talmud. There is considerable disagreement between Biblical scholars on the issue. James Tabor in his book "The Jesus Dynasty" addresses many of the controversies.
#11
"Basic Instinct" director Paul Verhoeven has written a book that contradicts biblical teaching by suggesting that Jesus might have been fathered by a Roman soldier who raped Mary.
What, "suggesting" that Mo-ham-head is a war-mongering, hate-filled pedophile wasn't "avant garde" enough? Oh yeah, as others have stated, he *knows* there will be no physical harm/threats against him from Christians, but if he even sneezes toward Mecca, he's toast!
Posted by: BA ||
04/24/2008 10:09 Comments ||
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#12
Verhoeven, 69, has dreamed of making a movie about Jesus' life for decades...
Will Mary have a crotch shot in it? Maybe she'll be a biblical stripper?
#15
Two thousand years after the Ascension, and they're still trying to bring Him down to Earth. Oh, Paul, sixty-nine years old and you still can't let Him go.
#16
Verhoeven is best known as the director of blockbuster films including "Basic Instinct" and "RoboCop," but he is also a member of "Jesus Seminar," a group of scholars and authors that seeks to establish historical facts about Jesus.
The Jesus Seminar is about the wackiest group of "scholars," "academics,' and "theologians" one could ever hope to find. I guess they haven't been getting anough press lately and wanted to stay relevant.
However, he said Verhoeven's ideas sounded "pretty out there."
John Dominic Crossan, a Jesus Seminar founder, agreed.
One of the Seminar members wrote a book in the 70s (can't remember his name now) saying many of the major world religions (Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity) were started because of eating toadstools (amanita muscaria is hallucinogenic), and they included coded references to magic shrooms in scripture and early iconography. So, these guys are quite familiar with "out there," spending much time there themselves.
#17
If they think anti-Christians will fill the theaters for such a movie in the same way believers went to see Passion of the Christ I think they'll be let down. The anti-Christians might buy the book to display (not to read) but I doubt they'd see such a movie in the theaters.
I love robocop, total Recall and Starship Troopers but Verhoven is a pervert and a tool.
#18
it is a step up from Sharon's red snapper to the fisher of men
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/24/2008 15:45 Comments ||
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#19
I remember years ago reading a serious look at the "Virgin Mary" story, they stated (With proof) that true virgin births were recorded today, with one catch, all "True Virgin Births" were female. (No male DNA to use making an embryo)
But "Heavy petting" (Without actual penetration) did result in pregnancy,(Sperm is highly motile) and the woman was still a "Virgin",that's the only way a true virgin could birth a male child.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
04/24/2008 21:16 Comments ||
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#20
After all, she was still a virgin after the birth.
Maybe she had one of those Mooselimb virginity restoration jobs. No, wait, that would be an anachronism. Lemme think....
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.
Men who frequently 
The price of oil is likely to hit 150 dollars (Canadian, US) a barrel by 2010 and soar to 225 dollars a barrel by 2012 as supply becomes increasingly tight, a Canadian bank said Thursday.
An expected drop in demand in the United States due to higher prices and a weak economy will be more than offset by demand growth in developing nations, it says. 
(Xinhua) -- Visiting Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen said here Tuesday that the European Union (EU) needs to diversify its sources to obtain sufficient energy. 
JERUSALEM - Israel said on Wednesday it has not conducted any spying on the United States since 1985, following the arrest in New York of a US army veteran charged with passing defence secrets to the Jewish state some 30 years ago.
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - "Basic Instinct" director Paul Verhoeven has written a book that contradicts biblical teaching by suggesting that Jesus might have been fathered by a Roman soldier who raped Mary.
