Two students were shot and wounded, one seriously, at Delaware State University early Friday, and the campus was locked down as police searched for a gunman, officials said.
Police had identified two students as "persons of interest," and was questioning one of them, university police Chief James Overton said.
The students were apparently returning from a cafe with a group other students when they were shot, Overton said. A 17-year-old male student was wounded in the ankle and refused to answer questions by police about the shootings, raising the likelihood that he knew his attacker, according to a federal law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.
Classes were canceled for the day and students were being kept inside. "They've been directed to stay in their dorms," university spokesman Carlos Holmes said. "We don't know where the shooter's at."
Gates at the university's main entrance prevented people from driving onto campus.
The two students were shot before 1 a.m. on the Campus Mall, between the Memorial Hall gymnasium and Richard S. Grossley Hall, an administrative building. Campus police said they were notified about the shooting at 12:54 a.m.
Holmes said the female student, also 17, appeared to have suffered serious wounds. "They could be potentially life-threatening," he said. The male student's wounds were not as serious and he was hospitalized in stable condition, Holmes said. The woman was taken to Christiana Hospital in Newark, N.J., with a traumatic wound to the abdomen, said John Wilson, the deputy chief of Kent County Emergency Services. She was in serious condition, Overton said. The man was taken to Kent General Hospital in Dover.
Authorities, with the campus police in charge of the investigation, hoped to get more information once the victims were able to talk. They don't yet know about the possible motive. "We haven't had a chance to talk to them yet, and that's probably a big reason why the suspect is still at large," Holmes told KYW-TV of Philadelphia.
He said he was not aware of any big parties Thursday night, although there was a rally organized to honor the so-called Jena Six, six black teenagers charged in a high school fight in Louisiana.
#1
University spokesman Carlos Holmes, who said "We don't know where the shooter's at," needs a remedial English class. With emphasis on not ending sentances with a preposition.
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/21/2007 19:12 Comments ||
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#5
It's interesting how the AP keeps changing these stories. They have dropped the "We don't know where the shooter's at" and they have dropped the "woman was taken to Christiana Hospital in Newark, N.J." (no doubt because it is in Newark, Delaware). If we don't post text on Rantburg, we are at risk of all looking at different versions.
ZIMBABWE'S inflation rate declined to 6,592.8 percent year-on-year for August, helped by a government blitz on the business sector that forced prices down by 50 percent at the end of June, figures from the Central Statistical Office (CSO) indicated. The inflation rate receded after initially touching a record high of 7,634.8 percent in July. Month-on-month inflation slumped to 11.8 percent in August, from 31.6 percent in July.
Turn that frown upside down!
Posted by: Fred ||
09/21/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
If there's nothing to buy the price can't inflate.
#1
D *** NG IT, Milyuhns and Zilyuhns, or 17,000 bombs. ION from Britain, LUCIANNE > Britain SEEKS TO ANNEX SOUTH ATLANTIC. Area around the FALKLANDS, for resources exploration and development. Also from LUCIANNE/FREREPUBLIC/RIAN > RUSSIA says scientific rock(s) analysis prove Artic Ridge is part of their landmass. ITS OURS, THEY TELLS YA, JUST LIKE ALL OF ALCAN-NORAM SHOULD'VE BEEN. *And just in case anyone has a beef, TOPIX > RUSSIA AT IT AGAIN - BOMBERS FLY OFF FINLAND COAST. Jets scrambled but bombers skiddadled before they got there.
I suspect this was a coerced apology.
U.S.-based toy giant Mattel issued an extraordinary apology to China on Friday over the recall of Chinese-made toys, taking the blame for design flaws and saying it had recalled more lead-tainted toys than justified.
After all, some of the lead-tainted toys were pro'ly okay. Except for the lead.
The gesture by Thomas A. Debrowski, Mattel's executive vice president for worldwide operations, came in a meeting with Chinese product safety chief Li Changjiang, at which Li upbraided the company for maintaining weak safety controls. "Our reputation has been damaged lately by these recalls," Debrowski told Li in a meeting at Li's office at which reporters were allowed to be present. "And Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people, and all of our customers who received the toys," Debrowski said.
Mattel ordered three high-profile recalls this summer involving more than 21 million Chinese-made toys, including Barbie doll accessories and toy cars because of concerns about lead paint and tiny magnets that could be swallowed. The recalls have prompted complaints from China that manufacturers were being blamed for design faults introduced by Mattel.
I'm not sure how a design flaw led to lead-based paint be used, unless the design sheet said, "use lead paint".
On Friday, Debrowski acknowledged that "vast majority of those products that were recalled were the result of a design flaw in Mattel's design, not through a manufacturing flaw in China's manufacturers."
Lead-tainted toys accounted for only a small percentage of all toys recalled, he said, adding that: "We understand and appreciate deeply the issues that this has caused for the reputation of Chinese manufacturers."
In a statement issued by the company, Mattel said its lead-related recalls were "overly inclusive, including toys that may not have had lead in paint in excess of the U.S. standards. "The follow-up inspections also confirmed that part of the recalled toys complied with the U.S. standards," the statement said.
Ever since the Tylenol scare, the unofficial rule has been to recall everything that might possibly be tainted rather than taking a chance. That's the American way, though apparently it isn't the Chinese way.
Li reminded Debrowski that "a large part of your annual profit... comes from your factories in China.
"This shows that our cooperation is in the interests of Mattel, and both parties should value our cooperation. I really hope that Mattel can learn lessons and gain experience from these incidents," Li said, adding that Mattel should "improve their control measures."
Of course, with proper planning in the next few years, a majority of their annual profit could be coming from, oh, Peru, or Kenya, or India ...
Since this summer's recall, Mattel has announced plans to upgrade its safety system by certifying suppliers and increasing the frequency of random, unannounced inspections. It has fired several manufacturers.
Tests had found that lead levels in paint in recalled toys were as high as 110,000 parts per million, or nearly 200 times higher than the accepted safety ceiling of 600 parts per million.
China has become a center for the world's toy-making industry, exporting $7.5 billion worth of toys last year.
#1
I am going to guess that Mattel was threatened with the immediate cessation of contracts with its Chinese suppliers. Going forward, Mattel will need to diversify its suppliers to other countries. But for this coming Christmas season - if Mattel wants to have any toys to sell at all, it will need to use its Chinese suppliers. Come next year, expect Mattel to start making its subcontractors open plants outside of China.
Think of this as similar to the very sorries uttered by Colin Powell over the EP-3 spy plane incident, it was necessary to get the hostages out. Except in this case, the hostages are the toys Mattel needs to make this Christmas season a successful one. I think this kind of coercion will backfire. Every company out there that makes stuff in China will see this for what it is - an extorted and false confession. Why deal with this kind of stuff - along with product liability issues - when other East Asian countries provide better quality products with fewer worries (albeit at a slightly higher cost)?
#2
i think Mattel's Christmas season is already toast, and the rank and file citizen has i believe started looking a little deeper when making purchases. Mattel wasn't responsible for the tainted feed, or toothpaste. I still maintain that there QA system sucked, and should have caught this; Mattel is not squeaky clean by any means.
#3
I don't foresee any Mattel toys for my grandchildren. Any company investing in China should take heed. After the Chinese have destroyed your reputation with defective products you get to crawl on your belly taking blame for letting them do it.
#4
USN: i think Mattel's Christmas season is already toast, and the rank and file citizen has i believe started looking a little deeper when making purchases.
I believe Mattel makes all its toys in China via subcontractors. If the Chinese abrogated those contracts, Mattel would have zero revenues for the Christmas season - not a healthy situation for a company with $400m a quarter in fixed costs. Toast might mean a 20% drop in revenues and a break even quarter. The cessation of Chinese contracts means a $400m loss.
#5
saying it had recalled more lead-tainted toys than justified.
Because some of those lead-tainted toys were safe even for teething babies. At least by Chinese standards.
A year from now China may need all the American Treasuries they can get their hands on, just to pay worker's compensation to the sudden increase of unemployed.
#8
Maybe Mattel will introduce a new action figure accessory: The take-apart EP-3E, complete with inflight damage from the Chinese fighter that rammed it and a lttle bathtup floatie toy of the Chinese pilot's body after he hit the bird. Add-ons can include the US aircrew, complete with blindfolds.
#10
More good news: according to CNN.com / money, Simplicity is recalling about a million Chinese made cribs because they are put together wrong and can cause suffocation. I don't know about you, but between the shoddy bullshit workmanship and the cost cutting of the US companies that enable this sort of behavior, i think it is going to keep getting worse before it gets better.
#11
Come next year, expect Mattel to start making its subcontractors open plants outside of China.
This is the bottom line. China's predatory economic growth needs a stick jammed in into its spokes. Somehow, America must reinvigorate its own industrial manufacturing base. Trusting semi-literate third world nations to implement functional quality control is stupid from the get-go.
between the shoddy bullshit workmanship and the cost cutting of the US companies that enable this sort of behavior, i think it is going to keep getting worse before it gets better.
Much as with the huge conflict of interest presented by patronizing Wal-Mart, American consumers must begin to understand the hidden costs to themselvesand society as a wholethat accompany basing all purchasing decisions solely upon price sensitivity.
#13
Tests had found that lead levels in paint in recalled toys were as high as 110,000 parts per million, or nearly 200 times higher than the accepted safety ceiling of 600 parts per million.
Ahh, isn't that 11% lead? Now is that by weight or by volume; makes a difference, don't you know.
Some reports of Mattel's meeting today with Chinese officials have been mischaracterized.
Since Mattel toys are sold the world over, Mattel apologized to the Chinese today just as it has wherever its toys are sold.
The U.S. Congress has focused its inquiry on lead paint, given its long history of interest in that issue. Mattel has told the Chinese, as we did the U.S. Congress, the lead-related recalls arose because a minority of manufacturers did not follow the company's rules. In fact, Chinese officials have informed Mattel they are pursuing criminal charges against several individuals connected with at least one of those manufacturers.
Mattel informed the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee in a letter dated September 5th (available on the Committee's website), "The magnet-related recalls account for roughly 11.7 million of the recalled toys shipped to retailers in the U.S. The magnet-related recalls do not involve lead paint or manufacturing failures by Mattel or its vendors, including vendors in China." The magnet recall was a result of Mattel having adopted a new design standard for securing magnets in toys and retroactively applying that higher standard. To the extent that the Chinese were criticized for magnet-related recalls, Mattel apologized.
Mattel has always believed and publicly stated that our toys must be safe regardless of where they are produced or by whom.
I suspect Debrowski will soon be looking for a new job, thanks to his skilful handling of this matter. And Li will get a promotion for his skill at sticking it to whitey.
#1
Privacy concerns... in Germany? This is a state where you have to be licensed to blink rapidly, and loafing about is constrained by guild regulations. How could a country with such an exquisitely complex and all-encompassing system of labor regulation *not* have regularly updated census information?
By not calling it that, and not letting the press or the politicians have access to the databases, that's how.
How exactly have they been apportioning their political representation, I wonder? I fear the answer is "a combination of medieval, archaic geographical distinctions based on long-defunct decisions dating back to the occupation (perhaps even to before WWI!) and smoky-back-room decision-making which would make Boss Tweed sigh in admiration".
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
09/21/2007 16:02 Comments ||
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The European Commission took on Russia and dominant European power giants yesterday in a new move to open gas and electricity markets to more competition while limiting foreign ownership of EU assets.
The European Union executive adopted hard-fought energy proposals aimed at forcing big utilities such as Germany's E.ON and Electricite de France to separate power generation from their distribution networks.
Under the plan, generators will be forced to sell their transmission networks or hand over control to an independent operator, which the Commission argues will boost investment in infrastructure and allow new entrants into the sector.
But Russian gas monopoly Gazprom, which supplies about a quarter of the 27-nation bloc's gas, and Algeria's state-owned Sonatrach will not have free rein to buy pipelines and power grids.
The new rules will bar foreign firms from controlling European energy networks unless they play by EU rules and their home country reaches an agreement with Brussels, Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said.
"In practice, third-country individuals and companies should not be able to acquire control over Community transmission networks unless there is agreement between the Community and their country of origin," he told a news conference.
A Commission statement said Brussels could intervene when a potential purchaser "cannot demonstrate both its direct and indirect independence from supply and generation activities".
In a statement issued before the proposals were published, Gazprom stressed it was a reliable gas supplier to the European Union and wanted a say in future regulation.
"Gazprom has an important contribution to make to the debate about regulation of the energy sector in Europe and feels certain that its voice will be heard," company spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said.
The Commission argued over details of the package up to the last minute in a sign of their political sensitivity.
Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot of France wanted utility groups to have more say over transmission networks even if they were run by an independent operator, EU sources said. Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs and Barroso reject that view.
The Commission has long favored full "ownership unbundling", which would force companies to sell their pipelines and grids.
But several EU states, including France and Germany, oppose it, so the Commission offered an alternative of an independent system operator (ISO) to run distribution networks. Each member state would be free to choose between the two options.
#1
Russia wants to be a player in any resolution of so-called "energy conflicts/wars". *RIAN > Two Russia bombers flew along Alaska, Canadian coasts, whilst another two flew alongst Greenland; + KOMMERSANT > Russia to deploy new missle- and air defense systems between 2008-2010.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy reaffirmed on Thursday he did not believe Turkey should be admitted to the European Union, while calling for a true partnership with the mainly-Muslim nation.
I do not believe that Turkey belongs in Europe, and for a simple reason, which is that it is in Asia minor, Sarkozy said.
I do not believe that Turkey belongs in Europe, and for a simple reason, which is that it is in Asia minor, Sarkozy said in a prime-time interview on TF1 and France 2 television. What I wish to offer Turkey is a true partnership with Europe, it is not integration with Europe, said the president, who recently appeared to have softened his opposition to Turkish membership of the European bloc.
This article starring:
Nicolas Sarkozy
Posted by: Fred ||
09/21/2007 00:00 ||
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Since Turkey is never going to enter the EU, I suggest the US should encourage it to make up with Iraq and form the nucleus of a Middle East Common Market.
We can point out that Turkey will benefit doubly from doing so, in that it will not only profit handsomely from the new MECM, but it will also serve as the "bloc gateway" to the EU.
Ironically, in past Turkey, especially Istanbul (Constantinople), profited immensely from being the gateway from West to East; and now they would do so as a gateway from North to South.
1) not sure the Arabs would trust the Turks given their history
2) if Israel is in, the Arabs are out; if Israel is out, it'll never work.
Posted by: Steve White ||
09/21/2007 11:52 Comments ||
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#3
Given *their* history, who would think the Germans and the French would get along?
Already, Kurdistan is probably the #2 trading partner with Turkey behind Europe. This is not mentioned often. Also, oil can flow North into Turkey, and then on to Europe, which would mean big bucks soon for both Iraq and Turkey, as they could undercut Russia and maybe even BP and Dutch Shell.
Growth in the area would be interesting. Already, Turkey has some relations with Israel, and Iraq is pretty borderline in going there, too. Egypt might also want on board. So the biggest problem would be standardizing for democracy and transparency, without which it would be futile.
Federal prosecutors unsealed a criminal complaint Thursday charging Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu with breaking campaign finance laws and creating a "massive" Ponzi scheme.
The complaint says Hsu who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton and others violated campaign finance laws by making contributions to candidates in other people's names and perpetrated a Ponzi scheme to defraud victims across the United States of more than $60 million. Robert Emmers, a spokesman for Hsu, declined to comment. Hsu's lawyer in San Francisco, Jim Brosnahan, did not immediately return phone messages Thursday.
This article starring:
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Norman Hsu
Robert Emmers, a spokesman for Hsu
Posted by: Fred ||
09/21/2007 00:00 ||
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ABC News has been showing film of the guy during a court hearing. He does not look well. Too bad. He may not live long enough to do any time in jail.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns resigned after nearly three years in office on Thursday, clearing the way to run for the U.S. Senate in Nebraska, where he was a popular two-term governor.
President George W. Bush announced the decision by Johanns, who became the latest in a series of senior officials to depart the administration including Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Bush's longtime political adviser Karl Rove. Johanns was expected to announce his candidacy as early as Monday for the seat being vacated by fellow Republican Chuck Hagel after two terms. Analysts say Johanns would be the front-runner of four men seeking the GOP nomination.
Nebraska is a Republican-leaning state. Democrats have talked of recruiting Bob Kerrey, a former U.S. senator and Nebraska governor who is now a university president in New York City. Democrats control the Senate, 51-49.
This article starring:
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns
Alberto Gonzales
Bob Kerrey
Chuck Hagel
Karl Rove
Posted by: Fred ||
09/21/2007 00:00 ||
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Kerrey had Norman Hsu on the New School Board, after he donated money....surprise, surprise, huh?
Posted by: Frank G on the road ||
09/21/2007 5:55 Comments ||
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Next week's Republican presidential debate in Baltimore, which has been shunned by the party's leading contenders, is getting an added starter: Alan L. Keyes.
The conservative activist, a former U.S. Senate candidate in Maryland and Illinois who said last week that he is running for president again, is "definitely participating," said a campaign spokeswoman, Carla Michele. Keyes, 56, would be the lone African-American candidate at the Morgan State University forum, which will focus on issues of importance to minority voters.
This article starring:
Carla Michele
Posted by: Fred ||
09/21/2007 00:00 ||
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President Pervez Musharraf will be the joint presidential candidate of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League and its coalition partners, who have a majority in parliament, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told a group of parliamentarians at PMs House. He said an important phase of the election process had started and the presidential election would be followed by the general elections. He said the announcement of the schedule for the presidential election by the Election Commission would auger well for political stability and democracy in the country.
This article starring:
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz
Posted by: Fred ||
09/21/2007 00:00 ||
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As for Arab condemnation of Israel for failing to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and accept IAEA safeguard inspections, Michaeli said: "Those who call for the elimination of Israel have no moral standing when they criticise Israeli policies aimed at defending Israel's very existence".
The cognitive dissonance of pursuing genocide and condeming Israel for defending itself is mirrored in how race-baiting wannabe warlord pimps like Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson want handgun bans so their thug fanclubs can run riot. Cowards always look for a disarmed victim to attack.
#2
KRAUTHAMMER > MIDDLE EAST VOLCANO article. KH opines that Iran definitely wants "the Bomb" in order to become a REGIONAL SUPERPOWER + GULF HEGEMON. Moud engaging in "radically aggressive" campaign to exert Iranian power-influence. * TOPIX NEWS > SYRIA HAS NUCLEAR FACILITIES - PROVE IT! Israel has no cause to attack Syria - author, however, does indic that unlike Syria, IRAQ under Saddam had a PLUTONIUM PLANT up and ready to process.
Gee. How the fuc& does this kind of thing happen? Mind if we buy some serious interest in Saudi oilfields? Why are these guys so interested in getting their hands on a US economic nexus like ports or stock exchanges?
In a complex set of transactions, Dubai is moving to acquire 19.9 percent of the Nasdaq in New York, placing the Arab government in an ownership position of the key U.S. stock exchange and raising concerns in Congress. As a result of the transaction, Dubai also will acquire 28 percent of the London Stock Exchange, one of the oldest and largest in the world.
The transaction is being made through Borse Dubai, a holding company 100-percent owned by the government of the Emirate of Dubai and controlled by Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the head of the Dubai ruling family. According to its website, Borse Dubai was created Aug. 6 as the holding company for Dubai Financial Market and Dubai International Financial Exchange in a move to consolidate the Dubai government's two stock exchanges "as well as current investments in other exchanges, expanding Dubai's position as a global capital market hub."
The announcement set off a firestorm of criticism in Washington, prompting President Bush to comment today in a news conference, "We're going to take a good look at it, as to whether or not it has any national security implications involved in the transaction. I'm comfortable with the process to go forward."
On July 26, Bush signed into law the Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007, a law passed after last year's controversy over the effort by Dubai Ports World to acquire London-based Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation, an international ports operating firm that would have given Dubai control of operations in up to 22 U.S. ports. The Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007 was passed to strengthen the examination requirements of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, a highly secretive bureaucratic panel constituted by the Treasury Department to pass verdict on the national security implications of foreign investments in the U.S.
In a letter today, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., urged Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson to conduct the Borse Dubai CFIUS review under the standards imposed by the Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007, even though most of the requirements of the new law do not take effect until later this fall.
Schumer chairs the Joint Economic Committee, composed of 10 members each from the Senate and House of Representatives. "Nasdaq is not just any exchange, but one of the world's largest," Schumer wrote Paulson. "With approximately 3,200 companies, it lists more companies and, on average, trades more shares per day than any other U.S. market."
Schumer's letter posed five specific questions for Paulson:
What national security concerns are raised by allowing a foreign government to own U.S. financial exchanges?
Specifically, with respect to Dubai, are there national security concerns about this particular country's influence or control over a U.S. exchange?
U.S. exchanges are a critical asset to our national economic infrastructure. What implications would foreign government control or influence have on our economic security?
U.S. economic security depends on continued competitiveness in a global financial market. What impact will this transaction have on U.S. financial competitiveness?
If national and economic security concerns can be satisfied, should restrictions be placed on this transaction to limit Dubai's control and influence over U.S. exchanges?
The Department of the Treasury could not be reached for immediate comment.
#1
Seems like a really bad idea. What's next? Ahmadinejad speaking at Columbia but not the organizer of the Minutemen's border watch? Footbaths everywhere? Praying to mecca 5 times a day? Holy Christ, what is happening to this country?
Two New Jersey students can wear buttons featuring a picture of Hitler youth to protest a school uniform policy, a federal judge ruled Thursday.
US District Judge Joseph A. Greenaway Jr. sided with the parents of the students, who had been threatened with suspension last fall for wearing the buttons. However, the judge added in his ruling that the boys will not be allowed to distribute the buttons at school. Citing a 1969 case in Iowa involving students who wore black arm bands to protest the Vietnam War, Greenaway wrote that "a student may not be punished for merely expressing views unless the school has reason to believe that the speech or expression will 'materially and substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the school.'
The local Bayonne school district instituted mandatory uniforms last year for students from kindergarden through eighth grade. The buttons bear the words "no school uniforms" with a slash through them superimposed on a photo of young boys wearing identical shirts and neckerchiefs. There are no swastikas visible on the buttons, but the parties agreed that they depict members of Hitler youth.
This article starring:
District Judge Joseph A. Greenaway Jr.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/21/2007 00:00 ||
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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.
French President 
President Pervez Musharraf will be the joint presidential candidate of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League and its coalition partners, who have a majority in parliament, 
Two New Jersey students can wear buttons featuring a picture of Hitler youth to protest a school uniform policy, a federal judge ruled Thursday. 
