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Baby Face Khadr pleads guilty to all charges
Today's Headlines
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-Short Attention Span Theater-
Charlie Sheen living his TV show
Charlie Sheen has been hospitalized voluntarily for intoxication and psychological evaluation after police found him drunk and naked in a trashed midtown hotel suite, sources told 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria.
Gee, what makes this news?
Back in the day they'd just charge the repairs to his credit card and quietly clean up the mess. Not that I do such things, but nonetheless I don't think I'll be staying at an establishment that guards its guests' privacy so poorly.
Sheen's representative says the actor was taken to a hospital after an allergic reaction to medication.
"Medication" covers such a wide field
The spokesman, Stan Rosenfield, said Sheen is expected to be released Wednesday.

Security at the Plaza Hotel on Fifth Avenue called 911 around 2 a.m. where they found the actor who appeared highly intoxicated, sources said.
"Security, he's at it again."
At least $7,000 in damages to the hotel room was recorded, sources said. Tables and chairs had apparently been thrown around the room and a chandelier was also damaged.

Sheen was accompanied to New York Presbyterian Hospital by his ex-wife, Denise Richards, according to reports. Sheen was reportedly in New York on a family vacation.
It's a complicated relationship...
Sources say an unidentified woman in the room claimed Sheen, 45, was acting irrationally and throwing furniture. Sheen reportedly told police he had been "out partying" and flew into a rage when noticed his wallet was missing after returning to his room.

Life & Style magazine reports the woman in Sheen's hotel room was an escort.
That's what her business cards say.
The magazine reports she was found naked and screaming inside a closet.
That normally costs extra
The Plaza Hotel is not filing any charges. Sheen was not arrested.

It was the latest in a series of troubles for Sheen, the star of CBS' "Two and a Half Men," who has had problems with alcohol and drugs in the past.
Posted by: Steve || 10/26/2010 12:33 || Comments || Link || [9 views] Top|| File under:

#1  What do you expect? He's the son of a nut job. Like Mel Gibson but in a different way.
Posted by: penguin || 10/26/2010 16:46 Comments || Top||

#2  There's got to be a Hanes underwear joke in here somewhere....
Posted by: CrazyFool || 10/26/2010 18:09 Comments || Top||

#3  Oh hell, haven't we all wanted to throw furniture in an expensive hotel room? Seriously. Also yes, grapefruits should be involved.
Posted by: Zombie Hillary Lover || 10/26/2010 19:58 Comments || Top||

#4  He's a method actor.
Posted by: Skidmark || 10/26/2010 23:16 Comments || Top||


-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-
Tsunami alert after quake
[Straits Times] A MAJOR 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia's coast on Monday, seismologists said, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami watch notice. The quake hit Indonesia's Kepulauan Mentawai Region at 9:42 pm (14:42 GMT, 10:42 pm Singapore time) at a shallow depth of 14.2 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said, revising an earlier report.

The area is 245 kilometres west of Bengkulu on Sumatra island and 281 kilometres south of Padang - an area popular with tourists.

The earthquake prompted the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre to issue a statement saying there is a risk of a localised tsumani, although it added that 'a destructive, widespread tsunami threat does not exist' based on historical earthquake data.
Reports coming say 108 dead, hundreds missing.
There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
Posted by: Fred || 10/26/2010 00:00 || Comments || Link || [8 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Allah will provide
Posted by: Frank G || 10/26/2010 15:32 Comments || Top||


Pakistan confirms 99 cases of cholera: WHO
[Dawn] The World Health Organization says Pakistan has confirmed 99 cases of cholera from across flood-affected areas.

The UN health agency says the cases cover the period from the start of the floods in late July to the end of September.

WHO says it was alerted by Pakistan on Oct. 12. It didn't immediately explain the delay in publishing the event.

Geneva-based WHO also said Monday that Pakistan has reported 26 cases, including 3 deaths of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.

It says there also have been more than 1,500 laboratory-confirmed cases of dengue fever, including 15 deaths.

WHO says the floods likely contributed to a rise in cases of these diseases. The agency's top official is due to visit Pakistan for three days starting Tuesday.
Posted by: Fred || 10/26/2010 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Africa Subsaharan
Hell hath no fury like Mugabe scorned
Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwean president, is "ready to go to war" to silence allegations that his wife Grace cheated on him.

Sources close to the 86-year-old president say he is livid about the claims that Mrs Mugabe, who is 41 years his junior, had a five-year affair with Gideon Gono, one of his closest friends and the head of Zimbabwe's Reserve Bank.

Mr Mugabe is due to convene an emergency meeting with senior aides and Dr Gono Wednesday and could take legal action to silence the rumours.

The president's spokesman denied suggestions that Dr Gono had gone into hiding amid fears that his life might be in danger.

Mrs Mugabe is said to be "extremely upset" and has left Zimbabwe to stay at the family's 4 million pound ($6.48 million Cdn) home in Hong Kong, where their daughter Bona attends university.

She and Dr Gono, who is married, were alleged to have met up to three times a month at her farm, friends' houses or at hotels in South Africa and Malaysia, and to have intended to set up home together after Mr Mugabe died.

Mr Mugabe was said to have been "devastated" when he learned of the allegations from his sister Sabina, shortly before she died three months ago.

Peter Pamire, a man previously alleged to have had an affair with Mrs Mugabe, died in mysterious circumstances. James Makamba, a businessman, fled to Britain apparently fearing the same fate.

Mr and Mrs Mugabe married in 1996. She was a typist in the president's office and the couple began their affair when he was still married to his terminally ill wife Sally.

Dr Gono could not be reached for comment yesterday, although staff in his office insisted he had turned up for work "as normal".

A source said to be close to the Mugabes and Dr Gono told the website New Zimbabwe that they were planning a joint fightback.

"There is a major meeting planned for Wednesday which will be attended by lawyers and advisers to the president and Gono," she said.

Another source said: "Dr Gono is a very trusted individual who had been allowed more than any other person access to the family.

"Gideon Gono needs to get this sorted and needs to clear this very fast to restore the trust of the president."


Posted by: tipper || 10/26/2010 17:48 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  cuckolded before he could die. A fitting obit
Posted by: Frank G || 10/26/2010 20:12 Comments || Top||


Arabia
Lawyer wants jinn to testify in court
And you wondered why it's called the Magic Kingdom.
A Saudi defence lawyer has asked court to summon a jinn (genie) claimed to have possessed a judge who has been arrested on corruption charges, the Saudi Arabic language daily Okaz reported on Saturday.

The lawyer, Salim bin Atteyya, told court that the jinn must be present in court to testify in the case of the corrupt judge in Madina, Islam's second holiest shrine after Makkah, the newspaper said.

"The case of the corrupt judge in Madina has taken a new turn and witnessed new developments as the lawyer of an absent defendant has asked court to summon the jinn to testify," the paper said.

"If what the accused judge said about the jinn, then this jinn could be bad and blasphemous...this jinn could have been sent by a bad sorcerer because witchcraft is bad and non-Islamic."
But clearly real. And magic.
Okaz quoted the lawyer as saying he had made that demand on the grounds any sentence must not be based on "jinn's allegations", presented by an exorcist.
Or perhaps not real. Merely a very clever lawyer proving a negative.
"This Raqi ( Koran reciter and exorcist) has not presented any real evidence that the accused judge has been possessed by jinn," the lawyer said.

In a report on the case early this week, Okaz said the accused judge told court he was under a magic spell by jinn when he was involved in such practices.

The paper said the court summoned Fayez Al-Kathami, a well-known cleric and Raqi who is believed to have the powers of speaking to jinn.

It said the court summoned Kathami after the arrested judge said he was possessed by jinn through another defendant, who is a sorcerer.

Kathami told the judge later that he managed to "question" the jinn that had possessed the judge and would present a report to the court. "The judge also asked me to question the jinn about all the offences committed by the accused judge and other defendant who is at large," Kathami said.

"The jinn told me all I want through the accused judge...I have written all what the jinn said about the judge's life and the other defendant....I will write a full report and present it to the court, proving this judge has been under a spell."

According to Okaz, the corrupt judge had told investigators that the other defendant had "taken control of his thoughts and made him rule on cases without being conscious of committing any illegal act."
Posted by: tipper || 10/26/2010 15:32 || Comments || Link || [8 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Story line would make a good plot for the next Disney Alladin movie.
Posted by: penguin || 10/26/2010 16:04 Comments || Top||

#2  Aladdin and the Princess Jasmine in Divorce Court

Someone, somewhere, is finally tired of her sh*t.
Posted by: CrazyFool || 10/26/2010 17:10 Comments || Top||

#3  And to think that they actually live on the same planet as the rest of us. Words fail.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike || 10/26/2010 18:33 Comments || Top||

#4  This is going to take a very, very good server. One with a lift or at least climbing shoes because there is good reason to think this may be a Tree Jinn.
Posted by: Zombie Hillary Lover || 10/26/2010 20:01 Comments || Top||

#5  "And to think that they actually live on the same planet as the rest of us."

Are you sure about that, Mike?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut || 10/26/2010 20:03 Comments || Top||


China-Japan-Koreas
India, Japan to expand strategic relations
Posted by: john frum || 10/26/2010 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  ION TOPIX/WORLD NEWS > JAPAN PROTESTS CHINESE [fisheries] PATROL BOATS NEAR DISPUTED ISLANDS.

You know where.

* TOPIX > JAPAN PERCEIVES THREAT FROM CHINA, NORTH KOREA.

ARTIC = SECURITY SITUATION AROUND JAPAN [ North/NE Asia] IS WORSENING, via China + CPLAN, or else DPRK dev of LR Missles, desire for NucWeapons.

* BHARAT RAKSHAK > [India]FLURRY OF WARGAMES TO BOLSTER [Indian-US-Allied] MILITARY DIPLOMACY.

When Milyuhns + Zilyuhns, + more likley to occur, of INDO-US-ALLIED JOINT MIL WAR GAMES IS DESIRED AGZ RISING CHINA - also good for dev the Service-specific profesionalism + technical competence to ensure that IAF MIG Pilots stop crashing their planes to becom Chinese PLAAF Aces.

* EURASIANET > RUSSIA FACING A DEMOGRAPHIC TIME BOMB. Russia suffers too-high Mortality Rates for a Developed Country, espec from HEART DISEASE + DEATH-BY-INJURY [all causes], besides not having sex = making Babies.

POSTERS > D *** NG IT, ITS A LIE - RUSSIANS [Women] LIKE HAVING SEX, JUST NOT WID OTHER [econ poor = Male]RUSSIANS???

* SAME > COMMENTARY: CAN RUSSIA EMBRACE A NEW MODEL FOR CENTARL ASIA [Russia fears the spread of pro-democratic "Parliamentarism" in the former Soviet SSRS = -Stans].

OOOOOOOO, YOU JUST KNOW THE EX-CREW OF CAPT. JACK SPARROW IN "PIRATES" WILL WANT TO HANG HIM FOR TRYING TO "PARLAY"!

* TOPIX/PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > ARMENIA'S IRREDENTIST PLAN FOR GEORGIA | ARMENIA, RUSSIA MUST HAVE A COMMON BORDER, in troubled South Caucasus + at the expence of sovereign Georgia as both States desire unfettered access to the BLACK SEA.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 10/26/2010 1:50 Comments || Top||

#2  OOOOPSIES, forgot TOPIX > BURMA'S NUCLEAR ADVENTURE - THE REAL THREAT.

ARTIC > BURMA'S = MYANMAR's BUDDING NUCPROGS may induce it to liberalize + modernize, + be successful Modern State.

versus

THE DESIRES, AMBITIONS [now includ Nuclear] OF DESPOTIC STRONGMEN + DESPOTIC OR "ROGUE" GOVTS-STATES are historicially difficult to contain or deter.

IOW, NO "REGIME-CHANGE" OR DEMOCRATIZATION IN MYANMAR/BURMA = MYANMAR MAY DEVOL INTO ANOTHER NORTH KOREA OR OTHER "NUCLEAR ROGUE".
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 10/26/2010 1:59 Comments || Top||

#3  About Burma - aren't they just wasting the time away with the Noble Peace Prize winner stuck in house detention? Unlike China and NKOR, the Karen, and KNA are an existing, ready made internal liberation force. Sure, civil war is horrid, nasty, brutish, etc..., but if any country is ripe for it, isn't Burma?
Posted by: Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division || 10/26/2010 11:30 Comments || Top||

#4  Chandra Bose smiles from the grave...perhaps Imphal defeat only a bump in the eons long historical road.
Posted by: borgboy || 10/26/2010 19:44 Comments || Top||

#5  Chandra Bose the Indian National Army guy? I suspect (know) I'm missing something here.
Posted by: Zombie Hillary Lover || 10/26/2010 20:04 Comments || Top||

#6  A close alliance between India and Japan makes sense. India has a huge emerging market and Japan has long supply lines to get oil to their shores (and America may not always be there). Also Japan makes some good military stuff and India is probably buying these days.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 10/26/2010 20:14 Comments || Top||


Down Under
Nine Australians Missing in Tsunami
Thanks, Oztralian. Let us know when they're found
Posted by: Oztralian || 10/26/2010 03:44 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Apparently they were found alive about 4 hours ago.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 10/26/2010 15:12 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Politix
Court overturns Arizona's proof of citizenship requirement for voter registration
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned Arizona’s requirement that people show proof of citizenship to register to vote.

The split decision by a three-judge panel determined that the requirement to show proof of citizenship — passed by voters in 2004 — is not consistent with the National Voter Registration Act.

Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC || 10/26/2010 16:36 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under:

#1  OK all you non Americans! Come to AZ with a photo ID from Costco and vote!!! Bring you Mexicans, Chinese, and whatever, America no longer exists!!!
Posted by: 49 Pan || 10/26/2010 16:51 Comments || Top||

#2  Was it overturned on a correctable technicality, or at its base?

Or, given that it's the nineth circuit, due to the recent full moon?
Posted by: lotp || 10/26/2010 17:05 Comments || Top||

#3  They're making AZ consistent with CA. CA requires nothing to vote (not even a Costco ID) and so we have dogs on the voter rolls that get to vote along with anybody else who wants to.

I really don't know why we let these courts destroy what's left of our republic.
Posted by: Black Charlie Chinemble5313 || 10/26/2010 17:19 Comments || Top||

#4  I really don't know why we let Congress destroy what's left of our republic either.
Posted by: Black Charlie Chinemble5313 || 10/26/2010 17:27 Comments || Top||

#5  Oh that explains it ....it's from 1993 again. A year that lives in infamy.

"The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), also known as The Motor Voter Act, was signed into effect by United States President Bill Clinton on May 20, 1993, however compliance did not become mandatory until 1995."
Posted by: Black Charlie Chinemble5313 || 10/26/2010 17:35 Comments || Top||

#6  How are you gonna prosecute Mickey Mouse for perjury?
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 || 10/26/2010 18:22 Comments || Top||

#7  OK fine.... how does Indiana's voter ID law stand? http://www.theindychannel.com/news/24092831/detail.html
Posted by: TZSenator || 10/26/2010 21:13 Comments || Top||

#8  Compare wid CHINESE MIL FORUM > US KNOCKED OUT OF [Top 20] UN LIST OF MOST NON-CORRUPT COUNTRIES. The US is ranked #22 in 2010, down from #19th spot in 2009.

Uh, uh, USA ! USA ! USA!???

Gut nuthin.

[1970's "THE STING" orginal Movie, Theme here].
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 10/26/2010 22:04 Comments || Top||

#9  Yup Joseph Mendiola They see it, yet the Romans cannot, or shalt prove this election.

No, random people have no right to participate in these elections right here. Citizens. The whole country of Mexico is invited to vote in our elections via Arizona? WHO KNEW? You know this on Judicial level that the court was bad. Does this state have the right to subject Federal Law? Because thats what they just tried to do. They were not even in Census.

I know I am Royally pissing someone off, I just want the em bezzle-out.

The whole premise of that law is they have no money to buy a license. Thats a load of crap. Have you seen how many beer cans are strung around all over the border? Besides, you do not have to be a Citizen to have a drivers license in many states.

This is, how shall I put it? Purely Political.
Posted by: newc || 10/26/2010 22:55 Comments || Top||

#10  Here cometh DER DPEIGEL > [Frontex]EU BORDER GUARDS TO SECURE GREEK FRONTIERS.

ARTIC = ILLEGAL FOREIGN IMMIGRATION is a "EUROPEAN PROBLEM" [EU], NOT JUST GREEK.

By this scope, ILLEGAL MEXICAN IMMIGRATION INTO US + CARTEL VIOLENCE = "PAN-AMERICAN/NORTH AMER UNION" PROBLEM, NOT JUST WASHINGTON'S???

Dat sound you're NOT hearing is the sound of MEXICAN + CANADIAN BORDER GUARDS RUSHING TO THE US SOUTHWEST.

AND

* PEOPLE'S DAILY FORUM > GREECE: CHINA'S FIRST COLONY IN EUROPE [EU], thanx to NOT-BARACK/POTUS BAMMER-LED "BEIJING BAILOUT" OF GREECE includ FDI's, ala Greece's $$$ Budget, Econ woes???
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 10/26/2010 23:39 Comments || Top||

#11  What right does this state have to subject others in breach of borders? Congressional approval? Supreme Court ruling? or some street judge that gets an appointment to higher court?

Posted by: newc || 10/26/2010 23:40 Comments || Top||

#12  The Great "BEIJING BAILOUT of BACCHUS/
BOROZINA"...???
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 10/26/2010 23:41 Comments || Top||


US Inflation Bonds Are Sold With Negative Yield for First Time
Inflation-protected securities sold at negative yields for the first time ever on Monday as traders anticipate that the Federal Reserve will start a new round of asset purchases.

Analysts said that asset purchases by the Fed would lead to a higher inflation rate and a positive return on the bonds.
The market is saying the rate of inflation will be high.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble || 10/26/2010 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under:

#1  At least there are still buyers for US bonds. Heaven help us if some day there aren't enough buyers.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 10/26/2010 0:20 Comments || Top||

#2  At least there are still buyers for US bonds. Heaven help us if some day there aren't enough buyers.

Last summer Treasury had been forcing Primary Dealers who are also US banks to buy their bonds.
Posted by: badanov || 10/26/2010 0:25 Comments || Top||

#3  COLA will kick in and eat the budget, but it'll be a year late [for calculation and implementation] for those on the edge. They just can't keep from doing something even if it is stupid. Price and wage controls next.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 10/26/2010 0:45 Comments || Top||

#4  What sort of moron would buy these. Simply go to the bank and print out your money. Put it in a bag and stuff it under your mattress. That is 0 percent. Negative is less.
Posted by: rammer || 10/26/2010 0:49 Comments || Top||

#5  ION TOPIX > CBS NEWS: CALIFORNIA UNEMPLOYMENT IS WORSE THAN DISASTROUS.

VERSUS

* BHARAT RAKSHAK > DEMOGRAPHIC TIME BOMBS: THE US IS BETTER OFF THAN THINK. US can not only hold on + survive agz curr Econ Crises, but may
be able to reap substantial Econ, Geopol benefits IFF IT CAN HOLD OFF FOR CIRCA 20 YEARS TIME [2030].

* SAME > THE US IS NOT VERY IMPORT-DEPENDENT, i.e. able to internally satisfy the vast majority of US domestic demand for Goods + Services + also International demands.

* SAME > US BANKING INDUSTRY IS A WELFARE STATE [operates as] WITHIN THE FREE-MARKET ECONOMY.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 10/26/2010 1:10 Comments || Top||

#6  PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > OIC GDP VERSUS USA.

ARTIC > Collectively, OIC = Muslim Member- States = US$7.949TRILYUHN; while CHINA is approxi US$9.0TRILYUHN.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 10/26/2010 2:16 Comments || Top||

#7  Good thinking Rammer. I did just that a couple months ago. Didn't want to risk waiting till there's a run on the banks cause by then it's too late.
Posted by: Scooter McGruder || 10/26/2010 3:43 Comments || Top||

#8  These are inflation bonds. The interest paid is equal to the rate of inflation plus the coupon rate. That means there is so much demand for inflation protection that people are willing to accept a little less than the rate of inflation just to get inflation insurance. Like the cram down sale badanov mentioned, this is another indication that we are running out of debt capacity.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble || 10/26/2010 3:56 Comments || Top||

#9  A real menace is if yields are so poor on bonds that there is a flight to commodities. Overnight this turns inflation into hyperinflation, at the retail level, because you get the double whammy of price inflation at the same time as supplies are slashed.

For example, say ordinary inflation sends the price of gas up to $5/gal, and *then* the supply of gasoline is cut by 50%, because it is held by speculators who refuse to sell.
Posted by: Anonymoose || 10/26/2010 8:37 Comments || Top||

#10  Yup. Commodities.
Posted by: newc || 10/26/2010 9:07 Comments || Top||

#11  Actually I'm recommending Swiss Francs. The Euro is being pulled down by Greek/Spanish/etc economies. California will be haveing the same effect on the US economy next year. Japan has plateaued technologically and has unfortunate domestic social welfare expectations. The health of the yuan is tied to the strength of the US economy (see Cali above).

Of course the best option is to borrow to the hilt just before inflation kicks in, buy some of the depressed places on the market and pay the loan off in inflated $$$. That of course presumes you can get clear title - and it's looking like nothing that changed hands in the past 24 months is gonna pass muster easily on that count.
Posted by: Pancho Angise6853 || 10/26/2010 14:34 Comments || Top||

#12  Then maybe its time to get at the EPA and its proposed anti-agricultural measures.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 10/26/2010 14:53 Comments || Top||

#13  Farm Land.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 10/26/2010 18:15 Comments || Top||

#14  Southeast Kansas has super cheap farms for sale - and topology too! Just no work . . . local that is
Posted by: Pancho Angise6853 || 10/26/2010 18:36 Comments || Top||

#15  A flight to fish hooks and decent whiskey. Get out of cash and land now! Find me on KookList, 10 cents per acre anywhere. Ima help you, will also throw in a fishhook and a pint of Old Tennnyshoe.
Posted by: Zombie Hillary Lover || 10/26/2010 20:07 Comments || Top||

#16  There is coal in Southeastern Kansas too if the EPA would let us burn it.
Posted by: whitecollar redneck || 10/26/2010 20:32 Comments || Top||


Iraq
Tariq Aziz sentenced to hang
Posted by: Anonymoose || 10/26/2010 08:15 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Wow, he's still around? I bet he gets CNN and his old media buddies to protest loudly about this.
Posted by: gromky || 10/26/2010 9:34 Comments || Top||

#2  he's been bragging that due to his advanced age, he'll die of natural causes instead of hanging like Sammy or Chemical Ali. Pretty funny, that, huh Tariq?
Posted by: Frank G || 10/26/2010 10:14 Comments || Top||

#3  I bet he gets CNN and his old media buddies to protest loudly about this

Halt! He's a Christian!
What? Oh, right. We media folk aren't allowed to defend that religion.
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 10/26/2010 11:12 Comments || Top||

#4  T = 2pi*SQRT(L/g)
Posted by: gorb || 10/26/2010 15:15 Comments || Top||


Science & Technology
US To Build Major Deep Water Naval Base In Guam To Counter China
Be careful not to tip over the island, guys!
The expansion will include a dock for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, a missile defence system, live-fire training sites and the expansion of the island's airbase. It will be the largest investment in a military base in the western Pacific since the Second World War, and the biggest spend on naval infrastructure in decades.

It will eventually house 19,000 Marines who will be relocated from the Japanese island of Okinawa.
New friends for JosephM!
China has significantly expanded its fleet during the past decade, seeking to deter the US from intervening militarily in any future conflict over Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own, and to project power across disputed territories in the gas and oil-rich South China Sea.

Beijing's naval build-up is also intended secure the sea lanes from the Middle East, from where China will import an estimated 70-80 per cent of its oil needs by 2035 supplies it fears US could choke in the event of a conflict.

China has therefore invested in what are called its "string of pearls" a network of bases strung along the Indian Ocean rim, like Hambantota in Sri Lanka and Gwadar in Pakistan and in developing a navy which can operate far from home.

Experts agree China does not currently have the capability to challenge US supremacy in the Pacific and Indian Ocean. "China has a large appetite", says Carl Ungerer, an analyst at Australian Strategic Policy Institute, "but it hasn't got enough teeth".

But China clearly intends to add bite to its naval arsenal. The country has acquired several modern Russian-made submarines and destroyers. Its shipyards are building new nuclear-powered submarines, as well as an aircraft carrier. There have also been reports that China is planning to test a new type of ballistic missile, the Dong Feng 21D, which would effectively render US carriers defenceless.
Assuming that it actually worked and we did nothing about it ...
The US is also investing another £126 million on upgrading infrastructure at the British-owned Indian Ocean atoll of Diego Garcia, 700 miles south of Sri Lanka.

Key among the upgrades at Diego Garcia, which are due for completion in 2013, will be the capability to repair a nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine which can carry up to 154 cruise missiles striking power equivalent to that of an entire US aircraft carrier battle group.

Diego Garcia, which has served as a launch-pad for air strikes on Iraq and Afghanistan, is already home to one third of what the US navy calls its Afloat Prepositioned Force equipment kept on standby to support military deployment anywhere in the world.
Posted by: Anonymoose || 10/26/2010 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Iff a major US-CHINA war ever breaks out in Asia, many Chin Bloggers believe that DIEGO GARCIA will be nuked first before GUAM, as the CPLA will still need Guam as a Forward Base to project LR PLA Milfors towards EASTPAC [Hawaii-US West Coast] + AUSTRALIA. CPLA MAY CONVENTIONALLY BLITZ/OVERRUN TAIWAN + PHILIPPINES + SAKHALIN DESPITE ANY CASUALTIES, WHILE PART OF JAPAN GETS PREEMPTIVELY NUKED BEFORE BEING HIT BY FOLLOW-ON CPLA GROUND FORCES.

Presuming that RADICAL ISLAM doesn't destabilize + break-up CHINA first.

Year 2020 thru 2025 = CHIN'S FEAR OF RISE OF NUCLEAR-ARMED JAPAN as competitor for East Asian El Supremo-Hefe.

IRAN's refusal to compromise on its NucProgs = CHINA's intent to achieve Par or better Mil Superiority vee the US.

PERTS > CHINA'S ON-GOING EFFORTS AT MIL MODERNIZATION IS STRUGGLING, BUT PROGRESSIVE [Read, Chin will indeed be a Mil Threat to US one day].

Lest we fergit, CHINA > CLAIMS THAT IT MAY NOT BEGIN A WAR AGZ THE US, BUT WILL CERTAINLY BE THE ONE TO END IT; THE US CAN LOSE ALL OF ITS POPULATION IN A SINO-US NUKE WAR, WHILE CHINA WILL LOSE ONLY PART OF ITS POPULATION.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 10/26/2010 0:50 Comments || Top||

#2  The USN would like to dock a CVN towards Outer Apra Harbor as a Carrier must be able to accomplish a sudden emergency breakaway from its moorings, as under threat of heavy Storm or Enemy attack, + with or without any PORTOPS Tugs.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 10/26/2010 0:57 Comments || Top||

#3  Quite a bit of speculative strategy there Joe, but interesting to see this story begin to filter into the public press.

I suspect things would vary differently if any of the triggering events you note occurs.

More interesting might be the Indian/Vietnamese/Japanese stories beginning to percolate.

Finally, another bell-ringer could be what happens to the Falklands - seems someone could offer the RN some inexpensive help there.
Posted by: Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division || 10/26/2010 11:24 Comments || Top||

#4  Guam's a good place to be stationed if you have a family (beautiful beaches, etc), even better if you're into scuba diving. OTOH, if you're a single guy, it's more like being checked in to a Trappist monastery...
Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) || 10/26/2010 11:37 Comments || Top||

#5  Kind of ironic in that we will probably have to borrow the 8 billion from China.

By the way, does the President know about this?
Posted by: Kelly || 10/26/2010 19:49 Comments || Top||

#6  Posted by: JosephMendiola|| 2010-10-26 00:57


Damn, WTF? No! BAD JOE! BAD JOE!
Posted by: Zombie Hillary Lover || 10/26/2010 20:12 Comments || Top||

#7  Hell if you're single? Heck, Guam is a major tourist destination for Japanese. I thought about moving there just to get a bachelor pad and then start picking up ladies on vacation. I saw a video of two black guys doing nanpa and it looked easy as pie.
Posted by: gromky || 10/26/2010 22:02 Comments || Top||

#8  CHINESE MIL FORUM > ALL IN THE YELOW SEA: OBAMA'S PROVOCATIVE WEAKNESS AGZ CHINA.

ARTIC > POTUS OBAMA has seemingly all but lost AN IMPORTANT GEOPOL GAME OF "CHICKEN" VEE CHINA , as per alleged Bammer-led WAFFLINGS OER TO SEND "USS GEORGE WASHINGTON" NIMITZ-CLASS CVN + CVBG ON ALLIED NAVEX IN THE YELLOW SEA. POTUS Bammer's seeming indecision has served to only strengthen Chin hardliners widin the CPC by showing that BAMMER POLICIES CAN BE EFFEC OR SUCCESSFULLY "INTIMIDATED"???

Posted by: JosephMendiola || 10/26/2010 23:16 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Culture Wars
NPR chief regrets the way she dismissed Williams
[Washington Examiner] NPR's chief executive says she's sorry for how analyst Juan Williams' dismissal was handled -- but she's not sorry for firing him.

Vivian Schiller sent an apology to NPR staff members Sunday night. She says Williams deserved a face-to-face meeting to hear that his contract as an analyst was being terminated over remarks he made on Fox News Channel.

Williams was fired for saying he gets nervous when he's on a plane and sees people in clothing that identifies them as Muslim. Washington-based NPR's management, which had long been troubled by Williams' dual role as an analyst on Fox, said the remarks violated its standards of not giving his opinion on the air.
Posted by: Fred || 10/26/2010 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Williams was hired for telling the truth.

NPR can't handle the truth.

Enjoy your favorite talk-radio show, libs.
Posted by: gorb || 10/26/2010 1:14 Comments || Top||

#2  Actually, NPR regularly runs opinion pieces on the air. Nina Totenburg is an example. The statement should be, " said the remarks violated its standards of only giving NPR's opinion on the air."
Posted by: Deacon Blues || 10/26/2010 7:57 Comments || Top||

#3  remove their public subsidy, then they can say and do anything they want. NPR keeps saying it's a minuscule part of their overall funding, so why not pry them off the public teat and let them sink or swim on their own?

/metaphor mashup
Posted by: Frank G || 10/26/2010 8:45 Comments || Top||

#4  npr gets little money directly from the government, it is true. But they charge the local stations a bundle for the programming. And the local stations get the money to pay npr for that programming from the government. So if you really want to cut off evil npr, you'll have to do it by bashing the cuddly bunnie local stations. Clever.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble || 10/26/2010 9:12 Comments || Top||

#5  I laugh on those few occasions when I watch PBS (Proletariat Bull Shit) and they have a pledge break. That's so 1960 when there were 3-4 stations. Today, one can view such esoteric programs as "This Old House, Minsk". Can't the many producers sell their documentary on other stations? Sure they can but PBS/NPS is a partisan tool and racket of liberal politicians.
Posted by: HammerHead || 10/26/2010 9:52 Comments || Top||

#6  Williams most likely got fired because he is a also a commentator on Fox. I doubt the liberals/progressives liked Williams also being on Fox. Also Soros has contributed millions through his organizations to NPR. He is just collecting on his investments to try to manipulate the message.
Posted by: JohnQC || 10/26/2010 10:24 Comments || Top||

#7  Y'all noticed she apologized to NPR staff, not to Mr. Williams or donors or the outside world for having to watch such a managerial cock-up. I find that curious.
Posted by: trailing wife || 10/26/2010 10:51 Comments || Top||

#8  ...she was just apologizing for blowing their thin cover of their totalitarianism. I'm sure they will continue to reassure themselves with the lies that they are tolerant and believe in basic freedoms like speech and association and the 'right' doesn't.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 10/26/2010 12:23 Comments || Top||

#9  She is just sorry she got caught practicing liberal fascism.
Posted by: DarthVader || 10/26/2010 12:34 Comments || Top||

#10  She's just sorry about the possibility of getting sued for her comment about it being between him and his phyciatrist.

Isn't it funny how the liberals in power right now are so totally inept? They so remind me of those Acorn employees caught in the videos. The schemes to trick "The Man" out of his tax dollars and to get free food stamps, welfare and grant money all sounds so great when working out of your mom's basement, but don't seem to work so well when you actually have a functioning organization with real people and real payrolls that you want to keep from running into the ground.
Posted by: Martini || 10/26/2010 13:12 Comments || Top||

#11  While we're piling on, how about voter fraud? It's always skewed to the left. The reason being that voter fraud by the left is done only to compensate for the voter fraud on the right. That makes it OK in their tiny minds.
Posted by: gorb || 10/26/2010 13:18 Comments || Top||



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Two weeks of WOT
Tue 2010-10-26
  Baby Face Khadr pleads guilty to all charges
Mon 2010-10-25
  22 die in battle for Mogadishu
Sun 2010-10-24
  Iran 'handing cash to Karzai's chief of staff for influence in Afghanistan'
Sat 2010-10-23
  4 Boomers In Burkas Attack UN In Herat
Fri 2010-10-22
  Mistrial for Wilders
Thu 2010-10-21
  Bomb on bus in Philippines kills seven
Wed 2010-10-20
  Four convicted over NY bomb plot
Tue 2010-10-19
  Somali government seizes Bulo Hawo town from al-Shabab
Mon 2010-10-18
  Merkel: German multiculturalism failed
Sun 2010-10-17
  German terrorist gets three year sentence
Sat 2010-10-16
  Nine militants killed in drone attacks in N. Waziristan
Fri 2010-10-15
  Attack on Iraqi politician kills four
Thu 2010-10-14
  Four drone strikes kill 11 in N Waziristan
Wed 2010-10-13
  Tamaulipas: 10 Die in Gang Firefight
Tue 2010-10-12
  15 killed in clashes in Mogadishu


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