Posted by: Frank G ||
03/23/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Pretty sure the odds on Ireland beating Pakistan were extremely high . Players Pakistan have been known to match fix . Im guessing poor old Bob found this out after the defeat . The large syndicates that make these bets needed him bumped off ..
Now the only real question remains .. Who dun it!? .. I'm guessing a couple of players in the team were a party to it . Anyway , they'll all be in Pakistan soon , probably never to be heard of again ..
#2
The next questions is: “When will Law & Order show a version of this story?”
Posted by: Eric Jablow ||
03/23/2007 6:38 Comments ||
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#3
"It is our belief that those associated with or having access with Mr. Woolmer may have vital information to assist this inquiry," Thomas said in the statement.
#8
If the Pakis lost to Ireland it must be the will of Allan, right? I'm starting to thing the old guy has more of a sense of humor than people give him credit for.
This just occurred to me: what if Allan is really Loki and this whole Islam thing has been one long practical joke on the Muslims?
A World Bank report issued on Thursday said Pakistan was moving from being a water-stressed country to a water-scarce country. Pakistan is already one of the most water-stressed countries in the world, a situation which is going to degrade into outright water scarcity due to high population growth. Pakistan is fast approaching the limit of its water resources. Only a small quantity of water is left to mobilising, but Pakistan can get much more value from the existing flows. Groundwater is being over-exploited in many areas, and its quality is deteriorating.
You fill a country with Muslims and soon it's desert. The two seem to go together.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/23/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Pakistan becoming water-stressed country: WB
God don't like muslims.
Or
God likes thirsty muslims.
#3
Damn! Sympathy meter stuck on zero, zilch, nada, AGAIN! Seems to happen all the time when it comes to Muslims. Can't imagine why, unless maybe it has something to do with beheadings...
Posted by: Mac ||
03/23/2007 17:31 Comments ||
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A prominent Roman Catholic archbishop in Zimbabwe has called for mass street protests to force President Robert Mugabe from power. The Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube, told a news conference in Harare that he was willing to stand in front of "blazing guns" if necessary.
Scores of opposition activists have been arrested since police broke up a banned rally on 11 March in Harare. There is increasing discontent over the country's deepening economic crisis. Archbishop Ncube said that if Zimbabweans took to the streets in their thousands to demand that President Mugabe step down, the security forces would be powerless to stop them. "I am ready to stand in front," he said. "We must be ready to stand, even in front of blazing guns."
Posted by: Fred ||
03/23/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Tomorrows Headline "Archbishop in hospital after police raid Prayer Meeting"
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
03/23/2007 16:51 Comments ||
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Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested former lawmaker of BNP Khandaker Nasirul Islam at West Malibagh under Motijheel police station in the city yesterday. Tipped off, an intelligence team of Rab-3 raided the area at around 2:15pm and arrested Nasir, an accused in many cases, including murder.
Meanwhile, the joint forces arrested 1,549 people in their ongoing countrywide drive in the last twenty-four hours preceding 6:00am yesterday. Among them, the armed forces held 22 people and also recovered a mortar shell and 76 bullets, while the police and Rab arrested the rest and seized 14 firearms and 45 bullets. Eight cases have been filed under the Arms Act.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/23/2007 00:00 ||
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The Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday filed graft cases against former BNP lawmaker Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan, former Awami League lawmaker Mostafa Kamal alias Lotus Kamal and Awami Swechchhasebak League General Secretary Pankaj Debnath. ACC Deputy Director Nurul Alam lodged a case yesterday with Khagrachhari Police Station accusing Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan of illegally amassing wealth worth around Tk 6.15 crore.
In the case, the ACC official mentioned that Wadud provided false information in his wealth statement submitted to the commission on February 25. Nurul Alam, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, in the first information report (FIR) said Wadud's wealth did not match his statement. Wadud earlier said he has properties worth Tk 4.75 crore but the ACC investigation team found Tk 6.16 crore of wealth, which he amassed illegally. He also did not give any income tax for the money.
Meanwhile, ACC Deputy Director Shirin Parveen filed a case against Lotus Kamal and his wife Kashmiri Kamal with Gulshan Police Station for concealing information about wealth worth Tk 80 lakh in their statement submitted to the ACC. ACC Assistant Director Abdul Latif filed a case against Pankaj Debnath with Dhanmondi Police Station yesterday for a discrepancy of over Tk 65.16 lakh in his wealth statement submitted to the ACC. On Wednesday, the anti-graft body filed corruption cases against three former ministers and their family members and a former lawmaker.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/23/2007 00:00 ||
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A High Court (HC) bench yesterday rejected a petition seeking contempt rule against a Bangla daily, saying the judiciary is not above criticism and should not be too sensitive either. It also observed that democratic and constitutional institutions cannot flourish without freedom of press.
You don't say!
Responding to the petition for contempt proceedings against the Daily Manabzamin, the court said it would not issue any suo moto (contempt) rule. The press is free and the HC does not intend to interfere. The Bangla tabloid in a report on Wednesday questioned qualifications and integrity of judges and accused them of political leanings. Barrister Masud Reza Sobhan on behalf of Advocate Tasadduk Hasan filed the petition on Wednesday and the hearing took place yesterday.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/23/2007 00:00 ||
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Taro Aso, Japan's foreign minister, risked upsetting his country's strongest ally by suggesting US diplomats in the Middle East would never solve the region's problems because they have "blue eyes and blond hair".
Mr Aso, a straight-talking nationalist, said the Japanese, on the other hand, were trusted because they had "yellow faces" and had "never been involved in exploitation there, or been involved in fights or fired machine guns". Japan has healthy relations with Arab countries and Iran and imports much of its oil from the Middle East. It is a big contributor of aid to the Palestinian Authority, but also has friendly ties with Israel.
"Japan is doing what Americans can't do," local media quoted Mr Aso as saying in a speech about Japan-sponsored investment in the Middle East. "Japanese are trusted. It would probably be no good to have blue eyes and blond hair. Luckily, we Japanese have yellow faces."
Mr Aso, seen by some as a possible successor to the prime minister, Shinzo Abe, is no stranger to controversy. In 2001 he said a member of the burakumin, Japan's underclass, could never lead the country. He later angered Japan's indigenous Ainu population by describing the country as unique in being "one nation, one civilisation, one language, one culture and one race". While economics minister, he said he wanted to turn Japan into a country where "rich Jews" would want to live.
In 2003, he sparked protests when he praised imperial Japan's often brutal colonial rule of the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945, and last month he described the US post-invasion plans for Iraq as "very immature".
#2
I blame a GAIKO FORUM [Foreign Affairs] article - JAPAN's relationship wid China + Russia likely to get closer due to importance of AMUR RIVER to regional history, ethnic-specific organized dev, and espc contemporary Regional biomass [read - fishing]. Also other articles calling for closer collusion between Japan and nations of Asia, including but not limited alongst racial/ethnic lines.
#3
The Japanese are looked upon as tame and mild now, but that's only because America tamed them. Before and during WWII, they committed unspeakable acts of barbarism, mass murder and institutional cruelty. Only the nukes made them decide to change their approach. Ask the descendants of MILLIONS of Chinese who were imprisoned, tortured, raped, beaten or slaughtered by the Japanese whether or not they "trust" them. Ask the few remaining survivors of the Bataan death march. Just do a quick search on 'Japanese war atrocities' and see how many hits you get.
"Never been involved in fights or fired machine guns"? What planet have you been on, Mr. Aso?
#5
Anyone looking to push the sale of F-22's to Japan needs to understand that yellow solidarity is a big thing in Asia. Koreans, Taiwanese, Singaporeans and Japanese are all susceptible. Note that Asian military men are probably also more susceptible to Chinese honey traps than the average white-bread USAF officer. With respect to Chinese espionage efforts, we have chinks in our armor - they have huge gaping holes.
#9
Japanese minister says yellow faces eyes more trusted than blue eyes
fixed it.
Note that Asian military men are probably also more susceptible to Chinese honey traps than the average white-bread USAF officer. With respect to Chinese espionage efforts, we have chinks in our armor - they have huge gaping holes.
#10
Trusted throughout Asia? In Korea and the Phillipines, the most respected daily papers still routinely call them "Japs." It is really true that East Asian cultures tend to have long memories. To an American, 70 years is an eternity, the 30s might as well be the mythical time of dragons. To a Chinese, it is like last week even if they can't remember it personally. It will be millenia before the Japanese are really trusted elsewhere in Asia.
#12
well, how about we just pull out and yall send your lil police force army over and take care of the problem instead of having ppl build roads that go no where. oh and don;t worry about NK or china while they are in iraq ok
#13
The Koreans still absolutely hate the Japs and make no bones about it. I can see why, too. As long as the Japs continue to deny and evade their guilt in atrocities that were as bad as anything this side of Genghis Khan, no one who experienced their horrific brutality is going to trust them any farther than they can throw Japan.
If the Japs were half as smart as they think they are they'd tear Yakusuni down.
Posted by: Mac ||
03/23/2007 8:38 Comments ||
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Japan isn't the same Japan today that it was in 1941, but people in that part of the world have long memories, and Chinese nationalism (in particular) is quite sensitive.* The fittingly-named Mr. Aso probably undid five years of goodwill in the space of a paragraph or two.
*This is not unique to Asia. My Scots relatives on Mom's side of the family still hold a grudge over the defeat of the Jacobites at Culloden in 1746.
Posted by: Mike ||
03/23/2007 9:33 Comments ||
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#16
Why is it that every piece of shit who conned its countrymen into electing it politician in the world wants to come to ME and impose Arab "Peace" on Israel?
#19
Anyone looking to push the sale of F-22's to Japan needs to understand that yellow solidarity is a big thing in Asia.
That's why we kept hundreds of thousands of troops and spent trillions of dollars in defense of Western Europe for over 50 years. Imagine what a Marshall Plan with that amount of resources could have done in the Western Hemisphere through out Central and South America, instead of being expended in 'white solidarity'.
#20
Excalibur: You think that's bad, you should talk to the Irish side of the family.
Posted by: Mike ||
03/23/2007 11:16 Comments ||
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#21
He said it badly and he's probably a jerk but there is some truth to what he says. Japan never had any direct involvement in the middle east. They have a clean slate we could never hope for. Same goes for China in Africa.
And the reverse is true with the blue eyes thing. Does anyone here doubt that westerners often take the word of other western nations at a higher level than they do the words of Easterners? We try to be impartial but there are certain simialarities in culture that make us feel closer and thus more trusting. Often when we shouldn't be (as in the case of France and Putin's Russia).
#24
Digital Audio Tape DAT was also invented by the Japanese and I think a lot of the hybrid car tech is coming out of Japan. Also, Toshiba (curse their name) may have invented a quick charge massive storage battery.
You can claim all of this is incremental increases but it's all pretty big, pretty important stuff.
#28
The imams warn against trusting anyone without black eyes, so maybe using the Japanese in negotiations in the ME is a great strategy. History aside, they have been very good allies in Asia.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
03/23/2007 15:32 Comments ||
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#32
High definition DVDs, DAT tape. Still just improvements. Putting polish on a paint job doesn't make the waxer the inventor of the automobile. Japan's creative side is almost nonexistent at best.
A lot is to be said for their culture. Like being stupid enough to pay $30,000 for one freaking tuna because it's fins look pretty. Keeping in mind it is an island but they haven't let their nation get overly contaminated by other peoples. Something we could take a lesson from. I dont' recall CAIR opening an office there.
PS: Taro Aso is famous for being a Rozen Maiden fan and has been nicknamed "Rozen Aso". The little peckerhead is a children's cartoon fan. Like 50% of the rest of the population.
He also called for the emperor to visit the controversial Yasukuni shrine (burial site of some of Japan's war criminals). He later backtracked on the comment, but stated that he hoped such a visit would be possible in the future.
#33
By the way when is the last time any Japanese actually invented rather than ripped off?
Sorry, Ice, incremental or not, the Japanese come out with some pretty inventive designs. Their ability to enhance existing concepts with "feature rich" add ons is unsurpassed. Fear not, I truly resent their predatory enterprise model, especially with respect to foreign trade but you'd have to pry my old Nikons out of my cold dead hands.
#34
had "never been involved in exploitation there, or been involved in fights or fired machine guns".
Born after WW2 And Failed History, Did you?
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
03/23/2007 16:54 Comments ||
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#35
"never been involved in exploitation there, or been involved in fights or fired machine guns".
Yep, it's true, but it's not for lack of trying. The Brits stopped you at the eastern border of India and we stopped you at Coral Sea and Midway. Otherwise you damned well would have been "involved in exploitation there, or and been involved in fights or and fired machine guns," and the people there would hate you as much as your fellow Asians do.
Posted by: Mac ||
03/23/2007 17:28 Comments ||
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#36
"Carrrier combined Ops" Were first practiced by the British at the battle of Taranto where biplanes blasted a section of the French Fleet because the French were unclear if the ships would join the Nazi's or not. The Japanese studied the attack while the Americans were still arguing the benefits of battleships vs carriers.
(AKI) - Former Bosnian Serb leader and top war crimes indictee Radovan Karadzic, made a secret deal with the United States in May 1996 to spare him from prosecution in return for abandoning politics and withdrawing from public life, Banjaluka weekly Fokus alleges in its latest issue. Karadic and his wartime military commander Ratko Mladic are the two top fugitives wanted for trial at the United Nations Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in the Hague.
Fokus published what it claimed is a copy of the alleged pact signed by Karadzic and the chief US mediator in the Balkan conflicts, Richard Holbrooke (who later became US secretary of state). The pact states that Karadzic would be spared from prosecution by the UN tribunal if he resigned from the post of president of the Bosnian Serb entity Republika Srpska (RS), withdrew from politics and refrained from making public statements.
Contacted in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, Vladimir Nadezdin, former aid of Serbian foreign minister Milan Milutinovic on Thursday confirmed the existence of the document. Ive seen it with my own eyes, he told Adnkronos International (AKI) on Thursday.
Karadzic disappeared in 1996, but Holbrooke has repeatedly denied the existence of a document such as that published by Fokus - rumours of which have been circulating for some time. Karadzic has been accused of genocide against Bosnian Muslims and is one of the six indictees accused by UN tribunal who are still at large.
According to Fokus, the document provided for a secure hideaway for Karadzic and a sum of 600,000 dollars to ensure his protection and "decent living conditions." The existence of a secret deal has been confirmed by Karadzics elder brother Luka. "I appeal to the honour, dignity and the office held by Richard Holbrooke to make public the details of the gentleman's agreement which he had signed with my brother Radovan, Luka Karadzic told Fokus.
He said that several former Bosnian Serb officials and Nadezdin, could vouch for the existence of the alleged agreement between Karadic and Holbrooke.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/23/2007 00:00 ||
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Yep, better to have him out of the picture completely rather on trial in the Hague, with zero evidence against him, and telling inconvenient truths about how NATO sided with extremist Muslims against secular Serbs for no apparent reason.
#2
Richard Holbrooke was/is a Clintonesta, and was hip deep in the Balkin affair.
It's never been quite clear to me as to why our national strategic interest was at stake over there in the hind-end of Y'urp-pe, and/or why we should have been the main lead force running the show instead of the Y'urp-peons. [allot of good it did us to "halp out" heh, ungrateful bastids]
Richard Holbrooke, the "guy" gave/gives me the creeps. Even though I've read some of his work and listened to his recollections on C-span I'll have to defer to other Rantburgers as to the soundness and validity of our whole Balkin adventure. There is more spin and disinformation than fact as far as I can tell.
#3
The reasoning at the time was that instability in the Balkans could spread to Greece; that in turn would make NATO unstable. Further, the Russians, in supporting their traditional ally Serbia, would get more deeply involved.
Plus there was the whole genocide thing.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/23/2007 10:34 Comments ||
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Former President Bill Clinton yesterday complained that its just not fair the way his wife, presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), is being depicted for her controversial Iraq war vote. "the VLWC or VRWC or whoever, should just submit to the inEvitable, the power to resist is too strong. I should know."
Speaking to hundreds of supporters on conference call, the former president said, I dont have a problem with anything Barack Obama [has] said on this, but to characterize Hillary and Obamas positions on the war as polar opposites is ludicrous. "I'll define what's acceptable!"
This dichotomy thats been set up to allow him to become the raging hero of the anti-war crowd on the Internet is just factually inaccurate.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/23/2007 00:00 ||
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O'REILLY > GERALD POSNER, author [paraphrased] > the 9-11 event - it is no longer possible for anyone in America, ESPEC POLS, to take a feel-good, neutralist, WAFFLING/DIALECTICAL/PC Stand - ORDINARY/MAINSTREAM AMERS MUST NOW EITHER STAND FOR DE FACTO VICTORY, EVEN IFF US ACTIONS-POLICIES MEANS UPSETTING BOTH ALLIES + ENEMIES; OR STAND FOR DE FACTO DEFEAT INCLUD POSSIBLE DESTRUCTION OF THEIR OWN COUNTRY. Radical Islam is NOT giving up its ambitions or agendas, and neither are Islamism-suppor Radical Socialists-Anarchists, etc. * IOW, as said before, WOT > WAR TO THE DEATH.
#4
Bill can prop up her antiwar credentials in a way that allows her to honestly say "I never said that" when the primary season is over and she needs to court the center again. Tag-team politics at it's finest.
#5
I understand Mr. Bill has gotten a LOT worse in his womanizing since he left office (heard from a couple of Washington insider buddies, one a Dem). This may become somewhat of a problem for his 'mate', say in about 14-18 months if not before.
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
03/23/2007 12:51 Comments ||
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#6
Clinton: Its just not fair
The luckiest man on the face of the earth bitching about how unfair it all is. Doesn't that just sum up his whole life.
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday authorized issuing subpoenas to top White House officials in its investigation of the firing of U.S. attorneys. Democrats rejected U.S. President George Bush's offer to talk to his aides, but not under oath and without a transcript and approved the subpoenas after an hour of debate, The Washington Post reported. Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., criticized the White House offer as "nothing, nothing, nothing."
"The only thing they would accept is if the Senate did exactly what they told them to, which would be closed-door, limited number of people, limited agenda, no oath and no transcript, so nobody knows exactly what happened," Leahy said.
The committee's ranking Republican, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., urged the Democrats to "make a counterproposal to the White House" instead of authorizing subpoenas, the Post reported. "I counsel my colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans, to work hard to find a way to avoid an impasse here," he said. "We don't need a constitutional confrontation." Bush has said he'll go to court to fight subpoenas of his aides.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/23/2007 00:00 ||
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"Most importantly, compelling compliance with a congressional subpoena in this context would be difficult. The civil contempt mechanism normally available to Congress, see 28 U.S.C. § 1365, specifically exempts subpoenas to the executive branch. The criminal contempt mechanism, see 2 U.S.C. § 192, which punishes as a misdemeanor a refusal to testify or produce documents to Congress, requires a referral to the Justice Department, which is not likely to pursue compliance in the likely event that the President asserts executive privilege in response to the request for certain documents or testimony. Thus, the only legal way to enforce this subpoena would be to hold a witness in contempt using its inherent contempt authority, but this would require a contempt trial on the floor of the Senate. Not many of us relished our role as jurors during the impeachment trial and are not anxious to reprise that role."
Democrat John Edwards announced Tuesday he would stay in the presidential race after his wife, Elizabeth, learned the cancer first diagnosed in 2004 has returned. The couple, appearing at a news conference in North Carolina, said they would not suspend campaign activities as she begins treatment. "The campaign goes on. The campaign goes on strongly," John Edwards said.
Doctors found cancer on a rib after she went to the doctor for treatment of a cracked rib. Elizabeth Edwards described her condition as asymptomatic, and said she would continue to assist her husbands campaign.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/23/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
I wish Mrs Edwards well.
However, if she decides campaigning is more important than making sure she gets each cancer treatment on time, she is going to be in trouble.
#2
Idiotic decision; Edwards should have called it quits, taken his wife to Tahiti, enjoyed her remaining 4 years or less, and left the dusty den to the other snakes and vipers. Everyone knows he will only be thinking of his wife during times of crisis, both his wife's and the nations, and Elizabeth's failing will surely haunt Edwards, despite his say to the contrary!
#3
Remember, John Edwards is at heart still the trial lawyer and he's treating the voting public as the jury he want's to win over. Nothing like the suffering wife by your side to tug at the heart strings. I'm waiting for the interview where she says; "I hope I live to see John sworn in before I die."
Posted by: Steve ||
03/23/2007 9:37 Comments ||
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#4
Now wait.
Running for president is a family affair -- a person does NOT embark on this journey without the full consent of spouse and children. I'm completely confident that Mrs. Edwards has been an integral part of the Edwards campaign, and that she wants John to be President as much as he does (whether he should be, of course, is another matter).
And if you want something that much, you keep going in spite of the many setbacks along the way.
I wasn't there, of course, but I'm betting that Elizabeth is the one who told him to stay in the race.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/23/2007 10:41 Comments ||
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#5
Lots of folks have to help their spouses beat cancer. Not many get to help their spouses beat cancer *and* run for President. Good luck, Mrs. E.
#7
My mom pretty much feels this move will lose the women's vote for him. He should be by her side even if she's pushing him to run.
My gut is he should drop out in a week or so and then see if he gets any VP offers going into the primary. She might be in better shape by then or it will be clear that it's not in the cards at all.
#8
Running for president is a family affair -- a person does NOT embark on this journey without the full consent of spouse and children. I'm completely confident that Mrs. Edwards has been an integral part of the Edwards campaign, and that she wants John to be President as much as he does (whether he should be, of course, is another matter).
Yep, Gephardt (the man with no eyebrows) quit his run because one of his children went into chronic renal failure and wasn't up for it. I admired his choice.
#9
It's their call, but I wouldn't have done it. Kinda makes me wonder what his priorities are, and I'm sure I'm not the only one wondering.
I wish her luck.
#10
Apparently the expected additional life of Mrs Edwards, based on the diagnosis and current medical technology is 2.5 to 5.0 years. She will have to undergo a pretty strict schedule of treatments. After some of these treatments she will be in very weak shape.
#11
James Taranto, in today's Best of the web, quotes blogger Dean Barnett, who has cystic fibrosis, who said that people/couples go through several stages when faces with this kind of thing. The first stage is to refuse to allow it to change their lives, as the Edwardses appear to be doing. The second is when they accept the diminution of the afflicted party's abilities, and make life changes to accomodate that -- like dropping out of the race. I was appalled by Mr. Edwards decision, but now I'll wait to see how it plays out -- I wouldn't be surprised if Dr. Steve is right. I still would never vote for him, though.
#12
My wife is currently fighting breast cancer. It is a tough game. I'm spending as little time as possible at work (we have a 2 yr old son & a 9 yr old duaghter). I can't imagine why anyone would want to take on a large new project during such a time.
#13
apparently one of the Two Americas needs him more than his wife and children do. Also apparently, it's not the America I live in, cuz I could go my entire life without hearing or seeing his lying pedantic pandering mug ever again. He shoulda quit the race.
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/23/2007 22:01 Comments ||
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#14
Chemist - more power to you and best wishes for your wife and family! My mother (69 yrs old and in great shape) had it, and while she had mastectomys, is cancer-free to this day. It can be beat. As I said best wishes, good luck, and stick to your priorities - hint, work prolly isn't it right now, but you already got it :-)
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/23/2007 23:25 Comments ||
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An Iraq spending bill Congress will vote on Thursday has an Eagle Mountain mother angry, but not about war spending. The huge, 124.1 billion dollar appropriation bill also contains billions of dollars in spending that has nothing to do with the war. Surprise, surprise, surprise!
House democratic leaders have allowed the extra spending on so-called earmarks to get more support for the bill, which has a deadline for the withdrawal of American combat troops next year. Since they can't get the vote they want on this issue, the'll use Smoke and Mirrors.
"I understand this is the way our legislature works, but I think it's just sickening," Michelle Matthews of Eagle Mountain told ABC 4 News. She's upset because one of the earmarks reimburses California spinach farmers $25 million for losses they suffered. The losses came when they were unable to sell their crops last fall after Americans got sick and died from e-coli bacteria in a batch of tainted spinach.
Some of that spinach found its way to the Matthew's dinner table. Michelle got sick, but her daughter, Arabella, almost died. Arabella was just two-years-old when she came down with e-coli. She spent nine days at Primary Children's Hospital, had an operation and was on kidney dialysis. The Matthews have about $60,000 in medical bills now, mostly covered by insurance. She says the family has been assured the spinach grower's insurance company would pay the bills, but no money has arrived. Then Mrs. Matthews read that the spinach farmers stand to gain $25 million from the Iraq war spending bill.
"To reimburse them for making people ill is just inappropriate," Mrs. Matthews said. "It's insane that my tax dollars and the tax dollars of my family are going to pay these spinach farmers for their bad spinach for things that were their fault in the first place." I like her logic.
President Bush has already said he'll veto the bill--both because of the extra spending--and because it sets a deadline for troop withdrawal.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
03/23/2007 00:00 ||
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When Dhimmicrats Democrats were in the minority, they lambasted Republican tactics on the House floor, reserving particular vitriol for the GOP practice of holding votes open longer than the allotted time in order to round up enough support for victory. Now in the majority and facing their first close vote with the $124 billion wartime spending bill, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (Dh-Md.) is leaving open the possibility that Dhimmicrats Democrats might extend the vote beyond the usual 15 minutes.
Asked Wednesday night whether Dhimmicrats Democrats would keep to the time limit, Hoyer paused, then pointed out that many votes can run a few minutes longer for various reasons. Pressed further by a reporter who pointed out that Dhimmicrats Democrats themselves had often criticized Republicans on this very point, Hoyer said, "It won't be open three hours. How about that?"
"How about 30 minutes?" the reporter asked. "I won't guarantee it," Hoyer replied.
If they're at 217 votes they'll hold it open as long as it takes.
On their first day in the majority in January, Dhimmicrats Democrats amended the House rules to mandate that a vote "shall not be held open for the sole purpose of reversing the outcome of such vote."
Under earlier GOP rule, Dhimmicrats Democrats routinely attacked Republicans for extending the voting time, often citing the 2003 vote on the Medicare prescription drug bill that was famously held open three hours. And Hoyer himself was one of their foremost critics.
In a July 8, 2004, news release, Hoyer railed against GOP leaders for extending a 15-minute vote to 38 minutes in order to defeat a spending amendment offered by former Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). "House Republican leaders proved once again today that they will stop at virtually nothing to win a vote, even if that means running roughshod over the most basic principles of democracy such as letting members vote their conscience and calling the vote after the allotted time has elapsed," Hoyer said. "They ought to be ashamed of themselves, but when it comes to holding votes open and twisting the arms of their own members they clearly have no shame, he went on. These back-alley tactics have no place in the greatest deliberative body in the world. They might be the lifeblood of the tin-horn dictator, but not a world leader. It's an embarrassment.
Shoe really hurts when it's on the other foot, doesn't it?
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/23/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Well, why don't you do something about it then?
A new English-language interpretation of the Muslim Holy book the Koran challenges the use of words that feminists say have been used to justify the abuse of Islamic women. The new version, translated by an Iranian-American, will be published in April and comes after Muslim feminists from around the world gathered in New York last November and vowed to create the first women's council to interpret the Koran and make the religion more friendly toward women.
In the new book, Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar, a former lecturer on Islam at the University of Chicago, challenges the translation of the Arab word "idrib," traditionally translated as "beat," which feminists say has been used to justify abuse of women. "Why choose to interpret the word as 'to beat' when it can also mean 'to go away'," she writes in the introduction to the new book. The passage is generally translated: "And as for those women whose illwill you have reason to fear, admonish them; then leave them alone in bed; then beat them; and if thereupon they pay you heed, do not seek to harm them. Behold, God is indeed most high, great!" Instead, Bakhtiar suggests "Husbands at that point should submit to God, let God handle it -- go away from them and let God work His Will instead of a human being inflicting pain and suffering on another human being in the Name of God."
In other changes to the text, she cites the most accurate translation of the word traditionally translated to mean "infidel" as "ungrateful."
Bakhtiar has been schooled in Sufism which includes both the Shia and Sunni points of view. As an adult, she lived nine years in a Shia community in Iran and has lived in a Sunni community in Chicago for the past 15 years. "While I understand the positions of each group, I do not represent any specific one as I find living in America makes it difficult enough to be a Muslim, much less to choose to follow one sect or another," she writes.
The new text is published by Islamic specialty bookseller Kazi Publications, which has a store in Chicago and online. Good luck, professor. You're going to need it. The publisher, too.
#2
"I find living in America makes it difficult enough to be a Muslim, much less to choose to follow one sect or another," she writes."
Then leave. Now. Go peddle your book in Saudi Arabia. Submission is not politically correct, no matter how you translate the horrors, my dear. Go preach it in Medina.
Illegal Immigrants Required 6 Arrests to Warrant Federal Prosecution in Texas Would you like Bush Taco Beans with that report?
TUCSON, Ariz. Guidelines issued by U.S. attorneys in Texas showed that most illegal immigrants crossing into the state had to be arrested at least six times before federal authorities would prosecute them, according to an internal Justice Department memo. Doh!
The disclosure provides a rare view of how federal authorities attempt to curb illegal immigration. The memo was released this week in response to a congressional investigation of the dismissals of eight U.S. attorneys.
The Border Patrol makes more than 1 million arrests a year on the U.S.-Mexico border. T.J. Bonner, head of a union representing Border Patrol agents, said it's unrealistic to prosecute all violators.
"Let's be honest, there isn't enough jail space to incarcerate everyone who crosses that border," said Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council. "If everyone demanded hearing in front of an immigration judge, it would bring our system to a grinding halt in a matter of days." But the welfare and unemployment lines would be a tad bit shorter dumb twit
Guidelines vary by office, but migrants with no criminal records who have not been deported by an immigration judge will almost certainly be turned back to Mexico "numerous times" before getting prosecuted, according to another Justice Department memo dated Nov. 22, 2005. Those "voluntary returns" are booked on administrative, not criminal, violations.
Parts of the other memo are blacked out, so it's unclear whether the document refers to U.S. attorneys in Houston or San Antonio.
The memo says one Texas district prosecutes migrants if the Border Patrol catches them at least six to eight times. The other district prosecutes after someone is caught at least seven times. Can anyone imagine a white American being giving 6 get out jail cards on burglary charges? Spit.
Four U.S. Muslim groups want a probe into alleged racial, religious discrimination in Connecticut state prisons. The four groups have prepared a joint letter to Connecticut Commissioner of Correction Theresa Lantz but want other bodies to join them in signing it before they formally present it next week, The Day newspaper reported Wednesday.
The newspaper said the groups were acting after The Day published a story Saturday saying that a photograph of Bilal Ansari, the Muslim chaplain, or imam, at J.B. Gates Correctional Institution in Niantic, Conn., had had a racial epithet scrawled over it last month. The Connecticut Department of Correction has called in the state police for a criminal investigation, the report said.
Abdullah T. Antepli, coordinator of Islamic Chaplaincy & Interfaith Relations for the Hartford Seminary, told the newspaper that the Connecticut Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut, the Berlin Mosque and the Harmony Foundation had signed the protest letter. "This is just the tip of the iceberg on this racial issue," Antepli said. "This is not an individual unique incident. This is systemic."
The Day reported that at least four of 18 Muslim chaplains working within the Connecticut Department of Correction had already made charges of racial and religious discrimination. "Three have filed, or are in the process of filing, complaints with the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities," the newspaper said.
"Bilal's case is not unique, not individual at all. We have had people say to them, 'Oh, I hope you are not going to bomb us today.' Or, 'How is Osama Bin Laden?' As if they are buddies. They are subjected to constant humiliation," Antepli told The Day. "It seems that this discrimination comes from fellow staff and upper management and is tolerated, perhaps even propagated, on every level," the letter states.
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.