I'll bet the Heathen Chinee are gonna milk this one for all it's worth...
Bra producers have been forced to offer bigger cup-sizes in China because improved nutrition is busting all previous chest measurement records. "It's so different from the past when most young women would wear A- or B-cup bras," Triumph brand saleswoman Zhang Jing told the Shanghai Daily from the Landmark Plaza of China's commercial hub. "You...never expect those thin women to have such nice figures if they are not plastic." Or in Japanese anime/manga.
The report, seen on the daily's Web site Tuesday, said that the Hong Kong-based lingerie firm Embry Group no longer produces A-cups for larger chest circumferences and has increased production of C-, D- and E-cup bras to meet pressing demand.
So it's not only the Chinese economy that's expanding
The Beijing Institute of Clothing Technology released a report last week saying the average chest circumference of Chinese women has risen by nearly 0.4 inch to 33 inches since the early 1990s, the daily said.
This phenomenon, it said, was due to women eating more nutritiously and taking part in more sport. Similar growth in the average height of children prompted a rethink last year in Beijing on the height allowance for free bus rides.
"Beat it! You ain't no kid!"
"Mom!"
"What is it, Number One Son?"
"Lookee here, lady... I... I... Mamma mia!"
#2
There's been a Hooters in Shanghai for a while...I've been wanting to go there next time I'm in town. From what I understand, they're just standard Chinese girls, not big at all.
And I can't say that I've encountered any of this larger cup size personally, despite my dedication to investigate this issue as thoroughly as possible.
#7
Growth in this sector is viewed as a definite lift to what has often been viewed as an under-wired portion economy. While a pattern of tight squeezing has often been the result, beneficiaries of the current situation will quite likely eye this expansion in a more kindly light. Although this may well represent an all-to-real strain upon an already strapped sector, once fettering restraints are unhooked the subsequent release on previously constricted assets will likely receive a warm reception. Economic pundits anticipate an upward trend in rising interest rates and foresee hidden rewards nestled within these heretofore undeveloped regions. All together, this spells out triple digit increases in positions once cupped by considerably less accommodating carriers.
#10
This ties in with the Iraqi "Baby Milk Factory" story of GW1 somewhere, but I cannot find the linkage.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
04/26/2006 15:51 Comments ||
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#11
Where 'ya been Zenster?
Thank you for asking, 6. New job, 33% more pay, great boss, full medical and dental benefits, second in command, whip@ss 15.4" screen 100G disk 1G RAM business laptop, company cell phone and I get to draw my own roadmap for success. All that plus I now sit on the advisory boards of three different local culinary schools. Yup, this puppy's quite busy these days. If I don't watch out, I'll have too much fun.
An Islamic tribunal's ruling that allows Sunni men to marry without having to live with or financially support their wives has enraged Gulf women's rights activists who say Islamic marriage is unfair enough already.
In the West, we call this concept "dating."
The Mecca-based Islamic Jurisprudence Assembly announced on April 12 that so-called Misyar marriage - from the colloquial Gulf Arabic word for visitor - was permitted, drawing the ire of women in the region.
"Yeah! Right, Buster! You're thinkin' maybe some flowers, a little perfume, then off to the Motel 6 for a weekend of debauchery! We're thinkin' serious jewelry here!"
Kuwaiti activist Rola Dashti said the move, which skirts around Islamic rules on extramarital sexual relationships and relieves men of responsibility for their wives, "destroys the fundamentals of a family."
It does reaffirm the fundamentals of kept women, though...
"The rights which would be abandoned by a woman [in this kind of marriage] are essential to build a stable family," said Dashti, who also heads the Kuwait Economic Society.
If she's thinking of an apartment in Paris, maybe this is more up her alley, so to speak...
The edict says "a marriage contract in which the woman relinquishes [her right to] housing and support money ... and accepts that the man visits her in her [family] house whenever he likes, day or night ... is valid."
"In terms of Islamic jurisprudence, this is called 'shacking up at Mom's house.'"
But by giving up her rights with such a marriage, which is usually seen as temporary, the wife would not necessarily receive a penny when divorced. "A woman who is married the standard way faces enormous problems when it comes to getting a divorce, so what would her situation be in a Misyar marriage?" said Dashti.
"Fatimeh, I've met someone else. I won't be over for dinner and a bang tonight."
Unlike Shiite Islam's form of temporary marriage known as Mutaa, which has a preset date of expiry,
... often 20 minutes from the contract signing...
Misyar marriage does not have a predetermined end. "Enlightened Islamic scholars should stand up to such radical thoughts disseminated through [Islamic] tribunes, and not abandon women to stand up to them alone," Dashti said.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/26/2006 00:00 ||
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"To Marry without having to live with or financially support their wives" - IOW, Muslims demand to be demographically dying like the Euro-Socialists and Asian Socialists-Commies, or at least drunk angry near-suicides like the Russians. All of us men get to sit around getting drunk and angst, scheming or coming up wid new ways-reasons for the Horde = People's Army = Ruling Party/Regime to go on a regional and worldwide rampage of mayhem and anarchy , i.e. permanent "War Party" ala Secular Socialism/Marism-Leninism, i.e. permanent "Jihad" ala Radical Islam, more popularly known as armed conquest and warfare.
#2
In a way, it is a good thing, as the old system is obviously crumbling. Eventually the rot and decay will become intolerable.
Ironically, it is women who have to be forced in this regard. Their old expectations have to be utterly shattered, so that they *must* take responsibility for themselves. No longer will they be able to depend on men for *anything*, and once that becomes the assumption, then and only then will things change for the better.
Yes, it is an utter bummer for women who wanted to live in the old manner, who are uneducated, trained to be housewives only, and to just do what they were told and everything would be all right.
Then all of a sudden, then entire ME will have the equivalent to "women's lib" and "consciousness raising" meetings everywhere.
The controversial Solomon Islands' Prime Minister, Snyder Rini, has resigned.
"That does it! I quit!"
Mr Rini's election to the post eight days ago sparked two days of rioting in the capital, Honiara.
"Snyder? They elected Snyder as PM? Where's my pitchfork?"
"Cheez, Snyder? They coulda elected me and they elected that dolt?"
In Parliament this morning, five Government ministers and a Government backbencher entered the chamber and sat with the Opposition.
That'll do it right there.
Former Opposition leader Patterson Oti told the Speaker it was obvious Mr Rini no longer enjoyed the confidence of the House.
Eight days ago he did, but not now...
He offered Mr Rini a chance to resign before the Parliament voted on a no confidence motion against him.
"You can go easy, Snyder, or you can go hard, but yer gonna go!"
After a short adjournment, Mr Rini announced his decision. "I have no alternative but to tender my resignation as prime minister of the Solomon Islands," he said.
Smart guy.
Mr Rini says he hopes the decision brings peace. He is the shortest-ever serving prime minister of Solomon Islands. The resignation has been greeted with joy in the streets of Honiara.
The Spanish Socialist Party will introduce a bill in the Congress of Deputies calling for "the immediate inclusion of (simians) in the category of persons, and that they be given the moral and legal protection that currently are only enjoyed by human beings." The PSOE's justification is that humans share 98.4% of our genes with chimpanzees, 97.7% with gorillas, and 96.4% with orangutans.
The party will announce its Great Ape Project at a press conference tomorrow. An organization with the same name is seeking a UN declaration on simian rights which would defend ape interests "the same as those of minors and the mentally handicapped of our species."
According to the Project, "Today only members of the species Homo sapiens are considered part of the community of equals. The chimpanzee, the gorilla, and the orangutan are our species's closest relatives. They possess sufficient mental faculties and emotional life to justify their inclusion in the community of equals." They're certainly the intellectual equals or superiors to socialists.
#8
lol, CF! Very important point! This will make the dead voting in Chicago look like child's play.
Posted by: BA ||
04/26/2006 10:05 Comments ||
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"seeking a UN declaration on simian rights which would defend ape interests..."
This makes sense. After all, apes have the inherent right of universal dignity to randomly fling their fecal matter without the ridicule of their arrogant human cousins.
#14
I can seee it now: Today, Hillary Clinton visited the Bronx Zoo to give a speech on fresh letuce. She was repeatedly interrupted by a signifying monkey. Willy, the monkey signaled her with his middle finger and his upper lip. Hillary got the message and broke for lunch early.
More than two-thirds of Afro-French people want "positive discrimination" to make up for their under-representation, especially in high rungs of the government's ladder, a new survey showed on Monday, April 25.
The survey, conducted by the CSA polling group, found that 64 percent of French of African origin want a specific quota in the county's high-profile public posts.
Fifty-seven percent of the polled believe that Afro-French deserve better political representation.
Around 68 percent of the respondents said it would be "impossible" to see an Afro-French in the Elysee.
A Sorbonne research released last year by the French Observatory Against Racism found that names and dark complexion represent an obstacle to jobseekers.
There is no official number of people of African origin in France as laws ban census based on ethnic or religious grounds.
But unofficial estimates indicate that Afro-French represent 10 percent of the country's some 70 million population.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/26/2006 00:00 ||
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Is that what they're calling affirmative action nowadays?
Very clever dealing from the bottom of the deck. Is that African origin meaning North Africa or sub-Saharan? Or combining both? Because most assuredly, an Arab from Algeria does not consider himself culturally one and the same as a fellow from the Ivory Coast.
Same nonsense as the "People of Color" crap here. Like Jesse Jackson gives a #*%* about the concerns of someone from Guatemala or Korea.
#3
A Sorbonne research released last year by the French Observatory Against Racism found that names like Abu Jarell and Kinsheesha, and dark complexion represent an obstacle to jobseekers.
A judge today ignored a plea deal calling for probation and sentenced four Democratic campaign workers to jail terms for their roles in the infamous Election Day 2004 tire slashing caper. The four - including the sons of U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) and former Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt - pleaded no contest to misdemeanors while an apparently deadlocked jury stalled over felony counts at the end of a January trial that received national coverage. A fifth Kerry-Edwards staffer accused of crippling Republican vans, Justin Howell, turned down the last-minute deal and was acquitted by the jury.
Michael Pratt was sentenced to six months in jail, and Sowande Omokunde, Moore's son, got four months in jail. Lavelle Mohammad was sentenced to five months in jail, and Lewis Caldwell received a six-month jail sentence. Each was fined $1,000. The defendants all had previously paid a collective restitution of $5,320, as part of the plea bargain.
They had been charged with damaging 40 tires on 25 rented vans parked outside Republican Party offices on W. Capitol Drive, hours before the vans were going to be used for electioneering. The repair costs easily exceeded the felony threshold of $2,500, yet there was little evidence about what each man had allegedly done.
Prosecutors built most of their case on testimony from out-of-state Democratic operatives who had come to work on the Wisconsin campaign alongside the defendants. The witnesses said the local men boasted about their crippling attack on the Republican vehicles. Defense attorneys tried to characterize the party professionals as liars who set up the defendants - loosely tied to the scene by cell-phone records and the hazy memory of a security guard - as fall guys for the crime.
Nah, professional Democratic operatives would never even think of doing that, right?
Posted by: Steve ||
04/26/2006 14:00 ||
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#1
What I love is that these guys pled nolo to a misdemeanor and the fifth one ditched the deal and was acquited on felony charges. What dummies.
#2
Sowande Omokunde? Son of U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.). What's the skinny on his name? Is he adopted or did he adopt one of those African names so that he may be taken as "authentic"?
Want African authenticity? Want to favor Africa over the USA? See here and perhaps you'll change your mind.
One can hope he will be able to improve communication between Bush and the nation (vital component to the War on Terror); he has a better chance than most, though I am not very optimistic.
President Announces Tony Snow as Press Secretary
James S. Brady Briefing Room
9:10 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I'm here in the briefing room to break some news. I've asked Tony Snow to serve as my new press secretary.
Tony already knows most of you, and he's agreed to take the job anyway. (Laughter.) And I'm really glad he did. I'm confident Tony Snow will make an outstanding addition to this White House staff. I am confident he will help you do your job. My job is to make decisions, and his job is to help explain those decisions to the press corps and the American people.
He understands like I understand that the press is vital to our democracy. As a professional journalist, Tony Snow understands the importance of the relationship between government and those whose job it is to cover the government. He's going to work hard to provide you with timely information about my philosophy, my priorities, and the actions we're taking to implement our agenda.
He brings a long record of accomplishment to this position. He has spent a quarter of a century in the news business. He's worked in all three major media -- print, radio and television. He started his career in 1979 as an editorial writer for The Greensboro Record in North Carolina. He's going to -- went on to write editorials for The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk. He ran the editorial pages in both The Daily Press of Newport News and The Washington Times. He's written nationally syndicated columns for both The Detroit News and USA Today.
During his career in print journalism, he's been cited for his work by the Society for Professional Journalists, the Associated Press, and Gannett. For seven years, he served as the host of "FOX News Sunday." Most recently, he reached Americans all across our country as the host of "The Tony Snow Show" on FOX News Radio, and "Weekend Live with Tony Snow" on the FOX News Channel.
He's not afraid to express his own opinions. For those of you who have read his columns and listened to his radio show, he sometimes has disagreed with me. I asked him about those comments, and he said, "You should have heard what I said about the other guy." I like his perspective, I like the perspective he brings to this job, and I think you're going to like it, too.
Tony knows what it's like to work inside the White House. In 1991, he took a break from journalism to serve as Director of Speechwriting and Deputy Assistant to the President for Media Affairs. He's taught children in Kenya. He belongs to a rock band called Beats Working. He's a man of courage, he's a man of integrity, he loves his family a lot. He is the loving husband of a fine wife, and the father of three beautiful children.
He succeeds a decent and talented man in Scott McClellan. I've known Scott since he worked for me in Texas. We traveled our state together, we traveled our country together, and we have traveled the world together. We have also made history together. Scott should be enormously proud of his service to our nation in an incredibly difficult job. I've always -- I will always be grateful to him. I will always be proud to call him, "friend."
I appreciate Scott's offer to help Tony Snow prepare for his new job, and I'm proud to welcome Tony as part of our team.
MR. SNOW: Well, Mr. President, I want to thank you for the honor of serving as Press Secretary. And just a couple of quick notes, I'm delighted to be here. One of the things I want to do is just make it clear that I -- one of the reasons I took the job is not only because I believe in the President, because believe it or not, I want to work with you. These are times that are going to be very challenging. We've got a lot of big issues ahead, and we've got a lot of important things that all of us are going to be covering together.
And I am very excited, and I can't wait, and I want to thank you, Mr. President, for the honor, and thank all you guys for your forbearance, and I look forward to working with you.
#1
hey I like Tony, and think he's a good talent for TV News.
But I don't think he's the right guy/gal for the job. That job calls for more than being a good TV news communicator.
A good Presidential Press Sec must have a special touch, a unique ability, because everyday he must make Helen Thomas et al, look even worse than they actually are while at the same time get the Presidents message out to the Nation.
#2
Well, someone has to be articulate to explain the President's agenda. That person will have to be in on policy meetings so he can speak for the President and not be in the dark.
The press secretary needs to get control of the room. HE is giving the briefing, the press asks questions. That means he will have to establish some decorum. It is not acceptable for the press to ask pontificating questions. They need to frame their questions and ask them direct and succinctly. People who interrupt and are rude should be shown the door. Courtesy is a two way street.
We will see if Tony Snow has the support, information, and authority to run this op. Personally, my choice would be General Honare. The White House Press Corpse needs to be b*tch slapped to let them know who is in charge. They are supposed to report the news, not to set national policy. Also, I do not approve of White house press dinners and palzie-walzie with press people. There needs to be a distance between the press and the President, for professional reasons. Just like there can be a close relationship between the Captain and crew of a ship, but there is still a distance to keep to maintain the integrity of command.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
04/26/2006 14:41 Comments ||
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#3
I like Tony Snow, and I agree with Alaska Paul, but this guy would get my nomination for the job:
#4
My nomination would be Zacarias Moussaoui. The national press corp doen't have a frigging idea of what we have to deal with under the banner of islam, and I can't think of a better teacher. In addition to a microphone, I would make sure he has a large knife. And locked press room doors.
Posted by: ed ||
04/26/2006 15:50 Comments ||
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#5
I am not too sure about him, the LLL moonbat fever swamp isnt storming the gates over his appointment. He must be the wrong choice? However, they might have been caught flat-footed by Tonys balanced approach as a FNC analyst. The first couple of press conferences should tell the tale.
#7
The Donk and moonbat panning is to be expected. Obviously, they've never been smart enough to tune into Snow and hear what he has had to say. He's blistered Bush on several issues.
I like this because Snow isn't afraid to speak his mind - and Bush needs to hear some of the things Snow thinks - the man's got a clue. It also demonstrates Bush isn't afraid of criticism - and perhaps wants some from a fresh different POV. Overall, it may not work out, but it will help Bush unscramble his domestic picture and impress upon him what Joe Average is thinking.
The Senate voted Wednesday to divert some of the money President Bush requested for the war in Iraq to instead increase patrols against illegal immigrants on the nation's borders and increase security at U.S. ports.
An amendment cutting Bush's Iraq request by $1.3 billion to pay for new Border Patrol agents, aircraft some fencing at border crossings widely used by illegal immigrants was adopted on 59-39 vote.
While the border security funds had sweeping support, Democrats and Republicans argued over whether the cuts to Pentagon war funds would harm troops on the ground in Iraq. The cuts, offered by Judd Gregg, R- N.H., trim Bush's request for the war by almost 3 percent but don't specify how.
The vote came in the wake of a toughly worded promise by the White House to veto the $106.5 billion measure unless it is cut back to below $95 billion. Seems like robbing Peter to pay Paul, but it is an election year...
#2
Damn, bought fell off my chair. This is hard to believe. Finally, these Senate stooges are doing something positive about OUR border defense. I don't give a shit about Iraq.
The infamous environmental group Greenpeace is targeting Sen. Ted Kennedy for opposing a wind farm in the Nantucket Sound because it would interfere with the view from his Hyannis Port mansion. Greenpeace is launching a nationwide TV ad campaign against Kennedy, with spots that portray the Massachusetts Democrat as Godzilla. The Cape Cod Times reports:
"In the 30-second spot, a cartoon Kennedy looms over the water like a Japanese movie monster, pounding wind turbines as they sprout from the water, and barks, 'I might see them from my mansion on the Cape.'"
Kennedy's nephew, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is a leading environmentalist who urges Americans to cut back on energy consumption and who blamed Bush environmental policies for Hurricane Katrina. But he, too, opposes the wind farm in Nantucket Sound - going so far as to argue that it would cause pollution.
By running the ads, Greenpeace hopes to torpedo an amendment to a Coast Guard bill that would make a proposed Nantucket wind farm vulnerable to state veto.
"'We've targeted the Senate because we need leaders to stop this amendment before it can even be voted," Greenpeace spokesgal Kate Smolski told the Times.
Posted by: Steve ||
04/26/2006 09:23 ||
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Maybe I could sent a few parrots to strengthen the case. We have thousands of the buggers. They are a real pest. This summer, I watched white then black cockatoos completely strip my neighbor's almond tree in a couple of days.
Orissa Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and Excise Minister Kalindi Charan Behera on Tuesday resigned from the cabinet owning moral responsibility for the illicit liquor deaths of at least 10 people in Ganjam district.
"It'sh all my fault! [Hic!]"
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reportedly asked Behera to resign after visiting Golabandha village in the district where the incident took place on Saturday, an official said. Behera told media persons at state capital Bhubaneswar that he had resigned because he was upset over the deaths. "Taking moral responsibility, I tendered my resignation to the chief minister," he said.
"Mishter Prime Minishter! I quit! [Hic!]"
"Would you like me to see you to the door?"
"No, thanksh! I can crawl myshelf!"
Many people in Golabandha, some 20 km from Berhampur town in Ganjam, allegedly consumed the locally made brew on Saturday night and complained of stomach pain, vomiting and blurred vision.
"Man! Thish stuff is powerful! You're all fuzzhy aroun' the edgesh, Gobinder!"
Officials said 10 people had died and around 40 were taken ill after drinking the brew.
"Gobinder? Shay! Wake up, Gobinder!"
Last month, 26 people had died after consuming spurious liquor in the same district. Though the government set up a judicial commission to probe the incident, opposition parties demanded Behera's resignation.
"Thash right! He'sh gotta go! [Hic!]"
Earlier, the government suspended district excise chief Susanta Das and chief of the local police station Satis Padhi. About 300 people died in 1992 after consuming spurious liquor in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar city. Since then, several women's organisations have been demanding total prohibition on the sale and manufacture of liquor.
"Lips that touch liquor with never touch mine!"
The state imposed a ban on alcohol in 1994, but the Congress party, which came to power in 1995, lifted prohibition arguing that it was causing huge revenue losses. After Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took office in 2000, the government itself began retailing liquor.
"Liquor! Getcher liquor right here! Only two bits!"
"Here, fellah! I'll have one o' them!... Shay! Izh that a snake head floating in there?"
"Yeah. Lends it a little extra kick!"
Posted by: john ||
04/26/2006 00:00 ||
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Indian police have re-arrested the alleged killer of Indias famous bandit queen, who made a daring escape from a high-security prison two years ago, police said on Tuesday. Sher Singh Rana, who was awaiting trial for the murder of low-caste womens icon Phoolan Devi when he fled, was arrested in the eastern metropolis of Kolkata late Monday, a spokesman said.
There was a ear-shattering blast as Sher Singh's makeshift explosive tore out the window of his squalid cell!
Spitting dust and grime, his shirt ripped, exposing half his manly chest and one muscular arm, he leapt through the hole to the ground.
As the guards frantically ran toward him, Mukkerjee rounded the corner in the souped-up Tatra!
"Get in, Sher!" cried his faithful Indian companion as the car briefly screeched to a halt!
With Sher Singh Rana to think was to act! He hopped the running board and dove into the passenger seat, bullets whizzing around his head!
"Hit it, Mukky!" he cried.
Rana escaped in February 2004 while being transported to court from New Delhis Tihar Jail by a police escort who turned out be fellow bandits in disguise. The break out left many red faces among the authorities in Tihar Jail, regarded as one of Indias most secure prisons.
"Men! This is a black eye for the Tihar Jail! Sher Rana's going to be our top priority! Drop everything else, and bring him back!"
"Right, chief!"
"But make sure he's alive. I've got plans for him!"
There was more embarrassment in store for Delhi police when Rana was located and interviewed by Hindi news channel Aaj Tak in February this year.
"And Sher may I call you Sher? If you could be any kind of a tree that you wanted to be, what kind of tree would that be?"
"Well, Barbara..."
Rana had been arrested shortly after Devi, then a member of parliament, was shot dead by three masked men as she got out of a car at the gate of her New Delhi residence in July 2001. Police said Rana confessed to murdering Devi to avenge the deaths of 22 upper-caste Hindus she killed on Valentines Day in 1981.
"Revenge! I will have Dire Revenge on the low-caste wench!"
Devi said the Valentines Day massacre in the north Indian village of Behmai was in retaliation for her gang rape by upper-caste Hindus.
"Revenge! I will have Dire Revenge on the upper-caste bastards!"
The illiterate villagers story immortalised in an autobiography which she promoted in Europe and in the 1994 film Bandit Queen won her a larger-than-life image as a brave woman who fought upper-caste tyranny.
I didn't see that movie, but I'll betcha I could tell you the plot...
Posted by: Fred ||
04/26/2006 00:00 ||
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Phoolan Devi was part of India's bandit folklore.
A member of the lower castes, she rose to notoriety in 1981 when she had 22 upper caste men massacred on Valentine's Day to avenge her gang rape.
She surrendered to the authorities in 1983 and served a prison sentence until February 1994.
Two years later she became a member of the Indian lower house of parliament. She lost her seat in 1998, but made a comeback the following year.
She was shot dead at the age of 38 in front of her official residence in Delhi in July 2001.
Posted by: john ||
04/26/2006 15:19 Comments ||
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Amid the many scandals at the United Nations, a new mystery now looms. What happened to the world organizations unique and valuable postal archive in effect, the U.N.s own stamp collection, one of the crown jewels of its past and a popular point of contact with the global public?
Auditors from the U.N.s investigative arm, the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), are currently putting the last touches on an investigative report that has taken months to complete, and that aims to determine exactly what happened and why to the U.N.s rare and much-admired collection of materials that belong to the United Nations Postal Administration.
The audit report has not yet been finalized, meaning it is soon to be submitted to senior U.N. managers for comment before being handed on to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and the U.N. General Assembly.
One thing that investigators know for certain about the archive: In a discreet but historic auction carried out in a quiet suburb of Geneva, Switzerland, all of it more than a metric ton of prized material, dating from as early as 1951 was sold off to a single bidder on May 12, 2003. The collection included original artwork for U.N. stamps, unique so-called die proofs to test the faithfulness of design reproduction, printing proofs and other rarities, along with hundreds of thousands of other stamps, reflecting many of the most colorful aspects of U.N. history. The auction itself was carried out in entirely legal fashion. The price it fetched $3,068,000 was hailed on a variety of stamp collecting Web sites as a world record price for a single lot sale at a stamp auction.
But for the U.N., it was no coup, even though, according to officials familiar with UNPA finances, the UNPA netted some $2.5 million from the Swiss auction deal. The reason: according to U.N. sources, the archive sale may well have taken place without the permissions required by the regulations of the U.N. Secretariat for the disposal of such important U.N. property.
Within months of the Geneva auction, the U.N. postal archive was resold, then resold again, in proper legal fashion but in all likelihood for sums that underscore the historic loss to the United Nations. While the prices for the subsequent transactions were not disclosed, stamp collecting experts were quoted on the Web site of a philatelic publication, Stamp Magazine, as saying that the archive had fabulous profit potential perhaps three or four times what was paid for it, if it is broken up. And broken up the archive now undoubtedly is though how far the collection was dispersed is also unknown.
The postal archive sale may be yet another instance of what Paul Volckers investigation into the Oil-for-Food scandal described as systemic problems in United Nations' administration, involving lack of accountability, oversight, or even basic clarity in the organizations activities. Despite the historic importance of the postal archive, senior U.N. officials contacted by FOX News professed to know nothing about it including some in departments specifically charged with approving or blocking the dispersion of U.N. historical material.
Rest of the long story at the link
Posted by: Steve ||
04/26/2006 10:17 ||
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Isn't "discreet auction" a way of saying "an auction only open to the folks they knew would kick back some of the profits"?
Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the buyer weren't a consortium of UN bureaucrats.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
04/26/2006 11:54 Comments ||
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#2
...underscore the historic loss to the United Nations.
I don't know why this is such a big deal. They have been on the loosing end throughout their entire exsistance.
Seeking to keep up the momentum that has made Vietnam the fastest- growing economy in Southeast Asia, the ruling Communist Party on Tuesday reappointed its top leader to deepen market reforms and fight corruption. Nong Duc Manh, 65, was formally re-elected to a second term as party chief at the closing session of the party congress.
Manh, a Soviet-trained forestry engineer who spent a decade as chairman of the National Assembly before winning the top post in 2001, is viewed as a steady supporter of reforms within the one-party system. "With (Manh), you get continued stability. It should give people outside Vietnam extraordinary confidence in where the country is going," said Carlyle Thayer, a veteran Vietnam observer at the Australian Defense Force Academy.
Unless they're shipped to a corrective labor camp, beaten or disappeared.
Last year, Vietnam recorded 8.4 percent GDP growth _ its highest in a decade_ and some $3.5 billion in foreign investment.
Manh pledged Tuesday to accelerate market-oriented reforms "in a stronger, more comprehensive manner" while fighting corruption. "We cannot solve this overnight but we do see the problem. We will not let wrongdoers escape," he said.
Unless they're the family member of a party member.
At the congress, the party approved a statute allowing party members to engage in private business. The decision, which legalizes what has become widespread practice, is in keeping with reality and does not contradict party ideals, Manh said.
Unless you're a Marxist.
The party, which claims 3.1 million members out of a population of 83 million, has ruled over a unified nation since the end of Vietnam War in 1975. But the challenges are many: Vietnam remains a developing nation, with per capita income of $640, and the gap between rich and poor is growing wider.
Which isn't supposed to happen in a Marxist state.
The party also faces widespread corruption. Looming over this year's congress was a scandal in the Transport Ministry that allegedly involved millions of dollars in funds skimmed from infrastructure projects to pay for luxury cars and gambling on European soccer matches. The transport minister resigned and several in his ministry were arrested. The scandal was an international embarrassment since much of the money was apparently development assistance given by the World Bank and Japan, among others.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/26/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Vietnam (like China) is in transistion from Commie to Capitalist economy. Another 20 years the only communists parties still around will be in the U.S. and Western Europe. Try to imagine if the PRC tried to do a 180 and ended the capitalists special zone? I can't.
#2
Ever notice how poverty and neo-socialism [aka communism and its islamic sister] seem to thrive together. The failed psuedo-scientific and religious perspective is that control can over come the natural chaos of human interaction with the usual result being entropy. Best to learn to live with the chaos and ride it.
#3
I do believe the the Vietnamese and the Chinese will move more and more to a capitalist state. Whether they eventually throw off the Communist form of government I think is mostly irrelevant. right now the respective governments give a great ammount of security to their people and limit personal the freedoms we enjoy and allow a certain ammount of capitalism in exchange for a citizenry that won't make waves. If the people begin to believe they will not be allowed economic rewards (due to imcompetance or any other factor) there will be problems. The people won't go back to the old days.
And yes, this is a genuine 100% real North Vietnamese Army pith helmet. I ain't sayin how or where I got it.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
04/26/2006 15:01 Comments ||
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#4
What's the demilitarized zone? It sounds like something from the Wizard of Oz "Oh no don't go in there!" "Ohhh wee ohh. Ho Chi Minn." "Oh look you've landed in Saigon. You're amongst the little people now." "We represent the ARVN army, the ARVN army. Oh no! Follow the Ho Chi Minn trail! Follow the Ho Chi Minn trail!"
'PROGRESSIVE' MEDIA STALLS: 'AIR AMERICA' IN AUDIENCE PLUNG NYC, 'DAILY KOS' BOOK ONLY SELLS 3,600 COPIES
Wed Apr 26 2006 11:39:51 ET
Left-leaning new media has hit turbulence at the marketplace, newly released stats show.
A book hyped as documenting a progressive revolution of "blogs" and political power, DAILY KOS 'CRASHING THE GATE,' has sold only 3,630 copies since its release last month, according to NIELSEN's BOOKSCAN.
Meanwhile, the just released radio Winter Book [Jan-Mar] from ARBITRON shows AIR AMERICA in New York City losing more than a third of its audience -- in the past year!
Among all listeners 12+, it was a race to the bottom for AIR AMERICA and WLIB as mid-days went from a 1.6 share during winter 2005 to a 1.0 share winter 2006.
During PM drive, host Randi Rhodes plunged to 27,900 listeners every quarter hour, finishing 25th place in her time slot, down from 49,000 listeners every quarter hour last year.
#1
3,630 Copies???? Oh, man, that's almost sad enough to make me feel pity for these poor, sick bastards.
Almost.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
04/26/2006 12:21 Comments ||
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#2
Probably the American Library Association directed buy for your local libraries. Not that you'd find too many non-lefty writers with books far higher on the best selling lists among recent orders.
#4
Don't forget the lack of respect for copyright among likely KOS readers. There could be thousands more copies circulating that were xeroxed on university machines, paid for with government grant money.
#5
Among all listeners 12+, it was a race to the bottom for AIR AMERICA and WLIB as mid-days went from a 1.6 share during winter 2005 to a 1.0 share winter 2006.
Does this mean they were polling all radio listeneners that are aged 12+, or does it mean there was only "12+" listeners total? Either way, it makes me LMAO.
Posted by: BA ||
04/26/2006 13:40 Comments ||
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#6
3,630 Copies???? Oh, man, that's almost sad enough to make me feel pity for these poor, sick bastards.
#11
A slight related commentary, I often peruse the used books section of our local public library, that's where they sell off the books that are either too old, unread, or otherwise destined to be trashed unless someone wants them.
These books usualy sell for a pittance, usualy a buck or less.
On this visit there were a total of twenty copies of Bill Clinton's autobiography "My Life" all unused, brand new, and unopened since bought, all for a dollar each, no takers.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
04/26/2006 20:23 Comments ||
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#12
Jim: Recommend you return to the library tomorrow and correct your oversight. You have a moral obligation to children and mankind in general, to purchase these books and feed them into a shredder immediately. We can never be quite certain that some innocent soul might come along, pict one up and mistake it's content for truth.
#13
More new reasons for the Clinton-led Dems to demand American Hiroshimas. THePresidencne is the Presidency, Power is Power, whether it comes from surviving GOP-Conservative-Rightism caused/blamed new 9-11's, i.e. MUNICH BEER HALL PUTCHS; to saving the world and SSSSHHHHHHHH, mainstream SOCIALIST America from GOP-Conservative-Rightism caused/blamed Nuke Brinkmanship and Nuke Warfare. Whom wants to be Hermann Goering and get shot in the groin in the name of national Potemkinism. ROBIN WILLIAMS > "CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC..............[Correctness]@".
#14
C'mon, do you really expect a blockbuster for Kos when you get reviewers like Melody X, the self-proclaimed "star of the DVD 'the New Sex' and the e-book 9 Free Secrets...", titling her review on Amazon with the curious title, "Uninteresting yet Genius"?
YJCMTSU....check it out on Amazon if you don't believe me. Apparently she IS quite the expert on sex, since her latest review is for the book "What to Expect When You're Expecting". ;)
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.
Bra producers have been forced to offer bigger cup-sizes in China because improved nutrition is busting all previous chest measurement records. "It's so different from the past when most young women would wear A- or B-cup bras," Triumph brand saleswoman Zhang Jing told the Shanghai Daily from the Landmark Plaza of China's commercial hub. "You...never expect those thin women to have such nice figures if they are not plastic."
An Islamic tribunal's ruling that allows Sunni men to marry without having to live with or financially support their wives has enraged Gulf women's rights activists who say Islamic marriage is unfair enough already. 
The controversial Solomon Islands' Prime Minister, Snyder Rini, has resigned. 
The Spanish Socialist Party will introduce a bill in the Congress of Deputies calling for "the immediate inclusion of (simians) in the category of persons, and that they be given the moral and legal protection that currently are only enjoyed by human beings." The PSOE's justification is that humans share 98.4% of our genes with chimpanzees, 97.7% with gorillas, and 96.4% with orangutans.
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I'm here in the briefing room to break some news. I've asked Tony Snow to serve as my new press secretary. 
The Senate voted Wednesday to divert some of the money President Bush requested for the war in Iraq to instead increase patrols against illegal immigrants on the nation's borders and increase security at U.S. ports.
The infamous environmental group Greenpeace is targeting Sen. Ted Kennedy for opposing a wind farm in the Nantucket Sound because it would interfere with the view from his Hyannis Port mansion. Greenpeace is launching a nationwide TV ad campaign against Kennedy, with spots that portray the Massachusetts Democrat as Godzilla. The Cape Cod Times reports:
Orissa Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and Excise Minister Kalindi Charan Behera on Tuesday resigned from the cabinet owning moral responsibility for the illicit liquor deaths of at least 10 people in Ganjam district.
There was a ear-shattering blast as Sher Singh's makeshift explosive tore out the window of his squalid cell! 
Amid the many scandals at the United Nations, a new mystery now looms. What happened to the world organizations unique and valuable postal archive in effect, the U.N.s own stamp collection, one of the crown jewels of its past and a popular point of contact with the global public? 
Seeking to keep up the momentum that has made Vietnam the fastest- growing economy in Southeast Asia, the ruling Communist Party on Tuesday reappointed its top leader to deepen market reforms and fight corruption. 
'PROGRESSIVE' MEDIA STALLS: 'AIR AMERICA' IN AUDIENCE PLUNG NYC, 'DAILY KOS' BOOK ONLY SELLS 3,600 COPIES
