EFL: In response to overwhelming demand, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release attractively priced individual two-disc releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Each release includes the 2004 digitally remastered version of the movie and, as bonus material, the theatrical edition of the film. That means you'll be able to enjoy Star Wars as it first appeared in 1977, Empire in 1980, and Jedi in 1983.
This is the "Han Solo shoots first" edition
This release will only be available for the entire Christmas shopping season a limited time: from September 12th to December 31st. International release will follow on or about the same day. Each original theatrical version will feature Dolby 2.0 Surround sound, close-captioning, and subtitles in English, French and Spanish for their U.S. release. International sound and subtitling vary by territory.
"Over the years, a truly countless number of fans have told us that they would not buy the altered crap love to see and own the original version that they remember experiencing in theaters," said Jim Ward, President of LucasArts and Senior Vice President of Lucasfilm Ltd. "We returned to the Lucasfilm Archives to cash in one more time search exhaustively for source material that could be presented on DVD. This is something that we're very excited to be able to give to drooling idiots fans in response to their blind devotion continuing enthusiasm for Star Wars. Topping it off with a new interactive adventure makes September 12 a red-letter day for our bottom line Star Wars fans."
"This is the disc you've been looking for"
Posted by: Steve ||
05/04/2006 13:36 ||
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And, like an idiot fanboy, I'll ask for it for Christmas. Sigh.
Posted by: Jonathan ||
05/04/2006 15:07 Comments ||
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I'll be right behind you. Thankfully I refused to buy the "remastered" versions.
Posted by: Steve ||
05/04/2006 15:09 Comments ||
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You mean I can replace my laserdisc set?Yeah, I've got them too. I just tossed my beta recorder and tapes this year when we moved. I've sworn off being a early adopter ever again.
Posted by: Steve ||
05/04/2006 15:43 Comments ||
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I bet they mess with it like the "Legend" double release. The "Director's Cut" had crisp sound and remastered 16:9 video, and they threw in a cruddy copy of the "Theatrical Version" with muddy sound.
I wonder if the Star Wars theatrical version will be without the "Episode IV" on the opening intro text, as it was first shown in theaters.
#6
Yes, but the laserdiscs didn't have copy protection, therefore your personal copy could have already been transfered to DVD format. For personal use of course.
#3
Uh-huh. Light that baby up on the freeway and see where the splatter mark ends up. VW's are unsafe with the stock 47 raging horses, you really don't want to try 1450 hp...
#6
"I want to build a missile silo on my front lawn," he said. "It'll have those electric-opening silo doors and I'll have a set of lights for it. Then, at night, I open the silo doors and raise the missile up, with those lights on it."
This guy sounds like the ultimate cross between monster garage and future Darwin nominee. Me wonders if Homeland Security would approve of a Russian missile sitting in a silo in his front yard?
Posted by: BA ||
05/04/2006 21:54 Comments ||
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CAIRO - The Egyptian government will appeal against a court ruling in favour of the rights of the countrys small Bahai minority, a minister said on Wednesday. Religious Endowments Minister Mahmoud Hamdi Zakzouk told parliament the government would base its appeal on the opinion of the countrys leading Muslim cleric, the Sheikh of al-Azhar, that Bahaism is not a revealed religion recognised by Muslims.
"We can't have their kind 'round here. Why, they believe in peace, fergawdsakes!"
Zakzouk was speaking in a parliamentary debate in which many members opposed the ruling last month by an administrative court in favour of the Bahai couple who have been fighting for two years to make the government register them as Bahais. Civil society groups welcomed the court ruling as a victory for freedom of belief, as the constitution guarantees in theory. In practice the authorities impose many restrictions.
In practice the governmennt does lots of things that don't quite fit the lofty constitution, just like in old Soviet Union.
Members of parliament attacked Bahais as deviants and extremists and noted that the groups international headquarters is in the Israeli city of Haifa.
A convenient excuse, to be sure.
One member of parliament, Gamal Akl of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood, said the Bahais were infidels who should be killed on the grounds that they had changed their religion. The problem with the Bahais is they are moved by Israeli fingers. We wish the Ministry of the Interior would not yield to the cheap blackmail of this deviant group, added another Muslim Brotherhood member, Mustafa Awadallah.
"Any excuse is a good excuse to kill infidels," he muttered.
Zainab Radwan of the ruling National Democratic Party, however, said she favoured recognising the Bahais on identity cards issued by the state. There is an interest in them being known rather than unknown so that they do not succeed in infiltrating the ranks of society and spreading their extremist and deviant ideology, she said.
Hence the need to have religion on identity cards and passports, so that you can identify and kill non-believers.
The Egyptian constitution guarantees religious freedom but in practice officials are reluctant to recognise religions other than Islam, Christianity and Judaism, which many Muslims believe to have a special elevated status.
The Christians and Jooos are fourth-class citizens, and the Baha'is don't even register.
The Bahai faith, an offshoot of Islam, originated in Iran 150 years ago and claims five million members in 191 countries. The treatment of Egypts Bahai community, estimated at 2,000 people, has been an irritant for many years in relations between the government and human rights groups.
Yup, 2,000 peace-loving Baha'is are going to overthrow the gummint and bring down the Moose-limbs.
Posted by: Steve White ||
05/04/2006 00:00 ||
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In a lot of Moslem countries, being Baha'i is an automatic death sentence.
CAIRO - Four Egyptians were killed and another wounded when a device accidentally exploded on Wednesday at a mechanical workshop in the low-income Cairo neighborhood of Imbaba, security sources said.
An 18-year-old mechanic, Radi Mahmum Abdul Latif, was using the silver-coated metal device to try to unscrew part of a car when it went off, killing him, two other mechanics and the cars owner.
Dumb kid.
Abdul Latifs brother and owner of the workshop, Mohammed Mahmud Abdul Latif Abu Radi, reportedly told police he had bought the device from a scrap metal merchant and had no idea it was explosive. Security sources said they thought the object might have been an old anti-aircraft rocket.
Very dumb kid.
Posted by: Steve White ||
05/04/2006 00:00 ||
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Sounds like one of them Craftsman Exploding Ratchet Sets. I thought they'd all been recalled...
South African Minister for Public Enterprises Alec Erwin has said that the government is looking at building another nuclear power station in the Western Cape, despite a series of power blackouts in Cape Town and in other parts of the Western Cape caused mainly by a damaged electricity generator at the Koeberg station.
The South African government has proposed a ban on "canned hunting", in which enthusiasts pay a fee to shoot an animal in an enclosed space. New proposed laws will stop the "intensive breeding" of large predators for hunting purposes.
SA wildlife resources help earn tourist revenue, but environmentalists are worried about unethical practices. Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said the proposals would stop the actions of "environmental thugs".
"Canned hunting" usually takes place on private game farms, which charge thousands of dollars for the opportunity to shoot "big game" such as a lion or a leopard. Mr van Schalkwyk said the government's proposals would stamp out practices which "have cast a shadow on our phenomenal conservation successes, and left a stain on our reputation as world leaders in protecting and promoting biodiversity".
"Hunting will now be permitted only by humane methods, in accordance with strict fair chase principles, by hunters registered with recognised hunting bodies, the minister said in a statement. He invited public comment on the proposals. Nasty old colonial Dutch farmers again, attempting to augment their massive incomes through a bit of game hunting. Lets leave it to the big concerns who we can easily track, license, and gain hefty pay offs.
Brazilian energy company Petrobras is suspending future investment in Bolivia following its neighbour's decision to nationalise its gas industry. Petrobras said the move would start with the scrapping of plans to expand a gas pipeline between the two nations.
Cause, meet effect
Its announcement came ahead of an emergency regional summit to discuss Bolivia's shock nationalisation. Bolivian President Evo Morales will meet his counterparts from Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela on Thursday. Mr Morales announced on Monday that his government was taking the country's gas industry into state hands.
The decision has cautioned consternation in Brazil and Argentina, whose energy firms - such as state-owned Petrobras - have major stakes in the Bolivian gas sector. Petrobras boss Jose Sergio said the Bolivian move, which reduces foreign firms' production stakes to 18%, meant there would no longer be sufficient returns to justify increased investment. As a result, he said the company was now looking towards imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from other countries to feed growing domestic Brazilian demand. Brazil is currently Bolivia's biggest gas buyer.
Mr Morales has given foreign gas companies 180 days to comply with the nationalisation or else leave the country. While Mr Morales is likely to face tough questions at Thursday's emergency meeting from Brazilian president Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, and his Argentine counterpart Nestor Kirchner, support will come from Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez. Following talks between Mr Morales and Mr Chavez in Bolivia on Wednesday, the Venezuelan president said he had come to offer his "congratulations and learn from Bolivia's wisdom".
Posted by: Steve ||
05/04/2006 09:02 ||
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The Zim Bob model once aqain. A most effective route to isolation and poverty.
"Like, wow, man! Listen to the veto! It's, like, profound!"
Posted by: Steve White ||
05/04/2006 00:00 ||
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"Under the law, consumers could have legally possessed up to 25 milligrams of heroin, a half a gram of cocaine and about one-fifth of an ounce of marijuana."
It would not necessarily be drug-tourism to be worried about.
Financial Times estimated that there are approximately 500,000 border crossings per year.
Either through incentive or coercion, supply a significant percentage of crossers with 25mg of heroin or 0.5g of cocaine, or both. Under the proposed law, Mexican police would not bother. Collect the material from the crossers once they are over the border.
#4
"Bummer! Vincente is, like, harshing my mellow."
Posted by: Mike ||
05/04/2006 6:20 Comments ||
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Something is so wrong here. Citizens of the US are willing to leave the US to do things the US government doesn't want them to do. So the US puts pressure on other countries to prevent US citizens from doing those things outside the US.
In a weird way, that is like Saudi demanding that the US enforce Sharia on Moslems living in the US.
#11
I think all life sentence/no possibility of parole prisoners should be segregated and given all the marijuana they want to smoke. It would solve several problems at the same time.
The 2006 Ernst & Young Global Nonperforming Loan Report 2006 does point out though that almost every country covered in the 2004 edition of the reportwith the notable exception of Chinahas managed to reduce its legacy NPLs (loans made before 1997). There are signs even in China that transaction activity may be on the rise. China is poised to allow foreign investors access to its banking industry and, despite a slow start, the NPL disposition process has accelerated there in the last 12 months.
However, considering Ernst & Youngs own conservative estimate of the actual depth of Chinas total NPL exposureat US$900 billion, substantially more than any other country in the reportand the large numbers of legacy (pre1997) loans still to resolve, Chinas NPL problems appear far from over. As reported, Chinas overheated property markets are certain to produce fresh NPLs in coming years.
An earthquake measuring 8.1 has hit the Tonga islands, east of Australia and northeast of New Zealand, the US Geological Survey (USGS) website said on Wednesday. A tsunami warning was issued for Fiji and New Zealand but later lifted.
The earthquake was at 1526 GMT, said the website monitored in London. It was not immediately clear what damage it caused, but a report on Sky Television said it was felt in several islands. A resident of Tonga told Sky he felt tremors lasting over 30 seconds. The earthquake, classified by the USGS as a "great" quake, struck 155 km (95 miles) south of Tonga's Neiafu Island and 2145 km (1340 miles) northeast of Auckland, New Zealand, the USGS said. The Tonga islands are an archipelago east of Australia and northeast of New Zealand.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Sorry, boss. I dropped my IPod, and when I grabbed for it..."
Posted by: Fred ||
05/04/2006 00:00 ||
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Felt a few strong ones here in Guam albeit unreported in local news - interesting that local Guam radio had anounced at roughly the same lead time that the CNMI's Anatahan island volcano had erupted and is putting out heavy ash-filled plumes. The plumes and ash though appear by SAT photos to be blowing away from Guam & southern Marianas - and yep, its also been raining. GOOD TIME TO CUDDLE UP AND COOK SOME HOT SOUP.
#3
We used to have an old GI saying about the Guam or GUAM as an acronym applied to the limited island social activities, etc. They said it simply stood for Give Up and Masterbate.
BERLIN -- Christian ministers will tackle Muslim imams in a pre-World Cup friendly officiated by a Jewish referee as part of an initiative aimed at increasing understanding among religions, it was announced on Wednesday.
The eight-a-side match presided over by three Jewish officials was organized by the German Protestant Church and will take place on Saturday, just over a month before the big World Cup kick-off on June 9.
The friendly match is part of a wider initiative associated with a conference organized by the British Embassy in Berlin on integration, racism and football and will be the first such match in Germany, according to the Church of Berlin and Brandenbourg.
Churches of different Christian denominations are also organizing a series of events including festivals and concerts under the banner "kickoff2006 - Kick-off Faith," using football's global appeal to promote tolerance and unity.
At Geithain in the east of Germany, the protestant church is also trying to organize a mini-World Cup among 32 churches to mirror the actual event.
Unlike the FIFA-organized World Cup, though, there are no plans for a cartoon mascot.
Rep. Patrick Kennedy crashed his car near the U.S. Capitol early Thursday. Like father, like son.
He denied alcohol was a factor. "Oh God!! I am not my dad!!"
"I was involved in a traffic accident last night at First and C Street SE, near the U.S. Capitol," Kennedy, who represents the New England state of Rhode Island, said in a written statement released by his office Thursday afternoon. "I will fully cooperate with the Capitol Police in whatever investigation they choose to undertake." "Please don't let the press get me"
"I consumed no *hick* alcohol prior to the incident," Kennedy, son of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, said in the statement. It was issued after news reports surfaced about the accident.
According to news reports, the single-car accident happened around 3 a.m. Call me skeptical, but I know that about 90% of single car crashes at 3am are drunk idiots going home from the bar.
Capitol Police did not immediately return phone calls for comment. We know nothing!
Kennedy, 38, spent time at a drug rehabilitation clinic before he went to Providence College in Rhode Island. He has openly discussed his personal mental health problems, including having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Early this year he spoke about having been in recovery "for depression, for alcoholism and substance abuse." Like father, like son.
Kennedy is the son of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and his former wife, Joan Kennedy.
#2
He could be telling the exact truth, note he did NOT say he was not intoxicated, only that he had drunk no alcohol.
He could well be blasted on any number of substances and still be telling the exact truth, That's exactly the kind of twisted-truth "Statements" that politicians are famous for.
Note he was NOT given any kind of sobriety test (Or if he was, It's very pointedly not mentioned), that means that any tests made later cannot be used as evidence.
(Plan A, get away from the Cops, drink in the presence of witnesses, get picked up again, and you just bought yourself a "get out of jail free card) I remember a bit of his father's first reports after Chappaquiddic (SP?), his lawyer immediately sat him down and fed him three or so stiff drinks in his (The Lawyers) presence, then called the cops.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
05/04/2006 21:54 Comments ||
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Ah, the Kennedy curse. As long as the cops continue to look the other way, the curse will remain. But the democrat culture of corruption will never change. They are doomed by who they are.
WASHINGTON - Rep. Patrick Kennedy crashed his car near the Capitol early Thursday, and a police official said he appeared intoxicated. Kennedy said he had taken sleep medication and a prescription anti-nausea drug that can cause drowsiness. Kennedy, D-R.I., addressed the issue after a spate of news reports. His initial statement said: "I consumed no alcohol prior to the incident."'
Later, however, he issued a longer statement saying the attending physician for Congress had prescribed Phenergan on Tuesday to treat Kennedy's gastroenteritis.
Kennedy said he returned to his Capitol Hill home on Wednesday evening after a final series of votes in Congress and took "prescribed" amounts of Phenergan and Ambien, another prescribed drug that he occasionally takes to fall asleep.
"Some time around 2:45 a.m., I drove the few blocks to the Capitol Complex believing I needed to vote," his second statement said. "Apparently, I was disoriented from the medication."
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/04/2006 22:21 Comments ||
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Yep, that's what I do to, take a shit load of sleep medication then get behind the wheel at zero dark thirty - what a douche bag. The house has votes at 0245?
When she hits the presidential campaign trail next year, 2008 White House hopeful Hillary Clinton is planning to sell herself to the nation as a common sense, iron-willed, family values candidate.
Bwahahahahaha!
So says Newsweek's Howard Fineman, who says he uncovered the daring strategy during a recent conversation with longtime Clinton advisor James Carville.
He writes: "As Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton looks for a basic sales pitch after what is likely to be a sweeping reelection victory in her New York Senate race this fall, shes going to play a part that comes naturally to her: hard-eyed realist in a world of dreamers . . . "Shes the one who kept her family together - its finances, its marriage, most of its parenting function," Fineman notes - credentials that he says will be key to Hillary's appeal.
Too many jokes, so little time....
Of Hillary's image as wife and mother, the Newsweek scribe reports: "That is the role she will cast herself in as she tries to win the White House."
"After eight years of what she will call the perhaps worthy but disastrously administered dreams of George Bush, its time to restore some discipline," says Fineman, adding: "Think of the iron-willed mom in 'Malcolm in the Middle.'"
I'm thinking more "Mommy Dearest"
Posted by: Steve ||
05/04/2006 15:09 ||
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I'm thinking more Salem Witch Trials with a Stepford Wives slant.
#6
"After eight years of what she will call the perhaps worthy but disastrously administered dreams of George Bush, its time to restore some discipline," says Fineman, adding: "Think of the iron-willed mom in 'Malcolm in the Middle.'"
I'm sure she'll be good at not brooking any dissent with _her_ worldview, but that's not the same as being disciplined oneself.
Posted by: Phil ||
05/04/2006 18:04 Comments ||
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The failed Olympian, failed Astronut, failed family, memory challenged (I dont recall), family values candidate. How about running on the I am a bitch, so deal with it platform? At least I would respect you.
#8
The failed Olympian, failed Astronut, failed family, memory challenged (I dont recall), family values candidate. How about running on the I am a bitch, so deal with it platform? At least I would respect you.
Yah, but do we really need a political "arms race to the bottom" to see who can be the biggest asshole?
Posted by: Phil ||
05/04/2006 18:55 Comments ||
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"Clinton Family Values" doesn't have the connotation she thinks it has.
Posted by: ed ||
05/04/2006 20:06 Comments ||
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"Think of the iron-willed mom in 'Malcolm in the Middle.'"
I was thinking more along the lines of 'Mommy Dearest'...
#13
And don't forget to watch for the new book: "Keeping the Family Together Through Numerous Adulterous Affairs-A How-To Guide of Spousal Mistreatment and Child Neglect"
Wow, those family values! Think it'll make the NYT best seller list?
#14
"It takes a village idiot to believe I'm from New York"
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/04/2006 21:54 Comments ||
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#9: "Clinton Family Values" doesn't have the connotation she thinks it has.
Ouch, I can feel the sting from that slap
'way over here about 5 or so States away from DC.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
05/04/2006 22:00 Comments ||
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I believe mainstream Americans are truly tired of perennial, permanent displays of Policraticism and Dialecticism , etc. in its local and national leaders. American Hiroshimas aside, in any case the GOP can still lose in 2008 iff the Repubs put out a male POTUS candidate that appears weaker than she is - Hillary, etal femmes includ Condi got 2-1/2 years to prove their souls to the Amer voter/people.
Democratic Party Chair Howard Dean on May 2 fired the party's gay outreach advisor Donald Hitchcock less than a week after Hitchcock's domestic partner, Paul Yandura, a longtime party activist, accused Dean of failing to take stronger action to defend gays...
SHEIKHUPURA: Eight people, including two women, were killed in three incidents in Sheikhupura and Chichawatni in honour-related issues. Six people, including two children and a woman, of a family were gunned down while three others were injured for honour in Jatree Waseeran village, 60 kilometre from Sheikhupura, in the Safdarabad Police Stations jurisdiction, late on Tuesday night.
Police sources said Azam had an affair with Asia, the daughter of Khan.
"Be gentle with me Azam!... Oh!... Oh!... Oooooooh!"
Asias mother caught her with Azam in objectionable condition and informed Khan about the matter.
"You'll never guess what the brazen hussy did this time!"
Khan, his son, Arshad, relatives Jaj, Mokha, Amin and Maryam Bibi and three other unidentified accomplices broke into the house of Hayat, the cousin of Azam, and killed Hayat, his wife Bushra, father Muhammad, sons Sadam Hussain and Khalid, and a relative Sarfraz.
Ummm... Maybe I'm missing something here. None of them were the ones making whoopee with the fair Asia. What about Azam? Did he leave the county at top speed?
While three other relatives, Shahida bibi and Muhammad Arif were critically injured and taken to Mayo Hospital in Lahore. The incident panicked the area and people protested against the growing lawlessness.
"Hey! Knock it off! Some of us are trying to get some sleep here!"
They said display of weapons in the area had become a routine.
"Put that thing away! You could put somebody's eye out with it!"
Nankana Sahib district police officer told Daily Times he had set up teams to arrest the perpetrators.
In another incident, a man axed his wife to death in Khanpur village on Lahore Road on Wednesday suspecting that she was having an affair with someone else.
At least we know where Azam went...
Accused Bashir Ahmed repeatedly suspected that his wife (M) was cheating him and had warned her to mend her ways. On day of the incident, the accused after an exchange of hot words with wife, attacked with an axe leaving her injured. She was rushed to hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. The Factory Area Police Station started investigation.
"Hello? Police? We got a woman here who's been hacked to death with an ax!"
"Oh, yeah? What'd she die from?"
"I dunno. You're the cops. Why don't you investigate?"
In Chichawatni, a man slaughtered his sister in the name of honour late on Tuesday night and handed himself over to police, Online reported.
"I dunnit and I'm glad!"
Police said 18-year-old Sajida Bibi, the daughter of Fateh Muhammad Bhatti of Chak 172/9 L, developed relations with her brother-in-law, Muhammad Ramzan, and later eloped with him.
"Oh, Muhammad! You're so cute! Let's have sex!"
"Don't you think we should elope first?"
"I'm already packed!"
Ramzan and Sajida Bibi married in Lohdaran on February 24, 2006. Sajidas father registered a case of abduction against Ramzan with the Ghaziabada Police Station.
"Yep. That's right. Kidnapped the young jade and dragged her off to marry her! He's holding her prisoner as Mahmoud's Honeymoon Motel!"
Police raided a house in Pakpattan four days ago and arrested Ramzan.
"Drop the titty and stick 'em up Ramzan!"
Police shifted the accused to the Sahiwal Central Jail on judicial remand. The court sent Sajida to her parents house. On Tuesday night, Sajida was watching television in her room when her brother, Sajjad Ahmad, 22, slit her throat with a sharp-edged weapon and later presented himself to police for arrest. In a preliminary investigation, Sajjad Ahmad said he had slain his sister for honour and that he did not repent. Police registered a case against the accused and handed over Sajidas body to her in-laws after an autopsy.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/04/2006 00:00 ||
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"Hot words", sharp objects, axes, and Islam.
Not a good combination...
They can't do this to Rantburg! Without the Pak Daily Times we're going to be mighty thin around here ...
We might have to post reruns...
How would anyone tell?
ISLAMABAD - Pakistani journalists, fighting for better wages and facilities, on Wednesday gave the countrys newspaper owners a seven-day ultimatum for implementation of a new structure of wages. We will march on to the presidents house in Islamabad and stage a sit-in there until fulfillment of our demands, said the president of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Pervaiz Shukat.
"Give us more dough or we go French!"
Speaking to participants at a rally organized in the garrison town of Rawalpindi to mark the international press freedom day,
... in a garrison town...
he said journalists all over Pakistan would also go on hunger strike if their demand for better wages were not met.
Can you get the people at the NYT to follow your example?
If their wages are that low, maybe it's not a hunger strike? Though they are Muslims, so their liquor bills should be lower.
Some 300 in number, journalists representing leading national daily newspapers held the rally at the local Press Club. They wanted to go to the presidential camp office in Rawalpindi to apprise President Pervez Musharraf of the acute financial problems faced by them in the absence of a better salary package but were disallowed by local authorities. However, deputy minister for information Tariq Azeem, who represented the ruling Pakistan Muslim League at the rally, received the memorandum of demands from journalists and assured them of full support of the government in implementation of the new package, known as the seventh wage board award and was announced some six years ago.
"In other words, buzz off!"
No, no. I think that was a "we'll get back to you on that."
Journalists covering proceedings of the federal legislature, or National Assembly, also staged a token walkout on Wednesday from the press galleries to register their protest against non-implementation of the wage board award.
Maybe it's just my prejudices, but wage boards seem to be just about as useful as ministries of religion. And ministries of information.
And slightly more useful than ministries to protect virtue and eliminate vice ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
05/04/2006 00:00 ||
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If they wrote coherent articles with complete sentences and rational context they might have some points to argue over. Without that it reminds me of a 1 day strike by the DMV in Illinois. NOBODY CARED!
The opposition in the National Assembly on Wednesday staged two token walkouts as the lower house of the parliament discussed the impact of frequent power outages on the country's economy and agriculture. Maulana Akbar Chitrali of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) led the first walk out against the alleged setting up of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) offices in Chitral. Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed of the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) led the second walkout to express solidarity with journalists against the non-implementation of the 7th Wage Board Award.
"Then I looked around me, and — thhhhhp! — they wuz gone! Again."
Posted by: Fred ||
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KARACHI: Pakistani police have charged a 45-year-old woman with beheading her husband with a dagger and chopping up his body after he planned to take a fourth wife, officials said Wednesday. Majeeda Khatoon lopped off her spouse's head, cut off his legs with the help of relatives and dumped the body parts in a sewer in Gulshan-e-Hadeed on the outskirts of the southern city of Karachi, police said.
I guess the wedding's off, huh?
Posted by: Fred ||
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A top leader of India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) died on Wednesday, 11 days after his younger brother allegedly shot him over personal disputes, his party and hospital authorities said. Pramod Mahajan, a former federal telecommunications minister and high-profile general secretary of the Hindu nationalist party, was shot at his home in the financial capital of Mumbai on April 22. "He finally succumbed to the bullet injuries," said Anupam Verma, spokesman of Hinduja Hospital.
"I just got off the phone with Dr. Quincy. He sez he's had a quiet day and we can go ahead and pull the plug."
"It's about time. He's starting to stink."
Mahajan, 56, was hit by three bullets. Doctors at the Mumbai hospital had performed three surgeries to try to revive him. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.
"Cheeze, Dr. Verma! You can't operate on that! It ain't even attached anymore!"
Mahajan's younger brother, Pravin, surrendered to police shortly after the shooting. Police say Pravin shot Mahajan three times because he resented the latter's success and felt ignored and humiliated by him. The younger brother's lawyer claims his client is "deranged."
Doh! We never even guessed! And it was there all the time!
Posted by: Fred ||
05/04/2006 00:00 ||
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The Philippine Supreme Court upheld yesterday the constitutionality of Presidential Proclamation 1017 by which President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared a weeklong state of emergency last February. In an 11-3 vote, however, the high court also ruled that raids conducted and arrests made during the weeklong period from Feb. 24 to March 3 were illegal.
Malacañang hailed the decision, saying it "affirmed the government's right to protect itself" against those conspiring to oust the administration, but said that the solicitor general would still review the ruling to determine if an appeal would be necessary. "In a way we are glad that, at least, the SC (Supreme Court) decision affirmed the government's inherent right to protect itself, and the president's power under the constitution to call out the armed forces as its commander-in-chief to prevent or suppress lawless violence," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in a statement.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/04/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Ah, Philippino women. Inside every one of them is a dictator trying to get out. I don't know what the US military club system and AAFES is going to do without them running the place.
Posted by: Steve ||
05/04/2006 8:51 Comments ||
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#2
Shoes are the key. How many pairs of shoes does she own? Need to ask that question first.
#3
The ruling is really a good thing here but I'm afraid she will continue to ignore the ruling. When she declaired a state of emergency it was clear she was within her autority. But then she had police and military loyal to her go around and arrest all the leaders she held suspect. For example the SAF leaders COL and above were jailed. The Scout Ranger leaders except one, cause he was on Jolo, were detained. The Marine commander was restricted to post, etc... She has had a tendancy to all along to disregard the law.
We must not forget she took power not by election but by coup. Then the reelection was full of corruption. Reports of provences voting 100% for here were reported. It will be interesting to see what happens when her term nears closure. She will do something crazy to maintain power. All in all, great theater.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
05/04/2006 10:18 Comments ||
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Beirut - The plane of Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian was banned Thursday from landing at Beirut international airport, Lebanese security sources said.
Lebanon, which has diplomatic relations with China, received a complaint from the Chinese ambassador to Lebanon and that is 'why Lebanon banned the landing of the plane,' the sources said.
According to the same sources, the plane, which had been in the air for ten hours, landed at Abu Dhabi airport.
It was not immediately clear if Chen was there for a refuelling stop or a visit before he flies on to Paraguay, one of the 25 countries which recognize Taipei rather than Beijing.
China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province which must be reunited with the mainland.
Taiwanese media said Chen scrapped his presidential jet's refuelling stop in Alaska apparently out of anger at Washington's refusal to allow transit through a large US city for fear of offending China.
His plane was to make a refuelling stop in an unannounced country, possibly not revealed because the country has diplomatic ties with China. Taiwan's Broadcasting Corp. of China (BCC) speculated that the Boeing 747-400 carrying Chen and his entourage might refuel in Libya or the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Transit through the UAE, which also recognizes China, is a possibility as Chen paid a visit there in September and last week Taiwan's China Airlines launched a regular Taipei-Abu Dhabi flight.
Taipei consulted with US officials for a month on Chen's transit on his way to Paraguay and Costa Rica. On previous visits to Latin America, he transited through major cities, including New York, as the aircraft cannot make the trans-Pacific flight without refuelling.
US-Taiwan ties have soured since February when Chen scrapped the National Unification Council, a forum for talks on eventual reunification with mainland China.
Chen summoned Stephen M Young, the de facto US ambassador to Taiwan, to his office on Tuesday and demanded a transit through New York or he would not transit through the US at all, Taiwanese press reports said.
Chen is on his way to visit Paraguay from May 4-6 and Costa Rica from May 7-9. He will attend the inauguration of Costa Rican President-elect Oscar Arias on May 8.
Speaking to reporters before his departure from the Chiang Kai- shek International Airport, Chen said Taipei is willing to hold dialogue with China, but China has rejected Taipei's peace overtures.
'In the past year, I waved 40 olive branches to China, but China ignored it. Instead, it has increased military threats and is trying to suppress our international space,' he said.
Chen is accompanied on his trip by a 60-member entourage made up of officials, reporters and business leaders.
#1
China is not even a "great power", far less a "super power" and countries show such deference?
What will happen in 20 years? We will all have to kow tow at the side of the road when a visiting Chinese official drives by?
Posted by: john ||
05/04/2006 17:55 Comments ||
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#2
Damn high gas prices, even world leaders have trouble getting a fill-up.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
05/04/2006 22:09 Comments ||
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#3
HHHHHHHmmmmmmm. In other news, GAS PRICES > local Guam price signs at several Guam stas. have gone up to US$3.10/3.11 from US$3.05/3.06. MEDIA-ANNOUNCED price per gallon for regular unleaded has gone up again from the previously [media]announced US$3.15 to US$3.17 as of this post. BUT-T-T, despite ALL OF THESE NEW PRICES the PUMP GAUGES/METERS at some stations have REMAINED at US3.33+ per gals. Time to send out ELLERY QUEEN.
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.
CAIRO - The Egyptian government will appeal against a court ruling in favour of the rights of the countrys small Bahai minority, a minister said on Wednesday. Religious Endowments Minister Mahmoud Hamdi Zakzouk told parliament the government would base its appeal on the opinion of the countrys leading Muslim cleric, the Sheikh of al-Azhar, that Bahaism is not a revealed religion recognised by Muslims.
CAIRO - Four Egyptians were killed and another wounded when a device accidentally exploded on Wednesday at a mechanical workshop in the low-income Cairo neighborhood of Imbaba, security sources said.
An earthquake measuring 8.1 has hit the Tonga islands, east of Australia and northeast of New Zealand, the US Geological Survey (USGS) website said on Wednesday. A tsunami warning was issued for Fiji and New Zealand but later lifted.
BERLIN -- Christian ministers will tackle Muslim imams in a pre-World Cup friendly officiated by a Jewish referee as part of an initiative aimed at increasing understanding among religions, it was announced on Wednesday.
Rep. Patrick Kennedy crashed his car near the U.S. Capitol early Thursday. 
When she hits the presidential campaign trail next year, 2008 White House hopeful Hillary Clinton is planning to sell herself to the nation as a common sense, iron-willed, family values candidate. 
SHEIKHUPURA: Eight people, including two women, were killed in three incidents in Sheikhupura and Chichawatni in honour-related issues. Six people, including two children and a woman, of a family were gunned down while three others were injured for honour in Jatree Waseeran village, 60 kilometre from Sheikhupura, in the Safdarabad Police Stations jurisdiction, late on Tuesday night.
Police sources said Azam had an affair with Asia, the daughter of Khan. 
In another incident, a man axed his wife to death in Khanpur village on Lahore Road on Wednesday suspecting that she was having an affair with someone else. 
In Chichawatni, a man slaughtered his sister in the name of honour late on Tuesday night and handed himself over to police, Online reported.
A top leader of India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) died on Wednesday, 11 days after his younger brother allegedly shot him over personal disputes, his party and hospital authorities said. 
Supreme Court upheld yesterday the constitutionality of Presidential Proclamation 1017 by which President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared a weeklong state of emergency last February. In an 11-3 vote, however, the high court also ruled that raids conducted and arrests made during the weeklong period from Feb. 24 to March 3 were illegal.
