Following Entry Posted 11/30/2004 11:16:00 AM

Operation Plymouth Rock

Operation Plymouth Rock, comprising 5,000 total troops of the U.S. Marines along with the British Black Watch regiment and Iraqi Forces, is systematically taking control of the area south of Baghdad known as the "Triangle of Death."

Coalition raids have been characterized by collecting and processing intelligence on a specific enemy stronghold, planning a raid, then attacking that stronghold with a modicum of surprise by units trained to fight both as shock-troops and room-clearing commandos. In nearly all cases, large numbers of insurgents have been killed or captured, weapons caches seized, and new intelligence gleaned which serves planners for the next raid on the next town.

It's not an easy task. An estimated 6,000 insurgents -- former members of Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard, followers of Abu Masub Al Zarqawi who slipped through the Fallujah net, as well as unemployed locals or those coerced into fighting the Americans -- are believed to be operating in the region.

Reports indicate that the operation is an overwhelming success thus far with Iraqi SWAT teams being large contributors.

Interestingly, the Triangle of Death environment is considered similar to the 19th Century American west and totally different from the urban cities of Samarra and Fallujah. This proves to be advantageous to the tactically superior Coalition Forces.

Also blogging: Backcountry Conservative, The Jawa Report
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       Following Entry Posted 11/30/2004 02:21:00 AM

Harvard's Sad Past and Sorry Present

During the 1930s, Harvard University was politically filthy. The administration, faculty, and alumni were prominently pro-Nazi and anti-Jewish. Harvard officials rubbed elbows with Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels and the murderous Gestapo Chief Heinrich Himmler. At the forefront in praising Hitler and his Nazis was The Crimson, Harvard's newspaper of record. The Crimson called pre-war Germany a "great and proud nation" and "lauded the Third Reich as a force for good in the world." For all practical purposes, Harvard University, in general, and The Crimson, specifically, functioned as an American branch of the Nazi Party propaganda network.

At a recent academic conference hosted by Boston University, Oklahoma University Professor of Judaic Studies, Stephen H. Norwood, presented a paper which revisited the sad and uncomfortable episode in Harvard's history. In response, The Crimson has adopted an aggressive defensive posture by obfuscating what really happened and attempting to explain it away by contending that "Everyone else did it." They have also attacked Professor Norwood personally by impugning his motives and accusing him of opportunism.

Interestingly, while Harvard University wants to sweep the 1930s under the carpet, deflecting any historical responsibility by essentially claiming, "Everyone else did it," there's been a clarion call by senior faculty members for reparations to be paid for slavery. Professor Charles J. Ogletree Jr. has urged UN involvement in calling for reparations for one of "history's worst injustices." The Crimson rejected a paid anti-reparations ad because it dismissed historical responsibility for centuries of slavery. Despite which side of either issue one supports, it's impossible not to see that Harvard is at the forefront of making everyone remember slavery from 150 years ago while demanding that everyone forget what happened on its campus 70 years ago.

As a world renowned nursery for the marketplace of ideas, Harvard and The Crimson haven't completed all the baby steps toward truth.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/29/2004 11:50:00 PM

Rather Replaceable

According to this report, speculation is high that CBS Chairman Les Moonves wants to dramatically retool his news operation with two prominent names being suggested as candidates for replacing Dan Rather, Matt Lauer and Tim Russert.

I don't see it happening. Both Lauer and Russert are locked into NBC contractually and the CBS anchor position has been tarnished. It will take considerable time, plus fumigation, to rid the CBS newsroom of the lingering essence of a fiction writer's loft.

For the sake of continuity and tradition, I recommend that Moonves forget about dramatic changes and select either Al Franken or Janeane Garofalo. Both have broadcast experience with Air America and either would certainly further the CBS reputation of leftist reporting bias so carefully crafted by Dan Rather over the years.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/29/2004 06:55:00 PM

Grandma, Aunt Shotgunned by 12-Year-Old

(Lower Salem, Ohio) In this small village just north of Marietta, 12-year-old Bryan Christopher Sturm skipped school, spent some time huffing gasoline fumes, and then killed his grandmother and aunt with shotgun blasts.

Tipped by Michael Meckler at Red-State.com who opines that violent crimes committed by children no longer seem to be on the media radar.

I agree. There's more at the link.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/29/2004 06:13:00 AM

Review - Florida Dems Really Did Vote For Bush

In response to Internet-fed allegations that Bush won in Florida because of a conspiracy or flaw, the Miami Herald sent two reporters to review the ballots for three counties where registered Democrats significantly outnumber registered Republicans.

After recounting over 17,000 ballots over three days, the reporters concluded that there was no conspiracy. It was confirmed that registered Democrats voted for President Bush by a 2 to 1 margin over John Kerry in Suwannee, Lafayette and Union counties where Democrats outnumber Republicans by 3 to 1.

Of course, this information will probably be ignored by Internet conspiracy theorists.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/29/2004 04:35:00 AM

Nuclear Bomb Plant Earmarked For Libya Found

In October 2003, the Italian Coast Guard intercepted a cargo bound for South Africa of nuclear enrichment centrifuges from Malaysia. The ultimate destination for the shipment was an engineering and manufacturing company in Vanderbijlpark, outside Johannesburg, South Africa. This past September, a police raid of a two-story factory in Vanderbijlpark found elements of a prefabricated uranium enrichment plant and 11 packed freight containers tagged for Libya. According to this report (Free reg.):

Once assembled in Libya, the plant could have produced enough weapons-grade uranium to manufacture several nuclear bombs a year. Delivery of the plant would have greatly accelerated Libya's efforts to develop nuclear weapons.

Interestingly, at the same time that it became apparent what Libya was doing, Muammar Gaddafi decided to renounced his country's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

The South Africa-Libya connection is a previously undetected branch of the global nuclear black market developed and overseen by Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan who previously used shadowy means to develop Pakistan's first nuclear bomb.

There's more at the link.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/28/2004 07:00:00 PM

Brit Survey - Worst & Best U.S. TV Imports

Although it has been ranked as one of the world's most popular TV shows, Baywatch was voted the worst U.S. TV import by a British survey. It was followed by The Anna Nicole Show and The Dukes of Hazzard.

For the best U.S. TV imports, the Brits voted for The Simpsons, Dallas, and MASH.

Obviously, the results of the survey reflect personal taste and we all know how discriminating the British palate is.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/28/2004 08:48:00 AM

Marxists Plotted to Kill President Bush

According to this report, leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) plotted to assassinate President Bush when he visited Cartagena, Columbia, last week. Columbian authorities stated that informants and other sources exposed the threat, however, no other details were provided. The Secret Service offered no comment.

Chad Evans at In The Bullpen is also following the story.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/28/2004 06:49:00 AM

More Mosul Bodies

From The Australian comes a report that 17 more bodies have been found dumped on the streets of Western Mosul. The dead make a total of 57 found in the past 10 days.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/28/2004 06:02:00 AM

Chinese Protest American Products

The municipal governments of Beijing and Tianjin recently signed multi-million dollar agreements allowing licensed use of Microsoft software products. In addition, this past week the Beijing government also contracted with Dell Computer to supply 16,000 personal computers for primary and secondary schools. These sales are good news for U.S. suppliers but they have produced a loud protest from the nascent Chinese information technology industry.

A government procurement law became effective in 2003 and it imposes general guidance for buying Chinese products when possible. Unfortunately, its provisions are considered sketchy, nonspecific, and open to interpretation. Therefore, the municipalities do not believe they are in violation of the law. Chinese software businessmen disagree.

IT industry insiders see the deals with Microsoft and Dell as undercutting growth and sustainability of Chinese software businesses which rely on government contracts. There is also considerable apprehension about the near future since no fewer than 20 other cities are expected to be making software purchases.

The central Chinese government is sure to hear more frequent and louder calls from the software industry to "Buy Chinese."
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       Following Entry Posted 11/28/2004 04:48:00 AM

Ukraine Medical Mystery?

Would anybody like to offer a take on the Ukraine medical mystery? The appearance of pro-Western opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko has dramatically changed in the recent past and no one knows why.


Viktor Yushchenko
The picture on the left was taken four months ago. The right one is his current appearance. My uneducated guess would be leprosy but I don't think that's possible in such a short time frame.

Hat tip: Wizbang.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/27/2004 11:24:00 PM

Boy Abducts Exotic Dancer

(Virginia Beach, Virginia) A 13-year-old boy is being held in juvenile detention for abducting an exotic dancer last Tuesday. He held a shotgun on her and ordered her to dance. She ultimately was able to distract him and flee.

Something is seriously wrong with this boy's thinking and his parents have to be somewhat culpable in this incident.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/27/2004 09:56:00 PM

Human AIDS Vaccine

(Beijing, China) The Chinese State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) has given authorization to conduct testing of a new AIDS vaccine on human beings. It's already been tested on monkeys and "no abnormal reactions occurred."

Human body test, or stage I clinical test, of the compound AIDS vaccine aims to further assess the security of the vaccine, an SFDA official said.

The government will consider whether to launch stage II and stage III tests on the basis of the result of the stage I test.

Showing a bias surely based on my unfamiliarity with the subject, I'm skeptical about being optimistic. Chinese medicine always conjures up thoughts of acupuncture, rhino horn, and black bear gall bladder, not DNA-based human immunodeficiency vaccine.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/27/2004 08:37:00 PM

Most Beautiful English Words

According to this article in The Guardian, a survey of thousands of people resulted in the determination that 'mother' is the most beautiful word in the English language. Interesingly, neither 'money' nor 'sex' are included in the top 70 words listed in the article.

Oddly, as noted in a previous post, a similar survey conducted recently found that 'Habseligkeiten' is the most beautiful word in the German language.

So this means that 'mother' will be matched up with 'Habseligkeiten' in the contest for the world's most beautiful word.

It looks like a lock to me.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/27/2004 06:43:00 AM

No More Cardboard Burritos

(College Station, Texas) After two decades of research, Ralph Waniska, a professor in food science at Texas A&M University, has found a way to increase the shelf life of the common tortilla, taking it from an average of two weeks to four.

Modern science marches on.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/27/2004 06:22:00 AM

Islamic Group Threatens Libel Action

The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) of Canada has threatened to sue David Frum, of the American Enterprise Institute, and the National Post (Canada) for libel if they don't shut up. CAIR doesn't like being described as a group that is unscrupulous and sympathetic towards terrorists. Yet, any rational assessment of their history and actions would indicate that the description is accurate.

Frum provides a walkthrough of the history of CAIR, showing how they manipulate the goodwill and free societies in the U.S. and Canada to defend and support terrorists groups. Follow the link for more.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/27/2004 02:54:00 AM

2004 Weblog Awards


Created by Kevin Aylward of Wizbang, the Weblog Awards competition returns for another year and nominations are currently being accepted in 33 categories. Any blogger may enter. Voting is scheduled to begin Dec. 1st.

From a personal perspective, Interested-Participant competed in the 2003 Weblog Awards and, although no award was received, the contest was informative and fun. I actually felt flattered and somewhat privileged that folks voted for me. And, just due to exposure to new bloggers, I ended up adding about twenty new sites to my blogroll.

So, for those bloggers wanting to enter, click on the banner above and nominate your favorite blogger or someone other than yourself.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/26/2004 01:42:00 PM

Suicide-Homicide Dog Attack

(Sopore, Kashmir) A group of separatist Kashmiri militants tied a grenade to a dog's neck and directed it towards a paramilitary guard post outside a government hospital. The dog, however, went to a shopping area where the grenade exploded, wounding four people. The dog, of course, fragmented itself.

Officials believe this is the first time that a suicide-homicide dog has been used and they cannot explain how the militants could pull the grenade pin, direct the dog, and then safely flee.

This method is awful dicey. For example, guess what happens when the dog follows the guy who pulled the pin?
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       Following Entry Posted 11/26/2004 11:58:00 AM

Jesse Jackson To Protest Election

(Columbus, Ohio) Hardly surprising, Jesse Jackson has called for a protest rally for this Sunday to demand an investigation into alleged voting irregularities in Ohio. The primary areas of concern at present are based on long lines at polling stations, an insufficient number of voting machines, and problems in predominantly black neighborhoods.

The location of the rally is currently unknown.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/26/2004 08:15:00 AM

Supremes Block Certification of Ukraine Election

Reuters:

(Kiev) Ukraine's highest court on Thursday blocked the inauguration of the country's Moscow-backed prime minister as president, giving a fresh impetus to his liberal opponent who has led street protests to overturn his election.

The Supreme Court rejected official publication of results that showed Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich had beaten Viktor Yushchenko in a run-off election on Sunday. The ruling effectively stopped Yanukovich being sworn in as head of state.

The West-leaning Yushchenko, who says he was robbed of victory by electoral fraud, hailed the ruling as a victory.

So far, reports indicate that the atmosphere is high tension but the protests have been peaceful, even friendly, in nature. It remains to be seen how long it will last since Eastern European governments don't have a history of tolerating public dissent for extended lengths of time. The Supreme Court will examine the complaints of election fraud next week. In the meantime, outgoing President Leonid Kuchma will remain in office.

(via PoliBlog)
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       Following Entry Posted 11/26/2004 08:03:00 AM

WARNING! Gravel Closes I-70

All lanes of Interstate 70 are closed in Glenwood Canyon between mile markers 116 and 133 due to gravel on the road.


Gravel Closes I-70
The area of the slide is considered so rough that even Native American trails avoided it, according to historical accounts. At least two lanes are expected to be open soon, however, major construction will be required to return the highway to full serviceability. Currently, traffic is being detoured east of the slide from Wolcott north to Steamboat Springs, then west to Craig, south to Meeker, and , finally, returning I-70 west of the slide at Rifle.

Update your travel plans accordingly.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/26/2004 06:01:00 AM

More Bodies in Mosul

The Australian:

Thirteen more bodies have been discovered in and around the northern city of Mosul the U.S. military said today, as the number of corpses found in the area in the past week reached 35.

Eleven of the 35 have been identified as members of the Iraqi security forces, who have been targeted by insurgents. The others have not been identified.

US forces patrolling Mosul and nearby Tal Afar on Thursday morning found nine bodies this morning on the western side of Mosul, said Lieutenant Colonel Paul Hastings, a spokesman with Task Force Olympia. Two more bodies were found in the city later in the day.

In Tal Afar, one Iraqi National Guard soldier was found dead while a second body discovered in a different location was unidentified.

The murdering terrorists are in a frenzy. There's no plan, no goal, no strategy other than just kill and kill again.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/26/2004 05:48:00 AM

Chinese Slasher Kills 8 Boys

(Zhengzhou) A man broke into three dormitories at a high school and "chopped eight people to death" and injured four others while they slept just before midnight Thursday. All victims were senior high school students at Second Senior High School of Ruzhou City, Henan Province, in Central China.

The man escaped and is still at large.

School stabbings have become an ugly trend in China with six attacks in the last four months. Public anger has been aroused and some schools have started employing professional guards to protect the students.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/26/2004 05:08:00 AM

Strong Quake Shakes Indonesia

(Jakarta) Eleven people have been reported killed and 65 injured from an earthquake (0225 GMT) in Indonesia's Papua Province. Centered close to the town of Nabire, almost 2,000 miles northeast of Jakarta, the quake measured 6.4 at the National Earthquake Center in Indonesia. Geoscience Australia and the Hong Kong Observatory recorded the earthquake at 7.2 on the Richter scale.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/26/2004 01:27:00 AM

Doctors Targeted by Three-Strikes Law

As I recall, Florida voters back in the 2000 election amended the state constitution to establish rights for pigs. Yep, pigs have rights. As such, it should come as no surprise that this year's election also amended the constitution in a novel way. Voters approved a constitutional medical malpractice three-strikes amendment where doctors' licenses would be automatically revoked at the imposition of three malpractice judgments.

Just on the surface, this seems like a bad idea for several reasons. First of all, malpractice in many cases is subjective and often presumes perfect knowledge on the part of the practitioner. Second, the trials are frequently cavalcades of teary victims pitted against wealthy uncaring doctors with the primary purpose of enriching the trial lawyers. Three, the juries use a preponderance of evidence as the basis for judgment and juries are malleable. Four, an environment has been codified to make Florida an especially unattractive place to practice medicine thereby inhibiting new doctors from locating in the state and encouraging current physicians to find friendlier turf. Seldom do communities desire fewer doctors.

Of course, I'm just an average citizen with no special knowledge who is probably looking at this all wrong. And, I'm obviously flustered from being unable to come to grips with the fact that this country can't control the borders, can't solve the epidemic of pedophiles running loose, among other problems, but we can tie the hands of medical professionals and give constitutional rights to pigs.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/25/2004 08:46:00 PM

Declaration of Independence Banned in School

Inside Bay Area:

A Cupertino public school teacher is suing his district and his principal, who banned him from using excerpts from the Declaration of Independence and other historical documents in his classroom because they contain references to god and Christianity.

Steven Williams, a fifth-grade teacher at Stevens Creek Elementary School in the Cupertino Union School District, filed the suit in U.S. District Court Monday, arguing a First Amendment right to teach the history of our country and its founding fathers, which includes religious, and specifically Christian, references.

The school's principal, Patricia Vidmar, while having specific problems with Christianity, the Declaration of Independence, and the writings of George Washington and John Adams, apparently has no similar concerns regarding Ramadan and Kwanzaa.

This is another example of absolutely bizarre anti-Christian leftism in California that makes me think that we would all be better off if the San Andreas Fault just opened up and allowed the coastal regions to slide into the briny darkness at the bottom of the Pacific. I know it's a black-hearted fantasy and apologize for it. However, I'm surely not the only person that thinks there's a paucity of adult supervision in the entire state . (I'd also throw in the infected coastal areas of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.) There have been reports that rational people and businesses are leaving in droves and, although the departures are primarily attributed to economic factors, it would be hard to dispute the contention that people also want to get away from the smelly political and cultural environment.

(Via Wizbang)
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       Following Entry Posted 11/25/2004 10:19:00 AM

Lost My Daddy

The Marmot reports from Korea that a half-Korean Filipino woman named Jennifer Lee is searching for her father. To draw attention to her search, she's decided to take it all off and pose for nudie publications. She's even had a friend, model Kathy Mori, volunteer to get nude also. Here's Jennifer in a non-nude picture.


Jennifer Lee
It needs to be mentioned that all Jennifer knows about her father is that his family name is Kim. He apparently skipped town after conception and Jennifer's mother didn't take notes.

Personally, I'm skeptical about this supposed 'search' since it has all the smell of being just a publicity stunt. But, one can never tell how something like this situation will play out. In fact, one guy I know has already said that he's her daddy. Oddly, he's not Korean nor is he named Kim.

Hat tip to the Marmot for his social conscience and keen eye.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/25/2004 06:31:00 AM

Inside the United Nations

Written from personal experience, the Diplomad site pulls not a punch in describing the "pure bureaucracy" of the UN which supports only despotism, corruption, anti-Americanism, and anti-semitism through massive funding from taxpayers in the United States and a few other countries. Here's an excerpt:

Those who don't rely on the "elite" MSM for all their information, know about the UN's "oil-for-food" scam that is slowly being uncovered, and could prove the most massive financial scandal in human history (even bigger than Massachusetts' "Big Dig.") The "oil-for-food" scam, huge as it is, flows logically from the ruling ethos at the UN. The UN system is built on corruption, on the principle of the shake-down; whatever lofty objectives might have existed at its creation, for the UN corruption now provides the means and reason to exist.

None of this is surprising to me nor should it be to anyone else who generally follows the news. Unfortunately, most of the population have an exalted image of the UN. That perception needs changing. Hard-earned taxpayer dollars shouldn't be used to support abject corruption.

I'd like to encourage others in the blogosphere to periodically note the scams and failures of the UN. The public deserves to be informed and the MSM can't be relied upon. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that the successes of the UN should be ignored. By all means, if you can find any, make note.

For good reason, Diplomad has been added to my blogroll.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/24/2004 11:42:00 PM

Sixth Dies In Wisconsin Hunter Shootings

Denny Drew, 55, has succumbed to the wounds received in the weekend Wisconsin hunter shootings, making the sixth death. Chai Vang, 36, is in custody for the shootings but no charges have been filed yet.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/24/2004 05:47:00 AM

Al Jazeera Plans News Channel in Malaysia

According to Al Jazeera spokesman, Jihad Ballout, $30 million will be spent to launch a regional English-language satellite news channel in Kuala Lumpur by the end of 2005. The new channel will be named Al Jazeera International and its goal will be to counteract the "unbalanced reporting" of Western media networks. The BBC and CNN are mentioned.

The explanation doesn't make a lot of sense. The BBC, CNN, and other elite networks could easily be called biased in their reporting, however, most of the time, the bias is in favor of Islamic and Arab populations, while pretending that terrorism doesn't exist. In fact, the elite media seldom even uses the word "terrorists." The public hears of gunmen, militants, freedom fighters, insurgents, but not very often does the public hear of terrorists.

Frankly, I think Al Jazeera's explanation is disingenuous.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/24/2004 01:11:00 AM

Bonfire of the Vanities

Smoldering for visitors is the Bonfire of the Vanities, 73rd Edition, at Slant Point. Enjoy the warmth as you give thanks that the blogosphere does what the elite media won't do, that is, recognize, acknowledge, and throw away the garbage.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/23/2004 11:12:00 PM

CARNIVAL of the VANITIES
Thanksgiving 2004
This 114th edition of the Carnival of the Vanities is dedicated to the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who waste no words in defending freedom. In their honor, this carnival will also waste no words.

The entries, in the order received:

Justene Adamec at Calblog delivers a Google Alert regarding Internet privacy.

Anthony Cerminaro at Bizz Bang Buzz teaches Pittsburghese.

Dr. Tom at CodeBlueBlog proposes a torpedo tube for every vagan.

Nick Winning at Legenda provides an analysis of the politics and people of Iran with respect to its neighbors and the U.S.

Dr. Charles pithily describes his experience with A Family in El Salvador.

Contrary to popular thought, the human brain can be replicated. Sean Gleeson has done so with the Autorantic Virtual Moonbat.

In addition to a tour, VIP Adam Crouch at The Raw Prawn deftly chronicles the reception and opening ceremony of the Clinton Library.

The Raving Athiest discusses mystical experiences in an interview with author Sam Harris.

The Flying Space Monkey has visualized and verbalized the solution to overseas job outsourcing.

Josh Cohen at www.d-42.com proudly expresses some strong opinions about the WB program "Jack and Bobby."

Author Joe at the Medical Mad House has the inside poop on why rectal examiners write under pseudonyms.

At point2point, an investigation has identified the top twenty voting irregularities.

David Mobley at A Physicist's Perspective discusses post-election divisiveness between political opponents.

Nikita Demosthenes demonstrates that Crossfire and The Daily Show are equally responsible for tarnishing public discourse.

Following up on a lecture series by Robert Spencer, Solomonia pens some thoughts on winning the war against Islamic extremism.

Robert Hayes at Let's Try Freedom proposes a low-cost library-building initiative for the Third World.

Rob Findlay at The Unrepentant Leftist draws some scary conclusions from edgy right-wing rhetoric.

Andy Blumson at Under The Sun opines that morality is subservient to law in society and it shouldn't be.

Steve at Blog d'Elisson reveals to the world the secret reason he got married.

Chaz Hill at Dustbury whisks us through some 50s and 60s music, concluding with a solid ho-hum appreciation for the Beatles.

Warren Meyer at Coyote Blog asks if/how are corporate PR departments monitoring public sentiment expressed continually on the Internet.

John Rosenberg at Discriminations provides some observations on bias and scholastic freedom in academia and details a callous example of students' privacy being trampled by an insensitive professor.

At Dissecting Leftism, John Ray debunks a claim of Florida voting machine fraud alleged by UC Berkeley sociologists.

In a Leftists As Elitists post, John Ray discusses the vast and nasty ego of law professor Brian Leiter.

MadKane submits a political poem about the privacy-invading tax clause that mysteriously found its way into the Budget Bill.

John Ray provides a disturbing vision of Canadian state-run medical care at Socialized Medicine.

At Idler Yet, Bill Adams exposes the hoax of the Passion of the Christ video game and reviews JFK Reloaded.

At Education Watch, John Ray answers the question of why schools should be privatized.

A woman overcomes her hatred of guns, learns to love them, at John Ray's Gun Watch.

According to Greenie Watch, the environmentalists raised alarms that global warming is killing polar bears, but surveys indicate increases in bear populations are public safety concerns. Huh?

At Political Correctness Watch, we learn that a six-year-old boy gets school suspension for sexual harassment because he poked a girl on the po-po. Ridiculous!

At Wicked Thoughts, Bussorah gives us the Encyclopedia of Democrat Thought.

SecState Condi Rice's first meeting with the Saudis in Riyadh has been scripted and is posted at Aaron's Rantblog.

Darleen Click praises, promotes, and celebrates Thanksgiving at Darleen's Place.

Dan K. O'Leary has helpful hints on being happy while single for the holidays.

DaGoddess profiles the hope and courage of a proud couple from the Greatest Generation.

The RoguePundit details the case of two vehement tax resisters, Walter "Al" Thompson, 57, and Joseph Banister, 41.

Attaboy, Joe Dougherty takes apart an argument by leftist media watchers that Brit Hume is a tool of the VRWC.

Daniel Berczik at Bloggledygook explains why the party's over for the Democrats and why Linda Ronstadt qualifies for idiot status.

Jim Peacock at Snooze Button Dreams announces the formation of another major political party, The Nationalist Party.

The Gleeful Extremist describes how the blue-staters inject dishonesty in education.

The Smarter Cop analyzes the latest post-election strategy of MoveOn organizers.

Northstar at The People's Republic of Seabrook reviews and raves about U2's new album 'Atomic Bomb.'

Pieter Dorsman at Peaktalk cites the example of Holland in predicting that raunchy TV will decline in the U.S. due to market and societal pressures, not government controls.

Tex the Pontificator, and poet, provides some loosely styled verse to commemorate Dan Rather's exit from CBS News.

Musings from Brian J. Noggle include observations about power-hungry librarians.

La Shawn Barber delves into certain abortion-related provisions in a must-pass $388 billion spending bill that show the Republican Congress flexing its muscles.

The Watcher of Weasels has some mindless fun reviewing the remake of Dawn of the Dead.

Chuck Simmins at You Big Mouth, You! shines light on the insensitive and absurd Floridians who claim they were traumatized by the election.

Kevin Baker at The Smallest Minority brings the news that the Illinois Supreme Court slapped down an attempt by gun controllers to badger the judiciary into legislating unreasonable requirements on gun makers and distributors.

Added Entries:

Nathan Hamm at The Argus weighs in on the curious situation in North Korea where Kim Jong-il's adulatory portraits are being removed. There's lots of speculation about Kim maybe losing control.

With the killing of five hunters in the Wisconsin wilderness, Kevin Baker felt compelled to report on how the anti-gun crowd is rejoicing.

Eric Scheie at Classical Values engages us with a brief historical look at the quarrels surrounding religious tolerance from the Greeks forward.

Vik Rubenfeld at The Big Picture details a recent example of the pernicious liberal bias at the Los Angeles Times.

Paul Noonan at The Electric Commentary provides a fruity discussion of protectionism in the music industry.

* * * END CARNIVAL ENTRIES * * *

Some housekeeping notes: 1) Next week's host is Ashish's Niti, 2) For the upcoming schedule of hosts, go here, 3) Thanks to Bigwig for starting it all, 4) Thanks for visiting Interested-Participant, tell your friends, and 5) Don't forget to give thanks to the Armed Forces of the United States of America for their duty, their honor, and their service.

[Update] Late entries added.

[Update 2] Late entry.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/23/2004 08:44:00 PM

National Geographic Banned in Iran

According to this report, the Iranian Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry has announced that National Geographic is banned in the country in protest of the use of "Arabian Gulf" alongside "Persian Gulf" in its new world atlas.

Mohammad Hossein Khoshvaght, an official at Iran's Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry, said the atlas, which was released in October, also must be corrected to remove a reference that says Iran has "occupied" several Gulf islands.

Both Iran and the United Arab Emirates lay claim over the Gulf islands of Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunbs.

...

"Both the distribution of the (National Geographic) publications and the activities of its journalists are banned until the publication corrects the atlas that used the phrase of the Arabian Gulf (in parenthesis) next to the Persian Gulf," Mr. Khoshvaght said.

There are those that would say the Iranians are being too sensitive, but it's important to remember that the last time Iran took issue with freedom of the press, they put out a contract on Salman Rushdie.

Understandably, times have changed and, as such, I'd like to encourage National Geographic to go ahead and revise their atlas. My recommendation would be to change the name of the country to "The Land Governed By Bearded Goats."
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       Following Entry Posted 11/23/2004 03:01:00 PM

Roadside Drug Tests

Under new laws, police in Tasmania will be allowed to conduct roadside testing of drivers for commonly used drugs including cannabis, speed and ecstasy. Advancements in portable saliva-screening equipment makes the testing possible. Penalties for driving drugged will be comparable to those imposed for driving drunk.

Of course, privacy and civil liberties groups, along with the recreational drug use advocacy, are opposed to the new legislation.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/23/2004 06:09:00 AM

India-ASEAN Car Rally

(Guwahati, India) About 250 competitors started their engines and raced off yesterday in the inaugural India-ASEAN [Association of South East Asian Nations] Car Rally.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh waved the starting flag for the race on Monday in the presence of local officials and senior ASEAN representatives, including secretary-general Ong Keng Yong ....

The 8,000-kilometer rally will pass through Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore before culminating in Batam, Indonesia, on Dec. 11.

The rally is aimed at enhancing cultural and economic ties among the nations on the route and raise public awareness about India-ASEAN relations in preparation for the establishment of a Free Trade framework for the region.

With a duration of 20 days, the rally is expected to be grueling and fraught with danger. Before starting, the drivers were given a course of anti-malarial medication and warnings to use "maximum discretion" to avoid armed rebels (who have killed thousands), heroin traffickers, HIV-AIDS infection, and malarial mosquitoes.

Sounds like the India-ASEAN Rally would be popular as a video game.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/23/2004 05:05:00 AM

Illegal Alien Scam in Virginia

Twenty-six arrests have been made in a widespread counterfeit and fraudulent document operation in Virginia and Maryland which supplied green cards, driver's licenses, passports, Social Security cards and other identification to thousands of illegal aliens from Indonesia. According to U.S. Attorney Paul J. McNulty, the documents were used to fraudulently collect money and benefits throughout the United States.

The charges resulted from a two-year investigation of the Chinese Indonesian American Society, the Asian American Placement Services, the Kumala Nusantara, and the Chinese Indonesian Pribumi Community Service. Phony documents were prepared for the illegals who were also coached on methods to scam government bureaucrats such as asylum officers and immigration judges.

It's probably safe to speculate that a "guest worker" program, as proposed by the current administration, would not prevent or even minimize illegal alien document fraud. The only way to preclude illegal aliens from committing fraud in the U.S. is to beef up the border and keep them out of the country.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/23/2004 02:57:00 AM

Portugal Sends Police To Iraq

Xinhuanet:

(Lisbon) Portugal on Monday sent 72 members of its fourth police contingent to Iraq to replace the third contingent which will return before Christmas.

The fourth contingent has 127 members in all and, and the rest of the contingent will go in the coming weeks, authorities said.

The Portuguese provide security in the southern Iraqi cities of Basrah and Nasiriyah.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/22/2004 11:34:00 PM

'Virgin Mary' Cheese Sandwich

Is sold for $28,000 to GoldenPalace, an online casino.

Can we have an "AMEN!" for all of God's cheese-eaters?
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       Following Entry Posted 11/22/2004 10:55:00 PM

OSU Teacher Caught in Net Sex Sting

(Springfield, Ohio) Ohio State University teaching associate John McGuirl was arrested and charged with attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and other felonies after being caught in an Internet sting. Through the Internet, he arranged to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old girl who, in reality, was police Detective Keith McConnell posing as the girl.

McGuirl has been released on $20,000 bond.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/22/2004 10:08:00 PM

Carnival

So far I've received about 20 entries for this week's Carnival of the Vanities (#114) and I anticipate there will be quite a few more. Since this is a shortened holiday work week, I'm asking that entries be submitted by 9pm EST tomorrow night to accommodate timely posting. Send to mjpechar at yahoo dot com.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/22/2004 01:08:00 PM

Zarqawi's Group Frees PM Allawi's Cousin

With yesterday's release of Ghazi Allawi, 75, all three of Prime Minister Allawi's kidnapped relatives have now been freed by Zarqawi's terrorist Ansar al-Jihad group. Ghazi's wife and pregnant daughter-in-law were released previously. Interestingly, the terrorists posted a statement on the Internet to explain why they released the Allawi family members.

"Your brothers in the Al-Qaeda Group in the Land of Two Rivers (Iraq) freed Ghazi Allawi with his family because it proved they are not implicated in the apostate government of Allawi," said the statement.

It was signed by the group's "information department".

The authenticity of the statement could not be immediately verified.

Not for a second do I buy this bulls***. Something else swayed their decision not to keep and kill the Allawi relatives. These terrorist murderers have killed many, many people who had absolutely nothing to do with the "apostate government."

Tipped by Digger who has more on the story.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/22/2004 10:10:00 AM

Beheaded Bodies Found South of Baghdad

Breaking news from The Australian:

Iraq's security forces recovered 12 bodies, including five decapitated ones, from an area south of Baghdad, police said today.

The bodies were found during a raid yesterday in Latifiyah, about 32km south of Baghdad, said Lt. Adnan Abdullah. The bodies were taken to the hospital in nearby Mahmoudiya, about 40km south of Baghdad.

Five of the men were decapitated and the rest had been shot in the head, Lt. Abdullah said, adding the bodies were found in different areas in Latifiyah. Two were recovered from a canal and the others from orchards in the area, he said.

One of the corpses was identified as an Iraqi National Guardsman kidnapped last month. The other bodies have not been identified.

The area south of Baghdad has been called "the triangle of death" as a result of numerous terrorist kidnappings and murders of Westerners and Iraqi security forces.

In related news from News.com.au -

More Troops' Bodies Found in Mosul

Four more bodies, at least three of them Iraqi soldiers, were found in the past 24 hours by the US military in the restive northern city of Mosul, a US army officer said on Monday.

"They had been dead for at least a couple of hours and their bodies set against the sidewalk, shot in the head and hands tied," Lieutenant Colonel Michael Kurilla said, adding that three of them were confirmed as being Iraqi soldiers.

The bodies were found near the Al-Yarmuk roundabout, an insurgent strongold in western Mosul, and brought to 15 the number of Iraqi soldiers thought to have been executed by rebels in Iraq's third largest city over the past two days.

The terrorists are acting frenzied.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/22/2004 09:15:00 AM

Hillary's Cookies

According to this report, the Clinton Presidential Library Cafe will serve cookies made from Hillary's favorite recipe. How sweet. Everybody likes cookies. In fact, there's a rumor that the former president wanted to include his favorite sweet, a fresh, cream-filled cupcake, but the idea was nixed by Hillary. Probably too many calories.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/22/2004 08:54:00 AM

'JFK Reloaded' Video Game

Tasteless, vulgar, and regrettable are only three of many adjectives I could use to describe this product from Traffic, a Glasgow-based company. The 'game' recreates the JFK assassination and a player must kill the president to win.

Traffic should be boycotted into bankruptcy.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/22/2004 08:22:00 AM

I Was In English Class ...

... right after lunch when an announcement came over the school's public address system. "President Kennedy has been shot in Dallas!" There were several moments of stunned silence in the classroom and then some girls started crying. More joined in.

Within a half-hour, it was announced that classes were canceled for the rest of the day. Everybody was sent home.

Forty-one years ago seems like yesterday.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/22/2004 07:48:00 AM

Arafat's Medical Records

(Paris, France) After receiving the medical records for Yasser Arafat from French authorities, his nephew Nasser al-Kidwa stated that there was "no clear diagnosis for the cause of his death" and "toxicology tests appeared to rule out poisoning."

Of course, he also added, "I believe the Israeli authorities are largely responsible for what happened."

Well, no surprise here. It's fairly predictable that all the world's problems are directly caused by the Israelis, the United States, or global warming. Pick a problem, throw a dart.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/21/2004 11:50:00 PM

He Actually Said It

From a San Francisco Chronicle 'Matier and Ross' interview with Mayor Gavin Newsom:

M&R: Speaking of values, what's you [sic] biggest success so far?

Newsom: Moving from failure to failure with enthusiasm. [Emphasis mine - ed.]

A real curious statement, don't you think? My take is he means he searches for and races into losing battles, or something like that.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/21/2004 11:34:00 PM

Ohio Breast Feeding Bill

(Columbus, Ohio) Ohio lawmakers are being asked to consider making it legal for a woman to breast feed in public. In a legislative hearing last week, one supporter of the bill, Sharon Mech of Columbus, testified,

"[I]t's only in the last 60 years that we've come to believe that breasts are only for sexual stimulation and selling beer."

What? Breasts and beer? And only 60 years? Was there something different before 1944? I'm confused.

It's not believed that the bill will be passed in the current lame duck session. Sponsors, however, have vowed to keep the issue prominently in front of the legislature.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/21/2004 10:30:00 PM

Presbyterians Fired For Meeting with Terrorists

(Louisville, Kentucky) Remember the two Presbyterian Church officials who went to the Middle East to kiss up to Hezbollah? Well, they were fired for their idiocy. Their names are Kathy Lueckert and Peter Sulyok.

The Church did not confirm their firing because of 'employee confidentiality.' But, they're not fooling me.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/21/2004 09:20:00 PM

Wisconsin Shooting Spree, 5 Killed

Star Tribune:

(Hayward, Wisconsin) A dispute among deer hunters over a tree stand in northwestern Wisconsin erupted Sunday in a shooting that left five people dead and three injured, officials said.

The alleged gunman, a man from the Twin Cities area, was arrested at about 5:15 p.m. Sunday at the Rusk and Sawyer County line, according to Sawyer County sheriff's officials.

The violence began shortly after a hunting party saw a hunter occupying their tree stand, Sawyer County Chief Deputy Tim Zeigle told KSTP-TV of St. Paul, Minn. A confrontation, and shooting, followed.

One of the shooting victims radioed back to the deer shack for help, he said. When more hunters came to the scene, they also were shot, Zeigle said.

The shootings happened in the town of Meteor in southwestern Sawyer County, County Sheriff James Meier said in a news release. Three people were taken to a local hospital, Meier said.

Wisconsin's nine-day deer hunting season started yesterday.

[Update} A suspect named Chia Vang was arrested.


Chia Vang
He is being held in the Sawyer County jail.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/21/2004 07:22:00 AM

Terrorists Beheadings in Mosul, Execution Video Released

With their base of operation in Fallujah destroyed, the Army of Ansar al-Sunnah and Zarqawi's al Qaeda-linked group are now on a murderous rampage in Mosul. Yesterday, nine Iraqi National Guardsmen were found murdered, seven beheaded, in Mosul. Four other decapitated bodies, thus far unidentified, were found on the roadside, also yesterday, by U.S. Forces. On Friday, Zarqawi's group beheaded two National Guardsmen in public on a street in Mosul.

Rusty Shackleford has a good current status posted at The Jawa Report with pics and a link to video of the murders of two Kurdish Democratic Party officials by the Army of Ansar al-Sunnah. Video also at Straight Bannana.

Not too long ago, the terrorist groups appeared to have some semblance of an overall plan or goal to their actions, such as kidnappings being followed by ransom or other demands. Now, however, it seems we're seeing more random and arbitrary acts of violence and murder. Maybe this is an indication that they have largely replaced purposefulness with frenzy. Alphabetically, after Fallujah comes frenzy.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/21/2004 05:31:00 AM

Plane Crashes in China, 55 Dead

Xinhuanet:

(Baotou City, China) A CRJ-200 plane, carrying 47 passengers and six crew members from Baotou to eastern China metropolis Shanghai, crashed in a park lake in Baotou around 8:20 a.m. Sunday shortly after it took off. All of the people aboard the small aircraft have been confirmed dead by local government officials.

Additionally, two workers on the ground are believed to have died in the crash. More than 400 rescue workers responded and the remains of 46 people have been retrieved from the lake. The flight data recorders have not been found. Government investigators from Beijing have been sent to the crash site. China Eastern Airlines has sent an emergency team.

The CRJ-200 aircraft seats 50 passengers and is supplied by Bombardier Aerospace based in Canada.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/21/2004 04:47:00 AM

FirstEnergy To Merge Nuclear Operations

(Painesville, Ohio) This past week, Gary Leidich, President of FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co., met with a panel of seven high-ranking members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) at the Renaissance Quail Hollow Resort east of Cleveland. The purpose of the meeting was to announce FirstEnergy's plan to consolidate nuclear operations management at its three operating facilities, the Davis-Besse nuclear plant in Ottawa County, the Perry Nuclear Plant east of Cleveland, and the Beaver Valley complex northwest of Pittsburgh. The consolidation effort was characterized as a streamlined "fleet approach" with some semblance to a military chain of command. Leidich said the changes were deemed necessary after evaluating problems at Davis-Besse and Perry.

Curiously, it appears the meeting was held primarily for informational and announcement purposes. The NRC does not customarily concern itself with a utility's organizational structure as long as minimum qualifications and staffing levels pursuant to the operating license are met and as long as nuclear and public safety are not degraded.

From an organizational and business perspective, consolidation of management functions among three facilities is a good idea but it won't be welcomed by many. In particular, those that will no longer be needed. The Davis-Besse, Perry, and Beaver Valley plants have operated for decades as independent entities, providing all line and support functions in-house. To illustrate, each has had its own group to conduct training, control documents, maintain records, do purchasing and accounting, conduct audits and inspections, and so on. Obviously, with numerous groups doing the same or similar jobs, there will be duplication of effort, which will be pared down upon consolidation.

From a strictly operational perspective, streamlining the management structure will produce more responsiveness and efficiency throughout the entire company. Upper management will see an enhanced ability to specifically define responsibility and authority and to quickly correct problems and implement initiatives. It will still be a bureaucracy, but leaner and more accountable.

From a personal perspective as a customer, any changes which produce efficiencies that keep the cost of electricity from increasing have my full support.

All that said, it can't be overlooked that President Leidich is trying to implement dramatic changes to a sloth-like bureaucracy which will impact many people's lives. Hopefully, the consolidation can be completed with employee discontent kept as low as reasonably achievable.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/20/2004 11:41:00 PM

'Nightline' Going Beddy-Bye?

Insiders say that rumblings behind the scenes at ABC's "Nightline" are harbingers of possible dramatic news about the show's future. "Nightline" has suffered in the ratings, largely due to cable news programming. Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" average viewership of 6.3 million pummels the "Nightline" audience of 3.4 million. Naturally, advertising revenue is reflective of the audience, with Leno commanding over $70,000 per commercial versus about $30,000 for "Nightline."

Add the fact that Co-Executive Producer Leroy Sievers has been told his contract will not be renewed by Disney, ABC's parent, and the fact that Ted Koppel's contract expires next year, and the result is an atmosphere of apprehension. Fundamental, and possibly unworkable, changes in the program are anticipated.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/20/2004 10:32:00 AM

Infectious Disease Trading Cards

With Christmas just weeks away, it's time to finalize your gift-giving plans and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have made available unique and interesting Disease Trading Card Sets. Wouldn't it be appropriate to give your mother-in-law a staph infection card? And how about hepatitis for your boss? The ex-girlfriend? Ebola, of course.

Guaranteed loads of fun by following the link.

(via Catallarchy)
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       Following Entry Posted 11/20/2004 09:20:00 AM

Polish Hostage, Teresa Borcz Khalifa, Freed By Captors

Reuters:

A Polish woman freed after being taken hostage in October in Iraq said on Saturday her captors had treated her well.

"This was a very happy moment when I was freed... I think I will stay in Poland for the time being. I was treated well and that gave me hope that I'd be freed," Teresa Borcz Khalifa told a news conference.

Prime Minister Marek Belka said that the release of Borcz, 54, had been orchestrated by Polish government agencies in cooperation with institutions from many countries.

It would be my guess that a ransom was paid.

[Update] There's some discussion regarding the possibility that Borcz may be exhibiting signs of Stockholm Syndrome. Additional information at:

The Jawa Report,
Diggers Realm,
Sortapundit,
Outside The Beltway,
In The Bullpen.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/20/2004 08:25:00 AM

Jonathan Poindexter - Child Molester

According to a Detroit Free Press report, 21-year-old Jonathan Poindexter was recently found guilty of molesting a 14-year-old girl after meeting her through the Internet and was scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 29 for the crime. While biding his time prior to sentencing, Poindexter accessed the Internet and tried to lure a 13-year-old girl to meet him for sex. Unfortunately for him, an undercover officer was posing as the 13-year-old girl and Poindexter was arrested.

Yesterday, Jonathan Poindexter was arraigned in 31st District Court in Hamtramck and is being held on a $500,000 bond. He's charged with illegal use of the Internet and attempted child sexually abusive behavior and could be sentenced up to 20 years in prison upon conviction. And, this doesn't include what he'll receive for his initial molestation.

Not only is Poindexter a pervert, he's a stupid pervert. It's a shame. Twenty-one years of age and his life is largely over.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/20/2004 07:21:00 AM

Zarqawi, bin Laden Trying To Communicate

According to Lt. Gen. Lance Smith, Deputy Commander of Central Command, terrorists Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and Osama bin Laden have been attempting to communicate with each other and there is definitely some sort of relationship between the two murderers.

Gen. Smith believes that they probably have not been successful in communicating primarily because of the distances involved and the slow patchwork methods they have available. These include "couriers carrying CDs from al Qaeda leaders to Zarqawi, or the use of television to send messages."

(via Speed Of Thought)
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       Following Entry Posted 11/20/2004 06:39:00 AM

Lufthansa Opens Luxury Terminal

In an effort to capture more premium-fare travelers, Lufthansa has introduced a first-class-only terminal in Frankfurt, due to open Dec. 1st. No longer will the wealthy traveler have to endure the hardships of airport concourses open to anyone able to buy a ticket. Lufthansa offers luxury for first-class ticket holders, providing them with:

[T]heir own personal assistants, offices, showers and baths and lounges with access to on-demand movies, music or the Internet, the airline said today. The passengers will be taken to their planes in DaimlerChrysler AG Mercedes-Benz S-Class cars or Porsche AG Cayenne sport-utility vehicles.

"With the first-class terminal and the first-class lounges, we're continuing to build on our top position in the top segment while other airlines abandon it," Chief Executive Officer Wolfgang Mayrhuber told journalists at a press conference.

With about 16% of the airline's passengers buying premium tickets in the first nine months of the year, Lufthansa anticipates that about 350 high-end travelers will be checked through the new terminal daily. There are also plans for the spare-no-expense treatment to be expanded to Munich, where a similar terminal is scheduled to open in 2006.

So, for those that can afford the high price of a first-class ticket, the squeeze-the-sweaty-bodies-in-the-sardine-can business practices of the cutthroat low-cost airlines and their customers can be completely avoided.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/20/2004 03:38:00 AM

Four Decapitated Bodies Found

The Australian reports:

US troops discovered four decapitated bodies during military operations this week to purge northern Mosul of insurgents, a military spokesman said today.

All four bodies, whose identities were not established, were found on Thursday, and have been turned over to Iraqi authorities, said Lieutenant Colonel Paul Hastings, a spokesman for Task Force Olympia.

Three of the bodies were found by the roadside in a north-eastern suburb of Mosul, the fourth in the southwestern part of the city, he said.

"Our troops came across them. They were by the roadside," Hastings said.

The Iraqi authorities will have to determine who the beheaded individuals were. To kidnap innocent people, cut their heads off, and leave them beside the road like litter has to be the perfect demonstration of barbarism and evil.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/20/2004 01:37:00 AM

Adoption Scammer Sentenced

(Seattle, Washington) U.S. District Judge Thomas Zilly sentenced Lauryn Galindo, 53, of Hanalei, Hawaii, to 18 months in jail for her role in helping Americans adopt Cambodian children who were not orphans.


Along with community service, Galindo was also ordered to forfeit her $1.4 million home and pay more than $60,000 in restitution to parents who adopted through her. She pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit visa fraud and money laundering through her sister's company, Seattle International Adoptions. The scheme took children from their families in Cambodia and presented them to immigration officials as orphans selected for adoption by American families.

Pretty sleazy scheme, if you ask me.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/19/2004 11:57:00 PM

Great Wide Mouth in the Great White North

Canadian MP Carolyn Parrish has been booted from the majority Liberal Party by Prime Minister Paul Martin for shooting her out-of-control mouth off one time too many.


Carolyn Parrish - Prominent Canadian Mouth
(CP Photo)
Parrish has been in the news repeatedly for vulgar insults toward Americans, in general, and President Bush, specifically. The Prime Minister finally canned her after she stomped on a President Bush action figure for a television show, followed immediately by her stating that Martin and his advisers could "go to hell," declaring that she had no loyalty to the Liberal party. Parrish expresses no regrets regarding the ouster.

Unless she joins another party, Parrish will sit as an Independent in Parliament, joining Independent British Columbia MP Chuck Cadman. Curiously, if she has been trying to accomplish something politically, she's going about it entirely wrong. She's lost stature within Parliament by no longer being affiliated with the majority and she's lost credibility with the public by her clownish and hate-filled emotional rantings.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/19/2004 09:06:00 PM

Zarqawi Beheads Iraqi Guardsmen in Public

According to an Islamist website, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group said it had beheaded two Iraqi National Guardsmen in broad daylight in Mosul yesterday afternoon. It also indicated that the men murdered were a major and a lieutenant. The authenticity of the message's contents has not been verified.

The change in tactics by the terrorists would seem to indicate that 1) their ability to provide a videotaped production of the beheadings for worldwide distribution has been hindered, 2) they are free to gather a crowd unfettered in the streets of Mosul for the murders, and 3) they believe they can still prevail in the war even though they have lost every battle and skirmish and have seen a dramatic reduction in their forces and resources. And, as long as they believe that the Americans will ultimately cut and run, they will continue fighting.

Tipped by Diggers Realm. Also blogging: In The Bullpen
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       Following Entry Posted 11/19/2004 08:56:00 AM

Radio Host Spews Racial Slurs

(Madison, Wisconsin) On Wednesday, John Sylvester, program director for WTDY-AM (1670) radio and host of the morning show, called Condoleeza Rice an "Aunt Jemima" and Colin Powell an "Uncle Tom" because they are subservient to and being used by white people.

Response was negative, from Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold to Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and the Urban League of Greater Madison.

[ ... ]

The comments came in the wake of conservative Milwaukee talker Mark Belling's five-day suspension from WISN-AM (1130) for using the word "wetback," a derogatory term for illegal Mexican immigrants, on his Oct. 27 show.

Sylvester, on the other hand, will stay on the air because he's the program director. Also, he won't apologize for what he said with one exception. "I will apologize to Aunt Jemima," he said.

It appears that Sylvester is trying to slough his comments off as no big deal, remarking that "Anybody who knows me knows I'm not a racist." Since voicing racial slurs is customarily considered a defining characteristic of a racist, his statement has to be disingenuous. Nevertheless, there should be no doubt that he surely is insensitive, uninformed, and seemingly motivated by hatred.

Lastly, where's the outrage from the black leadership?
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       Following Entry Posted 11/19/2004 06:51:00 AM

Ted Rall Booted By WAPO

The Washington Post has booted political cartoonist Ted Rall from its list of acceptable contributors. Rall believes and says it's because he drew one offensive cartoon, a Nov. 4 submittal depicting a drooling, mentally handicapped student taking over a classroom. The WAPO, however, contends that Rall's work doesn't "fit the tone" desired by the newspaper.

I contend that Ted Rall ceased to be a preferred flavor of the day after President Bush was reelected. The political ambiance in Washington was to be dominated by four more years of Republican leadership and, as such, Ted Rall's continued presence on the newspaper's pages was sure to cause a chronic rash of criticism. And I won't be beguiled into thinking that Ted Rall would have been booted had John Kerry been elected president. If Kerry had been voted into the Oval Office, it's more than a safe bet that the Washington Post would have considered Ted Rall's contributions more than appropriately nuanced for its pages.

Regarding Ted Rall being considered a cartoonist, it's not obvious. His reputation is based upon offerings that are simply offensive and vulgar graffiti, lacking in humor, without wit, and devoid of intelligent satire.

Hat tip: Captain's Quarters, Outside The Beltway.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/18/2004 11:50:00 PM

Russia To Help Build Boeing Dreamliner

On Wednesday, CEO Harry Stonecipher of aerospace conglomerate Boeing signed a memorandum of understanding with Russia's Industry Minister Viktor Khristenko to work in partnership in the development of next-generation 7E7 Dreamliner passenger jets.


Boeing-7E7 Dreamliner (Image - airventure.de)
In the deal, Boeing will be able to draw on Russian design and construction resources in return for a pledge of investing $2.5 billion over the next five years as the country becomes a major participant in the Boeing-7E7 production project. A Moscow design center opened in 1992 by Boeing is expected to expand with new staff from the Russian Academy of Science and at least two Russian aviation institutes. According to CEO Stonecipher, "Russian expertise and quality have delivered tremendous value to our products."

In a separate contract, CEO Stonecipher agreed to terms with Russia's Verkhnyaya Salda Metallurgical Production Association for the supply of titanium details for the Dreamliner.

The $2.5 billion Boeing agreement is only part of soaring foreign investment in Russia. In the first nine months of this year, Russia attracted over $29 billion in financial commitments from foreign countries, about 40% more than the same period in 2003. Continued expansion of the Russian economy due to tax cuts and record prices for oil, coupled with perceived reduced political risk, are considered the impetus behind the increased foreign investment.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/18/2004 06:51:00 PM

Poco the Whale Dies

(Halifax, Nova Scotia) According to this report, beloved Poco the Whale was found dead on a lonely mud flat near South Portland, Maine.


Poco the Whale
Poco was known to cavort and play with fishermen and dance with divers. He will be missed but not forgotten. The governments in the U.S. and Canada have been asked to make Poco's bones available for an exhibit that "honours Poco's journey into the lives of humans." Also, to assure that Poco didn't die under fishy circumstances, a necropsy is being performed by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

For those desiring to offer condolences or send contributions to the memory of Poco, Interested-Participant recommends that you seek professional help.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/18/2004 09:59:00 AM

Lingerie Mannequins Should Be Banned

First there was a wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl and now there is a call to ban lingerie mannequins and male assistants in lingerie stores.


Lingerie Mannequins
According to a report in the Gulf Daily News:

Modern mannequins look too real and are exciting young men, who crowd round the shop windows, says Majeed Karimi.

Male assistants should also be banned from lingerie shops, says Mr. Karimi, chairman of Muharraq Municipal Council's legislative, financial and administrative affairs committee.

Displaying mannequins clad in lingerie is against Islamic and social values, he said.

"These mannequins look like real-life women, with exactly the same features," said Mr. Karimi.

So, it seems the complaints are primarily directed at the mannequins for being too life-like. The lingerie isn't the problem. Karimi continues,

"I have received various complaints from people that they feel aroused by seeing these mannequins being exhibited in front of them."

He said that many young men in Muharraq stand in front of these shops, not just to watch women enter and leave, but fantasise [sic] about the mannequins.

Curiously, this is the first time I've heard of anyone complaining about being aroused. Nevertheless, it's certain that there will be many and continuing clashes between aspects of Western and Islamic cultures and, hopefully, at some future time, there will be compromise and the finding of common ground.

All that said, this isn't the first time that a lifeless human form has been considered to appeal to prurient interests. Some may recall that Attorney General John Ashcroft ordered the covering of two partially nude statues in the Great Hall of the Department of Justice.

Regarding the presence of male assistants in lingerie stores, it's news to me. Honestly, I thought the only place that ever occurred was in my dreams.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/18/2004 06:43:00 AM

Quality of Life Survey

The Economist today publishes the results of its Quality of Life Survey with Ireland deemed the most attractive destination in the world to live. The survey considered many criteria, including family and community life, longevity, wealth, job security, trade union membership, unemployment, church attendance, health, and climate.

The U.S. ranks 13th while Britain stands at 29th, behind France which sits in the 25th position.

'Top Ten Countries'

1 Ireland
2 Switzerland
3 Norway
4 Luxembourg
5 Sweden
6 Australia
7 Iceland
8 Italy
9 Denmark
10 Spain

Last on the list of 111 countries is Zimbabwe.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/18/2004 01:40:00 AM

Clinton Library

Gulf Daily News:

(Little Rock, Arkansas) A posse of presidents will mix with rock royalty and an expected 30,000 guests at the grand opening today of Bill Clinton's presidential library.

For the Democrat Party grandees in attendance, the event will be part nostalgic celebration and part post-election wake, offering a chance to gather and take stock in the face of four more years of a Republican presidency.

Clinton Library
It sort of has a "Bridge Abandoned, Road Closed" look to it, don't you think? Photo from Glenn Beck. (Hat tip: Country Store)
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       Following Entry Posted 11/18/2004 01:29:00 AM

TV Anchor Gets Naked

(Cleveland, Ohio) Local broadcast station WOIO-TV has been making, along with reporting, the news lately. Action News Team anchor/reporter, Sharon Reed, helped increase viewership by appearing nude in a first-person report about Spencer Tunick's photographs.

Sharon Reed was one of hundreds of people who participated in Spencer Tunick's nude photo installation in downtown Cleveland in June. Her report, shown Monday [11/15] on WOIO-TV, showed far away angles of her nude and some closer seminude shots, as well as other participants.

According to the station, viewer reaction to Sharon Reed's "Body of Art" has been unprecedented.

Hubba! Hubba!

[Update] Wizbang has a few pictures of Sharon Reed in the buff. Interestingly, she may not have realized that her little stunt would be plastered across the Internet and cause some consternation among her colleagues in the studio. Consequently, she's scheduled a segment to be aired during the 11pm news program tonight [11/18] to explain her 'artistic justification' for running around buck naked.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/17/2004 11:43:00 PM

First-Time Drug Conviction Nets 55-Year Sentence

According to the Deseret News, U.S. District Judge Paul Cassell imposed a 55-year mandatory-minimum sentence on first-time drug offender, Weldon Angelos, 25. The majority of the sentence resulted from mandatory minimums established by Congress for multiple firearms violations occurring during drug transactions. Judge Cassell openly disagreed with harsh sentencing laws and called on Congress to revisit the issue and allow more judicial discretion. He also called on President Bush to commute Angelos' sentence to 18 years.

It should be noted that Angelos was convicted of 16 criminal drug, firearms, and money-laundering counts. For 13 of those convictions, Judge Cassell imposed just a one-day sentence.

This story is being portrayed as some poor guy going to prison forever for having some marijuana. There's considerably more to the case than the headlines will indicate.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/17/2004 05:20:00 PM

Washington Gubernatorial Election

It appears there's a real election cliffhanger playing out in the state of Washington with neither Democrat Christine Gregoire nor Republican Dino Rossi able to post a commanding lead. The vote counting, and recounting, along with the 'discovery' of overlooked votes and voting machine errors, indicates that much of the drama is occurring beneath the radar. As of midday, Rossi led by a margin of less than 100 votes with counting continuing.

Today is the deadline for certification of the election results, but that won't happen if the difference between the candidates is small enough for an automatic recount to be required. For example, less than 150 votes difference in the totals requires a hand recount.

Since election day was two weeks ago, Washington seems to be repeating the fun of the Florida 2000 election. For those desiring to experience all the laughs, AnalogKid has been closely chronicling the soap opera at Random Nuclear Strikes. Go visit.

[Update 11/18] According to a media advisory from the Washington Secretary of State, Sam Reed, all counties have certified their election returns and Republican candidate Rossi wins by 261 votes. As such, Reed ordered a mandatory, machine recount assuring continued election entertainment. (via Wizbang)
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       Following Entry Posted 11/17/2004 04:10:00 PM

Foreign Hostages Murdered in Iraq

The current running total of the number of hostages killed by terrorist scum in Iraq has been variously reported to be in the mid-30s. There is every reason to believe the number to be on the low side since some people taken hostage have simply disappeared. Also, an unknown number of people have been murdered in the process of attempting to take them hostage. Therefore, the list recently published by the Turkish Press of foreign hostages killed in Iraq should be viewed as an educated, albeit imprecise, compilation. Rusty Shackleford at The Jawa Report provides details.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/17/2004 08:20:00 AM

'Virgin Mary' Cheese Sandwich


'Virgin Mary' Cheese Sandwich
Reversing a previous decision, EBay has decided to allow the 10-year-old half of a cheese sandwich to be sold at auction. It was pulled from bidding last Sunday because it was considered a joke. It seems they've changed their minds.

Personally, I think the sandwich looks like a young Lucille Ball.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/17/2004 07:04:00 AM

Car Bomber Rams U.S. Tank, Kills 10

In breaking news, a car bomber in Beiji, about 150 miles north of Baghdad, rammed a U.S. tank. Ten people have been reported to have died from the bombing and fighting. At least 20 have been wounded. It's unclear whether any Americans were killed or wounded in the clash.

Iraq's largest refinery and a major power station are in Beiji.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/17/2004 06:01:00 AM

Shooting Video Prompts International Concern

NBC correspondent Kevin Sites videotaped a U.S. Marine shooting a terrorist who was slumped against a wall in a mosque and a chorus of concern has been voiced by the international community. Amnesty International, the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have already weighed in, stating that international humanitarian law has been violated. For the time being, all the human rights watchdogs are willing to allow time for the military to conduct an investigation. They will probably become impatient in short order. They seem to enjoy raising a stink when the U.S. Armed Forces is involved. Interestingly, the terrorist thugs can behead innocent civilians day in and day out without a peep being heard from the 'human rights watchdogs.' Kind of one-sided in their outrage, don't you think?

The Northeast Intelligence Network reports that the Kevin Sites video has been "posted by jihadis on the Ansar message board." In the video, the Marine is heard yelling "He's [expletive] faking it, he's [expletive] faking it" before he shoots the terrorist. In a combat situation, Marines shoot the enemy when threatened. If circumstances are as I've read thus far, the shooting of the terrorist is justified.

To download the video, click here.

There's much more information compiled at The Jawa Report and Diggers Realm.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/17/2004 04:29:00 AM

Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness, and A Toilet

(Beijing, China) The Fourth Session of the World Toilet Summit opened today with delegates from 15 nations attending. According to Jack Sim, founder of World Toilet Organization, a toilet is a basic human right and developing good toilets is now an exciting subject.


Chinese Toilet
Woo! Woo! Toilet excitement!

Pardon me if I don't become energized by the subject. Regarding having a toilet being a basic human right, I think the World Toilet Organization (WTO) should consult with the National Coalition for the Homeless in the U.S. They consider the sidewalk to be a perfectly acceptable toilet, thank you, and get disturbed when laws are passed which prohibit urination and defecation in public. Apparently, in the eyes of the homeless, the world is their toilet. And, if you don't think so, you're 'mean.'
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       Following Entry Posted 11/17/2004 04:02:00 AM

Chirac Takes Shots At U.S.

From a BBC report:

French President Jacques Chirac says he is "not at all sure" the world has become safer with the removal from power of Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein.

Apparently, he's not sure of many things ... like what killed Arafat? In fact, the only thing he seems to be sure of is the Oil For Cheese Kickback Scheme which he blatantly plugs by stating that "[A]ny intervention in Iraq should have been through the United Nations."

Of course, France reserves the right to freely intervene at any time without the UN, which occurred just this week in the Ivory Coast. Chirac blasted the country, then asked the UN for its blessing.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/16/2004 05:25:00 PM

Margaret Hassan Video Shows Execution

From Reuters comes the story and confirmation from the British Embassy in Baghdad that a videotape has surfaced showing the execution of British-Iraqi aid worker Margaret Hassan.


Margaret Hassan
She was videotaped being shot in the head by the thug terrorists and Al-Jazeera, to its credit, said it would not broadcast the video.

"We will not air the tape because we respect the audience's feelings," said an al-Jazeera official, whose channel earlier announced it had received a tape of the killing.

Tahseen Hassan, the Iraqi husband of Mrs. Hassan, appealed in a statement broadcast by Britain's Sky News television to have her body returned to him.

"I beg those people who took Margaret to tell me what they have done with her. They can tell ... I need her. I need her back to rest in peace," he said.

"Margaret lived with me in Iraq for 30 years. She dedicated her life to serving the Iraqi people. Please, now, please return her to me."

Margaret Hassan wa a life-long charitable soul who was murdered in cold blood by terrorists. To no one was she a threat.

Other bloggers on the story:

The Jawa Report,
In the Bullpen,
Diggers Realm,
ISOU,
Straight Bannana.

May she Rest in Peace. Condolences to the family and friends of Margaret Hassan.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/16/2004 10:35:00 AM

Honest Cab Driver

In reporting and commenting on politics and culture, it's easy to become jaded into thinking that everything is negative. That's why it is a complete pleasure to occasionally have good news to send along. Yesterday, honest New York City cab driver Benjamin Adejepong, 54, turned in more than $6,500 that two passengers had left in the back seat of his taxi.

Good!
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       Following Entry Posted 11/16/2004 09:16:00 AM

EBay Pulls 'Virgin Mary' Sandwich

Half of a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich Diana Duyser claimed bore the image of the Virgin Mary was considered a joke and pulled from the online auction. Prior to EBay removing the sandwich from auction, it had received bids as high as $22,000.

This report is really disturbing for I am certain that some leftover, moldy Chinese food in my refrigerator is a perfect miniaturized replica of the lost continent of Atlantis. I had hoped to auction it.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/16/2004 08:41:00 AM

Iraq's Deputy Parliament Speaker Arrested

(Baghdad) Naseer Ayaef, Deputy Parliament Speaker and a high-ranking member of the Iraqi Islamic Party, was arrested by U.S. Forces in a dawn raid of his Baghdad home. Details are sketchy and it's not clear why he was arrested. What is clear is that Ayaef is a senior member of the Iraqi Islamic Party which withdrew from the interim government in protest of the assault on Fallujah. The story is developing.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/16/2004 08:13:00 AM

China Apologizes for Sub Intrusion in Japanese Waters

(Tokyo) According to Japan's top government spokesman, Hiroyuki Hosoda, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei conveyed regret over the 'accidental' intrusion of a Chinese submarine into Japanese waters.

Excuse me if I am somewhat skeptical that the Chinese submarine was 'accidentally' off course.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/16/2004 07:49:00 AM

Carbon Monoxide Deaths

(Eastlake, Ohio) Dolores Brajdic, 70, and Ronald Jones, 74, were found dead on Saturday from carbon monoxide poisoning. A dead squirrel in the chimney of Brajdic's house allowed the gas to accumulate. There was no CO detector in the house.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/16/2004 07:17:00 AM

Hardee's Monster Thickburger - Thermonuclear Gutbomb




Akron Beacon Journal:

As many fast-food chains introduce healthier fare amid fears of being sued, Hardee's is introducing a hamburger with 1,420 calories and 107 grams of fat.

The new burger, called the Monster Thickburger, contains two 1/3-pound slabs of Angus beef, four strips of bacon, three slices of cheese and mayonnaise on a buttered sesame seed bun. The sandwich alone sells for $5.49, $7.09 with fries and a soda.

The new Hardee's burger is more than twice as filling as the McDonald's Big Mac, which weighs in at just 600 calories.

Gulp! Sounds like it should be available by prescription only.

[Update] Added pic shoplifted from the Country Store.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/16/2004 06:06:00 AM

Brokaw Booed at Football Game

Yep, when his presence was announced over the PA system, Tom Brokaw was booed by fans at the Oklahoma - Nebraska football game this past weekend. I'm sure he passes it off as being a result of Red State intolerance and ignorance. (via Backcountry Conservative)
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       Following Entry Posted 11/15/2004 08:35:00 PM

Colin Powell Resigns

I suppose everybody has heard that Colin Powell has resigned as Secretary of State and the speculation is that he will be replaced by Condaleeza Rice. Interestingly, Bill O'Reilly, on his program just moments ago, strongly recommended that President Bush name Bill Clinton as Powell's replacement.

I don't know what O'Reilly is thinking but I'd be reluctant to have Bill Clinton's malleable belief system representing my interests.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/15/2004 06:14:00 PM

Man Starts Fire Outside White House

Shouting "Allah" loudly, a bearded, unnamed man set fire to his belongings outside the White House today. The Secret Service responded, dousing the fire and subduing the man. Authorities offered no comment regarding the incident.

I have a comment. The guy's an idiot.

[Update] Digger has considerably more information on the fire starter who, incidentally, received 2nd and 3rd degree burns on 30% of his body. His name is Mohamed Alanssi and he reportedly used to be an informant for the FBI. There's more at the link. Go visit.

By the way, I no longer think the guy is just an idiot. I think he's an idiot in a lot of pain.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/15/2004 08:01:00 AM

Beheading Room Found in Fallujah

The Sydney Morning Herald (free reg.) is reporting that U.S. Marines swept through Fallujah and found a beheading chamber with evidence that at least one person was beheaded in the room.


U.S. Marine shows snapshot found during search. [Photo: AFP]
In their search, the Marines also found AK-47s, shoulder-fired missiles, fake identifications, and a fully equipped bomb factory using C4 plastic explosives.

A hollowed-out plastic foam container about the size of two shoe boxes lay in the bomb lab, packed with plastic explosives and wires. The plastic foam box was covered in cloth to disguise it as an innocuous package.

Scattered on the ground nearby, mobile phones, walkie-talkies, Motorola handheld radios - all used as detonators - lay tangled in coils of wire. There was a computer without a hard drive and a box full of professional explosives-triggering.

The Marines also rescued two hostages, an Iraqi and a Syrian. The Syrian hostage had been the driver for the two French journalists, Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot, kidnapped in August. The location of the journalists is unknown, but they're believed to be alive. The rescued Iraqi hostage said the terrorists who kidnapped him were Syrian and that "the Syrians were always in charge."

Also blogging: Outside The Beltway
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       Following Entry Posted 11/15/2004 05:37:00 AM

U.S. Accused of 'Torture Flights'

The Sunday Times claims to have obtained confidential flight logs from a 14-seat Gulfstream jet which indicate it was used by U.S. intelligence agencies to transport terrorist suspects to countries that "routinely use torture in their prisons."

Analysis of the plane's flight plans, covering more than two years, shows that it always departs from Washington DC. It has flown to 49 destinations outside America, including the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba and other US military bases, as well as Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Morocco, Afghanistan, Libya and Uzbekistan.

Witnesses have claimed that the suspects are frequently bound, gagged and sedated before being put on board the planes, which do not have special facilities for prisoners ...."

The alleged prisoner transfer flights were first reported by a Swedish television program called Cold Facts which contended that witnesses saw prisoners handed over to U.S. agents for "extradition" to Egypt. The prisoners later claimed they were tortured.

The article also states that former CIA agents claim the Pentagon uses a process called "rendition" where prisoners are sent to Jordan or Egypt for aggressive interrogation.

Bob Baer, a former CIA operative in the Middle East, said: "If you want a serious interrogation you send a prisoner to Jordan. If you want them to be tortured you send them to Syria. If you want someone to disappear ... you send them to Egypt."

Among the countries where prisoners have been sent by America is Uzbekistan, a close ally and a dictatorship whose secret police are notorious for their interrogation methods, including the alleged boiling of prisoners. The Gulfstream made at least seven trips to the Uzbek capital.

U.S. authorities have denied any complicity in the torture of prisoners.

As food for thought, it would be nice to have Kenneth Bigley, Jack Hensley, Paul Johnson, Daniel Pearl, Kim Sun-il, Shosei Koda, and others who've been beheaded provide their thoughts on "aggressive interrogation" of terrorists. Surely, they would be strongly opinionated about the subject.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/15/2004 12:09:00 AM

The Age of Wal-Mart

CNBC aired their profile of the world's largest retailer, The Age of Wal-Mart, on at least two occasions this weekend and I was able to catch a few segments. I didn't see it in its entirety, but I was impressed with the reporting I did see. CEO Lee Scott was featured prominently in the program and was asked tough questions concerning the negatives associated with Wal-Mart. In particular, Scott was asked to comment on such issues as public unrest regarding Wal-Mart growth, class actions claiming discrimination, and the employee health plan.

It wasn't a puff piece and I didn't hear any softball questions. The program has been added to the Interested-Participant Recommended Viewing List. Catch it if possible.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/14/2004 05:40:00 PM

Russia's Enigmatic Legislators

Just in the past week, legislators in Russia have considered outlawing beer drinking, legalizing prostitution, and banning smoking. So, the apparent aim is to eliminate 'the cocktail before' and 'the cigarette after' while allowing money to made on the 'in between.'

I'm not comfortable that I could even guess what the next social/cultural engineering project would be.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/14/2004 02:40:00 PM

White Female Torso Found in Fallujah

News.com.au:

The body of a woman in her 60s, with her legs and arms cut off and throat slit was found today in the city of Fallujah but it was unclear whether she was a foreigner or an Iraqi, marines said.

The discovery was made as the marines moved through the south of Fallujah, hunting out the remaining die-hard rebels after a week of fierce fighting to regain control of the city.

[ ... ]

Sweeps of rubble-strewn neighbourhoods in Fallujah have already uncovered a grisly underworld of hostage slaughterhouses, prisons and torture chambers as well as the corpses of Iraqis who had been executed, marines say.

We shouldn't forget that the elite media essentially glosses over the atrocities of the thug terrorists while emphasizing the terrible torture of prisoners by Americans at Abu Ghraib and Gitmo.

Hat tip: Backcountry Conservative

[Update] Chad Evans at In The Bullpen analyzes possibilities on the identity of the torso. From my perspective, I generally agree with Chad that the information available thus far is just too sketchy and contradictory to make a definitive call as to who the woman was. I am leaning toward it being someone other than Margaret Hassan or Teresa Borcz-Kalifa.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/14/2004 08:48:00 AM

Migrant Labor Camps

Between November 16 and December 14, the Ohio State University Extension Offices are conducting a series of four workshops to assist migrant labor camp operators to comply with applicable local, state and federal regulations while improving worker recruiting and retention.

With a potential labor pool of a million or more individuals crossing the U.S. - Mexico border every year, one would tend to think that migrant worker recruiting and retention wouldn't need any improvement. Also, I'd speculate that the Extension Offices will gloss over, at best, the federal regulations concerning the hiring of illegal aliens.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/14/2004 07:29:00 AM

Second Home Boat

With end of year tax planning imminent or in progress, it's an appropriate time to offer a reminder that mortgage interest on second homes is tax deductible and a boat can easily qualify as a second home. According to the Internal Revenue Service Publication 936, a boat qualifies as a second home if it has sleeping, cooking, and toilet facilities. Since cooking facilities could be met with a propane stove and toilet facilities could be a portable potty, the requirements are fairly loose. And boat builders know to install the appropriate facilities even in smaller vessels (19 to 25 ft.), correctly supplying a marketplace populated with buyers looking for a tax deduction. About one-half million pleasure boats in the U.S. are considered large enough to be classified as second home boats, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

In addition to the deduction for interest on the boat loan, state and local license fees can also be deducted. Adding the tax benefits together can allow an individual to drop into a lower tax bracket. For example, David Reitze, a Tacoma mortgage broker, was able to see his income tax bracket lowered to 32% from 36% after buying a boat as a second home.

In closing, there is one other IRS requirement regarding boats as second homes which also must be met. The owner must have evidence that he stays overnight on the boat at least 14 days a year. This last requirement shouldn't be hard to meet since it doesn't appear as though the boat has to be near water. The owner could sleep overnight while it was parked in the garage.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/14/2004 04:50:00 AM

Snohomish County - Terrorist Incubator

(Everett, Washington) In less than 18 months, four Snohomish County past or current residents have been arrested on terrorism-related charges. Included are:

Paul Douglas Revak, 20, of Maltby was arrested in June 2003 for plotting to blow a U.S. Coast Guard station. He was sentenced to probation on a plea bargain.

Spc. Ryan G. Anderson, 26, of Lynnwood was arrested last February for offering to give al-Qaida terrorists information on how to destroy tanks and kill American soldiers. He was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of treason.

Susan Lindauer, 40, a former Everett Herald employee, was arrested in March for allegedly trying to assist Iraqi terrorists. She pleaded not guilty and is out on bond awaiting trial.

And, just this past week, Mark Robert Walker, 19, of Stanwood was arrested after attempting to meet an Islamic extremist in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. In attempting to make a contribution of goods and services to Al-Ittihad Al-Islamiya, a designated terrorist organization, Walker faces a possible ten year federal prison sentence.

It's not clear why Snohomish County is a breeding ground for anti-Americanism, but it is known that it's on the West Coast and extremely liberal politically, voting almost exclusively for Democrats at all levels of government.

Draw your own conclusions.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/13/2004 08:00:00 PM

Suicides Among Farmers

This story is real disturbing. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), farmers commit suicide at twice the rate as the rest of the population. Reasons given are many and varied and tied directly to the exorbitant stresses placed on an individual who chooses farming as a livelihood. One curious aspect of farmer suicides is that they tend to occur between 6am and noon early in the week while general population suicides tend to happen on Friday and Saturday nights.

It should be noted that the U.S. is not the only country to experience elevated farmer suicide rates. In India, for example, an epidemic of farmer suicides in the recent past is considered to have dramatically impacted the political process by influencing the outcome of elections.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/13/2004 05:37:00 PM

Zarqawi Audiotape Indicates Terrorists Are Running

The Jawa Report:

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has posted an audio message to his followers on an Islamist bulletin board. In the taped message, Zarqawi praises those resisting the US offensive in Fallujah, and urges them to fight on. He also claims that victory is near for those fighting the American troops. However, the tape also implies that Zarqawi himself has fled Fallujah, an indication that he does not believe the city can be held. CBS reports that in a written statement introducing the audiotape at the internet site, the poster wrote that the tape was "short and hasty" because of the "grave" circumstances--another indication that Zarqawi and his al Qaeda in Iraq are on the run. For over a month now, internet websites linked to Zarqawi's terrorist group (formerly known as Tawhid and Jihad) have been abandoned. All of Zarqawi's recent communications have been posted to Islamic bulletin boards--perhaps another indication of the increasing pressure the US is putting on him.

There's more at the link.

It should come as no surprise that the terrorists are being routed from Fallujah. With superior training, communications, weapons, and logistical support, the American and Iraqi Forces have an overwhelming advantage against a ragtag group of fanatics who are reported to be pouring into Iraq from Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, among other countries. One also has to question whether the latest groups of terrorists are as able as previous groups. They may not have actually received much training since the Afghanistan War largely deconstructed their curriculum.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/13/2004 03:53:00 PM

Border Agents Find Girl Sealed in Pinata

(San Diego, California) About 4 or 5-years-old, the girl was carefully sealed in the pinata.


Child in Pinata
Her mother was in the trunk and her brother, about 9, was under a collapsible back seat. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers shooed them back into Mexico.

The two smugglers in the car were Americans but they were not arrested because "the sheer volume of immigrant-smuggling cases far exceeds the government's ability to prosecute all smugglers."

Not even a slap on the wrist. Hopefully, the officers at least took their names and filed a report.

Hat tip: You Big Mouth, You!

[Update 11/15/04] Added photo. Hat tip: Michelle Malkin
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       Following Entry Posted 11/13/2004 01:17:00 AM

Arafat's Jordanian Physician Wants Autopsy

CBC News:

Yasser Arafat's Jordanian physician on Friday urged an autopsy be performed on the Palestinian leader because of the mystery surrounding his illness and death.

Dr. Ashraf al-Kurdi's comments underscored frustration in many corners of the Arab world over the intense secrecy surrounding Arafat's condition.

Some have speculated Arafat was poisoned, but Israeli and Palestinian officials have sharply denied that theory.

"These stories are simply ridiculous," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev told The Associated Press on Friday. "We never denied Arafat access to medical help. We never prevented doctors from visiting him. We never prevented him from going to a hospital."

Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath has said after talks with Arafat's French doctors that they had "ruled out completely poison."

Gen. Christian Estripeau, spokesman at the French military hospital where Arafat was treated, refused to say whether an autopsy was performed or to comment on speculation that Arafat was poisoned. There was no comment from Palestinian officials.

Many unanswered questions concerning Arafat's death have led to persistent, widespread speculation and it probably won't stop until an autopsy report and his medical records are released to the public. In the meantime, Interested-Participant recommends avoiding the French health care system.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/12/2004 11:10:00 PM

Snelgrove Death

Following up on a previous report about the death of Victoria Snelgrove, ostensibly after being hit in the eye with a pepper ball, there have been no formal announcements from the medical community. Therefore, it's still unknown what actually killed her. CodeBlueBlog succinctly argues that there has to be more to the story of her death than a pepper ball.

Nonetheless, the Boston Police Department has decided to assign culpability and has named Rochefort Milien as the officer who "hit Snelgrove in the eye, fatally injuring her."

Evidently without any input from the hospital or the doctors who treated Snelgrove, the Boston Police Department not only announces the cause of death but also the killer.

The investigation thus far flunks the smell test.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/12/2004 07:41:00 PM

At The Store

Today was full of chores, so I'm behind on my reading and blogging. Nonetheless, I have to quickly pass along what happened to me when I was at the store. You're not going to believe this.

Standing in line at the grocery, I became engaged in a conversation with two other customers about the news of propane sniffing and resultant explosion in Canton which I previously reported. The general concensus was that nobody had heard of it before and everybody was puzzled why someone would do it. Out of the blue, the cashier said she had heard that the people who were propane sniffers started doing it because they confused propane with cocaine. They apparently, according to the cashier [nametag displayed "Beth"], were under the impression that sniffing cocaine was a trendy way to entertain themselves and, since they weren't rocket scientists, they figured it was much easier to obtain propane which had to be similar to cocaine. Propane, cocaine, same-o, same-o. I guess. The cashier's explanation elicited chortles of skepticism from everyone.

If this story is true, it's the dumbest thing I've heard in some time. Hell, even if it isn't true, it's still the dumbest thing I've heard in some time. But I believe some wise man once said it's seldom wrong to underestimate the intelligence of the masses.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/12/2004 03:38:00 PM

Operating Room Malfunction

In central Iran, Majid Karimi, 19, found his healthy appendix removed after waking up from what was supposed to have been wrist surgery.

OOPS!
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       Following Entry Posted 11/12/2004 02:59:00 PM

Human Rights Activist Poisoned on Flight

The British human rights group TAPOL claims that the death of Indonesian activist Munir Said Thalib, 38, was due to poisoning by assassins. He died on a flight from Singapore to Amsterdam. Results of an autopsy by the Dutch Forensics Institute indicate that Mr. Munir had ingested high levels of arsenic which caused his death. TAPOL issued a statement contending that he had been assassinated because of his human rights activism against the Indonesian government.

"On many occasions, Munir fearlessly exposed the role of the powerful Indonesian armed forces in acts of repression, incurring their wrath on many occasions. Some senior officers may well have seen Munir as their most dangerous foe.

"During the many years we have campaigned for human rights, this is the first time, to our knowledge, that an Indonesian human rights activist has been murdered in this way though many others have suffered horrific fates in the course of their work. That this should have occurred several years after the collapse of the Soeharto regime makes the tragedy even more chilling."

Indonesian police will be sending a team of investigators to Holland to "study the case."

In two reports I've read, it is strongly hinted that the government of Indonesia is behind the assassination.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/12/2004 06:25:00 AM

Japan Identifies Mystery Submarine as Chinese

Updating a previous report, the mystery submarine that was chased from Japanese territorial waters near the Sakishima Islands has been identified as Chinese.


Sakishima and Senkaku Islands
According to government spokesman Hiroyuki Hosoda,

"We have judged the submarine to belong to the Chinese navy and it's likely the submarine was a nuclear submarine and through diplomatic channels we are going to protest to China."

Whoa! Holy thermal neutron, Batman! When did the Chinese navy get a nuke boat?
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       Following Entry Posted 11/12/2004 04:40:00 AM

Intelligentsia Migrant Assistance Program

Interested-Participant customarily eschews any advocacy role on specific political issues, preferring rather to ask questions and make comments. However, occasionally an idea surfaces that has such solid merit that it must be heralded. Such is the Intelligentsia Migrant Assistance Program proposed by the Louisiana Conservative.

It would be a win-win-win situation. Under the assistance program, the intelligentsia would be unencumbered in their efforts to save the world while, at the same time, Third World countries would see an immediate increase in the literacy rate, and developed nations would enjoy a much less strident atmosphere in political debate.

Consequently, Interested-Participant fully supports the rapid adoption and implementation of the Intelligentsia Migrant Assistance Program.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/11/2004 08:42:00 PM

Judge Simona Lungu - Porn Actress

(Bucharest, Romania) Judge Simona Lungu, 36, resigned yesterday amid allegations that she starred in a porn movie currently for sale in Denmark. Described as the sultry actress romping in group sex orgies in the X-rated movie, Lungu denies the charges but forensics experts have confirmed that she is in the sex video, Secrets of Seduction. She is also being investigated for potential violations of the Romanian financial disclosure laws.

 
Judge Simona Lungu
Frankly, I just don't see the sultriness. Maybe it has something to do with European tastes.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/11/2004 07:42:00 PM

Propane Sniffing

In Canton, Ohio, Tammy Rohrig was sniffing propane in the family van when her husband, Donald Rohrig, entered with a lit cigarette. An explosion resulted, ripping the roof off the vehicle. Both were hospitalized and are expected to recover.

By exposing an additional health hazard from cigarette smoking, the Rohrigs are sure to be hailed by the anti-smoking advocacy. More than likely, they'll also be nominated for a Darwin Award.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/11/2004 06:24:00 PM

Author Iris Chang "The Rape of Nanking" Commits Suicide


Iris Chang (Photo R. Spencer, Baltimore Sun)
(San Francisco, California) Chang was found in her car on a rural road in Santa Clara County, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Only 36, Chang was a passionate researcher and writer who achieved international fame with her book The Rape of Nanking which documented Japanese atrocities in China during WWII. Police believe they have sufficient evidence supporting the determination of suicide.

Being a fan of her writing, I personally feel a sense of loss.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/11/2004 11:34:00 AM

George Soros' Democrat Dollars

I don't know the final figure on the amount of cash George Soros dumped into the John Kerry campaign effort, but who would have guessed that a handsome chunk got earmarked to buy Instapundit a new state-of-the-art laptop?
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       Following Entry Posted 11/11/2004 08:12:00 AM

HS Students Invent Pothole Detector

This report was a pleasure to read. The students at Agawam High School in Massachusetts have invented a machine that detects voids under road surfaces and then drills into the voids to fill them which prevents potholes from forming.

It sure looks to me like it will work just fine. Kudos to the students of Agawam High.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/11/2004 07:30:00 AM

Mountain Lion Sighted Outside Boston

(Acton, Massachusetts) Within the past week, there have been two sightings of a mountain lion, or cougar, in the Acton area. One sighting was by two police officers who described the cat as a 5- to 6-foot animal, low to the ground, with a long tail.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/11/2004 06:42:00 AM

Veteran's Day 2004

To all current, departed, and veteran members of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserve, and their families, I send a snappy salute and the best of wishes.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/11/2004 05:22:00 AM

Fire In Russian Siberian City Kills 19

A fire in a two-story hostel in Kyzyl, the capital of the Siberian Republic of Tyva, has killed at least 19 of a total of about 130 people registered as guests. No other details are currently available about the victims. The cause is believed to be an electrical short circuit.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/11/2004 04:28:00 AM

Chinese Average More Than 19 Sex Partners

According to results from the Durex 2004 Global Sex Survey, the Chinese lead the world in per capita sex partners with 19.3. The average number of sex partners among the world's countries is 10.5.

Interestingly, the Durex survey also found that the Chinese rated among the world's lowest in the level of individual sex drive. Consequently, the survey results seem somewhat contradictory. The Chinese lead the world in average number of sex partners while having scant libido.

Now, it seems to me that if a person has very little sex drive, there's a good chance that the person would not have much sex, despite the number of partners available. If that's correct, than would someone explain to me how the Chinese are able to put so many notches on their pistol grips when there is little desire to pull the trigger?

I think that condom-maker Durex should take a closer look at the survey questions because the results don't make sense.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/11/2004 03:14:00 AM

Yasser Arafat Dies

About 9:30pm, EST, last night, Yasser Arafat died in a French military hospital near Paris from multiple organ failure and a brain hemorrhage. Dr. Christian Estripeau, France's top army doctor, confirmed the death. Arafat was 75.

Arafat's death was announced by Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat who said it was a "black day" in Palestinian history. The White House offered condolences. Grieving Palestinians poured onto the streets of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

A troubling reaction to the death came from the terrorist Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades which urged an attack on Israel to avenge the "Zionist assassination" of Arafat. The group called for Palestinians to "hit out and strike the occupation everywhere. This crime will not go without punishment." Along the same lines was a pronouncement by Khaled Mashaal, political leader for the terrorist Hamas group. Mashaal told al-Jazeera television that Israel is responsible for the crime of killing Arafat by poisoning.

His funeral is planned for Cairo, Egypt, where many believe Arafat was born although Arafat insisted he was born in Jerusalem.

According to Palestinian law, Parliament Speaker Rauhi Fattouh, a virtual unknown, will be interim president until elections are held sometime in the next two months.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/10/2004 11:04:00 AM

Hostage Slaughterhouses Found in Fallujah

News.com.au:

Iraq troops have found 'hostage slaughter houses' in Fallujah including CDs and records of people taken captive in the way of kidnappings and beheadings, an Iraqi military official said today.

Major General Abdul Qader Mohammed Jassem Mohan, commander of Iraqi forces in the battle, said the houses were in the northern part of Fallujah, where US officials had expected to meet their toughest resistance.

"We have found hostage slaughter houses in Fallujah that were used by these people (kidnappers) and the black clothing that they used to wear to identify themselves, hundreds of CDs and whole records with names of hostages," the general told reporters at a military camp near Fallujah.

This is good news.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/10/2004 10:49:00 AM

Allawi Relatives Kidnapped, Beheading Threatened

A terrorist group called Ansar al-Jihad (Partisans of Holy War) kidnapped three family members of Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and threatened to behead them if the assault on Fallujah isn't stopped within 48 hours. According to spokesman Georges Sada, a first cousin of the Prime Minister, the cousin's wife and another family member were seized.

"This is a close cousin - Allawi's father and his father are brothers," Mr. Sada said.

In another report, Caroline Hawley, in Baghdad with the BBC, states that the abduction of the Prime Minister's relatives seems to be the closest the terrorists could possibly get to him because security is so tight.

In other news, there is a curfew on the city of Mosul and its bridges are closed to civilian traffic.

Also blogging:
Backcountry Conservative,
Diggers Realm,
The Jawa Report,
PoliBlog.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/10/2004 09:00:00 AM

Homelessness Report - Meanest Cities

According to an article in the Dallas Morning News (Free reg.), the National Coalition for the Homeless has evaluated the relative "meanness towards the homeless" of 179 American cities and issued a report ranking the 20 "meanest" cities. The top 20 are:

1. Little Rock, Ark.
2. Atlanta
3. Cincinnati
4. Las Vegas
5. Gainesville, Fla.
6. New York City
7. Los Angeles
8. San Francisco
9. Honolulu
10. Austin
11. Sarasota, Fla.
12. Key West, Fla.
13. Nashville, Tenn.
14. Berkeley, Calif.
15. Dallas
16. Fresno, Calif.
17. San Antonio
18. Milwaukee
19. St. Paul, Minn.
20. Manchester, N.H.

The rankings were determined by evaluating each city's ordinances with respect to normal behavioral characteristics of the homeless. Those cities that have laws against homeless behavior are considered mean, i.e., the more laws on the books, the "meaner" the city.

Homeless Behavioral Characteristics
- Bathing in public waters.
- Urination/defecation in public.
- Begging in particular public places.
- Aggressive panhandling.
- Sleeping in public.
- Camping in particular public places.
- Loitering/loafing in particular public places.
- Obstruction of public sidewalks.
- Entering vacant buildings.

In summary, if a city has laws to prevent vagrants from turning the community into a toilet, chances are the city will be ranked high on the "mean scale." Chances are also that the city would be a much more pleasant place to live, raise a family, and conduct business.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/10/2004 06:28:00 AM

Tammy Imre - Accused Child Molester

Updating yesterday's report, the mother of the 8-year-old boy that Tammy Imre (AKA Tamera James) is accused of molesting has spoken and stated she knew something was wrong when her boy started to act out at school.

"He tried to jump out the window at school," the woman said Monday. "He was acting out last year - all kind of stuff."

Tammy Imre (AP photo)
The alleged abuse was exposed when the 8-year-old's older brother found an incriminating letter in September that shocked the parents and authorities. It indicated that Imre had sexual relations with the boy. It's not known how long the relations occurred. The boy's mother is justifiably outraged, stating, "She ruined my child."

On the other hand, Tammy Imre's mother, Evelyn Imre, says her daughter has "mental problems."

Ya' think!

[Update - 11/16/04] Digger has some new information on Tammy Imre from the New York Post. Apparently, the cradle robber sent the boy love notes that have surfaced.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/10/2004 04:24:00 AM

Japanese Navy Chases Suspicious Submarine

Crewmembers of a Japanese anti-submarine patrol aircraft spotted a submarine in seas off Miyako and Ishigaki Islands, southwestern Okinawa Prefecture, early Wednesday morning and chased it away. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi ordered the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF), including a destroyer, to chase and identify the submarine. Its nationality has not yet been confirmed.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/09/2004 06:22:00 PM

Propane Tanks Stolen

(Denver, Colorado) From various businesses around Denver, about 100 liquid propane tanks have been stolen since July. Each contains almost eight gallons of liquid propane and the FBI is investigating the possible terrorism implications.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/09/2004 05:33:00 PM

Oregon Suicide Law Challenged

The Bush administration has filed an appeal of a court decision that ruled Oregon doctors could not be prosecuted for prescribing lethal doses of federally controlled drugs. The Supreme Court will decide.

In related news, a lawyer for injecticidal maniac, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, says that he should be let out of prison because he's sick. Attorney Mayer Morganroth filed an application for pardon or commutation of sentence because poor Dr. Death, 76, has high blood pressure, arthritis, hernia, hepatitis C, cataracts, heart disease, adrenal insufficiency suggestive of Addison's disease, and lung disease.

Sheesh! Kevorkian's maladies read like a warning label from a bottle of pills.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/09/2004 04:25:00 PM

Inmate Caught With Syringes In Stomach

(Santa Cruz, California) Officials allowed County Jail inmate Joshua Robertson to leave custody for 12 hours to attend a funeral. Upon his return, deputies suspected he might try to smuggle contraband into the jail so they obtained a search warrant and took him to the hospital for an X-ray. They found 17 grams of heroin, 20 grams of marijuana and four syringes in his belly.

Some people will eat anything.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/09/2004 04:09:00 PM

Tree Trimmer Falls In Wood Chipper

(San Jose, California) The investigation continues in the death of Miguel Marquez, 19, who accidentally fell into a wood chipper while working with a tree-trimming crew. He died of massive injuries after both his feet and legs were pulled into the chipper.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/09/2004 03:38:00 PM

Hostage Taken At Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles

KABC-TV, Los Angeles:

A man demanding media attention took a woman hostage at the Mexican consulate near downtown Los Angeles today and then was shot and wounded by police. The woman was unharmed.

Officers responding to a report of a kidnapping in progress confronted a suspect outside the consulate and shots were fired.

The wounded man was taken to a hospital where he is listed in critical condition.

Authorities believe that only one person was involved in taking hostages and there is no evidence that it was a terrorist act. The investigation continues.

(Hat tip: Diggers Realm)
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       Following Entry Posted 11/09/2004 06:53:00 AM

The Battle of Fallujah

About 10,000 US and 2,000 Iraqis have entered the city and the fighting is heavy. Multi-National forces are close to the heart of the city. Fierce resistance from the insurgents has been seen in the Jolan District, a stronghold. Iraqi forces have captured the railway station in the northwest part of the city.

Iraq's Defense Minister Sheikh Hazem Shaalan stated that today will be the major assault, called Operation Phantom Fury, to retake the entire city and reports that the rebels are already scattering, "But our intelligence services are tracking them and we are going to get them and teach them a lesson that they would never forget."

Witnesses say a US helicopter was hit by a missile and exploded. US denies the report.

The insurgent terrorists have launched a day of mayhem across parts of Iraq in retaliation for the assault on Fallujah. Dozens were killed and wounded in attacks on three police stations in Baquba, northeast of Baghdad. An Iraqi national Guard base was attacked in Kirkuk.

The Blogs of War reports that "It's going well, it's a good day."
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       Following Entry Posted 11/09/2004 03:34:00 AM

Democratic Post-Election Quotes of Note

From a report in the Alameda Times-Star:

Former President Bill Clinton said, "We have to be present with a compelling message in small towns and rural areas. If we don't make the message, we can't complain when we're demonized, cartoonized as aliens."

Excuse me if I missed something, but isn't that what Kerry did? He went to the hustings spewing he was a gun-totin', national defense kind of guy. Unfortunately for him, nobody believed that a Massachusetts liberal possesses those qualities.

Robert Borosage, co-director of the liberal Campaign for America's Future, said, "Democrats have started forming their circular firing squads."

Oddly, Borosage is a Democrat criticizing other Democrats instead of the "intolerant and ignorant" [Hat tip: Maureen Dowd] Americans.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, said, "Quite frankly, I think the table is set for us in the next election. We have lost just about everything that we can lose."

I don't understand how losing everything sets the table. Maybe that's Democratic lingo. What is understandable, though, is that the Democrats did not lose their defining set of core principles. They don't seem to have any.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/09/2004 02:01:00 AM

Lobster Maniac of the Year

(Kittery, Maine) Barry Giddings of Chester, Vermont, won the annual lobster-eating competition at the Weathervane Seafood Restaurant by devouring 19 chicken lobsters (1.25 lbs.) in 35 minutes. Contestants had to eat the tail, both claws and knuckle meat of every lobster to be included in the total count. Giddings won a ride on a lobster boat and up to 100 lbs. from the day's catch.

Personally, I love lobster but prefer to enjoy eating it. It would take me at least a week to eat 19 of them. Of course, I'd have to win the lottery first. Last I looked, they were going for about $12 a pound in my area.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/09/2004 01:31:00 AM

Woman Has Sex With 8-Year-Old Boy

(Bridgeport, Conn.) When confronted, Tammy Imre, 29, admitted to having sexual relations with an 8-year-old boy, a playmate of her 7-year-old daughter.

According to an affidavit, Imre told investigators she considered the relationship "like a fantasy and she was the girlfriend and he was the boyfriend and that someday they could end up together in a relationship."

In the affidavit, Imre describes she and the boy kissing and fondling one another. The boy at first denied kissing or touching Imre, but in subsequent interviews described intercourse with her. He also told investigators Imre gave him a key to her apartment.

She's been charged with first-degree sexual assault, fourth-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor with bond set at $250,000. If convicted, she faces a possible 20-year prison sentence.

Interestingly, Tammy Imre appears to be represented by a modeling agency as a future actress. She loves to act, sing, dance, model, and write songs. I imagine she'll be real popular in the slammer.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/08/2004 11:53:00 PM

PlayStation Medicine

At the recent Annual Future of Health Technology Conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a mobile robotic doctor was introduced as a method for medical practitioners to treat more patients. The Remote Presence Robot, RP-6, manufactured by InTouch Health of Santa Barbara, Calif., allows doctors to sit at home in their jammies and, by use of a joystick, send the robot to the patient's bedside, take pictures of charts, and speak to the patient. Afterward, he can switch back to Grand Theft Auto for a more stimulating video game experience.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/08/2004 07:01:00 AM

Civil War In Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire)

Some major events have occurred recently in the on-again, off-again civil war in the Ivory Coast that haven't received a lot of attention by the elite media. The war is between the existing government led by President Gbagbo in the southern part of the country and the rebels in the north. During the summer of 2003, a ceasefire was declared and it has been tenuously enforced since that time by about 4,000 French soldiers and 6,000 UN peacekeepers.


Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire)
In an attempt to reunite the country, last Thursday, Nov. 4, the government targeted a rebel camp in the northern city of Bouake for aerial bombing. War planes commenced daily air strikes against the rebels.

On Saturday, Nov. 6, an air strike killed nine French soldiers. Although the government claimed it was an accident, French President Jacques Chirac decided to retaliate and ordered the destruction of the entire Ivorian Air Force, which occurred.

After the French attack on Saturday,

[A] pro-government mob, armed with machetes and found weapons, went door-to-door seeking French citizens. They set fire to a French school in Abidjan and shouted, "Everybody, get your Frenchman."

No reports of casualties yet. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council met and demanded a stop to all military action.

On Sunday, Nov. 7, rioting continued and President Chirac ordered more troops and fighter planes to West Africa. President Gbagbo publicly called for restraint. The UN supported the French military actions and is considering sanctions on the Ivory Coast. To the Security Council, France is proposing an arms embargo, travel restrictions, and a freeze on overseas assets.

Earlier this morning, the situation is described as a fragile calm.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/08/2004 05:02:00 AM

Woman To Be Executed By Firing Squad

(Surabaya, Indonesia) For murdering and mutilating three women on separate occasions between August 1993 and September 1995, a woman named Astini, 49, will be executed by firing squad after Ramadan. She will be the ninth Indonesian executed since 1978 (not counting the thousands of communists believed to have been executed without trial). Astini killed the three women because they wouldn't pay their debts.

Earlier this year, Indonesia executed three individuals for drug trafficking, two Thai nationals and an Indian national. Death row currently houses 15 condemned convicts, including the three masterminds of the 2002 Bali bombing.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/08/2004 04:24:00 AM

Hinckley Wants More Freedom

Well, failed presidential assassin John Hinckley has pumped the appropriate amount of smoke up the shorts of his 'doctors' and convinced them that he should no longer be punished and be allowed more freedom. Consequently, Hinckley's attorneys will ask a federal judge today to let him roam on longer unsupervised trips. The government will oppose.

Mark my words. If Hinckley is given free rein, it's only a matter of time before he tries to kill again.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/08/2004 04:12:00 AM

Citizens Support Spanking

(Stockport, England) A local politician, MP Patsy Calton, supports making it a crime to spank children so a neighborhood boy decided to survey the citizens to see if they agree with the politician. Richard Bennigsen, 15, surveyed 30 people and found that 80% do not agree with Patsy Calton. It probably won't make a difference because the leftists are determined to outlaw the smacking of kids by their parents.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/08/2004 03:20:00 AM

Fight For Fallujah

News.com.au:

US forces have stormed into western districts of Fallujah, seizing the city hospital and securing two key bridges in what appeared to be the first stage of the long-expected assault on the rebel stronghold.

An AC-130 gunship raked the city with 40 mm cannon fire as explosions from US artillery lit up the night sky. Intermittent artillery fire blasted southern neighbourhoods of Fallujah, and orange fireballs from high explosive airbursts could be seen above the rooftops.

US officials said the toughest fight was yet to come - when American forces enter the main part of the city on the east bank of the river, including the Jolan neighborhood where insurgent defences are believed the strongest.

Entering the city and going house to house will be the toughest part. I expect it will happen soon.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/08/2004 02:58:00 AM

The Arafat Conspiracy?

Digger has proposed that the circumstances surrounding Arafat's presumably pending demise are being manipulated by his Palestinian colleagues in a power struggle. Through disinformation and posturing, Arafat's allies/enemies are maneuvering to grab the support of the Palestinian population once he's buried. That's the theory.

Personally, I seldom buy into conspiracies. It's hard enough to get one person to follow a conspiratorial plot much less groups of people. As for the Palestinians, they have historically fought among themselves because they can't agree on how to deal with the Israelis. Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad act autonomously most of the time.

I'll believe a conspiracy exists when it's exposed.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/07/2004 09:14:00 PM

More Police Lost To Suicides Than Homicides

(Cleveland, Ohio) According to this report, studies indicate that police officers are more likely to commit suicide than be killed in the line of duty. In the Cleveland Police Department, eight officers have killed themselves since 1999.

The National POLICE Suicide Foundation provides training and assistance in suicide prevention among police officers. There is a ticker on the organization's website which states the disturbing statistic that a police officer commits suicide every 22 hours in the United States.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/07/2004 05:47:00 PM

You Make The Call

According to the United Nations World Food Program, virtually every country on the entire continent of Africa is malnourished. A review of the Interactive Hunger Map indicates that a full third of Africa has malnutrition rates above 35% while the balance of the continent sees rates between 5% and 34%. As such, the UN constantly hammers the developed world to give money to feed the starving masses in Africa.

Meanwhile, in Sun City, South Africa, the First African Obesity Conference recently concluded with the determination that obesity is "completely out of control." According to Professor Arne Astrup, President-elect of the International Association for the Study of Obesity,

"On an African level we see now that obesity is a really major disease, in line with HIV and malnutrition."

So, the food police have equated obesity to AIDS in Africa. Just making that comparison is irresponsible.

Nevertheless, there's one group saying that people on the continent don't have enough to eat while another group, at the same time, says that Africans eat too much. And both groups want charitable hearts to donate money so they can further their causes. What does a charitable heart do?

You make the call.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/07/2004 03:33:00 PM

Egyptian Bus Crash Kills 33

Near Samalut, a town on the Nile River about 120 miles south of Cairo, a truck crashed into a bus, killing 33. The bus driver died, the truck driver was one of 14 receiving injuries. Pilgrims returning from Mecca were among the dead.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/07/2004 07:39:00 AM

Iraq Declares State Of Emergency

News.com.au:

The Iraqi government today declared a state of emergency for 60 days as US and Iraqi forces prepare for an expected all-out assault on rebels in Fallujah.

Heavy explosions were heard in Baghdad as the announcement was being made by government spokesman Thair Hassan al-Naqeeb at a press conference.

Al-Naqeeb did not give any details about how the emergency rules - effective throughout the country except for Kurdish-run areas of the north - would be applied but said they would be announced tomorrow.

At least 10,000 American troops have sealed off the city of Fallujah. Last night, air strikes continued to pound terrorist strongholds in preparation for a major attack.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/06/2004 09:57:00 PM

Russians Applaud Bush Win

The Moscow Times reports that Russians, in general, are very pleased with the reelection of President Bush.

"It's in the Hat" read the headline next to a picture of Bush adjusting a cowboy hat in the popular daily Moskovsky Komsomolets.

"Bush's victory is beneficial for Russia," Alexander Livshits, Putin's former economic adviser, wrote in a commentary next to the article. "We know him, we know members of his team. We are used to them, and they are used to us.

"Furthermore, George Bush's administration does not tell us how to live. It does not interfere much with our country's domestic affairs. And the personal relationship that our two presidents have established is also important."

[ ... ]

"The soft-spoken American Democrats are more dangerous for Russia than the rude Republicans," nationalist commentator Vyacheslav Tetekin wrote.

"As a rule, Democratic presidents try to strangle Russia with 'friendly' hugs. ... Republicans tend to unceremoniously demand that a Russian leader ... simply do something to defend their own interests."

It appears that the Russians greatly appreciate President Bush's straightforwardness and sincerity and they don't see the same qualities in the Democrats.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/06/2004 07:29:00 PM

Indian Communist Leader Swindled

(Calcutta, India) Indian Communist leader Jyoti Basu had more than $2,000 stolen from his bank account by a security guard who discovered his ATM PIN number.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/06/2004 04:00:00 PM

Fat Causes Global Warming

In the latest alarm from the Fat Police, they say that because you are fat, airlines have to burn more fuel to transport your fat which creates more exhaust from the engines which contributes to greenhouse effect which causes the polar icecaps to melt resulting in elevated sea level which means we are all going to drown.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/06/2004 05:41:00 AM

Bombings In Samarra

The BBC reports that at least 23 people have been killed by car bombs and attacks on police stations by armed terrorists in Samarra earlier today. More than 40 people are believed wounded. More details to follow.

[Update] Sydney Morning Herald:

Insurgents set off at least two car bombs and attacked a police station Saturday in the central Iraqi town of Samarra, killing at least 19 people and injuring 23 people, according to police and health officials.

Police officer Qahtan Mohammed confirmed that a group of armed militants stormed a police station at in the Zera district, leaving 12 policemen dead and injuring one.

In the other attacks, a suicide car bomber detonated explosives inside a stolen police car near the mayor's office, police said. A second car bomb exploded in a residential area of the town near a US base and a mortar fell on a crowded market.

The terrorist attacks are escalating coincident with preparations for a planned assault on Fallujah by U.S. Forces and the Iraqi National Guard.

[Update 2] From Reuters:

Insurgents detonated four car bombs and attacked police stations in the Iraqi city of Samarra on Saturday, killing at least 37 people and wounding 62, police and health officials said.

The fourth blast occurred at 12:30 (0930 GMT) when a suicide bomber rammed a car into a police station, killing 10 Iraqi police officers and wounding five, police said.

A health official said 23 people, including nine policemen, were killed and 40 wounded, among them 17 policemen, in the first three bomb explosions in the Sunni Muslim city.

Brigadier Abdul-Razzak al-Jarmin, local Commander of the Iraqi Rapid Reaction Force, was killed. The mayor of Samarra, Major General Tariq Oweid, was wounded.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/06/2004 12:15:00 AM

'Unbearable Hell' Threatened By Al-Qaeda

Bahrain Tribune:

DUBAI: A group linked to Al Qaeda threatened the US with reprisals after the re-election of President George W. Bush, warning of "unbearable hell," in a Web site statement yesterday [11/05/04].

"The coming days will show you that the one you preferred will lead you to an unbearable hell," said the group calling itself the Abu Hafs Al Masri Brigades after the Al Qaeda military chief killed in Afghanistan in October 2001.

It was not possible to verify the statement. The same group claimed responsibility for the train bombings in Madrid in March that killed 191 people and injured 1,900.

"Although the criminal Bush has spilt blood of Muslims during the last four years and despite the butcheries that he committed and continues to perpetrate in Afghanistan, in Palestine and in Iraq, we see that ... the applause of his people is increasing," it said.

"This shows the nature of the American people who approved the war against Islam led by criminal America," it added.

The statement comes after a video message from Osama Bin Laden - broadcast just days ahead of the US election - warned the US of new attacks similar to those of September 11, 2001. The new message said it was of no consequence which of the candidates won the election and appeared to threaten new attacks on the US within the "next days."

It's interesting that President Bush is being blamed for 'spilt blood' and 'butcheries' against the Palestinians. Who knew?
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       Following Entry Posted 11/05/2004 11:55:00 PM

Plastic Surgery Vouchers

(London, England) A new craze in the marketplace is buying and giving vouchers for plastic surgery as gifts. Costing from $150 to $1,500, the vouchers are offered by private clinics for procedures such as skin peels and botox treatments. Thus far, the vouchers have been a big success, however, some people are concerned that surgery is becoming a commodity as opposed to a necessity.

Somehow, the idea of receiving a Christmas gift for cosmetic surgery seems to me to be a type of insult. Merry Christmas, dear friend. You look like crap. Here's a voucher. Get yourself fixed.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/05/2004 11:48:00 AM

North Korea Threatens 'Unpredictable Situation'

According to this report, Han Song-Ryol, deputy chief of North Korea's mission to the United Nations, stated:

"There are suspicions there will be a shift in the policy of the second Bush administration."

Any such shift had better be towards a more accommodating policy on North Korea, he said.

"Otherwise there will be an unpredictable situation," he said.

Based upon history, it would seem that North Korea is predictable. Under all circumstances, the country's leadership is belligerent toward the rest of the world.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/05/2004 09:48:00 AM

Liberals Look To Canada

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer comes a report that the Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Service website saw a spike in visitors when it was announced that President Bush had won reelection. According to spokeswoman Maria Iadinardi, website traffic jumped on Wednesday to 179,000 from a normal average of 20,000.

"It is still too early to tell whether any of these people will seek visas to come to Canada," Iadinardi says. In recent years, she says, Canada has issued around 5,000 resident visas each year to U.S. citizens, down from more than 20,000 during the draft evasion boom of the 1970s.

You can't just show up and be accepted, though. Permanent-residency applications to Canada can take from six months to three years to process.

I'm not so sure I buy that last part. From what I've heard, all you have to do is show up in Canada and they'll accommodate you. And, it doesn't seem to matter from where you came, whether Korea, the United States, or Yemen.

Anecdotally, the article relates that most of the summer homes on Canada's Pelee Island in Lake Erie are owned by Americans yet, according to Mayor Bill Krestel, there have been no inquiries about staying full time since the election. Also,

"Canada's system of democracy is even worse than yours," cautions Krestel, certainly not trying to garner any favor with the government of Prime Minister Paul Martin.

Interesting, eh?
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       Following Entry Posted 11/04/2004 03:53:00 PM

Stardust Found

Scientists from the Technical University of Munich in Germany have found a layer of an extremely rare isotope of iron on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and have concluded that it came from a supernova about 2.8 million years ago. The isotope, iron-60, was found 15,750 feet below the ocean surface. Having a decay rate or half-life of about 1.5 million years, it's easy to calculate the date of the supernova event.

The family of Hoagy Carmichael has offered no comment.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/04/2004 08:07:00 AM

Naked Canadian Jumps On Moving Jet

Canadian Neil Melly, 31, couldn't get a ticket for a Los Angeles to Australia flight so he stripped, ran naked across the tarmac, and jumped into the wheel well of a moving Qantas Airlines jet. Fortunately, the pilot stopped the plane.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/04/2004 06:44:00 AM

Arafat In Coma, Not In Coma

Palestinian officials in Paris say Yasser Arafat is in a coma. Palestinian officials at Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah say Arafat is "absolutely not in a coma."

You make the call. My take is that the Palestinians are not of a single mind, even on the best of days.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/04/2004 06:16:00 AM

Australia Wins World Pizza Contest

(New York) Pizza-making teams from countries around the world, including Italy, the United States, France and New Zealand, were rated inferior to Australian pizza-makers at the America's Plate competition in New York. Theo Kalogeracos of Little Caesar's in Mundaring, Western Australia, and Andy Parisi of La Trattoria Restaurant in Adelaide cooked up an Oyster Kilpatrick Pizza, a chocolate pizza known as Mud Honey, and a pizza based on the traditional American pecan pie to take the prize.

"I think the difference in Australia is that we really rely on fresh ingredients. Over here, no offence meant, but the New York pizzas are terrible," Mr. Kalogeracos told ABC radio in Perth.

Try saying that in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, or Hell's Kitchen, or Flatbush and you'll be treated to good old American Bada-Bing Pizza, always a winner.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/04/2004 05:17:00 AM

Saddam Trial Evidence 'Lost' Says Human Rights Watch

BBC News:

Human Rights Watch says it is likely crucial evidence for the trials of Saddam Hussein and other former Iraqi officials has been lost or tainted.

US-led coalition forces failed to secure relevant sites after last year's invasion of Iraq, the group says.

They failed to prevent people from looting thousands of official documents from government buildings.

The US-based human rights organisation has published a 41-page report entitled Iraq: the State of the Evidence.

First of all, every thing that comes from Human Rights Watch should be taken with a grain of skepticism. For three decades, Saddam Hussein murdered entire populations and I don't recall Human Rights Watch offering one peep. However, once he was deposed, all HRW seems to care about are the alleged 'beatings at Gitmo' and the 'horrors of Abu Ghraib.' With that in mind, readers, anytime HRW complains about something, look for the political agenda. It's there.

With respect to evidence for the Saddam trial, there's plenty but, guess what? HRW is not a key player. They've been excluded from any trial preparation, planning, scheduling, and judge selection. Nobody has allowed them to take part. HRW believes it's been left out so it's taking action to get HRW in the headlines by making a list of allegations against the U.S. and the Interim Iraqi government.

HRW can help in many respects focusing public attention and resources but it appears its latest international alarm is being broadcast because it hasn't been retained as part of the prosecutorial or investigative team in the trial of Saddam Hussein.

I've been watching HRW for the last couple years and I've learned that it's best to not accept any public pronouncements at face value. The MSM won't bother. Expect this latest alarm to be picked up and repeated worldwide.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/03/2004 06:42:00 PM

Senior Officer, Three Iraqi Guardsmen Beheaded

The Brigades of the Iraqi Honorables (also called the Brigades of Iraq's Honorable People), a previously unknown group, has beheaded three Iraqi National Guardsmen and gave a video to al-Jazeera. The Arabic-language television station reported the murders but declined to show the grisly video. Video of each hostage was shown when they were still alive along with their identification. Three headless bodies were found in Baghdad earlier today.

Also today, The Army of Ansar al-Sunna posted a videotape on their website showing the beheading of Maj. Hussein Shanoun, a senior Army officer, who was seized 10 days ago in northern Iraq. His headless body was found three days later.

According to Interior Ministry spokesman Col. Adnan Abdul Rahman, the American kidnapped on Monday at the Saudi Arabian Trading and Contracting Company in the Mansour district of Baghdad has been identified as Radeen (Radim) Sadeq. A Lebanese-American, Sadeq worked as a contractor for a mobile communications company.

Also blogging: The Jawa Report, In The Bullpen, Straight Banana
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       Following Entry Posted 11/03/2004 03:21:00 PM

Eight Arrested In Dutch Filmmaker's Murder

(Amsterdam) Dutch police arrested eight Islamic radicals for the murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh. According to prosecution spokeswoman Dop Kruimel, six suspects are Moroccan, one is Algerian, and one is a dual Spanish-Moroccan national.

Mr. van Gogh received death threats for his movie, Submission, which depicts and criticizes the way women are treated under Islam. His murder was violent overkill. The Dutch newspaper, Telegraaf Daily, stated:

[T]he killer shot Mr. van Gogh eight or nine times, then calmly slipped his weapon in the pocket of a beige raincoat before bending over his victim and slitting his throat.

It needs to be mentioned that Theo van Gogh was brutally murdered for creating a film which exposed the abject inequality and lack of individual liberty in the Muslim world. He was brutally murdered by Muslim ideologues who praise Michael Moore for his anti-American propaganda film, Fahrenheit 911.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/03/2004 02:24:00 PM

Sen. John Kerry Concedes

First, congratulations to the President, his administration, and the Bush-Cheney Campaign for winning a long, hard-fought race.

John Edwards spent a few minutes introducing John Kerry and he sounded as if he were still campaigning.

Sen. Kerry concedes at 2:22pm, EST.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/03/2004 05:54:00 AM

ELECTION DAY 2004
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       Following Entry Posted 11/03/2004 02:28:00 AM

ELECTION UPDATE 7

NOTE: Jeff Quinton has been liveblogging the election returns and has linked to many others. Visit Backcountry Conservative.

0215, 11/03/04 - Everyone is waiting for the remaining states to report in - Nevada, New Mexico, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Hawaii.

0129, 11/03/04 - FoxNews reports statement from Marybeth Cahill indicating that Kerry will not concede Ohio because of outstanding ballots.

0100, 11/03/04 - Bush wins Alaska! Bush has 269 electoral votes!

0058, 11/03/04 - NBC PROJECTS BUSH THE WINNER IN OHIO!!!

0040, 11/03/04 - FOXNEWS PROJECTS BUSH THE WINNER IN OHIO!!!

2356 - Dan Rather gives Florida to Bush. MSNBC is holding off.

2350 - Surfing among the various cable and broadcast TV stations, I get the distinct impression that a feeling of gloominess has overtaken many of the pundits. Judy Woodruff sounded like she was attending a funeral. Joe Scarborough - likewise in his commenting demeanor. Chris Matthews has started rationalizing and making excusatory comments for the Dems. Tom Brokaw looks defeated.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/02/2004 11:33:00 PM

ELECTION UPDATE 6

2330 - EVERYBODY IS WATCHING OHIO! Currently Bush leads 51% to 49%.

2300 - Polls close on West Coast. Boxer wins in CA. Burr beats Bowles in NC. ACLU files suit in Florida to extend deadline for receipt of absentee ballots.

2230 - MSNBC crew (Chris Matthews et. al.) is gloomy about Florida for Kerry. Broward County, heavily Democrat, has already been counted and Bush leads in total votes by >250,000.

2222 - Just following the tickers on the various stations, it appears the Republicans are going to pick up Senate seats in Louisiana (vacated by Breaux -D) and South Carolina (vacated by Hollins-D).
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       Following Entry Posted 11/02/2004 10:00:00 PM

ELECTION UPDATE 5

2155 - With 20% of precincts tallied, Bush ahead of Kerry in Ohio 52%-48%.

2138 - Looks like Kucinich is going to be reelected to Congress by 2:1 over Herman.

2129 - Voinovich reelected Senator over Fingerhut.

2128 - FoxNews projects Louisiana to Bush.

2125 - FoxNews is interviewing Susan Estrich. Gawd! She's ****!

2122 - It's being reported that people are still in line to vote in Ohio. In Columbus, they're handing out paper ballots to try and speed things up.

2115 - Tom Daschle may lose the race against John Thune. Too close to call.

2100 - FoxNews calls Kansas, Texas, Nebraska, North Dakota for Bush. Rhode Island to Kerry.

2038 - Locally reported that Congressman LaTourette beats Capri Cafaro 2:1.

2036 - Local news announces that Ohio Issue 1, constitutional amendment to ban homosexual marriages and partnerships, has passed.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/02/2004 06:04:00 PM

Shosei Koda Video

Following up on a previous post, the video (here and here) of the beheading of Shosei Koda is now available. Zarqawi's terrorist murderers are disturbingly proud of their work. Sons of bitches!

Also following the story: The Jawa Report, Diggers Realm, Outside The Beltway, Straight Banana
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       Following Entry Posted 11/02/2004 05:01:00 PM

ELECTION UPDATE 4

1615 - U.S. District Judge David Katz in Toledo ruled this afternoon that provisional ballots should be given to all voters in Ohio who originally requested absentee ballots but never received them. The practical aspect of the ruling is limited because the polls close in Ohio at 7:30 p.m.

1600 - A federal judge partially granted Sen. Tom Daschle's request to have GOP poll workers stay away from American Indian voters.

1545 - (Atlanta) A woman who had her toddler dressed in a Kerry T-shirt was told she could not enter the polling site at a church. In Alexandria, Virginia, an argument erupted when a voter was seen wearing a shirt that read "Stop Hanoi John Kerry."

1536 - Dubai, United Arab Emirates - The president of the United Arab Emirates has died. Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was 86 years old.

1515 - British lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Tuesday against banning parents from spanking their children.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/02/2004 03:17:00 PM

ELECTION UPDATE 3

1450 - Stephen Hawking shoots his mouth off. Calls Iraq War a 'war crime.' Buys into the bogus 100,000 casualty count spewed by The Lancet last week.

1440 - Philippine Labor Secretary Patricia Santo Tomas confirmed that a 29-year old Filipino accountant Roberto Tarongoy, was kidnapped. He was working with the Saudi Arabian Trading and Contracting Co. (SATCo), a company that caters food to American troops.

1430 - Six people died when an explosives-laden car slammed into concrete blast walls and protective barriers surrounding the Education Ministry and exploded in Baghdad's Sunni Muslim district Azamiyah. Ten others were injured.

1302 - Voting irregularities alleged in Philadelphia. It appears that the machines had been preprogrammed with a few hundred votes. Other problems noted:

Five voting locations in Franklin County, Ohio, opened up to a half hour late due to tardy election workers.

An election judge in Essex, Md., left a polling place briefly, saying he'd forgotten something at home.

A South Carolina precinct had to switch to paper ballots because of equipment trouble.

In Florida, an optical-scan voting machine failed in Volusia County Monday and didn't count 13,000 ballots. Officials said they would count those ballots Tuesday.

The head of the civic group Common Cause said the high turnout will "add more confusion to already overburdened, understaffed polling places."

By midmorning on the East Coast, an online and phone hotline run by voting-rights activists had logged more than 1,600 complaints and questions.

1230 - Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado turnout may be affected by winter storm.

Earlier - Osama bin Laden had vowed to bleed the US to bankruptcy, according to a full transcript of the Al-Qaeda chief's latest message released yesterday by the Al-Jazeera Arabic language network.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/02/2004 08:46:00 AM

ELECTION UPDATE 2

0811 - Recount in Hart's Location, N.H., has Bush winning 16/14 over Kerry.

0800 - Schiller Park, Illinois - Kemarat Vathananand was accused of poisoning his company's coffeepot. At Castle Metal Finishing Corp., Vathananand is accused of placing sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate, lead acetate and urine in the coffeepots. He was charged with attempted murder.

0730 - Reuters reports U.S. crude at $49.75.

0725 - Just caught Dick Gephardt on TV predicting a Kerry win, a Tom Daschle win, and the Democrats retaking the U.S. Senate.

Earlier - MSNBC memo issued instructing an "abundance of caution" in reporting. No projections are to be made until polls close.

Yesterday - West Palm Beach, Florida - Photographer James S. Henry, of Sag Harbor, N.Y., was arrested for taking pictures of voters in line. Said to be intimidating voters.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/02/2004 06:53:00 AM

ELECTION UPDATE 1

0650 - Israeli troops have destroyed the homes of a teen suicide bomber and two men who had dispatched him to a crowded Tel Aviv outdoor market where he killed three Israelis and wounded 32.

0635 - A total of 277 school tax issues are to be voted on today's ballot in the state of Ohio.

0632 - BAGHDAD - Two Iraqi security guards were freed by kidnappers overnight but the gunmen were still holding an American and a Nepali also seized from a villa used by a Saudi company in Baghdad.

0630 - From Fox8News - Challengers are allowed at polling places, one from each party. Cuyahoga County is expecting 70% voter turnout.

0630 - POLLS OPEN IN OHIO - Cool front progressing through Ohio, west to east, intermittent rain all day, temp. in 60s.

From last night - Republicans and Democrats went ahead with plans to dispatch thousands of lawyers to potential election trouble spots even as judges made 11th-hour changes to voting rules in Ohio.

NA - The race for the seat for the 14th U.S. Congressional District between incumbent Republican 6-termer Steve LaTourette and Democrat Capri Cafaro is expected to be close.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/02/2004 05:15:00 AM

ELECTION UPDATE

0045 - (Hart's Location, N.H.) Voting complete in the location with Bush - 15, Kerry - 15, Nader - 1.

0400 - From TV: Akron Beacon Journal and Dayton Daily News endorse Kerry.

0415 - Dutch film maker Theo van Gogh, 47, who made a controversial film, Submission, about Islamic violence against women, has been shot dead in Amsterdam, Dutch media report.

0515 - Car bomb explodes in Baghdad, killing at least five people and wounding four. The blast in the Adhamiya district heavily damaged the Education Ministry building and destroyed half a dozen vehicles.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/02/2004 03:35:00 AM

Journalist Reports of Kidnapping Ordeal

A reporter for the Institute of War and Peace Reporting was kidnapped near Fallujah by armed 'insurgents' and held for six hours while threatened with death throughout. Inexplicably, he was released and subsequently filed a report. Here are some snippets:

On October 26, I left Baghdad with my driver and headed for a munitions dump near Latifiya, 30 kilometres south of the capital, to follow up on a report that 350 tonnes of high explosives had gone missing. That was the story I thought I was going to cover - but it wasn't the one I got.

We were within 100 metres of the entrance gates of the Qaqa dump when two Opel cars, one black, the other grey, stopped on the road in front of us and the men inside got out.

They told us to halt and get out of our vehicle. As they were carrying guns, we obeyed.

They ordered us into their cars and we drove off, taking a left turn onto the dual carriageway leading away from Latifiya, west towards Fallujah.

[ ... ]

We realised what the group was looking for when they accused us of being intelligence-gatherers for the Iraqi National Guard. "You're either here to get information for the National Guard and the Americans, or to find out about the two [kidnapped] French journalists," said one of the gunmen.

We were bundled back into the cars, the men holding their guns so close to our heads I could feel them pressing on my skull. They told us to admit we were spies, or we'd be killed. I had a horrible feeling we were about to become the latest in the growing line of victims kidnapped and beheaded by armed groups.

[ ... ]

The decision to free us seemed to change the dynamics of our relationship with them, and as they drove us back towards the bridge, I asked why they had decided we were spies.

"Listen," said Abu Marwan, "The American army and the National Guard have been able to do us a lot of damage through the intelligence they've got from their spies. That's why we conduct regular patrols, so we can find out who's new in the area, and who might be working for them.

"We know everyone who lives around here. No one gets past us."

[ ... ]

I asked whether I could stay to find out why they wanted to fight the Americans so badly, but none of them came up with a reason. The best I could get out of them was an invitation to visit every day and watch the attacks they were mounting on US forces and the National Guard.

"We don't need to show the world what we do - God is the only one who knows what we do, and that's what counts," declared one of them.

The report has more, obviously. It's dated yesterday indicating it was probably being vetted for a day or two. The journalist is not identified by name.

With a major offensive against the insurgent groups in Fallujah looming, the reporter's description of his ordeal indicates some apprehension and nervousness on the part of the terrorists. Also, noteworthy is the fact that it is not only the American forces that are feared, but also the Iraqi National Guard. This would seem to indicate that the National Guard is carrying its weight in the conflict.
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       Following Entry Posted 11/01/2004 05:19:00 PM

Woman Soldier Found Shot Dead

Sergeant Denise Rose, 34, Special Investigations Branch of the Royal Military Police, was found dead from gunshot wounds at the Shatt al-Arab hotel in Basra. "The incident is being investigated but is not thought to have been the result of hostile action," a Defense Ministry spokesperson said.

[Furrowed brow]
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       Following Entry Posted 11/01/2004 04:54:00 PM

Terrorists Kidnap Six in Baghdad, One American

Earlier today, terrorist gunmen entered the offices of the Saudi Arabian Trading and Contracting Company in the Mansour district of Baghdad and kidnapped six people, a U.S. citizen, an Asian, and four Iraqis.


Baghdad - Mansour District
A guard and an attacker were killed as the terrorists stormed the offices with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades. Three Iraqi guards were among the hostages. Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said foreigners are being kidnapped and killed to pressure their governments into recognizing the terrorists as "legitimate political actors."

Also from Baghdad today, Hatem Kamil Abdul Fatah, Deputy Governor of Baghdad, was assassinated in a drive-by shooting in the south of the city.

(via The Jawa Report)
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       Following Entry Posted 11/01/2004 04:50:00 AM

Votes Of The Dead Will Count

From Yahoo!/AP:

An untold number of ballots from people who have died since casting them will be counted this year because of the haphazard and cumbersome process of enforcing laws in many states to weed out these votes.

With millions of voters taking advantage of new, in-person early voting in at least 30 states this year, it's even more likely that such "ghost" votes will be counted because, in most cases, those ballots are impossible to retrieve. Besides, it could be days or weeks after the election before local officials get word someone has died.

[ ... ]

The problem has arisen as an unintended consequence of laws meant to prevent a repeat of the 2000 presidential election debacle. Unlike traditional mail-in absentee ballots that are stored in labeled envelopes and can be pulled if someone dies, most of the new "in-person" early voting is being done on machines with no paper ballot to tell how those people voted.

So if a person in Florida casts an early ballot, then is run over by a truck right outside the polling place, there's no way to rescind the vote. But the vote of a Florida soldier who mails an absentee ballot from Iraq, then is killed in action, won't -- or shouldn't -- be counted.

Just ducky, eh?

(via Silent Running)
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       Following Entry Posted 11/01/2004 02:35:00 AM

The Right vs. Capacity To Vote

(Hartville, Ohio) Upon visiting his parents in a nursing home, Robert Floyd was surprised to see them wearing "I Voted Today" stickers.

His mother suffers from Alzheimer's. His father, ailing with lung cancer, is under hospice care. He said they are not capable of voting. He says both are 81, and their minds are failing them.

State law requires local boards of elections to conduct absentee ballot voting at nursing homes. But Floyd is concerned that his parents' physical and mental incapacities may have made them susceptible to voting fraud.

This makes me wonder how many votes are cast by the incapacitated.

(via The Country Store)
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       Following Entry Posted 11/01/2004 12:36:00 AM

Trackbacks w/o Attribution

Over the past year, I've had a few instances where bloggers have tracked back to me after quoting me on their sites and then I find that they didn't link to me. It makes no sense. They put a pointer on my site after using something from my site, but there's no pointer to my site for readers on their sites. It happens rarely, but it's noticed because it is just so dumb. The big dogs in the blogosphere probably see it often. Solution? Delete the trackback.

If people want to use some or all of my words in their blogs, it's fine with me as long as there is attribution. I've had entire posts reproduced on another's blog and I was flattered because proper attribution was included. Anyone reading the words knew where they came from. That's all fine and the way it should work.

Spoons mentions an episode where someone purloined essentially his entire post, including links, and provided no link to him yet there was a trackback. This is similar to my experience but more serious since an entire post was stolen. No attribution, no thank you, no hat tip, no kiss on the cheek, nor a pat on the fanny was provided and, inexplicably, the offender tracks back to Spoons.

Now, over the years I've read stories about burglars accidentally leaving their identification at ransacked houses, but this is different. First, it's not an accident that a blogger tracks back to another's site. It's not like your wallet falling out of your pocket. If a burglar intentionally leaves his wallet at a crime scene, it would appear to indicate that the burglar was unfamiliar with the law. Even so, he'd only do it once.

I think my experience and the situation that Spoons discusses are examples where the blogger is unfamiliar with Internet protocol and, somewhat more worrisome, the concept of intellectual property rights.

Bottom line, borrowing material is fine and it's indicated by a link to the author's site. Without the link, it's just theft. Theft is not fine, but holy moly, if you're going to do it, remember that a good burglar doesn't intentionally leave his wallet.
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