Okay, who needs a tissue?
National Public Radio said Wednesday it would lay off 7 percent of its work force and cancel two of its shows as a way to fight financial difficulties.
One of them is "Day to Day," which airs weekdays at 1 p.m. locally on WNPR. The other is "News & Notes," a show meant to appeal to African-American listeners that WNPR does not run.
The layoff of 64 of NPR's 889 employees (and not filling 21 open slots) is meant to address a $23 million deficit in its current year's budget. Corporate underwriting, which accounts for nearly a third of the operating budget, has been sliding from $47 million to $33 million this year.
Dennis Haarsager, interim president and CEO, told employees in a memo this afternoon, "A sharp drop in our current and projected corporate underwriting has compelled us to reduce expenses immediately." So what kinda pay cut are you taking, Dennis?
Where'd he go?
The two canceled shows will cease on March 20. Look for pledge periods to multiply way before then. Oh, boy! $500 tote bags!! I'm sure Air America has a bunch left over that NPR can re-badge ...
#1
One of them is "Day to Day," which airs weekdays at 1 p.m. locally on WNPR. The other is "News & Notes," a show meant to appeal to African-American listeners that WNPR does not run.
"Day to Day" was aimed at a younger demographic. "News and Notes" as reported, to African-American listeners.
NPR's base of white, older donors will not be affected.
#3
I"m looking forward to the passing of the Fairness Doctrine where NPR and Air America will have to give up a half hour of ever hour to Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. THat should prove interesting.
(SomaliNet) According to United Nations figures, the death toll in the Zimbabwe cholera epidemic has almost reached a thousand. The capital Harare is hardest hit with more than 200 dead.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
He's got a full-on Cholera epidemic raging around him and he's worried about what Botswana is doing.
You gotta admire that guy, he's a real piece of work.
#3
How long does it take people to learn not to drink from their toilet?
...or at least boil it first. But then, Mugabe prolly won't let his government suggest that to them and instead blames Bush, the Brits and Botswana. He prolly drinks imported Perrier.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
12/17/2008 16:12 Comments ||
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#4
Cholera and amoebic dysentery often come from a crack in a pipe somewhere. Once the sanity of the pipe is compromised, everything the water touches is infected - fruits and vegetables and nearly everything people touch. Especially if it rains...ah yes, and charcoal is scarce in rains fyi. Same goes for the kerosene gas etc. type stoves that people use to boil things. If you are a destitute refugee, you don't own one, and they are too expensive to find in any market they may run across.
Thank you AlanC, for the insinuation that these people are so unclean and ignorant.
I assume that since I have had it, it means that I drink from my toilet? I didn't know I did that. Thanks for enlightening me.
(SomaliNet) In Zimbabwe, a military commander and ally of President Robert Mugabe was wounded when an unknown gunman shot him while he was on his way to his farm at the weekend, state media said.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Is it true they always say that coups tend to start with the air force?
#2
Probably the guy who used to own the farm he stole.
Posted by: Formerly Dan ||
12/17/2008 8:04 Comments ||
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#3
Times are tough. He's been shot and the farm needs plowing. Perhaps he can order one of his pilots to auger in a nice straight row. Cause farmin' be hard.
Posted by: ed ||
12/17/2008 9:41 Comments ||
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#4
Is it just me or is there something a trifle off about a country that can't figure out a distinction between the water supply and their toilets HAS an Air Force?
#5
not a REAL Air Force, just sprockets...and stolen farms
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/17/2008 20:39 Comments ||
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#6
You guys just go ahead and laugh, but ZimBob has real aeroplanes; Wiki sez so, including the dreaded tuboprop conversion C-47. If that doesn't make you tremble in you boots, then the CASA 212 will.
Better find that bunker to cower in real fast-like or ZimBob will order up an airstrike on your sorry non-reverant arse...
There is no mention if the surviving Air Farce pilots wear the obligatory-chicks-really-dig-them-ascots that the US fly boys do.
Sectors Commanders of the Liberation War from a victory day celebration yesterday asked next lawmakers to table a bill in the 9th parliament to try war criminals.
Every citizen has the ultimate weapon of vote to fight out war criminals and they must use it to prove Bangladesh a country of freedom fighters, said sector commanders and freedom fighters at a Victory Day programme yesterday.
Urging people to vote freedom fighters in the upcoming polls, speakers also said freedom fighters have been "exploited" by political parties since independence.
"A bill must be brought at the first session of the next parliament to try war criminals," Sector Commander Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah also urging people to bring freedom fighters in the parliament.
"The ultimate weapon to fight war criminals is in the hand of every citizen who has the power to vote. Every citizen has become a fighter with that weapon. And they must learn everything about war criminals and make sure they don't have access to our sacred parliament," said Sector Commander Lt Col (retd) Abu Osman Chowdhury.
The nation celebrated 37 years of liberation yesterday, saluting the valiant sons and daughters of the soil who made the supreme sacrifice in the Liberation War in 1971 for an independent and modern democratic state.
With the spirit of independence, thousands of people of all walks and ages across the country gathered at the memorials of the martyrs. They paid tributes to the national heroes amid renewed calls for trial of war criminals and boycotting them in the polls.
Osman Chowdhury added, "The harmful anti-liberation elements have grown up under shelter of dirty politics over the years and are getting prepared to eat up the country."
The programme titled "Reunion of freedom fighters living in Dhaka and Sector-2 in Dhaka" organised by Dhaka City Corporation at Osmani Udyan in the morning was attended by freedom fighters, government and DCC officials and many others.
"Prove it through your judgment on December 29 this is the country of freedom fighters and Jamaat-e-Islami, Al Badr, and Al Shams don't belong to this country," said Coordinator of Sector Commanders Forum (SCF) Lt General (retd) Harun-ar-Rashid.
"We must be united with a determination that none of us would cast vote for a war criminal," said KM Shafiullah.
He added, "The next government must raise a bill to try the war criminals at the very first session of the next parliament."
"Remain vigilant so that war criminals don't win this election. Let the sky and air of Bangla be resonated with the slogan 'We want trial of war criminals,'" said Commander of Sector-4 Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutta.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday hoped that the four-party alliance would regain power through the upcoming election securing two-thirds majority in parliament.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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Until the next time the army has to step in to deal with Hasina and Zia ...
The nation has its fundamental rights reinstated today after around two years as an ordinance promulgated by the president Monday ends the state of emergency. Another ordinance decreed the same day repeals the Emergency Powers Ordinance 2007 and Emergency Powers Rules 2007. The laws were proclaimed to enforce the state of emergency declared on January 11 last year amid political turmoil over the ninth parliamentary polls then scheduled for January 22.
The revoking ordinance carries some saving clauses meant to be helpful to the anti-graft measures taken under the emergency rules. With the departure of emergency rule, articles 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 and 42 of the constitution get back into operation. They concern the freedom of movement, assembly, association, thought and conscience, speech, profession or occupation, and rights to property.
From today, political parties and candidates will carry out electioneering for the December 29 general election without having to face any restrictions.
The government on the other hand will seek to put in place foolproof security measures to deal with the post-emergency period. It has already worked out some plans for that.
The military will start rolling out of barracks tomorrow. The deployment designed to aid the civil administration in maintaining law and order in the run-up to the election will be complete by December 20.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission tomorrow meets officials of the law enforcement agencies to discuss security arrangements for the polls, said EC Secretariat sources.
The withdrawal of emergency comes on immense pressure from the political parties and rights organisations, leaving less than two weeks before the national election. It marks a drastic shift in the caretaker administration and EC's stance over the way the polls should be organised.
Buoyed by the peaceful conduct of the mayoral polls on August 4, Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said he does not see any problems with holding the parliamentary election too under the state of emergency. His arguments were echoed by the advisers.
In the days following the proclamation of emergency, former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia were detained on graft charges. Along with the two, many political heavyweights were put behind bars. Awami League and BNP, the parties that rule the country's political landscape, were pressed heavily to reform themselves.
In September last year, the caretaker government slackened the curbs on indoor politics only in the capital. Elsewhere, the ban was lifted in May this year to facilitate preparations for the elections. Political analysts observe that the political parties must conduct themselves responsibly now as they are the ones blamed for the situation leading to emergency after over 16 years.
The last time the nation saw itself under emergency rule was in 1990. Declared by HM Ershad on November 27 that year, the state of emergency then was in force till December 6, the day the military strongman was forced to quit presidency following a popular uprising.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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Since 1978. Some were overpaid and face pension cuts now; some underpaid and will get lump sum adjustments. Or something. No one is quite sure of the total at stake.
Scotland Yard will abandon an investigation into the Conservative front-bencher Damian Green after a highly critical report questioned whether sending antiterrorist officers to arrest him and search his parliamentary offices was proportionate.
The review document was delivered to the Metropolitan Police yesterday by Ian Johnston, Chief Constable of British Transport Police. He spent an hour discussing his findings with Sir Paul Stephenson, the Acting Commissioner, and Bob Quick, the MetÂ’s head of Special Operations.
The report arrived as the nine applicants for the post of Met Commissioner were cut to four. Sir Paul is believed to be on the list but Mr Quick is not.
Sir Paul called for Mr JohnstonÂ’s review of the inquiry two weeks ago in what was seen as an attempt to extricate the Met from a growing row.
David Cameron, the Tory leader, and Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, had attacked the decision to arrest Mr Green, and Michael Martin, the Commons Speaker, came under intense criticism for letting police search an MPÂ’s office without a warrant.
Officers from Mr QuickÂ’s command claimed that they were right to arrest Mr Green as part of an inquiry into the leaking of information by a Home Office official, although other senior officers were appalled at the tactic.
Mr Quick said last night that he had been reassured by Mr Johnston that the arrest of Mr Green and searches of his premises were lawful. But, he added: “He [Mr Johnston] recognises that there are arguments, either way, regarding proportionality over the manner of arrest of a Member of Parliament but questions the method taken in this case. He also raises concerns as to whether elements of the investigative approach meet current policy and best practice.”
A formal decision to drop the Green inquiry is likely within days but it is not yet clear what will happen in the case of Christopher Galley, the official who leaked information to him.
No word on any publicly humiliating and intimidating arrests of the guys who kept misplacing their MOD laptops with private info on soldiers, tho. What really mattered here was that Gordon Brown was exposed in his manipulations and his allies rushed to attack the man who did the exposing.
#1
Scotland Yard will abandon an investigation into the Conservative front-bencher Damian Green after a highly critical report questioned whether sending antiterrorist officers to arrest him and search his parliamentary offices was proportionate.
But who is going to investigate Scotland Yard and their political masters?
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said on Monday that an Iraqi reporter who threw his shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush was courageous as Iraq faced mounting calls to release the journalist who is still in custody.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Who throwes a show anyway? You fight like a woman.
#3
I wonder how Hugo would have reacted if someone threw a shoe at him.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
12/17/2008 6:46 Comments ||
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#4
I got to wonder where the brave Arab men were when Saddam was ravaging the country? Did anyone thow a shoe at Saddam after one of his many purges? Also I don'y care if it's Carter, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, or Obama NOBODY should EVER throw a shoe at OUR President. But then this idiot and our LLL Moonbats are cut from th esame cloth.
#5
Chavez, that fat fuck stonner, woulda caught that size 10 square in the face - too busy listening to himself talk.
POTUS, cat like reflexes. heh I do wonder though if it crossed his mind to snatch that second shoe outta the air, whip it right back at that POS. Ever seen him throw a baseball? ;~)
An interesting take. Is Gen. Makarov right or is he blowing smoke?
Russia's war with Georgia showed that most of its senior officers are not equipped or trained to fight a modern war, Russia's top soldier said on Tuesday. Russia easily defeated its Western-leaning neighbour and briefly occupied large parts of the country after a five-day war in August, triggered by Tbilisi's attempt to retake its rebel pro-Moscow South Ossetia region by force.
But the conflict exposed a lack of modern equipment, poor communications and other shortcomings in Moscow's Soviet-era war machine, Nikolai Makarov, chief of the general staff, said.
"To find a lieutenant-colonel, colonel or general able to lead troops with a sure hand, you had to chase down officers one by one throughout the armed forces, because those career commanders in charge of 'paper regiments and divisions' just could not resolve the tasks set," Makarov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. "When they were given personnel and equipment, they simply lost their heads, while some even refused to fulfil the given tasks," Makarov told Russia's Academy of Military Sciences.
"So I have a question: 'Do we need such officers'?"
Foreign analysts and critics at home have expressed doubts Russia will be able to defeat a stronger force than Georgia, while the Defence Ministry unveiled a military reform plan aimed at creating a smaller, but better equipped and mobile army.
Russia's army inherited a largely Soviet-era military structure, in which many units are run mainly or exclusively by officers, existing mostly on paper and ready to be mobilised with reservists in case of a large-scale war.
Makarov said 83 percent of today's Russian army were numerically incomplete and only 17 percent were combat-ready. "Of those 150 regiments in our air forces, there are only five ones permanently combat-ready and capable of fulfilling all tasks set, albeit with limited numbers -- operating just 24 aircraft instead of 36," he said.
Makarov said a similar gloomy picture was seen in the navy, where "one half of warships stands idle at anchor".
The defence ministry aims to trim the army to 1 million people in 2012 from today's 1.13 million. Makarov said some 100,000 officers would be demobilised "in the nearest time". He said Russia would struggle to modernise 30 percent of its weapons by 2012 and up to 70 percent by 2020.
But as long as Russia's conventional forces were in a poor state, Moscow would continue to rely heavily on its formidable arsenal of strategic nuclear forces. "We attach and will continue to attach priority significance to our strategic nuclear forces," Makarov said. "Under the cover of this shield, we must be guaranteed we will be able to implement the reform of our armed forces."
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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#3
I would take anything the Russians say with a few grains of salt. Though I would say the Russians had been "feeling their oats" a little recently with the run up of oil prices and the general expansion of the economy generating a ton-o-cash to use for various things. Though a little of that smugness might be starting to wear off and some humility might be setting in.
Stepping back for a moment, one has to wonder who the Russians might need to fight a conventional war with. She couldn't hope to win a war against China, as China has more Chinese than Russia has bullets with which to shoot them.
Russia has her own oil supply, her own supply of nuclear fuel, and a pretty good food supply. The only thing she might need to fight anyone over are smaller border states in various tests of ego and Russia is likely to be able to overwhelm any of those military forces quite easily.
Long term worries would be things like "global cooling" which would make for shorter growing seasons, more difficulty in shipping, and more difficulty in extracting Siberian mineral wealth. None of those issues can be solved by an Army but an Army might be required to expand control to the South if the North begins to freeze up.
#6
What I saw in Gruzia was a rabble barely able to shoot civilians let alone win in a stand up fight.
I have read that Putin has been spending his oil money of internal security, not on the military and that makes sense recalling the photos of T-72s and MTLBs we saw, soldiers unshaven, non-standard uniforms, no helmets, worn out AK-47s instead of the standard issue AK-74s, etc.
Didn't anyone see photos of the unit we were told was SPETSNAZ? In BMPs??
Does anyone really think any element of SPETSNAZ would allow their mug to appear on the worldwide web??
But were the Russian Army able to deploy all the latest toys and turn around its readiness overnight, they still have a problem with logistics. They cannot sustain a modern mobile offensive for any longer than a week. They haven't a logistical system to do it. After just a few days the Russian Amy will be foraging for food and by day ten they will be out and out looting.
All those kewl T-72s and 2S1 SPAs we saw make for neat PR, but it can't mask the deficiencies the Russian Army still has. We didn't see the Russian Army's best face earlier this year, because if that was its best face, Russian is in deeper trouble than we realize.
#9
I have heard from some military types that the Russian army is a diamond tipped wooden spear. There are a few really high speed and modern units, but get past those and about 95% of the military is running aged equipment and barely able to work as a unit. That analogy seems to fit everything else I see here.
Russia needs a volunteer military in the long run if they want quality. The Red Army should be turned into some kind of reserve or National Guard that acts as a farm team for the voluntary army. The volunteer military can then take on UN jobs as peacekeepers to ensure (a) Russia looks like a big hero to the lefties of the world (b) They get combat experience (c) someone else pays for and provides the logistics.
And they need to be realistic about what they can and will likely be asked to do. Sending ships to Venezuela is nice but it's fluff and expensive fluff at that.
And came within the situation that between ten thousand winning moves the Germans picked the only one leading to defeat.
Consider this:
1) November 1941: The German Army has killed or captured millions of soviet soldiers while denying to the enemy tens of millions men in manpower and enormous resources (1) but autumn rains have made the ground impracticable. Historically the German Army exhausted itself fighting in the mud trying to reach Moscow all to find itself in the winter without adequate clothing and overextended thus being seriously bled during the russian winter counterattacks. Instead the Germans could have entrenched, restored supply lines, distributed winter clothing and in the spring they would have been in far better condition than historically. In condition to take Moscow. Given that Moscow was the node where all the soviet railway lines converged Soviet war production and resistance would have quickly crumbled.
2) October 1942/ the Germans came withing a hair of taking or denying use of Soviet Union's main oil sources. Anyway they have taken control of
vital heavy industries (dams, mines, furnaces). These industries cannot be built from scratch in Siberia before years. If the Germans hold them for long enough Soviet Union's war industry will be unable to remain in the race. The obvious thing to do for the Germans was to stop offensive, reinforce those vulnerable flanks guarded by Romanian, Hungarian and Italian troops who have no decent antitank weapons and wait. Instead the Germans bled themselves white in the streets of Stalingrad despite the fact they were very aware of the Soviet concentrations facing their weak allies in their flanks.
3) The russian population was not displeased of being freed from Stalin even if it was by Germans. But while Jews were to be exterminated, in the Nazi views, Russians were set to be enslaved and reduced to animal-like condition (teaching them to read and write was to be forbidden). It would have been smart to wait until victory before implementing that policy. Instead the Germans did it immediately, be it against true Russians as against Bielo-Russsians and Ukranians. Of course this fueled the partisan movement and the will to fight of russian troops.
I will pass on the fact that when the Sixth Army became surrounded and the Germans tried to supply it by air only half of their trasnsort fleet was available. The other half was trying to supply the Afrika Korps who, after El Alamein, Torch and the strengthening of Malta could no longer be supplied by sea. Without the Allies this other half would have been available to supply the Sixth Army.
Also even in 1941, the Germans were spending in their sea war against the British resources who would allowed to double their output in Mk IV tanks (their best).
(1) For propaganda reasons, partly for reducing the importance of Allied supplies, the Soviets have greatly inflated their war production in 1941. If we take the number of tnaks and guns available before the invasion, the (probably overstimated) taht the Germans allege to have destroyed and what was present on the front a year later, then, if we had to believe tyeh Soviet numbers, thousand of them would have vanished in thin air. For the counterattack on Stalingrad, that is a high priority operation the Soeviets have only 900 tanks that is less than the Germans (1000 or 1100 don't remember).
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
12/17/2008 10:05 Comments ||
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#15
Apparently everyone is forgetting the article about a month ago stating they are going to fire 60% of the officers core. This is probably the next level of preperation for that housecleaning. Clearly the object is to purge the army of anit-putin types and streamline to a better fighting force.
#16
well when their coscripts stay drunk and the generals too all the time it becomes kinda hard to fight , you may want too but you usually just make an ass out of yourself
#17
One thing to remember is that even during the "golden years" of the soviet union, only 1/3 of the Red Army was combat ready. So the 17% figure represents some deterioration but not a disaster.
The rest of the Red Army was partially manned (to be filled out with reservists) or only had a headquarter cadre (thus the "surplus officers"). These surplus officers are like the political appointees in our National Guard and are unfit for command in anything serious.
The Russian Army units in Georgia were probably better than average, and benefitted from the fact that Georgias best (i.e. American trained) troops were in Iraq. China is probably looking greedily at eastern Russia as we speak.
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
12/17/2008 12:02 Comments ||
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#18
JFM very informative post but it misses one key point. The German Army was responding to orders given by a madman. A madman who called off the LUftwaffe at Dunkirk allowing the Brits to claim some kind of victory out of what should have been a massacre. I don't know as much about the decisions in the Eastern Front but I imagine trying to please Adolph was a top priority.
#19
You are right but my post was about showing how narrow was Soviet road to victory and how wide it had been for Germany, not about who took the decisions.
Hitler had been very smart at the the beginniing of his carreer, he was also the guy who protected
Guderian against the old guard. And when he disagred with his generals he was right more than once. But, with time more and more he persuaded himself to ever be right and listened less and less. More and more persuaded nothing could stop or even slow him: that is why both in 1941 and 1942 he tried to crush Soviet Union in a single blow when there was simple, near 100% sure winning strategy: inflict crippling losses both in men and in resources, consolidate, let Stalin bleed his forces in futile winter attacks against prepared positions and the year after deliver the coup de grace.
Also, Roosevelt would have been unable to persuade America to declare war to Germany and still less to put its heart in victory. Then Hitler comes and nicely declares war to a nation able to produce a gazillion B17s and P51s in addition to enough carriers to make a bridge between San Francisco and Tokyo.
#20
You are correct that FDR would have had trouble getting the US to enter the European war. Hitler saved him the trouble by declaring war on the US in solidarity with his ally, Japan. THE biggest mistake he made and the only treaty he kept.
#21
The Russians in WWII had to deal with a madman also. Stalin had purged all or most of the competent officers in the 30s. The ones who were left were promoted for political reliability, not military skill.
Also, Stalin refused to let the troops retreat, even to regroup.
Of course, Hitler thought of himself as a military genius, and no one dared to disagree with him either. As JFM said, the Germans went to Moscow unprepared for the winter - they expected to be done destroying it long before. Hitler wouldn't let them get prepared, since that would look like failure.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
12/17/2008 19:00 Comments ||
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#22
Hitler regarded the Pearl Harbor attack as the greatest single strategic mistake made by his ally Japan - he recognized that war agz the USA was inevitable as he believed the USA would not sit by and watch Japan mil attack Britain and other Euros in Asia, besides any Amer interests [Philippines = US Milbases, Allied Trade].
PEARL HARBOR > HITLER KNEW IN LR IT MEANT A TWO- OR MULTI-FRONT WAR IN EUROPE, WHICH HITLER TRUSTED ONLY GERMANY TO FIGHT AND WIN.
Rural protests, often led by impoverished farmers angry over land seizures that leave them unable to feed their families, have occurred sporadically over the past decade. But richer, more educated Chinese are behind the recent strikes, which have disrupted life in China's cities. The success achieved by the drivers in Chongqing has inspired work stoppages elsewhere.
Urban workers say they are worried about being unable to pay for their children's college education, missing payments on car loans, and not having enough money left each month to dine out with friends or go on vacation.
In the past 30 years of economic liberalization, younger Chinese have come to see these things not as a luxury of modern life but as a right. Interesting how that last bit sounds a lot like the LLL in this country.
#1
In the past 30 years of economic liberalization, younger Chinese have come to see these things not as a luxury of modern life but as a right.
So, they've become coastie limousine liberals. Not that they are really hungry rural farmers just tying to feed their families, they believe they are equally if not more so deprived.
That was the Chinese Forbes 400 list. By definition, in-country only. I've heard that the average Chinese tycoon ain't real happy about appearing on that list - China's rapacious tax and regulatory officials use it as a prospect list, either for personal enrichment, via bribes, or career advancement, via politically-motivated prosecutions.
In my pre-caffeinated early morning stupor, I have good reason to believe I may have mis-categorized the original posting. If so, thanks so much for cleaning it up and I pledge to be more mindful going forward.
China has decided to block a number of foreign websites, including the BBC and Voice of America's Chinese language news sites.
In a news conference, a foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao on Tuesday refused to confirm that the government was behind the censorship. But he said some websites violated Chinese law. "We hope that the relevant websites can comply with China's concerns and not do things contrary to Chinese law. This will help establish good co-operation between China and the relevant countries, as well as China and the relevant websites," Liu said.
The BBC and Voice of America have all had their websites blocked in China since early December. Restrictions had previously been lifted in August, when foreign journalists demanded full access during the Olympics.
The BBC expressed disappointment at the apparent reinstatement of the ban.
Liu urged the websites to "comply with China's concerns and not do things contrary to Chinese law".
Posted by: Fred ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
because the said or could say what about what is coming down?
#1
Hopefully they'll take every swingin' dick and skunt from abccbsnbcmsnbccnncnnheadline to China, throw in FOX too, fuck it, Roger Ailes can't seem to get a handle on their local agit-prop spewing affiliates. Got all the news we'll ever need right here, Rantburg, like that. heh
The French president sided with federalist Euro-MPs who are engaged in a bitter feud with Vaclav Klaus, the Czech president and a Eurosceptic.
Senior MEPs, including the president of the European Parliament, Hans Gert Poettering, caused a diplomatic incident ten days ago after demanding that Mr Klaus hoist the European flag over his residence during bad tempered talks in Prague.
"It was a wound, it was an outrage to see that flags had been taken down from public buildings," said President Sarkozy, the current holder of the EU's six-month rotating presidency which he hands over to the Czech Republic in January. "Mr Poettering can count on the full support of the French president."
Karel Schwarzenberg, the Czech foreign minister, hit back as the diplomatic war of words between Paris and Prague threatened to overshadow the smooth transfer of the EU presidency. "There is no law binding the Czech Republic to hang the EU flag over Prague Castle. Prague Castle is a symbol of the Czech state and not the EU," he said.
"It is not up to the head of another state to criticise the Czech president over flags."
A statement from the office of Mr Klaus said: "The Castle is a symbol of Czech statehood. There is no reason to change this historic tradition."
The row exploded when a delegation of Euro-MPs sarcastically presented Mr Klaus with the 12-starred flag, during a visit on Dec 5, knowing that he had ruled out flying the flag over Prague Castle. He was especially angered when Dany Cohn-Bendit, a former 1968 student radical and the Franco-German leader of Green Euro-MPs, told him: "I don't care about your opinions".
Mr Klaus replied: "This is incredible. I have never experienced anything like this before."
Nigel Farage, the leader of UK Independence Party, compared the EU flag demand to the behaviour of Nazi or Soviet officials, both dictatorships that had occupied Prague and its Castle in the past. "The manner in which Cohn-Bendit demanded that President Klaus fly the EU flag over his castle could easily have been done by a German official of over 70 years ago or a Soviet official of 20 years ago," he said. "No doubt they think that Buckingham Palace should fly the EU flag to show its dominium."
#1
That is fine, it is good bringing stuff like this up. It gets down to basic issues of the existence of the EU. If you want an EU, then you only get one vote at the UN. Decide carefully what you want. You cannot have it both ways, even though you will try to do so.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/17/2008 15:40 Comments ||
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Authorities charged with managing the secret police archives of seven ex-communist states in eastern Europe formed a network Tuesday to assist victims of state repression and aid historical research.
The state agencies serving as custodians of the vast files kept by the intelligence services of East Germany, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria agreed to compare experience and share information. hmmmmm ...
"We seek to be a forum for the mutual exchange and transfer of information: this applies to the archives, the legal regulations, historical-political education and public relations," the signatories for the new European Network of Official Authorities in Charge of the Secret Police Files said in Berlin. hmmmm ...
"(This) involves coming to terms with the past in a European, an international context." riiiiight ...
The representatives acknowledged that each country had chosen different ways to administer the files since the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 in terms of granting access, conducting criminal investigations and vetting political candidates.
But they said they could benefit from each other's experiences in the nearly two decades since the collapse of European communism in grappling with the legacy of state spying against citizens and police repression.
"We know the former state security authorities were collaborating very closely and very intensively - they exchanged their experiences, their methods and their connections," the Hungarian representative, Gergo Bendeguz Cseh, told reporters. "So we warmly welcome this international cooperation now." Warmly ...
The network said it aimed to focus in particular on academic research and education in schools as key parts of the "transformation processes taking place after the fall of dictatorships worldwide". It's for the Kinder!
It said it also wanted to define minimum requirements for access to the secret police files and hold an annual conference among member countries. Membership required.
#3
Had dinner in San Francisco last night with a group of libs. We were speaking a bit of politics and I mentioned that I thought Palin had been savaged by the press. The mere mention of her name sent one guy's blood pressure through the roof. It was actually rather funny to watch.
The steak was overdone and tough, but the mashed taters and asparagus were good.
#4
I know how you feel, remoteman. I get this every time we visit our in-laws. They expect me to swallow everything they say hook, line and sinker. But when I try a little bit of civil, well reasoned discourse with them they flip out.
Brother-in-law really, seriously did NOT want to hear about the CRA or Bawney Fwank.
Palin would have a very tough time with the California legislature but then, so has Arnold. Maybe they're a little more responsible in Alaska.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
12/17/2008 16:44 Comments ||
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#5
Gotta love Palin. If nothing else she certainly has the right enemies.
#6
When asked the other day, McCain said something to the effect that "he could not support Palin in 2012." I'd take that as an admission that he picked the wrong running mate. Ima thinkin it might be time for Mac to take it to the barn.
#7
I think what he was saying was that it was too early to throw his support for the nomination to anybody. But it nonetheless is time for him to head to the barn and I would not be surprised to see the Aridzona trunks send him there next chance.
#8
Why does anyone responsible even speculate about this now? We have 4 years of hard times coming, plus the end of the damned Mayan calendar on Dec 21, 2012. Come on, get real.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/17/2008 19:33 Comments ||
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#9
I'm sure the reporter asked the question so they could get the reasonable answer they did and spin it unreasonably as they did.
#10
with that mind set of perrsonal responsibility and the gov't isn't the anser to all problems, do you really think she will have a chance after 4 years of everybody sucking at Bambi's tit?
Russia could buy reconnaissance drones from Israel, a top general said Tuesday, after the military was caught short by Georgia's own Israeli drones in a war this summer. The head of Russia's general staff, General Nikolai Makarov, confirmed that talks were under way after a corresponding report in the Kommersant newspaper.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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Link ||
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#7
Doubt this report. Israelis have $1 billion invested in the BTC pipeline which passes through Georgia, and distributes oil to Israel through the Turkish terminal. Until Saakashvili's fellow "Rose Revolutionaries" abandoned him after the August debacle, there were 2 Israeli citizens in his Cabinet. However, Russian pressure in the Balkans has kept extreme Muslims from halting economic contact with Israel. The Turkish PM has proposed an all Caucasus unity front, and could convince Israel to support same. Russia is a contact party in the fledgling scheme. Saakashvili is a dead duck.
Now, if only the West could unite with Russia and Serbia against the Islamist garbage dumps in Bosnia and Kosovo. (Don't swallow Michael Totten regurgitate; he is a paid liar)
I know I should be furious...four nuclear power plants could now be built around the UK, the first nuclear new build in a generation. As a long-standing Green party member... antinuclear indignation should spring easily to my lips..... Just a month ago I had a Damascene conversion: hence I'm classifying this post as Olde Tyme Religion
the Green case against nuclear power is based largely on myth and dogma.... opened my eyes to fourth-generation "fast-breeder" reactors, which use fuel much more efficiently than the old-style reactors, produce shorter-lived waste and can also be designed to be "walk-away safe".
Best of all, these new reactors -- prototypes of which have already been tested -- can produce power by burning up existing stocks of nuclear waste....When I e-mailed a senior ecological scientist with my conclusions, he agreed, but only privately. "Do not cite me as promoting nuclear," he begged. I am still shocked that people of his stature are too intimidated to speak out I'm not shocked, people are too intimidated to admit the benefits of tax cuts, the success of market capitalism, the Jihadist basis of Islam, etc..
In a move that could raise concerns in the U.S. and Israel, Russia will donate 10 MiG-29 fighter jets to Lebanon and commit to supplying the teetering Arab democracy with more war machines, an official told reporters today. Though the jets aren't likely to pose a strategic challenge to Israel or even Lebanon's other neighbor, Syria, the move signifies Moscow's military resurgence in parts of the globe long dominated by the U.S. "It is an effort to reassert Russia's status in the Middle East in a way that has very high visibility," analyst Anthony Cordesman of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said of the deal.
Moscow said the move was meant to help stabilize Lebanon, which has descended frequently into war during the last four decades. "Lebanon has decided to intensify military-technological cooperation" with Russia, said Mikhail Dmitriyev, the director of Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, according to Russia's Interfax news agency. "We consider the Lebanese army as a key element of political stability within this country."
In announcing the donation, Dmitriyev said Moscow might sell Lebanon tanks and artillery.
Lebanon's weak and politically divided army, which has received extensive U.S. weapons and funding, must contend with the powerful Shiite Muslim political organization Hezbollah, whose Iranian- and Syrian-backed militia is committed to fighting Israel. Although Washington says it has substantially increased military support to Lebanon, officials in Beirut complain that the aid so far has been minimal. U.S. officials have said they won't help Lebanon's army in a way that would put Israel's security in danger.
The Russian aircraft were designed to counter U.S.-made Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcons, of which Israel has about 345. But Cordesman said the early export versions of the MiG-29 were little match for Israeli or even Syrian air power.
Lebanon's air force currently amounts to a handful of combat helicopters and two 1960s Hawker Hunter fighter jets that were recently refurbished.
At least one Lebanese military official said the Russian planes were of questionable utility to the country. "It is an unnaturally big step for the Lebanese army," he told The Times, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that Lebanon lacks the infrastructure and training to make use of such fighter jets. They'll make swell target practice for the Israelis.
#2
AP: Chrysler announced Wednesday it is closing all its North American manufacturing plants for at least a month, the starkest move taken by U.S. automakers as they anxiously await word about government loans.
Attempting to cut costs, GM was halting construction of a plant tied to one of its most important projects, the Volt. Ford also said it will shut down 10 plants for an extra week in January because of sluggish sales.
Chrysler said it would extend the normal two-week holiday shutdown that begins Friday to at least Jan. 19 at all 30 of its factories due to slumping sales.
The lack of consumer credit is hampering sales and forcing the production cuts, Chrysler LLC said in a statement. Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge dealers say they have willing buyers for vehicles, but they can't close the deals, Chrysler said. "The dealers have stated that they have lost an estimated 20 to 25 percent of their volume because of this credit situation," the statement said.
The credit situation isn't any better w/ other manufacturers.
Posted by: ed ||
12/17/2008 21:18 Comments ||
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Consumer prices and homebuilding hit record lows in November, according to government data released on Tuesday.
Prices in the US fell by 1.7 per cent in November from the previous month as the plunging value of oil and deep discounts from retailers drove down the cost of living, the department of labour said. Overall prices increased by 1.1 per cent year-on-year.
Economists predict they could fall flat by January and sink to -2 per cent by next July. The last negative inflation rate was recorded in August 1955.
The second record decline in as many months came as collapsing energy prices fell by 17 per cent last month, double the October drop. Energy prices are 32.4 per cent below their peak in July, and the price of petrol fell by 29.5 per cent in November.
Falling prices could represent a glimmer of economic relief for struggling consumers. According to economists at RDQ Economics the plunging energy prices represent a $130bn boost to real household incomes when compared to February 2007 prices.
Core inflation, excluding the price of food and energy, was unchanged in November and rose by 2 per cent year-on-year. Slight increases in prices for some commodities and services were offset by declines in the prices of cars, airline fares and hotel rates.
The stagnant core inflation rate could continue to stoke fears of deflation, notes Alan Ruskin, a strategist at RBS Greenwich Captial.
Meanwhile, the plummeting number of US housing starts signalled that the excessive supply of homes may be approaching a trough. The commerce department said on Tuesday that US homebuilders have halted construction of new homes to a record level. Housing starts dropped by an annual rate 18.9 per cent in November to 625,000. Starts for single-family homes fell 16.9 per cent to a record-low 441,000.
Falling prices have caused builders and producers to slash production, fearful that what they build will be worth less in several months, according to Brian Bethune, an economist at IHS Global Insight.
The drop was worse than economists expected and was the sharpest monthly decline since 1984.
#2
And yet, in spite of losing 500K jobs in November alone, our LEGAL immigration pulled in 140,000.
And don't get me started on 10 million Americans unemployed while we still have 12 million illegals here -- especially the younger Americans who are competing for entry level jobs against these illegals.
See what jobs are in demand, and put money toward training AMERICANS to do those, get rid of H1-B and other stupid laws like it.
"and put money toward training AMERICANS" ?? Whose money? Need to improve or upgrade your skill sets? Use your own fucking money, not mine. The Wife Unit, after selling her business, in the worst economy in the history of man - thanks to President Bush(snark, snark, chortle)has landed five jobs in the last 30 months - got fired from three(made the mistake of giving two weeks notice, "Two weeks notice? You're fired." like that. heh) Don't look to barry for help, him and his ilk created this fucking mess with the express intent of enslaving more lazy, dumbfuck, entitled mentality sheeple. That's how they roll, like that. Do crime if you must BUT don't take that welfare check or you're doomed.
#4
#2 And yet, in spite of losing 500K jobs in November alone, our LEGAL immigration pulled in 140,000.
Which only illustrates that the globalization, and planned transformation (read that 'sell out') of America and our western culture will not only continue, but accelerate in difficult times.
#5
Not deflation, low inflation. The core rate still increased by 1.1% and Dec. energy prices will show an increase.
We have been importing low inflation from China for past 15 years and now we're broke. We have two choices. 1. Import less. As American production is substituted for Chinese, inflation will accelerate. 2. Debase our currency, which the Feds are doing a fine job of by committing a possible $7 trillion to bailouts so far. Either way, inflation goes up.
Posted by: ed ||
12/17/2008 9:09 Comments ||
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#6
Deflation.
More like temporary disinflation. Outside of durable goods, my guess is that deflation is a head fake. Inflation is more likely, tho thank's to most of the rest of the western world having the same problems, the dollar will continue to slowly rise against the Euro and the Pound and we'll end up in pretty decent shape when this is all over.
Global recovery begins here, ladies and gentlemen. Except for those of us that are buying gold at it's peak and losing money while we are stashed with our gold in our hidey-holes, safely avoiding the bird flu and taking part in the recovery
Posted by: Mike N. ||
12/17/2008 10:32 Comments ||
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#7
while we still have 12 million illegals here
No we don't, OldSpook. At least a million have quietly gone home, plus legal Mexicans who had to go home to apply for new visas, then decided to make a new life in their own country instead. The Mexican State Department has set up a hotline in Arizona for their citizens desiring clarification of new state regulations.
#8
One cause of our economic difficulties is that we have built too many houses. Supply now exceeds demand so prices will fall until supply and demand reach equilibrium. That is why the prices of everything else is now falling. It's the loss of wealth effect.
One way to solve this problem is to let prices fall. But that erodes everyone's asset values. And is only fun if you liquidated before the bubbles burst.
Another is to reduce supply by having the government buy houses and destroy them. (Don't laugh. It's being done in some cities.)
Another is to increase demand. How? Increase immigration. It is how all of us got here in the first place. Think of it as selling citizenship, sort of like a senate seat. If you come to America and buy a house, you get to be a citizen.
And a higher proportion of the immigrants I've met understand America and the work ethic that made this country than do native born Americans. So knock immigrants all you want, but they are the easiest way out of our current pickle.
#9
Another is to reduce supply by having the government buy houses and destroy them. (Don't laugh. It's being done in some cities.)
Another is to increase demand. How? Increase immigration. It is how all of us got here in the first place. Think of it as selling citizenship, sort of like a senate seat. If you come to America and buy a house, you get to be a citizen
NS - that's a crock. Housing was overpriced, unqualified buyers and speculators bought up the price increase with subprime loan heat. It will stabilize and gradually rebuild value. To say that new immigrants can/should afford single-family home ownership is crazy. They neverhave (with exceptions) and the current crop of unskilled, uneducated labor illegally immigrating certainly won't/shouldn't for a generation or two in a realistic world, without fraudulent loans and subprime loans with outrageous terms. They don't have the tools or resources. The exceptions? Skilled, educated, sure...they can and should.
The decade of house speculation is over, for a while. I do structural engineering on the side for remodels, additions, new homes, and commercial, and that has dried up for the most part. Glad I'm not trying to make a living on that, just keeping my skillz up and toe in the water. The last code change was a bitch
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/17/2008 20:56 Comments ||
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#10
I have to agree with Frank G. Someone making 50 grand a year (gross) qualifies for a 250-300 grand mortgage with little or no money down and prices skyrocketed. Overpriced and homes and unsustainable mortgages, encourgaged by a very lax congress, doomed the mortgage business. Let housing prices fall.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
12/17/2008 21:23 Comments ||
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#11
I do, however, disagree with Besoeker. People come here, for the most part, for the freedoms the United States espouses and always has. It just might be the Immigrants that save us.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
12/17/2008 21:33 Comments ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
(SomaliNet) In Zimbabwe, a military commander and ally of President Robert Mugabe was wounded when an unknown gunman shot him while he was on his way to his farm at the weekend, state media said.
Protests come to the cities
