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Predator zap kills 10 in South Wazoo
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Page 5: Russia-Former Soviet Union
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Page 4: Opinion
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-Lurid Crime Tales-
CodePink: When in Danger, Call for the Marines!
which they did!
When in danger, call for the US Marines. That’s what CodePink’s Medea Benjamin did

Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin, who can turn the air blue when shouting chants against American Marines called out for the Marines in front of Marine Recruiting offices in Berkeley yesterday.

Eamon Kelley, the young Marine who is featured in Move America Forward’s TV commercial that ran on Fox News earlier this week, could hardly believe his own ears when Benjamin called on the Marines for help.

Kelley, who is recovering from back surgery, spent his day in Berkeley, where CodePink continues with Berkeley council’s blessing, to keep a virtual blockade at the recruit center, expanding its efforts to harass American troops and to turn back any young Americans looking to enlist.

City Council stubbornly refuses to apologize and continues to subsidize free parking for CodePink to drive soldiers out of town.

“While we were at the protest in Berkeley from 12 to 4 p.m., a white Volvo drove by and a man spat upon CodePink,” Kelley wrote in an email to MAF’s Melanie Morgan. “They chased him down the street and got into a verbal altercation. The police were NOWHERE in sight.

“That’s not the best part, ready for this?

“Medea Benjamin yelled and I quote “Marines!” She actually yelled for our help because this man had stepped out of his car. I even asked her if she was yelling Police and she told me, “I said Marines” then put her arm around my friend Allen (the Marine Vet). Ironic?”

Benjamin, who turned on her former close friend, San Francisco Bay Area activist Maria Ruzicka, later killed in Iraq in a widely-publicized suicide bombing, over Ruzicka’s decision to work with the U.S. military to secure compensation for the peoples of Iraq and Afghanistan, is on the record for supporting Cuba and Venezuela.

“Benjamin has drawn conservative criticism for her support of Hugo Chavez and her attacks on the U.S. embargo of Fidel Castro’s Cuba. Conservative writer David Horowitz’s FrontPageMag has attacked her as “a long-time Castro acolyte.” “(Wikipedia, the free encylopedia).

“Many of the causes that Ms. Benjamin espouses are Communist in nature. The Washington “peace” rally at which she spoke last month, for instance, was organized by the Workers World Party, a Communist organization…In years past, she staunchly opposed US military and to those fighting against Communist forces in Central America…She favors the creation of a government-sponsored universal health care system funded by taxpayer dollars. She exhorts the US government to lift its trade embargo against Cuba—a nation she notably lauds as a place where people have managed to “thrive despite the odds against them.”

On Dec. 4, 2007 Benjamin was arrested by plainclothes officers, detained by the ISI for eight hours, and deported after protesting the house arrest of lawyers (including Aitzaz Ahsan) in Lahore, Pakistan.

Now the record shows that in spite of the slogans and chants delivered in high-pitched screams, when Medea Benjamin wants to put the enemy on the run, she yells for the same relief called upon by the citizens of many trouble spots in the world: America’s brave Marines.

Yesterday in front of Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, Calif., Medea Benjamin gave new meaning to the old adage: Ah, the things you see when you don’t have your camera.
Posted by: Sherry || 02/29/2008 15:00 || Comments || Link || [12 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Medea, dear, we're all equal now. That means big girls like you have to handle their own problems. So if your actions anger some man who is twice your size and who decides he's going to beat you bloody, you need to demonstrate how your strong Marxist and feminist convictions will keep you safe against the evil masculine forces of reaction. Calling for those awful, testerone-poisoned Marine servants of capitalism to help you is disloyal to the cause, dear. Stand strong in the face of repression and sexism! Continue speaking truth to power! Remember Che and Helen Reddy!
Posted by: Jomosing Bluetooth8431 || 02/29/2008 17:47 Comments || Top||

#2  Hear, hear! Equality means you get to feel the results of your bad manners.
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/29/2008 23:19 Comments || Top||


Deadly poison ricin possibly found at Las Vegas motel: reports
Preliminary tests indicate that a package found at a motel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Thursday contained the toxin ricin, and seven people have been taken to hospitals, U.S. media reported Friday, quoting authorities. Police were called to the Extended Stay America Motel on Thursday and retrieved a package from the motel manager that was determined to be a chemical or controlled substance, the Associated Press reported, citing Officer Ramone Denby.

It's "100 percent ricin," CNN quoted Capt. Joe Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as saying. "We don't know who (the ricin) belongs to or why it would be here at this time."

Investigators did not immediately believe the substance was intended for an attack. "This is not a terror incident at this point," Lombardo unsurprizingly reportedly said.

Police cordoned off the area and isolated the room where the substance was found.

Ricin is made from the waste left over from processing castor beans, and can be extremely lethal. As little as 500 micrograms, or about the size of the head of a pin, can kill a human, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Posted by: anonymous5089 || 02/29/2008 08:19 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Ah, dupe again, but the first one was still in the waiting tank when I posted this.
Posted by: anonymous5089 || 02/29/2008 8:39 Comments || Top||

#2  I suspect that this is a false positive. Ricin has two protein chains. Many plants, such as barley, have one of the two chains, but not the other.

This means what they detected is most likely the barley malt found in dried beer.
Posted by: Anonymoose || 02/29/2008 8:42 Comments || Top||

#3  A bag of it?
Posted by: lotp || 02/29/2008 9:13 Comments || Top||

#4  I think the police captain seems pretty positive it's ricin.
Posted by: anonymous5089 || 02/29/2008 9:15 Comments || Top||

#5  Well ... police are saying that the 'small container found in a bag' contains pure ricin. Apparently castor beans were also found in the room.
Posted by: lotp || 02/29/2008 9:17 Comments || Top||

#6  "This event does not appear to be terrorism related," FBI spokesman Richard Kolko in Washington said Friday morning.

Less the twenty four hours in and the FBI's already determined that? Damn, they're good.
Enjoy the weekend, Dick...
Posted by: tu3031 || 02/29/2008 12:53 Comments || Top||

#7  "Testing, testing...."
Posted by: USN, Ret. || 02/29/2008 16:53 Comments || Top||

#8  LAS VEGAS — A man who stayed in a Las Vegas hotel room where ricin was discovered on Thursday has been hospitalized in critical condition since Feb. 14 with symptoms consistent with exposure to the deadly toxin, Las Vegas police said Friday.

The man’s identity, age and hometown were being withheld on Friday as investigators tried to determine why ricin, as well as castor beans from which is it derived, were found in a room at an Extended Stay America hotel one mile west of the Las Vegas Strip.

Deputy Chief Kathleen Suey said the man had been staying in the room where the ricin was found for an unknown length of time and was leasing the room when the substance was discovered. A man, said to be a relative or friend of the sick man, had gone into the room to retrieve the patient’s belongings when he found the vials of white powder and showed it to the hotel’s manager, Deputy Chief Suey said.

Police were called by the hotel. The man had been hospitalized on Feb. 14 with respiratory distress but did not indicate to doctors that he may have been exposed to ricin, so the health district and police were not notified of the prospect, she said. The patient has not yet been questioned and is believed to be unconscious, she said.
Posted by: tu3031 || 02/29/2008 17:02 Comments || Top||

#9  TU: Could you provide a link to that article please?

Thx in advance.
Posted by: Col. Bat Guano (ret.) || 02/29/2008 17:59 Comments || Top||


-Short Attention Span Theater-
1943 Guide to Hiring Women
Posted by: BrerRabbit || 02/29/2008 06:51 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under:

#1  no comment
Posted by: rich || 02/29/2008 14:25 Comments || Top||

#2  Well, honestly, I didn't think it was bad advice at all.
Posted by: ex-lib || 02/29/2008 23:26 Comments || Top||


National Underwear Day celebrated in Brasilia
Oooh! Mom! Take me there!
Posted by: Fred || 02/29/2008 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Underwear Day: a briefs interlude.
Posted by: Mike || 02/29/2008 7:42 Comments || Top||

#2  Really, really slow news day.
Posted by: wxjames || 02/29/2008 12:33 Comments || Top||

#3  Not for fat chicks though I guess...
Posted by: tu3031 || 02/29/2008 12:39 Comments || Top||

#4  Good Choice it being in Brazil, as opposed to, say, Turkey. Women in Brazil quite hot in general.
Posted by: OldSpook || 02/29/2008 12:58 Comments || Top||

#5  Most of em needs ta eat a sammich
Posted by: OldSpook || 02/29/2008 12:59 Comments || Top||

#6  The pix showed some guys posing with the girls - all of 'em in skimpy undies. Now, if those guys aren't thinking pure thoughts it could get embarrassing.
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 || 02/29/2008 13:48 Comments || Top||

#7  Geez, no fat guys either...
Posted by: tu3031 || 02/29/2008 13:50 Comments || Top||

#8  Agreed. The only spare ribs I like to see have been cooked all day in BBQ sauce.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 02/29/2008 15:39 Comments || Top||


Topless demonstration by PETA in Sydney
Posted by: Fred || 02/29/2008 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Didn't realize bullfighting was such a big sport in Sydney. At least the members of PetA are a bit more attractive downunder. But aren't they all.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble || 02/29/2008 8:01 Comments || Top||

#2  This cries out for the Photoshoppe treatment.
My version (NSFW)
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy || 02/29/2008 9:39 Comments || Top||

#3  I prefer the photos from Brasilia myself.

Al
Posted by: Frozen Al || 02/29/2008 12:54 Comments || Top||


Gay prince to adopt a male child to continue royal lineage
(PTI) To continue 500-year-old lineage of royal family of Rajpipla, the gay prince of the erstwhile state has decided to adopt a male child. 42-year-old Manvendrasinh Gohil is the only person of royal lineage in the country who has openly proclaimed to being a gay creating a stir in his native town as well as family. "When I declared about my status, after the initial stir people of the Rajpipla were worried about who would continue the 500 to 600 year-old tradition of the royal family. Though the kingdoms are gone, people of our erstwhile state have great respect for our royal family," Gohil told PTI.

"People of the state still consider that the rule of our dynasty was better in comparison to the present rule. They respect us and look upon the ruling family especially in times of crisis," Gohil said.

"There are many tradition set by the family in Rajpipla which starts in the presence of king. Even Tajias are taken out in presence of the king," he added. "I being the 39th heir in the royal lineage of the Gohil family, there are numerous family traditions which the king has to follow," the scion who recently became the first male personality from India to have a tete-e-tete with Ophra Winfrey in the globally viewed chat show, said. "So considering all this things, I have promised to my family and the people of the state that I will adopt a male child," Gohil said.
Posted by: Fred || 02/29/2008 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Michael Jackson move?
Posted by: Icerigger || 02/29/2008 7:04 Comments || Top||

#2  Royal blood lines are usually corrupt, and adoption has a good chance of revitalizing them. However, you don't want to do it over several generations, or else it becomes a crap shoot.

This is what happened to the last kings of Hawaii. For some reason, they just couldn't procreate, so the various factions started electing new ones.
Posted by: Anonymoose || 02/29/2008 8:47 Comments || Top||

#3  Guess he couldn't just bring himself to throw a flag over her head and do his duty for Throne and Country
Posted by: Clyde Choluque7113 || 02/29/2008 9:52 Comments || Top||

#4  Maybe it's true what they say:

"Nobody loves you when you're old and gay."
Posted by: Anonymoose || 02/29/2008 12:44 Comments || Top||

#5  What if the kid's gay?
Posted by: tu3031 || 02/29/2008 12:48 Comments || Top||


Afghanistan
Paratroopers Fighting in Afghanistan Need to Hear from You!
This is from Blackfive --- I snipped his writing, so go visit. He's also got pics

Now, as if the Taliban and Al Qaeda, bad weather, and lack of support here at home weren't bad enough, the New York Times has published a one-sided view of the paratroopers tour in Afghanistan.

And so now we have cause to band together again and send massive support down range. Here's why:

Even though spring hasn't officially arrived the snow line is beginning to move up the mountains in Kunar and surrounding provinces in Afghanistan. The Taliban have already begun attacking the KOP, Firebases and Observation Points where elements of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team from Bamberg and Schweinfurt, Germanicenza, Ily, are deployed.

Almost 4,000 Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry (Airborne), 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry (Airborne) and 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry were deployed to Kunar and surrounding provinces in Afghanistan in May 2007 for a 15 month rotation.

This region of eastern Afghanistan in the Hindu Kush mountains bordering Pakistan has been designated the most dangerous place on earth for military personnel.

The Sky Soldiers have trudged through up to seven feet of snow on patrols day in and day out often at altitudes of 7,000 feet and higher. Each Soldier carries between 60 and 100 pounds of gear on these patrols. They Soldier-On each day despite the loss of many friends and comrades and substantially high numbers of wounded. Untold numbers of great Americans have provided amazing amounts of support to these Soldiers during this deployment. Public, private and civic organizations have provided direct support or indirect support.

A recent article by Elizabeth Rubin in the New York Times painted one Platoon of this Brigade in a less than favorable light. The article sensationalized the facts in a negative way, which served only to cause undue stress on the Soldiers and family members. The author failed to mention successes within the Brigade such as substantial humanitarian aid (tons of food and clothes) delivered to local villages, medical care for local children and adults, road projects, clean water projects, training of Afghan National Army personnel, distribution of school supplies, etc. [Don't worry, friends, Deebow is preparing a more detailed take down of Elizabeth Rubin. Stay tuned for that.]

The info on this article by Elizabeth Rubin is here

Historically, spring is a time of heavy fighting in this region as the terrorists and insurgents emerge from their caves after the harsh winter temperatures and snows. Let's show these Soldiers how much support they have from home to help them through the spring and the remainder of this long and dangerous deployment.

Our paratroopers are in the fight of their lives and they need to hear that America loves them.

Please send an email of support to skysoldiers173rd@gmail.com

Or you can mail cards to:

Leta Carruth
P O Box 100
Cordova, TN 38088

Due to security reasons in Afghanistan please do not put addresses or phone numbers on any correspondence. All emails will be printed out here in the US and mailed to Afghanistan as they do not have the resources to receive a large number of emails. All letters and emails will be vetted to make sure there are no negative comments. These are letters of support, so please keep them positive and uplifting.

A Huge THANK YOU to the proponents of (and the leaders of) this effort - Tanker Babe and Mrs. Diva!
Posted by: Sherry || 02/29/2008 13:51 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:


China-Japan-Koreas
U.S. Marine arrested over alleged rape of girl in Okinawa released
Prosecutors released on Friday a U.S. Marine staff sergeant who was arrested on suspicion of raping a local junior high school girl in Okinawa Prefecture in February. Tyrone Hadnott, 38, had been detained since Okinawa police arrested him for allegedly raping the girl in a car parked on a street in the town of Chatan around 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 10.

Hadnott was released because prosecutors decided not to press charges as the girl dropped the accusation against him.

The incident sparked an uproar among local residents in the southernmost Japanese prefecture who had already resented the heavy presence of U.S. forces as well as a spate of crimes committed by U.S. soldiers.

Hadnott denied raping the girl but has admitted to forcing her to kiss him, according to the police.
Posted by: anonymous5089 || 02/29/2008 08:18 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Another MSM Duke Moment(tm)?
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/29/2008 9:06 Comments || Top||

#2  Johnson! Don't stop the presses!!
Posted by: tu3031 || 02/29/2008 13:57 Comments || Top||


Science & Technology
Blind Irishman sees with the aid of son's tooth in his eye
DUBLIN (AFP) - An Irishman blinded by an explosion two years ago has had his sight restored after doctors inserted his son's tooth in his eye, he said on Wednesday.

Bob McNichol, 57, from County Mayo in the west of the country, lost his sight in a freak accident when red-hot liquid aluminium exploded at a re-cycling business in November 2005.

"I thought that I was going to be blind for the rest of my life," McNichol told RTE state radio.

After doctors in Ireland said there was nothing more they could do, McNichol heard about a miracle operation called Osteo-Odonto-Keratoprosthesis (OOKP) being performed by Dr Christopher Liu at the Sussex Eye Hospital in Brighton in England.

The technique, pioneered in Italy in the 1960s, involves creating a support for an artificial cornea from the patient's own tooth and the surrounding bone.

The procedure used on McNichol involved his son Robert, 23, donating a tooth, its root and part of the jaw.

McNichol's right eye socket was rebuilt, part of the tooth inserted and a lens inserted in a hole drilled in the tooth.

The first operation lasted ten hours and the second five hours.

"It is pretty heavy going," McNichol said. "There was a 65 percent chance of me getting any sight.

"Now I have enough sight for me to get around and I can watch television. I have come out from complete darkness to be able to do simple things," McNichol said.
Posted by: anonymous5089 || 02/29/2008 08:14 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Sounds like one helluva brawl...
Posted by: tu3031 || 02/29/2008 14:00 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
35[untagged]
8Hamas
4Iraqi Insurgency
4Hezbollah
3Taliban
2Global Jihad
2Govt of Pakistan
2al-Qaeda
1Jamaat-e-Ulema Islami
1Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh
1Jemaah Islamiyah
1Thai Insurgency
1al-Qaeda in North Africa
1Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
1Govt of Syria
1Hizbul Mujaheddin
1Iraqi Baath Party
1IRGC
1Islamic Jihad

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In no particular order...
Steve White
Seafarious
tu3031
badanov
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Two weeks of WOT
Fri 2008-02-29
  Predator zap kills 10 in South Wazoo
Thu 2008-02-28
  VA imam thought to have aided al-Qaida
Wed 2008-02-27
  Boomer on a bus kills 40 near Mosul
Tue 2008-02-26
  Wheelchair boomer kills cop in Samarra
Mon 2008-02-25
  Yemen foils attempt to bomb oil pipeline
Sun 2008-02-24
  Iraqi security forces kill 10 al-Qaida insurgents
Sat 2008-02-23
  Turk troops enter Iraq after Kurdish fighters
Fri 2008-02-22
  Morocco busts another terror cell
Thu 2008-02-21
  Thirty Taliban killed in joint strikes
Wed 2008-02-20
  Mullahs lose NWFP control after five years
Tue 2008-02-19
  Dulmatin titzup in Tawi-Tawi?
Mon 2008-02-18
  Explosion rocks West Texas oil refinery
Sun 2008-02-17
  Somali president unhurt in mortar attack on residence
Sat 2008-02-16
  Islamic Jihad commander kabooms himself, family, neighbors
Fri 2008-02-15
  Multiple explosions at TX pipelines near Mexican border


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