Great moments in American jurisprudence: 2005.
SANTA FE, N.M. - Attorneys for television talk show host David Letterman want a judge to quash a restraining order granted to a Santa Fe woman who contends the celebrity used code words to show that he wanted to marry her and train her as his co-host. Back off, bitch. He told me he wants to give me all his money and be his co-host.
A state judge granted a temporary restraining order to Colleen Nestler, who alleged in a request filed last Thursday that Letterman has forced her to go bankrupt and caused her "mental cruelty" and "sleep deprivation" since May 1994. Nice move, judgie. Nothing's gonna stand in the way of you splitting early for Christmas, is it?
Nestler requested that Letterman, who tapes his show in New York, stay at least three yards away and not "think of me, and release me from his mental harassment and hammering." Coming up next: Tin foil shortage in New Mexico. Right after this, from "Satan"...
Attorneys for Letterman, in a motion filed Tuesday, contend the order is without merit and asked state District Judge Daniel Sanchez to quash it. "Celebrities deserve protection of their reputation and legal rights when the occasional fan becomes dangerous or deluded," Albuquerque attorney Pat Rogers wrote in the motion. ...or works for the ACLU.
Nestler told The Associated Press by telephone Wednesday that she had no comment pending her request for a permanent restraining order "and I pray to God I get it." There goes that cohost job...
Sanchez set a Jan. 12 hearing on the permanent order. I should be back from Hawaii by then...
Letterman's longtime Los Angeles attorney, Jim Jackoway, said Nestler's claims were "obviously absurd and frivolous. This constitutes an unfortunate abuse of the judicial process," he said. Nestler's application for a restraining order was accompanied by a six-page typed letter in which she said Letterman used code words, gestures and "eye expressions" to convey his desires for her. She wrote that she began sending Letterman "thoughts of love" after his show began in 1993, and that he responded in code words and gestures, asking her to come East. No, no, hon. It was "Be sure to drink your Ovaltine". You need a new decoder ring.
She said he asked her to be his wife during a televised "teaser" for his show by saying, "Marry me, Oprah." Her letter said Oprah was the first of many code names for her, and that the coded vocabulary increased and changed with time. He usually calls me "Paul Schaffer". Sometimes "Bill Murray". Depends on the secret message.
Her letter does not say why she recently sought a restraining order. I could venture a guess, but...nah.
Rogers' motion to quash the order contends the court lacks jurisdiction over Letterman, that Nestler never served him with restraining order papers and that she didn't meet other procedural requirements. If she's gotta serve the papers on you, Dave, you might be better keeping that restraining order in place.
#5
There's a good chance that the judge is Native American and highly superstitious. Frequently, on the Res, judges are required to order a halt to some hoodoo or another.
Group sex between consenting adults is neither prostitution nor a threat to society, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Wednesday, dismissing arguments that the sometimes raucous activities of so-called "swingers" clubs were dangerous. In a ruling that radically changes the way Canadian courts determine what poses a threat to the population, the court threw out the conviction of a Montreal man who ran a club where members could have group sex in a private room behind locked doors. "Consensual conduct behind code-locked doors can hardly be supposed to jeopardize a society as vigorous and tolerant as Canadian society," said the opinion of the seven-to-two majority, written by Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin.
The decision does not affect existing laws against prostitution because no money changed hands between the adults having sex. The court was reviewing an appeal by Jean-Paul Labaye, who ran the L'Orage (Thunderstorm) club. He had been convicted of running a "bawdy house" -- defined as a place where prostitution or acts of public indecency could take place.
I have to reluctantly agree with Hizzoner. If it's behind closed doors it's not "public," regardless of the number of participants. Nor is it "prostitution" when all you're paying for is the room and drinks and little blue pills.
Strictly as a matter of taste, I'm not impressed. That might be because at my age I try to keep all my attempts at assault with a dead weapon hidden away from the eyes of the world, but even when a young and vigorous fellow I thought there was something tacky about the idea of gathering large numbers of people to share bodily fluids. One on one (well, maybe once or twice two on one, but we won't discuss the di Angelis sisters) was enough for me.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/21/2005 14:11 ||
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#3
It is a threat to the spouse of those involved if the members are not periodically screened for AIDS and other STDs; and, shown the door if positive. There is a reason that bathhouses aren't as popular as they used to be.
Also, it is out of pocket for the average Canadian, who pays the piper via socialized medicine. IF Hizzonner wants to stipulate people acting like horny idiots have to pay their own way, then it is truely between consenting adults. Otherewise it is between them and every other non-participating Canadian.
#4
Also, it is out of pocket for the average Canadian, who pays the piper via socialized medicine.
Same applies to smoking, drinking, sun bathing, eating too much, driving, bungee jumping, skydiving, hiking in dangerous or remote places, engaging in terrorism activities, and on some occasions watching TV. If you're going to use that argument, it must applied evenly and fairly.
Posted by: Rafael ||
12/21/2005 16:32 Comments ||
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#5
...it must be applied evenly and fairly.
More than works for me.
"Live Clean or Pay for it Your Dingdang Self..." doesn't exactly have the emotional appeal of "Live Free or Die!". But it's a pretty good summary of my position.
Let me know when this morphs into a Fundamental Right.
Then I'll be interested.
Posted by: Carl in N.H. ||
12/21/2005 18:02 Comments ||
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#8
"Live Clean or Pay for it Your Dingdang Self..."
...and if you can't afford it, tough cookies!
(doesn't appeal to me either)
Posted by: Rafael ||
12/21/2005 18:28 Comments ||
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#9
Personally, I look forward to the time when there are two forms of legalized prostitution, for the two main styles of prostitution. That is, in addition to the typical red light district with beds and government issued condoms, there be a second kind.
Much prostitution is "oral only", and takes place on the big commuter routes of large cities. For this, something that looks like a cross between a fast-food restaurant and bridge toll booths are needed.
Somebody drives up and parks their car. They see a crowd of prostitutes wearing large number IDs. They select one by number and approach a ticket booth. They pay and receive a booth number and an electronic key. The prostitute is paged. She approaches the booth, then agrees or refuses the john.
If she agrees, she is issued a condom, and the two of them go together to a booth. The john opens the booth with the key then both enter. When finished or when time expires, they both must exit the booth and return to the ticket booth.
Both must say to the ticket master that the transaction is complete and no offense has happened. The prostitute then returns to her station and the john returns to his car and drives away.
Prostitutes are carefully screened for drugs, alcohol and diseases. They are licensed and possibly unionized. Their money is automatically deposited in a bank account, less taxes and fees, which are automatically withheld.
This cuts out the pimps, the violent predators, the rip-offs and the disease, and confines prostitution to a very small area, not an entire district.
This also means that the "illegal" prostitution is singularly bad, in that it *does* almost inherently involve other crimes and serious risk. This propels it from a "vice" act to the felony arena of a "criminal conspiracy", in which the prostitution itself is a minor part.
For anyone who is amused at the image of "fast-food" prostitution, this is actually somewhat how it is done right now in some major US cities, especially NYC. Except it is done without control or protection for those involved.
A criminal suspect on the run ended up being mauled to death by a caged tiger, South African police say. The man took refuge in the Bengal tiger's cage at the Bloemfontein Zoo. A visitor to the zoo on Sunday noticed a body covered in bite marks in the cage.
"look, kids. That cute tiger has a chew toy......oh, my"
"The man was involved in a robbery and was chased by security guards," police spokeswoman Elsa Gerber told the South African Broadcasting Corporation. "He had nowhere else to go, so he jumped over the zoo fence," she added.
Darwin Award Nominee
The police said that the man had tried to escape after he had robbed a couple with a knife.
"I'll just leap over this fence and make my escape.....uh oh"
The tiger had apparently not tried to eat the body. Nature conservation officials quoted by SABC said the tigers had been fed on Saturday afternoon and were therefore not hungry.
Posted by: Steve ||
12/21/2005 09:14 ||
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#1
Does this remimd you of a bugs bunny cartoon or what?
#2
We don't hate crooks. They're gre-e-e-e-at with a little mustard!
Posted by: Fat Tony ||
12/21/2005 11:04 Comments ||
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#3
"The man was involved in a robbery and was chased by security guards," police spokeswoman Elsa Gerber told the South African Broadcasting Corporation. "He had nowhere else to go, so he jumped over the zoo fence, we tried to herd him toward the baboons but insisted on the lion cages" she added with a chuckle.
#4
The tiger had apparently not tried to eat the body. Nature conservation officials quoted by SABC said the tigers had been fed on Saturday afternoon and were therefore not hungry.
Besides, human meat is saltier than beef.
-Idi Amin
And, Sher-Khan is probably on a low sodium diet...He was probably just dealing with a trespasser...
You have to read these techniques.
You see trolls use them.
You see your co-workers use them.
You see that car salesman use them..
You see them everywhere...
It is a survival skill to recognize them.
Like all skills you need refreshers so if you think you know them - it doesn't hurt to revisit them.
#1
I think this one is being used extensively - "# 22. Distracting or Absurd Metrics With this technique, the writer attempts to drag the reader into a debate about what the reader is even seeing. This is usually used when the propagandist is falling behind and must hurry to destroy correct understanding of events. Example: During the French riots many writers began arguing about the number of cars burned and whether the number still "indicated" riot levels. In other words, let's argue about what a riot is, and when you have enough destroyed cars, we'll talk. Meanwhile, you're discussing burnt cars and not the ongoing riots."
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/21/2005 20:06 Comments ||
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Swaziland has been shocked by the theft of King Mswati III's leopard-skin cape. The "umdada" cape went missing about three weeks ago, as the king prepared for the "Incwala" kingship ceremony that tests his fitness to reign. The BBC's Thulani Mthethwa in Mbabane says many people in Swaziland are shocked to hear that royal regalia could be stolen. The Swazi Observer newspaper reported that the costume was found in the possession of a royal adviser.
According to the paper, the adviser said he had bought it from one of the king's valets. Prince Masitsela, the king's brother was quoted by The Times of Swaziland as saying that ancestral spirits would deal with the thieves. "Anyone who came in contact with the costume is in for a shock," said the prince. "In the history of the Swazis, anyone who touches anything belonging to the king, be it a trouser or anything that he wears, angers the gods who will cast a spell on him," the prince was quoted as saying.
So you forgot where you put your bloody umdada cape eh. Well get used to it, memory loss gets nothing but worse with age mate. If it were a local call, I'd tell you to ring up my wife. She finds all my misplaced kit.
Police intervened to end a large fight between two groups at a Madinah [Saudi Arabia] high school, Al-Madinah daily reported. It started when a large group of teenagers from outside the school stormed inside and began threatening students. A big fight started between the students and the outsiders. Police had a difficult time stopping the large fight and suffered injuries from rock-throwing students. More than 15 were arrested while the rest escaped. Police are investigating the incident.
#1
What I want to know is....what systems do the US military forces use? Does anyone in RB know?
The reason: I would prefer that they would be in the dark as much as possible regarding our computer networks. The Chinese aren't stupid, and they could figure out how Cisco's stuff works if they are given enough time and opportunities to play around with it.
Yokosuka Mayor Ryoichi Kabaya will leave for the United States Tuesday to directly ask the U.S. government to abandon a decision to station a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in a U.S. naval base in the city.
Kabaya will visit U.S. Navy Secretary Gordon England on Wednesday in Washington. He will ask England to abandon the plan to station a nuclear-powered carrier in Japan on the ground that the Japanese public have a strong antinuclear sentiments because of the experience of atomic-bomb attacks during World War II, the mayor said earlier.
Methinks it's not so much the 'nuclear' (Yokosuka gets its electricity from a nuke plant) as it is the 'aircraft carrier'.
#2
I think its the opposite. He wants a carrier, and all of those military paychecks, but not a nuclear one because of the additional political fall-out that might results.
It is possible that the Mayor doesn't oppose nuclear power when designed and run by Japanese but doesn't trust nuclear power when designed and run by Gajin. Or its possible that he has not choice with the Japanese power so he's drawing the line where he can.
#3
He will ask England to abandon the plan to station a nuclear-powered carrier in Japan on the ground that the Japanese public have a strong antinuclear sentiments because of the experience of atomic-bomb attacks during..
The Japanese need to do a bit more than just "get over it". Step A would be for Japan to realize that the atomic bombings saved more Japanese lives than they took. A land invasion of Imperial Japan would have been preceded by carpet bombing, firestorms and other far more lethal preconditioning measures. Instead, Japan was subjected to two very swift and precise demonstrations of what would follow should they refuse to surrender. Loss of life was minimal by comparison.
Furthermore, the horrors of radiation poisoning that ensued in no way even began to approach the atrocities inflicted by Japanese troops and prison commanders during their sweep through China and the South Pacific. Such "just desserts" barely encompasses what many WWII POWs would wish upon the Japanese. The residents of Nanking might have something to add as well.
Step B is for Japan to clearly appraise China's intentions. Especially regarding how the communist mandarins continue to propel North Korea's descent into nuclear madness. China's massive arms buildup bodes ill for all surrounding nations, not just Taiwan. Tibet's absorption should have served adequate notice to all of China's neighbors that borders mean squat to the communists.
Japan's one secure path will rely upon that island nation arming itself with a nuclear arsenal. This alone will give pause to communist China. To continue it's pursuit of a largely pacifistic military stance makes Japan nothing more than ripe low-hanging fruit in the eyes of China.
Japan's inability to honestly confront its WWII savagery is symptomatic of its current unwillingness to pragmatically address the need for support from American military might. A period of temporary sheltering will be necessary while Japan reconfigures its military doctrine. Concomitant with that reconfiguration will be a much needed rethinking of atomic power and weapons by their general population.
#5
I don't recall if it was him, but it was definitely "carrier okay, nuclear no" -- the initial reaction to request that the departing USS Kitty Hawk be replaced with another conventional carrier, even though the Navy is trying to get rid of them.
Posted by: Edward Yee ||
12/21/2005 13:47 Comments ||
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#6
"No."
Posted by: Curt Simon ||
12/21/2005 15:28 Comments ||
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Canadian oil and gas producer Nexen Inc. and its partners said yesterday they found a huge oil pool beneath a thick salt layer in the Gulf of Mexico after drilling the basin's deepest well ever.
Nexen, the lead partner in the Knotty Head find about 273.5 kilometres southeast of New Orleans in water 3,500 feet (1,067 metres) deep, said the well encountered 600 feet (183 m) of net oil pay in multiple zones, a good indicator that the pool is rich with oil in several spots.
Kevin Finn, a spokesman for Nexen, said the partners will have a better idea of the size of the find after drilling appraisal wells next year. "The additional drilling is going to provide lots of information, and we are excited," he said. "Six hundred feet [of net oil pay] is a very encouraging sign."
The well reached a depth of 34,189 feet (10,420 m) and cost US$140-million to drill. While the company said it needs to drill more wells to size up the field, analysts estimated the reservoir could contain more than 500 million barrels of oil, making it one of the most significant discoveries made in the Gulf. It's early days to come up with a reserve estimate, but assuming the pool contains that amount of oil, "the find is worth about US$6-billion assuming US$12 per barrel for the value of the reserves in the ground, incorporating the time it takes to produce them," said Dan Pickering, president of Pickering Energy Partners, a Houston-based energy research firm. "If you think about 500 million barrels produced at US$50 a barrel, you are talking US$25-billion in revenue over the life of the field."
Knotty Head is one of the top 15 discoveries made in the Gulf, Mr. Pickering said. The biggest one is the Mars field found by Royal Dutch Shell PLC in 1989 and containing 1.5 billion barrels of oil. The most recent finds are comparable to Knotty Head. They include Tahiti, made by Chevron Corp. in 2002 and containing 500 million barrels of oil. "[Knotty Head] is a sizeable field compared to others in the Gulf of Mexico or onshore U.S.," Mr. Pickering said. "It is something that will clearly be developed."
The discovery is also significant because it confirms oil can be found in deep structures in deep waters, he said. Calgary-based Nexen is a 25% partner in the play. Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Chevron Corp. and BHP Billiton each own 25%. The discovery adds between $1.75 and $5.20 of value to Nexen's stock, UBS Securities Canada Inc. analyst Brian Dutton said in a research note entitled "Knotty and nice" in which he also raised the company's 12-month target to $58 from $55 due to the company's greater visibility.
#1
Knotty Head is one of the top 15 discoveries made in the Gulf
Just make sure it's nowhere near Florida, we have 900,000 menial jobs that depend on no wage competition an ocean view.
Posted by: Leon Clavin ||
12/21/2005 18:56 Comments ||
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#2
lead partner in the Knotty Head find
I always enjoy a little Knotty Head from my lead partner.
#8
What about the whales and dolphins and coral reefs and manta rays and tuna and wombats and giant pink sea snails. They're all gonna die! I mean there have only been rigs there for centuries, who knows when one will blow! Hell, I bet those terrorists will nuke it.
P.S: anyone got an Excursion they wanna sell, I think it is time to dump the Prius.
PSS: Can one wiretap a cellphone that is used as a detonator? What would the recording be like? Click, kaaboom? Is that acceptable in a court of law?
Just after the four-hour service for executed murderer, and Crips gang co-founder Stanley "Tookie" Williams, mourners dropped to the ground as gunshots went off about a block away.
Security guards told the crowd things were under control. Groups from different gangs had begun taunting each other. No one was hurt.
During the service, speakers ranged from Snoop Dogg and Bianca Jagger to the Reverend Jesse Jackson. Some told the crowd Williams had done good work in prison, writing children's books warning against joining gangs. Others denounced capital punishment.
The 51-year-old Williams was executed December 13th for the 1979 shotgun murders of a convenience store clerk and three motel owners.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/21/2005 10:48 ||
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#1
Sounds like more fun then T.O.'s birthday party...
#7
Writing childrens books and warning against joining gangs more than makes up for the innocent lives he took for a few measly dollars. Hell, they ought to name the state of California after him.
Well, probably not as much as the fiery depths of Hell are doing at the moment, but you get the idea...
Posted by: Dar ||
12/21/2005 13:21 Comments ||
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#9
Big Ed. Wonder who ever ended up with that speaker's podium Mauser of Saddam's? Can't tell for sure, but it looks like a Swedish Model 94 Cavalry Carbiner.
#1
Reid is such a slimeball. I hate that cocky little shit. Democrats totally ran amok for years, anyone remember NAFTA? Now when they don't get their way they cry like little bitch-babies. Sucks to be the minority Harry. But don't give up hope, I'm sure McCain will vote with the dems.
#2
Although I mostly approve of all three things in that bill, I don't like the practice of bundling them together. I know it's 'normal', but I don't like it. At least not without line-item veto.
#6
Actually, if only we got to see just what he told Schwarzenegger; I think it's like the last guy quoted in the article, "just politicians (read: my opposition) dragging your name through the dirt"...
Posted by: Edward Yee ||
12/21/2005 13:50 Comments ||
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#7
No way to change the law. You would have to change the constitution.
I like Schwarzenegger a lot.
I would fight such an admendment tooth and nail. Changing the constitution for an expediency is a really bad idea.
My 2 cents
Posted by: kelly ||
12/21/2005 14:51 Comments ||
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#8
But if we could get an amendment, we could run Madeline Albright for Pres. She'd know what to do.
#9
On the other hand, that's one of the few things in the constitution that's a bad idea.... Restricting who can hold office on an accident of birth. Michael Moore was born in the US. Does that mean he's a better choice for president than.... well, damn near anybody not born here?
#11
And, remember, George Soros could also run for president if we changed the constitution.
But happily, he could only *win* the presidency if people actually voted for him. Ain't democracy nice?
That passage only made sense in the days of America's independence, when one could fear rich foreigners arriving to buy votes and buy themselves a new country, without any actual connection to it -- or even newly arrived English aristos subverting its young independence. Nowadays however there are as many (or more) rich people inside America as outside it. As a safeguard against plutocracy it's therefore meaningless, and I don't think that anyone's afraid for the safety of USA's independence either.
#12
But happily, he could only *win* the presidency if people actually voted for him.
Welllllll....
Posted by: Die bold and the beautiful ||
12/21/2005 17:57 Comments ||
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#13
As a safeguard against plutocracy it's therefore meaningless, and I don't think that anyone's afraid for the safety of USA's independence either. Posted by: Aris Katsaris|| 2005-12-21 17:50 ||Comments Top||
They're other reasons not having to do with wealth or industry.
Posted by: Leon Clavin ||
12/21/2005 19:00 Comments ||
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#14
GRAZ : My association vit you has been termunated...
#15
If there is truly a groundswell of support in Graz for Tookie Williams, they could very simply rename the stadium to commemorate his death. I am personally against the death penalty in most cases, but I find Tookie worship akin to the insanity of the zealots in The World According to Garp who cut their own tongues out.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/21/2005 19:48 Comments ||
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Two U.S. lawmakers have proposed a resolution expressing congressional disapproval for President George W. Bush President George W. Bushâs sweeping nuclear agreement with India, one of the congressmen said on Tuesday.
If the resolution passed, it would signal lawmakersâ "disapproval" of the July 18 deal, which has generated strong opposition from non-proliferation advocates because it would give India access to previously banned technology.
"The administrationâs move to l, , ) of Massachusetts, who introduced the resolution with Republic, , ) of Michigan last week.
AoS note: it's garbled in the original.
Markey, co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force on Non-proliferation, and Upton are members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "Supplying nuclear fuel to countries that are not party to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty derails the delicate balance that has been established between nuclear nations and limits our capacity to insist that other nations continue to follow that important non-proliferation policy," he said. "We cannot break the nuclear rules established in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and demand that everyone else play by them," he added in a statement.
For 25 years, the United States led the global fight to deny India access to nuclear technology because it rejected the treaty, developed nuclear weapons and tested them. But Bush, aiming to improve ties with the worldâs largest democracy, jettisoned this approach in the July 18 agreement which would permit civilian U.S.-India nuclear cooperation.
Bush wants changes in U.S. law -- which would have to be approved by Congress -- and international regulations -- which would have to be agreed by the 44-nation Nuclear Suppliersâ Group -- to let India obtain the restricted items, including nuclear fuel. Bush has yet to say exactly what changes he would seek.
The Markey-Upton resolution says the deal "poses far-reaching and potentially adverse implications" for U.S. non-proliferation objectives and will do little to bring India into closer alignment with U.S. strategic objectives.
Just when the resolution might be acted on is unclear. Congress is supposed to adjourn soon for a monthlong recess.
India conducted nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998. Markey said Bushâs approach will signal to other nations that "there are no serious consequences for violating nuclear treaties."
Fair enough. Congress should have a debate. Wonder how sensible it will be?
Posted by: john ||
12/21/2005 00:00 ||
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#1
India already has a respectable nuke arsenal, what's the diff?
LISBON - At least 183,000 people were killed in East Timor during its 24 years of occupation by Indonesia, a government probe into past human rights violations has concluded, a media report said on Tuesday.
Seventy percent of the deaths were at the hands of Indonesian security forces or East Timorese militias trained by Jakarta, the report by the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR) found, said the results of the probe according to a copy obtained by Lusa news agency.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/21/2005 00:00 ||
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WASHINGTON - US relief groups have spent about 42 percent of the $1.78 billion raised from private donations to aid victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami, according to a report released on Tuesday.
InterAction, an umbrella group representing 165 US-based aid organizations, said spending levels in the nine months following the Dec. 26 tsunami reflected the fact that many projects were only in the first year of multiyear commitments. âThe recovery effort is one thatâs going to require three to five years at a minimum, and the agencies that are going to stay the course have to extend their funds in a way calculated to allow them to complete the work,â said Jim Bishop, InterActionâs director of humanitarian policy and practice.
But the report also attributed spending delays to the uneven pace of recovery from the deadly earthquake and waves that killed some 220,000 people and devastated Indian Ocean coastal communities from Somalia to Indonesia. âIn several nations the capacity of the local authorities and civil society to engage in rehabilitation was undercut by high loss of life among civil servants and community leaders, as well as by massive destruction of transport links and vital infrastructure,â it said.
âDelays in reaching some key policy decisions, particularly regarding land use in the most affected areas, inhibited permanent resettlement activities,â the report added. It did not specify countries or regions.
And of course, there's the corruption. It will be interesting to see if anything real does change for the better in the affected region in the next few years. Call me a cynic, but I doubt it.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/21/2005 00:00 ||
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#1
yeah, how much to "adminsistrative costs", versus how much to the actual aid.
Posted by: Jan ||
12/21/2005 0:40 Comments ||
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#2
All "relief aid" can ever amount to is to provide immediate, life-saving support of fresh water and food, and to a lesser extent, electrical power. That is why the US Navy was such a godsend to the Tsunami victims.
Beyond that, what little a local people can do for themselves is a hundred thousand times more potent than anything that can be done for them. If the locals are unwilling to work, are poor and poorly educated, have an ineffectual local and national government and a torpid business community, no amount of aid will help them.
However, if they are determined to succeed, and no one stands in their way, then aid is almost superfluous, and if it is well used, acts as a multiplier to recovery; and if not used, to inhibit recovery.
WASHINGTON - The U.S. economy turned in a remarkably strong performance in the summer despite surging energy prices and the battering the Gulf Coast states took from hurricanes, although business growth was slightly lower than the government previously estimated.
While down slightly from the 4.3 percent GDP estimate made a month ago, the new figure demonstrated that the economy kept expanding at a strong pace during the summer, led by solid increases in consumer demand, especially for autos, and business investment. It's the economy, you stupid...
#2
It was revised down though... it's weird that the headlines are so positive. Usually the press is so excited to scream how the sky is falling on upwards revisions... on a downward revision it's abll about how it's the fastest pace in 1.5 years. Maybe the pressis just contrarion to facts ;)
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.
roup sex between consenting adults is neither prostitution nor a threat to society, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Wednesday, dismissing arguments that the sometimes raucous activities of so-called "swingers" clubs were dangerous. In a ruling that radically changes the way Canadian courts determine what poses a threat to the population, the court threw out the conviction of a Montreal man who ran a club where members could have group sex in a private room behind locked doors. "Consensual conduct behind code-locked doors can hardly be supposed to jeopardize a society as vigorous and tolerant as Canadian society," said the opinion of the seven-to-two majority, written by Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin.
Swaziland has been shocked by the theft of King Mswati III's leopard-skin cape. The "umdada" cape went missing about three weeks ago, as the king prepared for the "Incwala" kingship ceremony that tests his fitness to reign. The BBC's Thulani Mthethwa in Mbabane says many people in Swaziland are shocked to hear that royal regalia could be stolen. The Swazi Observer newspaper reported that the costume was found in the possession of a royal adviser. 
Canadian oil and gas producer Nexen Inc. and its partners said yesterday they found a huge oil pool beneath a thick salt layer in the Gulf of Mexico after drilling the basin's deepest well ever.
