PAY UP: If convicted, the companies, including Toys `R' Us, Mattel and Costco, could be required to pay a multimillion-dollar sum under California state law
AFP, LOS ANGELES
Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007, Page 1
California on Monday launched a lawsuit against 20 companies, accusing them of knowingly exposing children to lead in toys they manufactured or sold.
California Attorney General Jerry Brown said the firms, included Mattel Inc and Toys "R" Us, exposed children to potentially dangerous lead levels.
It follows a series of nationwide toy recalls this year which have seen tens of millions of largely Chinese-made products, including Barbie doll accessories, toy cars, trains and infant toys withdrawn from stores.
"Companies must take every reasonable step to assure that the products they handle are safe for children and their families and fully comply with the laws of California," Brown said. "Despite the lengthening global supply chain, every company that does business in this state must follow the law and protect consumers from lead and other toxic materials."
Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo said the suit filed in Alameda Superior Court was aimed at forcing toy companies to ensure there was no repeat of the violation by adopting procedures that ensured products were safe.
"Lead in toys poses a significant threat to the health and well being of our children," Delgadillo said. "This lawsuit is intended to ensure that these companies eliminate lead and other harmful substances from children's toys, once and for all."
Each violation of the California law known as Proposition 65 is punishable by a fine of up to US$2,500, in theory leaving the firms named in the suit facing a multimillion-dollar damages claim.
The companies named in the lawsuit include: Mattel, Fisher-Price, Michaels Stores, Toys "R" Us, Wal-Mart, Target, Sears, KB Toys, Costco Wholesale, A&A Global Industries, RC2, Eveready Battery Co, Kids II, Kmart, Marvel Entertainment as well as Toy Investments.
A spokeswoman for Mattel welcomed the lawsuit and said the toy giant had cooperated with authorities continuously.
"Mattel expected this development and believes that the attorney general's assumption of this case will be beneficial to all parties," a spokeswoman said in a statement quoted by the Los Angeles Times.
"The company has been in continuous communication with the California attorney general's office since the initiation of the recalls this summer and has cooperated fully," she said.
Brown told the Times he expected the companies to settle the suit by agreeing to "conditions such as testing or putting independent monitors in foreign countries."
Tougher procedures are necessary to protect consumers from "the new world order where the global supply chain goes from Beverly Hills to the hinterlands of China" and where some companies had "closed their eyes" to the threat of contamination, he said.
#1
While the "knowingly" part of this may be difficult to prove, one can only hope that such legal difficulties might learn these greedy corporations to finally get off of Uncle Mao's all-you-can-suck cheap labor tit.
#2
I don't know about the retailers' liability, but as one that lives in the QA and ISO world, the root cause of this looks like lax oversight of the vendors. And the manufacturere are going to have a hard time proving that they were unaware without exposing themselves to negligence, since knowledge of "...applicable statutory and regulatory" rules is a standard clause in any contract i have ever reviewed, as well as a requirement for ISO 9001 certification.
Expect there to be a full court press to shuffle the blame to China.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
11/21/2007 16:43 Comments ||
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#4
I'm sure the bean counters included this in the cost savings when they did the analysis of moving the manufacturing function to China. /sarcasm off.
See, it's not just socialist who miscalculate the total costs of doing something. The difference is that companies and shareholders take the hit, not just an entire friggin country.
#5
the manufacturere are going to have a hard time proving that they were unaware without exposing themselves to negligence
Agreed, USN,Ret., the actual manufacturers could not possibly have been unaware regarding China's lengthy history of lead contaminated products specifically and poor oversight of or intentional lapses with respect to quality control in general. China's well-publicized and endemic corruption literally guarantees all of these problems.
The few bright spots in all of this will be that any domestic toy manufacturers who actually try and recover any monetary compensation from the mainland will be given the bum's rush while China's reputation will continue to be blackened by ongoing coverage of this lawsuit. Finally, American-based toy manufacturers are seeing a real surge in demand from wary consumers who are tired of worrying about their kids being poisoned by shoddily produced goods.
#6
It depends. Some of the reports had the Chinese companies deliberately falsifying test results, never running the tests at all, or choosing their ingredient replacements with an eye toward passing tests for quality rather than raw material. Out in the real world, after all, companies comply with raw material stipulations and manufacturing protocols. The question generally whether they can stay within tight specifications, not whether they are making something else.
Posted by: trailing wife in Buffalo for Thanksgiving ||
11/21/2007 20:16 Comments ||
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(How much more lurid a crime tale can there be?)
No good deed goes unpunished. At least that's how Muir Beach resident Sigward ... (Isn't he the octopus 'friend' of Spongebob?)
... Moser felt Friday after he says he was threatened with a Taser gun, forced to the ground and handcuffed by a National Park Service ranger for refusing to stop cleaning up the oily beach beneath his home.
Moser, a 45-year-old communications consultant, said he was forced to sprawl handcuffed on the wet ... oily, hazardous
... sand for an hour before he was released and given two misdemeanor citations, one for entering an emergency area and another for refusing a lawful order. "It was pretty wet and uncomfortable," he said Saturday. "This is very frustrating, and it was completely avoidable."
Moser's Pacific Way home overlooks Muir Beach, where cleanup crews with 100 professionals in white and yellow protective coveralls were at work yesterday. But there was no one cleaning up Friday when oily globs the size of bowling balls began washing up on shore from Wednesday's disastrous fuel oil spill.
Moser, a neighborhood liaison on the Muir Beach Disaster Council, went out on the oily beach with an impromptu crew of Buddhist monks in training at the nearby Green Gulch Zen Center.
He said they scooped up 7,000 pounds of solidified oil and put it in plastic bags before park service officials arrived in the afternoon to size up the situation. "You don't have to be trained to do this," he said. "We had on gloves and we didn't feel there was a health risk. It just lifted up from the sand like it was in kitty litter. They came late with only five people. We felt that anything we could do is better than nothing." Clearly common sense is not allowed in Marin County - but we already knew that.
Moser said he declined three orders to halt his activities before he was cited.
Park service officials held a conference call on Saturday about the incident with members of the Muir Beach Community Services District. "They were upset, but we tried to reassure them why trained professionals are needed to do this work," said National Park Service publicist Rich Weideman, citing health hazards and unintended injuries to wildlife by untrained volunteers.
"Not just anyone can scoop up oily blobs of, well, oil, from kitty litter, you know."
"These kinds of things are awkward for us, but they seemed to be pretty pleased with our explanation."
Posted by: Thomas Woof ||
11/21/2007 8:13 Comments ||
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#2
Moser, a neighborhood liaison on the Muir Beach Disaster Council, went out on the oily beach with an impromptu crew of Buddhist monks in training at the nearby Green Gulch Zen Center.
I am split down the middle on this one. On the one hand it seems insane to detain people for cleaning the beach. On the other hand anyone working with an impromptu moonbat crew needs a good beat down. We are going to need Solomon to sort this one out.
#4
Too bad they weren't fighting Buddhist monks, they could have filmed an action movie right there on the beach, maybe even lit it on fire for effect.
#5
And besides, why do you need to handcuff a guy, lay him face down in the jellyfish and kelp and drink coffee for an hour to write him a citation?
Sounds like a couple of asshole cop wannabees that need a serious attitude adjustment.
#6
I started off sympathetic to him, but then I got to the point where it says he ignored three calls for him to stop.
Doesn't matter what you are doing really, if the cops are standing there and telling you to stop, you stop. Had he stopped and talked to them about, I'll wager they might have worked something out, like maybe one of the professional guys coming over to simply monitor them to ensure they're doing it okay. But by ignoring the cops, he got a face full of sand and rightfully so.
Kinda brings to mind Niven's Laws...
Never throw shit at an armed man.
Never stand next to someone throwing shit at an armed man.
Posted by: Bobby ||
11/21/2007 13:42 Comments ||
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#9
And in other Stupid Abuse of Authority news: there is this story about a bottle collector who has run afoul of the Oregon authorities:
http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/11/state_warns_ore_man_who_digs_f.html
I expect activation of the Mattress Police anytime
#10
I was involved in an effort to clean a Cape Cod beach 30 years ago when the Argo Merchant went down. The Gov't paid (ridiculously) good wages in an area that was seriously depressed economically. About 20 of us made our own tools and developed our own techniques to clear the ocean beach from Eastham to P'town of oil globules from the size of pancakes to marbles.
No special clothes no nothing just some home made scoops made of wood and rat wire.
#12
Weeeellllll gorb, the kids are more of a nice muted tartan complexion rather than green; the left head doesn't seem to mind but the right one's embarassed.
A Flint man held up a gas station, then led police on a chase. At some point he confronted the sheriff's office paramedic with a gun. The suspect refused to drop his gun, so the paramedic shot him several times, then proceeded to treat him. The paramedic is a military reservist and sharpshooter who served in Iraq. The suspect was hospitalized in critical condition. I'm sure there's a lawsuit in this case somewhere. I was surprised to learn of armed paramedics in the US.
#1
Many Paramedics do dual duty in this country, especially those employed by the law enforecment arm of many US municipalities. Syracuse NY for example arms its Paramedics that are also sworn police officers. Maryland Medical Evac helicopters are staffed by State Trooper/Paramedics. Great Concept!!!!
STOCKHOLM, Sweden A group of Swedish women is making waves by taking their tops off at public swimming pools in a protest against what they call gender-biased rules on swim wear.
About 40 women have joined the network and staged topless protests in at least three cities, said Sanna Ferm, 22, one of the founders of the group called Bara Brost, or Bare Breasts.
Now that shows there are a pair of things to give thanks for. Happy Thanksgiving!
THE nation's breasts have had a growth spurt. Australian women, who fitted a petite 12B a decade ago, are a shapely 14C.
Julie Malandin, general manager of bra maker Berlei, which conducted a study, said women were "bigger".
Fitters measured more than 2000 women throughout Australia and found 80 per cent wore the wrong size bra. "Women should get measured once a year or every two years at most," Ms Malandin said.
Posted by: Mike ||
11/21/2007 13:12 ||
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#1
Must be part of an Aussie Anti-Mooslim Strategy.
Maryland legislators have approved a new tax on computer services. The state's decision to add computer services to the state's new 6% tax rate, which takes effect in January, has raised the ire of computing industry representatives.
The measure increases sales tax by 1% and adds computer support services, data center support, custom programming, consulting, and disaster recovery services to the list. Legislators approved the change as part of a tax package they passed early Monday morning.
The Computing Technology Industry Association said the move "will bring cascading harm" to the state's IT industry, small local businesses, workers, and consumers. "CompTIA fought hard to see that the budget would not be balanced on the backs of computer services," Roger Cochetti, group director of U.S. public policy for CompTIA, said in a statement.
"The IT industry is directly or indirectly responsible for most of the productivity gains that the U.S. and the state of Maryland have enjoyed over the last two decades, helping to maintain the competitiveness of Maryland's businesses both nationally and internationally. But for reasons that we cannot comprehend, some lawmakers thought otherwise, deciding to single out computer services for whopping new taxes, instead of those proposed for tanning salons and landscaping providers, among others."
Cochetti said the tax, imposed to make up for budget shortfalls, means Maryland will become less attractive to IT companies and local businesses which depend on IT. "Just at the time that most cities, states, provinces, and countries around the world are encouraging the computer industry to locate there, the Maryland Assembly and Governor chose to discourage the computer industry from locating and providing services in the 'Free State," he said.
Cochetti said the tax could encourage Maryland IT users to outsource computer services. He criticized legislators for making the decision without hearings or consultation with IT industry representatives. He called the move one of the "least informed and most harmful actions ever undertaken by the Maryland State government."
Information was not immediately available on how many states tax computing services, but insiders said the practice is the exception, not the rule.
#1
The measure increases sales tax by 1%
And yet we pay 20% more tax than before.
the tax, imposed to make up for budget shortfalls
By "shortfalls" they mean the difference between what the mopes in Annapolis WANT to spend and what they have available to spend. In the People's Democratic Republic of Maryland, spending less in Annapolis is anathema.
#3
Wait till they figure out that they could tax legalized commercial sex [along with operator registration fees!]. The revenue it'll bring in will make Indian gambling and lotto look like nickels and dimes.
A giant fossilized claw discovered in Germany belonged to an ancient sea scorpion that was much bigger than the average man, an international team of geologists and archaeologists reported Tuesday.
The researchers said the scorpion lived between 460 and 255 million years ago and would have been among the top predators in its environment, feeding on early vertebrates and smaller arthropods. The report said the creature likely only lived in the water because with the construction of its body, "it is hardly imaginable how such a huge arthropod could effectively walk on land."
In a report in the Royal Society's journal Biology Letters, the team said the claw indicates that sea scorpion Jaekelopterus rhenania was almost 2.5 metres long, making it the largest arthropod an animal with a segmented body, jointed limbs and a hard exoskeleton ever found. In the report, the authors said the scorpion exceeds previous size records for arthropods by almost half a metre.
The fossil, found in a 390-million-year-old rock, suggests that spiders, insects, crabs and similar creatures were much larger in the past than previously thought, the researchers said.
"This is an amazing discovery. We have known for some time that the fossil record yields monster millipedes, super-sized scorpions, colossal cockroaches, and jumbo dragonflies, but we never realized, until now, just how big some of these ancient creepy-crawlies were," said co-author Dr. Simon Braddy from the University of Bristol.
Some geologists believe that the giant arthropod evolved due to high oxygen levels, while others argue that they evolved in an "arms race" alongside their prey, the early armoured fish.
Diasbled woman bought pint-sized pinto pony to pull her wheelchair.
This story has been around a while.
Montpelier, Vt. (AP) -- Patty Cooper's landlord normally welcomes tenants who use animals to help them get around, such as guide dogs for the blind. Parrots for the Mime.
So after the disabled woman bought a 32-inch-tall miniature horse to pull her wheelchair, she asked to keep the animal in her home. When her landlord rejected the request, she filed a human rights complaint. I wonder what kind of harness she will use? What happens if the horse spooks?
Cooper, 50, paid $1,000 for the 1-year-old gelding named Earl, expecting to use it for trips to the bus stop and into town. The bus-stop? How's the horse gonna get on the bus?
The agency that owns the apartment complex in Waitsfield denied her proposal, citing concern about horse droppings, hay storage and lack of grazing space.
Cooper insists the 100-pound tobiano pinto can be house-trained and said it "just makes me so happy whenever I'm around him. I'm not lonely anymore."
The landlord has told Cooper the horse would have to be kept elsewhere not in the 4-by-6 stall she designed in her living room. For now, Earl is staying at a farm owned by a friend in neighboring Warren, where Cooper visits and trains him.
The case has drawn national attention since The Associated Press reported on it last month as an example of disabled people using animals other than guide dogs for the blind. Wait'll the Animal Rights Kooks get wind of this.
Cooper, 50, has celiac disease, a disorder in which exposure to a protein called gluten destroys the ability of the small intestine to absorb nutrients and can cause brittle bones. Cooper, who broke her back for a second time four years ago, uses a wheelchair most of the time.
Preston Jump, executive director of the Central Vermont Community Land Trust, which owns the apartment building, acknowledged that using miniature horses as service animals is accepted practice for many disabled people. But the agency is weighing the specifics of Cooper's request, particularly whether Earl could be trained to relieve himself only when taken outside every three hours. Doubtful.
Also, the apartment complex has no place to graze a horse, according to operations manager Michael Lorraine, who cited advice from the Kittrell, N.C.,-based Guide Horse Foundation, which suggests guide horses stay outside when they are not working.
Cooper said she has filed a complaint with the Vermont Human Rights Commission charging that the land trust has denied her the "reasonable accommodation" she's due by law as a disabled person. Horsepookey!
Rather hinges on the definition of 'reasonable', and we all know how human rights activists define that word: anything they think it should be.
Robert Appel, executive director of the Human Rights Commission, would not say whether such a complaint was filed. Complaints are confidential unless the panel finds grounds to believe that discrimination occurred.
Janet Burleson, head trainer with the Guide Horse Foundation, said she knew of five blind people who use horses instead of dogs to guide them. "It's just like using a guide dog," she said Monday. "The horse serves the same function guides the person around obstacles, alerts the person to changes in elevation and oncoming traffic. Horses can be trained to do all that," Burleson said.
But she said such work horses normally are quartered outside. "I definitely think she should have the right to choose," Burleson said. "I would just have some concerns that it may be difficult to keep that horse in an apartment and maintain the proper level of cleanliness." They shed much worse than a dog. Horses need to be outside. It's amazing how much even a small horse can poop. They drink much more water than dogs, too.
I'm sure the miniature horses can be useful. But as the lady says, you don't keep them indoors in an apartment complex.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
11/21/2007 11:06 ||
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#1
The trial of this case will be a nightmare, especially if the lawyers are stallion for time and the judge gets up on a high horse. They really should try to work out a saddlement.
Posted by: Mike ||
11/21/2007 12:42 Comments ||
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#2
These miniature guide horses are serious, and no bigger than some guide dogs. They are desired because they live a lot longer. For indoor use they put little sneakers on them. They are also seriously cute - if I was a young blind man I would absolutely get one for use as a chick magnet. http://www.guidehorse.org/
#3
They shed much worse than a dog. Horses need to be outside. It's amazing how much even a small horse can poop. They drink much more water than dogs, too.
About a year ago, I heard a lecture by a guy who trains guide dogs. One of the major points of their training is to train them to hold it, and to only "go" in a particular spot, and only when the owner puts them out to "go."
Don't know if the can do that with a horse or not.
Posted by: Mike ||
11/21/2007 13:43 Comments ||
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#4
A lady in my neighborhood was walking one of those the other day. But we live near some fields. It was very cute.
Isn't Monpelier fairly rural? Why doesn't the woman just get a place that can better accomodate her horse in an outside stall? How hard could that be?
Italian archaeologists believe they have found the cave where, according to legend, a she-wolf nursed Romulus and Remus, the twin founders of Rome. An underground cavity decorated with seashells, colored marble mosaics and pumice stones was discovered near the ruins of the palace of Emperor Augustus on the Palatine hill.
Experts say they are "reasonably certain" it is the long-lost place of worship sacred to ancient Romans and known as Lupercale, from the Latin word for wolf. "This could reasonably be the place bearing witness to the myth of Rome, one of the most well-known in the world, the legendary cave where the she-wolf suckled Romulus and Remus," Culture Minister Francesco Rutelli told a news conference on Tuesday.
The cave was found 16 meters (52 feet) underground in a previously unexplored area during restoration work on the palace of Augustus, the first Roman emperor.
Archaeologists investigating Renaissance descriptions of the sanctuary used a camera probe and the images suggest the vault, which has a white eagle at the centre, is well-preserved. "You can imagine our amazement, we almost screamed," said Giorgio Croci, head of the archaeological team working on the restoration of the Palatine hill overlooking the Roman forum.
According to the myth, Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of the god Mars, were abandoned in a cradle by the banks of the river Tiber where a wolf found them and fed them with her milk.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/21/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
A friend of mine was having trouble collecting from a certain telecom company. I told him, "Rolm wasn't billed in a day."
Carthago Delinda Est.
Because it is easy and I am nursing a whiskey morning, and am giving thanks for the many freedoms forged by our ancestors - on the shoulders of giants - I believe there are many good lessons to learn from Roman (all) history.
The Punic wars are where I am going. Time after time Hazdribal Hannibal kicked the Romans right in the teeth from Trasimano to Canne and the Romans got right back up. Changing commanders was necessary, from 'the delayer' to Scipio - It was Scipio who figured out that taking out Hispania would cut off Carthage's silver funding and took the unusual approach of taking on (from what I understand the equivilant of) a master sergeant as an advisor - instead of the normal politico method - since he knew the mentality of the locals (alterveridais (sp?)) as well as the terrain. Then, with Hannibal contained, reconquered strategic Sicaly and forced Hannibal's withdrawl from southern Italy into into Scipio's fight in, ironically, Africa utilizing troops who were at odds with Carthage (cite Harold Lamb's Hannibal).
Following up with the king of sod's statement about the tribal ethos I would like to point towards someone more articulate and knowledgable person about such stuff in Gaius Caesar's chronicals concerning the Celts. Substituing/updating certain words and the pattern fits the sod's claim to fame. "I go to to fight an army without a general, then I go to fight a general without an army." is the (mis)quote I think of when contemplating current military operations.
Last, from Thomas Cahill, and I know it is fashionable to compare current USA situation to the fall of Rome, it is pointed out that the Roman Empire did not fall in a day. As I understand it caved from within by an unchecked population migration who were given citizenship by a blanket amnisty, a horrible overburdening tax system, and a political entitlement system - something to think about come election time.
With all these lessons available why are so many working so hard for the demise of the greatest experiment ever conceived? It would be incredibaly naive of me to think that they do it for anything other than simply selfish reasons. The culteral tradition of resisting unreasonable taxation, gone to war to abolish inheireted slavery, the concept that women and all are equals and all have a chance for greatness...sure there have been struggles and hiccups but in this profoundly brief history of this nation we, the people, have forged a new way for people to think.
#4
it caved from within by an unchecked population migration who were given citizenship by a blanket amnesty, a horrible overburdening tax system, and a political entitlement system
And history never repeats itself either. Nope, nope, never ever.
#6
wxjames, I think my Representative Jerry Moran is good, but is part of a handful - he was actually at Greensburg within hours of that tornado and his voting record (as far as I know) is good/what I agree with. But without Rantburg or popular vote us Kansans can do little to influence on the national level.
As best as I can put it together, and if there are any lifeguards on duty let me know if I am swimming over my head, there was a decline in what it meant to be 'Roman'. The politicians made it so there was a succession of families to rule. To increase their wealth they made citizens of all inhabitants to tax them. Suddenly a person didn't have to earn citizenship (by military service or otherwise). Eventually because the the tax burdon I would suspect that many tried to not be citizens. The culture stagnated, that is literature and art became sequals or re-dos instead of original works. I think if it were not for the Christian movement the whole thing would have just whisped away - but all it did was delay the inevitable as the system was so much in place it couldn't be effectively changed.
#7
swksvolFF, that's a very good analysis. Overtaxing to pay for the "Entitlements" and trying to micro-manage the economy were probably the two biggest things that brought down the Roman Empire. The high taxes were also needed to maintain the army. They had a large army in the field to provide security.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
11/21/2007 18:22 Comments ||
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#8
Another issue was demographics among the senatorial class. Whether due to lead poisoning from the aquaducts and villa reservoirs or for other reasons, by the time of Julius Cesar it was already the case that many leading senators had few suitable offspring to succeed them. That's one reason for adoption of adults as heirs (another was political alliances).
The three judges presiding over a trial of two members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue the Prevention of Vice charged with the alleged murder of Salman Al-Huraisi in a commission raid carried out in late May will begin listening to the testimonies of eyewitnesses next week.
According to the attorney representing the Al-Huraisi family, Yahya Al-Huraisi, judges wrapped up yesterdays hearing, saying that eyewitnesses will be testifying next week. The eyewitnesses will testify that they saw one of the two commission members enter Al-Huraisis house. Another will testify that he saw the commission member beat Al-Huraisi, the attorney told Arab News.
Both commission members previously denied in court all charges against them, saying that they neither beat the deceased nor took part in the raid. The next court hearing has been postponed to Tuesday, Nov. 27. The judges also asked the attorney in yesterdays session whether the family was still pursuing their case against the commission members. The attorney said they were.
Meanwhile, a lower court in Riyadh handed sentences to five members of Al-Huraisis family for resisting arrest by commission members. Al-Huraisis father, Muhammad, 73, was sentenced to two years in jail and 50 lashes; Faisal, a brother of the deceased, who is also blind, was handed a three-month jail sentence; Ismail, another brother, was handed a two-year and eight-month sentence for resisting arrest and possessing alcohol and narcotics; and Ahmed, a nephew of the deceased, was handed a one-year jail sentence.
All five members of the family have one week to sign their approval of the court ruling or refuse. If they refuse, the case will then be transferred to a Cassation Court where another ruling will be issued.
We are still hesitant to sign, Ali Al-Huraisi, brother of the deceased told Arab News. Despite them (the commission) trying to put us down and (making us) drop the case with these rulings, we will continue to pursue our main case in court, he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/21/2007 00:00 ||
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Saudi Arabia defended on Tuesday a court's decision to sentence a woman who was gang-raped to 200 lashes of the whip, after the United States described the verdict as "astonishing".
The 19-year-old Shi'ite woman from the town of Qatif in the Eastern Province and an unrelated male companion were abducted and raped by seven men in 2006. Ruling according to Saudi Arabia's strict reading of Islamic law, a court had originally sentenced the woman to 90 lashes and the rapists to jail terms of between 10 months and five years. It blamed the woman for being alone with an unrelated man. Last week the Supreme Judicial Council increased the sentence to 200 lashes and six months in prison and ordered the rapists to serve between two and nine years in jail.
The ruling provoked rare criticism from the United States, which is trying to persuade Saudi Arabia to attend a Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland next week. A State Department spokesman told reporters on Monday that "most (people) would find this relatively astonishing that something like this happens".
The court also took the unusual step of initiating disciplinary procedures against her lawyer, Abdul-Rahman al-Lahem, forcibly removing him from the case for having talked about it to the media. "The Ministry of Justice welcomes constructive criticism ... The system allows appeals without resort to the media," said Tuesday's statement issued on the official news agency SPA. It berated media for not specifying that three judges, not one, issued the recent ruling and reiterated that the "charges were proven" against the woman.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/21/2007 00:00 ||
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#3
Until we can identify the Saud terror entity as the enemy we have no prayer of winning this war. Unless we can let go of our "respect" for this barbarity - and I include all too many "conservatives" including the President who spout this stuff - we cannot destroy it and free the world. There is nothing for our representatives to be astonished about when Orc priests apply Orc law.
#8
Islam's continuing ability to defend the indefensible depends almost wholly upon our ability to tolerate the intolerable. Barry Goldwater would weep.
#9
Do you folks recall a case from a year or so back where the Saudi husband and wife were convicted of mistreating their "domestic servant" here in the USA. Was it Colorado? Anyway, their domestic servant was essentially kept as a slave. If memeory serves the Saudi husband was "astonished" that what he did in the USA would be considered a crime since he acted no differently in the USA then he did when he was in the Kingdom. I recall Saudi diplomats claiming to be "astonished" that the Saudi husband and wife would be convicted for behavior that was entirely natural in the Kingdom.
I'm certain the way muslims and islamic law treat women who have been raped goes a long, long way to deterring women from reporting the crime of rape. It really pisses me off when I hear muslim women or western fems talk about how beneficient islam is towards women.
Posted by: Mark Z ||
11/21/2007 14:44 Comments ||
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#10
It really pisses me off when I hear muslim women or western fems talk about how beneficient islam is towards women.
Venezuelas Planta Centro, the largest thermal power plant in Latin America, is generating only 240-MW of its total 2,000-MW because of the unavailability of four of its five generating units.
Unit 2 is finally being brought online after maintenance personnel found high levels of vibration in bearings No.1, No.2 and No. 5 during its restart on September 6, 2007. Currently, the plant-maintenance division is controlling the turbines start-up and will proceed with the units synchronization with the electrical grid after nominal speed is reached.
On June 28, 2007, Unit 3s generator failed because of a detached blade of the hydrogen-cooling ventilator, causing cracks in the primary water systems hoses. Alstom Power specialists have started revisions and repairs on the turbines generator. Support work on the feed water tank, low and high-pressure preheaters and main boiler are also being conducted. Repairs on the 400-MW unit are expected to take about 30 days.
Unit 4 continues to run at about half capacity, generating only 240-MW of its 400-MW because of a high-pressure difference in the inlet/outlet of the regenerative air heaters. The plants maintenance division undertook lubes/cleaning works on October 15, 2007.
Units 1 and 5 are unavailable, undergoing conversion of the main boilers to gas. Unit 1 began the conversion process in August 2003, and Alstom Power is performing the works. The same goes for Unit 5. In addition to the boiler conversion process, No. 5s transformer 5BT02 is being repaired. The plants engineers expect to have both units back online by May 2008.
Compañía Anónima de Administración y Fomento Eléctricos (Cadafe) Planta Centro is Venezuelas largest thermal generating plant connected to Venezuelas power grid, with five generating units that burn natural gas and fuel oil. Venezuelas power-generation system is made up of eight private and five state-owned utilities. About 95 percent of Venezuelas population is served by the National Interconnected System.
During the last few months, Venezuelas unfavorable weather conditions have made things difficult for the countrys power grid. Record high temperatures, electrical storms and heavy rains have caused major flaws to Venezuelas power system. Line contamination, low- and high-tension line dilatation, frequent power outages and electrical arcs are among some of the consequences of Venezuelas adverse weather conditions that have affected the countrys interconnected power system. (Source: Industrial Info Resources)
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/21/2007 20:49 ||
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hope they got the bearings from the Iranian centrifuge supplier
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/21/2007 21:54 Comments ||
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WOW! I got a job offer from Alstom Power. I turned it down. I mighta wound up in Venezuela.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
11/21/2007 21:58 Comments ||
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Did they ever repair the single bridge connecting the suburb where all the managers lived with Caracas? Or did the employees all get apartments in the city, leaving wives and family to cope alone? With the power plant doing so poorly, telecommuting wouldn't work very well, I'd think.
Posted by: trailing wife in Buffalo for Thanksgiving ||
11/21/2007 22:26 Comments ||
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HAVANA - Cuba will hold elections on Jan. 20 for a new National Assembly that will approve the countrys top leadership posts and settle speculation about the possible retirement of ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
No more eight hour speeches?
A decree signed by acting president Raul Castro set the date of the elections for 14 provincial assemblies and the national parliament, Cuban state television announced.
At its first session in March, the National Assembly has to approve the composition of the 31-member Council of State, Cubas highest executive body, whose president is the countrys head of state.
They'll just rotate the chairs. Gotta wait for Fidel and Raul to shuffle off this mortal coil ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/21/2007 00:00 ||
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President Putin is warning against attempts to restore the influence of oligarchs in Russia. He told thousands of supporters in Moscow that power-hungry tycoons had not gone away. He said they remained in the wings, waiting for an opportunity to regain their influence in Russia.
Putin was addressing more than 5,000 young supporters in Moscow's Luzhniki sports arena in Moscow. They'd gathered to support the President ahead of the parliamentary elections on December the 2nd.
Putin said the main task for Russia was to ensure existing policies remained in place.
He said the country's economy could make it into the top five in the world in the next decade.
Putin also said a win for the United Russia party, whose electoral lists he tops, is crucial for the smooth functioning of government.
In the next several months the upper echelon of government will be completely renewed. And for that renewal to go smoothly, for the parliament and the future President to work together effectively - we need only victory," Putin said.
He warned that a return to oligarch rule would be disastrous for Russia, as it was based on corruption and lies.
"There should be no illusions. These people have not left the political arena. You will find their names among the candidates and sponsors of several parties. They want to come back, to return to power, to gain influence. And gradually to restore oligarchic rule based on corruption and lies. These people are only capable of one thing: if they return to power: they will steal, stuff their pockets and will do it brilliantly and with cynicism. We will not let this happen, Putin said.
RT political commentator Peter Lavelle says the President's comments show his commitment to strengthening the role of Russia's parliament.
This president is making a commitment to make sure that his policies are carried out by Parliament. Now we are going to see them moving closer together, Peter Lavelle said.
The Sharks and Jets are at it again.
Police received warnings of a large conflict in the Holmlia district of Oslo at around 9 p.m. on Tuesday and responded with armed officers. "A gunshot was fired at Holmlia," Oslo police officer Britt Homb-Døvigen told Aftenposten.no. "People were running in all directions when we arrived, and we have not yet found a weapon," she said. An empty cartridge was found.
Several dozen people were involved in the fighting, all youths aged between 15 and 18. Police said that the group was made up of both ethnic Norwegians and those of immigrant background. There were no arrests, but 14 people were detained and photographed.
"We take this very seriously, especially when a shot is fired," police operation leader Rune Ullsand told Aftenposten.no. Get used to it, infidel.
According to Aftenposten.no's sources the clash is linked to another bout of violence at Sogn High School earlier on Tuesday, where seven or eight boys appeared armed with an iron bar and one boy was injured. Similar incidents have taken place in Oslo recently, with students at Ulsrud High School being beaten, and a massive brawl involving around 50 people taking place in the downtown Oslo district of Grønland on Sunday. Holy Odin!
"A gunshot", singular. Hell, over here that's just some gangsta trash test test-firing his weapon before doing a driveby. Norway ain't seen nuthin' yet.
A Muslim woman suspended from her job at Toronto's Pearson airport for wearing a skirt deemed too long by her employer has filed a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
The complaint states the woman had been discriminated against on the basis of her religion by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and the security company that employed her, Garda of Canada.
Halima Muse, 33, had worked as a screener in the airport's security area for the past five years. She had worn pants with her uniform, but in February 2007, she asked her employer to supply her with a skirt because she felt the pants were not modest enough and showed the shape of her body. She said she was told her choices were either pants or a knee-length skirt, which goes against the Islamic dress code.
Posted by: ed ||
11/21/2007 09:00 ||
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She should not be working at an airport with that mindset.
#2
There is no such thing as an "Islamic dress code" any more than there is a "Christian dress code". If this cultist gets to wear a bin bag I demand the right to wear a snake helmet and carry a double-headed ax: So demands my Lord Thulsa Doom!
#3
Go for it,
I think something along the lines of Darth Vader's Armor should make the TSA shit bricks.(With operating lightsaber)
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
11/21/2007 17:41 Comments ||
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She's not asking to wear a Chador. She's only asking to wear a longer skirt. I know a lot of women around here who wont wear a knee-length skirt for religious reasons and they are not Mudlims.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
11/21/2007 19:41 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.
Saudi Arabia defended on Tuesday a court's decision to sentence a woman who was gang-raped to 200 lashes of the whip, after the United States described the verdict as "astonishing".
