Tunisia is closing down its embassy in Qatar and withdrawing diplomats to protest what it called bias by the Al-Jazeera television channel against the Tunis government, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. "Tunisia has decided to end its diplomatic representation in Qatar and shut down its embassy in Doha despite the warmth and respect it harbors toward the sister country Qatar," it said.
The move follows the transmission by Al-Jazeera of interviews with Tunisian dissident, Moncef Marzouki, calling for "civil resistance" against Tunisian President Zein al-Abidine Ben Ali. Al-Jazeera "ignores truth and objectivity every time it deals with current affairs in Tunisia ... apparently waging a hostile campaign aimed at harming Tunisia," the Foreign Ministry said.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/26/2006 00:00 ||
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Al-Jazeera "ignores truth and objectivity every time
A 7ft 2ins Pakistani woman is to live in Britain on benefits after claiming asylum because she is `too tall` to return home.
Zainab Bibi, 33, claims she faces constant persecution and ridicule in her own country over her height. She has lodged an asylum claim with the Home Office and has already been granted a two-year visa to remain in the UK. Miss Bibi, who in 2003 held the title of tallest woman in the world, plans to live off benefits and take advantage of free NHS healthcare.
Last night critics branded the immigration system a `laughing stock` and called for tougher restrictions on asylum applications. Philip Davies, Conservative MP for Shipley, said: "It shows what a soft touch people think we are. You couldn`t believe someone could think this was a good enough reason to stay. Anyone thinks they can get in. Will we start getting applications from people because they are too short, fat or thin? When the two years are up, even if she is refused asylum, I`d like to bet she`ll slip off the radar and remain here anyway."
Miss Bibi lodged her application for asylum claiming she was repeatedly attacked in her home town near Faisalabad, Pakistan. She said youths in her home town of Toba Tek Singh threw stones and rocks at her and often pulled at her clothing. Miss Bibi says one man hit her with a stick breaking her wrist and now she is too afraid to return to her home country for fear of further attacks.
The 7ft 2in woman has used her enormous height to earn money in the past making dozens of public appearances both in her own country and abroad. Earlier this year she was hired by American ice cream giant Baskin-Robbins to undertake special promotional work in Britain. She spent 15 days handing out ice creams on behalf of the company but claims she is unable to work full-time because she suffers from diabetes.
Which is why she promotes a sweet snack.
Miss Bibi said a major appeal of living in Britain is that she can receive free NHS treatment instead of paying for costing private care in Pakistan. After flying in from Pakistan, she clamed asylum in June and was given a council flat in Stockport, Greater Manchester, where she pays no rent or council tax and receives £40 a week in benefits. ... Miss Bibi`s case is likely to heard next year and until a final decision she is eligible to remain in the UK on her two-year visa.
(CP) - The federal government has announced plans to provide $30 million for a new Global Centre for Pluralism, to be built in the capital. Prime Minister Stephen Harper made the announcement Wednesday alongside the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world's Ismaili Muslims.
The new centre will open on the grounds of the former Canadian War Museum, not far from the prime minister's residence on Sussex Drive. "I think I can speak on behalf of the entire street in welcoming the new global centre to our neighbourhood," said Harper.
The prime minister described Canada as a fitting home for the new centre because of the country's success at bringing cultures together. "Generations of immigrants from all over the world have found peace and prosperity here," Harper said. "This is a country where people from every background have bonded together to create one of the world's most harmonious nations."
The Aga Khan Development Network says it chose Canada because it "epitomizes what can be achieved through a commitment to pluralism."
Posted by: Fred ||
10/26/2006 00:00 ||
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...I went to the old Canadian War Museum when I was 11 or 12, and I remember wondering why my history books never said anything about the bravery of the Canadian military. Is the museum still in existence at another location?
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
10/26/2006 7:21 Comments ||
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#2
The new War Museum is out on LeBreton Flats. I did not expect much when I visited and was seriously impressed once I got there.
When it comes to reporting on electronic voting, it is very difficult to find a good way to convey to the nontechnical public how well and truly messed up the current system is. So now it's time to hit the panic button: in this article, we're going to show you how to steal an election...
Yes, purely for informative purposes, wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more, eh? BTW, is your wife a 'goer?' eh?
#1
Several prob Lefty bloggers are warning that the GOP will try to manipulate = steal the Nov 7 Congressional elex from the Dems, and are calling for street demons [violence???]iff the Dems lose.
#2
heh. I'm liking the sound of all this fraud and stolen elections! Why? Because if the Dem's were really poised to win, then we'd hear no talk of it whatsoever.
#8
You actually had to go out and work to steal them in the old days. Gave one a sense of accomplishment...
Posted by: James Michael Curley ||
10/26/2006 10:06 Comments ||
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#9
This will be good for the poor little DhimmiDonks, of course, given the insensitive trend toward actually identifying voters as, y'know, citizens 'n stuff. Proves the Pubbies are all Nazis. So they'll go straight to the "counting room" to regain their "rights". The Robin Williams fluff piece, Man of the Year, is all over this.
#10
This paranoia has been brewing for several years. The Donks have whipped themselves into a frenzy over the election next month and have declared themselves the winner by polls. Now if come November 8th they do not capture the House and Senate they will litigate wherever possible. Can you rig a machine to count votes in a funny manner? Yes indeed you can. You can also send in a bunch of absentee voter forms, register at several precincts, or swap real paper ballots with some pre-voted ones before they go to the official count. We have had several election with the touch screen and electronic voting machines and to date nobody has proven any miscounts or shenanigans. This is all hyperbole so they might gain tractions after they lose, but how many times can they cry wolf before people stop listening?
#11
The real practitioners of voter fraud are the Dems - the documented cases of it in Wisconsin, Chicago and other places is overwhelmingly Democrat.
As a current example, look at ACORN in Missouri (St Louis and KC), under investigation by federal and state officials. Look at the convictions for voter fraud there - 5 Democrat politicians and operatives are in jail for fraud.
And now look at how "lefty" the young (ignorant) radical tech community is.
Yes there is a possibility of Voter Fraud - but the big threat of it is FROM THE LEFT!
#12
But Oldspook... these guys taught themselves Perl in 31 days, doesn't that mean they're smarter than the rest of us peons, and have a natural right to rule?
#15
There was a spate of new voters in Cleveland a couple years back, too. Good to see M. Mouse and Mr. Jive Turkey get on the voting rolls, ya know?
(source)
Vice Premier Shimon Peres spoke about his expected run for the presidency in a meeting with the Meretz faction on Wednesday and hinted that he would not run unless the vote would be held openly and not by secret ballot.
Peres told the faction that he did not want to see a repeat of the 2000 presidential election when at least four Labor MKs voted against him. A bill that would end the practice of electing the president by secret ballot was expected to reach the committee on legislation next week.
Peres told the faction that he did not want to see a repeat of the 2000 presidential election when at least four Labor MKs voted against him. A bill that would end the practice of electing the president by secret ballot was expected to reach the ministerial committee on legislation next week.
The bill was sponsored by MKs Yoel Hasson (Kadima) and Yoram Marciano (Labor), who is a former Peres adviser. Peres's rivals alleged on Wednesday that the idea to change the system for electing the president was born two weeks ago at a birthday party for Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik that Peres attended. But Peres said he was not told about the bill and Hasson said he thought of the bill himself and he did not attend the party. "The Knesset speaker has to ask impartial but instead she is acting as Peres's campaign manager," said a source close to the front-running candidate, Likud MK Reuven Rivlin.
Likud officials said that Jewish National Fund President Ronald Lauder asked Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu to back the bill and help Peres's chances of getting elected but Netanyahu declined. Sources close to Peres said he did not meet with Lauder when he was in Israel this week and that the two men only spoke about the overlapping work of JNF and Peres's Negev and Galilee Development Ministry.
Israel Beiteinu decided on Wednesday to vote against the bill, giving it little chance of passing. Peres had been set to meet with Shas leader Eli Yishai on matters related to their ministries on Wednesday but Peres delayed the meeting, because he did not want it to be given political connotations.
Peres did meet on Wednesday with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert but spokesmen for both men would not elaborate on whether the presidential race was discussed. Peres and Meretz MKs vehemently denied a Channel 2 report that during Peres's meeting with the Meretz faction he said that as president he would pardon Palestinian prisoners.
The vice premier said he was not concerned about the upcoming release of a comptroller's report on illegal fundraising in last year's Labor leadership race.
The vice premier said he was not concerned about the upcoming release of a comptroller's report on illegal fundraising in last year's Labor leadership race. Peres, who was defeated in the primary by Amir Peretz, reported contributions of $320,000 from three foreign businessmen, Haim Saban, S. Daniel Abraham and Bruce Rappaport.
A source close to Peres said that all his fundraising was legal and that he sent proof of such to the comptroller. Officials in the comptroller's office have hinted to Peres that he will not be accused of illegal fundraising.
The State Comptroller examined the amount of money each Labor candidate received for the primaries for the slate of Knesset candidates in Labor and the Likud, and in the Labor race for party chairman. According to reports, Matan Vilani also allegedly broke the funding law by receiving close to NIS 350,000 in contributions. The law permits NIS 9,118 from an individual contributor, and the head of a party can raise NIS 36,472 from an individual.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/26/2006 00:00 ||
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Peres is a self-serving bumbler -- an Israeli Jimmy Carter.
That said, I think all secret ballots should be done away with. Want to eliminate vote fraud? Put all the votes on the net.
October 26, 2006: The U.S. Air Force wanted to retire its 33 U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, and replace them with UAVs like Global Hawk. But Congress refused to allow it, partly for political reasons (jobs would be lost, which is always a live political issue), and some in Congress (and the air force) did not believe that Global Hawk was ready to completely replace the U-2.
Ever resourceful, the air force has decided to make the most of it by turning the U-2s into UAVs. This is not cutting edge technology, the air force has been turning warplanes into UAVs for over half a century, mainly for use as target aircraft (usually for missile tests, which require very realistic targets if you want to be really sure the missile works.) Replacing the U-2 pilot with software and automated controls also solves several other problems. Since the U-2 only carries a single pilot, the aircraft cannot safely stay in the air as long as it could, because the pilot would be come too fatigued. Currently, the max endurance for a U-2 is twelve hours. But without a pilot, and all the gear required by a pilot, you could carry more fuel, and keep a U-2 UAV in the air for up to 18 hours. Moreover, the U-2 can fly higher than the Global Hawk, and carry more sensors. So, in theory, a U-2 UAV is superior to Global Hawk.
The key unanswered question is how much will it cost to develop the software for flying the U-2 remotely, and how long will it take. That issue will be clarified in the next year, along with cost comparisons between a U-2 UAV and new Global Hawks.
#1
I remember when the Global Hawk was announced and I dont remember too many pilots cheering. That being said the pilot is useless for most of the flight because the sensors, cameras, and guidance are controlled by a computer. The U-2 does carry more bells and whistles than the Global Hawk and having that long loiter time would be a definite plus.
#2
As long as the USAF didn't apply their (typical) gold plating to the system requirements, this could actually be done fairly quickly, since the basic airframe and flight control systems haven't changed since the mid -50's (gawd, has that airplane been around THAT long?). a simple computer and servos integrated into the control system should do it. The big ?? is that I would fully expect the AF TO apply their magic 'gotta-have'all-the-latest-toys" wand and then when the cost estimates explode use that to justify killing off the U-2 and go after the GH.
#4
USN, you take out that pilot and all the associated gear and you have a lot of wight, space, and power for the "Gold Plated" toys the Air Force likes. I am all for a laser designator which would make the platform very valuble.
#5
Wierdest and most interesting holiday party I've ever attended:
1/2 the people there had PhDs in esoteric techical and scientific disciplines, some of them had multiple such degrees
the other 1/2 were past or present U2 pilots
Got REALLY interesting when the punch bowl was nearly empty. Friendly challenges, what-ifs and some things drawn/calculated on napkins late into the evening.
#6
CS: I am not thinking about weapons, but rather a tried and true design for the pilot replacement systems (flight controls / navigation),and not a complete wheel reinvention. Logic says the airframe is old and will not last forever, so there is no reason to go with 'notinvnetedyet' stuff if the goal is weapon systems improvement now. incremental improvement after the UAV-ed U2 is operational is always an option. I have no problem with stuffing better weapons into the old girl, and a laser designator would be a good choice, especially since that a/c can loiter wa-a-ay up there.
U-2 trivia: the CIA tried to make the bird carrier capable, 6 a/c were fitted w/ folding wingtips and a hook, but the deck handling restrictions as well as the very narrow flight envelope when recovering doomed the idea.
#8
Anything that keeps one of my alltime favorite birds in the sky is just fine by me. They should still keep several in pilot control mode for those special missions that require human judgement.
#10
Zenster, I used to work in that program (non pilot) and I live bout 10 miles from Beale AFB where they are based. I still get a chill watching and listening to them launch. Very distingtive sound and they look almost majestic as they climb out of sight.
#11
The first house I lived in here in San jose was on the approach for Moffett Naval Air Station. I never got tired of watching one of those graceful machines glide in for a landing.
So, Cyber Sarge, are you still in California? I'm thinking it's about time to set up a West Coast Rantburg get together.
#3
If in this reincarnation Rambo's not killin' the muzzies that are killin' the Christians and Buddhists in southern Thailand, then I'm not watching the movie.
Posted by: Mark Z ||
10/26/2006 15:01 Comments ||
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I notice they're filming in the North, not the South
As the song goes, meet the new boss...
OTTAWA (AFP) - The United States committed a "huge error" in choosing to build a wall between itself and its southern neighbor, Mexico's president-elect Felipe Calderon said during a state visit to Canada, comparing it with the Berlin Wall. Yeah. But if we don't build it, Felipe, aren't you afraid you'll be invaded by millions of illegal Americans looking to take all those Mexican jobs.
"The wall will not solve any problem. Humanity made a huge mistake by building the Berlin Wall, and I believe that today the United States is committing a grave error in building the wall on our border," he said. Well let's build it and find out...
US President George W. Bush on Thursday signed into law a bill authorizing construction of a 1,100-kilometer (700-mile) fence along a third of the US border with Mexico.
Some 1.2 billion dollars in funding were earmarked for the fence, in a bid to stanch the steady flow of illegal immigrants into the United States.
Calderon said the fence would be expensive to US taxpayers and lead to more Mexican deaths. Some 400 Mexicans died trying to cross the border last year, he noted. Yeah, it'll be expensive. What was his other complaint?
Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he accepts US concerns about a safe and secure border, but added: "We obviously caution against things that can cause unnecessary barriers, not just to trade, but to the ordinary exchange of tourism and social relationships between our countries." They ain't "tourists" Mr. Prime Minister. And you know it.
#3
without the illegals sending back wages, Mexico might have to actually do something for their people, other than publishing guides to illegally crossing safely into the US
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/26/2006 17:11 Comments ||
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#4
He's right. Building the wall IS a huge error. We should instead be shooting illegals on sight and levying long jail sentences and confiscatory fines against those traitors in this country who hire them. We could make that solution work for a hell of a let less than 1.2 billion because it wouldn't take many dead illegals and jailed CEOs before both groups got the message big time and shaped up.
Posted by: mac ||
10/26/2006 17:19 Comments ||
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#5
"Humanity" didn't build the Berlin Wall, the Soviet Bloc did to save them the embarrassment of all the citizens desperate to escape the socialist "paradise." That Calderon doesn't even have the decency to be embarrassed about how many of his citizens want to escape to find a decent life says a lot. Maybe he thinks of them as colonists.
And what about the fence they're proposing on their own southern border?
Posted by: just sayin ||
10/26/2006 18:31 Comments ||
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#6
Betcha that Felipe Calderon has a door on his house with a lock on it, inside a parameter fence, with privite security...
#11
We need a fence and we need a generous guest-worker program that allows employers, particularly in the agricultural sector, to bring in people for seasonal labor.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on Thursday both private investors and central bank were shifting away from the U.S. dollar and toward the euro.
"We're beginning to see some move from the dollar to the euro, both from the private sector ... but also from monetary authorities and central banks," Greenspan told a conference sponsored by the Commercial Finance Association.
Posted by: Steve White ||
10/26/2006 15:08 ||
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Of course, it doesn't mention what will happen if the EU falls apart, and everyone has to revert to their national currency. (That nearly happened when Berlusconi threatened to take Italy out of the Euro)
Al
Posted by: frozen al ||
10/26/2006 15:52 Comments ||
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#2
"Bad money pushes out good."
You want to spend your bad currency as fast as possible, while hoarding the good currency.
#4
Normally I wouldn't want to disagree with Greenspan, but I'm more sympathetic to this.
Conclusion:
"To make matters worse, Italy will be tightening its budget at the same time as Germany implements the biggest tax increases in its modern history also in deference to the Maastricht Treaty, if not under quite such direct compulsion from the EU. These simultaneous fiscal blunders in Italy, Germany and Eastern Europe will almost mean another lost year for the euro zone, with economic performance falling far behind America, Britain and Japan. But the long-term consequences could be more far-reaching.
At some point the people of Europe will realise that there is something rotten in a political system that leaves them forever in the world economys slow lane and which cannot be changed by any democratic process, regardless of how people vote."
#6
"To make matters worse, Italy will be tightening its budget at the same time as Germany implements the biggest tax increases in its modern history also in deference to the Maastricht Treaty, if not under quite such direct compulsion from the EU. These simultaneous fiscal blunders in Italy, Germany and Eastern Europe will almost mean another lost year for the euro zone, with economic performance falling far behind America, Britain and Japan."
The EUros are phucking NUTS.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
10/26/2006 20:53 Comments ||
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ORACLE is taking aim at Linux distributor Red Hat with an offer to provide half-price technical support to Red Hat Linux users. Speaking at the company's annual user conference in San Francisco, Oracle ,
The goal is to enhance and speed the adoption of Linux. Our support costs less than half what Red Hat charges.
chairman and chief executive Larry Ellison said the company was seeking to solve key problems that have held back the development of Linux among big corporate customers. "As of this moment, Oracle is announcing full support for Red Hat Linux," Mr Ellison told thousands of attendees at the company's annual OracleWorld conference. "The goal is to enhance and speed the adoption of Linux. Our support costs less than half what Red Hat charges," he said.
Linux is the most popular variant of open source software, which allows developers to share code in order to focus on creating new features themselves. Software like Linux allows customers to use programs for free, paying only for custom features, maintenance and technical support.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/26/2006 00:00 ||
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I think rather than hosing RedHat, Oracle wants to go up against IBM, the other Linux supporter, especially in database areas, such as IBM's DB2 product line.
#3
Guam's government tried since Year 2000, and before, to get its new ORACLE systems up-and-running - alas, to no avail. ORACLE > "IT"-THAT-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED.
#5
I think rather than hosing RedHat, Oracle wants to go up against IBM, the other Linux supporter, especially in database areas, such as IBM's DB2 product line.
I hope they succeed. Nothing sucks like DB2.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
10/26/2006 5:14 Comments ||
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#6
Haven't been doing db2, so will take your word for it. But oracle is no miracle either.
#8
Ellison has a long history of buying into business lines / products / application areas and then shifting out of them quickly a few years later.
However, he is indeed hurting a bit since IBM is making significant advances in new areas -- personalized information agents, vector machines, various areas of intelligent software to name a few. These will transform the database application scene over the next 5-7 years and Oracle has nothing to offer in response. So Ellison is trying to sop up the existing Linux intergration business while he can.
Posted by: Captain America ||
10/26/2006 12:52 Comments ||
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#11
Truth is that Redhat cvahrges about $800 per year per machine for the lowest level of license.
And thats expensicve when you thnk about the life of the machine, and the fact tht most low-end servers run in the $2000 range.
Oracle manages to put together a Linux distro that supports their database and cuts in half the licensing/support costs (which is the biggest chunk of expense inthe lifespan of a system)? I say Hurrah - and thanks for saving US taxpayers the money!
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.
Tunisia is closing down its embassy in Qatar and withdrawing diplomats to protest what it called bias by the Al-Jazeera television channel against the Tunis government, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. "Tunisia has decided to end its diplomatic representation in Qatar and shut down its embassy in Doha despite the warmth and respect it harbors toward the sister country Qatar," it said.
(CP) - The federal government has announced plans to provide $30 million for a new Global Centre for Pluralism, to be built in the capital. Prime Minister Stephen Harper made the announcement Wednesday alongside the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world's Ismaili Muslims.
Vice Premier Shimon Peres spoke about his expected run for the presidency in a meeting with the Meretz faction on Wednesday and hinted that he would not run unless the vote would be held openly and not by secret ballot. 
October 26, 2006: The U.S. Air Force wanted to retire its 33 U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, and replace them with UAVs like Global Hawk. But Congress refused to allow it, partly for political reasons (jobs would be lost, which is always a live political issue), and some in Congress (and the air force) did not believe that Global Hawk was ready to completely replace the U-2. 
