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Clashes in Somali capital kill 135 civilians
Today's Headlines
Headline Comments [Views]
Page 3: Non-WoT
1 00:00 Elmart Ebbeating3116 [7] 
2 00:00 Frank G [1] 
4 00:00 Phiter Phavilet5544 [] 
5 00:00 2b [5] 
9 00:00 pihkalbadger [1] 
14 00:00 trailing wife [4] 
1 00:00 Oldspook [] 
5 00:00 Phiter Phavilet5544 [2] 
4 00:00 mcsegeek1 [] 
5 00:00 mojo [3] 
8 00:00 Duh! [7] 
5 00:00 Frank G [13] 
7 00:00 Thinemp Whimble2412 [7] 
Page 1: WoT Operations
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35 00:00 Captain America [7]
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18 00:00 Barbara Skolaut [6]
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Page 4: Opinion
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-Short Attention Span Theater-
Online radio station for dogs
The world's first internet radio station for dogs has been launched in Thailand.
DogRadioThailand.com features barking DJs playing vocal and instrumental music around the clock, reports the Bangkok Post.
Owner Anupan Boonchuen believes listening to music has an effect on canine behaviour.
He said: "I've noticed that dogs often respond to music. Some wag their tails. Some lift their heads while lying on the floor.
"At my grooming school we found that when we turned on music the dogs' mood improved. They were more obedient and let us trim their hair easily."
So what happens when they play Metallica songs, versus, say, "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik?"
It is reported that ten students from the dog grooming school have been hired to work as DJs
Mr Boonchuen added: "One of the main qualifications is that he or she must be good at barking because dogs are our listeners, the DJs may have to make different sounds, such as whining or barking, to match the mood of music they play.
"And they must be able to communicate with the dogs, even if they can't see them."
YJCMTSU!
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 05/12/2006 19:42 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Roof roof!
Posted by: Elmart Ebbeating3116 || 05/12/2006 22:34 Comments || Top||


Famous Psychopaths in the News
Another sign of the Apocalypse...
I like the headline; I think we can make this a regular feature ...
LOS ANGELES - In a scene from his new candid-camera program "Juiced," O.J. Simpson pulls a prank involving the infamous white Bronco, drawing criticism from the family of a man he was accused of killing.

As part of the pay-per-view show, Simpson pretends to sell the Bronco at a used car lot and boasts to a prospective buyer that he made the vehicle famous, according to a segment aired Thursday on "Inside Edition." "It was good for me — it helped me get away," Simpson said, referring to the slow-speed, televised police chase that preceded his 1994 arrest on charges of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.
Ha-ha-ha, America. Yeah, I did it. Do something about it. You can't, can you? Ha-ha-ha.
Goldman's father, Fred, told "Inside Edition" he found Simpson's comment "morally reprehensible."
Like O.J. cares?
Simpson was acquitted of murder. A civil jury later held him liable for the deaths and ordered him to pay $33.5 million to the Brown and Goldman families. Much of that judgment remains unpaid. "Any money that he makes, I hope, will go to satisfy the multimillion dollar judgment made against him in the civil case," said Brown family attorney Gloria Allred.
Don't bet on it...
The hour-long program is airing on pay-per-view this month, and a DVD offering uncensored material will be made available soon, "Juiced" executive producer Rick Mahr told The Associated Press.
But won't this take away time from his hunt for the real killers?
Other practical jokes include Simpson disguised as an Elvis impersonator, a vagabond selling oranges for money and an elderly man leading a Bingo game.
Other suggestions? Butcher? Ginsu knife salesman? Innocent man?
Simpson was not paid for the program, Mahr said.
Oh, I'll bet he wasn't...
"Basically O.J. Simpson has decided to do this because he wants to do it, and he wanted to have fun with it," Mahr said.
Yeah. O.J.'s a fun guy...
Posted by: tu3031 || 05/12/2006 09:22 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I got it! Juice should go into a domestic abuse shelter disguised as Ike Turner and say he’s looking for a date. When they try to kick him out he goes ballistic and “acts” belligerent. When he removes his get-up and they see who he really is…watch for the belly-laughs to ensue.
Posted by: DepotGuy || 05/12/2006 10:36 Comments || Top||

#2  Go after Rick Mahr for producing a show with that dome-lopping son of a bitch.
Posted by: mcsegeek1 || 05/12/2006 10:45 Comments || Top||

#3  The headline made me think it was about the Kennedys.
Posted by: Robert Crawford || 05/12/2006 11:18 Comments || Top||

#4  mate, i saw the pic of the bodies on Dan's house of the grotesque (more than a decade ago i forget the name of the site i think that was it)

and that was a frenzied attack. those people were really hacked into. once you've seen the pic of the bodies you realise it was no one off 'i'm angry so there' whack with a knife. it was cold blooded psycho killer stuff. just hideous.

hope there's a hell so OJ can burn in it.

Posted by: anon1 || 05/12/2006 11:24 Comments || Top||

#5  He's a special kind of guy, isn't he

Posted by: bk || 05/12/2006 11:43 Comments || Top||

#6  "Basically O.J. Simpson has decided to do this because he wants to do it, and he wanted to have fun with it," Mahr said.

This murdering bastard should be "having fun" with that Moosisawi bloke in Supermax.
Posted by: Besoeker || 05/12/2006 11:45 Comments || Top||

#7  The poor man has been at loose ends ever since he killed his wife... Remember all the fun he had in the old days on the sets of the various Cannonball Run and Naked Gun films? One could work up a great deal of sympathy for Mr. Simpson, had he not taken his habitual spouse abuse quite so far.
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/12/2006 14:31 Comments || Top||

#8  Be sure to visit OJ at his new web site:

Slash, Slash, O J, Backslash, Dot, Slash.
Posted by: Zenster || 05/12/2006 17:45 Comments || Top||

#9  "Basically O.J. Simpson has decided to do this because he wants to do it, and he wanted to have fun with it,"
That would be the murder then.
Celeb justice/justice.
The whole oj thing makes america look morally small n cheap.
Posted by: pihkalbadger || 05/12/2006 19:01 Comments || Top||


Evolution of Dance
Posted by: anonymous2u || 05/12/2006 01:07 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  evolution continued:

http://www.compfused.com/directlink/777/
Posted by: Besoeker || 05/12/2006 9:28 Comments || Top||

#2  What makes it funny is that most of what he does is a straight-out-of-the-box exact replica of the original--though I must give him credit, pull-starting a lawnmower to "U Can't Touch This" is a stroke of sheer genius.
Posted by: Mike || 05/12/2006 10:46 Comments || Top||

#3  Nice to see he's put all those years of dance classes to good use. There's some good training behind that sketch -- you can tell by how high he holds his center when he shakes his hips ;-) -- and serious cardiovascular work. Notice that he didn't even get sweaty? That man is in pretty darn good shape!
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/12/2006 14:42 Comments || Top||

#4  Now THAT's mime!

Seriously though, excellent routine.
Posted by: Thinemp Whimble2412 || 05/12/2006 20:58 Comments || Top||

#5  LOL. Great video! Over 1100 comments, too, LOL.
Posted by: Phiter Phavilet5544 || 05/12/2006 21:26 Comments || Top||


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Georgian parliament approves Georgia's integration in NATO
The Georgian parliament approved on Thursday Georgia's integration in NATO. The parliament urged for continuing all measures and requirements needed for Georgia to be admitted to NATO. It also urged parliaments of the member countries to offer all types of assistance to complete such admittance.
Posted by: Fred || 05/12/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  As long as they promise to take "Jimmuh" from OUR Georgia, its a deal!
Posted by: Oldspook || 05/12/2006 0:13 Comments || Top||

#2  Ha Ha Pooty! There goes another piece of your little evil empire you were dreaming of reviving. The Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, now Georgia, how much worse can it get?
Posted by: Omase Unaviger5871 || 05/12/2006 7:50 Comments || Top||

#3  Hmmm... A NATO partner on Iran's northern flank.

BRUHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Posted by: DarthVader || 05/12/2006 9:32 Comments || Top||

#4  Here's mud in yer' eye, Poo poo Putin.
Posted by: mcsegeek1 || 05/12/2006 10:48 Comments || Top||


Down Under
Aussie warships deployed to East Timor
TWO navy warships have been deployed to waters off northern Australia amid continuing tensions in East Timor.

But Timor is adamant it has no need for military assistance, despite the death of a police officer during one of two violent protests that have rocked the country in the past fortnight.
In the latest flare-up, about 100 people were arrested after a stone-throwing mob attacked a government office in a town southwest of Dili, killing the officer.

The previous week, violence erupted during a protest by soldiers sacked for desertion, leaving at least five people dead.

Australia said last week it would consider sending troops, if asked. Prime Minister John Howard today said the navy's amphibious transport ships HMAS Kanimbla and HMAS Manoora had been deployed and were ready to be called into service, if required. Labor has backed the move.

The ships are believed to be heading towards Darwin. But Mr Howard would not say if the ships had been despatched in response to the Timorese situation. "We have had absolutely no requests," he said.

A defence spokesman said the Kanimbla and Manoora were bound for waters in Australia's north. "It's what the military does, use its assets in such a way that if they were to receive any requests we would be able to respond quickly," he said. However, there were no requests for help from East Timor "at this stage".

The Timorese Government insists it has control of the situation, but it has said it would accept assistance if the situation were to change. A spokesman for East Timorese Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta said Timor had "absolutely" no need for assistance at the moment.
"No, no, certainly not!"
"Everything is moving positively very quickly to a resolution of the prevailing tension," he said, adding that East Timor had no need to request help.

East Timor's ambassador in Australia, Hernani Coelho Da Silva, said the Australian Government had not informed Timor about its plans to send ships to Australia's northern waters. "We are always grateful for the Australian Government (support)," he said.

The Kanimbla and Manoora could be heading north with as few as 50 crew aboard each vessel, ready to reload in Darwin if called into action. "This is really a preliminary deployment of these vessels, contingent on things deteriorating in East Timor and the East Timorese government asking for assistance," said Professor Ross Babbage, chairman of the Kokoda Foundation, an independent security thinktank. "In that event these ships ... could then be loaded by troops and assets, helicopters and other things, and then be deployed into East Timor, as appropriate."

The Australian move comes as the United Nations considers a request to extend its mission in East Timor - initially by one month. The mission is due to end on May 19. Dr Ramos Horta's spokesman said during the month the UN would assess whether it needed to remain in Timor for a further year. "The original proposal was to provide what they described as a political office, mainly to assist with the elections in May next year, however, if the situation doesn't get better for some reason, then they would look at having some military component," he said.
Posted by: Oztralian || 05/12/2006 04:07 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  They need to head to West Papua next and bash some Indonesian muzzy heads there. They Indonesian army has been terrorizing the papuans for years and its getting steadily worse.
Posted by: Oldspook || 05/12/2006 13:51 Comments || Top||


Europe
Merkel vows to revive failed EU constitution
Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed on Thursday to revive the failed EU constitution, but said the 25-nation bloc needed first to convince its people it was working to provide for their economic and social security. In her first major speech on Europe to the Bundestag lower house of parliament, Merkel urged a fundamental rethink of Europe's mission, saying its historical rationale, preserving peace after World War Two, was no longer enough to inspire people in the post-Cold War world. "We must, and I am deeply convinced of this, critically review the state of the European project," she said. "We need to put people at the centre and explain what Europe means for their jobs, their prosperity, their social security, their healthcare and their old age. "
Posted by: Fred || 05/12/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Angela, no use to beat a dead horse.
Posted by: twobyfour || 05/12/2006 0:27 Comments || Top||

#2  It's only a scratch!
Posted by: Captain of the Titanic || 05/12/2006 2:47 Comments || Top||

#3  Your mealy-mouthing would be more convincing, Angela, if you control freaks let the German people vote on it. Then it could be settled once and for all. Coward.
Posted by: Gleresing Jomolet9901 || 05/12/2006 2:52 Comments || Top||

#4  "convince its people it was working to provide for their economic and social security"

There's your problem right there, Angela.

"Economic and social security" cannot be provided in perpetuity by a government. The government can, however, make everyone (except the elites running the government, of course) equally destitute.

Knock off the socialist crap and embrace the free market, then get out of the way and watch your economy take off - and with it, your economic security.

The federal government shouldn't be involved in people's social security, either. (Government "security" makes everyone equally poor when they're old, too.) And that includes the American government.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut || 05/12/2006 8:41 Comments || Top||

#5  "CLEAR!!"
Posted by: mojo || 05/12/2006 14:11 Comments || Top||


Great White North
Kyoto: Canada Wakes Up
[Link goes to transcript of May 10 Canadian Parliament session - quote about 1/4 of the way down]
Hon. Rona Ambrose (Minister of the Environment, CPC): Mr. Speaker, our government is being honest and transparent with Canadians about the mess the Liberals left us when it comes to our Kyoto targets.
Ouch! That must have left a mark. American Republicans - please take note. You can point out where the Dems left us with a mess here. (Not forgetting, of course, the messes you made yourselves.)
Today we will release Canada's greenhouse gas inventory and it will show that Canada now is 35% higher than the Kyoto targets that the Liberals set.
Well, I for one am just shocked! Who could have seen that coming? Other than everyone with two working brain cells, that is.
To put this into perspective, it would mean that today we would have to take every train, plane and automobile off the streets in Canada.
That's what Kyoto was designed to do. To America. Y'all were just collateral damage.
That is not realistic.
Not to normal people. The enviro-nazis and tranzis and other enemys of the modern world, on the other hand....
Is that the kind of solution the hon. member thinks is a good idea?
Well, yeah. As long as it's not his limo....

More of the exchange at the link. It appears Canada's new government really does have a clue. Congratulations on electing some adults, Canada. America needs to elect more of them, too.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut || 05/12/2006 08:16 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Can't elect them if they don't show up on the ballot. It's not like either party will give us a option of 'None of the Above'.
Posted by: Chineger Sleper7584 || 05/12/2006 9:18 Comments || Top||

#2  Don't look at me. I voted for Palpatine.
Posted by: DarthVader || 05/12/2006 9:28 Comments || Top||

#3  CS - you do have a point.

Unfortunately.

Say - wanna run for office? ;-p
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut || 05/12/2006 9:38 Comments || Top||

#4  CS, I've said the same thing for years.
Also, next to that should be an "Abolish the Office" choice.
Posted by: BrerRabbit || 05/12/2006 10:03 Comments || Top||

#5  Amen, BR! :-D
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut || 05/12/2006 10:13 Comments || Top||

#6  It gets better: (Hansard)

Mr. Mark Holland (Ajax-Pickering, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the point that the minister misses is very simple. There is a difference between expressing an opinion about the judiciary and launching a personal attack on the independence of Canada's chief justice and to put words in her mouth. There is a huge difference.

Canadians want to know are the comments from the member for Halton and the Prime Minister's close association with the ultra right wing Civitas Society part of their real agenda, an agenda to destroy the independence of our judiciary?

Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I cannot resist answering a question about the vast right wing conspiracy. What I will say is that I will speak to the Minister of National Defence and see if there is any possibility in the budget of a black helicopter, so we can fly the hon. member around to investigate his concerns.

H/T Stephen Taylor
http://www.stephentaylor.ca/archives/000589.html
Posted by: john || 05/12/2006 11:34 Comments || Top||

#7  it would mean that today we would have to take every train, plane and automobile off the streets in Canada.

Hey hosers,
Just send all the oil south and Americans will take care of those pollutants for you, for free. You can't be too green or righteous up there.

I ask myself everyday wrt Canada, "How can I help you?"
Posted by: ed || 05/12/2006 11:44 Comments || Top||

#8  I once tried to think out how a "None of the Above" option would work. Assuming that you actually do eventually have to fill the office, if NoneOfTheAbove wins you need a runoff election with new candidates (none of the above, though). That gives more power to party backroom boys, which may or may not be better than the current system; and it means the first race gets much more vicious.
If Party A has a relatively strong candidate, Party B nominates a loser to savage Party A's guy and hope for a runoff where Party B's #1 choice has a better chance.
But I'd have voted NOTA in several elections, if I'd had the option.
Posted by: James || 05/12/2006 11:45 Comments || Top||

#9  I could do a much better job than most of our current congressmen, but I smoked pot once.
Posted by: wxjames || 05/12/2006 13:11 Comments || Top||

#10  Yeah, but did you inhale???
Posted by: anonymous5089 || 05/12/2006 13:41 Comments || Top||

#11 
" I could do a much better job than most of our current congressmen, but I smoked pot once."

Well unless you have a conviction for it or other drug use, then it never happened. Anyones claims that you did would be hearsay.

-M
Posted by: Manolo || 05/12/2006 16:26 Comments || Top||

#12  James This Canuck hears you. Funny thing is I recently received a notice of selection (first round) to sit on the "Ontario Citizen's Advisory for Electoral Reform". Examining for change how we vote and how those votes translate into seats and recommending any change case for referendum. A unique opportunity, if I can survive the computer cut for Round 2 selection for acceptance. Fun for a 'Rantberger? Wow!. British Columbia led this idea of citizen recommendation for reform in 2004/05, I believe. The Ontario model is a nice follow up. I like the idea of the average joe being able to effect change - provided the majority of joe's agree with initial joe.

If you're Ontarian, maybe new ways of choosing are in your future?
Posted by: Thinemp Whimble2412 || 05/12/2006 20:30 Comments || Top||

#13  Harper's black helicopter bit is one righteous bitch slap! Kudos!
Posted by: Phiter Phavilet5544 || 05/12/2006 20:42 Comments || Top||

#14  Have fun, Thinemp Whimble2412! And let us know how it goes, 'k?
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/12/2006 23:05 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
'Almost 59% of Pakistanis are still illiterate'
Posted by: Fred || 05/12/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I bet that number's low
Posted by: Frank G || 05/12/2006 0:14 Comments || Top||

#2  Almost 59% of Pakistanis are still illiterate

Which makes the list of countries googling for "sex" even more impressive.
Posted by: Penguin || 05/12/2006 0:50 Comments || Top||

#3  How else are they going to find out what girls look like?
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/12/2006 2:53 Comments || Top||

#4  But they got nukes.

Hold your head up high.
Posted by: bigjim-ky || 05/12/2006 9:02 Comments || Top||

#5  It's ok, since the remaining 41% all know the Koran by heart....
Posted by: Desert Blondie || 05/12/2006 9:05 Comments || Top||

#6  And the other 59% can't do math?

We tend to poke fun at ol' Perv but this is just another reminder what a tough job he has trying to drag his people, kicking and screaming, into the 19th century without getting killed in the process. I wish him luck, 'cause he's gonna need it!
Posted by: SteveS || 05/12/2006 10:35 Comments || Top||

#7  You assume Musharraf wishes to overturn the feudal structure in Pakistan.
There were string motivations behind partition.. these serfs remain uneducated for a reason...
Posted by: john || 05/12/2006 17:31 Comments || Top||

#8  And the other 59% can't do math?

Remember reading about(from Time Magazine or Newsweek, some time b4 this Internet Age )the consternations in the public schools they caused when they moved in big via migration into the English society. Their children of schooling age could't do toiletry coz their mum didn't know enough to teach 'em how to. Also other pretty grimy and backward things.
Posted by: Duh! || 05/12/2006 17:36 Comments || Top||


Sonia wins by a landslide
India's hereditary Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi won a by-election by a landslide on Thursday, with voters in a family bastion sending her back to parliament after she quit in a row over holding a paid job while a lawmaker. Despite searing heat during voting on Monday and a low turnout, Gandhi received a mammoth 400,000 votes more than her nearest rival in the election in Rae Bareli. Results were announced on Thursday, alongside those from elections to five state assemblies.
The Commies won big, too. I occasionally think that India's newfound prosperity is accidental.
Posted by: Fred || 05/12/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [13 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I would suggest the biggest element in India's recent success is the large pool of educated, English-speaking workers. As opposed to the US, where neither educated nor English-speaking seem to apply to ever increasing numbers of workers.
Posted by: Glenmore || 05/12/2006 10:18 Comments || Top||

#2  Oh criminy, then explain why we're the richest country in the world and getting richer.
Posted by: Steve White || 05/12/2006 10:39 Comments || Top||

#3  Yeah, we're rich and getting richer - and India is getting richer TOO, because language and education lets them best take advantage of opportunities to work with us.
Posted by: Glenmore || 05/12/2006 14:54 Comments || Top||

#4  I should think proficiency in English has much to do with it. On the flip side it may be why the Pakis managed to suck up to England and subvert them blind towards Londinistan.
Posted by: Duh! || 05/12/2006 17:11 Comments || Top||

#5  you don't see a lotta call centers outsourced to Burma....
Posted by: Frank G || 05/12/2006 17:31 Comments || Top||


Haj officials spending pilgrims’ fund on snacks, drinks and telephone bills
A compulsory deduction of money from over 100,000 Pakistani pilgrims every year in the name of the Pilgrimage Welfare Fund (PWF) – meant to provide them medical facilities and meet expenses of their burials in case of death in Saudi Arabia – is now being spent on snacks, soft drinks, payment of utility bills, vehicles for bureaucrats and compensation to the Saudi motorway police to settle accident rows involving Religious Ministry officials. The Auditor General of Pakistan has sent the case to the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly to look into the irregularities. The committee might take up the issue today (Friday).

About Rs 7 million has already been spent on snacks, drinks and other such bills in violation of rules, which govern the fund’s spending. The Religious Ministry is seeking regularisation of this illegal use of money but the Finance Ministry has already turned down its request to settle the case by approving the illegal spending. This is not the first time that the Auditor General of Pakistan has reported the misuse of the fund to the PAC. In the past, the fund was even used to pay Haj expenses of federal ministers, MNAs and other top government authorities. A list of such beneficiaries was also presented to the committee. However, the PAC has failed to stop the fund’s misuse because Religious Ministry officials have been indifferent to its observations.

Rs 995,184 was spent on the repair of ministry vehicles and telephone, telex and fax bills from the same pilgrimage fund. The Saudi motorway police was also paid Rs 119,552 from the fund when an official of the Pakistani Haj Directorate hit a car. The Religious Affairs Ministry says that because the official who caused the accident was on official duty, the ministry paid the money in compensation to the victim.
Posted by: Fred || 05/12/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under:

#1  In the past, the fund was even used to pay Haj expenses of federal ministers, MNAs and other top government authorities. A list of such beneficiaries was also presented to the committee. However, the PAC has failed to stop the fund’s misuse because Religious Ministry officials have been indifferent to its observations.

"why....these are HOLY MEN™. These independent auditors lie! Kill them!"
Posted by: Frank G || 05/12/2006 0:17 Comments || Top||

#2  speaking of the Haj in SA,

aaron is back »:-)
Posted by: Brougham Bro || 05/12/2006 2:44 Comments || Top||

#3  That's a lot of snacks.
Posted by: bigjim-ky || 05/12/2006 9:05 Comments || Top||

#4  What, no internet prOn?
Posted by: anonymous5089 || 05/12/2006 10:31 Comments || Top||

#5  Pakistan has a 59% literacy rate, right? Maybe the holy guys in charge can't read the rules and thought that snacky cakes were allowed?
Posted by: Desert Blondie || 05/12/2006 11:08 Comments || Top||

#6  Might wanna save some of it. You know, for the Stampede Fund?

...meant to provide them medical facilities and meet expenses of their burials in case of death in Saudi Arabia

Oh, wait. Maybe that's what it was for in the first place...
Posted by: tu3031 || 05/12/2006 17:57 Comments || Top||

#7  The Religious Ministry is seeking regularisation of this illegal use of money but the Finance Ministry has already turned down its request to settle the case by approving the illegal spending.

The fatwas says it's legal illegal spending 'cause we are holy. And so are the snacks. So settle this by saying it's legal. Inshallah.
Posted by: Thinemp Whimble2412 || 05/12/2006 19:51 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Culture Wars
Feds want hackers blood DNA - Hacker is a Jehovah's Witnesses
Posted by: 3dc || 05/12/2006 15:09 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  That he hacked New Yawk Slimes is commendable, but otherwise, give him a punch in the nose and collect the kleenex.
Posted by: twobyfour || 05/12/2006 16:34 Comments || Top||

#2  fine - remove his mouse finger, sample that
Posted by: Frank G || 05/12/2006 17:17 Comments || Top||


Home Front Economy
Search of working Visa holders in your area.
See who is hiring H-1B, H-2B and Green Card folks in your area.
Also how much they hired them for.
Posted by: 3dc || 05/12/2006 14:28 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  It only goes back to 2002, at least in my new home state of Florida. This is interesting historical data, but it proves nothing about current employment.

And yes, I'm biased, but none of the individuals in this database are here illegally. They or their employers have done the paperwork to hire them in accordance with the law. The illegally hired are the ones avoiding paying taxes, social security, etc. and generally draining our welfare services.
Posted by: Desert Blondie || 05/12/2006 18:38 Comments || Top||

#2  You might feel differently if you worked in IT or communications, where low-rent slaves have been imported to do what were, once, professional jobs. Now they are templated for the seriously technically impaired. The future of our technical lead in high H-1B venues will eroded significantly by the dumbing down of these positions to monkey-see, monkey-do level.

You can believe it, or not, it is so.
Posted by: Uloter Angeatle7925 || 05/12/2006 18:48 Comments || Top||

#3  "legally", UA...you may not like it, butthere's a difference. I sympathize, but we're talking apples/oranges. What about the lower-level construction worker who loses out to an Illegal? It's not the same
Posted by: Frank G || 05/12/2006 20:25 Comments || Top||

#4  I want a piece of this, now. UA responded to the legal workers, FrankG, that's what the article is about and he responded directly to the issues of the visa programs.

When they start importing CE's and other engineers for 1/2 what you make, that point will become a tad sharper, clearer. Get pissed, if you like, but it's the truth and your day is coming, too.

Illegals should NOT be be employed - that's why they come - and going after the employers is the way to stop it.

Regards these legal imports, the visa programs are stacked against the domestic workers by the power of corporations who testify before congressional committees with their BS sob story about not having enough domestic talent to fill the positions. Then the management of these corporations contribute to the campaigns of those who gave them what they wanted. It's that simple - and crooked. It's "good business".

Ask 3dc what he thinks. I believe he can offer a more colorful explanation of why he has been out of work so long, yet obviously a highly skilled comm industry talent.

It sucks when it hits home. The current situation is, mostly, a farce.
Posted by: Phiter Phavilet5544 || 05/12/2006 20:38 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Culture Wars
SEC's "Katie Couric" salary clause draws fire
Squeal, piggies.
Hollywood doesn't blink at paying top dollar for the right actor in a movie deal, but a federal proposal for media companies to reveal their stars' salaries has studios crying "cut!" CBS Corp., Walt Disney Co. and Viacom Inc. are among the media companies asking the Securities and Exchange Commission to drop a proposal that would require them to tell the world how much they pay their top-earning non-executives such as actors and TV news anchors.
Every other industry is required by the media to disclose its salary structures; every time they try to weasel out of such disclosures they are hounded by Dateline NBC, 20/20, and 60 Minutes and accused of coverups.
The entertainment industry is abuzz over the so-called "Katie Couric" clause in a broad SEC plan for publicly traded companies to give shareholders more information about multimillion-dollar salaries. The designation comes from "Today" show co-host Couric, who is leaving NBC at the end of May to join CBS as anchor and managing editor of "The CBS Evening News With Katie Couric" for a reported salary of $15 million over five years. The SEC proposal -- aimed mainly at prying loose more information on the pay of top corporate officers -- also would force companies to disclose salary figures for up to three workers whose compensation exceeds that of its top executives. Companies protesting the SEC plan, which also include DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., and News Corp., insist that the salary structure for high-paid talent is too complex and irrelevant to shareholders. The new rule also might scare away high-profile individuals who prefer to keep their financial terms private, the companies say.
"Our salaries are ever so complex, it's a acting thing, you wouldn't understand. Our accounting methods are so obscure that nearly every single accountant and entertainment industry exec should go to jail for at least ten years. Plus, we know better than all of you peasants. Only evil capitalists need to disclose their ill-gotten gains. Us noble socialists are secure in our legitimate rights to privacy and prosperity."
Posted by: Seafarious || 05/12/2006 11:43 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under:

#1  ..Another VERY good reason why the studios and networks are treating this like the Devil faced with holy water is that it would eventually open up FEDERAL scrutiny into the bizarre bookkeeping practices of most Hollywood studios. Remember Art Buchwald's lawsuit against Paramount saying they had stolen the idea for the Eddie Murphy comedy, Coming To America ? Paramount's official weekly figures said the film totalled $128,113,607 on a production cost of about a tenth of that - but when the judge ruled Paramount guilty and awarded Buchwald a share of the profits, the studio trotted out figures that 'proved' the film never made a dime. That sort of nonsense gets people in other industries put away, and the studios know it.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski || 05/12/2006 13:40 Comments || Top||

#2  Yes. Shine the bright light of truth on the vampires.
Posted by: DarthVader || 05/12/2006 13:46 Comments || Top||

#3  Do the same for the recording labels too. That industry's a nest of vampires as well....

Sometimes the best thing is to kick the door down and let in some good old fashoned direct sunlight.



Posted by: CrazyFool || 05/12/2006 14:08 Comments || Top||

#4  Winston Groom, the author of Forest Gump, was promised a percentage of the profit from the movie. The movie grossed $677 million. According to Paramount (the studio) - it didn't make any profit.
Posted by: DMFD || 05/12/2006 19:19 Comments || Top||

#5  they don't want to have to expose all of their dirty laundering.
Posted by: 2b || 05/12/2006 23:02 Comments || Top||



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Two weeks of WOT
Fri 2006-05-12
  Clashes in Somali capital kill 135 civilians
Thu 2006-05-11
  Jordan Arrests 20 Over ‘Hamas Arms Plots’
Wed 2006-05-10
  Quartet folds on Paleo aid
Tue 2006-05-09
  10 wounded in Fatah-Hamas festivities
Mon 2006-05-08
  Bush wants to close Gitmo
Sun 2006-05-07
  Israel foils plot to kill Abbas
Sat 2006-05-06
  Anjem Choudary arrested
Fri 2006-05-05
  Goss Resigns as CIA Head
Thu 2006-05-04
  Sweden: Three men 'planned terror attack on church'
Wed 2006-05-03
  Moussaoui gets life
Tue 2006-05-02
  Ramadi battle kills 100-plus insurgents
Mon 2006-05-01
  Qaeda planning to massacre Fatah leadership
Sun 2006-04-30
  Qaeda leaders in Samarra and Baquba both neutralized
Sat 2006-04-29
  Noordin escapes capture by Indonesian police
Fri 2006-04-28
  Iraqi forces kill 49 gunmen, arrest another 74


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