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Today: 51 articles and 150 comments as of 23:16.
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Area: WoT Operations    WoT Background    Opinion        Politix   
Niger Says It Killed 33 Boko Haram 'Terrorists'
Today's Headlines
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7 15:45 CrazyFool [3] 
11 21:31 Frank G [6] 
6 23:01 Bright Pebbles [7] 
4 18:35 swksvolFF [2] 
6 16:13 Snavimble Bucket1794 [2] 
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10 14:46 Besoeker [4] 
3 10:09 SteveS [5] 
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9 23:03 Bright Pebbles [4] 
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9 22:15 trailing wife [8]
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7 19:24 Bright Pebbles [3]
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4 19:25 Black Bart Panda7175 [7]
-Lurid Crime Tales-
Reputed Gambino crime family boss shot to death outside home; 1st boss to be killed in over 30 years
[ABC] The reputed leader of the Gambino crime family -- once headed by infamous mobster John Gotti -- was gunned down outside his home late Wednesday.

Francesco 'Franky Boy' Cali, 53, was found with multiple gunshot wounds to his body outside his home on Staten Island, according to the New York Police Department.

Paramedics transported Cali to Staten Island University North hospital after responding to the home at 9:17 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, police said.

Police said there have been no arrests and an investigation is ongoing. No gun has been found.

Related article.
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/14/2019 06:57 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Suspects seen fleeing in a 1932 Chrysler Model CI.
Posted by: gorb || 03/14/2019 7:24 Comments || Top||

#2  Possibly related, who noze.

USA Today - $77 million in cocaine seized in largest NJ bust in years
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/14/2019 8:06 Comments || Top||

#3  Both Gambino and Colombo boses die in last two weeks. One of old age in prison and one ventilated on the street.
Posted by: Uleck Spererong9442 || 03/14/2019 8:16 Comments || Top||

#4  In a world where everything is constantly changing it's reassuring to see that some things stay the same.
Posted by: M. Murcek || 03/14/2019 8:24 Comments || Top||

#5  To the mattresses!!
Posted by: AlanC || 03/14/2019 9:52 Comments || Top||

#6  #4 & #5: Except now the mattresses are Memory Foam
Posted by: Frank G || 03/14/2019 10:14 Comments || Top||

#7  Competition is good.
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/14/2019 10:44 Comments || Top||

#8  Neighbors were rattled by the shooting in an otherwise quiet neighborhood.

"You never know who your neighbors are," said a 58-year-old neighbor named Salvatore.


OF COURSE his neighbor's named Sal!
Posted by: Raj || 03/14/2019 13:27 Comments || Top||

#9  In this game, market forces mean jacketed bullets.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 03/14/2019 19:05 Comments || Top||

#10  Apparently 'fahgetaboutit' doesn't work as well since the switch to memory foam.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 03/14/2019 20:12 Comments || Top||

#11  ^ Nice late entry in Snark 'O The Day
Posted by: Frank G || 03/14/2019 21:31 Comments || Top||


Coaches and parents in college scheme find jobs in danger
And so they should.
LOS ANGELES (AP) ‐ Colleges and companies moved swiftly to distance themselves from employees swept up in a nationwide college admissions scheme, many of them coaches accused of taking bribes and others prominent parents accused of angling to get their children into top schools by portraying them as recruited athletes.

That celebrities were among the accused parents ‐ actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman headline the list ‐ created much buzz, but other parents charged included people prominent in law, finance, fashion, manufacturing and other fields ‐ people who could afford the steep price.

At least nine athletic coaches and 33 parents were among those charged. Some parents spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, as much as $6.5 million, to guarantee their children’s admission, officials said.

Related: NYT - The Full List.
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  But, but, but.......I don't care if he is a 28 year old 3rd yr freshman. Devon can throw mean spiral.
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/14/2019 11:50 Comments || Top||

#2  Some coaches and parents in college scheme find jobs in danger
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/14/2019 13:52 Comments || Top||

#3  They should also face major lawsuits from those students who were pushed out of the various programs to make way for spoiled-little-offspring.

You know someone didn't get in because of their antics.
Posted by: CrazyFool || 03/14/2019 15:43 Comments || Top||

#4  Jobs?

They should be prepping for a stay in the grey bar hotel!
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 03/14/2019 16:15 Comments || Top||

#5  Since it appears Raj is right about illegal charitable contribution tax claims, some will have "public housing" for a while
Posted by: Frank G || 03/14/2019 19:46 Comments || Top||

#6  Maybe it's good Obama's only leased in DC.
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/14/2019 19:53 Comments || Top||

#7  The whole thing is scummy but I think its worse that they are plastering the face of one of the kids on the papers and trying to maker her the face of entitlement. Maybe the kids forced the parents into breaking the law but the parents are still adults and should be take the heat alone.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 03/14/2019 21:17 Comments || Top||

#8  She's withdrawn from USC, today . Not just the initial shit...
Posted by: Frank G || 03/14/2019 21:28 Comments || Top||


Man shot in groin by ex-girlfriend after breaking into her home
[NYPOST] An Oregon woman shot her ex-boyfriend in the groin in self-defense after he forced his way into her home and threatened her, police said.

Michael L. Fouch, 32, broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home in Grants Pass early Monday, police told Oregon Live. The 31-year-old woman called police after Fouch arrived, and was on the phone with them when Fouch reportedly forced himself into her bedroom, where she had hidden with her child. She fired a shot shortly after.

When paramedics arrived, they saw Fouch maimed in the driveway. They took him to a hospital and treated him for his injuries before police booked him into the Josephine County Jail on suspicion of fourth-degree assault and menacing, officials said.

Fouch reportedly threatened his ex prior to breaking into her home. Police did not file any charges against the woman. A spokesperson from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office was not immediately available for comment.
"I can say no more!"


Posted by: Fred || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  ...Betcha he'll remember that lesson.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski || 03/14/2019 4:28 Comments || Top||

#2  Needed to aim higher to prevent any recidivistic behavior.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 03/14/2019 7:56 Comments || Top||

#3  Fouch's only comment was "ouch"...and sonofabitch that hurts. Probably won't have to worry about using his ahem, manhood anytime soon.
Posted by: JohnQC || 03/14/2019 8:39 Comments || Top||

#4  Police did not file any charges against the woman.

Little surprising considering this is Oregon. Must not be near P'land.
Posted by: AlanC || 03/14/2019 10:09 Comments || Top||

#5  "Did you miss me, honey?"
Posted by: SteveS || 03/14/2019 10:10 Comments || Top||

#6  Gun sex? I'll give you gun sex!
Posted by: Hupick Throsing2228 || 03/14/2019 10:30 Comments || Top||

#7  She, target acquired, was engagin'
And hit his most sensitive region.
"Hon, this one's for fun..."
"Yeah, and this one's my gun!"
It was harmful to unit cohesion.
Posted by: Cluper Hupereter4135 || 03/14/2019 10:40 Comments || Top||

#8  *Snicker* Cute, Zenobia F.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/14/2019 14:37 Comments || Top||

#9  Sigh, if only she had used a shotgun and took off his testicles , cracked his pubic bone , and called him a bad name. Of course the police these day might have fined her for the microaggression of name calling.
Posted by: Snavimble Bucket1794 || 03/14/2019 15:41 Comments || Top||


-Short Attention Span Theater-
Radio Commander! Vietnam Strategy Wargame Using ONLY a Radio
[YouTube] Many games have tried to do Strategy and RTS this way but few if any have succeeded, Radio Commander takes an under used Vietnam war setting and combines it with a genuinely interesting and tense command style!
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Why not embed the video here to save us the click?

Posted by: Herb McCoy || 03/14/2019 2:05 Comments || Top||

#2  Thanks Herb, was just going to do that.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 03/14/2019 6:33 Comments || Top||

#3  That brings back memories of a Win-DOS game ported to my Amiga that I played:

Rules of Engagement 2

You captained a Space navy ship and had subordinate captains, with personalities no less!, that you could *radio* orders to. It was more WW2 in Spaaace! than anything else. Fun Times! Fun Time when the game was more important than the (crappy) graphics.
Posted by: magpie || 03/14/2019 10:14 Comments || Top||

#4  The second game is definitely a lot bigger weighing in at over 7 megs whereas the first game was less than 3.

Smiled a bit there. Haven't played RoE, feel like I missed a good one, but the description reminds me a bit of Silent Service with the different stations and navy combat, though Silent Service was WWII pacific submarine on C64.

Daughter got into dungeon crawl games, and we played a few. Pretty, but no Champions of Krynn.

Interesting idea, hope it makes it. I thought maybe the player talked into a mic like in SOCOM Navy Seals...then I remembered the times I would order a breach but teammate would toss a frag right in the middle of the group instead of kicking the door...or really any other command seemed to get me fragged. I am told our regional accent does not pair well with voice recognition recorders so maybe command clicks is the way to go.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 03/14/2019 18:35 Comments || Top||


-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-
Mystery infections traced to blood-shedding religious ritual
NEW YORK (AP) ‐ Add self-flagellation to the list of ways to get a dangerous viral blood infection.

Researchers said Wednesday that they were initially puzzled how 10 British men had become infected with a little-known virus, because the men hadn’t taken risks usually associated with the infection.

But then investigators learned they had participated in blood-shedding religious rituals ‐ cutting or whipping themselves ‐ in Iraq, Pakistan, India and the United Kingdom.

"There have been suggestions that you might spread infections through this route, but it has never been described before" in a published medical study, said Dr. Divya Dhasmana of St. Mary’s Hospital in London.

She is one of the authors of the study released Wednesday in a journal published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The men were infected with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1. Most people infected with the virus never develop symptoms, but some develop terrible illnesses, like a deadly blood cancer or a debilitating nervous system condition.
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Don't do stupid things. We don't want to call Charles Darwin to the phone.
Posted by: AlanC || 03/14/2019 9:57 Comments || Top||

#2  A veddy prim British physician:
"To civilise Moslems, my mission!
So cease your Ashura!"
"Eschew your datura!
You Hindoos can go to perdition!"
Posted by: Bill Ulesing7470 || 03/14/2019 10:09 Comments || Top||

#3  Primatives.
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/14/2019 10:46 Comments || Top||

#4  Don't share needles...? Sanitize surgical instruments? Whack each other with barbed whips drawing blood...One of these doesn't match the others as a sanitary practice.

"Consenting adults and all that" so what they feel like doing is their business. Female Genital Mutilation to minors, on the other hand...
Posted by: magpie || 03/14/2019 12:12 Comments || Top||

#5  Stupid games, stupid prizes! Yada ^3.
Posted by: Ulick Ulith9076 || 03/14/2019 12:42 Comments || Top||

#6  This is what happens when cousins marry cousins for centuries.....that and the goats.
Posted by: Snavimble Bucket1794 || 03/14/2019 16:13 Comments || Top||


Pilot buys 70 hamburgers for passengers after long flight delay
[NYPOST] Capt. Matthew Hoshor, pilot on a Mesa Airlines flight operated by United Express did his best to put wind back in his passengers’ sails after a delay of more than two hours at Tulsa International Airport on Monday, buying lunch for each flier at a nearby burger joint.
Posted by: Fred || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I'm guessing that then they had to wait for their burgers.
Posted by: ed in texas || 03/14/2019 11:10 Comments || Top||


Caribbean-Latin America
Two attackers kill 10 people in Sao Paulo school and commit suicide
[ELUNIVERSAL] Two people opened fire on Wednesday in a school in the Brazilian city of Suzano, in the metropolitan region of Sao Paulo, killing at least ten people, before committing suicide.

The Military Police (PM) indicated that the attack, which occurred at 0930 local time, also left 10 injured. A spokeswoman for the Military Police told AFP that two of the dead died on arrival at the hospital, AFP reported.

The entrance to the public school Raul Brazil was at the end of the morning crowded with anguished relatives and members of the fire brigade and security forces.

The governor of Sao Paulo, Joao Doria, appeared at the scene and indicated that among the people killed were two officials of the establishment. "It's the saddest scene I've seen in my life," he said.

Colonel Marcelo Sales, general commander of the PM, indicated that the two attackers, before entering the school, "shot at the owner of a car wash," who was injured and was receiving hospital care.

This type of attack is exceptional in Brazil, despite being one of the most violent countries in the world. In April 2011, a former student killed 12 students and maimed 20 before committing suicide in the town of Realengo, in Rio de Janeiro.

The killing on Wednesday came after the country faced a controversy over the flexibilization of the possession of weapons promoted by the president of far right Jair Bolsonaro and the security caucus in Congress.

Colonel Sales indicated that the aggressors used "a 38-caliber revolver and a medieval weapon similar to a bow with arrows", without specifying whether there were victims caused by this instrument.

The attack took place at the time of the recess of the students of average cycle. After shooting those who were in the courtyard, the attackers "went to the language center" where several students had taken refuge "and did away with himself in a corridor," said Sales.

According to witnesses cited on television, the two attackers wore skull masks. The Globonews television showed images of neighborhood security cameras in which students were seen jumping over one of the walls of the school and running scared.

"I found out when my daughter called me, she said: 'Mom, come quickly, there are gunshots, there are maimed, there are dead people,' said Rosa, the mother of a student, at the entrance of the school.

Education Minister Ricardo Velez issued a statement to offer condolences. "The Ministry sympathizes with parents, relatives and school officials in this moment of shock, mourning and pain."
Posted by: Fred || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  38-cal pistol and bow and arrows and 10 people were killed?
Posted by: JohnQC || 03/14/2019 8:52 Comments || Top||

#2  They needed some advanced iphone martial arts training.

Man blocks bow and arrow attack with his phone
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/14/2019 14:43 Comments || Top||


China offers help to Venezuela to restore electricity
[ELUNIVERSAL] The spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Lu Kang, said that "China hopes that Venezuela can quickly find the causes of this accident and restore electricity and social order"

Posted by: Fred || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Commies

#1  What's that loud sucking sound?
Posted by: Procopius2k || 03/14/2019 7:50 Comments || Top||

#2  "China hopes that Venezuela can quickly find the causes of this accident and restore electricity and social order" Accident? China expanding its model in Africa? China is resource hungry.
Posted by: JohnQC || 03/14/2019 8:45 Comments || Top||

#3  Flyash Liberation Army to undertake Turbine Repair Activities
Posted by: Frank G || 03/14/2019 10:13 Comments || Top||

#4  China or Russia. Both making inroads. The real competition is between these two. China has Africa nearly sewed up now.
Posted by: Dale || 03/14/2019 11:06 Comments || Top||

#5  ...as long as its their money propping up failed societies and corrupt government, the more the better.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 03/14/2019 11:27 Comments || Top||

#6  After Africa and Venezuela are fixed, Chinese rural sanitation is on the docket.
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/14/2019 12:00 Comments || Top||

#7  After Africa and Venezuela are fixed, Chinese rural sanitation is on the docket.

Only two of those provide a steady source of money and influence.
Posted by: SteveS || 03/14/2019 12:13 Comments || Top||

#8  Venezuela owes China many, many barrels of oil per previous aid agreements.

Without electricity, no oil is pumped.

Posted by: lord garth || 03/14/2019 13:16 Comments || Top||

#9  After Africa and Venezuela are fixed, Chinese rural sanitation is on the docket.

Posted by: Skidmark || 03/14/2019 13:57 Comments || Top||

#10  Ref #9: Appears to be a '5 Star' upgrade (no 1m garden hose and brush).
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/14/2019 14:46 Comments || Top||


Explosion caused massive blackout in Zulia
[ELUNIVERSAL] On Tuesday, a strong explosion occurred in the electric substation west of Maracaibo, after having remained five days without electricity due to the fault in the Guri.

Posted by: Fred || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under: Commies

#1  You might have asked "where the heck is Zulia?" From wiki:

Zulia State ; Spanish: Estado Zulia, is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is Maracaibo. As of the 2011 census, it has a population of 3,704,404, the largest population among Venezuela's states. It is also one of the few states (if not the only one) in Venezuela in which voseo (the use of vos as a second person singular pronoun) is widely used.
Zulia State is in northwestern Venezuela, bordering Lake Maracaibo, the largest body of water of its kind in Latin America. Its basin covers one of the largest oil and gas reserves in the Western Hemisphere.
Zulia is economically important to the country from its oil and mineral exploitation, but it is also one of the major agricultural areas of Venezuela, highlighting the region's contribution in areas such as livestock, bananas, fruits, meat, and milk.
The state is coterminous with the eponymous region of Zulia."


A land of plenty where people are starving thanks to socialism (sarc). Statism/central control and redistribution of wealth don't work except for the few elites at the top of government.
Posted by: JohnQC || 03/14/2019 8:35 Comments || Top||

#2  The other day they said it was a "grass fire." Maybe people firing grass in the control room?
Posted by: M. Murcek || 03/14/2019 10:04 Comments || Top||

#3  A land of plenty where people are starving thanks to socialism (sarc).

If it is not on NPR drive-time news, then it didn't happen.
Posted by: SteveS || 03/14/2019 10:09 Comments || Top||


Protesters clash with Venezuelan police in Caracas
[ALMASDARNEWS] Police clashed with participants of a protest called by the opposition to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro near the El Guarataro neighbourhood in western Caracas on Tuesday.

The protests were called by President of the National Assembly and self-proclaimed “Interim President” Juan Guaido, who recently embarked on a trip outside the country to strengthen alliances abroad.
Posted by: Fred || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Commies


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Georgia detains two for trying to sell radioactive uranium
[Ynet] Georgia said on Wednesday it had detained two people for handling and trying to sell $2.8 million worth of radioactive uranium-238, which can be developed into nuclear bomb material.

Western leaders have been concerned about the security of Soviet nuclear weapon materials since the 1991 break-up of the Communist colossus. Ex-Soviet Georgia has since foiled several attempts to sell uranium or other radioactive materials.

Uranium-238 is the least radioactive uranium isotope and makes up more than 99 percent of natural uranium. It cannot be used to produce the chain reaction needed for nuclear weapons, which uranium-235 is suitable for.

In disclosing the arrests in the Georgian Black Sea town of Kobuleti, the state security service did not say whether the two, whom it said were part of a criminal gang, had a buyer for the uranium-238 or where they had acquired it.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Is there uranium that isn't radioactive?
Posted by: Procopius2k || 03/14/2019 7:44 Comments || Top||

#2  From this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotopes_of_uranium
it seems not really, but maybe U236.

They'd use the 238 to make Plutonium 239, via U238 + neutron => Neptunium239 => Plutonium239.

So I can see why they're pretty hot on this.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 03/14/2019 11:14 Comments || Top||

#3  Extracting U235 from U238 is done now with centrifuges. You still will need a lot of U238 for feed stock.

U238 to Pu239 will need a reactor, PLUS a really nasty multi-step chemical extraction of Pu239. It is a radioactive and toxic process. Done by remote control. More involved than a m3th lab.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 03/14/2019 19:03 Comments || Top||

#4  NOT with magick Djinn Technology!
Posted by: Frank G || 03/14/2019 20:49 Comments || Top||

#5  Alaska Paul not so tricky if you don't care if those processing survive...
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 03/14/2019 22:58 Comments || Top||

#6  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_generator

This would make the neutrons.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 03/14/2019 23:01 Comments || Top||


China-Japan-Koreas
U.S. Sends Bombers Over S. China Sea
[Free Beacon] The Air Force sent two nuclear-capable bombers over the South China Sea on Wednesday in a show of force challenging China's expansive maritime claims.

"Two B-52H Stratofortress bombers took off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and conducted routine training in the vicinity of the South China Sea March 13, before returning to base," Air Force Capt. Victoria Hight, a Pacific Air Forces spokeswoman, said in a statement.

Hight said U.S. aircraft conduct routine operations in the South China Sea to support "allies, partners, and a free and open Indo-Pacific."

"U.S. Pacific Air Forces bombers have flown from Guam for more than a decade as part of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s continuous bomber presence operations," she added.
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:


West using Christianity to subvert Chinese state: official
[DAWN] A Chinese official accused "anti-China forces" in the West of using Christianity to subvert the country’s political power and said worshippers must follow a Chinese form of religion.

China’s officially atheist government, which oversees religious groups through state-sponsored institutions, has tightened its grip on all faiths in recent years.

"Anti-China forces in the West are attempting to continue to influence the social stability of our country through Christianity, and even subvert the political power of our country," Xu Xiaohong, chairman of the state-backed National Three-Self Patriotic Move­ment Committee, which oversees the Protestant churches, said on Monday.

Speaking at the annual gathering of the Chinese People’s Political Consul­tative Conference (CPPCC), a largely ceremonial advisory body, Xu described the introduction of Christianity in China as "accompanying the intense colonial aggression by the West".

Only by incorporating Chinese culture into Christianity would the religion become something Chinese people could identify with, said Xu.

For those who "subvert national security in the name of Christianity, we support the country in bringing them to justice," he added.
Posted by: Fred || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Commies

#1  Now the Chinese are going to play the 'cultural appropriation' game too?
Posted by: Procopius2k || 03/14/2019 7:49 Comments || Top||

#2  WTF, we can't even use Christianity to "subvert" our own Muzzies and progs.
Posted by: AlanC || 03/14/2019 10:01 Comments || Top||

#3  "Thou shall have no other gods before me."
-- Chinese Communist Party
Posted by: SteveS || 03/14/2019 10:34 Comments || Top||

#4  In the west most of the church is further left than the chinese!
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 03/14/2019 11:15 Comments || Top||

#5  You can see the way it's subverted Japan, S. Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
Posted by: Fred || 03/14/2019 11:25 Comments || Top||

#6  ...yeah, all those Christmas sales.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 03/14/2019 11:26 Comments || Top||

#7  The "colonized" Christian was vexed
By Chairman Xu's very short text
In characters two
With no "How do you do?"
Or "Your old comrade, Xu," just, "You're next."
Posted by: Neville Clineth1387 || 03/14/2019 18:06 Comments || Top||

#8  Western governments feel the same way.

Including the top guy in Vatican City.
Posted by: charger || 03/14/2019 18:41 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Politix
Third Circuit Becomes First Federal Circuit To ‘Flip' Control Under Trump
[DailyWire] Yesterday, the U.S. Senate confirmed, by a 54-45 vote, Paul Matey to be a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The Third Circuit has federal appellate jurisdiction for the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. With the confirmation of Matey, the Third Circuit becomes the first of the 13 federal appellate circuits to "flip" control under President Donald Trump from majority Democratic nominees to majority Republican nominees.
To give a little context, Matey is the 35th Trump nominee to be confirmed to a federal circuit court of appeals. In other words, it took 35 appointments to flip a single circuit. The 4th, 10th and 11th circuits remain heavily foobared with Obama appointees, and we are running out of vacancies.
Yes, but loading the lower courts with conservative judges means they will be the pool from which future appeals court vacancies will be filled. A march through the institution, to coin a phrase.
Posted by: Iblis || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [5 views] Top|| File under:

#1  First attorney to use the phrase "Arrgh Matey" gets a contempt citation.
Posted by: ed in texas || 03/14/2019 7:22 Comments || Top||

#2  Look on the bright side. Had Clinton won, all the Circuit Courts would have been ineluctably left-wing for the next quarter century. Trump still has seventeen nominations to go.
Posted by: Spomoter Cholurt9760 || 03/14/2019 7:48 Comments || Top||

#3  Trump still has seventeen nominations to go.

Assuming no more of the current judges retire or die in the next six years.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/14/2019 9:46 Comments || Top||

#4  Additional data points:

There are 6 circuit judges awaiting confirmation (two on the 2nd and four on the 9th).
There are 3 more vacancies without nominees (3rd, 5th and 9th circuits).
There is one announced future vacancy on the 2nd.

That's it. There will, of course, be additional vacancies but for now that's all the action on the appeals courts. The next stage of this drama will be filling the 129 vacancies on district courts -- which is where the proposed rule change will be helpful.
Posted by: Iblis || 03/14/2019 11:40 Comments || Top||

#5  Glad they are getting things done this year. The 2020 election year is going to be a circus.
Posted by: magpie || 03/14/2019 14:33 Comments || Top||

#6  All lubberly lawyerly smarties
Who represent relevant parties
Will cushion me banc
Or be walkin' the plank,
And addresss me as, "Cap'n," me hearties!
Posted by: Big Fillmore7511 || 03/14/2019 18:21 Comments || Top||

#7 
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 03/14/2019 19:24 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Chhotu Gang ringleader, his 19 accomplices get death on 18 counts
[DAWN] MULTAN: An anti-terrorism court here on Tuesday sentenced Ghulam Rasool Chhotu, the ringleader of notorious Chhotu Gang, and his 19 accomplices to death on 18 counts, besides slapping Rs6.2 million fine on them.

The judgment was pronounced by the ATC No 1 (camped at New Central Jail) Judge Malik Khalid Mehmood.

Two minor convicts, Qasim and Samad, have been handed down life terms on 19 counts each.

Each of the 22 convicts will also have to pay Rs6.2 million fine.

The court also directed to forfeit the properties of the convicts.

The court stated that "the case property shall be kept intact till the decision of appeal or revision, if any".

The convicts have been given the benefit of section 382-B of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and all the sentences of imprisonment will run concurrently.

The convicts can file appeals in the Lahore High Court within 15 days as enshrined under section 3 of the Section 25 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.

The judge, issuing their perpetual non-bailable arrest warrants, ordered the station house officer (SHO) concerned to arrest and present them before the court for their trial.

Challans of the cases were submitted in 2016 and total 56 witnesses recorded their statements.

Nine cases were filed against Chhotu Gang in Rahim Yar Khan.

Police backed by military helicopters had raided the gang’s hideouts. Help of army was sought after police lost six personnel in an operation against the gang.

Finally, the ringleader and his gang members had surrendered unconditionally to the army in an operation titled Zarb-e-Ahan in which 24 coppers who had been taken hostage were also rescued.

Posted by: Fred || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:


4 policemen dismissed from service for misbehaving with couple at Karachi's Sea View
[DAWN] Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
police on Tuesday dismissed four coppers from service for harassing and manhandling a couple at Karachi's Sea View, said SSP South Pir Mohammed Shah.

A policeman in uniform can be seen in a video ‐ available with the media and shared on social media ‐ while manhandling a woman and trying to snatch a cell phone from the man who was recording the video. "I was standing with my wife when they [coppers] came and demanded money while pointing guns [at us]," the man can be heard saying in the video.

SSP Shah said that the incident took place on Sunday morning. He said that three policeman were found directly involved in the incident, adding that few coppers bring a bad name to the entire force.

He said that ASI Zulfiqar Ali came to Sea View while abandoning his duty. The ASI and coppers Ahmed Khan, Zahid and Qurban have been dismissed from service.

"The fourth coppers, Qurban, was not on the spot but is hand in gloves with the rest of three," said the SSP.

"Initial investigation reveals that the four coppers used to work as a gang to harass and extort couples."

He also asked people who experienced such "unfortunate behaviour" by the police to come forward and report their ordeal. He assured that strict action would be taken against those involved. He mentioned that earlier four personnel of the Police Qaumi Razakars (PQR) force were nabbed
Drop the rod and step away witcher hands up!
and later punished for extorting money from couples at Sea View.

Posted by: Fred || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Science & Technology
NASA’s new moon rocket won’t be ready for 2020 launch
[NYPOST] NASA’s top official says the space agency’s new rocket won’t be ready for a moon shot next year.

Administrator Jim Bridenstine told a Senate committee Wednesday he’s considering switching to commercial rockets to preserve the June 2020 launch date.

Bridenstine says two commercial rockets would be needed, one to launch the Orion capsule and its European-built service module, the other to launch an upper stage. Orion would have to dock with the upper stage in orbit around Earth, before heading to the moon.

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket could do everything in one fell swoop.
"For sure is cheaper in PX, GI, but PX no have!"
Bridenstine says NASA will decide in the next couple weeks whether to stick with its rocket and delay ‐ or go commercial for this one test flight.

Heh, Discussions here and many other places. To me the most interesting one was a two Falcon Heavy launch. The first launches the Orion space ship with the European attached unit to low earth orbit. The second launches an empty Falcon Heavy. The second stage would use almost no fuel in that scenario and have 80 to 90 tons of fuel available to it as there is no payload. It docks with the Orion EU unit and drives it to the moon. If the margins on the first launch are too tight for NASA do the EU unit as a third Falcon Heavy launch. A FH launch is $90 million so three launches would be $270 million. A Delta 4 Heavy launch is about 495 million and the SLS launch that is not happening as it is not on schedule is over $1 billion. So 3 FH's at $270 million is a massive cost savings. This is an un-crewed launch to test the Orion around the moon and it's heat shield for high speed re-entry from earth so it's a good cost savings plan.
For a 2 FH launch SpaceX might want to replace their strongback at Vandenberg with a new one able to support a FH. That would let them have two FH on the pad at the same time. 3 FH would require a delay so another rocket could be readied on a pad. The 2nd pad in Florida is not capable of launching FH rockets without modifications to it's flame trench that would put it out of service for a long time and disrupt lots of other launches.



Posted by: Fred || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Orion would have to dock with the upper stage in orbit around Earth, before heading to the moon.
Wernher von Braun would say "I told you so!"
Posted by: magpie || 03/14/2019 0:20 Comments || Top||

#2  No discussion at all of why the 2020 date is sacrosanct or why returning to the moon at all makes any sense.
Posted by: M. Murcek || 03/14/2019 2:04 Comments || Top||

#3  Before election!
Posted by: 3dc || 03/14/2019 2:14 Comments || Top||

#4  Before election!

Trump could generate more votes by shutting down unnecessary spending on ISS and other NASA boondoggles.
Posted by: M. Murcek || 03/14/2019 2:47 Comments || Top||

#5  The only rockets that matter are ICBMs and comms / sensor satellite launches. Human rated space flight is a total waste of money.
Posted by: M. Murcek || 03/14/2019 10:58 Comments || Top||

#6  Hey, manned spaceflight seems to be the republican's panem et circensus.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 03/14/2019 11:23 Comments || Top||

#7  manned spaceflight seems to be the republican's panem et circensus

Other than people from certain congressional districts and employees of certain organizations, I really don't think many people who are haphazardly labelled "republicans" give much of a sh*t.

There is a blogger who you are not allowed to criticize by name around here who has a case of chronic priapism where anything involving a rocket with a person on top is concerned. That colors some people's thoughts on the matter.

Waste. Of. Money. Time. Resources.
Posted by: M. Murcek || 03/14/2019 15:37 Comments || Top||

#8  I don't know, there's lots of congress critters I'd be happy to launch into space. We could build a giant railgun next to Hoover Dam and use it's power to charge it up. Then put the congress critters into metal cans and fire them into the sun.
Posted by: Silentbrick || 03/14/2019 21:45 Comments || Top||

#9  >Waste. Of. Money. Time. Resources.

Oh totally agree. Moon landings messed up US economy for ages. USSR would have failed many years earlier if they did moon shot, rather than US wasting 5%GDP.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 03/14/2019 23:03 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Culture Wars
A Muslim soldier says her command sergeant major forced her to remove her hijab
[Army Times] Sgt. Cesilia Valdovinos was at a chapel at Fort Carson, Colorado, for a suicide prevention briefing on March 6 when she says her command sergeant major grabbed her by the arm, took her outside and made her remove her religious head covering in front of others.

The senior noncommissioned officer believed that Valdovinos, 26, who has an approved exemption from her brigade commander to wear a hijab in uniform, was wearing her hair out of regulations underneath it, she told Army Times on Tuesday.

"To me, it was the same thing as if they had asked someone to take their top off," the soldier, a member of the 704th Brigade Support Battalion, said.
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/14/2019 08:10 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under: Moslem Colonists

#1  So much for the career of Command Sgt. Maj. Kerstin Montoya. "Change of Responsibility Ceremony" coming soon, or possibly not.
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/14/2019 8:14 Comments || Top||

#2  So where are the witnesses? Or was this only between them outside?

If no one saw it and testifies to it, my vote goes with "the bitch is lying".
Posted by: DarthVader || 03/14/2019 8:24 Comments || Top||

#3  The veteran NCO's from the 70's predicted these antics at the time. How much time and effort will be wasted on 'resolving' this idiocy?
Posted by: Cesare || 03/14/2019 9:17 Comments || Top||

#4  And I thought the 'DAP' and razor bumps were a challenge. Just didn't know how good we had it
Posted by: Besoeker || 03/14/2019 9:32 Comments || Top||

#5  Better with a helmet
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/14/2019 13:50 Comments || Top||

#6  Hijab or handjob, I get so confused.
Posted by: Skidmark || 03/14/2019 14:39 Comments || Top||

#7  Its probably not a good idea to confuse those two Skidmark.
Posted by: CrazyFool || 03/14/2019 15:45 Comments || Top||


Government
Trump orders to ground all Boeing Max 8 over US airspace
[Dhaka Tribune]
Posted by: Fred || 03/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I guess.... I find it interesting that for the last two years Boeing has been taking Airbus market away with the 737, to the point Airbus has closed production. The minute this accident happened the EU, which owns Airbus, banned the aircraft from flying. No data, no facts, just political hysteria claiming it was just like the last crash. Gee, if that's the truth then they should have stopped flying anything Lufthansa was working on because the crash was attributed to poor maintenance by Lufthansa. Even more questionable is the data recorder is being sent to the EU, not to the FAA and Boeing. Who in the EEU will review the data and intellectual data for the EU? It will be Boeing competitor, Airbus. There is a lot at play here, unfortunately its more political than factual.
Posted by: 49 Pan || 03/14/2019 16:48 Comments || Top||

#2  That is incredibly useful background, 49 Pan. Thank you.
Posted by: trailing wife || 03/14/2019 18:29 Comments || Top||

#3  Something smelled. Thanks 49 Pan.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 03/14/2019 18:41 Comments || Top||

#4  I just hope that the truth is not buried. Airbus has had software problems, too. This investigation should go beyond market competition. The truth is often surrounded by a body guard of bull sh*t, to roughly paraphrase Churchill (Winston, not Ward).
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 03/14/2019 19:07 Comments || Top||



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Two weeks of WOT
Thu 2019-03-14
  Niger Says It Killed 33 Boko Haram 'Terrorists'
Wed 2019-03-13
  SDF close in on ISIS in Baghouz
Tue 2019-03-12
  Baghouz: ISIS militants retreat underground as coalition offensive resumes
Mon 2019-03-11
  Foreign ISIS brides isolated after attacking ‘infidel’ refugees at Syrian camp
Sun 2019-03-10
  More than 60 Taliban militants killed in Special Forces operations and airstrikes
Sat 2019-03-09
  JuD offices in Muridke, Lahore taken over
Fri 2019-03-08
  Nine border tunnels uncovered, destroyed in North Sinai
Thu 2019-03-07
  Blasts target major Shia ceremony in Afghanistan's Kabul
Wed 2019-03-06
  Masood Azhar's son, brother detained in govt crackdown against banned organisations
Tue 2019-03-05
  Indian strike on LeT camp in Muzaffarabad?
Mon 2019-03-04
  Germany to strip 'Islamic State' fighters' citizenship
Sun 2019-03-03
  Syrian Army kills 7 ISIS fighters attempting to escape from Euphrates bastion, SDF advancing on 5 fronts, 3 wounded
Sat 2019-03-02
  Return of captured Indian pilot.
Fri 2019-03-01
  Huge blast rocks Somali capital, killing at least five- police UPDATE: Fighting Continues Into Friday
Thu 2019-02-28
  17 killed in Mali by booby-trapped corpse
Wed 2019-02-27
  Pakistan says it shot down 2 Indian warplanes, shut down its airspace


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