[NZ Herald] Civil Defence has declared a state of emergency in Christchurch following today's massive earthquake.
Civil Defence told Radio NZ the state of emergency had been called.
Christchurch has been left devastated after a massive 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck 30km west of the city at 4.35am this morning.
The quake was at a depth of 10-12km and was centred near Darfield, and has left large parts of the area without power, water or telephones.
New Brighton and other seaside areas are bracing for possible evacuation.
Prime Minister John Key is travelling to the area.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
My cousin and her family live around Christchurch. I assume they're all okay but still haven't heard anything back yet. My prayers go out to all Kiwis affected by this quake.
#2
Here is a slideshow of some of the quake damage in Christchurch. Most seems to be parts of older buildings and facades. Not tremendously devastating compared to serious quakes in 3rd world countries.
Also note that they ran out of pictures for the slideshow, so the last few are from an earthquake in Algiers.
[Arab News] At least three people were reported injured when gunnies opened fire outside a mosque in Riyadh on Wednesday night. However, There's usually a howeverin there someplace, isn't there? senior police officials told Arab News that only one person was hit.
The shootout, that sent shock waves throughout the local community, took place outside the Prince Sultan Mosque. The mosque shooting -- the first criminal act of its kind to take place during the holy month of Ramadan in the capital -- happened after taraweeh prayers.
According to reports, the holy man and the muezzin of the mosque were also injured. It was claimed that both were released after they received medical treatment at a clinic, while the third person was hospitalized.
A front man from Riyadh Police said two people waiting outside the mosque fired on another person coming out after prayers. "According to preliminary investigations, it seems to be the case of a personal dispute between the man and the shooters," said the front man. He reiterated that only one man was injured in the shooting.
"The case is in under investigation," said the front man, confirming that the incident took place outside Prince Sultan Mosque in Riyadh. He also clarified that it was not a terrorist act.
The front man said the shooters fled the scene in a Camry, leaving worshippers terrified. It is not clear whether any arrests have been made.
Riyadh is home to about five million people and has been relatively crime-free for the last several years.
There have been regular reports of thefts, snatchings and fraud, but no major acts of organized crime or terrorism have been reported in the capital city over the past five years.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2010 00:00 ||
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Good thing it didn't happen in USA---we'd never hear the end of it.
[Bangla Daily Star] Two Rapid Action Battalion men and an alleged pusher were injured in a gunfight between the crime busters and "drug peddlers" at Malancha in Keraniganj on Thursday night.
The injured Rab members--sub-inspector Md Zaman and Constable Abdul Motaleb--were admitted to Mitford Hospital.
Rab-10 officials said they arrested the wounded pusher, Mohammad Ali, on the scene and handed him over to the Keraniganj Police Station after treatment at Mitford.
They also seized 50 bottles of Phensidyl and 150 cans of beer from the spot.
Tipped off, a team of Rab-10 raided Malancha area at 9:00pm when the drugs were being unloaded from a CNG-run auto-rickshaw.
As the drug peddlers opened fire on them, Rab members fired back, triggering a 10-minute gun battle.
Two cases--one under arms act and another under narcotics control act--have been filed with Keraniganj Police Station in this connection.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2010 00:00 ||
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Nobody saw that coming- bringing a gun to a gunfight.
We're seeing about a lynching a month in Mexico now, and this is the farthest north to date and the most serious criminal threatened so far. The rest have been petty criminals, such as thieves.
Police were forced to rescue eight individuals including two children following an attempted lynching of a criminal suspect's family in Hidalgo, say Mexican press accounts.
After learning of the rape and murder of a 13 year old girl, about 200 people from the town of Casa Grande went to the home of Agustin Muñoz Camacho, after a brief protest at the mayor's office, threatened harm to the residents there, then torched two buildings.
Police rescued eight people total at the location to protect them from the angered mob.
The suspect in the crime, Camacho, was placed in preventative detention for 40 days,,the maximum allowable. This legal maneuver, usually reserved for narco-criminals and terrorists, is colloquially known as "rooting", and is a means legal authorities have of holding a suspects until a suspect is cleared or charged with a crime.
#1
It used to be that Mexican peons were totally dominated by anyone willing to use violence. Subservient and humble.
Vigilantism is a huge step up from that condition, and shows a great development in character. It also works wonders, because oppressors facing an unruly and uncooperative people, have a much harder path before them.
#2
Spot-on moose.
Only when the people decide that the drug war bullshit needs to stop will the govt be able to take control. They have been so enamored with the gansta' lifestyle depicted in TV and music videos that they never considered the prospect of living in constant fear of their lives from these animals.
This is an encouraging development in their psychology.
#3
Call me when they lynch some of the cartel clowns.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/04/2010 18:59 Comments ||
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That is what has driven the cartels to leave Columbia for neighboring countries : the Columbians themselves turned on the cartels. FARC and the narcos can only operate in the deepest jungles now in Columbia, they get turned in or killed once they head for the cities.
Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group captured its largest-ever monthly share of the U.S. auto market in August, despite falling sales.
According to market researcher Autodata on Thursday, Hyundai Motor sold 53,600 cars in the U.S. last month, down 11 percent from August last year, and Kia Motors 32,500 vehicles, down 19 percent.
While their sales fell, they experienced smaller drops than their rivals. The two accounted for a combined 8.62 percent share -- 5.37 percent for Hyundai and 3.25 percent for Kia. It was their third consecutive month of market share growth.
Overall sales of automobiles dropped drastically in the U.S. last month. GM posted a 25 percent decline in sales and Ford 11 percent. Japanese carmakers were hardest hit, with Toyota seeing an 11 percent fall, Honda 33 percent and Nissan 27 percent.
Hyundai's new Sonata defied the trend, with sales increasing by more than 3,500 from July to some 21,400 in August. It was the fourth most popular sedan in the U.S. last month, beating the Toyota Corolla and the Nissan Altima. The Kia Sorrento R also performed well, selling 9,038 units, the highest since its debut.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2010 00:00 ||
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Grabbing a 'record share' of a collapsing market is nothing to brag about.
#2
It is if you are : 1) a private corporation that is NOT receiving multi-billion dollar government handouts; and 2) if the market is projected to recover at some point. The Hyundai-Kai group is likely to to grab and keep a large share of the US auto market since their cars are safe, reliable, and in many cases built in the USA -- using more American-made parts than Detroit.
Based on her experience, I wouldn't buy one if you paid me to do it.
Dunno anything about Hyundais.
FWIW, I drive a Honda. Very satisfied.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/04/2010 20:14 Comments ||
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I have a Toyota Camry, and an Isuzu pickup, the truck's needing semi-major repair (It's worth fixing) and the Toyota is flat outstanding getting an astounding 37mpg (No it's NOT a hybrid) I'm good and would recommend both as New Car purchases, both are well over 250,000 and run very well.
Preventive maintenance works.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
09/04/2010 23:40 Comments ||
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relax, Sheriff Joe Biden is in charge of Recovery Summer - there's still plenty of time left in summer to turn it around...oh, wait
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/04/2010 13:32 Comments ||
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#4
Make that 283,001.
Guy I know just got laid off Friday after 26 years. He's 61 - good luck finding another job (any job; he's in a fairly specialized job field and knows there aren't any job available in that field).
:-(
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/04/2010 18:48 Comments ||
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[Pak Daily Times] A dispute over the distribution of cooked food injured 14 flood victims of the Jamali and Brohi tribes at the New Sabzi Mandi relief camps on Friday. According to police, the dispute took place during the distribution of cooked food among the flood victims, and members of the Jamali and Brohi tribes used iron rods and batons to beat each other, which resulted in injuries to seven people of both tribes. Police rushed to the spot and controlled the situation and shifted the injured to the Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad Branch. Separately on Friday, flood victims staged a demonstration on the National Highway near Gharo and blocked traffic for two hours to protest against the non-availability of relief items to them. The affectees said that they were facing difficulties due to lack of edible items.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
Send food "Assistance" until they wipe each other Out. And good riddance.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
09/04/2010 11:23 Comments ||
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[Straits Times] ITALIAN-BORN Sonia Gandhi was elected on Friday for a record fourth term as president of India's ruling Congress party, cementing her role as the country's political power broker. ... and everyone was just so surprised...
Mrs Gandhi, widow of assassinated former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and seen as India's most powerful politician, was elected unopposed for the top Congress job to wild cheers from party supporters who set off crackers in celebration. 'It's a great responsibility and I thank all Congress workers. "For me? Oh, thankew!"
'Whether we are in power or not we should always work for the oppressed,' she said in a speech after her win, which made her the longest-serving party chief.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2010 00:00 ||
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she was supported (in yesterday's burg post) by Sheila Dikshit. Nuff said
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/04/2010 13:34 Comments ||
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[Pak Daily Times] The United Nations, aka the Oyster Bay Chowder and Marching Society is ignoring the critical role of jobs and income equality in its 15-year strategy to fight world poverty and hunger - to the detriment of developing nations, the world body's own researchers said in a surprising critique released Friday.
The UN says it is on track to halve the number of people living on less than $1 a day by 2015, and that the picture is mixed for other Millennium Development Goals, or MDGs, in the fields of health, education and the environment.
But the plan agreed to by governments in 2000 has serious failings, the Geneva-based UN Research Institute for Social Development said in its report.
People need jobs to combat poverty, the report essentially argues, calling for a shift in focus away from safety nets and welfare programmes. It also urges new approaches to addressing rising income inequality. 'Despite an ambitious agenda, the MDGs nonetheless represent a cautious approach to social development,' the 360-page report says. 'A number of critical issues and obstacles to overcoming poverty have not been addressed.'
The criticism is surprising, given the United Nations' decade-long advocacy of the goals as the greatest hope for eradicating extreme poverty, hunger and disease around the world. Each UN agency contributes and, despite some unwillingness among governments to fund certain programs, there is no official opposition. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has summoned
Kings summon. Secretaries invite, even Secretaries-General. Mr. Ban Ki-moon needs to remember his place.
world leaders to another summit Sept. 20-22 in New York to adopt an action plan to achieve all the goals in the next five years.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2010 00:00 ||
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The UN says it is on track to halve the number of people living on less than $1 a day by 2015
I expect the UN's contribution is roughly equivalent to its contribution to the recent climate cooling.
The Medal of Honor, the military's highest award for bravery, will be presented posthumously to Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etchberger for his valor in saving the lives of three wounded comrades at a then-secret base in Laos in 1968, the White House announced Friday.
After Etchberger saved his fellow airmen, he was shot and killed by enemy fighters.
His heroics were kept a secret for years because the United States did not officially have military personnel in Laos during the Vietnam War. President Lyndon Johnson rejected a nomination for Etchberger to receive the Medal of Honor at the time because of the political trouble it could have stirred up.
Etchberger was part of a secret U.S. Air Force radar base in northern Laos, just 120 miles from Hanoi in North Vietnam. The base's purpose was to guide U.S. bomber crews on their missions over North Vietnam and parts of Laos that were under communist control.
Laos was officially neutral during the war, but its leaders were upset that North Vietnamese troops and Viet Cong guerrillas were moving through Laos to attack U.S. troops in South Vietnam. So the Lao government allowed construction of the U.S. radar site provided it was kept secret, according to Tom Keany, an Air Force B-52 squadron commander during the Vietnam War and currently a military historian with the School for Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
In March of 1968 North Vietnamese troops attacked the site, called Lima Site 85, with a force of 3,000 soldiers against fewer than two dozen U.S. airmen and about a thousand Laotian soldiers.
Eventually, American helicopters were sent in to evacuate the Air Force personnel, but by then eight Americans had been killed and several more wounded. It is considered by some the deadliest ground attack against Air Force personnel in the Vietnam era.
According to the White House, Etchberger deliberately exposed himself to enemy fire "in order to place his three surviving wounded comrades in the rescue slings permitting them to be airlifted to safety."
It took an act of Congress in 2008 for Etchberger to be reconsidered for a Medal of Honor so long after the war had ended. In most cases, the medal recommendation must be made within two years of the act of heroism for which it is to be issued.
Rep. Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota helped push for the reconsideration. Etchberger was a native of Bismarck, North Dakota.
"Chief Etchberger was denied the Medal of Honor because he was serving his country on the wrong side of a geographic barrier," Pomeroy said in written statement. "Heroism knows no boundary. While it's regrettable that this medal is coming forty years after Mr. Etchberger's death, I am honored to be part of the effort that recognized this true hero."
The ceremony for Etchberger, which will include his three sons, is scheduled for September 21 at the White House.
#1
More from the af.mil website: Despite having received little or no combat training, Chief Etchberger single-handedly held off the enemy with an M-16, while simultaneously directing air strikes into the area and calling for air rescue. Because of his fierce defense and heroic and selfless actions, he was able to deny the enemy access to his position and save the lives of some of his crew.
With the arrival of the rescue aircraft, Chief Etchberger, without hesitation, once again deliberately risked his own life numerous times, exposing himself to heavy enemy fire in order to place his three surviving wounded comrades into rescue slings hanging from the hovering helicopter waiting to airlift them to safety.
With his remaining crew safely aboard, Chief Etchberger finally climbed into an evacuation sling himself, only to be fatally wounded by enemy ground fire as he was being raised into the aircraft.
"He should have a 55-gallon drum full of medals," said retired Tech Sgt. John G. Daniel, 71, of La Junta, Colo. Sergeant Daniel was one of the three rescued. "I wouldn't be alive without him."
Posted by: Thring Dark Lord of the Pixies3371 ||
09/04/2010 13:21 Comments ||
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#2
A hero. May the recognition bring pleasure to those who knew him, so many years ago.
#3
I'm surprised no one made a movie about this like they did with the did with that Gene Hackman movie. At least I think it was Hackman. Been many a while since I saw it, but it's where is plane is shot down and he uses golf course lingo to tell rescue where he's going so the Vietcong couldn't figure out what he was doing.
[Straits Times] MALAYSIA has formed a task force to scour the Internet for blog postings deemed harmful to national unity, authorities said on Friday in the latest of a series of actions against new media.
Home ministry deputy secretary general for security Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi said the unit would involve the police, Internet regulators, the information ministry and the attorney general's chambers.
'It is a mechanism that will coordinate these various agencies to help monitor what is being said in cyberspace and to take action against those that are trying to stoke racial tensions and disunity,' he told AFP.
Mr Abdul Rahim said the group would also monitor alternative and mainstream media for similar content.
'There is a disturbing trend now appearing on the Internet where some people are inciting racial unrest and causing confusion and this will damage the peace we have in the country,' he added.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2010 00:00 ||
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I hope this doesn't affect Susan Loone's blog...
http://sloone.wordpress.com/
Posted by: American Delight ||
09/04/2010 9:18 Comments ||
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"Causing confusion". Boy, does that sound like a euphemism for some nasty government oppression.
The first thought would be Christian sites, "because they are trying to proselytize Muslims."
But why limit it there? Opposition parties. Foreign criticism. The list is endless.
#3
Guess one of the first they'll block is Rantburg....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/04/2010 18:43 Comments ||
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The great wave of internet censorship has begun. We need a new internet.
Australia to its eternal shame was the first country to jump after China, using "child porn" as the excuse and the red herring to allow Big Brother Government to control what you see on the web.
Of the proposed-ban sites, 2/3 had nothing to do with porn at all.
One of them was Wikileaks.
You should not assume that Australis is as free as its reputation. It is not.
This country has no guarantee of freedom of speech in law or in the constitution.
Many limits are put on publishing
and when the Government wants to get rid of "hostile" (independent/tough) journalists they destroy them through the bureaucracy. They will make vexatious complaint through their workplaces and foster and feed stories to compliant "friendly" rival journos.
Or sue for defamation, that is a good way to destroy a struggling journo. Take their house and all their savings. They did it to the guy that started Crikey.com twice.
In 5 years there will be hardly a country without a Big Brother internet filter.
#5
Guess one of the first they'll block is Rantburg....
Speaking of which.
Lately in a small town semi-far away I tried to dial in to the burg, the library had banned it as "Pornography" after I talked fairly seriously to the somewhat unfriendly librarian, I can only conclude her brains were scooped out and concrete poured in.
Absolutely refused to even look and see.
LIBERAL MORON.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
09/04/2010 23:50 Comments ||
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Security forces on Friday uncovered a significant network involved in the smuggling of cocaine between South America and Lebanon.
A statement from the Central Office for Drug Control (CODC) said the ring was discovered after intensive follow-up over a period of time and different dates.
It described ring as one of the "most important highly complex networks active in the smuggling of cocaine from some countries in South America to Lebanon and elsewhere."
The statement said CODC busted a house in Doha south of Beirut and confiscated about 50 kilograms of cocaine and arrested five members of the network -- a Venezuelan and four Lebanese.
It said the deal between Venezuela and Beirut was worth more than $ 8 million.
The detainees confessed that the seized cocaine was part of 255 kilograms they planned to smuggle.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
I'm not sure why this is a "discovery". Hizb'allah has been entrenched in the drug-producing area of South America for a generation... and the cousins back home have friends who are playas in Beirut's clubs, I'm sure.
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.
Civil Defence has declared a state of emergency in Christchurch following today's massive earthquake.
At least three people were reported injured when 
[Bangla Daily Star] Two Rapid Action Battalion men and an alleged pusher were injured in a gunfight between the crime busters and "drug peddlers" at Malancha in Keraniganj on Thursday night.
[Pak Daily Times] A dispute over the distribution of cooked food injured 14 flood victims of the Jamali and Brohi tribes at the New Sabzi Mandi relief camps on Friday. According to police, the dispute took place during the distribution of cooked food among the flood victims, and members of the Jamali and Brohi tribes used iron rods and batons to beat each other, which resulted in injuries to seven people of both tribes. Police rushed to the spot and controlled the situation and shifted the injured to the Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad Branch. Separately on Friday, flood victims staged a demonstration on the National Highway near Gharo and blocked traffic for two hours to protest against the non-availability of relief items to them. The affectees said that they were facing difficulties due to lack of edible items.
[Pak Daily Times] The 
