Sean Penn may play Einstein for TV film Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn may wind up portraying legendary physicist Albert Einstein for a joint U.S.-Italian TV film production.
They couldn't get Yahoo Serious?
Nick Nolte, call your office...
... he must not subscribe to the method school of acting ...
Penn, 46, is reportedly interested in working with writer/director Liliana Cavani, the Italian news agency ANSA reported Tuesday. The project is a joint effort between the U.S. premium cable TV network HBO and Italy's RAI state broadcaster, ANSA said. An RAI spokesman said Penn appears enthusiastic about the project. "He's read the screenplay and he likes it," RAI's Agostino Sacca told ANSA. Penn's latest film, "All the Kings Men," opens Friday in U.S. theaters.
#4
What a miscast. Remember John Wayne as Ghengis Khan? I forget the name of the actress that he played against, but the script had Wayne say in an awful accent, "You are beautiful in your wrath."
#6
Defender & Scimitar Times-Picayune favorite Susan Hayward. What I did not recall was that the flick "The Conqueror" was directed by Dick Powell. No wonder the lines were so funny. Perhaps he was playing it as camp from the start. IMDB notes the script was originally written for Brando.
#7
The cast also included Agnes Moorehead, Robert Conrad and Lee Van Cleef. Comments at IMBD noted:
When Howard Hughes sold RKO soon after, his only request was that he keep the rights to two movies- "Jet Pilot" and this epic. Legend has it that he kept playing them over and over again in his room. If he got as tetched as they say he did in his later years, you can blame his malady, in part, on the adverse effects of seeing "The Conqueror" one too many times.
The set was down wind of the Yucca Flats atomic test range. The crew were all exposed to massive doses of radioactive fallout. Later, nearly half the crew died of various forms of cancer. Including John Wayne, Susan Hayward, and Agnes Moorehead, and the director Dick Powell. This is no Urban Legend, 91 members from the crew of 200 had contracted cancer by 1984.
Perhaps they can arrange for Penn to do his work at Yucca Flats.
#19
Acting doesn't require an ability for original thinking. As a matter of fact, acting doesn't necessarily require thinking, which may help explain why Sean is able to be an actor.
In any case, I'll try my best to not confuse Sean with his persona after the movie comes out. :-)
I wonder how many bags of weed each week Einstein will end up averaging in the movie . . . .
NASSAU, Bahamas -- More than a week after her son mysteriously died beside her hospital bed, Anna Nicole Smith remained out of sight in the Bahamas on Tuesday as officials said only that his death was not a suicide or homicide.
That leaves natural causes, misadventure, shark bite, act of God, and voodoo, I think...
With toxicology tests pending, the official cause may not be publicly known before a jury inquest starting October 23. The 38-year-old former reality TV star, who gave birth to a baby girl three days before her son's death, is expected to be summoned.
Daniel Smith, 20, died the morning of September 10. By all accounts, he flew into the Bahamas the night before and went directly to the private Nassau Doctors Hospital, where staff saw him tending to his mother and newborn half-sister in the hours before his death. Two autopsies -- one by the Bahamas coroner's office, another by celebrity pathologist Cyril Wecht -- have ruled out suicide, foul play and several potential natural causes. Both have sought further tests to detect drugs or chemicals.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/20/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
I could be wrong, knowing so little of the details, but what went through my mind upon reading this article were a series of assumptions and feelings. Anna Nicole Smiths life seemed dedicated to superficial excess, one that boasts compromise and deserts integrity, and contributors to such a tragedy. All assumptions I realize. Whatever the official outcome the circumstances are not normal, and that young mans short life was hardly happy.
#2
The 38-year-old former reality TV star, who gave birth to a baby girl three days before her son's death, is expected to be summoned.
There we have it, the real cause becomes clear. Heartbreak and despair because a newborn rival gained exclusive purview over mom's two greatest talents.
Mexican authorities are investigating the slayings of six men whose bodies were found dumped around Tijuana yesterday.
The latest killing spree follows the discovery of seven dumped bodies Friday night and Saturday morning. One of those victims was a Mexican federal police investigator.
Drug groups often are behind such killings, and the recent surge of dumped bodies comes about a month after U.S. authorities arrested suspected drug cartel leader Francisco Javier Arellano Félix and other suspected members of the region's Arellano Félix cartel.
Some U.S. and Mexican investigators say the Arellanos are going after rivals and people who have betrayed them. A note left near one group of bodies found last week indicated they were killed for being traitors.
Yesterday, the bodies of three men who had been shot in the head were found about 1 a.m. in the La Presa section of the city, according to a statement from the state Attorney General's Office.
Two of the dead were identified as Ulises Abel Lopez Cota, 25, and Flavio Alcala Salinas, 30. The other man's identity was unknown.
Later in the day, about 2 p.m., the bodies of three unidentified men were found in mud and trash in a section of Colonia Rio Alamar. The bodies showed signs of being hanged, Mexican authorities said. Quagmire! Bring our troops home!
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/20/2006 11:17 ||
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#1
please move to Non-WOT. My bad
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/20/2006 11:29 Comments ||
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Need any help hauling all those stiffs out of your back yard, Frank?
#3
last couple months have had a fight for power and control to rival the Paleos...seems like every week 7-10 show up, some beheaded, some cops (prolly dirty ones). The Arellano Felix family's getting arrested and deported and there's a fight to take their place among several gangs
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/20/2006 12:07 Comments ||
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President Vicente Fox said Tuesday that Mexico is willing to extradite any drug lord in its custody wanted by the United States. Fox said Mexico currently has 16 "big leaders" of drug gangs in jail along with 75,000 lower level members of various cartels. The U.S. is believed to have requested the extradition of at least three suspected drug kingpins: Benjamin Arellano Felix of the Arellano Felix smuggling syndicate; Osiel Cardenas, reputed head of the Gulf Cartel; and Hector "El Guero" Palma, a reputed leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel.
"We will extradite all of those who have pending matters with U.S. justice," Fox told a news conference in New York where he was attending the United Nations General Assembly. It was the first time Mexico's president had made such a sweeping commitment to send wanted drug lords to face charges in the U.S.
Mexico extradited its first major drug lord accused kingpin Francisco Rafael Arellano Felix to the United States over the weekend. Before that, Mexico had often balked at sending drug kingpins, arguing they should face justice in Mexico and refusing to send anyone to the U.S. who would face the death penalty.
Posted by: Dar ||
09/20/2006 00:08 ||
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#1
What do yo umean the Seante's voting on a fence?????
#5
Following Fidel's Marial boat lift of 1980, ridding the country of criminals and unemployed upon the US.
Couldn't be that as long as the 'king pins' remain in jail, someone's family members could be kidnapped for a prisoner exchange? Like ruling party/family types? Not a problem if they're sitting it out in the US.
#7
Wow! I guess our government did trade "Dog the Bounty Hunter" for all the drug lords. Why are they called "lords"? Shouldn't they be called drug scum?
Posted by: Art ||
09/20/2006 10:14 Comments ||
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#8
Why not stop the Mexicans trying to break the law by marching over the border?
Why not stop his own freaking military from invading the US to support drug smuggling?
Why not clean up some of the corruption in Mexico?
He can keep his campaign donors drug lords; just keep his mess on his side of the border for a change.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
09/20/2006 11:38 Comments ||
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"Fox pledges to extradite all wanted drug lords to US"
Why not save us both a lot of time and trouble and just shoot them there, Vinnie Vicente?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/20/2006 15:49 Comments ||
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#10
#9: "Fox pledges to extradite all wanted drug lords to US"
In other words.
"Here, you feed them."
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
09/20/2006 21:59 Comments ||
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All leaders are sometimes economical with the truth but very few admit it, let alone say that they "lied morning, noon and night" to win an election.
In Budapest, riot police were preparing for a second night of protests aimed at forcing the 45-year-old millionaire out of office.
On Monday night, a full-scale riot developed after thousands of protesters marched on the headquarters of Hungarian state television. Yesterday more than 150 people were injured, two-thirds of them police officers, one of whom suffered serious head wounds.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/20/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
the 45-year-old millionaire [socialist]
He could move to the US and become a Democrat Senator...
#4
I saw Mitt Romney on O'Reilly last night and was really impressed by two things: 1) that Massachussetts actually has a Republican governor, and 2) how well he expressed himself and what he expressed.
Posted by: Dar ||
09/20/2006 16:33 Comments ||
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#3
but many were taken by surprise with the brutal honesty with which he confronted Hungary's economic problems once the polls were closed including putting up taxes after promising to cut them.
Is it Brutal honesty or classic deception? You make the call.
Mordor calls the minions to battle! Sid Blumenthal can't be far behind
Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe has told business associates and Democratic donors that he will chair Sen. Hillary Rodham Clintons (D-N.Y.) presidential campaign next year, according to several Democratic sources.
Together, Clinton, the favorite to win the Democratic nomination, and McAuliffe, the top money man in Democratic politics, have a good chance of raising $100 million before the first official contest, the Iowa caucuses in January 2008.
While Clinton and her staff insist she is focused solely on winning reelection in New York this November, the decision over who will be in charge of getting her elected to the White House is already settled.
McAuliffe told The Hill yesterday that Clinton has not made a decision on running for president and will not do so until after Nov. 7. McAuliffe also denied telling friends that he will serve as chairman, although sources contradict him.
He acknowledged that he would play a huge role in her presidential campaign if it materializes and that he has recruited donors for a possible White House run.
I would just say that I hope she runs, said McAuliffe. Shes focused on the Senate and Im focused on helping Democrats.
Would I have a huge role on the campaign? Of course, thats not real news. People know that I have has been around lining up people if she decides to run.
Clinton referred questions to her Senate campaign, where spokeswoman Ann Lewis said, There is no decision, there is no [presidential] campaign; if there is no campaign there are no titles.
Clintons camp is not the only one among presidential hopefuls lining up donors for 2008. Allies of each of the Democratic contenders are aggressively seeking commitments because of the huge amount of money that will be needed next year.
McAuliffe, who became DNC chairman in 2001, said he has had no conversations with Clinton about titles and that Democrats are merely speculating about the role he would serve in the campaign.
Since he stepped down as DNC chairman after the 2004 election, he has been involved with about a dozen private companies by his own estimate. He said he has raised money for investment funds and real estate deals, and even dabbled in the energy sector. He has also served on the advisory board of Carret Asset Management, an investment firm in New York.
But McAuliffe said he would quickly drop these commitments to help Clinton if she ran for president.
I would take off time and go full time, he said of his expected level of commitment.
Early next year, around the time Clinton is expected to launch an exploratory campaign committee, McAuliffes new book What a Party!: My Life Among Democrats is expected to be in stores. It will span McAuliffes 25 years in politics and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of his party, including the successes of the Clinton presidency.
Although McAuliffes specialty is raising money, he would probably not be satisfied serving only as Clintons presidential finance chairman.
To be finance chair would be beneath him, said one Democratic donor close to Clinton, who added that McAuliffe is trying to make his presence felt in moneyed Democratic circles.
No Democratic fundraiser has as high a profile as McAuliffe. Nevertheless, he may be feeling some competition from the many Clinton allies who are positioning themselves as important financial players for her presidential campaign.
Shes got a full operation, said Wade Randlett, a prominent Democratic fundraiser based in San Francisco, of the network of Democrats who are laying the financial groundwork for Clinton in the Bay Area. There are many, many friends who are active for her.
Randlett said donors who have met Clinton leave the room certain that she will run for president. He said the same clear impression is given by two other hopefuls, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D).
For Kerry, for Warner, and for Hillary, they are all a certainty, said Randlett. People leaving the room all think shes running for president.
Randlett also said Bay Area donors have been told that Clinton will not visit there again between now and Election Day so as not to compete for campaign contributions in a Democratic fundraising hub with candidates running for the House and Senate.
Democratic fundraisers report that all politicians with an eye on the White House have been vigorously recruiting donors for primary season. Thats because the Democrats have front-loaded the season even more than in 2004.
With key contests crammed into the first few weeks of 2008, giving the early front-runner the chance to eliminate rivals almost in a fell swoop, there is a premium on raising primary money next year ready to hit the early races in a winter avalanche.
People are going to have to telescope and enormous amount of fundraising in a very short period of time, said Steve Grossman, a Democratic fundraiser who served as DNC chairman under Clinton. In my judgment, if you cant raise the better part of $50 million, youre not going to be a first tier candidate.
Given Clintons stature and McAuliffes stature as a fundraiser, Republicans have little doubt that she will have close to $100 million in her presidential campaign coffers at the end of next year.
Raising that amount of money in the year before an election year would not be unprecedented. The Bush-Cheney 04 campaign reported $99.1 million in its account at the end of 2003.
Theres a growing consensus that the top-tier candidates of both political parties are going to opt out of the public financing for the general election as well as the primaries, which [would be] the first time in history that has occurred, said Federal Election Commission Chairman Michael Toner.
If candidates forego public funding for the 2008 presidential primary and general elections, they will be able to collect contributions for both elections as soon as they form exploratory committees.
Said Toner: The higher contribution limits of [the] McCain-Feingold [campaign finance law] combined with candidates raising money for general and primary combined with a polarized electorate sets the stage for record-breaking fundraising.
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/20/2006 19:17 ||
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VIENNA - World powers said on Tuesday that making nuclear reactor fuel available through UN-controlled supply centers could keep nations from enriching uranium themselves and learning how to make atomic weapons, a main concern in the Iran crisis.
Russia, Germany and the United States each backed the idea of setting up such centers under the control of the UN watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), at a meeting in Vienna Tuesday of the IAEAs 140 member states.
Germany plus France, the Netherlands, Russia, Britain and the United States had in June proposed a concept for assurances for a reliable supply of enrichment services or enriched uranium, German economics and technology ministry state secretary Joachim Wuermeling said.The idea was to get countries to refrain from developing indigenous sensitive fuel cycle capabilities, he told the week-long IAEA general conference.
Former US senator Sam Nunn told a special session at the conference that new answers to fighting the spread of nuclear weapons must be found urgently. Are we prepared to live in a world where dozens of countries have the capability and key ingredients to make nuclear weapons? Nunn, a champion of non-proliferation during his 24 years in the US Senate, said. I want to make sure that every country that is a bona fide user of nuclear energy and that is fulfilling its non-proliferation obligations is getting fuel, at a time when concerns about nuclear proliferation are growing, IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said.
ElBaradei stressed that nations would still be free to decide whether they wanted to do fuel work.
Germany is proposing a site run by the IAEA on what would be territory with international status, like at United Nations headquarters in New York, while Russia wants to set up an enrichment center in Siberia that would be on Russian territory but run by the IAEA.
Russian atomic energy chief Sergei Kirienko told reporters that the differences between the proposals were not important. What is important here is that duAl use technology should not be spread around the world, said Kirienko.
And that the Russians should control it. Got it.
Posted by: Steve White ||
09/20/2006 00:00 ||
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Kofi must be rubbing his hands raw, because this is going to make the 'Oil for Food' backhanders look like small change.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
09/20/2006 0:28 Comments ||
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*snicker*
There they go again, using IAEA and "watchdog" in the same sentence... Uh huh, right. LOL.
Global warming is happening, but humans are not the cause, one of the nations top experts on hurricanes said Monday morning. Bill Gray, who has studied tropical meteorology for more than 40 years, spoke at the Larimer County Republican Club Breakfast about global warming and whether humans are to blame. About 50 people were at the talk.
Gray, who is a professor at Colorado State University, said human-induced global warming is a fear perpetuated by the media and scientists who are trying to get federal grants. I think were coming out of the little ice age, and warming is due to changes to ocean circulation patterns due to salinity variations, Gray said. Im sure thats it.
Grays view has been challenged, however.
Roger Pielke Jr., director of the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Colorado, said in an interview later Monday that climate scientists involved with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that most of the warming is due to human activity. Bill Gray is a widely respected senior scientist who has a view that is out of step with a lot of his colleagues, Pielke said. But challenging widely held views is good for science because it forces people to make their case and advances understanding.
We should always listen to the minority, said Pielke, who spoke from his office in Boulder. But its prudent to take actions that both minimize human effect on the climate and also make ourselves much more resilient. Minority? That's a joke. He means less vocal and strident.
At the breakfast, Gray said Earth was warmer in some medieval periods than it is today. Current weather models are good at predicting weather as far as 10 days in advance, but predicting up to 100 years into the future is a great act of faith, and I dont believe any of it, he said.
But even if humans cause global warming, theres not much people can do, Gray said. China and India will continue to pump out greenhouse gases, and alternative energy sources are expensive. Why do it if its not going to make a difference anyway? he said. Whether Im right or wrong, we cant do anything about it anyway.
But Pielke said it makes sense to reduce humans impact on the climate. There are uncertainties. Its not like you change your light bulbs today, youre going to have better weather tomorrow, he said. Its even better if those actions youre taking make sense for other reasons, like getting off Middle Eastern oil or saving money. As for judging between the competing views, I tend to believe Michael Crichton... His speech titled "Fear, Complexity, Environmental Management in the 21st Century" (link to speeches page) makes infinitely more sense than any alGore spew. All of his speeches kick ass.
#1
I've yet to see a single one of the "Anthropogenic Dangerous Global Warming" (ADGW) evangelists actually deal with the proven fact that there have been warmer climates than we are experiencing now more than once in human history - at times before there was any consumption of fossil fuels.
When Pielke says, "But its prudent to take actions that both minimize human effect on the climate and also make ourselves much more resilient he is being a bad scientist. Since we know that the climate has been as warm if not warmer than it is today in the absence of human use of fossil fuels, he is stating as fact something which is almost instantly refutable. One must therefore logically conclude that either a) he is incompetent as a scientist or b) he has an agenda to which he is purposely subverting the truth.
Furthermore, we all know the means of achieving the minimalization and versatility he mentions, and it isn't the free market. It's more government, more regulation, more taxation, and a less free market. Not to mention lots of public sector gravy train money for scientists promoting ADGW.
When seen in this light, the whole ADGW belief system can be summed up as consisting of two groups. The first is unscrupulous and careless scientists who have a financial stake in getting as many politicians and as large a sector of the public as possible to believe in their theories.
The other is people who want a socialist and highly regulated market anyways, and, having run out of public concern for poverty, race relations, etc. as reasons to get there, see ADGW as the next cause celebre to push easliy frightened voters to support said endpoint (see Al Gore).
Posted by: no mo uro ||
09/20/2006 6:00 Comments ||
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When Gray started objecting to global wariming when Bill and Al were in office, his federal funds suddenly dried up.
I thought only Bush was bad for science.
Posted by: Bobby ||
09/20/2006 6:21 Comments ||
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#3
I've yet to see a single one of the "Anthropogenic Dangerous Global Warming" (ADGW) evangelists actually deal with the proven fact that there have been warmer climates than we are experiencing now more than once in human history - at times before there was any consumption of fossil fuels.
The typical response is like LH's: "This time, it's different!" Which, frankly, is just magical thinking.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
09/20/2006 7:17 Comments ||
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#4
Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle and Michael Flynn wrote a book called Fallen Angels, where the Greens have taken over the US and institute all sorts of insane anti-global warming policies while glaciers have overrun Canada and are invading the US. Not a serious science heavy SF book, it's still an entertaining read about what life under the greenies might be like.
#9
Yes the Baen Free Library demonstrates the TRUE EVIL of capitalism, they give you free books, which leads to you buying books and supporting their company.
Thai military and police declared on late Tuesday that they have seized power of the state from the caretaker government and that caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has agreed to resign.
"Neener neener. That is all."
Armed forces entered TV and radio stations in Bangkok around 10: 00 p.m. Tuesday. About half an hour later a statement were broadcast to the country, declaring the success of coup and asking for people's cooperation. Tanks and armed forces occupied the Government House in Bangkok and blocked the paths to the complex. The military said the coup, jointly launched by Commanders of the Army, Air, and Navy as well as the Chief of Police, was staged to topple Thaksin, who was at the moment in New York to attend UN general assembly.
The military said the coup was undertaken without violent confrontation and blooding. Thaksin issued a speech from the U.S. by state-controlled TV channel 9 a little ahead of the military victory statement, declaring an emergency state over Bangkok. But the speech was cut off after airing for about 13 minutes, as Thai military took hold of the channels.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/20/2006 00:00 ||
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UNITED NATIONS Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra first moved up his General Assembly speech to Tuesday, then canceled it altogether as he found himself suddenly faced with a military coup at home.
Does anybody listen to what deposed prime ministers have to say?
Wherever he goes next, he'll be flying economy class.
The beleaguered leader, who had been due to speak on Wednesday, switched places with Montenegro on the speaker's list to allow him to speak Tuesday evening instead due to the developing events in Thailand. But just three hours before he was expected to address the 192-nation world body, U.N. deputy spokeswoman Marie Okabe announced that "Thailand is no longer on the General Assembly speaker's list this evening." She gave no explanation for the cancellation.
Oh, come on. I'll bet there's nobody there who can't guess why...
Tanks and armored units of the Thai military have blocked the area around Thaksin's offices in Bangkok, and he declared a state of emergency via a government-owned TV station. Thaksin was believed to be holed up at a hotel in Manhattan, just a few blocks from the U.N. headquarters.
That's approximately 11400 miles, give or take ten miles or so.
Hmmm, stuck in a posh Manhattan hotel or in the middle of a coup; decision, decisions ...
A foreign ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said Thaksin still tentatively planned to fly back to Thailand later Tuesday. The official said he could not comment on questions about the possibility of Thaksin being arrested if he returned. Asked if there was a possibility the Thai ambassador could replace Thaksin at the podium sometime during the eight-day General Assembly ministerial meeting, the official said, "We don't know what arrangements will be made. Everything is up in the air."
Posted by: Fred ||
09/20/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
I heard a rumor that the $1.9 BILLION (tax-free) that he pocketed from the sale of Shin telecom is still banked in Thailand. I suspect he'll have a real hard time accessing cash from a Manhattan hotel room! And I doubt he'll be very welcome back in Bangkok.... His best option right now is probably to start sucking up to Chavez, big time.
#2
The 1.9 billion tax free was perfectly legal, the Thai SEC investigated and said so. The controversy is really about selling to foreigners (Singapore in this case).
FWIW I think this coup against a duly elected head of government is going to end badly.
#3
Naw, the military coup is a staple of Thai politics. They've been overdue for one... and your average Thai on the street hates Thaksin (as you say, for selling to foreigners). The army chiefs apparently have the backing of the King, and that's all the legitimacy anyone needs in Thailand. It's fait accompli.
#6
Phil, that was 2005. Have you talked to any Thais on the street lately? I have.
And by the way, Gen. Sondhi may be a Muslim, but he's no Islamist. He's got a record of being pretty heavy-handed in cracking down on the southern insurgents. He might actaully be a genuine moderate Muslim -- Thai first, Muslim second.
#7
Coincidentally, I was in Thailand last week. Didn't come across any seething resentment of Thaksin. I know the urban elites don't like him, but they never did.
#8
Ah well, when I was there two months ago I got an earful from a taxi driver and several street vendors (and I didn't bring up the subject). Khun put Thai mai?
#12
I heard a rumor that the $1.9 BILLION (tax-free) that he pocketed from the sale of Shin telecom is still banked in Thailand. I suspect he'll have a real hard time accessing cash from a Manhattan hotel room! And I doubt he'll be very welcome back in Bangkok.... His best option right now is probably to start sucking up to Chavez, big time.
In that case he might be better off going back to Thailand and throwing himself on the mercy of the court.
#15
From the Times: General Sondhi Boonyaratglin, is a broadminded Muslim who has favoured a policy of engagement with insurgents and become a hero of liberal Thais.
Otherwise, I agree with Zhang in the other thread. This is a anti-democratic, anti-modernizing coup that politicizes the monarchy.
SACRAMENTO Californias attorney general on Wednesday sued the six largest U.S. and Japanese automakers, including GM, Ford and Toyota, for damages related to greenhouse gas emissions.
The federal lawsuit alleges that emissions from their vehicles have harmed Californians health, damaged the environment and cost the state millions of dollars to combat their effects.
Its part of a strategy to address global warming, Attorney General Bill Lockyer told
the Associated Press in a telephone interview. The goal of this one is to hold these automobile manufacturers accountable for the monies taxpayers are
spending to address these harms.
The lawsuit is the latest effort from California to combat the effects of global warming.
Last month, the state Legislature passed a landmark bill designed to regulate emissions of greenhouse gases from industries. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to sign the measure into law by the end of the month.
Two years ago, the state enacted similar requirements for auto emissions, prompting carmakers to file suit in federal court.
Lockyers action comes 48 days before the November election. He is termed out of office this year and is running for state treasurer.
This is the silly season of elections in the fall, and obviously he thinks this will gain
him a few marginal votes, said Sean McAlinden, an economist with the nonprofit
Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich. I dont think it means anything more than it says. Its California politics.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Oakland, names Chrysler Motors Corp., General Motors, Ford Motor Co., Toyota Motor North America, Honda North America and Nissan North America.
Posted by: john ||
09/20/2006 16:16 ||
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The clear solution here is for the entire state to stop driving... RIGHT NOW!
And I think the automakers should band together and stop shipping new vehicles to dealers and ports in CA.
Posted by: Dar ||
09/20/2006 16:35 Comments ||
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Is that viable Dar? If so, sounds like a great idea - nothing like actions having consequences to make folks go 'oh dear'.
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
09/20/2006 16:42 Comments ||
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This is intended to generate positive press for the democrats for the fall elections.
#6
Ah, but when they tried the big tobacco thing against firearm manufacturers, it fizzled badly.
The legal industry has spent all the money they stole from the tobacco thing, and are throwing anything and everything they can against the wall to see what sticks to insure income security. This is just the latest - in six months it'll be something else.
Trouble is, the American public's caught on now. No more gravy train, lawyer-boy.
Posted by: no mo uro ||
09/20/2006 17:24 Comments ||
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#7
More realistically, the automakers should start charging a "California Global Warming" fee on all new vehicle sales within CA--say an extra 10% on dealer cost? That should get some legislators' attentions when their phones ring off the hook.
Posted by: Dar ||
09/20/2006 17:26 Comments ||
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#8
The "big 6" should retaliate by removing every automobile from their dealerships in California, and not shipping any more. Expand the deal to cover all parts and accessories as well. Put a total automobile boycott in effect in California. Tell ALL CALIFORNIANS the reason for doing this is to "prevent any further global warming" from taking place in California. I don't think it would take more than 30 days for the state to begin screaming. It's time for idiots like this to suffer for their stupidity. The rest of the state can suffer because they're not willing to do what's necessary to get rid of such idiots, and that includes the "compound" in Hollyweird and all the "undocumented workers" in San Diego, Los Angeles, the San Fernando valley, and elsewhere.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
09/20/2006 17:52 Comments ||
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#9
As a Californian I think Dar has it dialed in but call it a 20% carbon reduction fee. Hit these bastards where it hurts makle it a 50% fee on any sales to the State government.
I am hoping these assclowns come to their senses but they long ago legislated and lawyered me out of any meaninful living wage job. As I am not a recognised 'minority' by the socailists they expect me to just die off or go away. I can't afford too, so I am in no position to go away.
Lawyers are scumb and Bill Lockyer is a walking piece of canine fecal matter.
#13
More sheer & utter stooopidity from the communists masquerading as Dummocrats in the legislature.And RINO Schwartzie goes right along with the insanity. He actaully agreed to turn the LA school system over to the twerp Mexican commie mayor, who tried multiple times and still couldn't cheat his way through the law exam. Kaleforneeya is nearly a 3rd world joke, thanks to these clowns.
#14
he's running for State Treasurer now IIRC - he's just tryting to pump his name up. We all should do our best to make sure that his name is most associated with "lying self-promoting jerk"
c'mon and repeat it with me! It's catchy!
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/20/2006 19:31 Comments ||
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#15
Dar wins.
For those who don't know, California will be voting on Prop 87. Tax on oil production, with some BS about how the oil companies will not be able to pass-through the increases to gas consumers.
4 Billion tax, new bureaucracy, wash, rinse, repeat.
#16
So, only American and Japanese cars contribute to global warming? Volvos and Hyundais are "clean machines"?
Not a lawyer, but couldn't they get the suit chucked based on some kind of discrimination thingy because they aren't going after other automakers, and are just targeting US/Japanese (not all of the Japanese ones, either...Subaru isn't listed)?
#17
the validity (intellectually, scientifically, or legally) would barely be scrutinized before Lockyer filed it. The point is to get his name in the news before the election. It'll be dropped(costing taxpayers) after the election. He's a political hack and whore
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/20/2006 21:01 Comments ||
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Edited for brevity.
General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and four other automakers were sued by California for making vehicles that contribute to global warming, causing pollution and erosion that costs the state millions of dollars.
The lawsuit filed today in U.S. District Court in Oakland said General Motors, Ford, Toyota Motor Corp., DaimlerChrysler AG, Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co., the six largest automakers in the U.S., have created a ``public nuisance'' by making millions of vehicles that emit huge quantities of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.
The suit, which seeks damages related to pollution, beach erosion and reduced water supplies, is the latest action by California to push businesses and the federal government to address global warming. The legislature approved a measure last month to force utilities to cut emissions, and the state has sued the U.S. for failing to address the effects of global warming. Just when you think California can't get any loonier, they show you up with crap like this.
Posted by: Dar ||
09/20/2006 16:14 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
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#1
There will come a time when the cost of doing business in California exceeds the potential profit to be obtained from such business and companies will simply move on to more favorable climes. When that happens, there will be much seething in Sacramento about the obligations of the now departed businesses to serve the public and the attorney general will sue them for leaving. Atlas will shrug. It's embarrassing to admit that you live in California.
Text from H.R. 6089:
H.R. 6089 reaffirms the inherent authority of state and local law enforcement to voluntarily investigate, identify, apprehend, arrest, detain, and transfer to federal custody aliens in the U.S. in order to assist in the enforcement of the immigration laws.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 /U.S. Newswire/
Today, Rev. Luis Cortes warns Congress of the serious unintended consequences of increased state and local law enforcement authority to enforce federal immigration laws contained in H.R. 6089 on the House floor this Thursday: "Giving state and local law enforcement new authority to enforce federal immigration statutes would instantly transform the close, cooperative relationship community leaders, especially Hispanic clergy, have with local police into an adversarial one.
Roll film of Jack-Booted Brown-shirts kicking in a door.
"Police would no longer be there to protect us but to trap those members of our community who are undocumented. Hundreds of extremely successful community police programs depend on community volunteer participation. Together they make communities, families and children safer. All would shut down. projection: n 1: a prediction made by extrapolating from past observations.
"The vast majority of our community who support and appreciate local law enforcement But have nothing but contempt for Federal law enforcement.-- would be forced to keep them at arm's length, creating a distance between police and the community that will severely diminish the health and safety of the community. This would take place in some of our county's poorest communities where energy should be focused on strengthening, not severing, relations with local law enforcement.
Que up the sinister music and roll film of renegade mobs pillaging a peaceful community.
"A serious dark side would emerge as all undocumented instantly become targets, easy prey for the criminal who would take advantage of law enforcement's role in immigration enforcement to enhance their criminal enterprises.
"12 million people -- plus their 3 million children & their 40 million American citizen family members -- can no longer call the police. Violent criminals will have more rights than hard working members of communities whose only infraction was the misdemeanor offense of entering our country looking for work or to unite their family. Yep all 12 million or so all on the up and up everyone just a misdemeanor...nawwthing ta worry about.
"Drug dealers could prey on the undocumented demanding their property or to have their kids run drugs for them. Single undocumented mothers and their daughters -- and the men who seek to protect them -- become instant targets for unreported rape and abuse. The rapist will mockingly hand her the phone and dare her to call 911. Play the maniacal laughter soundtrack.
"State and local law enforcement agrees with us. On June 23, Philadelphia Chief of Police Sylvester Johnson -- joined by 56 Police Chiefs of Major Metropolitan Areas at a Major Chiefs Association press conference --said that his officers will not track down undocumented immigrants. In reality, Johnson and the other Chiefs main sticking points were the possibility of a Federal Un-funded mandate and lack of knowledge in enforcing immigration laws. But that doesnt really fit with this narrative now does it?
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/20/2006 20:06 Comments ||
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#2
"...whose only infraction was the misdemeanor offense of entering our country looking for work or to unite their family..."
Uh, no, the offense was coming to do it without the legally-required permission. Kinda like entering my house without permission. Hopefully someday both will get the same response.
#3
said that his officers will not track down undocumented immigrants.
No one is asking you to 'track down' these guys. It's just another totally dishonest spew like the one trying to make the issue immigration when in fact its about illegal immigration.
It means when you are responding to a call, emergeny or routine, and the people you see obviously are not legals, you pick them up for transfer to ICE, and if not that, report them to ICE for follow up.
Hey Chief, check how much of your manpower is already spent cleaning up the murders, assaults, rapes, etc and guarding those already taken into custody and think of all the expense that could otherwise be redirected into the community. It's the 'Broken Window' syndrome.
#5
So far the only true shocker is that, once again, US law enforcement proclaiming to have no authority to arrest or detain illegal aliens, not even to turn over to the Feds, or, in the alt, refusing to do so. SO methinks the middle solution here is for de fcato lawful Citizens and Residents to go on PRETENDING THE DE FACTO LAW IS BEING DE FACTO FOLLOWED BY LOCAL GOVT.(S)/AGENCIES WHILE STILL DE FACTO PAYING OUT DE FACTO PERSONAL TAX DOLLARS TO SUPPORT DE FACTO PERMANENT ILLEGALS WHOM GET TO DE FACTO UNILATERALLY DECIDE WHEN THEY DE FACTO WANT TO BECOME DE FACTO LAWFUL CITIZENS-RESIDENTS.
#1
Obviously the principal is a beneficiary of affirmative action and ethnic quotas, because he sure doesn't have the brains to be in the position by way of merit.
#3
We have stated in our mission statement that we are a campus that is a beacon of hope for a culturally diverse population, Williams said.
OK, I can see your problem. How 'bout cutting out all the multiculturalist PC bullsh*t, and changing the mission statement to read "A school where children are taught." 'Beacon of Hope?' Sheesh! It's a grade school. Get over yourself.
#4
"beacon of hope"? If that school were a beacon of hope, it would be teaching how wonderful the US is, how lucky the kids are to be here instead of someplace else (like Mexico) and asking the question regularly, "Why did your parents come here?"
The principle was upset the parent went public instead of coming to him with her concerns so he could tell her to get stuffed and that she was a racist.
Posted by: Richard Aubrey ||
09/20/2006 14:54 Comments ||
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#5
Proof positive that we, in the USA, are an overly tolerant people is the fact that the principal, Sam Williams, of Velasco Elementary School, Houston, Texas, is even alive to give an interview.
Posted by: Mark Z ||
09/20/2006 16:35 Comments ||
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#6
I would never kill anyone over such simplistic stupidity. Instead, I would revoke any employment agreement he may have, and ship his hairy little a$$ to Paraguay as an involuntary Peace Corps teacher. I'd make him teach first grade - in pig-latin - for $1 a day. Maybe he'd get the message, but it's highly doubtful.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
09/20/2006 17:55 Comments ||
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#7
We absolutely refuse to stand up and pledge allegiance to another countrys flag, she said...
I donno about that. I would stand up for a pledge to another country's flag.
In that country.
Posted by: Bobby ||
09/20/2006 18:02 Comments ||
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#8
fair nuff, Bobby
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/20/2006 18:39 Comments ||
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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.
Oscar-winning actor 
NASSAU, Bahamas -- More than a week after her son mysteriously died beside her hospital bed, Anna Nicole Smith remained out of sight in the Bahamas on Tuesday as officials said only that his death was not a suicide or homicide. 
Mexican authorities are investigating the slayings of six men whose bodies were found dumped around Tijuana yesterday. 
VIENNA - World powers said on Tuesday that making nuclear reactor fuel available through UN-controlled supply centers could keep nations from enriching uranium themselves and learning how to make atomic weapons, a main concern in the Iran crisis.
UNITED NATIONS Thailand's Prime Minister 
