DETROIT Authorities say a Grand Rapids man faces a felony charge after making false statements on a CIA job application.
Twenty-eight-year-old Glenn Duffie Shriver was charged with making false statements to a federal agent during his arraignment Thursday in Detroit federal court. The government says Shriver failed to disclose that he had several meetings with Chinese intelligence officers, who gave him $70,000.
Kim Jong Hun's North Korean players have fallen far short of emulating their illustrious countrymen who reached the 1966 World Cup quarterfinals.
Still, the coach expects a warm welcome at home. Perhaps a warm welcome on the hot seat?
After opening with a gritty 2-1 loss to five-time champion Brazil, the North Koreans gave up six second-half goals in a 7-0 thrashing by Portugal, prompting suggestions the squad would face scorn when it returns to Pyongyang.
Ahead of their last match at South Africa 2010 against Ivory Coast on Friday, coach Kim had no such concerns. He's as cool as Baghdad Bob.
We were not able to go on to the next round, so both my staff and my players didn't meet the expectations of my countrymen,' Kim said. However, even though we didn't play too well, our people will welcome us with open arms.' "I can say, and I am responsible for what I am saying, that they have started to commit suicide under the walls of Baghdad. We will encourage them to commit more suicides quickly."
Ivory Coast needs to score plenty of goals to have any chance of reaching the second round. But Kim predicts his players will be leaving the tournament with their heads high. So Ivory Coast needs to score a lot of goals to outscore Portugal who already ran up the score against the Norks. This could turn out poorly.
We did concede a lot of goals (against Portugal), but nevertheless we are going to fight hard in our next game, and it's a way to avenge ourselves,' Kim said. We will try to restore our honor and do our best in the game.' "There are no American infidels in Baghdad. Never!"
Ivory Coast's physical approach is also something Kim said the players are prepared for.
They will probably be extremely aggressive,' he said. Ivory Coast is physically a bigger team than us, but our players will also resist strongly and I don't think that will affect us that much.'
Despite the Portugal defeat, the North Korean coach said he would not be making wholesale changes.
North Korea was down 1-0 at halftime against Portugal when Kim changed from a defensive 5-4-1 formation to a more attacking 4-3-3. The team conceded six goals in the second half and Kim was cagey about his approach for Friday's match. Rumor has it that Kimmie made a call at halftime ordering the coach to attack and score goals. The Norks weren't styled for that so when they tried they got slaughtered. Nothing a student of history wouldn't recognize from communist leadership.
It will depend on how the game flows. If needed, then we will be more on the attack and more aggressive. And if it looks like we need to be more defensive, then we will play more defensively,' he said. It really depends on the match.' "My feelings - as usual - we will slaughter them all"
In 1966, the North Koreans surprised the world by beating Italy en route to the quarterfinals, then taking a 3-0 lead against Portugal. But the Portuguese rallied to win 5-3.
There were very few North Koreans in the crowd for the first rematch in 44 years between the two nations. Kim bristled when asked whether travel restrictions in North Korea affected the support his team had received in South Africa.
I don't think you are well-informed,' Kim replied. We can travel freely. We can travel abroad freely, that's just a free choice of each Korean. So I think you are badly informed.' I'm sure he believes this. Sad.
[Maghrebia] A Mauritanian criminal court sentenced six foreigners to death for killing fellow foreigners, PANA reported on Wednesday (June 23rd). Three Nigerians were convicted for the murder of their Lebanese employer, while two Guinea nationals and a Gambian man received the death penalty for killing a French woman who owned a Nouakchott restaurant. Mauritania has not applied the death penalty since 1987.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/25/2010 00:00 ||
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Venezuela will nationalize a fleet of oil rigs belonging to U.S. company Helmerich and Payne, the latest takeover in a push to socialism as President Hugo Chavez struggles with lower oil output and a recession.
A former soldier inspired by Cuba's Fidel Castro, Chavez has made energy nationalization the linchpin in his 'revolution'. He has also taken over assets in telecommunications, power, steel and banking.
The 11 drilling rigs have been idled for months following a dispute over pending payments by the OPEC member's state oil company PDVSA. Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said on Wednesday the rigs, the Oklahoma-based company's entire Venezuelan fleet, were being nationalized to bring them back into production.
Ramirez said companies that refused to put their rigs into production were part of a plan to weaken Chavez's government,
"There is a group of drill owners that has refused to discuss tariffs and services with PDVSA and have preferred to keep this equipment stored for a year," Ramirez told reporters in the oil producing state of Zulia. "That is the specific case with U.S. multinational Helmerich and Payne."
The company was not immediately available for comment.
Chavez, who faces legislative elections in September, often pushes ahead with radical plans during election campaigns.
The 55-year-old leader is having a hard time in his 11th year in power. Venezuela's economy is the worst performing in Latin America this year, a problem exacerbated by a drop in oil output since 2008, power outages and soaring inflation.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/25/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
An idea Chevez obviously stole from 'Dreams of My Father.'
#3
a great anti-greed campaign by Chavez this must happen in the US. All of Wall Street and more should be put under US Govt control to eliminate greed. But dont worry in the US, we can eliminate greed without it touching your pocket book, the nationalization will only effect companies, not the little guy. Our form of socialism wont say, youre driving too big a car, you have more than one house or have way more that the poor .nope that cant happen here under our formula. (Sarcasm button off)
IN STARTLING comments that appeared to surprise the government, Canada's spy agency has said it suspects that cabinet ministers in two Canadian provinces are under the control of foreign nations -- meaning China.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) also said some countries, including China and countries in the Middle East, were playing a long-term strategy that involves trying to recruit people in Canadian universities.
The remarks by CSIS director Richard Fadden were broadcast late on Tuesday, just before Chinese premier Hu Jintao was due to arrive in Canada on a formal visit. The country has a significant ethnic-Chinese minority.
"There are several municipal politicians in British Columbia, and in at least two provinces there are ministers of the Crown who we think are under at least the general influence of a foreign government," Mr Fadden said in a speech that was filmed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
Pressed by the CBC as to what he meant, Mr Fadden said the individuals in question -- whom he did not identify -- had no idea they were being used.
But let's see who jumps, and where ...
"They haven't really hidden their association, but what surprised us is that it's been so extensive over the years and we're now seeing, in a couple of cases, indications that they are in fact shifting their public policies as a reflection of that involvement in that particular country," he said.
Asked whether he was speaking about China, Mr Fadden referred to recent media stories about Chinese spying in Canada. "I wouldn't say that those stories were entirely incorrect and the country you mentioned is, I believe, mentioned in those stories," he said.
The office of prime minister Stephen Harper, which is trying to boost Canada's ties with China, said it did not know what Mr Fadden was talking about.
"We have no knowledge of these matters. CSIS directs its own operations," said Mr Harper's chief spokesman, Dimitri Soudas.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/25/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
"The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) also said some countries, including China and countries in the Middle East, were playing a long-term strategy that involves trying to recruit people in Canadian universities."
#2
Yeah. The Chinese are going to dominate Canada because they're so spongy-soft and refuse to resist outsiders. The reaction of denial will only assist the Chinese.
#3
It's a little annoying that this intelligence agency shares the CSIS acronym with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, which is the largest collective of incapable villains since SPECTRE.
The other CSIS includes Henry Kissinger, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Harold Brown, Madeleine Albright, William Cohen, Brent Scowcroft, and Richard Armitage.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."
#4
Actually a denial is the correct response when the allegation is mere puffery. And a measured and reasonable response to outsides is more preductive than inflammatory rhetoric -one of the reasons why you are known here as the Excited Staes of America. As for soft centered- look to your own midsection. I expect you might find your answer.
#5
ION F'RNERS MEMRI > CAUCASUS EMIRATE KBK COMMAND: RUSSIA SPECIAL OPERATIONS/SPECOPS FORCES SETTING UP "FAKE MUJAHIDEEN" UNITS, via
the Russ FSB SpecOpsCtr.
[Dawn] The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to initiate action against legislators accused of committing corrupt practices by getting elected to legislative bodies on fake degrees.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, writing a detailed judgment to justify the rejection of an appeal by PML-N's former member Punjab Assembly Rizwan Gill from PP-34 Sargodha VII for possessing fake bachelor's degree also directed the commission to ensure honest, efficient and expeditious investigations in these matters.
The commission is required to depute one of its senior officers to supervise the entire exercise while the Sessions Judges to whom these trials will be entrusted, will conclude such probe in three months without delay in consonance with the spirit of elections laws.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/25/2010 00:00 ||
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[Straits Times] THAILAND is set to lift emergency rule, imposed during mass opposition protests in the capital, in many provinces next month, but extend the strict laws in Bangkok, officials said on Thursday.
The emergency decree, in place across about a third of the country, is due to expire on July 7. The cabinet will decide whether to extend it based on the advice of security officials. 'I believe that the state of emergency is likely to be lifted in many areas,' Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters.
The government unit set up to oversee security during the unrest has decided to ask the cabinet to keep the emergency laws in the capital but revoke them in some other provinces, said spokesman Colonel Sunsern Kaewkumnerd.
The opposition has called for the law to be revoked for a parliamentary by-election in Bangkok on July 25. 'For Bangkok the state of emergency will remain despite the by-election,' Col Sunsern said.
Two months of mass anti-government protests by the 'Red Shirt' movement, pushing for immediate elections, sparked outbreaks of violence that left 90 people dead, mostly civilians, and nearly 1,900 injured. 'There are still some elements involved in the movement and we don't want that (new violence) to happen,' PM Abhisit said.
PM Abhisit invoked emergency rule in Bangkok on April 7, banning public gatherings of more than five people and giving broad powers to the police and military.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/25/2010 00:00 ||
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For much of the past year, Current TV has been quietly undergoing an overhaul that will change just about everything but the struggling channel's name. Current declined comment for this story.
It's a revitalization project Gore & Co. embarked on after exhausting a more lucrative possibility: selling the channel. Current's founding partner, Joel Hyatt, spent much of 2009 shopping the network with a price tag that wildly overestimated the company's worth, confirmed sources at several media firms. Current even had extensive sale talks as far back as 2007 with Google, where Gore serves as a senior advisor.
Now the focus has shifted to fixing Current, perhaps with an eye toward a sale down the road. Remainder of article notes that Youtube does a lot of what Current says it does and that Youtube has an enormous audience while the viewership of CURRENT TV is unknown.
Posted by: lord garth ||
06/25/2010 12:08 ||
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#1
Note the "sale talks with Google" angle. This is crony capitalism in action:
Google seeks favorable regulatory treatment
Google hires ex-VP Al Gore to sit on its board, showers him with stock options
Gore latches on to BS internet startup
Gore's BS internet startup flounders
Google buys Gore's BS internet startup [attempted, not consummated].
All of these transpired, save for the last step in the crony capitalist circlejerk-- or in Gore's case, maybe we should say, handjob.
Meanwhile, Gore's BS electric car startup gets a $531 million sweetheart loan from Obama's Dept of Energy.
Gore isn't a democratic politician; he's a OC version of a Russian oligarch.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
06/25/2010 13:20 Comments ||
Top||
#4
For all the brilliance he has displayed grasping the meteorological dynamics governing the globe
Well that's one way of describing what a crazed sex poodle gets up to.
#5
I was thinking that the "rotund" massage client in his hotel robe must have looked more like a "crazed sex polar bear". No doubt depraved on accounta he's deprived of ice floes due to AGW.
#9
ummm 3dc I'm old enough too think for myself , Current doesn't just do politically mpotivated stories. They go different places in the world and show kind of like a National Geographic stuff . Like recently I watched a docu about Madagascar on there and it was pretty ointeresting. Sometimes we all need a break from just bitching about what goes on in politics and the wars.
Posted by: chris ||
06/25/2010 15:35 Comments ||
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#10
"Current actually has some pretty interesting documentaries on every once in awhile."
Chris, where in the hell do you get it? Do you have to pay for it? (And why would you?)
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
06/25/2010 16:00 Comments ||
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#11
How does its numbers compare with PJTV, which I think is sort of its competition, isn't it?
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
06/25/2010 16:27 Comments ||
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#12
The web has tons of interesting content, but almost none of it makes money. The issue with Current TV and Google is that Gore was monetizing his political reputation through a non-arms length financial transaction.
This is the essnece of crony capitalism. Shades of Berlusconi in Italy or Slim and the Mexican political class or Putin-Abramovich et al in Russia.
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.
