A cool box containing the heads of four men has been delivered to police in Mexico.
The grisly discovery was made by a messenger who took delivery of the parcel at the main police station in Ascension, near the violent city of Ciudad Juarez, on the US border.
The container was marked "sensitive," and police first believed the shipment was meant to be delivered to a hospital.
The heads are from men aged between 25 and 35 and could belong to any of 10 local residents who were kidnapped last week by gunmen.
Police are working to identify the heads and inform next of kin.
Ciudad Juarez is said to be the most dangerous city in the country, with more than 1,000 of Mexico's 3,800 drug-linked killings taking place there since the start of the year.
More than 200,000 white-clad demonstrators took to the streets earlier this year to protest over rising violent crime.
More people have been killed this year than in all of 2007 with Mexico overtaking Colombia and Iraq with its kidnapping record.
However, numbers could be much higher as many rights groups say two or three more kidnappings are committed for each one reported.
#1
Doesn't this belong under WOT Ops? This has gone beyond mere criminal activity with the narco terrorists making war against Mexico's government just like the Taliban in Afghanistan and FARC in Columbia.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
10/21/2008 11:54 Comments ||
Top||
#2
Wow, that box ya got there is so...cool. Whatcha got in it?
Russia's leaders are determined to massively increase their spending to expand and modernize their armed forces, but with global oil prices collapsing, where are they going to find the money to do it?
#1
Why don't they fund it the old-fashioned way! Print more money. Personally, I would like to see Russia compete with Zimbabwa for highest inflation rate. It would help keep them out of other people's business, like Poland's defense maneuvuers for example.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
10/21/2008 14:23 Comments ||
Top||
#2
They can always sell their crappy weapons to low grade dictators.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
10/21/2008 15:05 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Russia is run by a short sighted group. They need to plan for internal unrest (Islamic folks) and their borders with Islamic nations, and the totally unpopulated region in their East that is coveted by the Chinese. They don't need a large offensive ability they need a well drilled National Guard that would be able to defend their property from incursion.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that Moscow expects to be given permanent access to parts of a US anti-missile shield to be installed in the Czech Republic, Russian news agencies said.
"A non-permanent presence, meaning limited visits, changes nothing except to reinforce our suspicions," Lavrov said on arriving at the Armenian capital of Yerevan, where the Russian president is on a visit, the Ria Novosti news agency reported. "We welcome the idea of a permanent Russian presence and a permanent check, both physical and technical, and this would assuage our fears," Interfax news agency quoted Lavrov as saying.
Um, no ...
Last month Prague and Washington signed an agreement clearing the way for stationing US missile defence radar in the Czech Republic by around 2012. The radar would be paired with 10 interceptor missiles stationed in Poland with the aim of countering any missile threat from a "rogue" country, such as Iran.
Moscow has vehemently objected to the stationing of the missile defences in the former Soviet bloc countries, insisting that it could one day be turned against Russia.
#2
Help me out here, guys. Just how easy is it to turn intercepter missles into offensive weapons?
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
10/21/2008 14:17 Comments ||
Top||
#3
We should create a fake base and let them have access to that. Computer generated animations can be used to fake tests and show them how our base can knock down millions of incoming rockets. It could be fun.
An interceptor is going to have a minimal payload as it's only expected to create enough shrapnel to shred a nearby missile. It could be used offensively but it would be pretty sad in the damage department. It would be much easier to use a sub-launched missile designed to have a real punch that could be submerged beneath the baltic sea if we wanted to mess with the Russians.
Putin and the Russians are afraid their arms sales will die off if everyone believes there is an effective anti-missile system (they created Scuds after all). They also hope that they can learn something to improve their own anti-missile and anti-plane defense systems, again to increase sales.
The Russians should just shut up and wait for Obama to give them what they want.
#7
Depending on who is sitting in the White house next year, the Russians may very well get everything they want. Has not the Obamassiah ssid that HE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD? This is an example of the everyday nickle and dime stuff the President can do with a stroke of a pen.
Posted by: Minister of funny walks ||
10/21/2008 15:03 Comments ||
Top||
#8
"An interceptor is going to have a minimal payload as it's only expected to create enough shrapnel to shred a nearby missile."
It does not have shrapnel. It is a kinetic kill vehicle with IR guidance.
#10
Which fears and suspicions do you have? Russians are not the ones trying to build a new "iron" (err interceptor) curtain.
Not the peaceful Russians! They aren't the ones selling weapons to any nation that opposes the US. They aren't the ones building new nukes and mobile ballistic missiles and pointing them at the west. They aren't the ones throwing anti-western rhetoric any chance they get. They aren't the ones giving nuclear tech to nations hostile to the US and the West.
Considering the Russians can completely overwhelm the defenses, what is the fear about 10 anti-missile missiles?
Either you are completely naive or a complete moron.
#13
Considering the Russians can completely overwhelm the defenses, what is the fear about 10 anti-missile missiles?
It is not just those, there is more coming all over the place. And as I said the other day it's the radars we don't want. But you would not know that b/c you are a f-ng troll who does not pay attention.
#16
To those willing to buy in full compliance with the international law.
You know what international law is at the end of the day without the US to enforce it?
Ink stains on decaying paper.
And me, a troll? Apparently you haven't been around very much. And apparently I hit a nerve.
Besides, the Russians can't do much about anything since their society is crumbling faster than your credibility EXCEPT launch a nuclear attack. Their population is collapsing, they have no real infrastructure, no real way to keep the majority of their military up to speed and no real options other than a nuclear one to keep China out of the Siberian oil and gas fields.
So, go back to your sycophant job and continue to be a leech on society. I'm finishing lunch and am going back to help pay for all those nice missiles and the stupid bailout plan.
#18
Besides, the Russians can't do much about anything since their society is crumbling faster than your credibility EXCEPT launch a nuclear attack. Their population is collapsing, they have no real infrastructure, no real way to keep the majority of their military up to speed and no real options other than a nuclear one to keep China out of the Siberian oil and gas fields.
You must be out of your mind. Regarding each and every point in your blurb.
Also, the U.S. is not the only country enforcing the "international law."
#20
CG --- But you would not know that b/c you are a f-ng troll who does not pay attention.
There's no double standard in using "moron" #10 & #11 as compared to "f-ng troll who does not pay attention."
Posted by: A Mod ||
10/21/2008 16:29 Comments ||
Top||
#21
Looks close to me, but I guess it is a matter of taste or idiosyncratic sensitivities. Moron is fine then. I'll use that one next time around.
Thanks.
#23
G C, anti-missle missles do indeed have a warhead that explodes. It's just that our targeting and control systems have gotten so good the anti-missle usually hits.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
10/21/2008 16:36 Comments ||
Top||
#24
What do you do -- chase Manhattan ambulances to make them go faster?
No, lawyers of this kind do not typically work on Manhattan - those are the personal injury attorneys. Besides, this practice is not allowed. You must have seen in a Paul Newman movie. Has not happened in real life for decades now.
#26
To those willing to buy in full compliance with the international law.
To whom has Russia been selling such interesting things lately? I seem to recall Russian nuclear and missile technicians in Iran and Syria, crossing paths with the North Koreans. What was the claimed reason for needing a missile defence shield in Central Europe? As for the access, that was offered to Russia before the agreements were finalized, but they were not then interested, as I recall. But do please explain to me how international law forbids defensive weapons when another country makes threats, such as Iran toward Europe -- while I have some grasp of the laws applying to Americans resident in the EU, such complicated things are well beyond my ken.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have the opportunity of a useful session of Rantburg University. Professor General_Comment, you have the floor. :-)
#27
G C, anti-missle missles do indeed have a warhead that explodes. It's just that our targeting and control systems have gotten so good the anti-missle usually hits.
That's for the older systems which used expoding warheads to form a ring X-section.
For the exoatmospheric vehicle this is not needed since kinetic energy is so great (it is just going to weight it down).
#29
As for the access, that was offered to Russia before the agreements were finalized, but they were not then interested, as I recall
Nope, Russians were never allowed a permanent presence. Just now Chechs are toying with an idea of "scheduled visits," which is not even theirs to begin with. Obviously, this is not going to work. The permanent presence is needed to allow for real-time monitoring.
Many of our clients are international in scope and so are we. The firm has a multi-disciplinary office in Paris and consistently cultivates associations with many other prominent law firms throughout the world. Additionally, we are actively engaged within a preferred network of firms from countries around the globe. With this panel of firms, we work with the highest caliber of lawyers of choice within each country when the needs of a particular matter arise. These non-exclusive arrangements involve representations of clients in a number of practice areas, including cross-border corporate and finance, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, joint ventures and other disciplines for which the associated firms and their lawyers are highly regarded.
#33
That's for the older systems which used expoding warheads to form a ring X-section.
For the exoatmospheric vehicle this is not needed since kinetic energy is so great (it is just going to weight it down). Damn. That time working for Raytheon and I don't know jack. Rats.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
10/21/2008 18:38 Comments ||
Top||
China's growth decelerated sharply and unexpectedly in the third quarter of this year to 9 percent, raising fears that the global financial crisis could pull one of the world's fastest-growing economies into a recession.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/21/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
ION CHINA, WORLD MILITARY FORUM > JAPAN DISCOVERS CHINESE PLAN SURFACE FLEET [3 Missle-armed warships + supply ship] IN TSUGARU STRAIT PASSING INTO THE PACIFIC; + US THINK TANK STUDY [RAND]: US CANNOT STOP CHINA FROM ATTACKING TAIWAN IN 2020; + TOPIX > CHINA REITERATES CLAIM TO DISPUTED ISLAND [South Korea].
#2
But wait, wasn't China suppose to overtake the US? How can this be? /sarcasm off
The bad news is that faced with the turmoil associated with a recession, central governments usually try to distract the population with 'adventures'. The Taiwanese ought to be more nervous.
#3
Wasn't the Soviet Union supposed to overtake the U.S. in... ummm... 1973, was it? I seem to remember that was the projection... It musta been so, cuz an expert at the Rand Corporation said it.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/21/2008 9:42 Comments ||
Top||
#4
In all fairness, China's GDP reduced to a mere 9%--which is still 6 ti mes faster than our GDP growth rate. I'd still wait to throw out the assumption that they will overtake us at some point.
#5
At 4% next quarter, it may still be growing 6 times faster, but the political effects will be much more devastating. It is going to be a real challenge for China to traverse this recession without upheaval.
And China will not be overtaking us on GDP/capita for a century at least. Too many demographic issues.
#6
I wonder how close that claimed 9% growth is to reality, and whether it takes into account the perilous state of China's financial system? Were China to achieve an America-like standard of living, that would be lovely; they would be able then to invest in significant reduction of the pollution they currently produce, and fewer of their citizens would be harmed by unsafe products.
#7
Their GDP/capita will definitely not match us for a long while. What's more concerning to me is their total GDP--as a sizeable % (perhaps 10%) of China's national budget goes to defense, it won't be long before they can spend more than us on their military, and with their lower R&D costs (cheaper engineers and scientists etc), the difference will get compounded over time.
#8
If I hadn't heard it all before about Russia and Japan, I'd be pretty concerned. There's no doubt China can make a lot of mischief, but there is no more chance it is going to challenge us as global hegemon than that we will invade and conquer it. That's not to say we should ignore the Chinese, but they aren't 10 ft tall, either.
#9
Hope you are right. China does have serious advantages over Russia and Japan in terms of natural resources, population, and sustainability, so I am not so certain.
Similar for India. They are less likely to be a military threat, but I can see them being a major economic adversary in the future.
#10
Part of Russian and Japanese declines can be attributed to their inability to maintain population levels and a sustainable population pyramid. In Japan's case especially, their population structure does not look anywhere like a pyramid. (i.e. Too small of a working age population supporting a large retired population). And it's only getting worse--with fewer taxes that can be collected from the population. That's why they can't afford anything. China is in a completely different boat.
#11
Sort of, sludge. As long as all those young men don't mind marrying non-Chinese women - seeing as to how China's one-child policy and the way third-world countries value princes boys over icky servant girls, they don't have nearly enough young women to make the next generation.
Should be interesting watching their short-sighted policies come home to roost.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
10/21/2008 19:23 Comments ||
Top||
#12
IIRC there's a good supply of available ladies in the Philippines. The problem for the Chinese is that they consider themselves culturally superior and 'outsiders', particularly less well off, as inferior 'stock'.
[Consider that as compared to the 'racist' Americans who'll adopt children of any color, race, or creed, or our young men in uniform who will also marry any color, race, or creed.]
#13
"The problem for the Chinese is that they consider themselves culturally superior and 'outsiders', particularly less well off, as inferior 'stock'."
Yes, P2K - but I wasn't going to mention that....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
10/21/2008 20:06 Comments ||
Top||
#15
Also note that in 2025 the average Chinese age will be higher than the American. They are getting older faster than they are getting richer. They are going to lose the race, at least in the medium run. In the long run, we're all dead.
#16
I was going over the population pyramids. You guys are more or less right about China. India, on the other hand, seems to be capable of keeping their growth intact for a lot longer. India overtaking us at some point doesn't seem as scary a prospect tho.
#18
My observation of the One Child policy is that it is not such a big deal, at least in the south, the part I'm more familiar with. The policy only applies to urban Hans, rural Han and minorities are exempt.
The majority of new workers in the south (Quandong)are female flooding in from rural areas in the north.
Also children of one child families can have more than one child.
The population growth of China is higher than most European countries (1.7) although lower than the US (2.1)
To shore up a tumbling stock market and a troubled currency, South Korea announced Sunday that it would guarantee $100 billion in foreign debt and supply $30 billion to banks and exporters in urgent need of dollars.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/21/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
(AKI) - The trial of 86 people accused of a plot to overthrow the Turkish government was delayed in Istanbul on Monday because of overcrowding in the court room.
A Turkish court was to begin hearing the case against those accused of belonging to a group that allegedly plotted to overthrow the country's Islamist-rooted government. The Turkish news site, Hurriyet, said proceedings were delayed and the judge was to make an interim decision on whether to begin the trial.
Among the 86 suspects - 46 of who are remanded in custody - are retired army officers, politicians, journalists, and academics who are alleged to be members of the Ergenekon group that fiercely opposes the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). In the controversial case, the accused will answer about 30 separate charges ranging from membership in a terrorist organisation and instigating an armed uprising against the government to arson and illegal possession of weapons.
Prosecutors will argue the group plotted a series of attacks aimed at provoking the military into carrying out a coup. A 2,455-page indictment claims the group was responsible for at least two violent attacks - a bombing of a secularist newspaper in 2006 and an attack on a court in which a judge was killed.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/21/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[4 views]
Top|| File under:
An older article that currently relevant and is well worth the read. Isn't it funny to see a self proclaimed "community organizer" spend so much time distancing himself from a community organization.
Sen. Barack Obama will take a break from campaigning Thursday so he can visit his ailing grandmother in Hawaii, an Obama spokesman said Monday.
Sen. Barack Obama will take a break from campaigning so he can visit his ailing grandmother.
"Sen. Obama's grandmother Madelyn Dunham has always been one of the most important people in his life," spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters.
"In the last few weeks, her health has deteriorated to the point where her situation is very serious. It is for that reason that Sen. Obama has decided to change his schedule on Thursday and Friday so that he can see her and spend some time with her," Gibbs said.
The interruption will cause Obama to cancel Thursday events in Madison, Wisconsin and Des Moines, Iowa. He will do an event in Indianapolis, Indiana, Thursday morning before leaving and will return to the campaign Saturday, Gibbs said.
Michelle Obama will fill in for her husband on Friday at previously scheduled events in Columbus and Akron, Ohio, his campaign said.
Posted by: Scott R ||
10/21/2008 14:53 Comments ||
Top||
#4
On a more serious note. It seems to me that very time something seriously stupid has been uttered by the Obama campaign he takes off to Hawaii for a couple days until things blow over. During that time his surrogates bring out the long knives to even things up a bit.
Posted by: Scott R ||
10/21/2008 14:57 Comments ||
Top||
#8
It has also been suggested that Obama has to get to Hawaii immediately, because there is a good possibility that a federal judge will demand he present 3 different documents, only available in Hawaii (or not) to assert not only that he is eligible to be elected as POTUS, but to show that he is a US citizen at all.
"According to Rule 36 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a party upon whom requests for admissions have been served must respond, within 30 days, or else the matters in the requests will be automatically deemed conclusively admitted for purposes of the pending action."
On September 15, as part of the federal lawsuit against Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee they were both served with just such a request, and have not responded within 30 days.
The Federal Rules require that a response to a request for admissions be served within the 30-day time limit, or else Obama and the DNC are admitting that he is not only not eligible to serve as POTUS, but may in fact not even be a citizen of the US.
#9
I'm very sorry to hear she's so ill. I'm sure she did her best to raise her grandson right, but he chose a different path - one that tossed her under a bus with other "typical white people."
I'm also unfortunately thinking unkind thoughts, since she is both gravely ill and elderly, about the timing of her death. If I were her, I think I'd have a trusted doctor and/or nurse beside me 24/7 until after the election.
Just sayin'. :-(
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
10/21/2008 18:06 Comments ||
Top||
#10
I, find funny he is going to Hawai for a broken hip. There is something else.
#11
I doubt it, JFM; keep in mind, he's probably as close or closer to his grandmother than he is to his mother; she was the one who was there to raise him between the ages of 7 and 17 or whenever it was.
#12
I wonder about the timing. Despite the long-knives comment which I hadn't considered, the timing couldn't be worse. If he's going to deal with legal issues he should have done so 29 days ago (or whenever he was on vacation in Hawaii).
If she's really hurt he's screwed because McCain just caught up within the margin of error and his VP is proving to be a handicap.
Part of me wonders if his own polling isn't showing some really bad trends and this is the start of an excuse to insure he gets another shot in 2012.
#13
As I understand it, his grandmother's been largely missing from his campaign. It may be legit. He's already got a rep for neglecting and ignoring politically unconnected relatives, if he let his "average white person" die unattended, it might turn into A Thing.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
10/21/2008 18:45 Comments ||
Top||
#14
JFM nailed it. texas darlin has the scoop. If you haven't already heard, don't go dismissing it offhand. There is MUCH fire behind the smoke and basically, the Obama camp is reduced to the argument that there is no mechanism in the constitution to make him PROVE that he is eligible.
This is a HUGE story and it is just flaming UNBEELEEEVABLE that no one is touching it. If he actually manages to win this election, this has the potential to start a civil war as it is highly likely that he is not elibible to be POTUS. Law suits can and probably will be filed in all 50 states. While it may be that the SC will determine this election, I can't help but wondering what will happen if some states refuse to accept a non-natural born citizen as POTUS.
And those who say he is eligible because his mom is a citizen - do your homework and read up before you spew. This is a huge back story and the implications are frightening.
#6
Boy am I glad I'm not rich, or even close to it. Cause these guys are going to try to pillage them if they get their boy in the slot. Themselves excepted, of course.
#7
It's class warfare envy time. "rich"= anyone who makes more than you. If the marxist limited himself to the truly rich, he'd have to tax them at 100%+ to get all the revenue he needs for his next "affordable housing" program. And yet somehow, his buddies like Soros would still not have to pay.
Posted by: Minister of funny walks ||
10/21/2008 11:26 Comments ||
Top||
#8
Mark Steyn at Nat. Review's The Corner is just now reporting that Mark Foley (ex-R, Fl) has come forward to endorse Obama.
I can see a campaign spot featuring Bawney and Mawk. Can McCain?
#9
From the World Socialist Web Site, believe it or not. They aren't too happy with him either
If Barney Frank is a capitalist, as he proudly proclaims, he has become one thanks to his political career in the Democratic Party. His most recent financial disclosure forms indicate a net worth in financial assets of well over $1 million, with an extensive portfolio of investments.
His relations with Wall Streets largest banks and finance houses have stood him in good stead. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, he pulled in $1.8 million in campaign contributions in the run-up to the 2006 election. He is well on his way to substantially topping that figure in the present campaign season, recording $1.2 million in contributions by the end of March. Securities and Investment firms were responsible for $164,600 of that money, real estate interests for $156,401, law firms for $130,768, insurance companies for $117,674 and commercial banks for $74,350.
In return, he has dutifully defended these massive financial interests, acting as a key architect of the government bailout of Bear Stearns earlier this year and now the plan to prop up the mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with unlimited cash from the federal Treasury.
#14
"Raise taxes on the upper 5% of incomes, give it to the people who pay no taxes."
"From each according to their ability, to each according to their need. Karl Marx - 1875"
This is a tax cut. Barack Obama - 2008
Posted by: Minister of funny walks ||
10/21/2008 13:15 Comments ||
Top||
#15
Sing it!Why weep or slumber America
Land of brave and true
With castles and clothing and food
for all
All belongs to you
Ev'ry man a King, ev'ry man a King
For you can be a millionaire
But there's something belonging to others
There's enough for all people to share
When it's sunny June and December too
Or in the Winter time or Spring
There'll be peace without end
Ev'ry neighbor a friend
With ev'ry man a King
#16
Everyone needs to understand Fwanks, and all the Dims, definition of RICH. "You have a job and a dollar in your pocket you're RICH." Seriously, Obama has come as close as any Democrat to defining his version of RICH, but he only talks about income, over $250K/yr, not accumulated wealth. If there's any wealth left in this country after the mess caused by Franks, Dobbs, Obama and their fellow travelers at Fannie and Freddie, they'll be coming for it.
#17
Don't forget all those 'mysterious' donations adding up the largest campaign chest in history. That didn't come from the 'little' people. Notice how those sources somehow always end up with lots of money to dump into the machine. Hey, Bawney why not just savage your own party's contribution list, just consider the looting tax their fair share. They obviously got it, go get it.
#20
The solution is easy. If you want more tax money tax wealth not income. Then the trust fund babies (Paris Hilton, Kennedy's) will be taxed a lot and we'll suddenly see an end to this class warfare rhettoric.
All it is, is a wish list made by uneducated people living in their childish imaginations, with absolutely NO IDEA of how economies work. It's gimme, gimme, gimme.
I say, get OUT OF CHICAGO, move to a Western state, and work your butt off.
Then you'll get it. Then you'll understand.
Obama is just like all the other users and losers who call themselves "leaders of the African-American community. Totally corrupt. In it for himself. He'll make his fortune being the "PROMISE DADDY MASSUH" to all the black people.
In general, the community he's "reaching" is not smart enough to see past this junk. They'll either find out, or Obama will keep up the "Whitey's keepin' us down" routine ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIS PRESIDENCY and beyond. Classic Marxist rhetoric and follow-through. No one but the party bosses get anything. Obama is playing the proletariat for his own gain.
Hope it was tasty. Hey--wonder how much the room at the Waldorf Astoria cost and how many poor black families your one little snack could have fed and for how long. What was that? I couldn't hear you Obama.
#4
#2 Don't forget HOLLYWOOD! GUAM PDN > seems the Hollywood Screen Actors Guild and aligned is seeking FEDERAL MEDIATION in new union = strike rights negotiations???
ION WORLD MILITARY FORUM [paraph]: "QUTAN" CANADIAN PAPER: US FINANCIAL CRISIS + EXCESSIVE INTERNATIONAL DEBT(S) REPAYMENT DEMANDS MAY FORCE US TO "YARD SALE" LARGE SWATHES OF SOVEREIGN US TERRITORY, CITIES AND ENCLAVES, either TO RETURN OR RE-CEDE TO ORGINAL OWNERS [e.g. PRE-REVOLUTIONARY WAR EUROS] OR IN LEGAL HANDOVER TO POTENT LOCAL ETHNIC MINORITIES WHOSE HOME/ANCESTRAL NATIONS HOLD US DEBTS e.g. SAN FRANCISCO = renamed "NEW BEIJING"???
IOW, US Breakup and Partition due to Amer' LEGAL FAILURE TO MEET ITS INTERNATIONAL DEBT(S)LIGATIONS.
#5
Lest we fergit, CHINA > desires up to 1/2 OR MORE OF CONUS-NORAM AS FUTURE CHINESE "LIVING SPACE".
D *** NG IT, DON'T SEND TANKS, SEND [default]LAWYERS!
*OTOH, also from WORLD MILITARY FORUM [paraph] > US TESTING OF AEROSPACE MISSLE CARRIERS [Jan 2007] GIVES AMERICA POWERFUL NUCLEAR SURPRISE AND FIRST-STRIKE SPACE BOMBARDMENT ATTACK OPTIONS.
#10
Maybe it matters, maybe it doesn't, but the observation has been made that the 2 signatures on the receipt are identical.
I compared them in overlay, and agree. While one is slightly resized, they are the same signature.
I am an objective conservative and view this suspiciously, as with the original posting of the COLB. There are much bigger issues to focus on, which is why I view this as an intentional distraction planted to waste our time and divert our attention.
#13
This is so outrageous and frightening, I feel compelled to doubt its veracity. No wonder Obama is doing everything he can to distance himself from ACORN.
PALM BEACH GARDENS -- In divorce papers filed Monday, the wife of Congressman Tim Mahoney claims her husband "recently sold jointly owned real property" moved the proceeds to an account in his name and "dissipated funds from said account."
"[Sniff!] He treated me like a taxpayer, yer honor!"
Terry Ellen Mahoney also claims that in the last two years Tim Mahoney "dissipated marital assets" and asks for a full accounting of the transactions so that she can collect her share.
"Whatcha mean 'dissipated,' little lady?"
"Wimmin and booze, yer honor!"
Tim Mahoney, who has admitted to "numerous" affairs, said he paid Patricia Allen of Hobe Sound, a former staffer with whom he was romantically linked, $121,000 out of his own pocket to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit Allen threatened.
"You know sexual harrassment's against the law, don't you, sweetums?"
"I thought blackmail was, too."
In a petition for dissolution of marriage filed Monday by Stuart attorney Karen Steger in the North Palm Beach County Courthouse, Terry Mahoney says the couple's marriage is "irretrievably broken and should be dissolved."
"Yeah, yer honor! There wuz one too many other wimmin!"
"How many was 'one too many'?"
"Somewhere around eleven, I think."
Terry Mahoney states in the petition that she is "in need of temporary, lump sum, rehabilitative and permanent periodic alimony, which the husband is well able to provide for."
"If he can support multiple girlfriends, yer honor, he should be able to work me in, too!"
In his most recent financial disclosure form filed with Congress, Tim Mahoney listed his net worth as between $3.2 million and $12.7 million.
"He told me he was a 'man of the people,' yer honor, but it turned out all the people were floozies!"
Terry Mahoney also is seeking medical and dental coverage and a life insurance policy on Tim Mahoney with her as the "irrevocable beneficiary" to ensure the continued alimony payment.
"Long as I've got an enormous life insurance policy on him, he can catch anything he wants, especially if it's fatal!"
The Mahoneys have an adult daughter, Bailey Mahoney.
"Mom? Is it true that Dad is... ummm... "
"An anus? Yes. It's true."
Tim Mahoney said in an interview Friday with Treasure Coast Newspapers, "I owe my wife and daughter an apology, and I owe all my constituents ... what I did is I failed them, I let them down, period. There is no excuse."
"Terry Ellen, can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"
"Tim, I..."
[Ring! Ring!]
"Hey, baby! Can I call you back later? I'm in the middle of somethin'..."
Tim Mahoney's congressional office had no comment Monday. Steger declined comment, saying, "The divorce petition speaks for itself." The congressman and Terry Mahoney could not be reached for comment.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/21/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[4 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Will Mahoney's faithful constituents prove true and re-elect him? Stay tuned....
CHARLEROI, Pa. -- U.S. Rep. John Murtha is calling many of the people who put him in office "rednecks."
That sucker's got Alzheimers, and I'll betcha those dumbasses still reelect him.
The news comes one week after Murtha claimed the area is racist, then apologized for that comment.
In explaining his comments about racism, Murtha told WTAE it's difficult for many in the area to change. Murtha said that just five to 10 years ago the entire area was "redneck."
Now Murtha said only certain segments of the population are holding on to those racist feelings.
Just days after classifying western Pennsylvania as racist, Murtha took a step back from those comments, albeit a small one. "What I said, that indicted everybody, that's not what I meant at all. What I mean is there's still folks that have a problem voting for someone because they are black," Murtha said.
Murtha said the history of southwestern Pennsylvania is rife with racism.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/21/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[0 views]
Top|| File under:
That's a BFO, blinding flash of the obvious. They've been fools since he turned state's evidence in Abscam. They're out to get their 'piece of the pie' and nothing else. If they needed real work in the district there have been dozens and dozens of NIMBY opportunities they could have acquired. They want the tit at the federal treasury but none of the crap.
#4
WestertnPA is symptomatic of the idiotic "I don't care, gimme mine" boomer culture that is destroying this country.
Insult the voters, call them names, screw the achievers by taxing the hell out of them, scam the government by filling up on pork, slander the armed forces, advocate losing a war, but make sure they get their government check on time, and the fools will reelect you.
#8
In my experience, Western PA is an aging, decaying area with relatively few boomers and Gen-Xers. The productive boomers moved out to states that actually produce good jobs, the Gen-Xers went elsewhere for college or, again, actual jobs, and the rational retirees moved to Florida or Arizona.
What's left are the unionist retirees, government employees, and their hangers-on. *Especially* in Murtha's district along the apocalyptic remnants of the old Mon Valley industrial wasteland. They haven't had a collective new thought since sometime in the late Carter administration. Swann went politically broke counting on these assholes.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
10/21/2008 18:57 Comments ||
Top||
#9
Anyone who cares to help kick this turd out of Congress can donate to William Russell, who's apparently got a pretty good shot at kicking his tail. Website here.
Takes PayPal as well as credit cards, and also has a printable form to send with a check. It's not too late. I've donated more than once, and will do so again later in the month.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
10/21/2008 19:34 Comments ||
Top||
CAMBRIDGE - U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, had some choice words for the political press corps and, in particular, cable news Monday. "These are the exciting last two week moments of the presidential campaign," the Boston Democrat said. "So it's a very special time. I can't wait for it to be over. I am so tired of the press' silly questions that they ask along the way. And cable television which reduces everything to stupidity - the lowest common denominator of conflict."
Kerry tried to relay to the audience what it is like to face the press corps' inquiries. "I don't know if any of you know what it's like. I do, obviously," he said. "I've been asked all of those brilliant questions that were repeated this year."
"Barack got asked the famous boxers or briefs question," Kerry went on. "I was tempted to say commando."
The senator said Obama successfully parried that question but that John McCain, the GOP nominee, had some problems. "Then they asked McCain and McCain said, 'Depends,'" Kerry said to lots of laughter from the crowd.
Russia and India were Monday laying the groundwork for the signing of a civil nuclear energy deal, following New Delhi's signing of similar pacts with Washington and Paris, officials said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was in India for talks with his counterpart Pranab Mukherjee as well as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, ahead of an expected visit to New Delhi in December by President Dmitry Medvedev.
An Indian foreign ministry official said the two former Cold War allies were expected to sign an atomic energy deal when Medvedev makes his first visit on December 5.
The pact, agreed on during a visit by former Russian president Vladimir Putin in January 2007, envisages Russia building four reactors in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
India is now allowed to shop for technology and nuclear reactors after the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group lifted its ban on New Delhi in early September following hard lobbying by Washington.
India has a nuclear market estimated at 100 billion euros (142 billion dollars) over 15 years. and the ZINGER - maybe nuke weapons?
India and Russia are also looking at a pact allowing joint development of weapon systems, officials said.
The Freedom well was drilled to a total depth of approximately 29,280 feet (8,927 meters) and encountered greater than 550 net feet of hydrocarbon-bearing sands in Middle and Lower Miocene reservoirs. Appraisal will be required to determine the size and commerciality of the discovery.
BP America has announced an oil discovery at its Freedom Prospect in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The well, located in Mississippi Canyon Block 948, approximately 70 miles southeast of the Louisiana Coast, is in about 6,100 feet (1,860 meters) of water.
#1
Good. Although I suspect the "Appraisal (that) will be required to determine the size and commerciality of the discovery" will include the results of the election in November.
#5
Current saturation diving technology puts you around 1,600-1,800 ft of water max. You'd have to do all the deep work with Remote Operated Vehicles(ROV's) and that would be complicated maybe even impractical. Are there any fields in 6,100 ft of water?
#7
bigjim, I'm not sure if there are fields producing in 6000' of water yet or not, but there are other discoveries considered commercial in near that depth, and there is production from considerable deeper than divers can go.
As far as costs - production structures are probably the better part of $1 billion. Wells cost around $100 million to drill. You might put a dozen or two on a structure, depending on field size. Then there are oil transportation costs - pipeline or tanker. It takes a lot of oil and substantial production rates to make a project like this economic - it won't be at $60/barrel or 30% royalty burden. And hurricane risk is a big deal - we lost one deepwater production structure to Rita. (Also note that BP did not say whether the 550' of hydrocarbon was oil or gas or (most likely) a mix - that also makes a difference in economics.
When given a choice about how government should address the numerous economic difficulties facing today's consumer, Americans overwhelmingly -- by 84% to 13% -- prefer that the government focus on improving overall economic conditions and the jobs situation in the United States as opposed to taking steps to distribute wealth more evenly among Americans. . . .
B.O.'s still gonna win the election, because he gives people "hope." Then he's gonna "share the wealth." You "share the wealth" by taking from the rich and giving to the poor. The route to the poor lies through friends of B.O., who will receive lucrative contracts to "organize" the poor. The poor end up receiving the redistributed wealth not in cash but in "services," which involve large numbers of people holding slips of paper with numbers on them sitting around rooms furnished with plastic chairs in unimaginatively designed concrete buildings awaiting the attention of bureacrats, some few of whom will attempt to elicit sexual favors before proviving a referral to some other bureaucrat.
Americans' lack of support for redistributing wealth to fix the economy spans political parties: Republicans (by 90% to 9%) prefer that the government focus on improving the economy, as do independents (by 85% to 13%) and Democrats (by 77% to 19%). This sentiment also extends across income groups: upper-income Americans prefer that the government focus on improving the economy and jobs by 88% to 10%, concurring with middle-income (83% to 16%) and lower-income (78% to 17%) Americans. . . .
A separate question finds Americans more likely to believe government is doing too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses (50%) as opposed to saying government should do more to solve the country's problems (43%). This broad question is not directed specifically at the economy, but reinforces the general idea that many Americans are leery of too much direct government intervention in fixing the country's problems.
This philosophical issue appears to divide Americans by both political party and income groups. Republicans think the government is currently doing too much, by 72% to 24%; independents are split, with 47% saying the government is doing too much and 44% saying it is not doing enough; and Democrats say the government needs to do more by 58% to 36%. . . .
With Barack Obama suggesting a variety of tax increases for upper-income Americans and John McCain opposing them, one might assume that Americans' minimal support for government getting into wealth redistribution to help the economy would favor McCain. Although the margins are much smaller when it comes to the idea that government is doing too much as opposed to too little to solve the country's problems, this issue would also seem to favor McCain. . . .
Posted by: Mike ||
10/21/2008 12:41 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[0 views]
Top|| File under:
#2
Media: Nothing to see here, move along.
At least this news really is dog bites man.
People should think and not just "feel" before voting. Based on the issues, Obama should be getting no more than 25% of the vote. Others are blinded by his shiny-newness, They are in thrall.
Posted by: Minister of funny walks ||
10/21/2008 13:11 Comments ||
Top||
#3
But this is another clear indication that should the Dems take the presidency, have a strong majority in the House and a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, they are going to over-reach. The DEms are controlled by the liberal wing of the party now. There are no, or extremely few, sane voices in the party today. They don't understand that the American people do not want socialism. But they will try anyway. And the people will react, as they should. More immediately, business will react. If you don't think that the collective voice of business in the country has clout, then wait and watch for what happens during the next two years.
#6
Well, tw if they did, the Trunks would still control the House. However, enough of the population threw out the scoundrels the last go around so that the crooks would have less competition. The Trunks just lack the guts to play the game like the Donks, by making the population mad enough to actually pay attention every two years.
#7
Politicians don't let a pesky think like the will of the overwhelming majority of voter sway them. They don't get all those "contributions" to sit around and vote how the little people want.
#1
I am trying to buy a forclosed home this month. If I am lucky and speedy, I'll sadly save some money from other people's misfortune or poor planning as well.
Posted by: Mark E. ||
10/21/2008 8:57 Comments ||
Top||
#2
"The low-hanging fruit, ie idiots whose parents paid for prep school, Yale and then the Harvard MBA, was there for the taking," he wrote. "These people who were (often) truly not worthy of the education they received (or supposedly received) rose to the top of companies such as AIG, Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers and all levels of our government
#3
this was the same idiot who said our current mode of government was lousy and we needed an Enlightened Dictator instead, as if he was the first fucking person in history to have the idea.
ALthough it occurs to me that the enlightened dictatorships of the past generally didn't have people like hedge fund managers.
#6
The current government seems to be the opposite since FDR.
You really need to go back to the "Progressive" Woodrow Wilson to see where the problems really started. The country has been in a downward spiral, government-wise, ever since.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
10/21/2008 14:24 Comments ||
Top||
#7
Go for it, Mark!
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
10/21/2008 20:24 Comments ||
Top||
Twenty million people will be rendered jobless by the end of next year as a result of the impact of the financial meltdown on the global economy, a United Nations agency said on Monday.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/21/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
None of which will be part of the bloated self important UN bureaucracy. They will however forgo their ever increasing expansion, thus recasting it as a 'loss'.
#3
If you work in the finance sector you may be screwed, but that seems to be on a cyclic gorge and burst type setup.
The companies I've been interviewing with say they have more work than they can field and need to hire more people. But the construction and engineering businesses are built on the premise of producing something useful to mankind, so maybe that's the difference.
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.
A cool box containing the heads of four men has been delivered to police in Mexico. 
PALM BEACH GARDENS -- In divorce papers filed Monday, the wife of Congressman Tim Mahoney claims her husband "recently sold jointly owned real property" moved the proceeds to an account in his name and "dissipated funds from said account."
CHARLEROI, Pa. -- U.S. Rep. John Murtha is calling many of the people who put him in office "rednecks."
CAMBRIDGE - U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, had some choice words for the political press corps and, in particular, cable news Monday. "These are the exciting last two week moments of the presidential campaign," the Boston Democrat said. "So it's a very special time. I can't wait for it to be over. I am so tired of the press' silly questions that they ask along the way. And cable television which reduces everything to stupidity - the lowest common denominator of conflict."
