ALMOST three quarters of people believe global warming is a 'natural occurrence' and not a result of carbon emissions, a survey claimed today. Heretics!!!
This goes against the views of the vast majority of paid cheerleaders scientists who believe the rise in the earth's temperatures is due to pollution.
The online study which polled nearly 4000 votes found that a staggering 71 percent of people think that the rise in air temperature happens naturally. And 65 percent think that scientists' catastrophic predictions if pollution isn't curbed are 'far fetched'. I take back what I said. Maybe people are smarter than I give them credit for.
Emma Hardcastle, publisher at Pocket Issue which carried out the research, said: "If 71% of people feel that Man has nothing to do with the recent change in our climate then those same people are not going to buy into our profit measures any movement to reduce their carbon footprint.
"We need to make it clear that there is nothing natural about the significant rise in both carbon emissions and global temperatures since the industrial revolution. Never mind the data doesn't match what you are claiming.
"Pocket Issues brief is to help people to understand the facts, encouraging them to click through to a carbon counter as a result.
"Pocket Issue feel that the poll highlights the need for government and influential bodies to concentrate on getting the public to understand the facts about global warming and why rather than how they should reduce their carbon footprint." In short, a liberal's dream. Bigger and more expensive nanny-state government.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which represents most scientists, stated earlier that the increase in global temperatures is 'very likely due to the observed increase of man-made greenhouse gas concentrations'. I'll make this short lady, please drown and stop adding to global warming by spewing hot air.
#4
The online study which polled nearly 4000 votes
An online poll? About the best way there is to get a completely non-representative sample, short of deliberately skewing the chosen subjects. Anyone who would willingly quote the results is either too stupid to be trusted on matters of science, or lying. I'd say the former is much more likely.
#9
There is a percentage of Americans who act as if the enviroment actually adjusts its rate of heating and cooling to match the polling results of administrators and shills with scientific titles. To argue with those people would not only be a waste of our time but it would distract those people from what they are doing and negatively impact the ratings of Fresh Prince reruns.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
06/26/2007 22:48 Comments ||
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Thought this may be of interest some RBers. EFL
Air Force officials recently returned from Libya with the remains of 72 deceased Americans, believed to be family members of Airmen once stationed at Wheelus Air Base located outside of Tripoli, the nation's capital.
"The Air Force was notified by the State Department and we were told that there were Americans still buried there," Mr. Blair said. "Wheelus was active from about 1958 to 1972 as a B-52 (Stratofortress) base and Airmen were permitted to have their families with them."
The two-week unearthing process was an arduous one as Mr. Blair and his three-person team worked with local contractors to recover the 35- to 50-year-old remains. Conflicting schedules and religious holy days limited the amount of time they could all work at the site. Overall, 70 infants and two adults were repatriated from the cemetery.
If anyone thinks they may have, or know someone who has, family who might have been buried at Wheelus AB, call the Air Force Mortuary Office at 800-531-5803.
#1
"70 infants and two adults were repatriated from the cemetery"
What on earth....? Some kind of plague?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
06/26/2007 16:02 Comments ||
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#2
Barbara, the deaths spanned a 15 year period.
The dead were buried at a cemetery run by the Italian military, which had offered Americans stationed at Wheelus a free plot and marker. At the time, there was no entitlement for American service members to have deceased family flown home, so many Airmen took the Italians up on the offer, Mr. Blair said.
#3
GK - I doubt that the total American population at Wheelus at any one time was huge. That's still a pretty high mortality rate for infants. I was alive during the period and don't remember infant mortality being that great here in the States.
It's bizarre.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
06/26/2007 16:41 Comments ||
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Rabat, 26 June (AKI) - A group of Berber activists is planning to create next month North Africa's first friendship association with Israel, pan-Arab daily al-Quds al-Arabi reports. The activists plan to hold the official inauguration on 20 July in the city of Taroudaut, 60 kilometres inland from the western coastal resort of Agadir, the paper said.
Jewish Berbers living in Israel and Moroccan Berbers will be involved in the new association, which aims to allow Jewish Berbers to keep in touch with Berber and Moroccan culture and the Amazigh language, the association's founding committee said in a statement.
Berber activists are inviting all Moroccans wanting dialogue with Israel to attend the 20 July inauguration and sign up. But the association faces hostility from some quarters. It is a "way to divide the Moroccan people and to deny it its history," al-Quds al-Arabi quoted the Palestinian and Iraq solidarity association's president Khaled Al-Sufiyani as saying.
Jews make up 0.2 percent of Morocco's population, Arab-Berbers 99 percent and other groups, 0.7 percent. The country is 99 percent Muslim. Arabic is the official language, while several Berber dialects are spoken. However French is often still the language of business, government, and diplomacy.
#5
No gas to run them... Even Bad Bob's flatulance is in limited supply... And no crops to harvest anyway... "But them things shore are a-lookin' purdy!"
From Slate's Human Nature column....
A study suggests conservative Muslim dress codes are causing vitamin D deficiency by depriving women of sunlight. 'Cuz Allah digs rickets!!
Researchers "previously found a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Arab and East Indian women residing in the United Arab Emirates." In a follow-up study of 178 UAE women, "Many dressed to cover their whole bodies, including their hands and faces, while outside of their homes. Only two of the women, one in each group, were not vitamin D deficient." After three months of supplements, only 30 percent of the women who finished the study achieved recommended levels of vitamin D. Researchers' conclusion: These women need higher doses of vitamin D. Human Nature's conclusion: They need lower doses of fundamentalism.
#1
Only two of the women, one in each group, were not vitamin D deficient. And the two were promptly thrashed by the Mutawa because the wymmin had obviously been sneaking into the sunshine sans burka.
And the two were promptly thrashed by the Mutawa because the wymmin had obviously been sneaking into the sunshine sans burka.
And then the uber-Mutwa thrashed the thrashing Mutwa, cuz the Thrashing Mutwa was breathing so heavily, and soiling his schmock while thrashing the women... Then the uber-uber-Mutwa... :)
The joint forces arrested two customs officials and a security man of Chittagong Customs while they were taking bribe from an employee of a private inland container depot (ICD) here yesterday. The forces also held the employee of the private ICD and a middleman.
Immediately after the arrest of the two customs officials--Principal Appraiser Emdadul Haq and Preventive Officer Md Anisul Haq--the authorities concerned put the two under suspension.
The three other arrestees are customs security man Md Masum, employee of the private ICD Masud Parvez and middleman Humayun Kabir.
Receiving information that the customs officials were taking bribe from an employee of private ICD of Ishaq Brothers Limited through a middleman for documentation of export and import goods at Chittagong Customs House, the joint forces raided the depot at around 2:00pm and arrested the five. They recovered Tk 14,000 from the customs officials and handed over the five to Bandar Police Station.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/26/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Now if they weren't taking bribes, that would be news.
The military backed caretaker government recently kicked-off the first ever crackdown against institutionalised corruption in government agencies as part of its ongoing massive anti-corruption drive being carried out countrywide since February against high profile corruption suspects.
Two decades old Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (Rajuk) is the first target of the drive against institutionalised corruption introduced as the second phase of the ongoing anti-graft campaign in an effort to bring necessary reforms to the government agency for making it a service oriented vibrant organisation.
Other government organisations, known as corrupted, will also be brought under the purge, but the Task Forces against Egregious Crimes and Corruption are giving priority to training their guns first on service oriented government agencies.
A government official said the public works department and organisations under the power sector are the next to undergo 'thorough' investigations, and the drive will advance gradually to get all the known corrupt government organisations reformed. The task force investigators already started digging into the corruption allegations against the public works department.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/26/2007 00:00 ||
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#3
It doesn't just conceal the raw numbers. It also hides the fact that the British criminal justice system is not effectively dealing with repeat offenders.
Could also go in WOT Background. Obstacles to social mobility mean immigrants do not assimilate. Pretty soon the immigrants/their kids and and native born workers grow resentful of each other. One turns to extremism in the Old Culture, the other turns to historical European extremism.
Working-class children in Britain are less likely to climb the social ladder than in any other developed nation, a report showed yesterday.
Children born in the 1950s had a greater chance of escaping the cycle of deprivation than those born in recent years
Youngsters from poor homes are being condemned to a life of poverty as they fail to reach university or get a well-paid job, said the study by the Sutton Trust, which helps underprivileged children. Researchers disclosed that children born in the 1950s had a greater chance of escaping the cycle of deprivation than those born in recent years.
White working class boys are becoming an unemployable underclass as they perform worse at school than any other racial group.
Their report comes days after it emerged that white working class boys were becoming an unemployable underclass as they performed worse at school than any other racial group.
The latest findings will be seen as a criticism of the Government's education reforms.
Sir Peter Lampl, the chairman of the Sutton Trust, said that, despite 10 years of Labour government, the best schools remained "socially selective", with only middle-class children able to gain a place.
He called for grammar schools to admit more children from deprived backgrounds and the return of a scheme - scrapped by Labour - to give poor pupils subsidised places at private schools. He also called for more investment in "universal, high-quality early years provision and improving our under-performing state schools".
The researchers found that children born in 1958 were more likely to earn a better wage than their parents, compared to children born in 1970. Children born after 1970 had no subsequent improvement in social mobility.
Prof Steve Machin, from the London School of Economics, which carried out the Sutton Trust study, said: "We had a very big expansion of the higher education system in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but contrary to many people's expectations this actually reinforced social immobility."
In a further development, researchers compared the link between parents' education and test scores for young children in 1975 and 2003. Children from poor homes were just as likely to under-perform now as 30 years ago.
Furthermore, the association between adults' education and that of their children was stronger in Britain than in other developed nations.
The report said: "Early indications are that the decline in social mobility for those growing up between the 1970s and 1980s reflects a strong episode of worsening social mobility that was not seen before or since. The trend of worsening has stopped, but the UK remains very low in the developed world rankings."
Sir Peter called yesterday for the formation of a cross-party commission to examine the reason for poor children's educational failure.
Education matters, of course, but so does social and economic policy. Sir Peter, being a member of the Labour party, seems not to understand the link.
David Cameron, the Conservative leader, backed the suggestion but again ruled out the possibility of more grammar school places, saying that more privately sponsored city academies should be built.
"We have got to get more good school places otherwise all we're doing is trying to find a different way of dividing up the cake," he said.
How about policies that encourage a bigger cake?
Jim Knight, the schools minister, said: "While we continue to see a flow of negative speculation about the current state of education, the facts tell a different story. Pupils achieved the highest ever GCSE results for English and maths - meaning 62,000 more left school in 2006 equipped with the basics than in 1997."
#1
In the past Brits who wanted to move up in society would go abroad to places like Pakistan, or Nigeria etc. to civilize them (it even kind of worked in India). Many of the problems this article discusses could be similarly solved - the unassimilated youth could go to Pakistan etc. where they would feel much more at home.
#2
It has also been pointed out in past that Labour governments generally result in high unemployment, economic and social stagnation, and sky high rates of alcoholism and drug abuse.
#3
One of the interesting things about keeping immigrants apart is that they never assimilate physically. Though they may be Americans legally and spiritually, you can frequently tell an immigrant just from the way they look and dress. But their children look, sound and dress much more like Americans, generally because they want to and their grand children are Americans because they never had the chance to be anything else. If you don't accept and assimilate at some point, the three generation process never starts.
#5
Complete and utter drek penned by hand-wringing, sushi-eating muppets from Islington. I know people from school who grew up in council houses and are now living in 8-bedroom houses, driving the latest BMWs, etc. Half a million Poles apparently agree with me too.
#6
To be contrary, one of the reasons that the Poles are doing so well is that they come in figuring that they will never be "accepted" into posh society, nor that they will be on the Queen's New Year List for awards. They are looking for, and getting, a different form of social mobility - economic returns. British society is still strangled by the level of class and privilege that aristocracies breed. The reason that the Poles are free of that infliction is that the Soviets managed to exterminate the majority of Polish aristocrats when they helped liquidate the Polish officer corps during WWII and the subsequent occupation/Iron Curtain period.
A window cleaner convicted of raping a 10-year-old girl may have his prison sentence extended following a campaign by a Conservative backbencher. Keith Fenn, 24, was handed a two year term after attacking the girl in a park in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. When the time he served in prison awaiting trial is taken into account, he could be out in as little as four months.
Lord Goldsmith, the Attorney General, today announced that he had requested details of the case from the Crown Prosecution Service, to decide whether to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal. During the trial the judge was reported to have made reference to the victim's "provocative" clothing, as well as the fact that she looked older than her years.
Lord Goldsmith became involved after Mike Penning, Tory MP for Hemel Hempstead, wrote complaining that the sentence was "pathetically lenient". Mr Penning said today: "I'm very pleased we have got through the first stage of the process.
"I hope that the Attorney General agrees with the vast majority of the country that if you want to deter paedophiles you have to give sentences which are a deterrent."
The victim does not live in Mr Penning's constituency, but the MP said he felt he had a duty to take up her case because she is in care. "I am appalled at the leniency of this sentence; frankly a sentence this lenient for such a serious crime makes a mockery of the legal system and I call on you to use your powers and appeal against this indulgent ruling," he wrote in his letter to Lord Goldsmith.
"What sort of deterrent is this to those who wish to physically abuse our children?"
Fenn was sentenced to concurrent two year and 18 month terms by Judge Julian Hall at Oxford Crown Court. Judge Hall hit the headlines in February when he suggested that compensation paid to another child sex abuse victim could be used to buy a new bicycle to cheer the child up.
Michelle Elliot, director of Kidscape, the children's charity, said: "Given what Judge Hall has said before in another child sex abuse case, I don't think he should be sitting on these kinds of cases.
"No one in my opinion could mistake a 10-year-old child, even dressed up, for a 16-year-old. They are just trying very hard to find excuses.
"You can never blame a child victim for sexual abuse when excusing the abuser of any kind of abuse."
#1
If the Judge finds a 10 year old girl 'provocative' I would tend to think perhaps he is also a pedophile himself and should not be judging these types of cases. But that's just me.....
Also notice that he would only sentence a rapist of an adult to two years? Seems Judge Hall judge has a great many 'sympathies' with those accused of rape and a 'deep understanding' (if you catch my drift).
#2
Deterrent to abuse? This isn't about the rape victim, it's about the real victim, Mr. Fenn. How is society helping him to succeed in life? A long prison sentence would only harden him, not to mention subject him to abuse by other inmates.
-- Hon. Goldsmith
#5
This is why we cannot fight the Orcs. It is the same thought-disease that prevents us from protecting ourselves; the same inversion of reason and natural law.
#6
"A long prison sentence would only harden him, not to mention subject him to abuse by other inmates"
That's not a bug, that's a feature.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
06/26/2007 16:06 Comments ||
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#7
I'm surprised that England has never evolved a "law and order" party, that would go against the tide for things like the death penalty, building more prisons, repeat offender laws, self defense laws, etc. Heck, they could even oppose gun control.
I suspect that were someone to even try, they would get a LOT more support than the government or the media would suspect.
Ethnic Karen rebel guerrillas in military-ruled Burma have killed 27 people in two attacks on passenger buses in the past week, state media reported yesterday. The attacks have resulted in some of the heaviest civilian casualties in decades of civil unrest in the pariah state.
The appeal court in Amsterdam must decide whether the State may ignore protests from neighbours if it shelters politicians under death threats in accommodation near them. The Supreme Court on Friday overturned a verdict by the appeal court in The Hague regarding Ayaan Hirsi Ali's protection.
Due to serious death threats by Muslims, the State in 2005 placed the then conservative (VVD) MP Hirsi Ali in an extra-secure apartment in The Hague. Neighbours who feared an attack on the building demanded that Hirsi Ali leave there. The district court in The Hague found against the neighbours, but they won the case on appeal.
The appeal court in The Hague ruled that the politician must leave her guarded apartment because there was no legal basis for accommodating threatened persons. The then Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner went to the Supreme Court, which ruled Friday that the case must be re-opened. According to the Supreme Court, the appeal court in The Hague insufficiently addressed the interests of the State, which has the obligation of protecting certain persons. Another appeal court, that in Amsterdam, must now produce a new verdict.
#1
So what happens if Ms.Ali wins? Will her neighbors invite her back with open arms, will she get back her seat in the Parliament? Will she be awarded so much as recompense for the cost of setting up a new home in America? Will the neighbors in the end bear any burden beyond their legal costs in fighting this case?
The European Commission on Monday approved the first two payments of cash from a new EU fund aimed at cushioning the impact of globalisation.
Whose cash?
Small companies that supply French car makers Peugeot-Citroen and Renault will receive 3.8 million euros (5.1 million dollars) to help "workers made redundant due to company failures in a climate of changing global trade patterns," the EU executive said. Commission spokeswoman Katharina von Schnurbein said the money would be disbursed once EU member states and the European Parliament gave their approval, which could take "three or four months."
The fund was set up at the end of last year to help workers who lose their jobs because of globalisation get back to work. Schnurbein said that other candidates for cash from the fund were "in the pipeline," including the Finnish telecoms sector and textiles workers in Malta.
That doesn't sound like an awful lot of money. But the announcement will sooth those whose so upset by President Sarkozy's moves to loosen employment laws.
#6
"...from a new EU fund aimed at cushioning the impact of globalisation."
read as, Trans-Eurpoe bailout of Airbust and other failed socialistic jobs programs.
#7
This is hilarious. The French have managed to turn the EU into a cash cow. It is the only thing propping up what should be a minor, agrarian economy.
In essence, it is the "four square" problem, where France continually tries to convince every other nation that they should cooperate and split the money, but France never cooperates, so it ends up getting most of the lucre.
#8
#7 'moose - France as Lucy jerking the football away, and the other EUnich nations as Charlie Brown yet again trusting her not to do that (which of course she does)?
I like it. :-D
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
06/26/2007 18:20 Comments ||
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#9
This is crazy.
The French should be free to prop up their failing (because they keep getting propped up) businesses, by transferring money away from their successful business, but why should more sensible countries pay?
#2
Good on the Danes. They're the only Euros who still have a backbone. I think they've had just about enough from the Islamic invasion. Trouble is, they're trapped betwixt the limpwrists in Germany and Sweden. But, that little brouhaha in the Swedish subway may have been the first spark of resistance by the ever so forgiving Swedes.
#4
First the offensive cartoons, now this! Will the horrors hilarity never end?
Classical_Liberal, while in Denmark, do not miss sampling the skinny red polse (hot dogs) that are so popular there (onions or relish strictly optional). This is actually rather difficult to do as there is usually a stand selling them on just about every street corner throughout the nation. People are known to literally dash out of the airport and head for the nearest vendor when arriving in Denmark. The brød (bun) is optional but the Senap (mustard) is not. The søt (sweet) can be a little insipid but the stærk (strong) hits the spot. Be sure to try a hot dog with mustard only to get the pure rush flavor. These little devils are unavailable in America due to restrictions on the red dye or meats or whatever, much to the eternal agony of expat Danes everywhere.
Be sure to guzzle some of the Tuborg beer when you find it on draft, it's incomparable. If you're fond of black licorice, Denmark is a paradise for its devotees. Just locate a Lakrids Boutique and pick from over 100 different styles.
Make sure to hit a bakery and try the bolle rolls. These crusty wonders are a masterpiece of Danish baking. Their short shelf life (2 hours) makes them unpopular with foreign bakers. The crust is crisp yet not at all stiff, like with most hard rolls. Of course Danish pastries are in a class by themselves. Looking like a large pretzel, the traditional baker's sign is actually displaying a kringle. This pastry is a buttery fluffy curving racetrack loaded with a magical cardamom scented almond paste and creamy custard-like filling. A single taste can result in permanent addiction.
Don't forget to lavish some Lurpak smøre (Danish butter) on them. Denmark is justly famous for its dairy products. Top your bolle with some smoked salmon or a slice of Esrom, Elbo or Tybo cheese. While most people are more familiar with Danish blue cheese, their other cow's milk cheeses are simply superb. An ambassadeur grade (double cream) Esrom will make your head spin.
While most people associate Danish cuisine with the usual Nordic meat-and-potatoes fare, there are many fabulous flavors to try. The classic Danish frikadeller (meatball) comes in two variaties, meat and fish. The meat frikerdeller are served with caramelized onions plus potatoes and gravy but the fish frikerdeller are eaten hot or cold with a delightful remoulade sauce.
Under no circumstances should you miss sampling a plate of true Danish smørrebrød (literally, bread and butter) open-faced sandwiches. If you like pâté, be sure to try leverpostej (liverpaste), a coarse country style liver pâté, it is one of the many spreads used in smørrebrød.
This is not to be confused with a classic Danish koldt bort (cold table) of which smørrebrød is but a small part. All of this reaches a crescendo in the classic smorgasbord. The one pictured in the link is a small affair. A full blown smorgasbord can feature over fifty individual dishes including dozens of different types of open-faced sandwiches, a half-dozen different versions of sill (pickled herring), another dozen hot dishes plus plates of cold cuts and assorted marinated vegetables or salads. Toss in three or four different variants of potatoes plus some cooked vegetables and you're set to go.
While in Copehnagen make sure to visit stroget, a pedestrians only avenue in the heart of Copenhagen's oldest district. You will be ableto find nearly everything I have mentioned while walking along this one street. It is quintessential Denmark.
WARNING: Be prepared to tear the top off of your wallet. Denmark is insanely expensive. However, you will come back with the memories of a lifetime.
Since you're arriving in Germany, there is an express that goes from Frankfurt to Copenhagen direct without any changeovers. It is well worth the extra $30.00 or so and takes you up the Main river past castles and vineyards. The scenery is breathtaking and the ride is luxurious.
#7
Actually, you'd better take a second wallet just for Denmark, Classical_Liberal, but from what Mr. Wife and others have said, it's well worth it. Didn't the Danes recently elect a Conservative government? If yes, prices may not be so absurd in the future.
#9
Run for your lives, Euro-dhimmis, the Vikings are back!
Perhaps the inevitable backlash of arson, murder, and media-dhimmi apologetics will lead to a global revolution against victim-group seething and PC intimidation as the controlling factor in public discourse.
This is also the subtext of the Mexican invasion in the US, where Hispano-racist groups like LULAC and the aptly named Raza hold the media and public officials hostage with the mere threat of declaring that they have suffered offense and hurt feelings.
And remember, Danish troops are fighting in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
#10
Did they trample any flags, throw rocks, or chant "Death to (fill in the blank)"? This is further proof that every culture has it's share of idiots.
#11
It is my understanding that the group that conducted the Mohammad effigy burning is made up of the kind of folks we would call skinheads or neo-Nazis in America. There may well be a significant number of sympathetic Danes (skinhead-type or otherwise) but I don't think they represent the prevailing public opinion. Yet.
#12
I'm sure if this gets out it'll cause the people who burn effigies all the time to see red. They'll riot, burn kill and pretty much destroy their own neighborhoods again.
#14
You know, I was brought up to respect other peoples' religions and was told that, ok their ways may be funny, and some of them wear funny hats, and some of them worship more than one God, but at the end of the day, they're all trying to be better people - so don't take the piss. And I lived my life like that for a loooong time.
But now, I'm a very different person and I feel like the scales really have fallen from my eyes. So now, when I read stories like this (all too rare at the moment, as it takes time and constant pressure to overcome inertia, but I know there will be more), I simply laugh and think "Tough Shit, your feelings are hurt. Go tell it to those people who lost loved ones through suicide planes and bombs, beheadings, random killings and all the other vile acts your people have been doing in the name of this guy".
"...They sowed the wind, and now they are going to reap the whirlwind."
He also said;
"the only thing the Arab understands is the heavy hand."
Was he prescient? You decide.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
06/26/2007 12:56 Comments ||
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#15
All Islamofascist types should read Proverbs 11:29,
But that is difficult as the Bible is burned and banned in most Islamofascist locations :
He who builds his house with deceit shall leave to his children sorrows; and he who fails to make his household tranquil shall bequeath the wind to his children; and the fool shall be servant to the wise. (Lamsa)
More succinctly...
He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. (King James)
New Delhi, 26 June (AKI/Asian Age) - The Indian government, in a reversal of accepted practice, has allowed the nuclear-armed American aircraft-carrier USS Nimitz to dock at Chennai port. Defence minister A.K. Antony on Monday justified the decision as part of defence cooperation with "important nations". He insisted that it was "nothing new", although the docking of the aircraft-carrier at an Indian port is a first for both the United States as well as India.
The decision could not have been more controversial. The USS Nimitz is a familiar presence in the waters of the Persian Gulf, having been involved in US operations against Iraq, and again more recently in the wargames designed to exert pressure on Iran. The warship was deployed in the Gulf as part of US pressure tactics against Iraq as far back as 1997, with at least two dozen F-14 and F-18 fighter aircraft being launched in regular sorties to enforce what was then the no-fly zone over the sanctions-hit country.
A defensive Mr Antony was particularly keen to point out that the docking of the nuclear warship was not against Indian policy. Instead, he said, "as part of our policy we are developing close defence cooperation with almost all important countries." He spoke of exercises with different countries, including China, in a clear bid to assuage the Left, which had issued a statement criticising the decision to allow the US warship access to the Indian port. The Nimitz is now deployed in the Gulf, where it was sent by the Bush administration to "send a message" to Iran, according to reports filed by journalists on board, and is scheduled to arrive in Chennai around July 1. The warship is likely to be berthed there till around July 5.
The Indian Navy has had experience of USS Nimitz: a total of 6,500 US and Indian seamen had participated in the "Malabar" naval exercises that included the Nimitz and the Indian aircraft-carrier INS Viraat in 2005. It was for the first time, shortly after the UPA government came to power, that the two aircraft-carriers participated in these exercises, which included "at-sea manoeuvres designed to increase inter-operability between the two navies and enhance the cooperative security relationship between India and the United States." US experts at the time maintained that the
September 2005 Malabar exercises had featured an "impressive leap in capabilities" during a month of operations, the US and Indian navies "collaborated on everything, from a joint diving salvage operation to a 24-hour war-at-sea scenario."
The US embassy here, in a press release, described "the first-ever port call in India by a US aircraft-carrier" as a "landmark event." It has claimed that the nuclear safety record of US nuclear-powered warships "is outstanding". The sailors from the USS Nimitz, the press release said, "will volunteer in numerous goodwill events in the local community, such as cleaning local sites, refurbishing buildings and interacting with different members of the community."
A month back, the Nimitz was part of what the international media described as a "display of US naval power in the Persian Gulf" intended to exert pressure on Iran. USS Nimitz was part of nine warships which passed through the Strait of Hormuz, with the wargames inviting strong criticism from Iran. The media reported a sharp increase in oil prices as a result of the presence of 140 warplanes, cruise missiles and over 17,000 sailors and marines in the Gulf waters.
The Nimitz carrier strike group entered the US Fifth Fleet area of operations on May 8, according to US reports, "to enhance maritime security operations in regional waters, and provide air support to ground forces operating in Afghanistan and Iraq." Sources here said there was some worry within the Indian defence ministry about allowing the carrier to dock in Chennai because of the "controversial message" it would send out to friendly countries in the region. The government, the sources said, took the decision at the highest level, despite the strong objections raised by some West Asian countries against its presence in their waters.
USS Nimitz was commissioned in 1975 and initially deployed in the Mediterranean. As far back as 1979 it was the launchpad for a mission to rescue US embassy personnel held hostage in Tehran just after the Iranian revolution, but the operation was aborted as the helicopters crashed. It was again deployed in a navigation exercise in the Gulf of Sidra despite strong objections from Libya, which even launched an attack on two aircraft launched from Nimitz. Later, it was sent to the coast of Lebanon as a warning after two Lebanese gunmen had hijacked a TWA flight in 1985. From 2003, it has been regularly deployed in the Persian Gulf, with trips back to the US for repairs and maintenance. It has been used by successive US governments to exert pressure in the region.
#3
I hope ever so much that we are providing India with advice on how to build an aircraft carrier superior to anything China has (even if obsolescent by US standards).
That would annoy the hell out of Beijing, but also incline them to spend far more on their own aircraft carriers than they want to, just to match India. And that is money not spent to counter the US Navy.
#4
Hell, just sell the Indians a couple of Tarawa-class LHAs and watch the ChiComs turn purple! The US could simply do a transfer of the next 2 Tarawas due to retire, and use the money from the sales to fund a couple more Wasp LHDs.
#5
Orders from Beijing have come down... the head of the CPI(M) (Communist Party of India (Marxist)), one of the members of the ruling coalition has demanded the Nimitz leave. He has threatened the Indian PM with withdrawal of support.
The local Unions have begun to make noises.. the Dockworkers Union is complaining about radiation
Posted by: John Frum ||
06/26/2007 21:26 Comments ||
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#6
The Nimitz is "nuclear-armed?" I thought the Navy took all its nukes off its ships in 1991 or so.
Posted by: Gary and the Samoyeds ||
06/26/2007 22:04 Comments ||
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#7
I thought the Navy took all its nukes off its ships in 1991 or so.
uh.... yeah, if that's what quiets the locals. Our subs as well....
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/26/2007 22:16 Comments ||
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A US company is taking plastics recycling to another level turning them back into the oil they were made from, and gas.
All that is needed, claims Global Resource Corporation (GRC), is a finely tuned microwave and hey presto! a mix of materials that were made from oil can be reduced back to oil and combustible gas (and a few leftovers).
Key to GRCs process is a machine that uses 1200 different frequencies within the microwave range, which act on specific hydrocarbon materials. As the material is zapped at the appropriate wavelength, part of the hydrocarbons that make up the plastic and rubber in the material are broken down into diesel oil and combustible gas.
GRC's machine is called the Hawk-10. Its smaller incarnations look just like an industrial microwave with bits of machinery attached to it. Larger versions resemble a concrete mixer.
"Anything that has a hydrocarbon base will be affected by our process," says Jerry Meddick, director of business development at GRC, based in New Jersey. "We release those hydrocarbon molecules from the material and it then becomes gas and oil."
Whatever does not have a hydrocarbon base is left behind, minus any water it contained as this gets evaporated in the microwave.
Simplified recycling
"Take a piece of copper wiring," says Meddick. "It is encased in plastic a kind of hydrocarbon material. We release all the hydrocarbons, which strips the casing off the wire." Not only does the process produce fuel in the form of oil and gas, it also makes it easier to extract the copper wire for recycling.
Similarly, running 9.1 kilograms of ground-up tyres through the Hawk-10 produces 4.54 litres of diesel oil, 1.42 cubic metres of combustible gas, 1 kg of steel and 3.40 kg of carbon black, Meddick says.
Gershow Recycling, a scrap metal company based in New York, US, has just said it will be the first to buy a Hawk-10. Gershow collects metal products, shreds them and turns them into usable pure metals. Most of its scrap comes from old cars, but for every ton of steel that the company recovers, between 226 kg and 318 kg of "autofluff" is produced.
Autofluff is the stuff that is left over after a car has been shredded and the steel extracted. It contains plastics, rubber, wood, paper, fabrics, glass, sand, dirt, and various bits of metal. GRC says its Hawk-10 can extract enough oil and gas from the left-over fluff to run the Hawk-10 itself and a number of other machines used by Gershow.
#4
I found the latest SEC filings on their website, including their Form 10-KSB for 2006 (which would normally be their annual report, except that in April the original co. merged with GRC, which was a public shell corporation, so it covers April - Dec).
Hmmmm. Really small company whose founder / President lacks much in the way of engineering or chemical training beyond basic undergrad stuff in the early-mid 60s. Business experience in glass recycling, tho. Local CPA firm as auditors.
Claims that tests of the output from tires has the same BTUs/oz as diesel oil. The company "thinks" it might have commercial value as fuel, but hasn't done a complete chemical analysis of the output yet. So it's a bit of a swag to call it 'diesel oil' at this point.
Don't think I'll be looking to purchase stock anytime soon, but it's interesting that they did land a first sale for their equipment.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
06/26/2007 16:41 Comments ||
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#6
Unclear - possibly mentioned in their pending patent applications. The article says that when fed all the non-metal stuff from junked cars, the machine produces enough energy to run itself plus other machines.
#8
According to their 1st qtr 2007 filing, they're negotiating to use an industrial site in Bucks County, PA for a continuous feed tire processing plant. Looking for industrial revenue bonds to finance it.
I don't see any investor money in this thing, VC limited partner fund or private angel money anywhere. It'll be interesting to see if what they have is economically viable and can be patent defended, both.
#9
"...turning them back into (what) they were made from..." Hope they don't overcook it; we could see dinosaurs again if they do
The world actually ran out of oil a while back. The current stuff you run your car on is actually made by thermal depolymerization of living dinosaurs. There are vast herds in the remoter regions of the world, like the Empty Quarter, or Central Asia... huge schools of plesiosaurs offshore in the gulf or in the North Sea... all caught, chopped up, and fed into the depolymerizers. Finding new sources of oil is really based on finding new dinosaur herds, which is why so much progress is being made in places like sub-saharan Africa.
#14
My oldest son tried a similar experiment the other night. As a family we discovered that while a Philly Cheesesteak can be turned into a coal like briquette by cooking it for 11 minutes and 30 seconds instead of a minute and a half, the smell results are not optimal.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
06/26/2007 22:55 Comments ||
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#1
Carlton United Breweries' acquisition of Foster's was the kiss of death. Aside from reducing the alcohol content by a full point there must have been a rather obvious recipe shift. Foster's used to be one of the most reliable lagers available around the world. Its pinpoint carbonation was exemplary. Now, it is little different from the Miller that shall be brewing it. Tuborg made the same dreadful mistake of having Miller brew Tuborg Gold in America and it tainted their name for decades. Only now is real Danish Tuborg reappearing on American shelves. Legend has it that in blind tastings, no one could tell the difference between American brewed Tuborg Gold and Miller. I foresee a similar fate for Foster's.
A similar off-shoring has occured with Japanese beers marketed in America. Sapporo, Asahi and other premium labels are now brewed in Canada. Trans-oceanic shipping of tons of glass no longer is profitable.
Fortunately for all of us Yanks, American micro-breweries have begun churning out some of the finest suds in the world. Right here in Silicon Valley is Bob Stoddard who holds both national and global medals for his brews. I have fun bringing over artisan cheeses and meats for him to sample while we slurp his latest nectar and talk beer.
#4
I remember buying a 6-pack of Murphy's Irish Amber for St. Paddy's day once. When I went to open a bottle I noticed the statement: "Product of the Netherlands"
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
06/26/2007 16:44 Comments ||
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#9
Most do it yourself home beer makers are cheaply built and small. I would like a beer machine that would fit in a clothes washing machine housing, where you would add say 15-25 gallons of bottled water, off the shelf sugars, and a bottle of the appropriate syrup and a package of dry yeast.
Then with four clamps on the top lid to seal it, turn on the machine, and it begins to give you either beer or malt liquor in a couple of weeks. Then the beer is chilled and passed through an extra cold cooling pipe to the draft tap. The gases would be vented like for a clothes dryer.
If you really wanted to get elaborate, the warm beer could be poured into clean empty bottles on the side of the machine, adding a little extra sugar to give it a good pressure when opened, then capped with a hand capper (which used to be common during prohibition). Let it sit for a little while, then refrigerate.
Then, when the beer is gone, have a tasteless detergent in clean water cleaning cycle, followed by a pure water rinse or two.
It wouldn't take very long for la machine to pay for itself, despite the cost of the syrup and brewer's yeast.
The federal law limits home beer production to 100 gallons per year for individuals, and 200 gallons a year for more than one adult. But the only people who ever get prosecuted for making their own liquor are those that make a lot and sell it.
#11
You don't use massive amounts of sugar for brewing. Most of the sugars will come from the grains. If you add more than 20% sugar to your brew, it will really taste nasty (alcohol does not tasted too good. Taste everclear for proof). Corn sugars work the best since they give a nice mellow grain taste. Cane sugar is fine, but only adds to the alcohol content. Flaked rice works well for boosting alcohol content too.
Most beer supplies are fairly cheap (considering, you will drop $150+ for initial startup) and you can brew good beer in a plastic trash bag. Fancy equipment only makes things more convenient. After costs, your beer will still come out cheaper than the shelf bought beer and taste a hell of a lot better.
#12
As usual, Anonymoose breaks the story well in advance. I was just talking with a family member of one of Silicon Valley's largest beer, wine and liquor distributors. He was amazed that I knew about Foster's being brewed by Miller as it had just been announced as of today. Hats off to you, Anonymoose and Rantburg as well!
#13
try Stone's Arrogant Bastard. All rumors that I posed for the label are FALSE
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/26/2007 21:01 Comments ||
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#14
Annymoose, try using a 40 gallon glass-lined water heater as the primary fermentation vessell. Then use CO2 tanks and a pressure regulator to carbonate the beer and run a line into a refirgerator with a 5 or 10 gallon container with a spicket on the side of the refrigerator. Cold beer on tap.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
06/26/2007 21:15 Comments ||
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#15
Other than my own homebrew and microbrewed stuff, I stay away from beer. Most of the major national brands are the babyfood of beer, and many of the imports do not travel well.
The mass produced light lagers (Bud/Miller/Coors etc.) that dominate the market today only comprised about 5% of all beer drunk in the U.S. prior to Prohibition and were largely considered girly beers, but various economic and social factors since its repeal have created a nation of people who think that Bud/Miller/Coors Light is the way beer is supposed to taste.
I always found Foster's in the U.S. to be adequate at best, I'd drink it if it was offered, but never purchase it on purpose. Let's see how Miller can take it down a notch.
Posted by: no mo uro ||
06/26/2007 21:17 Comments ||
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#16
Deacon - plans for the waterheater form?
It might well be worth installing a 3 heater in the basement.
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.
A window cleaner convicted of raping a 10-year-old girl may have his prison sentence extended following a campaign by a Conservative backbencher. Keith Fenn, 24, was handed a two year term after attacking the girl in a park in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. When the time he served in prison awaiting trial is taken into account, he could be out in as little as four months.
The appeal court in Amsterdam must decide whether the State may ignore protests from neighbours if it shelters politicians under death threats in accommodation near them. The Supreme Court on Friday overturned a verdict by the appeal court in The Hague regarding Ayaan Hirsi Ali's protection.
The European Commission on Monday approved the first two payments of cash from a new EU fund aimed at cushioning the impact of globalisation.
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