Police responding to a complaint of loud noise have cited a Fond du Lac man for "rocking out" to the music of John Denver. His lawyer plans to mount a defense on grounds of impossibility: "As a matter of law, it is impossible to 'rock out' to 'Sunshine on my Shoulder.' Therefore, no crime could have been committed."
The late singer is known for such hits as "Rocky Mountain High" and "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Too gangsta for my tastes.
Posted by: Mike ||
01/19/2010 16:46 ||
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A Greenfield woman accused of stabbing her husband allegedly did so after the two argued about tacos, prosecutors said. Police said Emma Jaime stabbed her husband, Ramone Jaime, in the heart at their home on New Year's Day.
At her preliminary hearing on Friday, it was revealed that just before the stabbing, the couple had been arguing about tacos. Prosecutors said Emma Jaime dumped soda on her husband's tacos and then ran upstairs.
When Emma Jaime came down the stairs, she found Ramone Jaime washing dishes, and that is when prosecutors said she stabbed him.
Both Raymond and Emma Jaime were correctional officers at Salinas Valley State Prison, and had been married for six months. They moved into the home two months ago. Emma Jaime was ordered to stand trial on murder charges.
Wimps! Afraid of a fish!
A Scarborough supermarket has been fined thousands of dollars after the province's Ministry of Natural Resources discovered the store was selling a live invasive fish. During an inspection by ministry officers in February of last year, a live bighead carp was found in the New Wai Hong supermarket on Brimley Rd. "It's alive! It's alive!"
The case was heard on Wednesday by Justice of the Peace Alice Napier, who fined the supermarket $3,500. "The scales of justice in the instant case weigh against the fishmonger. I therefore find you gill-ty..."
The supermarket went out of business last year, shortly after the ministry inspection. "So what'rya carpin' about, eh?"
Posted by: Mike ||
01/19/2010 16:40 ||
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#1
It's Asian carp. We've electrified the rivers and canals here in Chicago to keep them out. They'll destroy the game fishery if they get in.
OTOH, they've spurred the creation of "extreme aerial bowfishing" on the Illinois River at Peoria. Necessity and invention and so forth.
A New Jersey man has developed a downloadable application for the Apple iPhone specifically targeted at shooing away bears.
The Scare Bear Trail Companion' application costs 99 cents to download and provides digital sounds meant to frighten away bears on hiking trails. It gives users the option between the sound of an airhorn, bear bells, hands clapping or rocks shaking in a tin can, each activated by shaking the phone.
Inventor Alex Tiger of Green Pond, N.J. an area with a rising black bear population and increasing bear-human conflicts said he hoped the application would allow people to alert bears that they're coming without the use of more cumbersome tools like actual bear bells or horns....
Posted by: Mike ||
01/19/2010 09:49 ||
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#1
A New Jersey man, by the name of Steven Colbert...
#2
What would you prefer to take care of a bear? A stinking i-phone providing digital sounds the bear will not even hear or forty pounds of Madeuce goodness?
#8
LOL, ed. I almost blew chuncks. I'm having lunch.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
01/19/2010 12:05 Comments ||
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#9
AlanC et al,
Actually, this is a pretty damn good idea and will likely save some stinkin hippy's life some day soon. And Alan your question begs for laughter.
Are you a city boy or what? Go ahead and take your contemplative and quiet walk in bear country, and when you surprise mama with her cubs, they will be surprised that you are so stringy, when they are eating you. Bears will leave the area upon hearing people, and attacks are still rare, but surprising them, that's a recipe for death. But hey at least you had a nice quiet walk, ha ha!
You damn well better advertise that you are coming when you are walking in the woods in bear country. A can of rocks, a bell, singing,iPhone rings, whatever you do, you should never, ever walk quietly through the woods in bear country.
Even if you are strapped and even if you manage to make a kill shot on the bear during an attack, which isn't likely. It still will eat you because now you've pissed it off and it takes a bear a nice while to bleed out. more than a minute, and that's 45 seconds longer than that bear needs to run you down and rip your head clean off. There's an old joke in Alaska. When you ask what size pistol you need for fending off bears. An Alaskan will say, "anything will work, just make sure you file the front site off of your gun, so when you shove it in your mouth to blow your own brains out while the bear is eating you, it wont scrape your teeth." When shooting bear in an attack situations always leave one round for yourself.That's plan C for AlanC.
#12
bbait, sorry to disillusion you. No city boy here though my woodsy experience was seldom in bear country, a little in the Adirondaks and up Vermont way. There was a particular black bear that used to come around the sugar-bush but he/she stayed far enough away as to not be a bother.
My "question" is a) how loud a sound will your i-phone make, b) how long will the battery hold out, (could be a short walk) and c) can't you think of an easier, more pleasant way to make noise?
I was rather tickled by the thought of "city" types thinking it was what you used to scare off the bear after you saw it. Dinner bell indeed.
#13
AlanC, that is hilarious. Indeed, some will sound a dinner bell and provide entertainment and light music for the bear eating them.
But if the bear ring tones are anywhere near as loud as the bastard's ring tone that interrupted me while at the movies recently then they will be plenty loud. Every bear in a 5 mile radius will hear them. Haha. They may however, become conditioned to the sound as one announcing dinner, and that is hilarious. Pavlov's bears.
A good friend of mine has a turkey call ring tone and while turkey hunting recently he got a call, and no shit the turkeys called back at him after hearing his ringtone. He made it ring a few more times and got the buggers closer and blamo. Turkey for dinner.
I have been thinking about recording a coyote call on my phone for similar occasions.
Imagine a ring tone that emitted a high pitch damaging decibal alert. Wonder if that might scare a bear off. Charge your battery before hiking girls.
#14
In the Berkshire/Adirondack bears are prying lids off trash cans. Triple Bungee cording does not even do the trick all the time to keep the lids on. Not to mention Coyotes. And Foxes. Just ask my neighbors Beagle that almost got chomped.
#15
I once saw a black bear rip a door and the t-tops off of a camaro to get to a cooler in the back seat. Bunjees are like floss for bear. The bear proof cans at yellowstone are essentially small 1/4 ton tanks chained to the ground and they still get batted around by hungry bears. But for some reason clanging pots and pans are harbingers of the apocalypse, or so the many bears I have run off with said cookware indicated, as they ran ass over ankles away from the clanging.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
01/19/2010 18:30 Comments ||
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#19
Noise would be more likely to make a Grizzly angry. Incidently, Grizzlies - which I have seen in Alaska - are predominently herbivorous in the Summer. By October, your chances of being eaten in an encounter with one is: 100%.
Marines are to come ashore today or tomorrow at Legone, which has seen no aid to date. Very near the epicenter.
Canadians supposed to be putting troops in at Jacmel, on southern coast. Again, no aid to date.
Port assessment was mixed. Piers have damage and show movement. Part of port may open this week, at least to LCU's.
Keep in mind just how small PaP airport is. 1 runway, 2 ramps, v limited parking. Many complaints about landings are just about not having room for the plane for the time it would take to unload. Haitians working air traffic control and priorities are in writing from Govt of Haiti.
Paras have established some forward bases and will do more. Handing out supplies as fast as they can.
Only Haitian service still functioning seems to be Haitian Coast Guard. Our CG partnering with them on their base in PaP. For police, it looks like New Orleans all over again.
Urban SAR has rescued about 70 people, a huge success for them but pales in comparison to the many who were trapped. Impossible to rescue the numbers that were buried.
They squeezed some Antonovs onto the PaP runway somehow. C-17 and C-130 traffic is routine but the Russian planes nees more runway than PaP technically has.
Coast Guard delivered a baby aboard cutter Tahoma the other day.
#1
In their first action since arriving in Haiti, the Marines have seized a small cow pasture near Leogane. There were no casualties. [snark] They're reporting it that way, so...
Beachmaster gear ashore, clearing the way for the amphibs.
About time, but it's a drop in the bucket. More and faster, please. The effort for Berlin puts this to shame.
How long did it take to get the Berlin effort up and running? The professionals think logistics, and they're still setting that up at Port-au-Prince.
Bypassing the gridlock of Haiti's main airport and congestion of roadways in the earthquake-ravaged country, the U.S. military delivered badly needed food and water on Monday by parachute.
A C-17 cargo plane left Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina shortly after noon, and three hours later dropped 40 pallets -- or "bundles" as the Air Force refers to them as -- holding bottled water and Meals, Ready-to-Eat, or MREs, on a field just north of the Port-au-Prince airport in Haiti.
It was the first airdrop of humanitarian supplies by the U.S. military into Haiti since the deadly earthquake there nearly a week ago.
"There are so many relief agencies funneling through the airport that it has kind of created a bottleneck," U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Leon Strickland told CNN en route to the drop point. "We're going to put things directly out of the air onto the ground and open up another distribution point north of the [Port-au-Prince] airfield."
The mission came just three days after Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters at the Pentagon that he thought such airdrops would pose serious problems, especially with crowd control.
"It seems to me that, without having any structure on the ground in terms of distribution, that an airdrop is simply going to lead to riots as people try and go after that stuff. So without any structure for distribution or to provide security when things become available, then it seems to me that's a formula for contributing to chaos rather than -- rather than preventing it," Gates said. The chaos due to impending starvation is worse. You already have riots. Drop the food and be done with it. Once they develop some confidence, they will stop climbing over each other to get at the supplies.
Strickland, commander of the airdrop mission, said safety of the Haitians was still a consideration, but the military had taken steps to insure control over the distribution. Drop the food. Now.
"We are obviously concerned about the welfare of the people on the ground," he said, adding, "I'm confident that our members on the ground have created a secure environment for us to conduct airdrop operations." Drop. The. Food.
This first flight carried a total of 9,600 bottles of water and 42,000 MRE packets. One MRE is usually considered one meal for a U.S. soldier in combat, but there is enough food in an MRE packet to make a small meal for two people.
Most of the food in an MRE can be eaten straight from the plastic vacuum-packed pouch. But if water is added to a chemical heater, a hot meal results.
Each pallet was rigged with a large parachute as well as special corrugated cardboard padding that would minimize damage to the water and food when the load hit the ground. And any potential Darwin Award recipients who may happen to be standing under it.
One of the supervisors on the rigging crew at the Army's Fort Bragg, which is adjacent to Pope Air Force Base, said they wanted to make sure as much of the aid, especially the water, survived the airdrop, but they predicted as many as 1-in-10 of the bottles would break on impact. The MREs are much less susceptible to damage during airdrops. Boo hoo hoo. Drop the food. They will eat it. Given how much pork is in the budget these days, who cares about some understandable fallout.
As the C-17 approached Haiti, the pilot dropped to 600 feet above the ground and opened the huge rear ramp. When a computer in the cockpit calculated that the plane was over the drop zone, a signal was given, the pilot pitched the plane upward and the huge straps and gate that held the cargo in place were released. Within seconds, gravity pulled all 40 pallets out of the plane and the parachutes automatically deployed.
In less than a minute the food and water was on the ground, ready to be unpacked and distributed.
Maj. Jeff "Ratdog" Daniels, the pilot of the C-17, said the U.S. military teams waiting for the airdrop on the ground reported all 40 parachutes opened properly and all the bundles landed on target in the planned drop zone. Oh my, I was so worried one of the parachutes wouldn't open.
While this airdrop is a first for the military effort in Haiti, the Air Force is well-practiced in this type of mission. Almost daily, Air Force cargo planes drop food and water into remote areas of Afghanistan for U.S. troops fighting there.
Several of the young military personnel CNN spoke to were pleased to be taking part this part of the huge humanitarian mission.
Even though she joined the military while the United States was embroiled in two wars, Pvt. Caitlyn Lopez of the 18th Airborne Corps said "this is what I joined the Army for." She was among dozens of soldiers at Fort Bragg who hand-packed and rigged the bundles of humanitarian aid that were dropped Monday.
The military planned to use Monday's flight as a test to see if airdrops would be a practical and effective way to continue to deliver aid. The decision on whether to do more airdrops not immediately made, but just after returning to Pope AFB, Strickland said of the mission, "It was a success." Boggle.
Indeed. I think we need to give the CNN reporter some credit for correctly identifying a C-17 as an 'aeroplane' and not blaming anything on George Bush.
#4
former spook has a good post on the other side of the food drop issue. It seems as if it might be worth while to figure out a way to drop smaller loads than a full pallet, if we're going to have to feed everyone after every natural disaster.
#5
The C-17 dropped loose MREs and Humanitarian Rations over Afghanistan. I think they where enclosed in a big net and the end opened in the air stream.
Posted by: ed ||
01/19/2010 10:56 Comments ||
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#6
A Sigh of Relief - humanitarian aid air drops in Afghanistan Once the specialized delivery containers are slid out the back, the air blast pulls the TRIADS apart, and the humanitarian daily rations "flutter down," said Col. James B. Roberts Jr., the group commander.
Posted by: ed ||
01/19/2010 11:01 Comments ||
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#7
Couple years ago it would have been how booosh was attempting a diabetic catastrophe with his cluster bar munitions.
Need to control the drop zone or disperse the drops, else ya might end up with a somalia type situation where the gangs control the food, IMHO.
#9
I can't find the video but there is one of a UN truck giving out energy biscuits to "starving" hatians. One of them mistakes the packing date for an expiration date so they all through them to the ground in disgust. For most of my childhood we ate bread from the day-old store and I managed to survive. IMHO if they are throwing away even expired biscuits they aren't starving. Not trying to be cruel but did all the food get destroyed in the earthquake? You don't go from earthquake to no food immediately and do they not know how to boil water to drink? If not we will be doing airdrop for a LONG time.
#10
I understand that the single airport is the big bottleneck right now. During WWII our military built functional airstrips in a few days using Marston Matting. Why aren't we doing something similar now? Use helicopters to drop bulldozers, workers and materials where help is most needed and build an emergency landing strip for aid planes. It doesn't have to last forever, just until ports and roads are back up and functioning.
The European Union on Monday played down suggestions of a rift with the US over the distribution of emergency humanitarian aid in Haiti, devastated last week by an earthquake that may have killed more than 100,000 people. EU leaders expressed gratitude to the US for keeping open the airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital, and said they had received no complaints from non-governmental organisations about the conditions under which aid is reaching Haitians.
The move came as the World Food Programme announced a major escalation of relief aid distribution on the half-island nation, with the giving out of 180,000 ration packs on Monday. The UN's biggest relief agency aims to distribute 10m ready-to-eat meals to earthquake survivors in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and elsewhere. Within a month, the goal is to reach 2m people.
EU leaders were speaking as the bloc announced it was offering more than 400m to Haiti in humanitarian aid and longer-term assistance.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/19/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, was able to land on Saturday, while some planes carrying aid were turned away.
Was she rushed to her photo-op under sniper fire this time?
#2
We had an article about it here the other day, Depot Guy. She rode in on a regular transport plane sandwiched in among the supplies, did a little something at the airport out of the way of the people doing the actual work, spoke for an hour with the senior living Haitian government person, and flew back out on an empty plane. The person(s) fussing about it really need to get their facts right -- Secretary of State Clinton did her job right, with as little disruption of the rescue work as possible.
The EU is welcome to send their carrier group, marines, paratroopers, amphibious ships, et al., to Haiti and we'll be glad to withdraw while they cover themselves with glory run things their way.
Oh, wait....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
01/19/2010 15:07 Comments ||
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France accused the US of "occupying" Haiti on Monday as thousands of American troops flooded into the country to take charge of aid efforts and security.
There is a photo at the link of Bill Clinton helping to unload a delivery of medical supplies in Port-au-Prince. Good. That's the sort of pubicity America should be getting, along with lots of photos of our military people helping. Docs examining Haitian children. Aid workers handing out food and supplies. Seabees opening roads. Specialty teams doing search and rescue.
Instead we get the French, and lots of other Y'urp-peons, whining about our occupation.
There are a few people in America who might agree. There are people who say that we have enough problems here at home, let the Haitians tend to theirs. I'm glad that we're helping. I'm glad that we're sending our best to provide the aid and hope.
And I'm really, really tempted to tell the UN and Euros to shut the hell up.
The French minister in charge of humanitarian relief called on the UN to "clarify" the American role amid claims the military build up was hampering aid efforts. Alain Joyandet admitted he had been involved in a scuffle with a US commander in the airport's control tower over the flight plan for a French evacuation flight.
So not only is he whining, he was getting in the way.
"This is about helping Haiti, not about occupying Haiti," Mr Joyandet said.
Geneva-based charity Medecins Sans Frontieres backed his calls saying hundreds of lives were being put at risk as planes carrying vital medical supplies were being turned away by American air traffic controllers.
Because there is nowhere to put them. The tarmac at the airport is full. There is but a single runway. There is no fuel.
But US commanders insisted their forces' focus was on humanitarian work and last night agreed to prioritise aid arrivals to the airport over military flights, after the intervention of the UN.
The diplomatic row came amid heightened frustrations that hundreds of tons of aid was still not getting through. Charities reported violence was also worsening as desperate Haitians took matters into their own hands.
The aid can only get through once you get the airport straight. Then you get equipment in to clear the roads. Then you get vehicles in to deliver the aid. You get helicopters moving to do the same. All this takes fuel. You need coordination and time. If MSF thinks they can run the operation let them step up.
The death toll is now estimated at up to 200,000 lives. Around three million Haitians a third of the country's population have been affected by Tuesday's earthquake and two million require food assistance.
While food and water was gradually arriving at the makeshift camps which have sprung up around the city, riots have broken out in other areas where supplies have still not materialised.
Haiti was occupied by the US between 1915 and 1935, and historical sensitivities together with friction with other countries over the relief effort has made the Americans cautious about their role in the operation. American military commanders have repeatedly stressed that they are not entering the country as an occupying force.
US soldiers in Port-au-Prince said they had been told to be discreet about how they carry their M4 assault rifles. A paratrooper sergeant said they were authorised to use "deadly force" if they see anyone's life in danger but only as a "last resort".
Capt John Kirby, a spokesman for the joint task force at the airport, said the US recognised it was only one of a number of countries contributing to a UN-led mission. He also emphasised the US troops, which he said would rise to 10,000 by Wednesday would principally be assisting in humanitarian relief and the evacuation of people needing medical attention.
The main responsibility for security rests with the UN, which is to add a further 3,000 troops to its force of 9,000.
Who? The Mighty Uruguayans? Good luck with that. And how are they getting there? Betcha dollars to doughnuts that it'll be the USAF that delivers the UN peacekeepers.
However, it was agreed on Sunday night that the Americans would take over security at the four main food and water distribution points being set up in the city, Capt Kirby said. "Security here is in a fluid situation," he said. "If the Haitian government asked us to provide security downtown, we would do that."
He played down the threat of violence, saying: "What we're seeing is that there are isolated incidents of violence and some pockets where it's been more restive, but overall it's calm."
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/19/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
France accused the US of "occupying" Haiti on Monday as thousands of American troops flooded into the country to take charge of aid efforts and security.
No, France/UN. It's called "Gettin' 'er dun." Something you aren't all that used to.
#2
The US is not in Haiti because we want to. We are actually kinda booked up right now, so STFU Alain and help unload those planes if you got nothing to do while you wait for your clearance to GTFO.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
01/19/2010 0:59 Comments ||
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#4
OTOH TOPIX > WILL HAITI BECOME ISLAMIZED? Fear of many of Haiti's mostly Christian refugees turning Muslim due to Islam-intensive prosletyzing by the heavily Muslim Govt-State of Senegal once the former are allowed to temporarily resettle there???
#7
Gee I wonder what is more efficient, a civvie cargo plane with 20 tons that takes hours on the tarmac to unload or a C-17 with 50 tons that can be unloaded in 20 minutes via drive-in forklift?
And let the rest of the world handle the next natural disaster. Americans are pooped out. We'll just stand on the side lines sniping at every little imagined grievance.
Posted by: ed ||
01/19/2010 7:31 Comments ||
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#8
Cheese eating surrender monkeys like a good whine with their snails when they feel "usurped".
Its a problem of ego bashing, they cant handle it .
Posted by: Oscar ||
01/19/2010 8:20 Comments ||
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#12
So joyandt is pissy because he couldn't get his flight of French citizens out of country when he promised.
And the un is contributing one word per casualty for their narrative spinning their imputence as caused by the USA.
Is MSF coordinating, or just flying planes towards PaP and demanding to land? After the Greensburg tornado there was a call to help answered across the state, especially at the university towns...they were turned back because the last thing needed was a thousand untrained people showing up without warning with no supplies, getting in the way. Has mr. joyandet walked out of the wire without protection?
Mission Envy. And envy is such a low emotion, especially during a disaster. France and the UN had their chance after the aristide deal, and personally thought they should all go fornicate a power outlet after that turd in the thank you envelope, but people need help and in this part of the world that means that means hanging up the grievences and getting it done. Sorry if these governing bodies do not understand so I'll put it in terms they use...its a cultural thing, so respect our culture to help an immediate neighbor. Wanna help, great, but stop trying to be the BDOC, quit'cha bitchn' and start coordinating.
It is nice to see a gently-put ROE outline. Its why the police go to fires, to make sure the scene is secure so that the firefighters can work a scene already dangerous without having to worry about spectator interference and such.
#13
It takes a lot of weapons to do good works (as Richard the Lionhearted could have told us). And this is not just a Somali problem. We have poverty and deprivation in our own country. Try standing unarmed on a street corner in Compton handing out twenty-dollar bills and see how long you last.
#14
I, for one, breathlessly await the arrival of the Charles DeGaulle to help with the rescue and recovery efforts. It will be nice to have sophisticated people running this show instead of a bunch of gun-clingin', Bible-totin' rednecks.
BOSTON Republican Scott Brown has won the Massachusetts Senate seat held for nearly a half-century by Democrat Edward Kennedy.
Brown's victory in the special election gives Senate Republicans the 41st vote they need to block legislation favored by majority Democrats and President Barack Obama.
#14
Legally speaking, per MASS Law, as of 12:01 20 JAN 2010 Mass has NO Senator, only a Senator Elect, who is qualified and the election is complete (the two ending pre requisites for appointed senators).
The Mass legislature Dems and Gov rammed through that "replace Kennedy with a Puppet" law so fast that they didn't leave themselves any room.
Elecion done? Check.
Winner qualified for office? Check.
Therefore Paul Kirk is NO LONGER A SENATOR.
At this moment, Mass has one Senator, Sen Kerry (D) and one Senator Elect, Senator Brown (R).
Posted by: Mike ||
01/19/2010 22:01 Comments ||
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#17
Marcia's giving her concession speech. Thanks everybody for working hard. Too bad for them that she didn't. From now on, she'll be about as popular with Dems as Ceausescu is with Romanians.
#18
she'll be about as popular with Dems as she is with the Amiraults.
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/19/2010 22:03 Comments ||
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#19
A revolution never come with a warning
A revolution never sends you an omen
A revolution just arrived like the morning
Ring the alarm, we come to wake up the snoring
Yell "Fire!"
Posted by: Mike ||
01/19/2010 22:04 Comments ||
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#20
President 8% strikes again with the kiss of death.
#21
It reminds me of Fort Ticonderoga:
Brits being taken by Ethan Allan and his band of Vermont men who came in the dead of night and got a surrender from the British General who was found still in bed in his jammies as they stormed the Fort.
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
01/19/2010 22:17 Comments ||
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#24
My, my, at Waterloo Napoleon did surrender
Oh yeah, and I have met my destiny in quite a similar way
The history book on the shelf
Is always repeating itself
Waterloo - I was defeated, you won the war
Waterloo - Promise to love you for ever more
Waterloo - Couldn't escape if I wanted to
Waterloo - Knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo - Finally facing my Waterloo
Lets start with: Brown leads in Massachusetts Senate race Brown led Democratic state Attorney General Martha Coakley by a margin of 53 percent to 46 percent, with about 23 percent of the state's 2,168 precincts reporting.
Posted by: ed ||
01/19/2010 20:51 ||
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Excerpt: Following the staged arrest of a man by the Austin Police subsequently released without charge the BATF pressured lease holders HEB to shut down the oldest gun show in central Texas.
If you're Mohammad Kaif, a lottery ticket would be a smart move, while Damien Martyn could do worse than contemplate the tables at Bellagio or Caesar's Palace. Neither man has played international cricket for more than three years, and Kaif's performances in the inaugural Indian Premier League -- he didn't even make the Rajasthan Royals squad for the second season in South Africa -- were as ordinary as Martyn's brief flirtation with the nearly forgotten Indian Cricket League.
The Royals, captained and coached by Shane Warne, bought out Kaif's $675,000 (£412,000) contract before the auction to free up the space that they then filled with the classy 38-year-old batsman who was once Warne's brother in baggy-green arms. If that raised eyebrows, there was bemusement when Kings XI Punjab, who have appointed Kumar Sangakkara as captain in place of Yuvraj Singh, splashed out $250,000 for Kaif, whose batting is usually conspicuously devoid of the power and pizzazz associated with Twenty20 cricket.
Many of the headlines in England on Wednesday will focus on the lack of interest in Graeme Swann, but the Twitter-friendly off-spinner's IPL tale is far from over. The auction represents only the most high-profile route into the league. There are other ways. Both the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings have injured players that they can replace before the action begins on 12 March. In Mumbai's case, they will have only the $100,000 that they spent on Kyle Mills last season, but Chennai have a whopping $1.55 million to draw on, having seen Andrew Flintoff go under the surgeon's knife yet again. Don't be surprised to see Swann or Doug Bollinger, another who attracted no interest, fielding a few calls from agents over the coming days.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: john frum ||
01/19/2010 12:15 ||
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#1
English soccer is hugely popular across much of Asia, which is why english teams field, Korean and Japanese players, and the IPL plans to do the same with cricket.
The issue here is that Pakistan closes itself off to Indian businesses and then are (apparently) surprised when Indian businesses are not interested in Pakistan.
The development has drawn sharp criticism in Pakistan. Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, the federal sports minister, said he had complained to his Indian counterpart over the incident. "I have phoned the sports minister of India and recorded a protest over the unjust and discriminatory treatment meted out to the Pakistani cricketers,"
#4
Meanwhile Northern India and Bangladesh are experiencing their coldest winter in 100 years.
There does not seem to be an early end to the travails of the people of north India, who have been going through a harrowing cold wave condition for over a week now.
And it snowed in Australia a couple of days ago, right in the middle of summer, in places that rarely get snow in the winter.
The government of Dubai on Thursday announced that it is fully prepared to host the headquarters of the United Nations if its officials decide to move from New York where the organisation is currently located.
According to an official source in the Dubai government, the announcement was made in light of the UAE's and Dubai's appreciation of the vital role the United Nations plays in all areas, and in the protection of international peace and security and economic development in particular.
The source said Dubai welcomes dialogue with UN officials to provide them with full information on the capabilities which the emirate can provide and which could make it the optimal choice as the new seat of the UN headquarters if a final decision is taken to move out of New York.
Among the capabilities which Dubai possesses are suitable geographical location and world-class infrastructure and air, land and sea transport systems which make the emirate an easily accessible meeting point in the middle of the world, noted the source.
Dubai's offer is part of efforts the UAE is making to assume its full role as a responsible and effective member of the international community and to find alternatives to contribute to stronger international joint actions.
#1
Yes. Absolutely. Move the UN to Dubai. We are behind you 100%. On the fast track. Here, let me pack yer bags. Get the door. [pushes him out]
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
01/19/2010 0:55 Comments ||
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#2
I also agree 100%. I don't see a downside. If they throw in 25% of the UNs budget so that the US doesn't have to pay the bulk I'd throw in a security council seat.
#4
As long as the UN can get their basic needs met (booze, hookers of both sexes, lots of blow), I'm sure they wouldn't have a problem with moving. I know that NYC wouldn't miss them much.
#5
BTW, does Dubai let people in who hold Israeli passports or have an entry/exit visa from Israel? Because if they don't I'm sure that would be a feature, not a bug, to several UN member states.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
01/19/2010 17:57 Comments ||
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#23
What have you got against Haitians that you would impose the U.N. on them?
They've had the UN on them since the Clinton intervention in 1994. Might as well have the flag pole right in the neighborhood so they can see the fruits of their labor everyday.
[Straits Times] THE Sabah Council of Churches has rejected a proposal that the word 'Allah' can only be used by Christians in Sabah and Sarawak.
Council president Rev Jerry Dusing said it felt that Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz's suggestion was 'illogical, inconsistent and untenable for Christian communities of both states, especially those residing in the peninsula'.
'The intended concession also goes against the spirit and intent of the Prime Minister's 1Malaysia concept of forging unity and harmony among all races and religions by mutual respect and acceptance,' Rev Dusing said in a statement.
He said the proposal also impinged on the rights of the Christian community as it 'dichotomises and segregates' the rights to profess and practise one's faith on the basis of geographical location.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/19/2010 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
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Coded references to New Testament Bible passages about Jesus Christ are inscribed on high-powered rifle sights provided to the United States military by a Michigan company, an ABC News investigation has found.
The sights are used by U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and in the training of Iraqi and Afghan soldiers. The maker of the sights, Trijicon, has a $660 million multi-year contract to provide up to 800,000 sights to the Marine Corps, and additional contracts to provide sights to the U.S. Army.
U.S. military rules specifically prohibit the proselytizing of any religion in Iraq or Afghanistan and were drawn up in order to prevent criticism that the U.S. was embarked on a religious "Crusade" in its war against al Qaeda and Iraqi insurgents.
One of the citations on the gun sights, 2COR4:6, is an apparent reference to Second Corinthians 4:6 of the New Testament, which reads: "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
Other references include citations from the books of Revelation, Matthew and John dealing with Jesus as "the light of the world." John 8:12, referred to on the gun sights as JN8:12, reads, "Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Trijicon confirmed to ABCNews.com that it adds the biblical codes to the sights sold to the U.S. military. Tom Munson, director of sales and marketing for Trijicon, which is based in Wixom, Michigan, said the inscriptions "have always been there" and said there was nothing wrong or illegal with adding them. Munson said the issue was being raised by a group that is "not Christian." The company has said the practice began under its founder, Glyn Bindon, a devout Christian from South Africa who was killed in a 2003 plane crash.
Posted by: Black Charlie Glemp1274 ||
01/19/2010 3:30 Comments ||
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#2
U.S. military rules specifically prohibit the proselytizing of any religion in Iraq or Afghanistan and were drawn up in order to prevent criticism that the U.S. was embarked on a religious "Crusade" in its war against al Qaeda and Iraqi insurgents.
That is the problem. The West is pussyfooting in Afghanistan while it should be promoting anti-Islam and anti-Arab feelings (for their support to the Taliban)
Some examples:
1) A few days ago an Arab court ruled not-guilty for an Arab who had tortured and murdered an Afghan. Not guilty when the lowlife had recordrd all the scene on video. We should be broadcasting this for all Islamic countries with messages like here is what you are worth for the islamic herrensvolk.
2) Just after the fall of Kabul Aghanistan people spent sums worth ten per cent of internation aid on pilgrimages to Mecca. We should have arranged for Afghan TV reporting about inflated prices in Mecca and how filthy rich Saudi Arabia was sucking the blood of poor countries like Bangladesh or Afganistan.
#3
I guess Im an atheist, but one thing I know for sure . If the person taking the shot feels steadier with some prose to assist him and his nerves then fine . Id rather have my mark down and out than injured and flapping.
Posted by: Oscar ||
01/19/2010 5:03 Comments ||
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#4
Lunch invitations from Cthulhu might be more appropriate but, hey, if the things will hit Talibeasts and Al-Quties, I'm ok with it.
#7
Are they visible when the sights are in use? Then they're distractions, and they make the equipment sub-standard. If they're not, then who gives a good goddamn?
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
01/19/2010 8:57 Comments ||
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#8
From what I hear, the only time you see them is if you take the sights apart and remove the optics. I.e. factory maintenance. Not in the field and not in every day use. *IF* this is righte, then these inscriptions are like an inscription on the inside of your car wheels: unless you have to change your own tire on the rim, you'll never even know its there.
Oh, Mitch! Think of the shame the poor jihadis must feel, whacked by some guy plinking away at 1000 meters with Crusader slogans on his weapon. The only thing worse would be getting shot by a girl.
#11
The Intaglio-style numbers are on the right side of the scope mount (as viewed by the equipment operator.)(see video at link apx -5:10 on the index.).
If the story is read, it is clear that all the passages cited by the mfr. refer to "light." Get it MSM? Night-capable scopes and light! Get it!? Get it!!!?
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 New Jersey man has developed a downloadable application for the Apple iPhone specifically targeted at shooing away bears.
