A Barisal court yesterday sentenced absconding Awami League (AL) leader and former chief whip Abul Hasnat Abdullah to 14 years' rigorous imprisonment in two cases filed on charges of corruption and abuse of power.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/20/2008 00:00 ||
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Saab was dealt a serious blow on Thursday as the Norwegian government announced its decision to purchase US-made Joint Strike Fighter/F-35 planes rather than Sweden's JAS Gripen. Of the two alternatives, only the JSF fulfilled the criteria laid down by the Norwegian government, according to the country's defence minister, Anne-Grete Ström-Erichsen.
Aeronautics groups Saab of Sweden and Lockheed Martin of the United States both submitted tenders in April this year for a planned order by the Norwegian Air Force for 48 combat aircraft.
Sweden's defence ministry backed the proposed deal as an important expression of Nordic defence coooperation.
Some observers felt at the outset that any choice other than the JSF would jeopardize the historic alliance between the United States and Norway, a NATO member loyal to Washington. But other experts said the Swedish aircraft, which is believed to be cheaper, corresponds better to the needs of the Norwegian Air Force.
Norway is primarily seen as needing fighters that can defend Norway's sovereignty in the Arctic against Russian planes. The JSF, which has suffered repeated delays and extra costs, is meanwhile specialized in bombing missions.
Thousands of Kosovo Albanians protested in Pristina against a United Nations plan, which, they say, would split the country along ethnic lines. Protesters Wednesday took to the streets of the Kosovo capital, backing the country's leadership in opposing the plan, which sets out conditions for the deployment of a new European Union peacekeeping force in Kosovo.
The plan, backed by Belgrade and the United Nations, would create separate chains of command for Serbian and Albanian police forces operating in Kosovo. Police forces in ethnic Albanian areas would report to the new EU mission, while police in Serb-majority areas would report to U.N. officials.
That's a particularly dumb idea, so it clearly came from the U.N. There can only be one police and one chain of command. If you have to split the country, split it cleanly along ethnic lines and be done with it.
Ethnic Albanians say the plan amounts to creating two, parallel chains of administration within Kosovo. They also worry it would give Serbia too much influence over Kosovo's internal affairs.
But Serbs say they will not accept the new EU force unless the six-point plan goes through.
Serbs got ejected so they don't really have much to say about the EU force, do they ...
Last week, EU officials agreed to Serbian demands that the mission remain neutral regarding Kosovo's status and have its personnel endorsed by the United Nations Security Council.
Why should the EU be neutral? Kosovo is an independent country, recognized by the U.N. The Serbs don't like it, of course, but maybe next time they won't star a war and ethnic cleansing.
The mission is to replace U.N. security forces that have administered the former Serbian province since 1999.
The EU force can be a trip-wire, but if Kosovo is to be sovereign, it has to be responsible for its own security.
Kosovo's leaders are on their way to London, where they will meet Britain's foreign secretary, David Miliband.
Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority declared independence from Serbia in February. Serbia, its ally Russia, and ethnic Serb leaders in Kosovo reject Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence as a violation of Serbian territorial integrity. More than 50 countries, including the United States and many EU states, have recognized Kosovo's independence.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/20/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
If Kosovo splits along ethnic lines both sides will be gobbled up. The muslim part by Albania and the Non-Muslim part by Serbia. They probably should have done that to begin with but everyone is in love with the lines in the Atlas.
Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., has hired six students whose jobs as "dialogue facilitators" will involve intervening in conversations among students in dining halls and common rooms to encourage discussion of such social justice issues as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability and social class.
"If there's a teachable moment, we'll take it," said assistant dean of student affairs Arig Girgrah, who runs the program. "A lot of community building happens around food and dining."
She gave the example of a conversation about a gay character on television as a good example of such a moment. "It is all about creating opportunities to dialogue and reflect on issues of social identity," Ms. Girgrah said. "This is not about preaching. It's not about advice giving. It's about hearing where students are at."
Somebody is just begging for a cream pie in the face ...
Jason Laker, dean of student affairs, said their activities will also include formal discussion sessions, perhaps after controversial incidents in residence, and open discussions of topical books or movies. "They're not disciplinarians. They're called facilitators for a reason," he said, adding that such a program is of particular value now that so much communication by young people happens over the Internet.
They'll call the disciplinarians when the 'facilitators' are told to get stuffed ...
"It's not trying to stifle something. It's trying to foster something," he said. "We're not trying to be parental."
No, no, of course not, who'd ever think that ...
Like dons, who serve as student authorities in residence, the six facilitators will receive full room and board and a stipend for the full-year commitment, and will receive regular training.
Ms. Girgrah said they represent a broad spectrum of social identities and are all upper-year or graduate students who live in university residences - a small minority at a school where most students move into rental housing after their first year. Ms. Girgrah said this status will give the facilitators "a little bit of credibility and perhaps some respect."
Just some grad school mopes who aren't smart enough to get off campus. Sure, just who I want to be 'facilitating' me about gay and gender issues ...
Daniel Hayward, a 46-year-old Master's of Divinity student, applied to be a facilitator believing the role would offer him an opportunity to connect with many different students. "It's an opportunity to interact with lots of people, hear their stories, about the experiences they've had, hear the questions they're asking," he said in an interview yesterday. "It's not like we roam around the halls looking for people having conversations. If somebody is yelling something across the dining hall that's a racial slur, yes, we will intervene in that situation.
A 46 year old grad student. Living on campus. Taking room, board and a stipend in return for being a state-sponsored PC-nanny. Joy ...
"We are trained to interrupt behaviour in a non-blameful and non-judgmental manner, so it's not like we're pulling someone aside and reprimanding them about their behaviour. It is honestly trying to get to the root of what they're trying to say - seeing if that can be said in a different manner."
Touting the Intergroup Dialogue Program as "unique among Canadian universities," but modelled on programs in the United States, an administration newsletter says it will promote "a lasting experience of inclusive community and shared humanity."
Sort of like how the University of Delaware has been harassing students into proper thinking in the dorms.
It is just one of many recent efforts to promote diversity - such as gender-neutral washrooms, prayer space, and halal and kosher food service - at a school that is still smarting from a report on systemic racism two years ago that criticized its "culture of whiteness."
The editorial board of the student newspaper, the Queen's Journal, acknowledged the good intentions of this latest effort, but was skeptical of a program that "seems to be an inadequate, lack lustre attempt to deal with social inequalities."
"It's unlikely six facilitators in a crowd of thousands will have much impact on fostering dialogue in residences," they write, adding that the facilitators could face "hostility" from students who feel they have been "cornered" or had their privacy violated.
"Can't I just eat my waffle?"
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/20/2008 14:38 ||
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#1
Just wait until the Queens Engineering students get their hands on one of these drones and lashes him to the top of a flagpole on top of one of the university buildings in the middle of the night. He'll wave . . . . . . like a flag.
#2
"We are trained to interrupt behaviour in a non-blameful and non-judgmental manner, so it's not like we're pulling someone aside and reprimanding them about their behaviour. It is honestly trying to get to the root of what they're trying to say - seeing if that can be said in a different manner."
Really? And how would you apply this theory to someone screaming the N-word, or the F-word at a Pride Day parade, Mr Hayward? What words should they be screaming, and what is the root of what they are trying to say?
A senior U.N. official warned Tuesday of the prospect of social unrest as the export-driven economies of Asia start to slow in response to the fallout from the global financial crisis.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/20/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
I assume export-driven economies of Asia is code for China.
#2
PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM >CHINA RULES OUT TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE. Tibet exile leader proclaims that "THE MIDDLE WAY" [Compromise, Non-Violence] HAS ULTIMATELY FAILED FOR INDIGENS TIBETANS???; + FASCISTS ON THE RAMPAGE {Pakistan,India] + RISE OF HINDU MILITANT FUNDAMENTALISM/THE HINDU NATIONALIST CHALLENGE TO INDIA AND ASIA.
#3
WORLD MIL FORUM > INDIAN THINK TANK: FUTURE SINO-INDIAN ARMS RACE, CONFRONTATION AND CONFLICT CANNOT BE RULED OUT. India has begun deploying "AGNI" IRBMS vee CHINA in underground tunnel fortifications, wid more planned. PAKISTAN despite its nuke arsenal is NOT considered a REAL/TRUE THREAT TO INDIA as its economy is only 1/4 that of India's, as measured per India's pan-econ assets listed on its BOMBAY Stock Exchange. India's anti-China "AGNI" undergound missle deployment may induce China to dev a SECOND STRIKE MISSLE CAPABILITY TO PREVAIL AGZ INDIA'S MISSLES, WHICH IN TURN WILL INDUCE INDIA TO COUNTER.
#4
WORLD MIL FORUM > JAPANESE MEDIA: CHINA'S NALA THREAT TO JAPAN, for now mainly via its PLAN Submarines. NERPA fire + presence of 3 OSCAR Subs near Hokkaido.
* SAME > JAPAN DESIRES TO TAKE LEAD IN ASIA AND WORLD FINANCIAL REFORMATION [Japan versus China ala G-20 Summit].
#5
PAKSITANI DEFENCE EFORUM > INDIA AND MYANMAR'S GOVERBMENTS ARE NOW IN THE CONTROL OF THEIR ARMIES, + PASHTUNISTAN, + INDIA-BHUTAN SECRET ARMS LINKS EXPOSED.
#7
I would assume that means Malaysia, Vietnam, and maybe the functioning parts of Indonesia as well. South Korea strikes me as aging too fast to successfully indulge in large-scale unrest, and Taiwan will be too busy sweating their inevitable Obama-assisted digestion by the newly, rabidly nationalistic mainlanders to freak out in the streets.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
11/20/2008 10:02 Comments ||
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#8
Small scale riots have already broken out in several Chinese cities in the last few days.
Posted by: ed ||
11/20/2008 10:06 Comments ||
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#9
Guess nobody will have the money or energy to bail out North Korea when the time comes.
An Egyptian preacher was accused of excessive indulgence in the supernatural when he called for carrying out an analysis of the holy stone in the Mecca shrine to prove it is not made of earthy material.
Islamic thinker and professor of geology Dr. Zaghloul al-Naggar called for taking samples from the Black Stone at the holy shrine of Mecca to prove the Prophet's hadith-saying-that it is made of heavenly substance and to respond to the West's deriding perception of Islam.
Naggar referred to the way the West ridicules Muslims for kissing the Black Stone during the pilgrimage ritual. "What I called for is not an exploration of the supernatural," he told AlArabiya.net. "It is scientific research."
According to a hadith (saying) by Prophet Mohamed, "The Black Stone descended from Paradise much whiter than milk, but it was turned black by the sins committed by mankind."
In a seminar hosted by the Egyptian Press Syndicate on Monday, Naggar stressed that taking a sample will not damage the holy stone and called for scholars to utilize science in the right way.
Professor of Hadith at al-Azhar University Dr. al Agami al Damanhouri said Naggar's call is not going to add to the stone's value and stressed that there is no point in trying to demonstrate this value to the West. "They made this analysis before and made sure its substance is not earthly," he told AlArabiya.net.
Damanhouri cited a saying by the Prophet's Companion and second Caliph Omar ibn al-Khattab: "I know well that you are simply a stone, and have no power to confer a benefit or to do harm. Had I not seen the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) kissing you, I would not have kissed you."
According to Damanhouri, this saying proves that the Prophet's actions should be emulated by Muslims without the need to find a scientific proof that supports its validity.
On the other hand, Sheikh Abdullah Megawer, advisor of the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, supported Naggar's call while agreeing to the necessity of following the Prophet in whatever he said or did. "If Naggar's call is to discover the scientific formation of the stone, we welcome it. Other than that, we follow the text we have," he told AlArabiya.net.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/20/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Yeh! Don't mess with the Prophet's rock.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
11/20/2008 4:25 Comments ||
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#4
Of course it's made of heavenly material. It's a *FUCKING METEORITE*! Unless you think it's made of Platonic Godlike wonder-absorbant or something like that, you wouldn't accomplish much of anything, rant-boy.
I've never understood the whole Kaaba thing. Sure looks like shirk to me, you more-monotheistic-than-thou hypocritical jackasses, you.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
11/20/2008 10:06 Comments ||
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#5
typical rag-head science. The entire f****ing earth is "heavenly" you dweebs!
#8
Is it a meteorite? I recall reading that it is granite, and that the British Museum had a sample from it.
But the man has a valid point. Investigation of any rock starts with its hardness, so I propose every Haji bangs his head against the Black Stone three times, as hard as he can. This should generate some useful data in time.
#10
Some naughty Hindus claim that this is a meteorite fragment that was crafted into a Shiva Lingam and worshipped at the Kaaba before the arrival of Islam.
Posted by: john frum ||
11/20/2008 17:10 Comments ||
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#11
What cracks up is that muzzie pilgrims jostle each other in order to reach their hand into the silver vulva and rub the button meteor. The volumes any comedian Sigmund Freud could write about that.
Posted by: ed ||
11/20/2008 17:39 Comments ||
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#12
What cracks ME up
Posted by: ed ||
11/20/2008 17:39 Comments ||
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Posted by: ed ||
11/20/2008 17:42 Comments ||
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#14
Silly me. I thought a holystone was something you used to scrub down the decks of sailing ships.
From Wiki:
Holystone is a soft and brittle sandstone that was formerly used for scouring and whitening the wooden decks of ships. It was used in the British and American Navy for scrubbing the decks of sailing ships.
The term may have come from the fact that 'holystoning the deck' was originally done on one's knees, as in prayer.[1] In realistic reference to their size, smaller holystones were called "prayer books" and larger ones "Bibles"; also, a widely quoted legend attributes the name "holystone" to the story that such pieces of stone were taken for use from St. Nicholas Church in Great Yarmouth.[2] More plausible is the use of stones taken from the ruined church of St Helens, Isle of Wight; tall ships would often anchor in St Helens Roads (the strip of water immediately adjacent to St Helens) and take provisions and fresh water from St Helens before setting off on their journeys.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
11/20/2008 18:06 Comments ||
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Chinese car makers SAIC and Dongfeng have plans to acquire GM and Chrysler, China's 21st Century Business Herald reports today. [A National Enquirer the paper is not. It is one of China's leading business newspapers, with a daily readership over three million.] The paper cites a senior official of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology-- the state regulator of China's auto industry-- who dropped the hint that "the auto manufacturing giants in China, such as Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) and Dongfeng Motor Corporation, have the capability and intention to buy some assets of the two crisis-plagued American automakers." These hints are very often followed with quick action in the Middle Kingdom. The hints were dropped just a few days after the same Chinese government gave its auto makers the go-ahead to invest abroad. And why would they do that?
A take-over of a large overseas auto maker would fit perfectly into China's plans. As reported before, China has realized that its export chances are slim without unfettered access to foreign technology. The brand cachet of Chinese cars abroad is, shall we say, challenged. The Chinese could easily export Made-in-China VWs, Toyotas, Buicks. If their joint venture partner would let them. The solution: Buy the joint venture partner. Especially, when he's in deep trouble.
At current market valuations (GM is worth less than Mattel) the Chinese government can afford to buy GM with petty cash. Even a hundred billion $ would barely dent China's more than $2t in currency reserves. For nobody in the world would buying GM and (while they are at it) Chrysler make more sense than for the Chinese. Overlap? What overlap? They would gain instant access to the world's markets with accepted brands, and proven technology.
21st Century Business Herald, obviously with input from higher-up, writes that Chinese industry must change and upgrade. China wants their factories to change from low-value-added manufacturing to technically innovative and financially-sound high-value-add industries. Says the paper: "It would be much easier now for strong Chinese automakers to go global by acquiring some assets of their U.S. counterparts in times of crisis."
Deloitte & Touche sees a trend: "Chinese automakers can start with buying out the OEM projects and Chinese ventures of some global car makers such as GM and Chrysler."
The Chinese appear to have bigger plans than an accounting firm can imagine. 21st Century Business Herald acts and writes as if its already a done deal, and the beginning of more to come. "In the coming two years China is likely to see a few of its large Chinese automakers and other manufacturing enterprises set a precedent for achieving globalization by acquiring global companies, just like SAIC or Dongfeng's possible acquisition of troubled GM or Chrysler."
Just in case you missed it, the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) is China's largest auto manufacturer. In 1984, the company entered a joint venture with Volkswagen. A decade later, SAIC entered a joint venture with General Motors. In 2007, SAIC bought the Nanjing Automobile Corporation, which had acquired British MG Rover in 2005.
Dongfeng Motor Corporation is a public company, although 70 percent of their shares are reported to be in government hands. They also are one of China's Big Three. The company has numerous joint venture partners, such as Nissan, Peugeot-Citroen, Honda, and Kia. Dongfeng (which means "East Wind") was founded at the behest of Mao Zedong himself in 1968.
#3
Expect major culture shock as Chinese managers and engineers crash headlong into American safety and quality regulations... which are actually and severely enforced.
#5
Well, it may be one approach to reducing long term Medicare and Social Security costs. Matched to an increase stimulation in the morturary business and employment.
#12
It might be good for the world if the Chinese got ahold of the flexifuel tech and started exporting it to the third world. Seems some of the folks in our own congress are a bit to oil centric in their thinking.
#14
Isn't there some sort of technology transfer restrictions in place that would ( should) prevent the Chicomms from actually acquiring these? i am under the impression that the DoS controls this via EAR processes.
#17
any export restrictions on the tech can easily be over come with the appropriate campaign contributions... just like in 94-96...
Posted by: Abu do you love ||
11/20/2008 15:33 Comments ||
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#18
As of January 20th, 2009 Obama's rehashing of the Clinton and Carter eras, will open the doors even wider to Red China's business agenda to dominate American industry.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
11/20/2008 15:49 Comments ||
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#19
The Chinese are awash in trade surplus American $ that are burning a hole in their pocket right now. It's not like they need them to buy oil any more. They might as well trade in all those S&H green stamps for a couple of run-down old-school companies. They'd get their foot in the door, AND as legitimate businessmen, could lobby Washington much easier. Hey, it beats sitting on a mattress stuffed with greenbacks.
Posted by: Minister of funny walks ||
11/20/2008 18:01 Comments ||
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#20
This is just a scare tactic after Congress made the big three look bad. "Help us or we'll sell to the Chinese". Screw the big three and let them, their corperate jets, kickbacks, bonuses, and perks go. It will reset-read kill- the UAW and China will get screwed trying to make a car that meets our safety requirements. Bring popcorn, this will get fun!
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
11/20/2008 18:37 Comments ||
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Oil prices have dropped with Brent crude falling to nearly $50 a barrel, the lowest since striking record highs of $147 in July. On Wednesday, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in January was down seven cents at 51.77 dollars a barrel in late afternoon trade on London's InterContinental Exchange (ICE). Earlier it touched 50.61 dollars.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), light sweet crude for December delivery slipped 53 cents to 53.86 dollars a barrel. It earlier fell to 53.30 dollars, the lowest point since January 2007.
Crude oil prices have plunged almost two-thirds since striking record highs of above 147 dollars in July as a global economic slowdown dents world energy demand. On Monday, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), whose members produce 40 percent of the world's oil, said it was ready to intervene on a regular basis to help prop up the prices.
Posted by: Fred ||
11/20/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Good luck with that. I hope it goes back down to $20 a bbl.
#2
API:US Oct Oil Demand Down 4%, Production -5.1%, Imports +5.8% U.S. petroleum demand and production is on the wane while imports of crude oil and gasoline are on the rise, according to monthly statistics released Wednesday by the American Petroleum Institute.
U.S. petroleum deliveries dropped 4% in October, bringing the decline between January through October to 5%, a rate not seen since the 1980s, according to the the API, a trade group that represents big oil companies.
"Not only have higher prices for much of 2008 been altering consumers' behavior, but more recent economic uncertainties have increasingly been putting a damper on demand, as well," API statistics manager Ron Planting said in a news release.
Despite the increase in contributions from Alaska, U.S. crude oil production in October declined by 5.1% from a year earlier, the API said.
Although imports declined in September because of hurricane related port closures, imports in October rose 5.8% from a year earlier. The U.S. brought in 13.7 million barrels a day, the highest level since July 2007.
Gasoline imports are up 25% from a year ago, the second-highest level ever for the month, after October 2005's import surge following Hurricane's Katrina and Rita.
The upstream and downstream sectors have recovered well from this year's Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, the API said.
Posted by: ed ||
11/20/2008 9:30 Comments ||
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#3
Just saw $2.15 a gallon here in Nor Cal. Sure is a far way from the $4.95 we were seeing about 5 months ago. I can't imagine that actual supply and demand have changed that much. Yes, the dollar has strengthened, but it certainly points to the distortive effects the commodities trading market can have on the price of the good in question.
This price drop is a silver lining of the economic downturn and is helping keep some extra $$ in people's pockets. Hopefully heating oil prices will be lower too, another good thing for people at the margin.
#4
I paid $1.75 at Sam's Club just outside Richmond, VA, last weekend - it's undoubtedly gone down since then. (I saw a WAWA sign for $1.79 this morning, and they're always above Sam's and below just about everyone else.)
Guess I'll find out this weekend when I tank up again. :-D
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
11/20/2008 14:35 Comments ||
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#5
I can't imagine that actual supply and demand have changed that much.
One thing we do know is that major banks have stopped lending money to other corporations - even the paper fronts they set up to speculate in oil. If you can't borrow the money you can't bid up the price even with leverage.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., has hired six students whose jobs as "dialogue facilitators" will involve intervening in conversations among students in dining halls and common rooms to encourage discussion of such social justice issues as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability and social class.
