AIRCRAFT fan Gordon Nichols has landed a super model — a giant B-52 bomber. Gordon, 46, spent nearly two years building the huge replica of a US Air Force Stratofortress. The plane, 21ft long and with a 23œ ft wingspan, is an eighth the size of the real thing. Eight mini gas turbine engines power it at speeds of up to 100mph. And it cost a bomb to build — nearly £20,000.
Proud Gordon with the B-52, said: "To my knowledge she's the largest model jet flying in the world but she goes just like the real thing." Garage boss Gordon built the wooden-framed jet in a workshop at home in Yatton, Somerset, and tested it at the Navy air base in Yeovilton. He proudly shows it at enthusiasts' displays, where it needs a 400-yard runway. The plane, which weighs 310lbs and breaks into pieces for transportation, can stay airborne for ten minutes.
#1
Waaaay cool. Way to go Gordon! Now as for the squirrels at the Sun who tried, ineffectively, to prevent me from getting a copy of the image - get stuffed and byte me! I'll even make you serve it!
Snip...
Of course, allowing Kitty to roam outside freely would be irresponsible in most cases. Unsupervised, your cat faces the very real dangers of road traffic, irate neighbors, disease, and other predatory animals. Leash training can add a new dimension to both of your lives. Cats look forward to their outings just as much as dogs enjoy their walks. If taken out at approximately the same time every day, Kitty will learn that this is the only time he can go out and there's no point in pestering the owner at other times. Right. Cats are born to pester.
It's always easiest to introduce new experiences to kittens who tend to view life as a big adventure. However, even older cats can be trained to accept a harness and leash if the owner is patient, persistent, has a kevlar full-body suit and sensitive to the cat's body language. Each small step of progress toward the ultimate goal is rewarded with praise and food treats. At no time should the cat be punished or scolded. It may take weeks of rehab conditioning for the wounds to heal adult cat to feel comfortable with this procedure, but the result is well worth the effort involved. Waking your cat on a leash? Is this guy for real?
He may be real, but he's never tried it with a real cat.
Posted by: Raj ||
07/16/2004 11:51:43 AM ||
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#2
I actually saw a lady walking a cat on a leash. Once. Many years ago.
I suppose it would be possible if you trained them from kittenhood. But if you want something you have to walk on a leash, why not just get a dog?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
07/16/2004 18:34 Comments ||
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#3
This guy has never had a cat.I've had the same spayed female for 15 years,bitch does what she wants when she wants.When she wants to be fed she wants to be fed right damn now.
Barclays bank is closing five accounts linked to the far-right British National Party, a source said Friday, one day after a television documentary purported to show a party member confessing to a racist attack on an Asian man. On Monday, the bank will close the five accounts held either by the party or its officials, the source said on condition of anonymity. The person did not know how much money was in the accounts. BNP chairman Nick Griffin called the move "absolutely scandalous," saying his party might now have trouble opening accounts with other banks. He also threatened legal action, claiming that Barclays had violated European Union human rights regulations.
Police said Thursday they would investigate allegations of racist crimes arising from the British Broadcasting Corp. documentary. A BBC reporter spent six months undercover with the BNP, which advocates sending immigrants back to their homelands. The documentary, broadcast Thursday, showed what it said was BNP member Steve Barkham confessing to the alleged racial attack during race riots in Bradford, northern England, in 2001. Three white men and the victim were later convicted of assault, but Barkham escaped prosecution. In other BBC footage, Griffin tells a meeting that Islam is a "vicious, wicked faith" and suggests that the rape of non-Muslim women by Muslim men was one way the religion spread.
Another BNP member, Stewart Williams, was filmed telling reporter Jason Gwynne that he wanted to "blow up" Bradford's mosques with a rocket launcher. Griffin told the BBC that Barkham and Dave Midgley, another BNP member who bragged on tape about pushing excrement through the mail slot in the door of a Pakistani restaurant, had been expelled from the party. Williams would face an internal disciplinary committee, he said. The BNP is only a marginal political force, holding just over a dozen seats on local councils in England.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
07/16/2004 8:24:36 PM ||
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#1
That's fine. Now if only they'll apply the same standards to the Left and the islamonazis (but I repeat myself).
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
07/16/2004 21:13 Comments ||
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Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
07/16/2004 03:17 ||
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#1
BBC is on crack. Labor still has a huge majority. The BBC makes out like it's some huge statement on the war they say is illegal in Iraq. They lost one seat BEEB! Stuff a sock in it. Maybe some right thinking folks in the UK will start slapping the marxsist press about and they will get a clue.
#2
Governments seldom expect to do well in by-elections, but it's true that Labour had a bad night. So did the Tories (who were pushed into third place in each seat). The Lib Dems [spit] had an excellent night. This is more bad news for Blair.
#3
Better than expected - weren't labour being touted as losing both and being forced into third place in at least one? Probably worse news for the Tories. Good ol' Charlie K was probly falling out of his dress in ChinaWhites again last night (!)
Posted by: Howard UK ||
07/16/2004 5:18 Comments ||
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#4
I think Galloway's Respect Rainbow Coalition Assembly Collective saved Labour in one seat by taking some of the wackier votes away from the Lib Dems.
via Wash Times - EFL
Ooooh! All sources unnamed and anonymous. Big surprise.
By Bill Gertz - July 16, 2004
China's naval buildup has produced a new type of attack submarine that U.S. intelligence did not know was under construction, according to U.S. defense and intelligence officials. The submarine was spotted several weeks ago for the first time and has been designated by the Pentagon as the first Yuan-class of submarine. A photograph of the completed submarine in the water at China's Wuhan shipyard was posted on a Chinese Internet site this week and confirmed by a defense official as the new submarine. Wuhan is located inland, some 420 miles west of Shanghai. One official said the new submarine was a "technical surprise" to U.S. intelligence, which was unaware that Beijing was building a new non-nuclear powered attack submarine. U.S. intelligence agencies have few details about the new submarine but believe it is diesel-powered rather than nuclear-powered, said officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. ...more...
Anonymous. Of course. Seems the Straits will be crowded. Wonder if Hong Kong can spare some of those nifty natty traffic cops... Meanwhile, IIRC, there was some asshat who sold non-cavitating propeller design secrets to China about a decade ago...
Posted by: .com ||
07/16/2004 2:06:53 AM ||
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oohhhh. A DIESEL SUB! Tech break through! PRC woke up to the fact that they can't get to Taiwan in sunk ships. This is, I'm sure, a capable boat, but not enuf...they'll try and build a bunch in their usual "numbers overcome tech superiority" doctrine
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2004 8:19 Comments ||
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Actually, new Air Independent Propulsion subs can stay underwater for several weeks and can be made quieter than nuc subs since they don't have to use reactor coolant pumps. They are a big threat.
Posted by: ed ||
07/16/2004 8:26 Comments ||
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#3
Diesel-electric boats are great for coastal defense. Very quiet at slow speeds. You still have to keep up your maintenance, which has always been the big problem with socialist states. Have to keep an eye on this.
Posted by: Steve ||
07/16/2004 8:58 Comments ||
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#4
From experience I found diesel boats harder to find then nukes in brown water. A couple really obvious reasons are they make almost no noise when running on batteries and most diesels can bottom and shoot from the bottom (which really sucks for surface ships).
Most of it boiled down to how much the crew trained. We found nukes with crappy crews and didn't find diesels with good crews. Training is a huge chunk of it when it comes to sub hunting.
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
07/16/2004 10:26 Comments ||
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#5
It's a submarine made out of bamboo. Tends to get waterlogged rather quickly tho....
#7
...Mr. Gertz is, shall we say, a bit credulous when it comes to The Threat. A year or so back, he made a big deal about him and his photographer being the first Americans ever aboard a Russian Sovremenny class destroyer. For some reason he never responded to my email where I offered to send him the pics I have of myself aboard a Sovremenny in Norfolk , May 89.
(FULL DISCLOSURE: The Sovs sent the Sovremenny and a Slava class cruiser on a port call to Norfolk; I was one of several thousand people who got aboard. I had a better time than most, my tour guide was the chief engineer aboard the attack sub USS Norfolk . )
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
07/16/2004 12:50 Comments ||
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A replica of a clandestine radio transmitter that kept up Polish fighters' spirits during the Warsaw Uprising 60 years ago was unveiled Friday, part of this year's commemoration of the failed revolt against the Nazi occupation. Antoni Zebik, who led the construction of the original transmitter and helped build the replica, said it would be a tangible reminder to young Poles of "the horrible time of the German occupation" and the "patriotic duty" in 1944 to fight the Nazis. The two box-shaped transmitters with an old microphone will be exhibited in a new Warsaw Uprising museum that will open July 31. Radio Blyskawica -- Polish for lightning -- went on the air Aug. 8, 1944, seven days after the Home Army launched a desperate attempt to liberate Warsaw following five years of Nazi occupation and as Soviet troops neared the capital.
About 200,000 people, a quarter of Warsaw's residents, were killed in the fighting and most of the city was devastated. "We built the radio station under very difficult conditions, in an attic, in a small house, most often it was done at night after we shaded windows," recalled Zebik, 90. "My father built a fake chimney and we hid all the parts in it. Being caught with even the smallest part in the radio station brought the risk of death," he said. Afghanistan under the Taliban
The radio broadcast news in Polish and music aimed at informing fighters and Warsaw residents of the battles against the Germans. There were also English broadcasts aimed at informing the outside world of the struggle. It went off the air on Oct. 4, 1944, two days after the uprising was crushed.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
07/16/2004 7:33:21 PM ||
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Lance Armstrong took a big step toward a record sixth straight Tour de France crown on Friday by surging past key rivals on the first climb in the Pyrenees. The Texan moved from sixth to second in the overall standings following a ride in which he was runner-up to stage winner Ivan Basso of Italy. Jan Ullrich, Tyler Hamilton, Iban Mayo and Roberto Heras were among the pre-Tour contenders whose hopes of dethroning the five-time champion faded as Armstrong powered up the ascent ahead of them. Hamilton's the only one with a chance now; Phonak has 4 climbers; Ullrich and Heras, to an extent, are now solo acts; Mayo's too far behind to be a podium threat.
Riders started the 12th stage under blazing sunshine, then got doused by rain before emerging into sunny weather again on the last of two major climbs on the 122.7-mile trek from Castelsarrasin to the La Mongie ski station. Anyone who remembers Lance going up Sestriere in 1999 (the single best example of hard core cycling I will ever see) and shredding the peloton knows he looooves bad weather; he even trains in rain to get the feel for it.
"It was a great day, especially with the weather," Armstrong said. "First the heat, then the thunder, then the sun again. For the overall standings it is great." Unless your last name is Hamilton, Ullrich, Heras or Mayo, that is... Continued on Page 49
#1
I watched it this AM. Basso was strong today, but they say he's not a threat to Lance overall, correct?
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2004 14:17 Comments ||
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Lord knows how much I love it when Lance pisses of the Frenchies -- go, Lance!
Posted by: Capt America ||
07/16/2004 14:19 Comments ||
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This has the political feel of Jesse Owens at the '36 Olympics. Go Lance.
Posted by: Matt ||
07/16/2004 14:21 Comments ||
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I am almost surprised that Lance hasn't had an "accident" yet. I doubted the Phrench would let him be the all-time KING of the TdF. we will see, no?
#5
Good point, Brett. Remember the yellow handbag incident last year with Lance, hooked around the right drop on his handlebar, who then took out Mayo (Ullrich was right behind them)? It's part of the OLN highlights when they do the Subaru (whatever the hell it is) Award.
I wonder why we never found out who the lasy was Virenque's wife?
#6
Frank - Basso's been mentioned as GC material but usually after Hamilton, Ullrich, Heras and Mayo. My comments on him & Sastre fighting to be top dog on the CSC team may be problematic unless Bjarne Riis (CSC's director and '96 TdF winner) orders Sastre to work for Basso. Riis should do so soon if he hasn't already.
#4
Oh for god's sake. The power-loss earlier doesn't even compare to the one mentioned now -- the earlier one had pretty much involved half of Greece and lasted more than two hours, atleast where I live.
This one now involved what -- a couple of apartment blocks, plus the Acropolis rock? First I heard of it is in this article here.
And snark, it's not the electrical infrastracture that's the problem. From what I've gathered it seems that the new government (which I did *NOT* vote for btw) drove away many of the most experienced folk working for the electrical power company -- (which is state-owned). And put inexperienced folk in their place.
That big powerloss was human blunder, not an infrastructural problem.
#7
Before I laugh at power outages in Greece,I remember the Northeast losing power recently,and here in Tampa Bay,Fl. we will lose power for a few minutes a few times each summer.What I will laugh at is Greece being awarded Olympics years ago and assorted(mainly Socialist)Governments waiting til last second to begin work and now scrambling to finish.If you could get camera crews to follow the officials in charge of construction 24hrs./day you'd have a huge comedy hit.
Posted by: Stephen ||
07/16/2004 13:35 Comments ||
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A Polish private detective, recently elected to the European Parliament, masterminded the capture of a gang of Polish blackmailers in Sweden -- only to find himself briefly detained by Swedish police at the scene. Detective-cum-politician Krzysztof Rutkowski, famous at home for catching car thieves, had been hired by a Pole with a building business in Sweden who said he was being blackmailed.
Swedish police said the businessman reported the blackmail Wednesday and later called them to his home in the Stockholm suburb of Varberg, where they found three men handcuffed on the floor. Rutkowski and four helpers, all in camouflage fatigues, had apparently ambushed the alleged blackmailers and overpowered them. The capture was being filmed by a crew from private Polish television TVN on which Rutkowski has a regular show. "The police were of course confused at first -- there were five men in uniform and three men on the ground with handcuffs, all of them Poles," local police chief Christer Sjoblom told Reuters. "It was a good, clean arrest," he said admiringly. Police at first detained everybody present, but quickly released Rutkowski who as a member of the European Parliament has immunity. His helpers were released Thursday.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
07/16/2004 3:12:36 AM ||
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... if it checks out, then BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Posted by: Edward Yee ||
07/16/2004 3:20 Comments ||
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And probably ours as well... Michael Moore might be in trouble in America for violating the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance rules. Martyrdom / repression defence in 5, 4, 3...
Fahrenheit 9/11, a movie lambasting President George W. Bush for the decision to invade Afghanistan and Iraq, comes awfully close to being a political advertisement. The message? Don't vote for Bush. That's what David T. Hardy, coauthor of Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Man, thinks. He says McCain-Feingold is a "weird law" that would apply to the advertising for Moore's recent flick. And now, a new website is claiming Moore is also in breach of an election law north of the border. When Moore waddled (apropos - Ed.) into Canada's June 28 federal election with exhortations to vote for someone other than Conservative party candidate Stephen Harper, he may have broken the law. Chargemoore.com, a Canadian website petitioning Canada's election officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley to charge Moore, claims that when Moore said things such as: "You've got four days after it [Fahrenheit 9/11] opens to get people out to the polls to make sure that Mr. Harper does not become your next prime minister," he violated Canada's law. "Michael Moore is a loudmouth who has done a good job of annoying Americans," says Kasra Nejatian, a Queen's University business student and founder of the website. Stating the obvious...
"The problem is that he usually only annoys people, this time he broke our laws. Not only is he a loudmouth, he is a loudmouth foreigner who breaks our laws." .....
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
07/16/2004 20:01 ||
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#1
Here's another news article on the CRTC's decision. CRTC=bureaucratic ship of fools
"Cable balks at Al-Jazeera ruling" http://www.thestar.com
Posted by: rex ||
07/16/2004 20:24 Comments ||
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Rex, thanks for that folow up from the Star. This portion makes a key point:
'The ruling was one of several yesterday dealing with foreign-language broadcasters. In another controversial decision, the CRTC turned down an application to offer Italy's RAI International as a digital specialty service through cable or satellite.
More than 100,000 Italian-Canadians signed petitions favouring the RAI application to broadcast 24 hours a day in Canada. And some Liberal MPs were vowing to fight to overturn the decision.
But while that decision angered Italian-Canadians, the cable industry wasn't celebrating the Al-Jazeera decision.' It continues in the Star's link.
It seems as though some strings have been pulled by Muslims with lots of $$$$$$
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
07/16/2004 20:29 Comments ||
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#2
I recall not that long ago exchange rates for CD's/USD's was 148 CD's for each exchanged USD. Americans real made out while in Canada in terms of extra buying power.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
07/16/2004 22:46 Comments ||
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Canada will boost oil production 38 percent to 3.6 million barrels a day by 2015 amid higher oil- sands output, according to the nation's oil producers. Production of oil trapped in sand in Northeastern Alberta will climb to 2.6 million barrels a day, compared with about 1 million last year, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers said in its annual supply forecast. Output from conventional oil wells will decline to about 25 percent of the country's production from more than 50 percent. Companies will spend about C$30 billion ($23 billion) in the next decade on oil-sands projects, the producers said. Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch/Shell Group, Suncor Energy Inc. and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. are planning expansions or new oil-sands projects in the region. Oil output from western Canada will outstrip pipeline capacity within a few years, the survey said. New conduits to the U.S. and ship terminals will need to be built to keep up with demand. The Calgary-based association represents companies that produce more than 98 percent of the nation's oil and natural-gas output.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
07/16/2004 3:10:26 AM ||
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#1
Here is something Canada does better than we do.
They are getting 1M bbl/day out of the tar sands.
US production from oil shale is almost zero.
#2
Oil news only makes sense in perspective. The much touted by the left "peak oil" problem, for example.
Peak oil occurs when the world's producers cannot possibly increase supply to meet demand. The incorrect assumptions are that this will somehow cause a crash in the oil markets or result in sky-high oil prices, and a collapse in oil-driven economies.
These assumptions are false. The reason being that "over 100%" oil is economically "marginal." That means that oil produced *below* 100% production is still reasonably priced, and only *new demand* becomes very expensive. So the other half of the marginal equation becomes obvious--money.
The greatest new demand will be in nations *least* able to pay the higher prices. In other words, no matter how much they want the plus oil, they can't afford it.
The competition for oil between the developed and underdeveloped nations will then become a situation where the developed world doesn't try to compete for new oil--it develops alternatives, such as fuel cells, conservation and alternative energy.
Thus, both worlds pay ordinary market prices for below 100% oil and when there is a major tech breakthrough in say, fuel cells (which is expected), there will suddenly be a glut on the oil market and prices will drop. Maybe dramatically.
This instability, even a collapse in world oil prices, has convinced most of the middle east oil exporting nations to suddenly and radically develop their economies *away* from oil. Most of their efforts so far have been to spend billions to become regional air travel hubs and tourism destinations. The collapse in the oil markets has been predicted now for over a decade, and by such experts as an ex-Saudi oil minister, regarded as one of the worlds top experts in energy markets.
#3
Here is something Canada does better than we do. They are getting 1M bbl/day out of the tar sands. US production from oil shale is almost zero.
Drilling firms in Oklahoma are involved with a slooow but profitable process of clearing out oilfields by choking off one end and pumping water at the other end to clear out residual oil. It is apparently more profitable to do this than to do the oil shale, so far. I imagine they will eventualy get to that, but right now flushing fields is the big paradigm here.
#4
Canada's big shale oil fields are cheaper to produce off of. That's why they're doing it and we're not.
Btw, when people talk about "running out of oil" what they mean (whether they know it or not) is that we're running out of oil at the current prices. There is plenty of oil in the world (1000's of years worth) but it's more expensive to get at than the 5-10 bucks a barrell it takes to pump it out of the ground.
Monday, July 26th
Representative Stephanie Tubbs-Jones of Ohio
Representative Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin
Representative Bob Menendez of New Jersey
Former Vice President Al Gore
Former President Jimmie Carter
Former President Bill Clinton
Tuesday, July 27th
Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts
Christie Vilsack of Iowa
Governor Janet Napolitano of Arizona
Teresa Heinz Kerry
Wednesday, July 28th
Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico
Mayor Martin O’Malley of Baltimore, Maryland
Retired Marine Lt. Col. Steve Brozak of New Jersey
Elizabeth Edwards of North Carolina
Vice Presidential nominee Senator John Edwards of North Carolina
Thursday, July 29th
Former Green Beret Jim Rassman
Alex Kerry
Vanessa Kerry
Chris Heinz
Andre Heinz
Senator Max Cleland of Georgia
Presidential Nominee Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts
*information regarding additional speakers to be added as available. (We can hardly wait ...lol
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
07/16/2004 6:29:28 PM ||
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#1
Representative Stephanie Tubbs-Jones of Ohio...
...Quite possibly the only woman to the left of Hillary.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
07/16/2004 23:55 Comments ||
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EFL
Asked by The Associated Press whether he thought Armstrong would pull off a record-breaking sixth straight tour win, Bush flashed two thumbs-up. Oh, that race.
"He's going to win and I'm going to win," Bush said en route to Florida and West Virginia - two critical states in re-election campaign. "There's no need to worry about either race any more," Bush said with a wave of his hands and a grin. That one too.
#1
Right on both counts. Armstrong looked strong today. If he can do it again tomorrow, he'll have it sewn up. As for the other race, he had that won as soon as Ace and Gary put on their display the other day.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Posted by: Scott R ||
07/16/2004 19:44 Comments ||
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#2
thanks for the visual Scott (gives pat on the tight buttocks)
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/16/2004 20:16 Comments ||
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If it's not bad enough that rapid economic recovery has neutered Sen. Kerry's principal domestic criticism of President Bush, now comes even worse news for the Democratic campaign: The budget deficit is starting to substantially shrink. How'd that happen during a depression recession Bush presidency
The latest budget numbers show a $19.1 billion surplus for June, $3 billion higher than the $16 billion Wall Street expectation. It seems that a flood of new tax collections, spurred by fatter employment payrolls and corporate profits, is rapidly reducing the federal budget gap. Tax receipts from businesses rose an astonishing 38 percent over the past twelve months and personal income-tax collections increased almost 9 percent. What's happening? Could it be that stronger economic growth from lower tax rates is producing more tax receipts? I believe it's called supply-side economics. Rest at the link.
Posted by: Steve ||
07/16/2004 11:21:32 AM ||
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#1
a $400 billion deficit is bad
not as bad as a $500 billion deficit but still bad
the problem for Kerry is that the only way to reduce the deficit and retain allegience to the dem party is to raise taxes
#2
A $400 billion deficit is not bad, neither is a $500 billion dollar deficit. The federal deficit is only one piece of the US deficit structure, the current account deficit. The current account deficit is what matters, not the one piece that the fed does. The federal deficit is a way for americans to borrow at a ridiculously low interest rate (far lower than we could personally). If we lowered the deficit we'd have to increase personal borrowing to maintain our standard of living, thus paying a far higher interest rate.
As it stands our foreign income off of our investments in equity and debt abroad are 10s of billions greater this year (and historically billions greater every year) than our foreign payments to foreigners who own US equity and debt. Being that we have a current account deficit (not a surplus) this means we're borrowing at an effective negative interest rate. I don't know about you but if I was offered a negative interest rate I'd borrow as much as I could.
Just one, more at the site: The Pol from Massachusetts (also known as The Girl from Ipanema)
Tall and gaunt and grim and dreary
The pol from Massachusetts goes stumping
And as he's speaking, each one who's listening
Goes haaaooowwuuuuhhhhhnnnn (yawn)
What he's thinking is quite a riddle
He talks so tritely and says so little
They check their watches and stretch their arms
And go haaaooowwuuuuhhhhhnnnn (yawn)
Ahhh, they all watch him so sadly
Those who must act like they love him
Bob Shrum and Terry McAuliffe
Even they must be bound to agree
It's a pretty lame candidacy
Trial lawyers and union bosses
They know it's too late to cut their losses
But still they sigh and say why
Isn't it Hillary
But it just isn't she
No, it just isn't she
Posted by: Steve ||
07/16/2004 11:18:33 AM ||
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Think the passions from the 2000 presidential election have cooled? Certainly not in the House, which voted Thursday to strike a Florida representative's words from the record after she said Republicans "stole" that closely fought contest. The verbal battle broke out after Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., proposed a measure barring any federal official from requesting that the United Nations formally observe the U.S. elections on Nov. 2. His proposal was approved 243-161 as an amendment to a $19.4 billion foreign aid bill, with 33 Democrats joining all 210 voting Republicans in voting "yes." "We welcome America to observe the integrity of our electoral process and we do not ask, though, for the United Nations to come as monitors at our polling stations," Buyer said.
Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla., and several other House Democrats have made that suggestion. They argue that some black voters were disenfranchised in 2000 and problems could occur again this fall."I come from Florida, where you and others participated in what I call the United States coup d'etat. We need to make sure it doesn't happen again," Brown said. "Over and over again after the election when you stole the election, you came back here and said, 'Get over it.' No, we're not going to get over it. And we want verification from the world."
At that point, Buyer demanded that Brown's words be "taken down," or removed the debate's permanent record. The House's presiding officer, Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ruled that Brown's words violated a House rule. "Members should not accuse other members of committing a crime such as, quote, stealing, end quote, an election," Thornberry said. When Brown objected to his ruling, the Republican-run House voted 219-187 along party lines to strike her words.
Corrine will still be blabbering about this when she's old, gray and in a nursing home.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/16/2004 12:33:19 AM ||
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#1
The amazing thing about Ms Brown is not that she is so blatently and overtly stupid, and holds a seat in the US House. What is amazing is that she has convinced 1000s of voters who are obviously more stupid than she is to vote for her both in the primary and general elections.
#2
This particular mental affliction, the coup d'etat syndrome, is a signal trait of those with only a loose grasp upon reality. Whether to be gentle with them (in hopes of thier coming to their senses), or smack 'em about the head and shoulders for being asshats (it has been almost 4 phreakin' years) is a decision best taken in calm sober moments. *meditating... actual elapsed time 1:00* Whack 'em. Too stupid to live category.
#3
We all know how well the UN is doing in Arab Africa, much less Black Africa. This idiot thinks we should give the UN oversight in US elections? How is this not treasonous?
#4
The amazing thing about Ms Brown is not that she is so blatently and overtly stupid, and holds a seat in the US House.
Not surprising at all. There are lots of morons on both sides of the aisle and I've always believed that most come form heavily gerrymandered districts that push said district's electoral majority so far to one side that moderates (i.e., "the sane") don't stand a chance.
#6
I'd like to submit a bill to Congress that makes it legal and in fact mandatory to punch anyone who mentions this again. It's almost time for the next election, and they still haven't given up. They'll probably be complaining about it ten years from now, and I was sick of it on day two of Bush's presidency.
Posted by: The Doctor ||
07/16/2004 9:02 Comments ||
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#7
The Doctor, I would support that bill!
And I was damn sick of it by Day #2 of the recount!
Posted by: Jen ||
07/16/2004 9:09 Comments ||
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#8
Hey Doc, You know Kerry and his buddies are already preparing to sue of it doesn't go their way (after all Edwards is a trial lawyer... I dont think he could help himself...).
#9
this is just disgusting..like florida was the lynchpin of the election.. had Gore won florida he still would not had enough electoral votes to win the preseidency...now if Gore won florida as well as his home state (which he lost ..lolol) he would be president...
get off this bandwagon
Posted by: Dan ||
07/16/2004 11:53 Comments ||
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#10
I'm not sure how the UN could possible get enough people to moniter all of the polls throughout the US even if they wanted to.
Kmart Holding Co. reiterated its loyalty to Martha Stewart's company Friday after the domestic style maven was sentenced to five months in prison for lying about a stock sale. "Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia is a valued brand partner of Kmart," the Troy-based retailer said. "We look forward to continuing our mutually beneficial and successful relationship with MSLO." Kmart, which has exclusive rights to the Martha Stewart Everyday brand in housewares and other products, said it could not comment on the details of the case or sentencing, calling it "a personal matter." Stewart was sentenced in federal court in New York to five months in prison, followed by five months of home confinement. She no longer heads the multimedia empire that bears her name. Stewart surrendered the chief executive's title after her 2003 indictment and gave up her seat on its board following her March conviction. Analysts have long said there would be no reason for Kmart to drop the Martha Stewart brand. Kmart needs such brands to distinguish itself from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Target Corp., and Martha Stewart products have a reputation for quality and remain popular with consumers.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
07/16/2004 5:13:50 PM ||
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Sorry, but every time I see Kmart, I immediately think of Army of Darkness and it morphs into S-mart...
As for Martha, well, they slapped her hard because it's the age of whack-a-CEO and the Perp Walk - not a bad thing, just an observation.
Whoopi-cushion Goldberg lashed out at Republicans again yesterday, branding them hypocrites for trying to "punish" her for making remarks that would make a 2-bit Tijuana whore blush joking about the President. Fired from her gig as SlimFast spokeswoman, the salty obscene and unfunny, over-the-hill loser entertainer hit back at Republicans who threatened a SlimFast boycott over lewd, X-rated, trailer-trash sexual puns she made about President Bush's name at a left-wing-looney anti-Bush love-fest Democratic fund-raiser. It's called accountability, sweetcakes.
"America's heart and soul is freedom of expression without fear of reprisal," she said in a statement. OK, Whoopie-cushion...yell "FIRE" in a theatre, or "HIJACK" at an airport...or use a racial epitath in public.
"I lost my gravey train, so to speak because I used no common sense find all this feigned indignation about 'Bush bashing' quite disingenuous actually since I have no morals I am always surprised," she said, noting the Bush administration has savagely gone after critics like former Sen. Max Cleland on a political, not personal basis, Iraq whistleblower Joseph Wilson He's a flippin liar, Whoopie-cushion and ex-terrorism chief Richard Clarke politics, not lewd personal attacks. It is hysterical to see the moral outrage of the elites when they are caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
"For the Republican Party to pretend this is new to them seems a little fake," she said. You are correct, Whoopie-cushion...there is nothing new under the Sun. Immoral, classless, licentious, stupid, corrupt humans have been around for a long time.
"The fact that I am no longer the spokesman for SlimFast makes me sad, but not as sad as someone trying to punish me for exercising my right as an American to speak my mind." I say again, Whoopie-cushion...Not everyone appreciates your so-called humor. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY is keeping you from saying whatever you want about Bush. But you are accountable for your actions and your foul-mouth. Shut-up, or deal with the consequences.
The Bush-Cheney campaign has been making a lot of hay out of Goldberg's set at last week's celebrity gala at Radio City Music Hall, professing shock at her blue jokes. The only thing the Bush-Cheney campaign was shocked at was the sheer stupidity of your remarks at a looney-left campaign rally, available as campaign fodder.
Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman called the event a "hatefest" that proves John Kerry doesn't "share the same values" as the rest of America. Ya think?? The very french-looking, Vietnam War hero, John F'n Kerry, who is trying to nuance woo swingswingers voters, did not stand by his celeb supporters he stood behind them to take the $7.5 mill. On the defensive, he distanced nuanced himself from Goldberg and said nuanced through spokesmen that he thought her comments were inappropriate. Running mate John Edwards was asked about the debacle flap yesterday by Fox News. "They weren't speaking for me and Whoopie's hair ain't nearly as nice as mine, and they weren't speaking for John F'n Kerry," he said, adding the ticket is "focused on our positive, optimistic vision of hope that everyone in America is as stupid as we think and this will blow over by the next episode of Survivor." Mehlman has repeatedly demanded that Kerry's camp release a video of the event, even going so far as to promise not to use the footage in ads. Uh, yeah. And there's something about a snowball's chance somewhere...I forget. J F'n Kerry campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill said tartly that he could have the video after Bush releases his military records and details of Vice President Cheney's secret energy task force. Puh-lease, Mary Beth. That was an extremely weak forehand volley. If the best you can come up with as a rejoinder is that, just say "No comment".
Diversity promoter lawsuit-chaser and money-grubber without a real job Asa Khalif, who has made headlines for accusing celebrities of insensitivity, cried foul in the Goldberg firing. "I smell a lawsuit, bling-bling, and free publicity for ME racism from beginning to end," said Khalif, head of Racial Unity USA in Pennsylvania. "SlimFast must realize that black women have every right to voice their views." AM I THE ONLY PERSON WHO IS GOING CROSS-EYED OVER THIS IDIOT PLAYING THE RACE CARD LIKE THE RIGHT REVERAND JESSE OR AL?? What in the heck does race have to do with it?
#3
Um, Whoopie, you DO have the right to say anything you want. However, no one ever said you wouldn't get your ass kicked if your audience doesn't like the message.
Good manners - they're what keep you alive when you deal with strangers.
Edited for brevity.
Computerized systems that automatically match fingerprints have become so sophisticated that the best of them are accurate more than 99 percent of the time, according to the most comprehensive known study of the systems ever conducted. Computer scientists at the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) tested 34 commercially available systems provided by 18 companies from around the world. NIST conducted the study to fulfill requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act and the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act.
A total of 48,105 sets of fingerprints from 25,309 people, with a total of 393,370 distinct fingerprint images, were used to enable thorough testing. The best system was accurate 98.6 percent of the time on single-finger tests, 99.6 percent of the time on two-finger tests, and 99.9 percent of the time for tests involving four or more fingers. These accuracies were obtained for a false positive rate of 0.01 percent.
Posted by: Dar ||
07/16/2004 2:26:03 PM ||
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This technology continues and the terrorists will be really easy to locate: they will remove their fingers.
Posted by: Capt America ||
07/16/2004 14:32 Comments ||
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#2
Capt, Then arresting or shooting them would be 'profiling' aginst fingerless people.......
#3
99.6%? that's GREAT! why hell, that means only 1 in a 250 will be missed!
ugh.
and only a 1 in a thousand will be wrongly accused.. (maaan I aint touchin nuttin no more, this is as bad as dna)
#5
no, innocent people go to jail because of this stuff
do you think the lawyers stand up there and tell you "Well this system gives a false positive once for every thousand people checked, the finger prints of some 30,000 (whatever) people in the police database were checked against the ones found, that means 30 people have likly been wrongly identified and there is a 1 in 250 chance that the system actaully missed the culprit.. "
so much of forensic science is crap when you get a good look at it
don't get me started on the gun finding bullet shot stuff or the 'lie detector'
Edited for brevity. Much more at link.
EDWARDS, CALIFORNIA -- Engineers here are on the fast-track, readying the next flight of NASA's X-43A, a super-sleek, high-speed craft powered by a scramjet engine. Earlier this year, the unpiloted 12-foot-long, 5-foot-wide surfboard-looking vehicle howled its way into the history books. The X-43A reached its test speed of Mach 7 -- seven times the speed of sound, or about 5,000 miles per hour. In doing so it set a world-record speed for "air-breathing" flight, the rocket technology advanced by NASA's Hyper-X program. The X-43A's air-breathing scramjet "breathes in" oxygen from the atmosphere rather than toting along an oxidizer, mixing it with a cache of onboard rocket fuel to produce combustion and forward thrust.
Being the hypersonic air-breather it is, the X-43A also caused some hyperventilation among project leaders when they watched the vessel tear itself apart on its inaugural flight on June 2, 2001. On that day the X-43A never reached test conditions. But on a successful second flight, the X-43A flew freely for several minutes following scramjet engine operation. The vehicle's supersonic combustion ramjet, or scramjet, ignited as planned and operated for the duration of its hydrogen fuel supply. Now it's full speed ahead to Mach 10.
Posted by: Dar ||
07/16/2004 1:49:20 PM ||
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This is almost a eulogy...
NASA's real value: Seed Corn. Do you eat it in fits of faux-sociology foolishness - or save it for planting next spring, so you eat for another year?
Find the funding Dubya, Frist, et al. Congress, after the election, should yank it out of some of those idiot programs - there are certainly plenty to choose from. A line item veto approach is essential to good governance - puhleeze bring it back before it's too late.
#2
The X-43 technology never really made sense and had limited practical use. It doesn't work until you get up to a certain speed so you need to piggy-back your way with another plane or you have to have a second set of engines to get you up to speed. Then its no good in space because its an air breather, so you need a rocket engine there as well. So we're talking two or three engines.
#3
Actually Yank several perfectly good uses for such a platform come immediately to mind: 1) it would make one hell of a kinetic energy weapon; 2) ditto an unmanned surveillance platform; but the best is probably 3) if it can be scaled up it might present a very attractive option for replacing the current space shuttle fleet.
The "extra engines" problem isn't quite as bad as it seems since the current space shuttle requires two solid fueled rocket boosters, a normal liquid fueled burn via the shuttles main engines, and then a separately powered orbital maneuvering system (monomethyl hydrazine + nitrogen tetroxide which spontaneously combust when mixed). And this sort of vehicle could (in theory) do something the current shuttle cannot: fly back in under its own power.
Clearly for use #3 there's a ways to go in finding an efficient way to get the craft to the necessary speed to light the scramjet but the cost/benefit potential of such a system is breathtaking. Well worth the pittance it'll cost us to continue the research IMHO.
Edited for brevity.
Former world chess champion Bobby Fischer, wanted since 1992 for playing a tournament in Yugoslavia despite U.N. sanctions, has been detained in Japan, clearing the way for his extradition to the United States. Fischer was stopped at Tokyo's Narita International Airport on Tuesday as he tried to go to the Philippines, an airport official said on condition of anonymity. Miyoko Watai, a Japan Chess Association official who described herself as a longtime friend of Fischer's, said the eccentric chess prodigy discovered when he was detained that the United States had revoked his passport.
Fischer became a Cold War hero in 1972 when he defeated Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union to become the first American world chess champion. But the chess prodigy, long know for his eccentric ways, stunned the chess world by refusing to play again, and had slipped mysteriously in and out of public view in the years since. He forfeited the title in 1975, and resurfaced for a dramatic rematch against Spassky in Yugoslavia in 1992, beating him 10-5 to win $3.35 million. U.S. authorities accused him of violating U.N. sanctions imposed against Yugoslavia for provoking warfare in neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina. In radio interviews, Fischer praised the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, saying America should be "wiped out," and described Jews as "thieving, lying bastards." His mother was Jewish.
Posted by: Dar ||
07/16/2004 1:13:12 PM ||
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Please bring him to New York.
Posted by: Lil Dhimmi ||
07/16/2004 13:22 Comments ||
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#2
"Cold War hero" is a bit much. Fischer acted like such a jerk in '72 that people started to root for Spassky.
#5
What a moron. He sure could play some chess, though. They should lock him up in a cell with one of those super unbeatable chess computers (like the one that kept beating Kasparov), name it Hyman or George B. or something, and force him (by withholding snacks) to keep playing it over and over. Until he beats his own brains in.
#6
Reuben Fine, who was one of the strongest American chess players ever and probably the dominant one in the late 1940s, was also a trained psychologist. He opined many years ago that Fischer had a severe mental illness and anyone familiar with his career usually comes to the same conclusion.
As hateful as the rhetoric that comes out of his mouth is, my main wish is that he would get help.
Posted by: Jaman ||
07/16/2004 15:47 Comments ||
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#9
This is great. I will finally, after 12 long years, be able to feel safe to sleep at night knowing he's off the streets.
Posted by: Jaman ||
07/16/2004 15:58 Comments ||
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#10
"IIRC, under Jewish law if his mother is Jewish, so is he."
Unless he has converted to another religion, or she did before he was born -- you don't get to remain one of the Chosen then, despite the opinion of the former Jews in my mother-in-law's evangelical church. But, as Liberalhawk wrote previously, otherwise you are just a sinning Jew.
Domestic icon Martha Stewart moved one step closer to a drastically different lifestyle behind bars when the millionaire entrepreneur was sentenced Friday to five months in prison for a stock-trading scandal. "Gotta scrub these walls"
"I'll be back," she promised afterward, speaking in a strong voice on the courthouse steps. "I'm not afraid. Not afraid whatsoever. I'm very sorry it had to come to this." "This is how best to arrange the prison food."
She also was ordered to serve five months of home confinement for lying to federal investigators. Stewart, who was also fined $30,000, was spared an immediate trip to federal prison when U.S. District Court Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum stayed her sentence pending appeal. "This is how you wash the bloodstains off the blaze-orange after the riot."
In the courtroom, her voice was shaky as she appealed for a reduced sentence, asking the judge to "remember all the good I have done." "There. These bars are quite clean."
"Today is a shameful day. It's shameful for me, for my family and for my company," she said. But outside the courthouse, Stewart was far more forceful and confident, complaining that a "small personal matter" was blown out of proportion and promising that she would not go quietly.
Posted by: Korora ||
07/16/2004 11:09:12 AM ||
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#1
asking the judge to "remember all the good I have done."
#5
The idea of "nondenominational" prayers is itself absurd. Anything more specific that "Yay, whoever (if anyone) is out there, please give us stuff!" and you are including your own religious beliefs in your prayer.
What you can at most do is try to express the lowest common denominator of all the prevalent beliefs of the participators. And when atheists are involved, that lowest-common-denominator will probably have to be a thanksgiving.
"We are thankful for..." and you don't need to say whether there's someone out there to be thankful to, or you just express general feelings of thankfulness at large.
#6
Actually, if you set aside the religious character of the invocation for a moment, I kind of like the idea of having someone remind politicians to think rationally, use common sense, and to remember that "morality" is often denominational (and thus suspicious in the eyes of even most religious Americans), wherease "ethics" is obeying the laws of men.
Now who could object to someone reminding politicians to be ethical? Heaven knows they need it. I personally care more that a politician follows the criminal statutes than if he uses the Lord's name in vain.
#7
Roger Zelazny's "Possibly Proper Prayer",
from "Lord of Light"
Insofar as I may be heard by anything, which may or may not care what I say, I ask, if it matters, that you be forgiven for anything you may have done or failed to do which requires forgiveness. Conversely, if not forgiveness but something else may be required to insure any possible benefit for which you may be eligible after the destruction of your body, I ask that this, whatever it may be, be granted or withheld, as the case may be, in such a manner as to insure your receiving said benefit. I ask this in my capacity as your elected intermediary between yourself and that which may not be yourself, but which may have an interest in the matter of your receiving as much as it is possible for you to receive of this thing, and which may in some way be influenced by this ceremony. Amen.
#9
" . . . remarks will be ``more of an invoking, or a call for action to ask our leaders to be guided by the lessons of history, logic, reason and science.''
Okay, fine and no problem. Of course, their particular politics will no doubt be defining those "lessons" the representatives are to learn.
I don't have a problem with Atheists. But the "no-religion" religion of the political Atheists is just as "religious," I've found, and pretty flat intolerant. They see themselves as superior, which makes them arrogant and unaccepting of other views. The fanatical ones are pretty forceful, to boot.
I'm certain they would hate this from George Washington (below), and I doubt they would agree with the idea of "thankfulness" as Aris nicely delineated, regarding the religious (gasp!) origins of the very country that protects their right to think and express whatever they believe in.
"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection: that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of surbordination and obedience to government, and entertain a brotherly affecton and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to deman ourselves whth that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which weer the characterists of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
If this were uttered today, I can only imagine the red faces, the shaking fists, and the lawsuits . . . But the fact remains that the State is not to "govern" religious matters, in order to protect the rights of the citizenry to believe and practice whatever they want to. I just hope the Atheists have the same respect for those who are different than they are, as was intended by the Amendment itself. If everything goes "Atheist" then we're back to one "church," enforced by the government, which is a bad thing.
via Wash Times - EFL
An interesting and detailed story - decent backgrounder on Mongolia.
By David R. Sands - July 16, 2004
Mongolia considers the United States a "strategic partner" in the war on terrorism and will not pull out of the U.S.-led security operation in Iraq, Mongolian President Natsagiin Bagabandi said in an interview yesterday. The president said Mongolia's cliffhanger June 27 elections, which produced an almost evenly divided parliament, would not affect the country's deployment of about 130 troops to Iraq, the third rotation of Mongolian forces in the country since the war concluded last year. "So far in our country, there is no disagreement among the political parties over dispatching our forces to Iraq, and there is no disagreement on our strong relationship with the United States," Mr. Bagabandi said, speaking through an interpreter with editors and reporters of The Washington Times. President Bush noted Mongolia's contribution to the postwar Iraq mission in an Oval Office meeting with the Mongolian president yesterday afternoon. ...more...
Impressive sensible statements by President Bagabandi - wish there were far more leaders with his attitude and grit. Thanx, Mongols! Now let's talk about China and what you could do with a thousand or so M1A2 Abrams and some air cover...
I'm with the guys named Ghengis...
Posted by: .com ||
07/16/2004 2:19:04 AM ||
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Maybe a replay of the Mongol invasion, this time on our side, whould scare the living hell out the jihadists.
Bravo Mongolia!
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
07/16/2004 2:47 Comments ||
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#2
West Point graduated its first Mongolian cadet last May. As with most international students who get into the Point, he was pretty impressive -- had him in my class. Hope he and others like him go on to help Mongolia develop a strong democracy and economy.
#3
One of the major reasons relations are tight with emerging states are the efforts of our military. The Man Who Would Be Khan
A good synopsis can be found at the Argus
Posted by: ed ||
07/16/2004 8:03 Comments ||
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#4
We've had a steady stream of Mongolian troops going thru Defence Language Institute learning english. Tough, good looking and very friendly. Glad they're on our side.
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.
