Navy officials say an attempt to pull free a 9,600-ton warship that ran aground off the coast of Honolulu has been unsuccessful.
The U.S. Pacific Fleet says Navy tugboats and salvage ship USS Salvor tried to tow the USS Port Royal early Saturday but the guided missile cruiser remained stuck. The Navy says it plans to try again after extracting fuel and water from the $1 billion vessel.
"Water and cannons over the side!"
"But sir, how will we fight the French?"
"Damn it man, if we don't get off this reef the French will have us!"
The 9,600-ton ship, while carrying guests that included a rear admiral, ran aground Thursday night on a sandy, rocky bottom. The cause of the grounding, as well the extent of the damage to the ship, remains under investigation.
"We're certainly working on bringing to bear the resources we have to move her off the current position. We're still putting that plan together," said Capt. W. Scott Gureck, a spokesman for U.S. Pacific Fleet. "Obviously, the high tide gives us an opportunity to do that."
The Port Royal left Pearl Harbor on Thursday for sea trials after being dry-docked for routine maintenance. The ship ran aground while shore-based officials were being transferred to shore by small boat, the Navy said.
An oil recovery vessel, the Clean Islands, was positioned behind the warship as a precaution as the U.S. Coast Guard monitored the situation. "We know that there is no oil spill at this point, and we're confident the Navy is doing everything it can," Coast Guard Lt. John Titchen said.
Whilst the Coasties sit on their ship and make rude jokes ...
Commissioned in 1994, the Port Royal has a crew of about 360. The crew stayed aboard the ship, along with Navy officials such as Rear Adm. Dixon R. Smith, commander Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific. The 'Obit' tag is for the Captain's career.
#6
She is NOT an LST. Damn those beauties on the beach! They are a hazard to navigation. They were not noted on the charts. Who was watching the depth sounder?
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/07/2009 18:22 Comments ||
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#7
AP, A list means tilt, in other words she's NOT sitting square upright but leans to one side.
List has absolutely nothing to do with LST which means "Landing Ship Tank" I'm afraid you've misread the word.
Posted by: Rednek Jim ||
02/07/2009 22:19 Comments ||
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#8
The only thing the captain can hope for is if his navigation charts were out of date, and even that may not save him. He's really screwed if he has to pay for the repairs...
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
02/07/2009 22:23 Comments ||
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Michael Phelps has been suspended from competition for three months by USA Swimming, the latest fallout from a photo that showed the Olympic great with a marijuana pipe.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2009 00:00 ||
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The African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council decided Thursday (February 5th) in Addis Ababa to impose sanctions on members of Mauritania's ruling military junta, local and international press reported. Measures include restricting travel by military and civilian members of the junta, refusing visas and exercising control over junta members' bank accounts, AFP quoted council chairman Manuel Domingos Augusto as saying. The AU decision will be passed on to the UN Security Council, he added, noting, however, that despite the sanctions, the AU will maintain a dialogue with the junta to restore constitutional order to Mauritania.
In related news, junta leader General Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz announced his candidacy for president at a weekly government meeting on Thursday, APA reported. Speaking at a press conference this week, opposition Rally of Democratic Forces (RFD) leader Ahmed Ould Daddah said military officers should be ineligible to run in the country's June 6th presidential elections.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
ION AFRICA, WORLD MIL FORUM > IIRC/IIUC CHINA GIVES ANGOLA US$1.0BILYUHN ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE LOAN [Artic- Angola has recvd US$5.0BILYUHN in Loans from CHINA since 2002]???
BEIJING missed CNN's segment on China's, Japan's, and ASIA's serious econ troubles ala US-GLOBAL RECESSION, didn't we!?
A coalition of Democrats and some Republicans reached a compromise that trimmed billions in spending from an earlier version of the Senate economic stimulus bill.
Senators worked late into the night to trim billions from the original stimulus bill.
CNN obtained, from a Democratic leadership aide, a list of some programs that have been cut, either entirely or partially:
Partially cut:
$3.5 billion for energy-efficient federal buildings (original bill $7 billion)
$75 million from Smithsonian (original bill $150 million)
$200 million from Environmental Protection Agency Superfund (original bill $800 million)
$100 million from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (original bill $427 million)
$100 million from law enforcement wireless (original bill $200 million)
$300 million from federal fleet of hybrid vehicles (original bill $600 million)
$100 million from FBI construction (original bill $400 million)
Fully eliminated
$55 million for historic preservation
$122 million for Coast Guard polar icebreaker/cutters
$100 million for Farm Service Agency modernization
$50 million for Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service
$65 million for watershed rehabilitation
$100 million for distance learning
$98 million for school nutrition
$50 million for aquaculture
$2 billion for broadband
$100 million for National Institute of Standards and Technology
$50 million for detention trustee
$25 million for Marshalls Construction
$300 million for federal prisons
$300 million for BYRNE Formula grant program
$140 million for BYRNE Competitive grant program
$10 million state and local law enforcement
$50 million for NASA
$50 million for aeronautics
$50 million for exploration
$50 million for Cross Agency Support
$200 million for National Science Foundation
$100 million for science
$1 billion for Energy Loan Guarantees
$4.5 billion for General Services Administration
$89 million General Services Administration operations
$50 million from Department of Homeland Security
$200 million Transportation Security Administration
$122 million for Coast Guard Cutters, modifies use
$25 million for Fish and Wildlife
$55 million for historic preservation
$20 million for working capital fund
$165 million for Forest Service capital improvement
$90 million for State and Private Wildlife Fire Management
$1 billion for Head Start/Early Start
$5.8 billion for Health Prevention Activity
$2 billion for Health Information Technology Grants
$600 million for Title I (No Child Left Behind)
$16 billion for school construction
$3.5 billion for higher education construction
$1.25 billion for project based rental
$2.25 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization
$1.2 billion for retrofitting Project 8 housing
$40 billion for state fiscal stabilization (includes $7.5 billion of state incentive grants)
#6
If she did that (flip him off and tell him what an ass he is) it would never be reported by the MSM - except perhaps as an incident of RIGHT-WING HATRED!!!!! and RACISM!!!!!
Posted by: ed ||
02/07/2009 16:06 Comments ||
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#11
If I were a relative of one of the Cole sailors, and had I been invited, I would have gone, and I would have hoped to ask the President this question:
"Sir, I know you have some background in constitutional law based on your teaching days at the University of Chicago. I do not understand why we should provide the perpetrators of the attack on the Cole the same basic rights that you and I enjoy under American law. I remind you, sir, that these individuals are not US nationals and consider themselves to be at war with America. So would you please explain this to me?"
And I would have insisted, gently, on an answer.
And I would talk publicly about his response.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/07/2009 16:46 Comments ||
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Michael S. Steele, the newly elected chairman of the Republican National Committee, arranged for his 2006 Senate campaign to pay a defunct company run by his sister for services that were never performed, his finance chairman from that campaign has told federal prosecutors. Ahhhh, but -
Fabian offered the information last March as he was seeking leniency for himself during plea negotiations on unrelated fraud charges. It is unclear how extensively his claims have been pursued. Prosecutors gave him no credit for cooperation when he was sentenced in October.
Steele spokesman Curt Anderson said he did not know what information the federal agents were seeking, but he dismissed Fabian's allegations as patently false. "It's from, what, a convicted felon?" Front-Page QaPo stuff, this is. Oh look, I misspelled WaPo. Freudian slip?
Posted by: Bobby ||
02/07/2009 07:16 ||
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#1
They will try to smear all good Republicans when they can. Keep their kind, ala McCain around for when they need "Republican" votes to push a bill through.
Michael Steele, the new chairman of the Republican National Committee, has asked the entire staff to resign, FOX News has confirmed. The move signals Steele's plan to reshape the party, which was trounced at the polls in 2006 and 2008. As a black man from Maryland, a traditionally Democratic state, Steele has already brought a new face to the party.
The RNC has about 100 staff members, many of whom have been told that their last day on the job will be Feb. 15, a Republican source told Politico, which reported the story Thursday morning. Some aides may stay on, the source said, but several senior aides who were expecting the changes voluntarily submitted their resignations soon after Steele's election last week.
President Obama's new team made a similar request at the Democratic National Committee.
Steele, a former Maryland lieutenant governor, won the chairmanship last Friday. In his first speech as chairman, he pledged to bring change in an effort to re-establish the GOP presence in the Northeast and win elections in regions across the country. "It's time for something completely different, and we're gonna bring it to them," he said in his acceptance speech. "Get ready, baby. It's time to turn it on."
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/07/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
GOOD!
Kick ass, Michael.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
02/07/2009 0:07 Comments ||
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#2
Give him a metaphoric Canadian Ronson WW2 flamethrower and clean house.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/07/2009 0:31 Comments ||
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#3
I concur with Barb and Paul, Pour it on Mr. Steele, Wipe out those fires and infections Sir!! HIT 'EM WITH ALL The Heat and the Disinfectant You Can Muster Mr. Steele!!
SIR, We need you and 10 times your number in Gubmint Today!!
Let's Pray for a miracle,... America and Americans need a long list of miracles again!!
Posted by: Red Dawg ||
02/07/2009 0:57 Comments ||
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#5
I recommend he hires The Office Linebacker, Terrible Terry Tate.
Posted by: Mike N. ||
02/07/2009 1:43 Comments ||
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#6
Oustanding! Now go meet with Senator Mitch McConnell and Congressman John Boehner. Ask McConnell why he couldn't do the job Boehner did in holding the Republican camp (RINO's Specter and Collins) together against the bailout! FIX IT!
What is it about these people? Why don't they just declare themselves bonifide dems and be done with it?
#10
How about finding some real, small govt Trunks to run against Spectre, Snowe, and Collins? RNC should stop supporting them. And if the Dems win the general election, so be it. Support real Republicans, not RINOs.
#12
But all in all a good fresh start. Now if we cna start cleanign out the state parties, and getting back to grass roots instead of the Country Club types.
The dramatic testimony from survivors of a draconian Thai military policy of towing Rohingya boat people out to sea and leaving them there has drawn international attention to the plight of one of the world's most oppressed people.
So what is it that is driving so many Rohingya, a Muslim minority from the western-most part of Burma, to flee in rickety boats in the hope of finding refuge elsewhere?
The term Rohingya refers to a distinct, Muslim ethnic group living in northern Rakhine state, along the border with Bangladesh. Northern Rakhine state is one of the poorest and most isolated in Burma. They are thought to be descended from Arab and other Muslim traders who travelled and settled there more than 1,000 years ago. They speak a dialect of Bengali similar to that spoken in the Cox's Bazaar region of Bangladesh.
Continued on Page 49
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02/07/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
For a start, the Rohingya are denied citizenship under Burma's 1982 citizenship law, which leaves them out of the 135 ethnic groups officially recognised by the state. The official view of the Burmese military is that they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh or their descendants.
With the 25-year civil war in Sri Lanka apparently coming to an end, many in this Indian Ocean island are starting to ponder what's next.
In the busy seaside capital of Colombo, the local newspapers are focused on the latest news from the front lines. But more and more the headlines are about plans for reconstruction and development projects in Sri Lanka. But still the tourists who once filled the country's five-star hotels, sushi restaurants and high-end shops for jewelry and clothes are no longer coming. Most people here blame the war that, they say, has dragged on way too long. Most people are eager for it to end.
Winning the war in one thing, analysts say, but bringing unity to Sri Lanka is another. Unity in Sri Lanka means closing the divide between the country's Sinhalese majority, which are mainly Buddhist, and its minority ethnic Tamil communities, which are mainly Hindu.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/07/2009 00:00 ||
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Who would have thought Time mag would publish such an article?
America's generals love to brag about their all-volunteer Army. That's because they tend to overlook Jeffrey Mellinger. He donned his Army uniform for the first time on April 18, 1972, about the time the Nixon Administration was seeking "peace with honor" in Vietnam and The Godfather was opening on the silver screen. Nearly 37 years later, he's still wearing Army green. Mellinger is, by all accounts, the last active-duty draftee serving in the U.S. Army.
"I'm a relic," Mellinger concedes with a self-deprecating laugh. But the last of the nearly 2 million men ordered to serve in the Vietnam-era military before conscription ended in 1973 still impresses 19-year-old soldiers. "Most of them are surprised I'm still breathing, because in their minds I'm older than dirt," the fit 55-year-old says. "But they're even more surprised when they find out this dinosaur can still move around pretty darn quick."
Mellinger was working as a 19-year-old drywall hanger in Eugene, Oregon, when he came home to find a draft notice waiting for him. He started his military career as a clerk in what was then called West Germany, and was looking forward hanging up his uniform after two years of service. "I was dead-set on getting out," he says. "We had a lot of racial problems, drug problems, leadership problems." But his company commander talked him into re-enlisting. The lure: the chance to join the Rangers, the elite warrior corps that Mellinger came to love (his 3,700 parachute jumps add up to more than 33 hours in freefall). Re-enlisting "was the best decision of my career," Mellinger says.
The Army sent him all over the world, including tours in Japan and Iraq. General David Petraeus, who served as Mellinger's boss during the draftee's final three months in Iraq in 2007, calls him "a national asset" who kept the top generals' aware of the peaks and valleys in battlefield morale. "We lost count of how many times his personal convoy was hit," Petraeus says. "Yet he never stopped driving the roads, walking patrols, and going on missions with our troopers." (Mellinger's 33-month Iraq tour was punctuated by 27 roadside bombings, including two that destroyed his vehicle, although he managed to escape injury.)
His proudest moments are watching those he trained climb the military hierarchy themselves. "I can think of several soldiers who went on to become command sergeants major who were privates when I was either their squad leader or their drill sergeant," Mellinger says. But such memories also trigger his lone regret. "I wish I were as smart as I thought I was when I was moving into those duty positions."
Mellinger has told his wife, Kim, that this is his final Army posting, meaning he's likely to retire sometime next year. The couple has no children, although Mellinger has three grown kids from a prior marriage. The last draftee then plans to move to Alaska, where he spent much of his career, and spend his days reading history and running with his two Dobermans. "When I tell my wife it's my last assignment, she just rolls her eyes," he concedes. "This is my sixth 'last assignment'."
#2
This is the man -- that finally let Michael Yon travel Iraq with him.... and then, invited him into his house.... for the Army ball upon returning to the States.
Just know the story from Yon's point..... never knew he was the "Last Draftee."
Following yesterday's quarterly refunding announcement by the U.S. Treasury, investment banks will be working the telephones hard to find clients to buy the record $67 billion worth of new Treasury securities scheduled to be auctioned, starting next week.
Just over half the total amount ($36.3 billion) is needed to repay existing notes and bonds that are set to mature; the remainder ($30.7 billion) is new borrowing needed to cover the cost of bank rescues, fiscal stimulus and the deficit in the regular budget.
The refunding portion should be relatively simple, since the money that needs to be raised is matched by the amount of funds investors will be receiving back from the government as old debts mature and are repaid. Refunding involves persuading investors to re-invest maturing funds into new securities. Only the price/yield is an issue, albeit a thorny one.
New borrowing will be more challenging because it involves attracting additional funds into the Treasury market. The risk/return characteristics of Treasury debt are not particularly attractive at present. The interest rate cycle is close to the trough, yields are at multi-decade lows, and risks to investors from both the rate cycle and inflation are probably concentrated on the upside.
The Fed has talked about buying longer-dated Treasury securities in an attempt to create a "buyer of last resort" to guarantee investors a floor under the market.
But buying an instrument that has limited upside capital potential, and where mitigation of downside capital risk depends on the Fed's uncertain willingness and ability to buy unlimited quantities if the price falls too far, is probably not attractive for most investors.
Some commentators have suggested that the normal role of benchmark U.S. Treasury bonds providing "riskless returns" has been inverted and they now provide returnless risks.
So the investment banks may find it hard to find customers for the new issues.
#3
I'm sorry, I just don't get it, they're selling money to raise more money?
No, they're selling the labor, the sweat and skills and enterprise, of us, our children and grandchildren to be turned over to the highest bidder who'll buy a bond, as in bondage. We are being sold literally into bondage to raise money so that those who have attained power can reward their backers and themselves. Done without the facade of government, at the least its embezzlement, at worst its slaving. All of course done in the name of whatever self rationalization the snake oil salesmen think they can get away with which usually involves scaring people into dumbness.
#4
It is my understanding that recent Treasury sales have been oversubscribed at a ratio of 4:1, that is (if I understand correctly), there are four who want to buy for every one offered. Given that money flows to comparatively more reward or comparatively less risk, it is understandable that US Treasuries would be desirable: the U.S. government is considerably less likely in the near future to default than Iceland, Venezuela, or Britain. Japanese debt is perhaps a safer option, but they aren't capable of making available nearly as much to investors, I think.
Twice today, CNN has done short segments on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's declaration that
To give the proposed economic stimulus plan some perspective, "if you started the day Jesus Christ was born and spent $1 million every day since then, you still wouldnt have spent $1 trillion."
Both times they said the claim checked out, the second time with a famous mathematician (although I think they just needed a calculator).
Christ's birth in year zero one, times 365, times 2009, gets you 733,285,000,000, or a bit over $733 billion. (Yes, I'm leaving out leap years.) You're not even three-quarters of the way there. (Politifact calculates from 4 B.C.)
Yes, the stimulus is less than a trillion$819 billion in the version passed by the House. But that's still a bigger total than a million a day since the first Christmas.
#1
Interesting trivia I suppose, but I'd rather he spend his time holding Republicans (Collins and Spector) together in the Senate as John Boehner did in the House.
#5
Recently, I saw a short piece about the New Hampshire legislature debating a bill that would back hand the federal government in the face (see here). Now, there appears to be some others and I am not sure what all this means...but there is something bubbling under the surface. Perhaps one of these states has 'heard' something disconcerting or seen language in some proposed federal bailout of the states. Whatever it is, it is significant enough for them to fire a warning shot directly across the bow of the USS Obama.
This is from the NH legislation:
"....That any Act by the Congress of the United States, Executive Order of the President of the United States of America or Judicial Order by the Judicatories of the United States of America which assumes a power not delegated to the government of United States of America by the Constitution for the United States of America and which serves to diminish the liberty of the any of the several States or their citizens shall constitute a nullification of the Constitution for the United States of America by the government of the United States of America."[emphasis added]
Ouch! That's gonna leave a mark.
And this is from a trusted website I use to keep informed:
This week, various state legislatures introduced bills intended to revive one of the most important gifts left to us by our forefathers state sovereignty.
No, you wont hear about this on CNBC or Fox News. In fact, we just got word of it a few hours ago. All the way from Hawaii to New Hampshire Georgia and California, nine states have so far introduced bills that would reaffirm state sovereignty as laid out in the ninth and tenth amendments to the constitution.
Now like I said we just heard about this news ourselves. And we havent had enough time to really decide what it all means but there is some strong wording in a few of these bills, to say the very least
From Arizonas bill, if the President or any other federal entity attempts to institute martial law or its equivalent without an official declaration in one or more of the states without the consent of that state individual members of the military return to their respective states and report to the Governor until a new President is elected [emphasis added]
With job losses soaring nationwide, Senate Democrats agreed with key Republicans Friday night on an economic stimulus measure at the heart of President Barack Obama's plan for reviving the economy.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2009 00:00 ||
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#5
They still must work out a reconciliation bill with the House, and then get that passed, unmodified, by both the House and the Senate. Dear Nancy Pelosi is going to have a fit 'cause her beneficiaries aren't going to get what she promised.
#6
The republicans should have hung together and all voted no.
Let the donks act unilaterally.
Posted by: Mike N. ||
02/07/2009 1:28 Comments ||
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#7
What a nice legacy we leave our children with the TARP and this piece of shameless garbage. Don't they understand that when the private sector competes with the gov't for loan dollars the gov't always wins and interest rates go up? They destroy the very thing they claim to be attempting to repair. We're very rapidly headed toward a one party, socialist system. The financing will soon be in place.
#8
This situation calls for shared sacrifice and we're just passing along our share to the kids and grandkids.
Posted by: regular joe ||
02/07/2009 9:42 Comments ||
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#9
We're very rapidly headed toward a one party, socialist system.
That is, one suspects, the intent. Especially since Obama has now put the hyper-partisan Rahm in charge of the upcoming census which in turn will control redistricting.
#10
hyper-partisan Rahm in charge of the upcoming census which in turn will control redistricting.
Maybe. Remember the phrase - all politics is local.
You mess with reapportionment and even the parties back home will turn on you. It only takes 2/3rd of small states to call a Constitutional convention to 'adjust' anything the handful of big state pols want to shove down their throat. Fiddle with those numbers will create a problem that will make the economy look like small stuff in comparison.
#11
Yes lotp, I saw the Rahm and census thing yesterday, very troubling. Like Rahm's public appearances of late, not much press given to it. The One made some snarky comment at the Dems Williamsburg retreat about the Rahm going to some underprivileged school to teach cursing. Appears The One is angered by the media and press negatives his little ballet dancer is receiving. Difficult to believe these bastards have only been at it for a few short weeks.
#15
It is interesting that, after claiming that pork only made up 1% of the bill, it turns out they had to cut 1/6 of the money in order to get waste & corruption down to acceptable levels.
The real test will be in the conferrence committe. I expect the Dems to slip the pork back in. Then it will be up to the Repubs to slap them around again.
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
02/07/2009 13:20 Comments ||
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#16
Heard a comment the other day that the US is following Argentina's lead.
Posted by: ed ||
02/07/2009 14:37 Comments ||
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Oil prices fell below $41 a barrel Friday in Asia as soaring U.S. unemployment and bleak corporate results kept investors pessimistic about demand for crude. But price at the pump is acting more like it's $60 a barrel...
Posted by: Fred ||
02/07/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
WORLD MILITARY FORUM > WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM[WEF-Davos]: WORLD FACES "WATER BANKRUPTCY/INSOLVENCY" IN 20 YEARS [Year 2029-30]/70 OF WORLD'S MAJOR RIVER SYSTEMS ARE NEARLY EXHAUSTED???
D *** NG IT, MAYBE THE FUTURE OWG-NWO WANTS TO MAKE ANTI-SPACE ROCK GMD-SPACE DEFENSE CALC ERRORS AND HAVE COMET APOPHIS SLAM INTO THE MOON ANYWAYS!
* AIRPLANE Comedy Movie > POINT COUNTERPOINT > GUEST = "THEY BOUGHT THEIR PLANE/FLIGHT TICKETS FAIR AND SQUARE - I SAY, LET 'EM CRASH"!
#2
OOOOPSIES, forgot to add that WEF believes that, besdies geopol and environ chaos and anarchies, THE MARKET PRICE OF WATER = PRICE OF WATER-BASED INVESTMENTS WILL BEOME MORE SIGNIFICANT OR IMPORTANT THAN THE MARKET PRICE OF OIL???
#3
I use the McDonald's inflation standard. When it was 15 cents for a hamburger, or fries, or a small drink (total 45 cents), gas was running about 40 cents a gallon were I was [not counting 'gas wars' that occasionally broke out dropping it to the low 30s]. Today the 'All American' meal is over $2, a gallon of gas is back to about the same [and that's with a heck of a lot of local/state/fed tax that wasn't there so long ago].
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 coalition of Democrats and some Republicans reached a compromise that trimmed billions in spending from an earlier version of the Senate economic stimulus bill.
Michael Steele, the new chairman of the Republican National Committee, has asked the entire staff to resign, FOX News has confirmed. The move signals Steele's plan to reshape the party, which was trounced at the polls in 2006 and 2008. As a black man from Maryland, a traditionally Democratic state, Steele has already brought a new face to the party.
With job losses soaring nationwide, Senate Democrats agreed with key Republicans Friday night on an economic stimulus measure at the heart of President Barack Obama's plan for reviving the economy.
