Although he was not selected in Thursday's supplemental draft, former University of Texas fullback Ahmard Hall, the onetime Marine sergeant who served tours in Kosovo and Afghanistan, will be reporting for duty at an NFL training camp.
Hall on Thursday evening agreed to contract terms with the Tennessee Titans as a free agent. He will sign a two-year contract for the minimum base salaries of $275,000 in 2006 and $360,000 in 2007.
The deal came after Hall turned down offers from Minnesota, Green Bay, Seattle and the Giants.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Hey there Sir, yes Sir, you. Congrats, say hello to Vince, and we'll be watching. Hoping you get to lead out of the dressing room with our flag, everytime.
Gerald R. Ford, the nation's oldest living former president, began his 93rd birthday Friday with a note of praise and best wishes from the White House. "Since leaving office, President Ford has set a high standard for grace and character," President Bush said in a written statement. "He has never forgotten his roots or lost sight of the things that matter, including his deep love for his wife and partner, Betty." Ford has made few public appearances in recent months and has had some health setbacks, including a 12-day hospitalization in January for pneumonia.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006 00:00 ||
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...Many happy returns and best wishes to him. A good and decent man who will be better remembered by history than we think.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
07/15/2006 7:02 Comments ||
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#2
Certainly better than Ol Jimmah when he croaks. Ford had a tough job when he took office, and did well all things considering. Happy Birthday President Ford, and many more to come I hope.
Posted by: Charles ||
07/15/2006 8:01 Comments ||
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#3
"Celebrates birthday at favorite gentleman's club."
Ever since the movie Beverly Hills Cop II, it has been a running gag that president Ford is a regular at some of the finer strip clubs in California.
PANAMA CITY, Panama (AP) - Lawmakers on Friday approved a national referendum on whether the government should undertake the biggest modifications to the Panama Canal since it was opened in 1914. The $5.3 billion project calls for a construction of a third set of locks on the canal that would reduce long lines of ships trying to cross the canal and allow larger ships to pass through.
The exact date of the referendum will be announced after the bill is signed by President Martin Torrijos, who has endorsed the project. Recent polls indicate that a majority of Panamanians favor the expansion.
The canal, 105 feet above sea level at its highest point, uses a series of parallel locks to lift ships to Lake Gatun for the transoceanic passage. Large container ships now just barely fit through the canal's locks. The new locks would be able to handle those ships.
Opponents of the proposed canal expansion contend the project is risky because it is based on uncertain projections about maritime trade and the world economy. Officials have said they would pay for the upgrades through loans and toll increases for ships using the canal.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006 13:51 ||
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We're going on day four of the latest fidel castro is dead rumors. Here are a couple more uncorroborated reports and speculations:
- Hugo Chavez supposedly took an "urgent flight" to Cuba yesterday afternoon along with other high ranking Cuban officials. Details or news accounts of same unavailable.
- Granma once again published articles profiling Raul Castro, heir apparent to the dictator throne.
- WHPC reports that there is much action in Cuba at the moment, with reports from Granma stating that workers are "waging a fierce battle" in attempts to have construction and other related project complete for a huge July 26 island wide celebration. WHPC also speculates that said projects and celebration and construction may be some kind of secret preparations for an elaborate state funeral for the bearded dictator.
- Ive also received unconfirmed reports that castro may not be dead, but suffering from Parkinsons or Alzeimers and not in control of his mental faculties. (natch)
- Several sources have emailed stating that they have been unable to communicate with family and loved ones on the island for several days. Other sources have emailed saying they have been in communication with family in Cuba but have heard nothing of the rumors.
- I personally have yet to hear from certain sources in Cuba via email.
- There have been no reports from local news media regarding the rumors to my knowledge.
Unfortunately, that's all I have that I feel I can publish at the moment without helping perpetuate the rumors. As I've said all along, we have but to wait until July 26 for verification. Should fidel not appear on his holiday, chances are he is either at death's door or begging Satan not to make him recite the Pledge of Allegiance of the US in perpetuity for all eternity.
#3
- Ive also received unconfirmed reports that castro may not be dead, but suffering from Parkinsons or Alzeimers and not in control of his mental faculties.
Maybe El Presidente just wants to add the 'Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg' Chair at Havana U. law school to his list of esteemed titles.
A yakuza gang has asked the local education board not to show schoolchildren an anti-gang video local police are producing for fear it will lead to discrimination of gangsters' children, it was learned Saturday.
The Kitakyushu Municipal Board of Education is wondering how to respond to the request.
"The video is still being produced, and we haven't decided whether to distribute them to schools. We'll consult with police and other relevant organizations before deciding how to respond to the request," a board official said.
Fukuoka Prefectural Police's Kitakyushu regional anti-gang headquarters denied that it would constitute discrimination. "If you see the video, you will understand it will not cause any discrimination," an official of the headquarters said.
On June 29, the board received a letter titled, "Petition," signed by Takeo Hayashi, supreme adviser to the Kudo-kai crime syndicate, and its secretary-general, Mitsuhide Honda.
"If the video is shown at schools, children of crime syndicate members will be bullied. It would constitute discrimination," the letter partly reads.
The video tells the story of a lower-ranking gangster who joined a crime syndicate because he adored money and power but regrets having been only exploited by the organization.
The anti-gang headquarters is expected to complete production of the video sometime between late July and early August. (Mainichi)
#2
"fear it will lead to discrimination of gangsters' children"
Here's an idea - if you're so worried about your children being feared and hated discriminated against because of your being a gangster, howzabout not being a gangster?
Just a thought. If you really cared about your children.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
07/15/2006 19:14 Comments ||
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#3
let em watch Black Rain
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2006 19:25 Comments ||
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#6
In my humble experience, Yakuza have a rather unique postion in Japanese society. They're a mafia, but Japanese police don't take them head-on unless the yakuza cause trouble. The Yakuza keep a low profile. The Japanese public, while knowing what they do and who they are, have a sort-of 'romantic' view of them.
French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen has been ordered to stand trial for comments denying the brutality of the Nazi occupation of France during World War II, judicial officials said yesterday.
Le Pen is under investigation for "justifying war crimes" and "complicity in contesting crimes against humanity." He could appeal the two separate rulings ordering him to stand trial, said the off icials, who spoke on condition of anonymity...
#2
Not to defend pépé Le Pen, who has made himself famous with his provocative racial jokes and declaration, but this is politically motivated BS; he simply said german occupation in France was not as brutal as it could have been (or something like that), which is true compared to most of eastern or central Europe, not to mention Russia.
But since in France we've got laws restricting freedom of speech (see indictments) on any "sensitive" matter (races, History,...), he will just get fined and will gladly pay it. This is not the first time, last time I remember is when he said that when muslims in France were going to be 20% of the population, french people would have to look down and descend from the sidewalk when they cross them. Since he is THE DEVIL, he was fined.
What kills me is that any collaborator during occupation was amnistied shortly after the war (can't remember if it's 48, 49, or early 50's), but that 60 years later, thoses who talk about that period are comdemned, while thoses who did the deeds were pardoned in the name of national unity.
The expression "thoughts police" is quite apt to describe the state of the freedom of speech here in France.
#3
This could be stage by which Le Pen could hammer the existing government into the ground by pointing out their own actions to ignore terrorism. The French press which is so eager to label the Americans terrorist rather than those who truly follow the model of Nazi terrorism would be themselves taken down a peg or two for their own selective blindness to Nazi brutality like Oradour-sur-Glane. How can this be considered brutality when the Americas whom they so often accuse of exactly this, don't practice it. However, since the muzzies do practice it and the French government and media think nothing of it, this must be the new definition. Therefore, not brutal. A J'Accuse moment.
Jacques Chirac officiated at the colorful July 14 celebrations in central Paris, on what is almost certainly his last Bastille Day as president ahead of elections next year. Amid tight security Chirac, 73, took the salute at the traditional military parade and fly-past before hosting a garden party at the Elysee palace and giving a 45-minute interview on the state of the nation carried live on television.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006 00:00 ||
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Did he stay for the ceremonial Car-BQ afterwards?
Hundreds of leftist activists converged from The Mid-Atlantic Radical Book Fair to hear controversial Ethnic Studies Professor Ward Churchill give his speech, "Rules for Thee, but Not for Me: The Politics of 'Academic Misconduct' in a Time of Intellectual Repression." Churchill stunned parts of the audience with an off-the-cuff joke of how the passengers on the planes hijacked by terrorists during 9/11 were laughingly "tweezed into submission" and forced to fly the plane into buildings...
#6
Gotta keep the schtick going, right, Wardo? How else would you keep getting free trips to prestigious events like The Mid-Atlantic Radical Book Fair.
It beats hanging on a Boulder street corner shaking a Dunkin Donuts cup full of change. Although you do look the part. But ditch the shades...
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a potential presidential candidate, said today that her re-election campaign for a second Senate term had more than $22 million. The former first lady and Democrat said her campaign had raised almost $5.7 million over the last three months and had raised more than $43 million overall. The campaign has spent more than $21.7 million on her bid for another Senate term.
Clinton had $19.7 million cash on hand at the end of March after raising more than $6 million during the first three months of the year. Patti Solis Doyle, executive director of the Friends of Hillary campaign committee, said that over the second quarter of this year, the Clinton committee received 38,377 individual contributions with almost 35,000 of those donors giving $100 or less.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2006 00:00 ||
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Things are raging all over the place. This beast can forget about 2009 and WILL NOT get past the Demon primaries. This country will need a very, very competant leader in 2009. The world "ain't got no time" for this shebeast right now.
Yes, I am fully that this article is about Senate Re-Elect.
Annuities are not good news for Muslims. Not only do they involve interest, which is forbidden under Islamic law, they also involve uncertainty.
The issue with an annuity is that you are being given a rate, but nobodys sure how long it will be paid for, so it introduces an element of uncertainty, which conflicts with Islamic law, Alun Williams, of the Islamic Bank of Britain, said.
This is one of the principles underlying so-called Shariah finance, he said. Contracts should be very clear and certain as to their outcome. An annuity, by most interpretations, would be considered an unclear and uncertain contract, because, if you think about it, its a bit like gambling nobody is sure whether you are going to win or the insurance company is going to win.
Ian Oliver, of Norwich Union, the insurer, believes that several religious groups, including Muslims, may have objections to annuities on ethical grounds: Its really anyone who objects to, putting it bluntly, gambling on when you are going to die, and there are a number of groups who fall into that camp.
Mr Williams said that many Muslims are unhappy about investing in the sort of pension fund needed to pay eventually for an annuity. Alternatively secured pensions might be of interest to them instead of annuities, but they have objections to pensions before they get to the annuity stage, he said.
#5
Blondie, not only do they not have any problems w/life insurance but they also run a little scam up in the Detroit area. Goes like this:
Achmed takes out a life insurance policy on great grampa Wissam. Wissam go back to Iraq or wherever to visit family. *He dies during the visit* (of a heart attack or take your pick) and is buried within 24 hours as per muzzie custom. A *death certificate* get's sent to Achmed from Iraq or wherever and he gives that to the insurance folks - happens all the time & usually works. This is the type of crap me and my "American" buddies saw or even had the muzzies at the gas stations we deal with boast to us of this scam.
*I denote "American" as these arabs called all us non-arab white guys "Americans", hence they did not consider themselves American - this would've been a step down to them (one of the reasons I am prejudice toward them). They called the blacks & jews much worse as you can imagine.
#6
hehehe.. need to amend ERISA then... Defined benefit plans are against sharia... who woulda thought that Mo would have thought of that kind of thing way back then.
Posted by: Mark E. ||
07/15/2006 16:11 Comments ||
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A suspicious powdery substance found Friday in an envelope sent to The New York Times likely is corn starch, the newspaper and police said.
We guessed as much...
Police were called after an employee in the mailroom opened a business-sized envelope containing a beige powder. The Department of Environmental Protection, through field tests, preliminarily identified the substance as ``an organic substance, probably corn starch,'' police spokesman Paul J. Browne said. The envelope also contained an editorial about reports on secret government anti-terrorism programs with a red ``X'' through it, said Catherine Mathis, a Times spokeswoman. The letter, handwritten to The New York Times, had no return address but had a Philadelphia postmark.
Whoever did this is an idiot. This proves nothing and solves nothing.
The employee, identified in a Times story as a 54-year-old Brooklyn man, put the envelope in a plastic bag and called police. He was examined at a hospital, but showed no symptoms or injuries, Mathis said. The building's eighth floor - which includes the mailroom and the Travel and Styles sections - was evacuated and sealed off for about four and a half hours as the police hazardous materials unit conducted tests, Mathis said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006 00:00 ||
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Power for Mo Dowd's jock itch
Posted by: Captain America ||
07/15/2006 0:38 Comments ||
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This proves nothing and solves nothing.
Probably doesn't suggest anything to the numbnuts running the NYT, either.
#3
Nah, gorb, it will prove to them the rightness of their position, how all the wingnuts are out to get them, etc. Watch for an editorial any day now about how other people want to deny freedom of the press or some other self-righteous bullshit like that.
#6
"An FBI Official, who requested anonymity, said the there was a person of interest, but would only give his initials as 'SH' to the Times. The investigation is expected to take several years."
-NYT
DENVER (AP) - An Air Force officer pleaded guilty Friday to defacing cars with bumper stickers supporting President Bush, and was given a two-year deferred sentence. Lt. Col. Alexis Fecteau, a decorated officer who flew 500 combat hours in the Gulf War, Kosovo and Bosnia, pleaded guilty to felony mischief and must pay restitution to the owners of the damaged cars to clear his record.
Fecteau, 43, of Colorado Springs, did not speak during the hearing nor comment after it.
Kiss your retirement goodbye, but you already knew that.
Attorney Patrick Mulligan said his client, a 20-year veteran, has submitted his retirement papers. Negotiations are under way to determine at what rank and with what benefits he will be retired. Mulligan said he will work with other lawyers to determine how much must be paid in restitution.
Mulligan said the plea agreement ``affords Lt. Col. Fecteau the opportunity to get back on track,'' noting his record will be cleared in two years if he stays out of trouble.
But his reputation will never be clear.
Fecteau originally faced 13 charges for defacing vehicles at the Denver airport from January to July 2005. Fecteau admitted to investigators he had vandalized cars starting around the time of the November 2004 election, but pleaded guilty to a single charge of criminal mischief that named all 13 victims. Fecteau blacked out pro-Bush bumper stickers and then spray-painted an expletive over them.
After the charges became public, Fecteau was removed as director of operations for reserve forces at the National Security Space Institute at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.
Posted by: Steve White ||
07/15/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
If he flew 500 combat hours, why didn't he try a PTSD defense?
I'm not saying he isn't a scumbag disgrace, I'm just saying he got shitty legal advice. He would have saved his pension.
#2
a decorated officer who flew 500 combat hours in the Gulf War, Kosovo and Bosnia
I call bullsh*t. It takes pilots years to fly 1000 hours, or the equivalent of 41 1/2 straight days in the air. He might have been able to do that if he was riding AWACS, JSTARS or another multi-crew combat support bird that flies somewhat away from the fighting, but even if that was the case he wasn't getting shot at for 500 hours.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
07/15/2006 7:07 Comments ||
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He did what he did. The lawyer knew it and didn't want to screw things up with a transparently chicken shit defence that would insult the court. I'd bet he's saving the PTSD for mitigation in the damage hearing. Admit he screwed up, show remorse, help him get back on track is a good strategy at this point, if it's sincere.
#5
Double Jeopardy here. Since he's faced civil charges for the act, he can't/won't face similar UCMJ for the same act. The only charge the civies could not charge that is still open under UCMJ is the 'actions unbecoming' article. Usually, that is employed to get them to sign the papers for early retirement or release from service. Though I suspect that in this case, it has been done under administrative punishment which means a formal letter in his permanent record the results of which is no promotion, no good assignments. Is there still a base on Kiska?
#6
What an idiot. I didn't like seeing Kerry/Edwards bumper stickers on base (the very few that there were) but it would never even cross my mind to vandalize someone's car over it.
#7
No double jeopardy, Gruth. A, double jeopardy can occur only after an acquittal. B, separate sovereigns doctrine. LTC Moonbat was charged, tried, convicted and sentenced by a state court, and can now be charged & tried by a federal court, (which all courts-martial are). However, the command rarely prefers charges where there's already been a civilian conviction. But they can screw him real good-like on his resignation & retirement.
#8
He got better legal advice than the deserter "free speech" idiots had. At least in this case he doesn't face "conduct unbecoming" charges before a VERY UNSYMPATHETIC court-martial board.
"The lawyer knew it and didn't want to screw things up with a transparently chicken shit defence that would insult the court."
Nimble is spot-on. This way he gets it expunged if he acts like a man instead of a d*mned schoolboy.
Posted by: Ernest Brown ||
07/15/2006 11:48 Comments ||
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Tell me exJAG, are the lawyers and judges getting creative with the constitution again.
Amendment V.
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
He plead guilty to the crime, he didn't plead 'no contest'. Therefore he is convicted of the crime. What I understand you are saying, is that the person can be convicted in each level court for the same crime.
#10
Double jeopardy means being tried on the same charges, by the same tribunal, a second time, after having been acquitted the first time -- and that's it. It's possible only after contested cases where the defendant pleads not guilty; it's not possible if the plea is nolo contendere or guilty (because the defendant is not claiming innocence).
The separate sovereigns doctrine is based on the fact that states are sovereign entities separate from the federal government. This does indeed mean that if you're acquitted of a charge in state court, you can then be tried on the same charge in federal court, or vice versa. Happens all the time -- often in moonbat cases like these, where local moonbat juries won't convict a fellow "resister." (Happily, that wasn't a problem here).
I don't know the exact origins, but these two principles have long been black letter law -- i.e., the Supreme Court's interpretation of the 5th Amendment, ratified by Congress in that it took no action to reverse the Court's rulings legislatively. I do know, however, that both of these things have been enshrined in US law since well before the commies "got creative" with the Constitution.
As a prosecutor, these rules made me very happy, but I understand full well the potential for abuse. These principles are only as good as the government that's in charge.
#11
P.S. Yes, I am saying that people can be convicted in each level court for the same crime. However, for many reasons, that rarely happens. Off the top of my head, Terry Nichols is the only person I can think of who was tried and convicted first in federal court, and then again in Oklahoma state court (because the federal sentence was only life in prison, and locals wanted him to fry).
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.
We're going on day four of the latest fidel castro is dead rumors. Here are a couple more uncorroborated reports and speculations:
French far-right leader 
Hundreds of leftist activists converged from The Mid-Atlantic Radical Book Fair to hear controversial Ethnic Studies Professor 
Sen. 
